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Black Adam: The Justice Society Files - Doctor Fate #1
- Writer:
- Cavan Scott, Bryan Q. Miller
- Artist:
- Jesús Merino, Marco Santucci
- Letterer:
- Rob Leigh
- Cover Artist:
- Kaare Andrews
- Publisher:
- DC
- Price:
- $5.99
- Release Date:
- 2022-10-04
- Colorist:
- Ulises Arreola, Michael Atiyeh
2022 has not been a kind year for the DC Cinematic Universe, but that is about to change with DC's tentpole release of Black Adam later this month. Spearheaded by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, the movie plants the roots of the anti-hero before his eventual clash with the Shazam family. Johnson is not the only recognizable face in the cast, as Pierce Brosnan's Doctor Fate is about to get his silver screen debut along with his Justice Society of America teammates. Black Adam: The Justice Society Files - Doctor Fate #1, written by Cavan Scott with backup from Bryan Q. Miller, artwork from Jesús Merino and Marco Santucci, colors by Ulises Arreola and Michael Atiyeh, and lettering by Rob Leigh, explores Kent Nelson's life protecting Earth from supernatural threats.
Black Adam: The Justice Society Files - Doctor Fate #1 begins with Nelson seeking solace in the Tower of Fate while ruminating about his illustrious past with the Justice Society. His peaceful thoughts turn dark when an insidious presence disrupts his mediation. A demon has risen from hell's inferno to destroy the living world and has selected a group of kids as its target. Will Doctor Fate be able to vanquish his foe in time, or will the children become dangerous earthly vessels for the demon? Meanwhile, Miller's backup story comes to a conclusion, bringing Adrianna Tomaz close to revealing the secrets of an ancient artifact.
In a brief montage, Black Adam: The Justice Society Files - Doctor Fate #1 establishes Doctor Fate's working relationship with the Justice Society as a core member. While the exposition is rather heavy-handed in its use of narration, it gets the initial introductory phase out of the way to dive into the core of the mystery with a strong hook. The plot-driven story uses its supporting cast to raise the stakes and do much of the heavy lifting in the storytelling as Fate turns up at the pivotal moment, like always, to turn the tide. Surprisingly, Cavan Scott does not make the sorcerer an outright straight arrow. Instead, Dr. Fate is a flawed man, turned cynical with age. This creates a moral dilemma in a tale already ripe with untold horror. Scott's antagonist is fearsome and scary but ultimately falls prey to editorial necessities. Finally, Bryan Q. Miller's backup story on Teth Adam's past and Adrianna's quest to safeguard her country's artifacts comes to a screeching halt and leaves the rest of the explanation up to the upcoming movie.
The intricate background and the grimy aesthetics may be the reason for the book's eerie atmosphere, but Merino's art brings the creeped-out expression of the characters to the fore. It's a top to bottom horror fest with ghoulish faces and demonic apparitions haunting the increasingly chaotic proceedings. Colorist Ulises Arreola lets the primary color tones lead the way, parting through bursting flames and thunderous spells to shock the audience. He keeps the backdrop intentionally darker so as not to interfere with the haunting atmosphere. Santucci and Atiyeh continue their artistic flair at a galloping pace in the backup story, but the heavy inking may be disconcerting to some readers.
Black Adam: The Justice Society Files - Doctor Fate #1 moves at a rapid pace, with the core mystery holding everything together as the tale includes some shocking revelations. Cavan Scott gives readers a well-rounded introduction to the character's psyche. As the issue ends, it promises to transfer its energies to an elaborate spectacle on the big screen.