Invasion

This didn't turn out quite like I thought it would.

OLD SPOILERS AHEAD

The Dominion brought together an alliance of other alien races to attack Earth over the meta gene. They really want to use the meta gene for their own purposes and lied to their allies about the invasion being about the threat humans pose. This lie/lack of communication cause trouble later on both in fracturing their alliances and a misunderstanding leading to the gene bomb.

It's a little like Millennium in a way: The story introduces a group of newly powered heroes and there's plot from other titles that aren't fully incorporated into the main story. Fifty humans are tested to see how many survive due to the meta gene at the start of the story. They think only one in fifty will make it when six or seven do. (One was injured and they never make it clear if one is killed off.) Snapper Carr is a part of this group and they call themselves the Blasters after the weapon that triggered their powers. Which feels kind of insensitive since everyone else died...

Apparently they only do this test once and assume that percentage holds true for all of humanity. They claim they took diverse people for the best results but at least two seem to be related. Which might make sense as these scientists mess up through out this event. Unlike Millennium these new heroes don't actually have much scene time inside the series except for Snapper near the end. I don't think I've ever heard about this group but I'm looking up the "upcoming" series they had.

Much of the actual invasion happens off panel which has exposition for a good chunk of it. I didn't expect to see so much of it having the aliens explaining the situation. If you know who Mon-El is you'd probably see the twist with his race coming. Though I don't know why Superman couldn't help them instead of letting one of them die to type out message. Superman was a bit odd in this as he tells his enemies their in a war which is worded in a way that suggests he wouldn't listen to them. Then later on he doesn't properly explain where he was or why he won't return to Earth.

The best part happens once the actual invasion ends and the gene bomb is set off.

I first heard of this event when X-Men had a parody of it in a trade with a clone of Jean Grey (I think?) as the gene bomb. The meta gene seems to be a mutant gene in DC so it makes sense. Who got affected however didn't make much sense as I thought Dr. Fate had magical powers. It can apparently raise the dead too? At least once? Max Lord and Amanda Waller were great in all their scenes together. Particularly when she confesses her respect for him when she thinks he's passed out and curses him out when he's not.

Guy was also a highlight that never failed to entertain me. I love the panel of him cursing out the camera in his face then how everyone repeats the same phrase when it happens to them--including Batman. This wasn't nearly as fun as Millennium although it was written much, much better. I'm glad I only have a digital copy and got it at a reduced price. Not boring or bad, just not something I see myself rereading a lot.