For Forever Evil: Arkham War #1 to be in any way worth your while, you should check out the Scarecrow “Villains Month” issue first.
Now that you’re back, you don’t really have to read this issue. Save for a couple cool character moments, Forever Evil: Arkham War #1 doesn’t develop this storyline that much and fails to build all that much tension between the various factions of Gotham’s villains.
This issue captures the chaos going on in Gotham right now, but also has a pretty chaotic narrative. Tomasi jumps between Bane and Penguin, showing how they both have a stronghold on Gotham, but doesn’t reveal either of their endgames or methods of attack. So far, there looks to be a brawl on the horizon, and that’s all.
Commissioner Gordon is used in the story as a device for recapping the plot in an expository fashion, but his role in the story is yet to be clear. It would be nice to see the focus stay on the villains.
However, there are some fun moments of dialogue and interplay between Gotham’s Rogues (Fear farts? Yes please.) Professor Pyg gets a gruesome introduction that creates some twisted chills, thanks to Eaton’s artwork. Otherwise, Eaton’s art successfully captures the might of Bane, but misses the gloomy mood of Gotham.
Forever Evil: Arkham War #1 is a prelude at best, as it essentially sets up the disposition of Gotham’s villains, but doesn’t build on their motives or the dramatic tension between them.
