Injustice: Gods Among Us Omnibus Vol. 1

by Tom Taylor

Inspired by the hit video game phenomenon, Injustice Gods Among Us Omnibus Vol. 1 collects the first three years of the best-selling series in a brand-new special omnibus edition for the first time!

Superman is Earth's greatest hero. But when the Man of Steel can't protect the thing he holds most dear, he decides to stop trying to save the world-and start ruling it.

Things in the DC Universe have changed after Superman is tricked into destroying the one thing he loves the most. Now unwilling to let crime go unpunished, the heroes of our world must choose if they are with Superman or against him. But not every country will submit to his new world order and neither will Superman's greatest threat-Batman! And the Dark Knight will use any method at his disposal to stop his former friend from reshaping the world in his shattered image.

Injustice Gods Among Us Omnibus Vol. 1 collects the earth-shattering first three years of the massively popular series written by fan favorite author Tom Taylor (Injustice, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man) and with art by rising stars Mike S. Miller and Bruno Redondo!

Collects Injustice: Gods Among Us #1-12 + Annual #1, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Two #1-12 + Annual #1 and Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year Three #1-12 + Annual #1

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Graphic Novels Comics, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Manga, Collections

1104 pages, Hardcover

Published December 10, 2019

About the author

Once a professional juggler and fire eater, Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times Bestselling, multi-award-winning comic book writer, playwright and screenwriter.

Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.

He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.

He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.

Reviews

[Blindzider · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a blast to read. Sure some of it may be for shock value, but it's a fairly logical progression of what would the DC Universe do if Superman decided to be more...aggressive when it comes to stopping people from getting hurt.

Year One and Two primarily deals with the heroes taking sides (similar to Marvel's Civil War event). For the most part, the heroes stay true to their beliefs, with only one or two exceptions. I'm not sure Damian would have abandoned Bruce the way he did. Year Three expands the conflict in a couple different ways and the middle of this year is when Taylor leaves and Buccellato takes over the writing.

There's not much of a noticeable difference between the two. What I like about Taylor's writing is he really knows the characters. There are small moments throughout where two characters say a few words or react in a way that acknowledges their past history and relationship. Those instances mean a lot to longtime readers and gives the story the "human" base it needs to give meaning to all of the carnage. A couple of my favorite moments: Bruce's reaction when Dick dies and comes back. Oliver and Dinah. Loved seeing Batman and Constantine together. Never realized some of their similarities.

And there's quite a lot of carnage. Taylor also comes up with some innovative ways for one hero to take down another. There's one plot device used a few too many times though. A hero "accidentally" killing another one. I think this happens at least three times.

Year One and Two also touch on common themes with writing about superheroes: how much should heroes help humans? Do the ends justify the means? What is the price of freedom for security? Many of the themes have been covered in other books, most notablyAbsolute Kingdom Come.

The art on Year One is not the greatest, but by Year Two it cleans up. Not A-list but some of it is very good. The problem is there are rotating artists for the rest of the omnibus and they vary in quality and style.

Can't wait for the next volume. Not exactly sure how it will play out but have an idea.

[Rumi Bossche · Rating 4 out of 5]

Badass awesome and the best what if/elseworld story i have ever read. It is very simple at times but it just works and reads really well. I am actually surprised how good it was.

[Thezachespinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really fun and inventive take on DC's finest characters. It's amazing it took them this long for their own infighting!

[Sean Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear God. If there is ONE run I would recommend to EVERY comics fan, Tom Taylor's Injustice would be it. He just KNOWS how to give characters different flavour simply, he just KNOWS how to insert lore and motivations and backstory into the action, he KNOWS how to justify and build on complicated and alienating decisions, he KNOWS inherently how to layout panels so that they flow and tell a cohesive cinematic story. This is better than it has any right to be, each volume in the Omnibus is as good or better than the last, and it is every bit as beautiful and epic and universal as everyone says it is.

[Randy Lander · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so very skeptical of all the good word of mouth on this book. When it came out, I hadn’t heard of Tom Taylor, but I knew I was sick to death of evil Superman stories and didn’t believe a video game adaptation could be as good as friends were telling me.

Then I read it and fell in love with Taylor’s storytelling and how much he gets these characters. Green Arrow and Harley Quinn were the early standouts, but Taylor got these characters so well, making them witty and interesting and telling a story of a different kind of super apocalypse, a different kind of evil Superman who you can kinda agree with in a way that makes you uncomfortable.

The art is uneven, going from great to merely ok, and it’s a shame that Taylor doesn’t finish out year three (or the other two years, not collected here) but you can easily see where the genius that is DCeased and his Nightwing and Son of Kal-El runs have come from in this early work.

[TheMadReader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have to question the IQ level of anyone and everyone that considers this amazing. This is a never ending collection of throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. Literally, every single character in the DC universe thrown into a pool of shit with no clear cut ending or reason. A new story starts on every page with no conclusion, no finale, no thought provoking moment. When Taylor stops writing and Brian Buccellato takes over, it’s a straight up train wreck…I am convinced he has ADHD.

