DC X Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Legion #2 ended with our heroes being outwitted by the Legion of Doom and Dr. Eggman, getting trapped in the Null Space, away from whatever insidious evil plan Lex Luthor and Dr. Eggman have concocted. However, unbeknownst to almost everyone in this universe, there are so many sneaky, backstabbing plans that will make the last few issues of this series telenovela juicy with betrayals. While the DC X Sonic the Hedgehog series isn't one I would have picked up at my local comic book store, reading this has definitely broadened my horizons to include different books I wouldn't have read.
From the get-go, DC X Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Legion #2 makes the story more interesting, as we see that the evil forces who teamed up are only using each other as a means to an end. While the story continues to be a pretty standard crossover, paint-by-numbers plot, there is still enough to leave the reader interested for the next few issues. The art from Adam Bryce Thomas continues to be the perfect companion to Ian Flynn’s very animated story, which is definitely aimed at a more casual fan who might not have picked this up otherwise.
Our heroes are trapped in limbo, or the Knull Space, to be more exact, and there is no escape in sight. One thing to keep an eye on is that Sonic, our prickly friend, is not one of our heroes stuck in the Knull Space. Is he the one who sets up the escape for the rest of the Justice League? If so, does it happen in the next issue, or will the Justice League's escape be the climactic moment of the series?
What I am really looking forward to is seeing when Dr. Eggman and the Legion of Doom start to turn on each other. That was heavily implied in this issue, and it's only a matter of time before that happens. I think these two plot points are what the story is going to heavily rely on: Sonic breaking out the rest of the heroes, and the tension between the bad guys. So far, there has been enough interest in the first two issues—especially because the capture happened so early on—that the anticipation of the climax has been properly built.
I think the story took a more mature and more interesting turn than I expected from DC X Sonic. Not in a “OMG. Did you see that?!” way, but more in the layered complexity of the story that might not usually be part of this kind of crossover meant for a more casual reader. We all thought that this was going to happen--the baddies turning on each other; however, the twist--at least to me--came way earlier than what I thought it would. This seems like an issue 4 out of 5 plot points, but it came at the end of issue 2. I really enjoyed that.
Having our heroes trapped so early in the story will simplify and shorten the story, giving it more time to breathe and showcasing those who were not trapped, giving them their time to shine. As many characters as there are, it helps to keep some of them confined to tell a more cohesive story, and I like that. It makes the backstabbing more effective and will be a better payoff when they finally come through. Also, before we move on, the backstabbing and plotting are heavily influenced by soap operas and telenovelas, and you can't convince me otherwise. I love that because it adds an extra layer of intrigue to this series.
One reason the backstabbing will work—I think—is Dr. Eggman’s fitting in like a square peg in a round hole. Sonic’s nemesis being too weird, even for a team of eccentric characters, is funny to me, and maybe my favorite thing in the entire series. That odd fit helps make the backstabbing feel believable, and I will enjoy seeing how this character progresses and how weird they can push him.
Honestly, there is little to complain about this issue. I know it's only been two chapters into this series, but this was the better of the two. When reading these sorts of comic book series, you have to know what you are getting into and who the target demographic for this series is. So when the story plots, character names, and everything else hit you in the face like a tire, it's something I was expecting. I'm not going to judge this book with the same tools that I would use to judge Absolute Batman, or vice versa.
However, I don't think series aimed at a much broader audience automatically get a pass if they are bad. DC X Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Legion #2 is a great example of a comic book series that has stuff for new readers and seasoned readers as well, even if the seasoned readers have to deal with some heavy-handed exposition. Moving forward, more will need to be brought to the table, but for now, as the creative team sets up the world, the first two chapters of this story have done a good job of doing so.
So, while not groundbreaking, DC X Sonic has done enough to keep me interested for the next chapter!
Adam Bryce Thomas's art feels so alive that the characters seem warm and welcoming. Even the characters who are supposed to be evil look joyful, as if they would do nothing underhanded--with one exception. We’ll talk about that in a minute. Lex Luthor, Dr. Eggman, and even Sinestro look much like Hanna-Barbera villains, which gives these villains a different take. Not so much end-of-the-world plotters, but more take-your-lunch-money baddies. This sort of art makes this comic, which is designed for casual or new readers, much more digestible and easy to read. Matt Herms's coloring gives the characters so much warmth and adds extra excitement to the reading.
There is one outlier. Cheetah is terrifying, and that works in her favor. It gives her an added layer of character that the other villains don't have. She legitimately looks insane and unstable. The contrast between her and the rest of the Legion of Doom is fantastic. Even the others gave her a side-eye. This version of Cheetah isn't necessarily groundbreaking, as we’ve seen a cat-faced variation before. However, this might be my new standard for Cheetah as I move forward reading that character. I think I much prefer this version of Cheetah to one with a human woman's face. She looks much more vicious and intimidating.
The art continues to add to the story, particularly with certain individual characters. Between the first two issues, Adam Bryce Thomas's art has been consistent and outstanding.
DC X Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Legion #2 was a fun and interesting continuation of the story, with the villains getting the last laugh at the end of the issue. The story became instantaneously more interesting as it added a wrinkle that will give the payoff a bit more weight when our heroes are finally released from the Null Space. As far as crossover events go, while standard, DC X Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Legion #2 does enough to tweak it on the surface to make it seem fresh. One element of that is the open cattiness and backstabbing plots, which were taken right out of a daytime Soap Opera.
The rest of the series will depend heavily on characters outside those trapped, which will help tell a giant story in a bite-sized sample. As long as you come into this series knowing who the real target audience is, you should have fun reading an adventure between Sonic and the Justice League!