By Tom Taylor, Trevor Hairsine, Gigi Baldassini, Stefano Gaudiano, and Rain Beredo
The DCeased series by DC has been one of few things that has been consistent in comics this year for a multitude of reasons. For one, the quality has not dipped between the main series and two or three spinoffs. Second, it has been coming out consistently throughout the pandemic by releasing the DCeased: Hope at World’s End series in digital format while we have not been getting physical copies. DCeased: Dead Planet #1 though, is the true sequel to the original DCeased main story and continues with the main cast from that series on a new Earth. The survivors are just fending off a war with a local alien species when they receive a transmission from Cyborg to return to the original Earth. Despite the dangers present, the new Justice League feels as if it is their duty to help Cyborg.
What hasn’t been said about Tom Taylor’s writing in the DCeased series? It is surprising to see how consistently a writer can go into various different areas of the same series and get homerun after homerun. As always, the story and characters in this issue are great. We immediately fall in love with Jon as the reluctant new Superman. Lois has a great line regarding Jon’s ability to earn the role of Superman, that makes the reader feel proud of Jon in his ability to carry on his father’s mantle. You get this feeling with all of the characters, from Damian exercising restraint as the new Batman to Oliver and Dinah being one of the best couples you will ever see with their playful jabs at each other. As for the story, it is interesting to see how the world has changed for the survivors and seeing the quarantine outside of Earth by the Green Lanterns. There is an ominous scene of Killowag standing by the sun, ever watchful of Superman as he is still slowly eating the sun. Is this foreshadowing of things to come? The only complaint to be made, is that the heroes may have gone back to the Earth too readily. Perhaps some more planning and backup plans may have prevented the all too devastating events that the reader will surely see coming.
The art in the DCeased series has always been a bit hit or miss. Thankfully, the original art team of Trevor Hairsine, Gigi Baldassini, Stefano Gaudiano, and Rain Beredo do a great job of keeping the look of the first series and having facial expressions that do not look jarring. The dark and grim look of this series, mixed in with colorful costumes and hopeful scenes go hand in hand together. DCeased has always been effective as a horror story by not being constant doom and gloom, but by having some hopeful elements and light reprieves. For each ominous scene of Superman, arms spread out eating the sun, we get a mother comforting her son against a white background that really shows the reader the love between the two characters.
If you have not read the previous DCeased titles, you should, but that is not necessary to enjoy DCeased: Dead Planet 1. Pick up this series now and you will surely be excited for its release each month!
DCeased: Dead Planet #1
This series is always good and all comics fans should check out DCeased: Dead Planet.
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