'Dark Days: The Road to Metal' by Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jim Lee, Andy Kubert is a couple prelude issues and a bunch of older issues that herald the big DC Dark Nights series.

Dark Days: The Casting and Dark Days: The Forge show a Batman who has things to hide and having those things come to light. Apparently something bad is about to happen and Batman somehow knows about it. This brings heroes from multiple Earths, and variations of the Justice League. The story isn't bad.

Then we get a hodge-podge of older issues that seem to relate to upcoming events. Final Crisis #6-7, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne #1, Batman #38-39, and Nightwing #17 are presented without a lot of context which left it feeling pretty random to me. I would have liked some explanation, but perhaps that is for further down the series.

The 2 prelude episodes are pretty good. Some of the older issues aren't bad. The art varies a bit, but it's mostly pretty good. I know there are lot of people who don't like John Romita Jr.'s art, but I am a fan of his unique style.

I received a review copy of this graphic novel from DC Entertainment and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this graphic novel.

Last summer’s mega-event, Dark Nights: Metal, was epic in every way; the happenings that transpired throughout the event left all who were involved scarred and, more importantly, the DCU permanently changed. Now, with the Source Wall broken, anything and everything is possible in the newly expanded DCU. But it took a long and treacherous journey to get to this point, and Dark Days: The Road to Metal allows readers to re-experience the first steps taken down this terribly dark road…

The issues that open this collection and serve as the prelude to The Dark Nights: Metal event, Dark Days: The Forge #1 and Dark Days: The Casting #1, are dense and intense and provide the foundation for what follows. What I appreciate most about these two issues is that they set the tone for the event by immediately immersing readers in darkness and in mystery and ultimately inspire great interest by promising to shed light into the darkest corners of the DCU...

Read the Full Review: https://thebrazenbull.com/comics/2018/05/31/dark-days-the-road-to-metal-review/

The Dark Days: The Forge and Dark Days: The Casting specials, collected among others in Dark Days: The Road to Meal, are the ultimate in hype comics, every page begetting another wonderful insinuation of something happening or something coming. Knowing that Dark Nights: Metal follows right behind, there's a rare comics joy in this unadulterated stream of teases, akin to the best of them all, Countdown to Infinite Crisis. I'm a sucker for this kind of "previously on ..." event preview-type book; Scott Snyder has my admiration, and I'm enthused to start Metal and No Justice and all that's coming next.

The two extended one-shots that lead to the latest major DC event before the next one. They're OK – very bitty, as if dropping pages here and there, but they're star-studded. They're also a heck of a lot more readable than the typical Grant Morrison last-major-event-before-the-next-evenmoreultimatethantheonebefore crisis. Which brings us on to the fact we also get several lengthy extracts from stories of old, which do at least seem to have some relevance. But, with the Grant Morrison rubbish especially, which is certainly unreadable in isolation if not full stop, the problem you get is that you reach the end of this book, waiting eagerly the actual event, having forgotten what we should be thinking about. Something to do with darkness, wasn't it…? Two and a half stars.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Batman and the rest of the Justice League (Green Lantern, Flash, Superman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Lex Luthor, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, etc.) are back at it again in this new DC Epic!

Batman is being sketchy. So what exactly is his secret? Is it war or something else?

The beginning of the comic starts with a new theory that Batman is up to something. But what could it be? As Batman goes on his journeys, we begin to discover the truth behind his beginnings. But how is it all related to the other characters? Carter, aka Hawkman, recounts this brief history before one of his premeditated deaths.

The Joker is after a precious metal that dates well back into the history of Earth. By delving back into the history of the bat (and other symbols…one including our Hawk friends…could this be how the rivalry came about?), we see the powers of this precious resource. So how can it be obtained now? Can it be manufactured or is it indigenous? Will Batman be able to find the roots to this mystery before the Joker and his gang?

One thing that I found unique and haven’t seen in any of the other comics I’ve read before (I’m not super experienced) is that there are references to other comics throughout, which help the audience gear up for some big event that is coming next.

As usual, probably the best thing about comics is the artwork. This rings true to this comic. Bringing in the older issues really makes it unique when describing the current event and gives the reader a background to the story, especially if they haven’t read the historical issue in the past.

Not having read some of the previous comics, I can see how this may be a little confusing as a standalone and to someone only just beginning their journey into comics.

The ending…ah! For those of you who know me, you know I love my Gotham villains. And of course, my favorite, the Joker is back at it in this issue! Mind blown of how I think it will all come together in the next issues. Hello conspiracy theory!

