Infinite Crisis
| Infinite Crisis | |
|---|---|
| File:Crisis1.png Cover to Infinite Crisis #1. Art by George Perez | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Format | limited series |
| Publication date | 2005-2006 |
| No. of issues | 7 |
| Creative team | |
| Written by | Geoff Johns |
| Penciller(s) | Phil Jimenez Jerry Ordway George Pérez Ivan Reis Jim Lee (alternate covers) |
Infinite Crisis was a seven-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics. Premiering October 2005, it was written by Geoff Johns, with art by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis and Jerry Ordway. Each issue was released in two simultaneous editions: one with a cover by Pérez, the other with a cover by Jim Lee and Sandra Hope, but otherwise identical.
Infinite Crisis was a sequel to DC's 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths. It revisited characters and concepts from that earlier series, including the existence of the DC Multiverse, with alternative versions of such iconic characters as the Golden Age Earth-Two Superman. A major theme was the nature of heroism, contrasting the often dark and conflicted modern-day heroes with memories of "lighter" and ostensibly more noble and collegial heroes of American comic books' earlier days.
The story's plot started in 2003 with the death of Donna Troy in the Teen Titans/Young Justice crossover, Graduation Day. The 2004 limited series Identity Crisis was not originally labeled as part of the story, but the Prelude to Infinite Crisis special later labeled it as a tie-in. DC officially began leading up with the one-shot issue Countdown to Infinite Crisis, followed by four six-issue limited series tied into Infinite Crisis and culminating in Infinite Crisis.
Beginning in March 2006, most ongoing DC Universe series jumped forward in time to pick up "One Year Later". A weekly series titled 52 began publication in May 2006, and depicts that missing year in "real time".
Leadups
Infinite Crisis was announced in March 2005. The event was kicked off with the release of Countdown to Infinite Crisis (previously referred to as "DC Countdown" to keep the true title of the upcoming limited series a secret). Countdown to Infinite Crisis was followed by four six-issue miniseries, plus an additional one-shot special for each miniseries.
Countdown to Infinite Crisis
In Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Ted Kord (the Blue Beetle) discovers his former Justice League associate Maxwell Lord has been using Justice League files and Batman's Brother Eye satellite to spy on the metahuman community, which he considers a threat to the human race. Lord shoots Kord in the head, killing him.
The OMAC Project
The OMAC Project picks up directly from the events of Countdown to Infinite Crisis. The OMACs are modified humans who work as sleeper agents, a product of the Checkmate organization now led by Maxwell Lord, and rise to destroy metahumans.
Rann-Thanagar War
Rann-Thanagar War follows the war between Rann and Thanagar. At the end of the series the war has not ended, but Hawkwoman is dead and a rip in the space-time fabric emerges. (The rip will become critical to events in Infinite Crisis #4.)
Villains United
Villains United focuses on the Secret Six, a group assembled by the mysterious Mockingbird to resist the new Secret Society of Super Villains. The central revelations are that Mockingbird is Lex Luthor and the Lex organizing the Society is an alternate-universe Luthor.
Day of Vengeance
Day of Vengeance follows the Spectre's quest to destroy all magic and the magical heroes who oppose him. (The scattered magic will fuel the interdimensional tuning fork in Infinite Crisis #4.)
Tie-ins
As is the norm for a large-scale comics crossover, Infinite Crisis featured a large number of tie-ins. Before the announcement of the event, books such as Adam Strange and Identity Crisis were often described as being tied into bigger plans. After Countdown, a number of books were identified as tie-ins to the four mini-series. Thus, although Infinite Crisis itself is only seven issues long, the actual number of related DC issues may number in the dozens.
Some of these books - such as the JLA "Crisis of Conscience" storyline which ended with the Justice League's lunar Watchtower being destroyed, leading directly into Infinite Crisis #1 - were of direct and major importance. Others have been criticized as being what comic fans call "red skies" crossovers, referring to a gimmick in the original Crisis on Infinite Earths where no events occur of importance to the overall storyline and the only relation is a vague and quick mention of the overarching, central concepts. [citation needed]
Synopsis
The story begins in the wake of the crises of the four lead-in limited series, with Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman feuding, the JLA Watchtower destroyed, and the heroes of the world all facing a variety of menaces. Over this backdrop, Kal-L (the Earth-Two Superman), along with Earth-Two Lois Lane, Earth-Three Alexander Luthor, and Superboy-Prime escape from the pocket universe where they had been trapped at the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Kal-L seeks out his cousin, Power Girl, also a survivor of Earth-Two. Believing Lois's health will improve on her native world, he hopes to replace the current Earth with Earth-Two, which he considers perfect.
Kal-L tries to enlist Batman's support, stating that the Post-Crisis Earth's inherent "bad" nature caused Batman's recent mistrust and hostility. Batman refuses. Afterward, Batman learns Superboy-Prime destroyed the JLA Watchtower.
Alexander reveals to Power Girl that he and Superboy-Prime had been leaving their "paradise" for some time, manipulating events to help create an inter-dimensional tuning fork. Using the Anti-Monitor's remains and captured heroes and villains specifically attuned to former universes (Power Girl among them), Alex restores Earth-Two, un-populated except for Earth-Two heroes transported there.
