Review: Year of the Villain

It seems like every other year since Dan Didio took over DC has been labeled (or at the very least feels like) The Year of the Villain. From the overall tone of the DCU to an event like 'Forever Evil' to 'Future's End', we seem to have had a darkening and a coarsening of the heroes of the DC Universe for about a decade. And just when you think things were getting better, just when Rebirth sort of reset things in a brighter and more classic way, the pendulum swings back.

So I wasn't too surprised, given these last years, to find that we literally have a Year of the Villain event in the DC books coming up. Scott Snyder is bring in Perpetua, the Anti-Monitor's mother, to rewrite reality. Brian Michael Bendis is ripping apart the political landscape in Event Leviathan. And the Batman who Laughs is lurking around every corner it seems.

This week a teaser of all those events came out for the small price of two bits. DC's Year of the Villain Special #1 hit the stands with stories from each of those writers whetting our appetite for the major plotlines around the corner. Add luscious art by Jim Cheung, Alex Maleev, and Francis Manapul and you have a great bargain for comic readers. Throw in a few articles and process art in the back and you basically have a steal.

For me, this already feels a little different than those prior peeks into the minds of the bad guys. The Leviathan story feels very fresh and looks like it is going to impact everyone. The Perpetua story is a Crisis-level event which probably will have the grandest of scopes. I just don't think I am going to see a ton of hands being chopped off here, a sort of marker I have for what mess I am in for. This seems better.

Too be honest, the Leviathan arc is the one I am most interested in. I have theories. So I will be covering that mini-story the most here. On to the book and a reiteration of my theory.

"Leviathan" was written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Alex Maleev.

On a rooftop, Batgirl and Green Arrow corner Merlyn. The assassin begins blathering about how the a 'royal flush' is occurring. Leviathan is wiping out all shadow organizations. It already has wiped out Merlyn's group, the League of Assassins. And if he isn't allowed to leave, with or without the heroes, he'll be next.

Sure enough a Leviathan probe/agent shows up and detonates in the blue energy we have seen before.
Batgirl awakens in a dark room, Leviathan himself (or herself) standing before her in his insect like mask.

Leviathan tells her she is safe as is Green Arrow. They call her Barbara, showing some knowledge or history with her. Then they make her an offer, one that won't be given to Green Arrow or Batman. They offer her a place in their organization. Intriguing.

After all Batgirl is a noble warrior, someone who has wanted to change the world but hasn't been able to.

And that is what Leviathan is going to do.

Leviathan says that despite the efforts of the heroes, the world is 'drowning in a broken global disaster'. It is time for someone to actually make a difference.

Leviathan wants what Batgirl wants. To save the world. He says they are not enemies. And he speaks so comfortably with her to seem like they are friends that I have to wonder just who is under that mask. Even more interesting is that we see Barbara with a contemplative look,  almost as if she is  mulling over the idea.

So who is Leviathan?

Well I initially thought this whole thing had a Watchmen feel to it. Blue energy explosions like Dr. Manhattan. Jellyfish like energy monsters, akin to giant squids. Even the words 'broken global' are so unique in their proximity that I couldn't help but think of the 'broken globes' of Watchmen. So I thought this might be a plot by the Earth 0 equivalents of the Watchmen characters like Dan Dreiberg and John Osterman.

Then I thought (and still think) that maybe it is the Charlton characters who exist in the DCU, the templates for the Watchmen characters, now trying to change the world like Ozymandias. Certainly Captain Atom with his blue energy and Monarch history could be the person in the spiky Leviathan armor who brings the energy. And the woman who killed Mr. Bones could easily be Nightshade, the basis of Silk Spectre. She would have plenty of tie ins with shadow organizations around the DCU.

And maybe this Leviathan with his bug-like mask is Blue Beetle. After all, Ted Kord had a relationship with Barbara Gordon in some continuities. He would certainly think of her as a noble warrior and know her secret identity. He would say they weren't enemies … because they are actually friends! He might not want people like Batman and Green Arrow trying to mess up his plans.

It all fits.

Leviathan is not a person but a cabal of the Charlton/Earth 4 heroes who are now veering towards the dark edge of Watchmen. At the very least, it is Captain Atom and Nightshade!

It certainly would be apt for The Year of the Villain!

This time I'm right!

In the James Tynion/Francis Manapul story, titled 'Justice', the League saves a planet from disaster. It is felt that the expanding void of Perpetua will lead to more universal threats. When asked how the League can possibly stop them all, Batman says they'll call everyone.

What a great splash page of heroes! And there is Supergirl!! Always good to see her represented and in such a prominent place!

Lastly, all the articles are great but this one worried me a little.

The Batman Who Laughs is going to corrupt six heroes, making a Secret Six to do his bidding.

I swear to you that if we have another go around with a 'dark Kara', I just might quit comics.

Seriously, we have done that enough … too much!!!