Issue: Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin (2020-) #1
Writers: Scott Snyder & Geoff Johns
Artists: Jerry Ordway, Francis Manapul, Ryan Benjamin, Richard Friend, Paul Pelletier, & Norman Rapmund
Colorists: Hi-Fi, Ian Herring, Rain Beredo, Adriano Lucas
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Publisher: DC
Published: 22 December 2020
Publisher’s Summary: The DCU’s darkest secrets are explored while two titans clash! The heroes search for a way to defeat the Darkest Knight through the universe’s past, while Superboy Prime faces down the demonic Batman!
Review
Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin (2020-) #1 is a one-shot tie-in issue centered on Superboy-Prime. Starting first with a brief (re)introductory scene, Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin (2020-) #1 sees Superboy-Prime stationed on the frontline, just prior to another battle, with no other heroes willing to stand by his side, save for Krypto. Before long, Superboy-Prime finds himself face-to-face with the Batman Who Laughs in a fight to save the multiverse.
The creators involved in the making of this one-shot are some of DC’s best; it should come as no surprise that this is a masterwork of a tie-in issue. Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin (2020-) #1 moves at an impressive pace and yet manages evoke emotion. Aesthetically, superhero comics don’t get much better than this one…
Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin (2020-) #1 serves as a fine tie-in issue but will appeal, especially, to long-time readers and those familiar with DC’s Crisis events. This issue’s ending is powerful and will surely resonate with readers for weeks to come; fans of Superboy-Prime–the tragic hero, not the murdering baddie–will appreciate the sense of closure that this book inevitably brings.
The Bottom Line
For those invested in DNDM, Dark Nights: Death Metal The Secret Origin (2020-) #1 is a necessary issue that adds to the overall reading experience.