Can Batman exist without Joker? What will end up happening to Batman? How are all of the other heroes related? We will have to read the other comics to find out!

ARC from Netgalley.
Starting off the huge Batman event of Dark Knights: Metal, Dark Days is divided into three different storylines, at least to start:
1) Hawkman (Carter Hall) plays the role of chronicler here. He describes his origins and ties it into the story at large by telling about how his life changed when he encountered Nth Metal. He continues on into his early career, and his investigation into how this is all tied together.
2) Hal Jordan is sent by the Guardians to investigate an odd signal coming from the Batcave. Upon arrival, he is met with hostility from Duke Thomas, who has been instructed to not allow anyone in the cave. Setting aside their differences, they eventually find The Joker imprisoned in a cell in a deep part of the cave. Joker seems to know way more than he lets on, and tells how he is still alive after the fight with Batman in "Endgame". They both encountered a 'metal' down at the bottom of the cave called Dionesium, which healed them both. After escaping from Hal and Duke, he destroys a machine in the Batcave that "will end the world". When the fight tide is turned, a defeated Joker tells Duke that he is metahuman, will be known as The Signal, and has the power to become luminescent as well as see light constructs of his surroundings. Once that power is proved, Joker disappears, destination unknown.
3) Batman (obviously) is the main focus here. He has been investigating a mystery that stems back to the origins of the DCU, and how certain metals are involved. With the help of Mister Terrific (having had gathered info from Earth 2) and opening an area underneath the Fortress of Solitude that contains a large tower, he continues his analysis. Next, he goes off to try to reach Hephaestus, either looking for a weapon to combat what he knows is coming, or to gain access to information about these 'metals' that seem to be popping up everywhere. He is met by Wonder Woman, who tells him that the Gods have left Earth in anticipation for the bad stuff to come. She gives him the Sunblade, a fiery sword built for Apollo, having been told to give it to Batman (by someone unknown to us readers). Seems odd then, that Batman turns to Talia Al Ghul, trading her the Sunblade for a dagger forged by Shazam, which he says is another of these 'metals', specifically Nth Metal.
Heading back to the Batcave (and arriving right after Joker vanishes), Bruce chastises Hal and Duke for allowing his machine to be destroyed. Hal gives Duke his ring, and by using his powers, Duke is able to form light constructs of the missing machine parts. Batman, through the machine, sees a vision of a dark multiverse and 'Dark Knights' coming for them.
Author Scott Snyder has claimed "Metal" to be the culmination for his entire run on Batman. While the story itself was a bit confusing at first, accepting it at face value really allows you to prepare for action and revelations to come. Can't wait to continue with this and see what all this leads to.
Recommend.

Long anticipated this story and not really sure that this introduction is a payoff for what I was expecting, but I am willing to give it a chance because my friends hyped this story.
http://geekpronblog.blogspot.com/2018/05/review-dark-days-road-to-metal.html

“It all started with a tooth. A metal tooth that could bring the dead back to life.”

Green Lantern senses an evil presence emanating from the deep recesses of the Batcave. The Joker escapes from his electronic cage. Batman is given a dagger by his ex, Talia, to help him in his search for the elusive 8th metal. Meanwhile, the Joker is playing his tricks. This time he says he is trying to help Batman by destroying a machine. You know you’re in for some bad sh*t when the Greek Gods go back to Olympius and bar the door.

The two Dark Days’ prelude stories, Forge 1 and Casting 1, are the best in this volume. Both the art and story are superb. The other stories vary in quality and relationship to Dark Nights Metal. All are interesting for showing how art and writing styles have changed over the years. Other stories included are: Final Crisis 6-7, Batman: Return of Bruce Wayne 1, Batman 38-39, Nightwing 17, Detective Comics 950, and Multiverse Guidebook 1.

If you plan to read Dark Nights: Metal when its collection is released June 12, Dark Days: Road to Metal is a great reminder of its backstory. Plus it’s a great value at 256 pages. The artwork, especially of the Joker and mecha-Batman from the cover, is beautiful and detailed. The dark multiverse plot forcing an epic war is great and continues down the recent dark path of Batman.

Dark Days Road to Metal is highly recommended. 5 stars!

Thanks to the publisher, DC Comics, and NetGalley for an advanced copy. Now onto my ARC of Dark Nights Metal. I can’t wait! Review to be published on its June 12 publication date.

