ALEX WISE VS. THE GODS OF THE APOCALYPSE

A young superhero with a god inside his head must save not one but all the worlds in this sequel to Alex Wise vs. the Cosmic Shift (2024).

Last seen plunging through a tunnel between worlds, Alex has to rescue the shattered planet of Volcrum Tannarvis from the “hairless, ashen-skinned, white-horned, fang-toothed, multidimensional space pirates” known as Daemon Revenants before he can return to his home planet to take on War, Famine, and Ezra—a megalomaniac archfiend who’s bent on subjugating the entire multiverse. In the course of battling—or sometimes befriending—monsters ranging from giant skeletal Creepazoids to vegan crocodiles, he not only triumphs repeatedly with help from multiple allies who pick up cool superpowers of their own along the way but also amply and empathetically demonstrates the virtues of leadership, teamwork, and getting inside the minds of friends and foes to see what they’re feeling. Benton-Walker’s young Black heroes engage in a series of battles whose choreography includes breathers for extended planning sessions as well as exchanges of threats in the midst of attacks and struggles. Still, he keeps both the pacing and banter smart and leads his thoroughly inclusive cast to a triumphant close that’s highlighted by a reconciliation—even a touch of sweet romance—between Alex and alienated heartthrob Liam.

A satisfying trilogy closer filled with boss battles galore.