USED TO READ COMIC BOOKS? YOU MAY NEED “CRISIS” COUNSELING.
Who says comic books are just for kids?
I may have to peruse an alt-news outlet like “The Boston Phoenix” to find print coverage anticipating DC’s “Infinite Crisis.” But the “…Phoenix” ain’t for kids, save the ones who regularly cruise “Village Voice”-esque local tabloids, looking for phone sex and/or Asian prostitutes.
And let’s remember, about a year ago, no less than CNN.com devoted bandwidth to “Identity Crisis,” a miniseries that set the groundwork for the latest mega-event. “Identity Crisis” might have held the most appeal to twenty-somethings like myself, who grew up reading Batman, Superman, and the Justice League titles. Through the course of seven months, writer Brad Meltzer and penciler Rags Morales pulled a “Blue Velvet” on the world of costumed crusaders, digging underneath their idealized surface. What they found were some fairly unsavory details.
The seeds of “Infinite Crisis” may have been in the works for months, even years. But the event that really started the ball rolling was the murder of Sue Dibny at the beginning of “Identity…” Married to Ralph Dibny, a super-stretchy sleuth who moonlighted as the Elongated Man, Sue was, as recently as a 2004 miniseries called “Formerly Known as the Justice League,” an extremely likeable character. Needless to say, her death threw old-time comic fans like myself for a loop.
But that was nothing compared to the revelations that followed. After Sue’s funeral, Ralph Dibny, along with a group of superheroes that included Hawkman, Black Canary, the Atom, and Green Arrow, went looking for a B-class super-villain known as Dr. Light. Soon it was revealed that, years ago, when this particular set of heroes made up the Justice League of America, Dr. Light somehow gained access to their headquarters. He snuck in while the heroes were off saving the world, and raped the non-superpowered Sue Dibny.
Eventually, the League brought Dr. Light down, and used sorcery to erase knowledge of the crime from the villain’s brain. But the League didn’t stop there. Zatanna, then a fledgling member, used her powers to alter Dr. Light's personality. As a result of her mystical lobotomy, he became a bumbling, stumbling shell of his former self.
Ever since the first comic book writer decided to introduce a twist, wherein a hero’s nemesis gains knowledge of his/her secret identity, amnesia and/or mind-wiping has been a convenient tool for re-establishing the status quo. Messing with a character’s thought processes, however, seems to cross a moral line. About midway through “Identity Crisis,” Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow, admitted to the Flash that more than one villain had been tampered with by the League. The Flash then discovered a more shocking secret: During the session with Dr. Light, Batman tried to stop them. Although the Dark Knight didn’t remember, Zatanna altered his memory, too.
Which brings us to “Infinite Crisis,” which is being marketed as “the worst day in the history of the DCU.” For wizened old vets like myself, the word “Crisis” in the title alone promises drastic change. Twenty years ago, Marv Wolfman and George Perez unleashed “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” a storyline that consolidated several comic book universes (these were different comic book lines bought up by DC). Before the smoke cleared on that event, which spanned twelve months, Supergirl was laid to rest, as was then-Flash Barry Allen.
This year’s “Crisis” also promises a body count, and there are even Internet rumors that Wally West, the current Flash, will bite the dust. But having read the first issue, which arrived in stores yesterday, I can only report that some fairly obscure characters—Ratcatcher, Black Condor, and The Phantom Lady—may have met their demise. More noteworthy is the sense of dread writer Geoff Johns and penciler Phil Jimenez have crafted. Up until now, the Justice League of America (retitled “JLA,” more recently), would be able to handle such threats as a tear in the fabric of the universe, armies of killer robots, or a team of super-powered villains. After all, the JLA includes DC’s “Big Three:” Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman! However, the last few months have seen the heroes falling out.
Batman discovered what the League did to him; he created the OMAC Project (the aforementioned killer robots) as a possible countermeasure. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman unapologetically murdered bad guy Maxwell Lord, alienating her from the others in the Big Three. And Superman, in Batman’s eyes, hasn’t been doing enough to lead Earth against the growing threats.
They try to hash things out on the moon, where JLA headquarters, along with J’onn Jonnz, the most powerful telepath among DC heroes, exploded unexpectedly. “I’m not a God,” Superman says. Batman responds that the last time Superman really inspired anyone was when he was dead. While this exchange goes on, there’s a pointed panel showing Wonder Woman with her eyes closed in resignation. She seems to know that the days of the Big Three are over.
Will Earth’s mightiest heroes get their act together before the end of “Infinite Crisis?” Batman believes the JLA must stay dead, since absolute power has proven its tendency to corrupt. But only a unified league of superhuman heavyweights can contend with Lex Luthor’s new Secret Society of Super Villains. Their roster is a veritable JLA of bad guys: Bizarro (an imperfect Superman), Sinestro (evil Green Lantern), Reverse Flash (as fleet of foot as Wally West, if not more so), and Black Adam (Captain Marvel’s evil twin). In “Infinite Crisis” #1, they make short work of the Freedom Fighters. A clash between the revamped SSSV and JLA would doubtlessly cause fanboys to salivate, but the chances of that seem slim, since the latter are no longer on speaking terms.