I bought this and volume two because I saw both copies in brand new condition at a local garage sale. I paid $20 for the set. I sat and read this filth because I’m a good boy and I finish what I start however, I was damn near so close to throwing this and the other volume right out of my window.

If you like stories that say a whole lot but are really saying nothing, enjoy.

[DayDay · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the greatest DC stories of all time ! I love alternative timelines where comic characters go absolute crazy ! This is the MELEE version of the DC universe aha ! So good ! And I love Tom Taylor's writing so much !

[Martijn Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn! This was incredible and so much better than i expected a prequel to a videogame to be. Immediately ordered volume 2!

[Trombitas Sandor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t usually read comic books, but Injustice might just change that. I really loved the writing, it got me interested in parts of the dc universe i never knew existed.

[JJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Injustice: Gods Among Us is one of the gold standards of media tie-in comics. This omnibus, collecting the first three years and their annuals along with a cover gallery, note from the Injustice game's creator, sketches, outlines, and plot pitches, is the perfect entry point for someone interested in the Injustice universe or anyone just looking for a good and novel DC Comics story.

If you don't know already, Injustice is a fighting game (similar to Mortal Kombat) where a more typical DC Comics universe crosses over with an alternate universe where Superman becomes a dictator. The comic provides background on how exactly the Superman of this universe became evil -- which could be a difficult task. The game sort of "yadda-yaddas" the downfall of Superman between the inciting incident and the events of the game (a five-year period), but the comic needs to provide a realistic glide path where he doesn't just turn evil at the flip of a switch.

It almost completely succeeds (at least in the years covered by this comic). There are a couple leaps of logic here and there, and the Superman of this world is a little more morally malleable than classic Superman ever would be as he makes some questionable alliances. But it all feels so fresh and it's really interesting to see different characters (and there are a lot of characters!) react and evolve and just see really compelling, dramatic things happen to our heroes.

Year One is sort of the baseline origin story for the Injustice universe, and if you want to read one shorter portion of the massive Injustice series to get some background for the game this is what you'd want to read. It shows what makes Superman start down his dark path, how Batman and some allies butt heads with him, and is some of the most gripping comic book content I've read recently.

Year Two focuses on a conflict with the Green Lantern Corps, who aren't thrilled about the idea of an evil Superman. I'm not a Green Lantern aficionado, but I thought it was tense and tragic and thrilling and a great follow-up to Year One.

Year Three is a little rougher, and I actually had to put it down for a bit (this is the only thing stopping the omnibus from getting five stars). It's focused on the magic side of the DC Universe and, unlike sci-fi or even stuff that's fantasy or pre-historic or anything like that, I don't really like magic superhero stuff as much. It also feels like it spins its wheels a lot with multiple issues covering the same fights again and again. As someone who wasn't very familiar with most of the magic characters, I also felt like I didn't get the full impact of various character moments and it wasn't clear to me who everyone was or what they could do (in Year Two, at least the characters I didn't know were Green Lanterns who could do Green Lantern stuff).

The writers, Tom Taylor and Brian Buccellato, do a phenomenal job other than those small problems. Most of the art is also fantastic, capturing the look of the games and the DC comics -- with a few issues here and there that look a little more rushed (plastic-y or with weird gradients). The extras aren't amazing, but there are a lot of them and some of the initial plot pitches are interesting.

Overall, the first three years of Injustice are really fantastic, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with mainstream, non-video-game-tie-in comics. It's so substantially better than most media tie-in comics that it's a real achievement. I'd happily recommend Injustice for any DC Comics fan, whether you're a gamer or not.

[OmniBen · Rating 2 out of 5]

(Zero spoiler review) 1.5/5
Amateurish. Boring. Pathetic.
I have never, and I mean never seen a book with such a high score on this site that is so thoroughly mismatched to the actual product, that I would seriously consider black magic or voodoo as a likely explanation, over hundreds of people actually thinking this is decent. I am genuinely mystified and appalled that this piece of garbage has scored this high. I'm considering notifying the police. I've got to do something after all.
This is writing for people with severely limited attention spans. This is writing for people the lowest common denominator. This is like a six year old telling you a convoluted story in an excited fashion. It a continual, breathless, shabby recounting of events, with little narrative structure or sense of anticipation or tension.
I have minimal experience with some of these characters, and I get that it isn't cannon, but if you want to convince me these heroes can become moronic assholes on a dime, then you better do a bloody good job of convincing me, but no. Tom Taylor has no idea or ability how to intelligently craft a narrative over time. This was a head shakingly unpleasant fart after the first few pages (which I actually enjoyed). It quickly descended over the next few issues into that is to me, the epitome of rubbish comic book story telling. Everything just HAPPENS, with little to no foresight or planning. Ideas that would be best drawn out and explored over a multiple issue arc are introduced, butchered and dispatched with after a few pages. Nothing makes sense, no one is likeable. Humour is flat at best and beyond cringeworthy at worst, of which you get far more of the latter than the former. In short, it sucks balls.
I picked this up a while ago on hype (and a decent second hand price), before I became aware of Tom Taylor's reputation, his overt political input into all of his stories (but hey, modern day comic industry and all that). The guy may have been way too woke, but I was lead to believe he actually had talent. Spoiler alert, he doesn't. The man is devoid of anything approaching writing talent, and this is meant to be one of his best runs. God help the modern comics industry if this guy is meant to be an industry leading name. Fuck me this industry is in shambles.
Like I said, I read four issues of this, then stopped. I have way too many good books to read to waste hours reading uncontrollable diarrhoea in book form. I then flicked through a considerable remainder of the book to see if the format and general feel of the book changed. It didn't. I saw Cat Woman popped up at one point, and god help me if I'm going to let Tom Taylor further tarnish one of my favourite characters. If you don't want the opinion of someone who hasn't read the whole thing, then ignore mine if you wish, but if all you've heard about this run has been good, then you really need to have some balance before you potentially invest in this dreck. The art is fine, though nothing amazing. 1.5/5