I got an ARC of this book.

This book tries so hard to start this massive, epic war that has been going on since the dawn of time. There is a metal that is beyond powerful and super secret. Yet, somehow Batman knows about it. It isn't just Batman who knows though. It turns out half of the major characters in Batman's world know about it include the Joker, Talia, and the new possible Robin like character who has not been given a name yet. 

Aquaman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Green lantern are all involved in some way or another, but they are not privy to the knowledge that is supposedly all Batman's despite Joker and Talia knowing pretty much everything. I can understand Talia knowing more than she should because of her connections, but Joker has been locked in a secret vault and seems to know everything and has known it for a while, if he is telling the truth. 

The first chunk of this book is new material and that is all I am reviewing as everything else has been previous published and supposedly has something to do with the metal plot lines. I do not like super heroes. I have tried to like them, but I only like the Bat family and one incarnation of Superman. So I am not sitting through other super heroes if I can help it. They are too super to be exciting, which is why I like the Bat family. Their powers generally are from hard work (and money). So I was already hesitant about this story line because of how many other supers were involved.

So overall, this book felt like it was poorly done. It doesn't make sense even in the world created in this book and mostly previously published stories.

The cover art for Dark Days: The Road to Metal is alluring as it leads to batman and ow Metal starts in the DC universe.. It's enough to drag me in and the art work is very nice through the comic. While it also has the other's that are linked within the Metal universe; through Batman's world and how it all connects together. Storywise it's all written well, you don't have to read the other comics in connection to it, but it does help fill some of the holes and how it ties together.

New Haven, New earth: while it is interesting confuses me on how it is connected other than perhaps what is Batman seeking? The art is visually appealing and the story line is confusing as I haven't read the other comics for it but I do like it.

The Return of Bruce Wayne; shows us how Batman comes back and why there was evidence of him and the joker so fair back in the past. While it's kind of jumbled it's not bad and the artwork is really nice to look at. While Bruce is back in what is considered stone age, it links again with the road to metal and how the 'bat vs hawk' comes about. It's very interesting how DC was able to connect the different parts of it's universe all together while you didn't exactly have to follow it either.

Well, this has me worried. It looks like Scott Snyder is diving headlong into trying to be the Grant Morrison of a new age of DC, and not in a good way. In the confusing, hard-to-follow, makes you want to put down the book and go "why do I even try reading DC events?"
I'm going to pick up Dark Nights: Metal next, and I hope that things come together more cohesively in it, but based on all of the stories that Snyder curated as being related to the lead-up to Metal, I think that my hopes are pretty foolish.

Dark Days: The Road to Metal is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s a collection of all the stories that lead up the massively popular (and influential) Dark Metal series. Now, this collection is great in that it compiled everything together, meaning that the fans that don’t read all of these series can easily find all of introductions (and collectors will likely be happy too, for obvious reasons).
This volume includes Dark Days: The Force, Dark Days: The Casting, Nightwing 17, and some stories from Detective Comics 950 (not being a reader of Detective Comics I can’t tell you how much of this issue was actually pulled into the collection).
I have been hearing so much talk about the Dark Metal series and the eventual influence it’s going to have over much of DCs canon right now, so obviously I had to make a point to read everything about it. I mean, I don’t want to be confused when the references start popping up (or worse; deal with spoilers from it). For that reason I’m thrilled that they’ve put all of the preludes into one neat volume for us to read. It’s perfect, as not only do we not have to go hunting them down (something I’m not opposed to, but at least this way I don’t have to worry about missing anything) but we get a nice collection out of it all too.
Now, for the sake of honesty I should say that I haven’t read the Dark Metal series as of yet (I’m planning on reading it next; I wanted to read the preludes first), so I obviously can’t compare these issues to the ones they’re building up to…yet.
So this volume contains two Dark Days comics as well as pulling from Nightwing and Detective Comics. I think I liked the Dark Days issues best, but that may just be personal preference. You can see all of the effort they put into them; they’re dark (obviously) creepy, foreshadowing, and most importantly, they worked to make them fit into the continuity.
The Dark Days issues also explained a lot of other curiosities I has, things that I hadn’t realized were connected to the Dark Metal series. Like where Joker has been this whole time, or how Duke (the Signal) got involved with everything.
More than anything else in this volume I think I loved the tone the best. I’ve always felt that there are certain parts of the DC world that could afford to go just a bit darker, I mean, they’ve been skirting the line for years anyway, so why not cross it? I’m hoping that here we’ll finally see them skip over the line and start playing with some darker themes. While it could certainly end up being morbid, it would still be a refreshing and fascinating change.
One thing that did surprise me from this volume was the amount of characters included. I sincerely wasn’t expecting the Dark Metal/Dark Days plot to reach out and affect anything more than Batman’s series (and all of the other bat characters, of course). While I wasn’t expecting this revelation…I am pleased. I love it when major events happen in comic worlds (provided they’re not overused), so this should get interesting. I can’t wait to start reading Dark Metal.