Of course, the SSSV are probably the least of the DC Heroes' problems. There are, after all, hundreds of OMAC’s gathered above the sky in Bludhaven. And that hole in the center of the universe isn’t exactly getting smaller. Hope does exist, in what appears to be an alternate reality version of Superman, who escapes to Earth in the issue’s final page. I am personally at a loss to explain where this older Man of Steel comes from. But thanks to Geoff Johns’ knack for delivering last-second surprises, I am definitely looking forward to next month’s issue.
Having cruised the message boards leading up to this “Crisis” to end all crises (at least until the next “Crisis”), comic book enthusiasts seem to be diametrically opposed. Many vehemently dislike the idea of making the DC Universe, traditionally a beacon of optimism, darker and more serious, like its little rock n’ roll brother, Marvel. Even those who happen to be stoked by a possible shifting of the status quo express concern regarding what favorite characters will look like, post-companywide event. Certainly, it’s too early to tell whether either camp’s fears will be allayed or confirmed by “Infinite Crisis.” But whether the company’s ambitious machinations make fans angry, or excited, it’s the scope of the story, and the dramatic conflicts, which hook you and have you anticipating the next installment.
Sure, the central protagonists wear tights and fly around on a cape. But intrigue is still intrigue, and good storytelling is still good storytelling. The secret of every successful serial is to keep the audience wanting more. So far, what the writers and artists of “Infinite Crisis” have done isn’t that much different from the staff of “Desperate Housewives.”
As I stated before, who says comic books are just for kids?
Who says comic books are just for kids?
I may have to peruse an alt-news outlet like “The Boston Phoenix” to find print coverage anticipating DC’s “Infinite Crisis.” But the “…Phoenix” ain’t for kids, save the ones who regularly cruise “Village Voice”-esque local tabloids, looking for phone sex and/or Asian prostitutes.
And let’s remember, about a year ago, no less than CNN.com devoted bandwidth to “Identity Crisis,” a miniseries that set the groundwork for the latest mega-event. “Identity Crisis” might have held the most appeal to twenty-somethings like myself, who grew up reading Batman, Superman, and the Justice League titles. Through the course of seven months, writer Brad Meltzer and penciler Rags Morales pulled a “Blue Velvet” on the world of costumed crusaders, digging underneath their idealized surface. What they found were some fairly unsavory details.
The seeds of “Infinite Crisis” may have been in the works for months, even years. But the event that really started the ball rolling was the murder of Sue Dibny at the beginning of “Identity…” Married to Ralph Dibny, a super-stretchy sleuth who moonlighted as the Elongated Man, Sue was, as recently as a 2004 miniseries called “Formerly Known as the Justice League,” an extremely likeable character. Needless to say, her death threw old-time comic fans like myself for a loop.
But that was nothing compared to the revelations that followed. After Sue’s funeral, Ralph Dibny, along with a group of superheroes that included Hawkman, Black Canary, the Atom, and Green Arrow, went looking for a B-class super-villain known as Dr. Light. Soon it was revealed that, years ago, when this particular set of heroes made up the Justice League of America, Dr. Light somehow gained access to their headquarters. He snuck in while the heroes were off saving the world, and raped the non-superpowered Sue Dibny.
Eventually, the League brought Dr. Light down, and used sorcery to erase knowledge of the crime from the villain’s brain. But the League didn’t stop there. Zatanna, then a fledgling member, used her powers to alter Dr. Light's personality. As a result of her mystical lobotomy, he became a bumbling, stumbling shell of his former self.
Ever since the first comic book writer decided to introduce a twist, wherein a hero’s nemesis gains knowledge of his/her secret identity, amnesia and/or mind-wiping has been a convenient tool for re-establishing the status quo. Messing with a character’s thought processes, however, seems to cross a moral line. About midway through “Identity Crisis,” Oliver Queen, a.k.a. Green Arrow, admitted to the Flash that more than one villain had been tampered with by the League. The Flash then discovered a more shocking secret: During the session with Dr. Light, Batman tried to stop them. Although the Dark Knight didn’t remember, Zatanna altered his memory, too.
Which brings us to “Infinite Crisis,” which is being marketed as “the worst day in the history of the DCU.” For wizened old vets like myself, the word “Crisis” in the title alone promises drastic change. Twenty years ago, Marv Wolfman and George Perez unleashed “Crisis on Infinite Earths,” a storyline that consolidated several comic book universes (these were different comic book lines bought up by DC). Before the smoke cleared on that event, which spanned twelve months, Supergirl was laid to rest, as was then-Flash Barry Allen.
This year’s “Crisis” also promises a body count, and there are even Internet rumors that Wally West, the current Flash, will bite the dust. But having read the first issue, which arrived in stores yesterday, I can only report that some fairly obscure characters—Ratcatcher, Black Condor, and The Phantom Lady—may have met their demise. More noteworthy is the sense of dread writer Geoff Johns and penciler Phil Jimenez have crafted. Up until now, the Justice League of America (retitled “JLA,” more recently), would be able to handle such threats as a tear in the fabric of the universe, armies of killer robots, or a team of super-powered villains. After all, the JLA includes DC’s “Big Three:” Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman! However, the last few months have seen the heroes falling out.
