Noteworthy Issues: Dark Nights: Death Metal #5 (November, 2020)

OK, I think my brain hurts.

Issue:  Dark Nights: Death Metal #5, November 2020

Writer:  Scott Snyder

Artists:  Greg Capullo and Jonathan Glapion

The Plot:  Since the heroes’ plan didn’t work, maybe Lex Luthor has some ideas.

Commentary:  OK, so…I have been reading all these “metal” stories for a while now.  Not continuously, but a while. And I have no real idea how to wrap my brain around what Snyder is talking about sometimes.  “Crisis energy” was one thing.  But metals, many of which had long histories in various DC stories, having special multiversal properties that I can’t for the life of me keep track of…that’s something else.  What metals do what now?  I don’t know. And why metal?  Why not…I dunno, call them “elements” or something?  Was it just to give the series a badass name?  I mean, I won’t object too hard if that’s the reason.

But really, I just am not feeling the “special metal” thing.

Regardless, the Batman Who Laughs, AKA the Darkest Knight, acted exactly as anyone with half a brain knew he would and decided to murder Perpetua next.  Since he now has power to rival his boss, that could even happen, but it also means the heroes have a chance to regroup and learn why Wonder Woman’s plan failed.  It comes down to Lex Luthor to point out that the reason it failed is heroes think too big.  He felt small as a child at the planetarium, and it forced him to rethink how he saw himself in the universe, and that helped him when a certain Kryptonian showed up in Metropolis.  He likewise further said that Diana has to take on a particular mission because of the Big Three, she sees the truth while Clark sees the best in everybody and Bruce sees the worst.

OK, as much as the metal thing doesn’t work for me, those are some good observations by Luthor.  If you aim big, you won’t see how hopeless things are.  If you aim small, you can achieve a victory by hitting an opponent where they least expect it.  Or something.

Somehow, this involves Clark and Bruce making confessions to Diana while all three gather armies to fight the Darkest Knight’s forces…after they destroy the Earth to get his attention.  Bruce, apparently, has been dead the whole time.

So, there it is.  Clark gathered an army of villains.  Bruce summoned an army of the dead.  Diana took an army of Lobos to find another freakin’ metal.  There are heroes there too.  And the Darkest Knight…yeah, he noticed.

I wasn’t too impressed by this issue all told.

Grade:  C+