The Justice League faces the final extinguishing of our world, invaded on all sides by unimaginable nightmares, fueled on to the edge of oblivion only by the belief that there must be a light in the endless darkness-somewhere. But…what if there’s not?

Writer Scott Snyder has delivered a sense of desperation throughout Dark Nights: Metal and in Dark Nights: Metal #5 that is upped a few factors as the heroes struggle to find their footing.

Snyder takes his time to cover the various teams and where they’re at, whether it’s the group on Hawkworld, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, or Batman and Superman. What’s interesting is most of those play out as scenes as Batman and Superman’s struggle plays throughout. While each has their own beat, it’s Batman and Superman’s struggle that really creates that sense of hope and defeat. Without that, the rest wouldn’t work. Those two character’s struggles emphasize the desperation of the whole and Snyder plays out the story so that we get emotional highs and lows. This one isn’t just about the action, it’s that excitement of success and and crushing failure rolled into one. The reader is toyed with much like our heroes and with a one-shot and one more issue to go, I have no idea how this one will end.

There’s also some rock and roll moments as heroes rise up in desperation. What I’d describe as “fuck you” moments. You’re cheering on… then you get crushed. But, even then you’re still rooting for the win.

The art by Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, and FCO Plascencia is as fantastic as ever. The “metal” aspect is there with imagery that you’d expect to find on a cover of a rock album. What particularly stands out is the use of color and lettering. Each setting has a very unique color palette and it all works together to set the various moods for each. They enhance the location and gives the reader a better sense of the world. The lettering for this series as a whole has been fantastic but here each character, especially the corrupted Batman have a style that has you imagining what they sound like. It helps create the character, especially the menacing aspect of them.

There’s not much more to go and I have no idea how this is ending. The issue is solid in playing with the reader’s emotions and when you think things are turning for the better, you get knocked back down. It’s an emotional roller coaster with intelligent plotting that uses the various storylines to enhance each other and toy with those ups and downs. Another solid addition to the event series.

Story: Scott Snyder Art: Greg Capullo, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia
Story: 8.75 Art: 9.0 Overall: 8.75 Recommendation: Buy

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review