Heroes in Crisis by Tom King

This was one of those books that made me question my own reading ability… was I just not getting it or where there too many loose threads strung out there?

I loved the concept of directly addressing the mental health of superheroes… but the book just didn’t follow through with the message. Shifting timelines and an unreliable point of view make it hard to figure out what is happening through much of the story.

Here’s the premise: Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman have created a place called The Sanctuary where superheroes can go when they are experiencing any sort of mental distress. They have built a computer counselor that listens, provides guidance, and then erases any recordings or evidence of the hero being in therapy.

In the middle of Nowhere, America… a multiple murder at The Sanctuary. Harley Quinn and Booster Gold are the prime suspects and Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman take control of the investigation. They try to keep it under wraps for fear of the heroes and their mental health being exposed. Was it an inside job, where is the evidence, what will the public think? These are all the questions that King has the reader and the characters asking.

One or four red herrings too many, a distracting plot, and a spotlight that consistently veers away the aspects of the comic that I liked… I never really connected with this one. I did like the 9 paneled pages with various superheroes in conversation with the AI therapist. They are discussing the things they have seen in the course of their adventures. I appreciated this focus, but felt it was muddled by the murder/ mystery that was wrought with confusion.