Superboy-Prime attacks Conner Kent, this world's Superboy. Multiple super-teams intervene. Superboy-Prime kills several heroes before the Flashes and Kid Flash force him into the Speed Force, assisted by speedsters already within it. Jay Garrick, the only speedster left behind, says the Speed Force is now gone.
Seeking a perfect world, Alexander restores many alternate Earths. The Earth-Two Lois dies, and an aggrieved Kal-L and the younger Superman Kal-El fight until Wonder Woman separates them. Bart Allen (wearing Barry Allen's costume and aged to adulthood) emerges from the Speed Force, warning that he and the other speedsters were unable to hold Superboy-Prime, who returns wearing armor that stores yellow sunlight to empower him.
Batman's strike force destroys the Brother Eye satellite. Alexander selects and merges alternate Earths, trying to create a "perfect" world, until Firestorm blocks his efforts. Conner, Nightwing, and Wonder Girl release the Tower's prisoners. Fighting each other, Conner and Superboy-Prime collide with the tower, destroying it. The multiple Earths recombine into a "New Earth" as Conner dies in Wonder Girl's arms.
When a horde of supervillains attack Metropolis, heroes fly off to the rescue. Superboy-Prime takes off to destroy Oa, planning to collapse the Universe. Superboy-Prime kills many Green Lanterns trying to stop him before Kal-L and Kal-El carry him toward Krypton's remains. Flying through its sun destroys Superboy-Prime's armor and causes the Kryptonians' powers to dissipate. Landing on the sentient planet (and GLC member) Mogo, they fight. After Superman finally knocks Superboy-Prime out, Kal-L dies in the arms of his cousin, Power Girl.
Back on Earth, Batman contemplates shooting Alex but is discouraged by Wonder Woman. Alex escapes, only to be tortured and killed by the Joker who is angry at being left out of the Society, while a gloating Lex Luthor looks on.
Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman later meet up in Gotham. Wonder Woman plans to find out who she is. Batman plans a similar journey of self-discovery, revisiting the training of his youth, this time with Dick Grayson and Tim Drake joining him. Superman retires from superheroics until his powers return.
The Green Lantern Corps imprison Superboy-Prime inside a red Sun-Eater. The series ends with him carving an S into his chest with his bare hands and declaring that he has been in worse places than his current prison and has always escaped.
Consequences
Aftermath
- 52: Weekly comic book presenting events that occur during the year between Infinite Crisis #7 and the One Year Later stories.
- Crisis Aftermath: The Battle For Blüdhaven.
- Crisis Aftermath: The Spectre.
- One Year Later: After the publication of Infinite Crisis #5, storylines in most DC Universe series jumped forward one year.
Editorial planning
DC Comics executive editor Dan DiDio stated that Infinite Crisis was being hinted at in various stories for two years prior to its launch, starting with the "death" of Donna Troy.[1] The leadup was mostly understated until the release of the Adam Strange limited series in 2004, at which point industry press began to report that DC was planning a very large event, mentioning the titles Teen Titans, The Flash, and JSA, all written by Geoff Johns. [citation needed]
With Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Infinite Crisis began to visibly affect DC's editorial policy. Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison moved into editorial positions in addition to their writing duties, respectively to coordinate coherence of the DC Universe and to handle reimaginings of several characters. Mark Waid signed exclusively with DC, receiving a similar editorial role. DC replaced its official decades-old logo (the "DC bullet") with a new one (the "DC spin") that debuted on the first issue of DC Special: The Return of Donna Troy.
Aside from marking a major editorial shift within DC Comics, Infinite Crisis was a return to large company-wide crossovers of a sort that had been uncommon since the downturn of the comics industry in the 1990s.
Homages to DCU history
- The death of Lois Lane-2 was reminicent of the death of Supergirl.[1]
- Jim Lee's cover of has Superboy's shirt draped in the background, much like Superman's cape when he died. [2]
- Mongul's appearance in Infinite Crisis #1 had the same panel framing from Alan Moore's "For the Man Who Has Everything", sans Jason Todd.[3]
- Superboy-Prime's engraved S-Shield is much like the promo art for The Death of Superman.
- Kal-L vs Kal-El is based on Action Comics #1.
- The panels from issue 7 with Bart Allen and Jay Garrick is mirrored from the conversation had with Wally West in the original Crisis. [4]
- The skies turned red, as they were throughout the original Crisis.
- The original Superboy, Kal-El had a similiar battle with Conner Kent during Zero Hour. He even had the same line "You're not Superboy!" before his first strike.[5]
- The creation of "New Earth" resembles the collapse of the Multiverse.[6]
References
- ^ "Counting Down in the DCU with Dan Didio". Retrieved February 10.
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External links
- Official home for Infinite Crisis
- Your Guide to Infinite Crisis (over 140K words)
- Infinite Crises list of trades spanning Crisis on Infinite Earths to Infinite Crisis
- Annotated Infinite Crisis Panel by panel, page by page annotation of Infinite Crisis