Review: Dark Knights Of Steel #12

Dark Knights of Steel #12 came out this week, the end to an entertaining Elseworlds maxi-series written by Tom Taylor and drawn for the most part Yasmine Putri. Putri is on art here.

For me, Taylor seems to shine the most on these Elseworld books where he can re-imagine DC characters or nudge them down a path he wants. One of my main issues with his 'in continuity' books is his very heavy-handed agenda driven stories. This book pretty much shied away from that. This was simply 'what would the DCU be like if it was thrown into a Game of Thrones style world'. There are good people and bad people. There are people who are ethically gray. It had character beats, side stories, a main plot, and a lot of action. It worked.

This is issue wraps up the story rather neatly. Taylor has to do a couple of things. Bring together our heroes to brawl with White Martians. Set things up for a sequel since, I think, this has been a successful book. Wrap up the side stories. Set up the next villain. And he does all that. The brawl takes a sort of back seat as the fight ends quickly, using a crutch that DC has been leaning on for 5 years. 

But what I really like is the time that Taylor gives to the characters here. This could be the last time we see these folks. Taylor gives us some great closing moments for all the characters, even the secondary ones. My favorite moment is with a supporting characters. This really felt like a fleshed out world and therefore I will miss it.

Putri work here feels a little bit less polished than her work in the earlier issues. But her work is so strong and powerful that it is still powerful and bold. I hope we see her work in other places. Put her on 4 issue minis or specials. But keep her in the fold.

I'll say it now. If there is a sequel, I'll be on board.

On to the details.

It has been apparent for a while but Amanda Waller has her own agenda in this world. Shocker!!

She frees the White Martians, asking them to eliminate the other supers as long as they leave her kingdom alone. She'll use her Task Force to douse the fires protecting the castles to pave their way.

Let's face it, Amanda Waller as a character has just veered into the darkness. She isn't morally gray. She isn't doing bad things to achieve good results. Every where I read her now, she is out for  power and she doesn't mind leaving a trail of dead bodies behind her. Frankly, she isn't as interesting as she was way back in the Ostrander Suicide Squad where she seemed to have good intentions.

The heroes know the White Martians are getting ready to attack. 

Luckily, the Queens have their counsels. That includes John Constantine who has figured out the perfect counter-attack. 

I like that Taylor kind of leaned into classic Constantine, a man fated to have tragedy mixed into his victories. He hasn't exactly been perfect in this book. 

It's a pretty easy strategy. Lure the White Martians into a massive fight above a dormant volcano and then make it active with the lightning powers of House Lightning. Meanwhile, have Supergirl chucking barrels of pitch everywhere. Turns out that flaming lava can really cripple White Martians, even if they are wielding Kryptonite swords.

The resurrected Lightning prince protects the homes by bring the rain. 

Now I can't think to hard about this. All sorts of White Martians could have gone intangible or invisible and taken off. But the rout is on.

Nice little plan that ends the battle in a few pages.

I talked before about the character moments being important in this book. 

Diana has gone full warrior here, decapitating the Martian who killed her mother. She is ready to do more.

It is Zala, Diana's consort and Supergirl analogue, who reminds her who she is. Diana doesn't have to sink into darkness and violence. 

I liked this. These are our heroes. Let them rise above.

But what to do with the remaining defeated White Martians.

Let's throw them in the Phantom Zone!

Seriously, we need a three year moratorium on the Phantom Zone Projector. From Rogol Zaar to Synmar Utopica to The Devil Nezha to Ultraman/Val-Zod to these guys, every story villain that is too big gets tossed into the Zone.

That is the very definition of deus ex machina. 

But the Martians aren't the only villain.

Alfred/J'onn can't read Amanda Waller's mind (she is somehow magically protected) but he can read Deadshot's. He knows she was setting up to take over.

Get ready for some seeds of a sequel. Alfred touches her and explodes in flame, dying.  She *is* somehow protected herself.

When Bruce comes, she kills Deadshot claiming he was the traitor. 

Waller remains in play. 

While I am not a big fan of evil Waller, I do like that she is always scheming and knew enough to protect herself.

And now my favorite moment.

A treaty of peace between the Els, House Lightning, and the Amazons is drawn up. 

The House counselors, Harley, Constantine, and Lois meet to discuss the future. They will need to continue to be the sage voices helping the Queens. 

I really liked the way these characters were handled, as the power behind the power. In particular, I loved this Harley, using the power of being the fool to both lull people's suspicions while still being able to spout wisdom. 

Give me a special with just these three.

Nothing left but the wrap-up.

Lois flirts with Clark. Bruce decides to leave the kingdom to explore. The treaty is signed. A League is formed.

The last Tom Taylor issue I reviewed was Adventures of Superman Jon Kent #6, an issue I took a scalpel to. As much as that issue and series fell flat, this one sang.

I truly hope we get more.

Overall grade: B