Writer: Geoff Johns
Penciller: Phil Jimenez & George Perez
In their seminal work, The Comic Book Heroes, Gerard Jones and Will Jacobs posited that comic book universes re-invent themselves every 20 years. It should come as no surprise, then, that on the 20th anniversary of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the DC universe is undergoing a major transition.
The vehicle for this transition is the aptly named Infinite Crisis, a story whose roots go back to the original Crisis, and touch on many of the events of the last several years. It has been solicited as a 7-issue miniseries, albeit one with numerous tie-ins and specials, and while only 4 issues have been released as of this writing, enough of the plot has been laid out to make a judgment as to its success as a story.
But first, a few caveats are in order. This is not a series for casual fans, as many of its climaxes, turning points and revelations require at least a basic familiarity with the characters and concepts of the DCU. And, while it may not be necessary to read every single tie-in, if you are the sort of reader that wants every question answered, you may be forced to look outside the core issues.
That being said, issue #1 opens in a familiar location, in an unfamiliar condition. We see Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman, the “Big Three” of the DC line, meeting in the ruins of the JLA Watchtower. Once boon companions, they have been split by distrust and violence, specifically the events of the OMAC miniseries.
We see how recent events have affected Titans new and old, for while one returns from the grave, another has hung up his mantle. Other scenes (often in splash pages) show the aftershocks of the other three “Countdown” miniseries. There is death, and there is destruction. The DC Universe is at its lowest ebb, and its greatest heroes are divided. And then, in a patented Geoff Johns last page surprise, four faces from the past return from Limbo to save the day. It’s a moment of some triumph, and great promise.
Issue #2 starts with minor heroes banding together to face a cosmic threat. It’s a scene we’ve seen before, although laced with a gentle humor uncommon in this day and age. And then things start to get complicated. Power Girl, a character known for her mixed-up history as well as certain anatomical features, finally gets the answers she’s been searching for.
In the process, the reader gets a brief, Perez-pencilled précis of the Crisis. Given its scale and historical impact, one has to commend Johns (and, of course, Perez) for distilling it so neatly. From here we see things going wrong, both in the past and the present. While this is a concept fans have noted online for quite some time, it’s odd to see it in print. And it’s even odder to see a great hero suggest a drastic step to correct matters.
This unsettling trend continues in issue #3. Well-known characters and settings are literally wiped from the map, and another finds himself confronted with what seems to be an impossibility. Seeds are planted for future tales, but no real answers are given… except one.
And it’s an unpleasant answer, as a character that was believed to be a savior turns out to be a villain. And not just any villain, but the prime mover behind recent events. It’s a betrayal of sorts, not just for the heroes of the DC universe, but also for the reader.
And that takes us to issue #4. More death and destruction, as our villain lays most of his cards on the table. However, this issue has certain touches the others lacked, for while yet another hero falls to evil, another returns, however unwillingly, to the side of the angels, and a third makes a brief, yet triumphant return. The issue ends with another cliffhanger, a rather major one.
I’ve been purposely vague throughout this review, for various reasons. Firstly, while some of the surprises are rather obvious, others deserve to be left a mystery, to preserve their impact. Secondly, in order to explain WHY these events hold emotional weight, I’d have to explain years of history. And finally, it’s just not the same without the art.
Phil Jimenez has been described as a Perez-clone for years, and while he’s grown artistically, the roots are still visible. Of course, in the brief scenes Perez has done himself, we can see that he’s still the master. Both artists show a tremendous attention to detail, although some scenes are a bit difficult to follow, requiring knowledge of the characters involved to comprehend. (The Firestorm scene in issue #4 is perhaps the worst offender).
However, it’s the writing that carries this story, and it’s the writing that stumbles. As we’ve passed the halfway mark of the story, one would expect signs of the heroes fighting back, but they still seemed disorganized. And while the body count is almost certainly lower than the original Crisis, the amount of detail given to the carnage is rather disturbing.
On the other hand, I have to take into account that the story is not over. While Infinite Crisis must be considered a limited success as individual issues, the jury is still out on the tale as a whole. And, despite my reservations, I still plan on following it to the end.
Mario Di Giacomo Has been reading comics since 1975 and has maintained a presence online since 1987. A life-long Rhode Island native, he spends his time creating software for the Department of Defense, despite the fact that he actually has an MS in Mathematics. His mind is aglow with whirling, transient nodes of thought, careening thru a cosmic vapor of invention.