With its seventh and final issue, the epic crossover event Dark Nights: Death Metal comes to a fiery close as the heroes of the DC Multiverse battle against the armies of the Dark Multiverse led by the fiendish Darkest Knight. A bombastic love letter to the entire history of DC and its iconic characters, Death Metal is considerably more ambitious and expansive than its predecessor while setting up the next era for DC with the impending launch of "Infinite Frontier" on the heels of the two-month "Future State" publishing initiative. And with this last issue, the fan-favorite creative team manages to stick the landing in one of the most genuinely entertaining, tightly constructed crossover events in recent memory.

Picking up from the cliffhanger ending of the sixth issue that saw Wonder Woman restore her allies' memories of their past lives across the various incarnations of the DC Multiverse into a single, cohesive history, the final battle between the heroes and the Dark Multiverse is joined. With the fate of reality hanging in the balance, many of the story's major players get one last hurrah against their nightmarish counterparts as the cataclysmic confrontation unfolds and a bold, new era for the DC Multiverse rises from the ashes of the fiery showdown, teeing up both "Future State"s deep dive into alternate timelines and a new status quo for the main DC Universe.

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While most of the issue is focused on this climactic battle, writer Scott Snyder knows to keep the focus on the story's emotional core, especially impressive given the cosmic scope and the expansive scope of the story's cast of characters. In many ways, "Death Metal" was always Wonder Woman's story and Snyder drives this home as she steps up in the final conflict to lead the charge. And through it all, the cheeky sense of humor that had been present from the story's start is still on full display, no matter how monumental or dire the stakes become as the tide of battle ebbs and flows between the two armies.

Penciller Greg Capullo is joined by longtime artistic collaborators with Jonathan Glapion on inks and FCO Plascencia on colors. The visuals in this issue are some of the most artwork in the team's career, from expansive battles fueled with apocalyptic intensity to quieter, more reflective moments as Wonder Woman discovers the true consequences of the story. And with one epilogue drawn by Yanick Paquette and colored by Nathan Fairbairn setting up "Future State" while another drawn by Bryan Hitch and colored by Alex Sinclair explores the tale's most intriguing loose end, plenty is going on in this oversized special that celebrates the extensive roster of heroes and villains, either in action or jubilant celebration.

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More than just a follow-up to the original Dark Nights: Metal - Death Metal is the culmination of years of comic book storytelling across the DC Universe. "Death Metal" is a bigger yet somehow more focused story than its predecessor and an expansive celebration of much of the DC's colorful history, embracing the escapist possibilities of its premise while providing a meta-textual wink to the readers on the value of superheroes and how they appeal to fans to aspire to the better angels of their nature. And as a clear love letter from its core issues to its set of tie-ins, "Death Metal" goes out with a bang as it sets a course for the DC Multiverse's future.

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