So glad this title includes the lead up stories at the end of the book. While an okay story I was somewhat lost while reading it. I look forward to reading the rest of the Metal series. Overall a solid 3 out of 5 stars for this books story and art.

Dark Days: The Road to Metal is a dark, adrenaline fueled read that creates a hankering in the reader for the actual Dark Nights. Proving once again that Batman is the greatest detective alive, the book has an two main issues that combine in an annual size story and multiple single issues that hint at what is to come in the Dark Nights. Batman knows the end of the world is coming and is working secretly to prevent it. Each issue involves Batman saving the world even when he does not know who he is except the last one that involves Robin and Nightwing. Separately, they all are enjoyable, together they lead to something epic. The art and color draw the eye and suck the reader in while the story psyches the reader up to the next chapter. My voluntary, unbiased review is based upon a review copy from Netgalley.

Dark Days Metal is so intense. I love seeing this universe and the team taking on a very different enemy, and discovering more about themselves along the way. I'll be recommending this for my library as well as picking up a copy for my personal collection.

Author: Scott Snyder
Release date: May 22, 2018

My Thoughts:
The superhero genre with the DC and Marvel cast of characters are huge again because of the success of the new movies. But just like the X-Men movies, the sustainability of this genre depends on new writing that infuses the character with new life to hold older fans and bring in new fans. The humitly and release of anger by Wolverine in the movie Logan actually was a great segue to the new movies. Wolverine was able to model the kind of humanity necessary to survive in this world as a "superhero."



I really think readers and viewers are interested in seeing the way these superheroes are humanized and struggle with similar emotional issues as everyone else.



This new series shows Batman as a little less sure about the path he is taking and the decision he made. He doesn't listen to others and seems to be fated to the fact that he may have made a foolish decision, but there are no answers, at least not here. For loyal fans of the DC world like my husband who has been reading these comics off and on for 40 years, the characters are still here. He had to fill me in on the genealogy of Wonder Woman and Nightwing which made things clearer for me, but the back story was not necessary in the reading of this. I think new readers have a good base for these new problems. Will Wonder Woman and Batman every get through the hordes? Stay tuned.



Description:
The prologue to the next great DC epic starring Batman, Green Lantern and the rest of the Justice League is here from Scott Snyder, Jim Lee, Andy Kubert and John Romita Jr., with DARK DAYS: THE ROAD TO METAL!

Aquaman, The Flash and more of DC's pantheon of heroes suspect Batman of hiding a dark secret that could threaten the very existence of the multiverse! It's an epic that will span generations--but how does it connect to the origins of one of DC's most legendary heroes?

The unforgettable team of Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jim Lee, John Romita Jr. and Andy Kubert combine forces to set the stage for the epic Dark Nights: Metal. Leading directly into this blockbuster event, DARK DAYS: THE ROAD TO METAL collects DARK DAYS: THE FORGE #1 and DARK DAYS: THE CASTING #1, as well as classic DC stories that built the foundations of METAL, including FINAL CRISIS #6-7, THE RETURN OF BRUCE WAYNE #1, BATMAN #38-39, NIGHTWING #17 and more!


An early digital release was provided by Net Galley for an honest review

This was interesting, though not entirely clear. Netgalley dropped 4 volumes of Metal-related stuff all at once and, in the interest of trying to read it in order, I went through this one first. I'm not sure I really understood everything and the story was a bit disjointed, running through multiple Batman-related titles, plus it constantly changed between at least three different narrators, sometimes mid-scene or mid-sentence even. The artwork throughout this volume was strong. I'm a fan of the Batman/Catwoman romance that Tom King introduced, which is still active here. Lots of callbacks to Snyder's run on the title and even a few from Grant Morrison's. Lots of other DC characters in the periphery, including the Blackhawks and Challengers of the Unknown. Only time will tell if this all comes together in some sort of meaningful, "wow" kind of way (I hope it does), but for now, I'm still a bit puzzled.