Dark Knights of Steel vol 1 by Tom Taylor

Illustrated by Yasmine Putri, colored by Arif Prianto, lettered by Wes Abbott

In a reimagining of the DC Universe, Jor-El and Lara escape a crumbling Krypton in a rocket and crash land in a fantasy, Medieval Europe inspired time, just as Lara is giving birth to Kal-El. A prophet in a neighboring kingdom warn of a danger coming from the sky, who will look like humans, and who will destroy the world. Naturally, many suspect the Els as the subject of the prophecy, and some work to take out the indestructible family. The Els struggle between several kingdoms on the brink of war with the Kingdom of Storm and the Amazonians.

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I really enjoy reimagining storylines, especially if they have no bearing on the larger cannon. These are also great places for readers to get involved given the volume of back-catalog on many heroes in comics. This was a clever way to bring together a ton of familiar folks and give them a chance to excel in a different storyline. There are some twists on some characters' lineage and relationships that keep this story fresh for even the diehard comic fans, as they won't have every character completely figured out just from hearing their name or seeing their powers.

Putri's illustrations are vibrant and full of beautiful details. The scenery and costuming bring this medieval setting to life. Putri and Prianto definitely had some fun reimagining heroes' costumes in new ways or bringing something completely different that drew inspiration from the hero's color-palette. 

There is quite a lot of violence on the page, and readers see many people die in panel. The artists are not shy about including blood and depicting broken bones. The violence and sort of dark nature of the revenge plots make this better for older readers.

Sara's Rating: 9/10
Suitability Level: Grades 9-12

Publisher: DC Comics
Publication Date: September 20, 2022​
ISBN: 9781779516756 (Paperback)

​Tags: Rating: 9/10, Suitability: High School, Comicbooks, Superheroes, Fantasy, War, Family, ​DC Comics