Batman discovered what the League did to him; he created the OMAC Project (the aforementioned killer robots) as a possible countermeasure. Meanwhile, Wonder Woman unapologetically murdered bad guy Maxwell Lord, alienating her from the others in the Big Three. And Superman, in Batman’s eyes, hasn’t been doing enough to lead Earth against the growing threats.
They try to hash things out on the moon, where JLA headquarters, along with J’onn Jonnz, the most powerful telepath among DC heroes, exploded unexpectedly. “I’m not a God,” Superman says. Batman responds that the last time Superman really inspired anyone was when he was dead. While this exchange goes on, there’s a pointed panel showing Wonder Woman with her eyes closed in resignation. She seems to know that the days of the Big Three are over.
Will Earth’s mightiest heroes get their act together before the end of “Infinite Crisis?” Batman believes the JLA must stay dead, since absolute power has proven its tendency to corrupt. But only a unified league of superhuman heavyweights can contend with Lex Luthor’s new Secret Society of Super Villains. Their roster is a veritable JLA of bad guys: Bizarro (an imperfect Superman), Sinestro (evil Green Lantern), Reverse Flash (as fleet of foot as Wally West, if not more so), and Black Adam (Captain Marvel’s evil twin). In “Infinite Crisis” #1, they make short work of the Freedom Fighters. A clash between the revamped SSSV and JLA would doubtlessly cause fanboys to salivate, but the chances of that seem slim, since the latter are no longer on speaking terms.
Of course, the SSSV are probably the least of the DC Heroes' problems. There are, after all, hundreds of OMAC’s gathered above the sky in Bludhaven. And that hole in the center of the universe isn’t exactly getting smaller. Hope does exist, in what appears to be an alternate reality version of Superman, who escapes to Earth in the issue’s final page. I am personally at a loss to explain where this older Man of Steel comes from. But thanks to Geoff Johns’ knack for delivering last-second surprises, I am definitely looking forward to next month’s issue.
Having cruised the message boards leading up to this “Crisis” to end all crises (at least until the next “Crisis”), comic book enthusiasts seem to be diametrically opposed. Many vehemently dislike the idea of making the DC Universe, traditionally a beacon of optimism, darker and more serious, like its little rock n’ roll brother, Marvel. Even those who happen to be stoked by a possible shifting of the status quo express concern regarding what favorite characters will look like, post-companywide event. Certainly, it’s too early to tell whether either camp’s fears will be allayed or confirmed by “Infinite Crisis.” But whether the company’s ambitious machinations make fans angry, or excited, it’s the scope of the story, and the dramatic conflicts, which hook you and have you anticipating the next installment.
Sure, the central protagonists wear tights and fly around on a cape. But intrigue is still intrigue, and good storytelling is still good storytelling. The secret of every successful serial is to keep the audience wanting more. So far, what the writers and artists of “Infinite Crisis” have done isn’t that much different from the staff of “Desperate Housewives.”
As I stated before, who says comic books are just for kids?
posted by Phil at 1:57 PM
3 Comments:
I really can't stand the inarticulate and hateful nonsense that was the original Crisis on Infinite Earths; Infinite Crisis, while suffering from lame name as well, looks better so far. The Earth-2 Superman (and pals) come from CoIE, where they were more or less consigned to oblivion but didn't exactly die.
Have you been reading all the mini-series DC is trying to sucker people into buying? The last issue of Villains United was pretty good.
Of course, only one thing ever changes the DCU, and that is the almighty dollar. Barry Allen dies, but as long as Flash action figures still sell, there'll always be another Flash. How many Supergirls have there been since the only girl I ever loved died? A hero who cannot sell an action figure is in danger (so long, Black Condor); one who can sell an action figure in his hero identity but not his sectret identity may die as long as someone else picks up his costume immediately; Superman & Batman (for example) are perfectly safe, because it's conceivable that someone might buy a Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne action figure.
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-Hal
That was very informative, Hal, particularly the explanation of the "other" Superman and pals.
Other than Identity Crisis, and the recent issues of JLA that I read while standing around Midtown, I am proud to say that DC has not suckered me into buying excess books. It's partially their own fault, however, since the DC Comics website has a "Crisis Counseling" department, which offers summaries of the Rann-Thanagar War, Villains United, etc. There's also always message boards.
"...only one thing ever changes the DCU, and that is the almighty dollar. Barry Allen dies, but as long as Flash action figures still sell, there'll always be another Flash..."
Yes, but that doesn't explain WHY there are always new Supergirls, Green Lanterns, and Doom Patrols. Exactly what was wrong with the older ones? Or did DC ruin Hal Jordan, and replace the last ten Supergirls, just to introduce brand-spanking new action figures?
Phil, one way you may be able to cut down on comment spam on your blogs, is to enable word verification for comments.
http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=1203&topic=23
- Sam
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