Release Date: September 25th, 2013

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Publisher: DC Comics

Written By: Aaron Kuder

Art By: Aaron Kuder

Price: 3.99

Review:

While I may not be a huge DC reader I do really love the characters just like everyone else. It seems like I’m more in love with the mythos and the history of Superman, Batman, and the League tho. I haven’t read a Superman story in regular continuity that I actually liked since Batman/Superman. I’ve given the New 52 a chance and they hit a home run with Aquaman, the Lanterns, and several other titles for me but they just haven’t hooked me 100%. So I tried Forever Evil and I was impressed by how many times, in one book, the Crime Syndicate could slap me in the face with their blatant disregard for the Justice League’s authority. Then I tried a few Villains Month books and I was back to “Meh” status. I read the Justice League/Secret Society one, I read the Batman/Bane book, and then I read the Action Comics/Metallo one. Not impressed. In fact the Bane book was downright awful. The art was like dollar store coloring book level. When the Big Two do events like this, with this many tie-ins, it feels like a gimmick. Then they tack on 3D covers and I definitely run the other way. Just like Infinity, all the tie-ins and features feel like unimportant filler material to keep you invested until the next big issue.

I like the big events. I really do. I enjoy seeing team-ups and massive group beat downs just like any other comic geek. I just detest all the tie-ins and must-reads that really don’t matter and aren’t that good in the first place. They place some important event in Howard the Duck or Barbie Adventures and tell everyone they have to pick it up to follow Batman or Wolverine’s latest big storyline. No sir. I was skeptical when DC announced the original 52 and I still am about the New 52. 10 or 15 books a week and you HAVE TO acknowledge that quantity and deadlines will override quality eventually. It’s just simple math. I think it’s too big of an undertaking for DC or Marvel to produce the level of quality people expect from them that many times in a month.

The Superman/Parasite issue was a surprising relief from this cycle of filler junk. I’m a sucker for a Parasite story and I think he gets dismissed as a B-Villain when he could take Supes himself out. This issue’s highlight is the artwork by Aaron Kuder. I’ve never seen any art so detailed, realistic, and cartoonish at the same time. He’s like Frank Quitely, Ed Mcguiness, and Art Adams all rolled into one amazing artist. This whole issue is gorgeous. From this insane close-up in the mirror of Parasite, to the violently beautiful slug-fest between him and Superman, Kuder captures the monster perfectly. While the origin story feels like a lighthearted take on my favorite leach worm monster, it’s really dark, unsettling, and twisted. The whimsical yet dark writing is a good compliment to the paradoxical cute yet grotesque artwork.

While DC has never been my personal go-to for big company-wide events, they always seem to knock the villain-centric crossovers out of the park. Villain’s Month is not the case. While Forever Evil seems to be shaping up for an epic throw-down between two equal but opposite League/Syndicate rosters, it’s missing something for me. Regardless, I will definitely be searching for this Aaron Kuder character to find out what else he’s drawing or writing. He’s one to look out for. Unless I’m late to the party and he’s already a huge star. In that case, I knew I had great taste.