OmniBen.

[Fraser Veitch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The grandest What if? of all time

What if Superman convinced himself that he should rule Earth as he sees fit? What if the ideals he's always known and lived by have been corrupted and he rules as a despot? Who could stop him?

Injustice attempts to tell the tale in a year by year fashion and Omnibus Vol.1 gives us the first 3 years of Superman's rule and those that would oppose him (and those that stand by his side). An entertaining read to be sure, but the enjoyment is slightly downgraded by the art which really varies throughout. Still, I eagerly await the release of Vol. 2 so that tells me it's a read worth the time.

[Lorenzo Amer · Rating 5 out of 5]

my first omnibus i’ve read and it’s now one of my favorite comics. Despite some complaints that this is poorly written (mostly from people who haven’t actually read the book) this has both my favorite Batman moment (Catwoman letting Batman cry) and my favorite Superman moment (Superman fixing a kid’s bike). As much as people like to say this isn’t lore accurate to Superman (even though Elseworlds aren’t canon in the first place), Tom Taylor does an excellent job showing how Superman’s naïveté and unflinching sense of justice could lead to this total descent in the face of a mental breakdown. Definitely one of my new favorites

[Hren · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 stars. This is what a proper superhero blockbuster story should be all about. A fast paced action soap opera, full of constant twists and epic moments, with the added bonus of being an elseworld story: characters get to develop in unforseen ways and almost no one is protected by plot armor apart from the most high profile cases. The setup to the all-encompassing superhero conflict is gradual and convincing in establishing opposite viewpoints. It certainly doesn't concern itself with deep tought-provoking themes or sophisticated dialogue, but it really doesn't need to being this fun.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Absolutely awful. I find the praise this book gets so confusing. The artwork is serviceable at best, but mostly bland or subpar. The writing is very shallow, with poor characterization and no depth to the worldbuilding at all. A waste of a potentially interesting idea. I stopped reading the omnibus after the eighth chapter of Year Three, I couldn't take anymore of characters being introduced only to be unceremoniously murdered a few pages later.

[Clementine Hazel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best DC stories ever told! Tom Taylor takes the world's greatest heroes and turns them into our greatest threat in an intriguing and brilliantly told story of betrayal, loss, and what it really means to do the right thing. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a different take on the world's greatest heroes and just wants to read an interesting civil war story!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know this is not an "important" comic in any way, but good Lord is it fun. The pacing is great, and I just got picked up and carried along. It's a true ensemble book, and Taylor juggles all the strands beautifully. The art is inconsistent and subpar, but never gets in the way.

[Hailey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Oliver and his crew are pretty much the only thing that make this bearable. But the Regime memebrs are already kind of one-note. I feel like a lot of these types of books have the same people on the ~Resistance squad vs who goes "evil."

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

superman is such a bitch. so is Constantine but we expect that from him lmao.

I wish I picked this up sooner. it's insane. so many of my favorites keep dying. I keep screaming at the page lol. can't wait to dive into volume 2.

[Laz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Omnibus is THICK but damn enjoyed every second of it. Such beautiful artwork. Will definitely be continuing the series!

[Ruby · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty cool and definitely worth reading but, at points it was kinda dull and repetitive. Still definitely worth the read.

[Kyle Brayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite comic in recent memory, highly recommended especially for fans of DC

[Lucas Carlos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parfait de A à Z.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so much fun. There are so many great moments throughout that I had a hard time putting the book down.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. 1 of Taylor's best books. My 2nd fav Justice League story now after new 52 Justice League .

[Kurt Lorenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Year One ☆☆☆☆
Year Two ☆☆☆☆☆
Year Three ☆☆☆☆

[Tristan Damen · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s a good rhythm of death and drama here, but all of the big DC crossovers prove to me there’s not much here except Batman. I’d take a mediocre X-Men trade any day.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an awesome book! I especially loved year 2 in it. This make me want to read more DC comics as someone who mainly reads marvel.

[Michael Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

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[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

🤯🤯🤯🤯🤯