Creative Team
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Artists: Adam Kubert, Joe Dell, Joe Kubert
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Issue Rating
Story: 8/10
Art: 7.6/10
Overall: 7.8/10
Issue Summary
The issue starts with Brion Markov better known as Geo-Force making preperations to fight Deathstroke in revenge for corrupting his sister Terra. He ask his firend and teamate Jefferson Pierce, aka Black Lightning, if he will help him get revenge on Deathstroke by hitting him were it hurts his family, Jerico and Rose Wilson. Even though Black Lightning would like nothing more but take out Deathstroke he cannot help Geo-Force kill Deathstroke by using his kids.
Elsewhere, various DC superheroes are making their final "goodbyes" before the final battle. In Valhalla Diana Prince and Donna Troy bury some items they swear to come back for, Diana some gold coins and Donna her wedding ring.Over at Gotham City Memorial Starfire is wating for Dick Grayson, Nightwing, to show up at his parents, John and Mary Grayson, graves but Dick does not show up.
In Gotham City 40 stories above the city Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake as Batman and Robin prepare to take one final leap before the final battle. Before they leap of the roof Batman and Robin are joined by Nightwing. Batman ask Nightwing why he is not at his parents grave and Nightwing just says "I'm exactly where I want to be." Batman, Nightwing and Robin swing off the roof as a family.
Shifting to Challengers Mountain, Grace Choi is in a confessional to confess her sins to Rocky Davis. With some advice from Rocky, Grace leaves with the confidence everything will be alright. As Grace leaves Geo-Force goes into the confessional to get some advice on what he should do but Geo-Force does not like what he hears and leaves.
At Kent Farm Clark Kent, aka Superman, is talking to Pa Kent telling his pa that he doesn't know if they can win the battle that is to come. Pa Kent gives Clark some advice that lift up his spirit and Clark says he is ready to fight.
Over in Star City Roy is thaking Olly for building and teaching his daughter how to use a bow. And over in Central City Captain Cold stops a couple petty crooks from robbing a conviniece store on his way out of the store.
In a New York City alley Geo-Force finally tracks down Deathstroke, who was waiting for him, and they have a brutal battle. Even with his powers Geo-Force can't even touch and is beaten by Deathstroke who starts taunting Geo-Force as nothing but a C-list hero. Geo-Force is able to take one of the swords Deathstroke stab him with in the leg and starts to swing it wildly to try and cut Deathstroke. Geo-Force then takes the sword and slices his throat with it and Dezthstroke gets a flashback to when Jerico did the same thing. Deathstroke grabs Geo-Force before he hits the ground but doesn't realize Geo-Force still has his sword and is stabbed through the heart. Both men fall to the ground in a bloody mess.
Next we see Geo-Force waking up in bed were Black Lightning tells him that he beat Deathstroke.
We then shift to various scenes were Wally and Linda, Jim Gordon and Barbara Gordon, Wildcat and his son telling each other it will be alright, and Liberty Bell and Hourman having sex. Wally as the Flash than meets Green Lantern Hal Gordon and ask him if he really thinks everything will be alright. Hal just tells Wally "What're you talkin abou? This is the life Wally. I'll see you tomorrow." End of issue.
"Burying old memories"
"One Final Swing" 
"There will be a tomorrow"
Review
DC Universe: Last Will and Testament was a very good read. The thing about this issue is that the title should actually be changed to read "DC Universe: Last Will and Testament of Geo-Force." Some readers might be disappointed because the title really is misleading. Most people that pick up this issue are probably expecting to see all the DC Universe characters in their final moments before the last battle. And even though there are a few short scenes of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Greeen Lantern, Nightwing, Robin, Barbara Gordon, Donna Troy, and a few other minor DC characters appear, this is really a Geo-Force story masked as a DC Universe story. Geo-Force story alone takes a little more than half of the issue itself. Which is sad since if Meltzer decided to show more of what other DC Universe characters where doing in these final hours and less on Geo-Force this issue could have been a 9 or 9.5.
Personally I am not a big fan of Geo-Force and didn't even know or cared about this character before he appeared in Meltzer's Justice League run. Even then Geo-Force was never really interesting and thought that there were/are many other characters that are well deserving of having a spot in the Justice League than him. Also while I know that Meltzer really tried to get me to like his character in this issue I thought that the Geo-Force story made the whole issue feel a bit slow and started dragging a bit towards the end.
