First Contact Event: World’s Finest #21 – spoiled

First Contact Event: World’s Finest #21

Levitz, Silva, Weems

SPOILER ALERT!

I will most certainly be SPOILING!

Well here I go eating my words. Last issue I was critical of how Kaizen Gamorra seemed to have been forgotten as the action got heavy. In First Contact part 4, from the first page, Kaizen is in the thick of things. Batman points out that the portal being open can also allow things to enter their universe.

While Huntress seems hesitant, Gamorra points out that he knows the world on the other side of the portal calls to Powergirl. Gamorra can hear voices talking to him through the portal, and those of us who are familiar with Earth 2 or the early Justice League from new 52, immediately begin to think Darkseid. There is a kind of tug of war going on focused on who gets to go through the portal under whose power.

The winner of the game seems to be Powergirl as she chucks the newly empowered Kaizen into the portal. With Kaizen gone and the threat seemingly neutralized, the two refugees from Earth 2 seek to cross into the portal.

Just before Kara can push through the portal, an enormous armored hand presses through from the other side! In the moments after being flung into the portal, Kaizen has grown in both stature and power, pushing though to steal Kara back. Not for Darkseid, but for her Darkseid loyal cousin, Superman.

The evil Superman demands that Powergirl be brought to him, even sending parademons through the portal to help Gamorra. The weakened Superman is having trouble fighting off a single parademon, while Batman and Huntress easily and quickly dispatch their two, displaying uncharacteristic camaraderie. Superman finally gains the upper hand with his parademon and dashes him across the ground.

Kara, still struggling with Kaizen, is being gently goaded by Darkseid Superman to enter and even seems to use language to convince her. In those final moments, Powergirl begins to step into the portal. Out of nowhere, one of Huntress’ arrows hits the edge of the portal tech and explodes sealing the space between Kara and Kal from Earth 2.

For a moment, the aftermath causes a rift between Helena and Kara, but only a minute as Kara explains that it really WAS Kal. The two sets of heroes part ways in an oddly rushed and not altogether unpleasant way; dispensing apologies and thanks. The final page shows Kaizen Gamorra, trapped in Earth 2, with no powers.  The fear in his eyes as he looks at his odd saucer shaped cell is embodied by his parting words:

“This was supposed to be a new world to conquer…but it’s hell!”

I have mixed feelings with the finale of the First Contact Event. I was expecting a full blown cross over, something to mirror or complicate the Forever Evil  fallout. That isn’t to say that some interesting developments did occur. For one, Darkseid Superman refers to Kara as his “little secret weapon” which adds an interesting element to her character and Superman’s plotting in Earth 2. Also, the introduction of Kaizen Gamorra, the super high tech genius, into the powerful subjects and allies that Superman has amassed in his attempt to conquer Earth 2 is a ripple that could reach farther than any yet. I may not continue reading World’s Finest or Batman Superman but this series has reinforced my love of Earth 2 for months to come.

My rating 4 / 5.