Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #2

Writer: James Tynion IV Artist: Steve Epting Publisher: DC Comics Release Date: January 22, 2020 Cover Price: $4.99 Critic Reviews: 12 User Reviews: 29
8.2Critic Rating
7.7User Rating

Apex predator Lex Luthor is on the hunt for the Batman Who Laughs. To catch his prey, he must follow a trail of broken heroes... leading him to Jim Gordon, one of the victims of the Batman Who Laughs' deadly virus that turned the heroic police commissioner into the worst version of himself. The trail leads Lex to a lonely cell in the Hall of Justice - but it's not the good guys who come to stop him. It's more of the Batman Who Laughs' dangerous operatives! And if they couldn't resist the influence of the Dark Multiverse, then how can Lex?

  • 9.7
    Major Spoilers - Wayne Hall Jan 28, 2020

    This twist on the normal "good guys versus bad guys" average comics format really has me guessing and concerned. Normally, events like this clean up nicely and neatly, but I can't see how that will happen in the Year of the Villain. DC has upped the ante here quite substantially. Read Full Review

  • 9.5
    Lyles Movie Files - Jeffrey Lyles Jan 22, 2020

    Steve Epting and Javier Fernandez team up on the art this issue. Theyre it the ideal art pairing as Epting is a more grounded, realistic artist and Fernandez is more of a highly stylized artist.  Due to how their responsibilities are split, the art shift isnt as jarring. Read Full Review

  • 9.0
    Critical Blast - RJ Carter Jan 24, 2020

    Year of the Villain has offeed up a mixed bag of titles, and the whole Nth Metal, Dark Multiverse (negative-numbered universes where everything went wrong) is more than a bit of a logistical tangle, plotwise. But HELL ARISEN is definitely one of the brighter spots in the event, and worth the investment of both time and money. Read Full Review

  • 8.6
    Comic Watch - Matt Meyer Jan 27, 2020

    Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #2 is more fun than a barrelful of demonic monkeys. Don't sleep on this miniseries! Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Weird Science - Jim Werner Jan 22, 2020

    James Tynion IV raises the stakes of Hell Arisen by showing that no matter what, Lex Luthor's brain is his most dangerous weapon, but the Batman Who Laughs is no slouch either.  Both sides are involved in a meta arms race heading towards their inevitable battle.  I will be there when the stuff hits the fan! Read Full Review

  • 8.5
    Geek Dad - Ray Goldfield Jan 22, 2020

    For an event comic, this series has been surprisingly low-key at times. But as a slowly building horror story, it makes a great companion piece to the bigger-scale Year of the Villain books and does both its lead rogues justice as they head towards a violent clash. Read Full Review

  • 8.3
    GWW - Deron Generally Jan 22, 2020

    The art by Epting and Fernandez is fantastic. All the characters look fantastic and the action is great throughout. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    Dark Knight News - Bryant Lucas Jan 26, 2020

    If you love villains being heroes being villains, then buy this book. Like - right now. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    But Why Tho? - Charles Hartford Jan 22, 2020

    While it has some faults, I thoroughly enjoyed Year of the Villain: Hell Arisen #2. With both masterminds hard at work getting their next moves in order, I'm eagerly awaiting the next issue. I just hope the creative team can keep the story going in its, mostly, strong fashion. Read Full Review

  • 8.0
    ComicBook.com - Adam Barnhardt Jan 22, 2020

    Hell Arisen is nothing short of all-out bonkers as #2 carries on at a breakneck pace. If you're looking for a comic jam-packed with action from cover to cover, it might be hard to pass something like this up. Read Full Review

  • 7.5
    Batman-News - Joshua McDonald Jan 22, 2020

    This book isn't perfect, but James Tynion, Steve Epting, and Nick Filardi really find ways to deliver in key moments. Interestingly, they all hit their peak moments at different times, and that really helps give this book quite a bit of energy. Read Full Review

  • 5.0
    Forces Of Geek - Lenny Schwartz Jan 24, 2020

    Like I said before, the art is really good here. But I have lost interest in this. Maybe it will pick up but we deserve more than this, especially after close to a year of stories leading up to this. This is flat and it could have been very exciting instead. Read Full Review

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