I Would Fire An Editor For This
Readers suffer as this issue refuses to decide whether it wants to be part of the Rise of Eclipso or the Reign of Doomsday, resulting in a lazy mash up of the two stories that really does neither any favors.
If the two stories fighting for space is not bad enough, James Robinson seems to expect readers of this book to also be regular readers of Justice Society of America, because it picks up on story threads from that series with the emerald city on the moon and Alan Scott's crippling injuries. Sometimes, Robinson makes really good use of continuity. This is not such a time. Fortunately, I gave Marc Guggenheim's run on Justice Society of America a try, so I am not completely lost at the sight of Alan Scott here. Robinson really does not do enough work setting this up as it really does feel like being dropped into a story without also being given the necessary context.
Who at DC is handling this Reign of Doomsday story anyway? Seriously, this is a mess. It is worse than the Alan Scott stuff by far. Doomsday literally comes out of nowhere with a complete absence of explanation or any context for what is going on. How does he fly through space so fast? Wait, how does he fly through space at all? Are there other titles I am supposed to be reading to understand this? And why does DC think I am reading them along with this one? Whoever is planning out this story needs the definition of the word "plan" explained to them, because this really is ridiculous. It charges into this title and out at the end, pointing to the next title it is apparently going to invade with the expectation of me following. No. I'm not going to. Why would I? It hasn't made me curious. It has made me confused and frustrated. The justification for it even tying in is forced and lazy, because it relates to a random guest appearance by Boodikka. After making a mess of this issue, I am glad it's leaving and hope it doesn't come back.
Sadly, the troubles with this issue do not end there. Robinson continues to build on the sibling relationship between Supergirl and Dick Grayson. Except a more accurate way of putting it is that Robinson tries to force it. Dick outright refers to Kara as his little sister in this issue, and it doesn't work at all. Robinson hasn't earned that yet. There is nothing believable about Dick so consciously viewing Kara as his little sister all of a sudden, especially when their pre-established relationship had Kara romantically interested in him. This is not building a sibling relationship between them. It's forcing one, and it is simply poor writing.
After an issue of Eclipso putting together his Shadow League, they have very little presence in this issue mostly due to the fact that there is barely room to focus on the Eclipso storyline. This epic invasion of the emerald city almost happens in the background, making it really underwhelming.
The truth is this is just a badly written issue, but it is hard to blame Robinson entirely for that. Reign of Doomsday is such a poorly handled crossover that there really was no hope it could have been done much better than this. The rest does have to fall in his lap, though. The characterization is either weak and lazy. The use of continuity from Justice Society of America is poorly done. Saint Walker just showing up like he does is lazy. Eclipso's attack is almost an afterthought. The Rise of Eclipso story arc has officially been derailed, and it may not be able to get back on track from this.