First, I have no idea why Power Girl appears on the cover of this issue since, as far as I'm aware, she's not even on Earth-2. Paging pet peeve #2. Even odder, the solicitations say that she arrives to "turn the tide." Did Taylor change something at the last minute, or did the advertising department just not take the time to read the issue?
Turning to matters at hand, Taylor wraps up this long-running story quickly, but somehow it all works. The heroes realize that the easiest way to win isn't to take on Apokolips' army, but to break Bedlam's control over Mister Miracle, Mister Terrific, and Terry Sloan, allowing them to close the Boom Tube. It's a solid plan, and the heroes implement it efficiently: Batman et al. create a hole in the army so that Flash can zoom Marella into the complex to deal with Bedlam. (They're helped, hilariously, by Superman smashing Val to the ground in front of the complex, creating a shock wave that knocks away all the combatants.) Flash does his job, and Marella gives Bedlam a stroke via water on the brain. (Clever.) Mister Terrific and Sloan shut down the Boom Tube, and Green Lantern -- no longer having to hold Earth in place -- manages to take out the remainder of Apokolips' army. Sure, it's a little convenient, but I'm willing to concede that Taylor could've spent an issue or two showing us the heroes fighting the remnants of the army with the same result. As such, no harm, no foul.
Honestly, I didn't think it possible to wrap up such a complex story in one issue, but damn if Taylor doesn't manage it. Moreover, he doesn't let it just devolve into a soulless drive to an end point. We get some real emotion and humor throughout the issue, mostly thanks to Lois. She opens the issue comforting Martha in the wake of her life imploding around her and ends it destroying "Superman." Moreover, she's got perfect comedic timing when she tells "Superman" that she's just stalling just as Val zooms into view and tackles him into the ground. By taking the time to give us these scenes, Taylor gives us a more meaningful ending that I'd expect in such an action-packed issue.
The only unanswered question, to me, is the faux-Superman's true nature. He appears briefly like Bizarro, but all we really learn is that he somehow starts to break into pieces. (It's Lois that finishes his dissolution.) Maybe it's because Bedlam was holding him together and the stroke meant that he lost his focus? It would be nice to get an answer to this one, but I have faith that Taylor will get us there.
In the end, we get the moment that we've been waiting to see pretty much from the start of this series, namely a fully assembled Justice Society: Val, Hawkgirl, Marella, Flash, Green Lantern, Sandman, Batman, and Red Tornado, with Khan and his deputy in the background. It's a great moment, made all the better by the reminder in the Epilogue that Bedlam is still out there trying to claim Earth to save a dying Apokolips. In that way, Taylor reminds us that the Society's work isn't done; it's just starting. It took 26 issues to get there, but Taylor makes you glad that you waited. Great stuff.
**** (four of five stars)
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