REVIEW: ‘DCeased: Dead Planet,’ Issue #1

Tom Taylor’s DCeased world is getting even larger this month with DCeased: Dead Planet #1. With Taylor serving as writer, and the rest of the original creative team: pencils by Trevor Hairsine, inks by Stefano Gaudiano, and Gigi Baldissini, colors by Rain Beredo, and letters by Saida Temofonte, this new mini-series is set in the same world ravaged by the Anti-Life Equation that began last year and turned billions into monsters. Now that we’ve watched as Taylor has killed off most of our DC Universe favorites across four other titles, it’s easy to go in expecting much of the same. But even if you’ve read every single issue in the current DCeased line-up of books, you’re in for a treat.

In DCeased: Dead Planet #1, readers return to the planet left in ruins, with its heroes dead, survivors shot out into the universe, and a drunk Constantine covered in yet another round of his signature survivor’s guilt. Now, years later, a distress call brings Damian Wayne, Jon Kent, and Cassie Sandsmark back to the dead planet. Only now, they’re the Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman of Earth 2, a new Justice League, returning to the planet where the old one died and were reborn as the blighted.

As with his other DCeased titles, Taylor expertly uses narration to deliver exposition without making the scene-setting feel too heavy-handed. With another hidden narrator, the ominous and unsafe nature of the story is beyond apparent. The issue opens on Constantine in a bar, then shifts to the emergency signal. Then, we get to catch up with the child heroes as they are now, as adults.

This sequel series is a great follow-up and continuation to the story that started last year. While DCeased: Hope at World’s End was my favorite of Taylor’s work in this universe that they created, DCeased: Dead Planet #1 has surpassed it. The issue does this by not only returning to the main storyline but by ambitiously retelling the first story using the unique personalities of the new Justice League that differ from their parents and mentors. If you go into this issue just thinking of it as a basic issue one, you’ll get much more.

While Taylor expects you to have at least some understanding if DCeased going in, the first few pages give enough detail to open the story up for new readers to join in. Additionally, the reason this issue feels less like a number one and more like the continuation that it is is how hard and fast Taylor jumps into the emotion, starting it with the fallout of death and ending it with a new one.

DCeased: Dead Planet #1 also features art that does each character justice, specifically when it comes to costume design. While Damian’s cape and cowl are pretty much standard issue Batman, John and Cassie’s costumes have character and honestly, I can’t wait to see more of this new Wonder Woman suit in future issues. On top of it all, when things get bloody, Beredo’s reds are saturated enough to showcase the carnage but never wash out the panels.

Overall, DCeased: Dead Planet #1 is an amazing sequel series that promises much more story, emotion, and drama as it unfolds. This was as great a continuation as it was a first issue, which speaks volumes for the creative team. While I don’t know where this story is heading, especially with certain revelations that John brings to light in the issue’s closing, I’m excited to be along for the ride.

DCeased: Dead Planet #1 is available where comics are sold now.