mysteriousmre's Reviews (1.22k)

The mystery feels a little tacked on and I have problems with the rehab worker and the psychologist being the villains (I think it reinforces some bad stereotypes of rehab centers and psychologists causing more harm than good) this book did a fantastic job showing Barbara recovering from her accident and all the physical/social/mental work that goes into that recovery. There’s a LOT of really great and positive messages here (especially about how friends can make or break a recovery), but there are some bad ones too which is why I can only give it a 3 out of 5.

Morrison does a great job giving us a younger, less experienced Superman, while showing us his humanity and interests in a way that makes him relatable (such as his love of writing, since it’s something he doesn’t have a super power for). The supporting cast is good and the short time we have with Kent family helps establish why Superman has the moral compass he does. It’s MILES better than anything in Man of Steel. What knocks this book down from a 4 to a 3 star is the brief interlude with the Legion of Superheroes. It’s not bad (it’s actually quite interesting seeing how their existence impacts Superman) but it’s placement in the book really interrupts the flow of the main story. Otherwise it’s a solid reboot by one of the best Superman writers. Looking forward to the next volume!

I was really excited to see Tynion takeover the main Batman book (I was not a fan of Tom King’s overly long run). While I don’t think this hits the highs of his other work at DC, there is a lot to like here. Especially when it comes to his new creations like Underbroker and The Designer. Underbroker fills a nice niche among the criminal underworld that wouldn’t feel out of place in something like John Wick and the lore of The Designer is a compelling explanation for how Gotham’s rogues transitioned from Silver Age shenanigans to the more sinister and cruel Dark Age. I don’t find Punchline all that interesting in this story, but she makes a decent foil for Joker to bounce jokes off of and the character really finds her footing in other stories (namely her own one-shot which is fantastic).

A complaint I have is the sheer amount of characters in this book. Tynion does well with the Bat-Family and his regular villains, but the assassins for hire like Cheshire, Gunsmith, and Merlyn don’t last long enough to make a good impression. Their small stories at the end of the volume alleviate this somewhat, but I wish they were placed throughout the story instead of at the very end. Overall, Dark Designs is a decent romp through Gotham that has some interesting ideas, but is ultimately just a set up sets up for the next volume. Hopefully Joker War sticks the landing.