Atlas The Mighty is dead. The sky is (literally) about to fall. Your Major Spoilers review of Danger Street #3 from DC Comics awaits!

DANGER STREET #3

Writer: Tom King
Artist: Jorge Fornes
Colorist: Dave Stewart
Letterer: Clayton Cowles
Editor: Brittany Holzherr
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: February 14, 2023

Previously in Danger Street: The repercussions of Atlas the Great’s death play out worlds away as two old enemies become allies in the fight to save the Multiverse. Meanwhile, Lady Cop continues her search for Good Looks’ killer, the disgraced hero Starman. Little does she know; the fugitive is on his way to the City of Angels to make a deal with the devil. Will his sacrifice be enough to set things right?

THERE IS STILL ONE WHO MIGHT HOLD UP THE SKY

Issue three begins with three groups ruminating on three deaths: Darkseid and Highfather have engaged Metron to investigate the shocking death of Atlas, while Starman and Warlord deal with the fallout of Metamorpho’s demise, and the three remaining Dingbats plot to murder the guy who killed their friend Good Looks. Since that guy is Starman, the situation is complicated, as the “Lady Cop” finds when she tries to investigate the “blue alien.” At the behest of the Grandmaster, Manhunter Mark Shaw makes an attempt to assassinate Commodore Murphy, but is foiled by the powers of Codename: Assassin. Starman trades Metamorpho’s diamond arm to get a meeting with Cecil Sunbeam, only to have the Starmaker demand Warlord’s sword in return for the favor that will bring Metamorpho back from beyond, while The Creeper… just kinda creeps.

SPINNING THE WHEELS A BIT

This issue slows down the narrative in a very noticeable way, focusing on conversation after conversation. That’s not always a bad thing, but much of what we hear is just exposition, explaining what a reader can already pick up by context cues. When it comes to the “realistic” parts of the tale, like the Lady Cop’s investigation and Jack Ryder’s worries about television ratings, that slow down helps to emphasize the gritty aspects of the tale. The problem is, this isn’t a gritty, realistic tale, and the cracks between the multiple points of view are starting to show. The use of Darkseid and Highfather really feels out of place here with arguments about tone, while the battle of wills between Assassin and Manhunter feels equally misdirected after seeing Orion in combat, and Starman bartering to resurrect his elemental pal. Fornes’ art is a little rougher than previous issues, as well, with what feels like ragged edges and expressions that go way too broad. Orion’s face on the final page was drawn to be disturbing due to his madness, but it ends up being horrifying for the wrong reasons.

BOTTOM LINE: NOT MY FAVORITE ISSUE

After two issues that kept things mostly balanced, Danger Street #3 starts to tilt into the dark and hopeless aspects of King’s writing to the detriment of reader enjoyment, while Fornes’ art feels rushed for the first time, wrapping up to a less-satisfying 2.5 out of 5 stars overall. The difficulty of making a cast this dissimilar work in one coherent story framework is starting to swamp the story, making me desperately wish for something to break the grim and nihilistic tone.

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DANGER STREET #3

53%

53%

The Darkness Is Creeping In

A slow-moving, talky issue that makes it seem that this series didn't actually need twelve issues to do what it wants to do, and the nihilism is starting to grate a little bit.

• Writing

  3
• Art

  6.5
• Coloring

  6.5
• User Ratings (0 Votes)
  0