REVIEW: ‘Dark Nights: Death Metal,’ Issue #3

Dark Nights: Death Metal is a DC Comics crossover event that opened with a chainsaw-wielding Wonder Woman and a Batman who is also a T-Rex and has only been growing with absurdity.  Written by Scott Snyder, with art by Greg Capullo, inks by Jonathan Glapion, colors by FCO Plascencia, and letters by Tom Napolitano, the series balanced out its absurdity with a chord of emotion as Wonder Woman talks Bruce, her Bruce, into helping her save the multiverse. That issue showed Snyder’s skill in telling a Wonder Woman story that resonates beyond just Capulo’s amazing character design. Now, in Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 readers venture to New Apokalopis with Harley Quinn on a giant hyena and a burning Swamp Thing -to just name a few characters in the raiding party.

For this issue, the team’s goal is to free Superman from his solar prison, but when they realize that Superman’s cells have been blasted with enough different variations of Kryptonite to leave him vulnerable to the Anti-Life Equation, it tasks a little creative thinking to keep him from going Darkseid. Plus, the deep secret of the Darkest Knight is revealed and the danger facing the multiverse is in plain view as another Batman Who Laughs rises to fill the void that Diana created by killing him in issue number one. The secrets abound in this issue and while our heroes push to save the multiverse, I can’t help but wonder if these secrets will have a villainous effect on their plan.

As you move through every page it’s easy to think that Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 has hit the ceiling on balls to the wall absurdity and concept, but with each development in the plot, Snyder tops himself. This extends from the plot points like the strongest character in the multiverse to the enormous plot armor that is used to avoid story ending moments. But while the latter of these may seem like a critique, it really isn’t. It takes a special skill to bring a reader into a story that so wholly engrosses them so that they buy into every concept, no matter how out of the realm of possibility. But beyond this, its Snyder’s use of narration and dialogue that gives this story grit and fun. While each speech balloon has his signature wordiness, it never feels like too much. Instead, every word on the page feels necessary.

While Snyder’s story is wholly original, fun, and interesting, Capullo’s art helps push Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 to a whole other level. From a gorgeous page of rainbow kryptonite shining over a tortured Superman to the littlest Death Metal with the Robin King and the shadowed figure chasing after the fastest man alive, every piece of art just works. This is pushed even higher with Plascencia’s colors that are vibrant and moody. Plus, Capullo’s Wonder Woman continues to shine with power in every panel, a muscular build, dyed hair, and a chainsaw of truth.

Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 continues to offer up deep cuts for DC Comics fans, inventive plot points, and ultimately, Snyder continues to prove how much he understands each character he writes into this large bombastic story. If there is one thing to say about Dark Nights: Death Metal, its that it’s clear that’s made by creatives who love the characters deeply and this translates when a fan who feels the same picks it up. Truly, as the insanity of Dark Nights: Death Metal keeps rising, the more I fall in love with it.

Dark Nights: Death Metal #3 is available wherever comics are sold.