Also the motivation for Geo-Force revenge on Deathstroke really doesn't make much sense in the present DC Universe. I get that he is pissed off that Deathstroke was the reason Terra was evil and died but that was easily at least 6 or 7 years ago in DC Universe time and since then Terra has been resurected and killed again by Black Adam. It just makes Geo-Force a bit to pathetic of a character that it is now after so long that he decides to get revenge for his sister's first death. If anything I would have to think that Geo-Force would want revenge on Black Adam not Deathstroke since he not only lost his sister again but was actually there to witness it when it happend and did nothing to Black Adam at the time.
Even though I did not leave this issue caring more about Geo-Force than I already did, which wasn't much to begin with, I will give it to Meltzer for providing a badass fight between Geo-Force and Deathstroke. Deathstroke completely dominated the fight and only lost because of a momentary moment of weakness which lead to the fight to be a draw at best. Next to the Joker and Lex Luthor, Deathstroke is my favorite villain in the DC Universe and I love how in these past 5 years DC has made Deathstroke into one of the most dangerous villain not only to the Teen Titans but the whole DC Universe. As a Teen Titan fan and a huge fan of Wolfman and Perez run it was pretty cool to see that Meltzer refenced that run with the small flashback to when Deathstroke could not stop Jerico from slicing his neck and causing him to be mute. That is really Deathstroke biggest failure and awsome to see Meltzer reference that.
And speaking of the Teen Titans I really liked the scene with Starfire waiting for Nightwing at his parents grave. It shows that even though Starfire and Nightwing have not been together for a while and both have had many relationships with other people that Starfire is still in love with Nightwing. It also shows that while Starfire is still living in the past while Nightwing has moved on with his life even though he may still have feelings for Starfire he knows that relationship has long been over. I just hate that Winnick back in The Outsiders and in his current run on Titans he is trying to get Nightwing and Starfire back together. I get that Winnick and other writters are like me and many other fans who loved the Wolfman/Perez era but it is time to move on and both characters should just stay good friends and nothing more.
My favorite scene in this whole issue was the scene with Batman, Nightwing, and Robin. I just think it is awsome anytime these three characters are in a scene together. Most time writers will write Bruce as having his own adventures as Batman and doesn't like having people help him. They forget that for Bruce, Tim and Dick are the two people outside of Alfred he trust the most and are the two people he would actually spend time with outside of being Batman. Also seeing the three characters together just shows how close they have become and that even with all the crap they have been through they are still a family. Though I am not to sure what to think of Tim being jealous of Dick being "firstborn" since both Dick and Tim have always been portrayed as being even closer than Bruce and Tim are and haave never been jealous of one another. So I think that was a bit of an out of character moment for Tim.
My other favorite scene in this issue is the last scene with Hal and Wally. I just love that even in the face of death Hal believes they can still win and is not scared of death like many people are.
The scene between Diana and Donna was a nice touching moment between two sisters. The only thing I have to say is that I thought it was weird that Cassie, the current Wonder Girl, wasn't with them in the scene. But overall the short scene was nice and to the point of a final battle type situation there in.
Also while the scene between Clark and his dad was nice I thought it wasn't needed. The reason I say this is because over in Action Comics there was a scene just like this about a month or two ago and the scene just felt repetitive and not as good as the one Geoff Johns did in Action Comics.
Now the one question that is brought up with this issue since it is suppose to be a Final Crisis tie-in were this issue fits with Morrison's story. It could be that the issue takes place after the virus hits the internet and the one month gap at the end of Final Crisis #3 but that would not make sense for a number of reasons: 1) Batman was captured in issue 2 of the series; 2) Superman was taken away somewhere by a mysterous figure to help; 3) Green Lantern was taken into custody by the Alpha Lanterns and back to Oa; 4) Wonder Woman was captured before the virus hit the net in issue 3; and 5) Wally was travaling through the Speed Force with Barry ending up one month into the future so he wouldn't be present after the virus hit. But even with all these errors and a few others this was a very well written issue and if anyone wants to know when it takes place maybe it takes place before the big fight at the end of Final Crisis that is still to be told in the coming months.
Now the art for this issue was good but the problem I have with the art is that Adam Kubert didn't draw the whole issue. Both the action scenes and the quiet moments Kubert drew were great but I wouldn't have minded waiting for another week or two to give Kubert enough time to draw the whole issue. It's not saying that John Dell's art is bad but his art art just doesn't transition well with Kubert art and is the reason I did not give the art an 8.
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