November 2019

Year One monikers generally mean something special within DC Comics. Not every character gets a Year One story and it’s an event that doesn’t come around that often. It is a way to affirm the core of a character without rebooting, to add onto that character’s mythos by building on new elements, and to act as a guidepost for the character moving into the future. Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter do a nice job in creating this moment for the Flash.

***SPOILERS****

I generally try to avoid spoilers as much as possible. Since this is the final volume for the super popular The Wicked + The Divine, however, a little more detail will need to be discussed.

Partly, I think the appeal of WicDiv is never quite knowing exactly where the story is going. More so than normal comic structures, WicDiv often creates a sense of “what the hell is going on?” while maintaining a sexy and seductive feel from the fantastic art of Jamie McKelvie and gorgeous colors from Matt Wilson.

To quote DC Comics for this title: “Thirty years ago, a fellowship of brave heroes traveled beyond the borders of creation and killed the last living god, saving the realm of Cain Anuun from the tyrant’s apocalyptic army of the undead. The legendary companions became the rules of their world and ushered in a new age of peace and prosperity. But it did not last.” Phillip Kennedy Johnson does not waste a single page. The pacing of the story, the amount of world-building that occurs, and believable dialogue pulls you in immediately.

Superman has been turned into a zombie by the Anti-Life Equation at the end of the last issue and this final issue deals with the decimation that an unleashed Superman brings to the world.

In a series full of big moments and utter hopelessness, Tom Taylor and Trevor Hairsine manage to find a way to make things bigger and even more hopeless. What an achievement in storytelling to find a way to lose massively and yet have the smallest of wins for the heroes.

Seemingly, this is the end for High Level as it “completes” its series. This isn’t quite a review but more of a personal commentary of what I think transpired in this title. The story wraps and ends with an opening to continue, as indicated by the designation “End Book One.” All told, this was not a very satisfying end to this series.