Infinite Crisis: Difference between revisions
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==Aftermath== |
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Revision as of 20:01, 7 March 2006
Infinite Crisis is a seven-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics. Premiering October 2005, was is written by Geoff Johns, with art by Phil Jimenez and George Pérez. 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 is a sequel to DC's 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths. It revisits 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 is 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 the 2004 limited series Identity Crisis, many subsequent tie-ins explored and expanded upon various Crisis-driven events. 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 will jump forward in time to pick up "One Year Later". A weekly series titled 52 begins publication in May 2006 to fill in 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 reffered to as "DC Countdown" to keep secret the true title and nature of the upcoming miniseries). 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 new Secret Society of Super Villains. The Society is resisted by the Secret Six, a group assembled by the mysterious Mockingbird. The central revelation is that Mockingbird is Lex Luthor, and that the Luthor organizing the Society is an alternate-universe version of him.
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 quietly hyped as being tied into bigger plans. After Countdown, a number of books began marking themselves as being tied into 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 hundreds.
Some of these books - such as the "Crisis of Conscience" storyline in JLA 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 there are no events of importance to the overall storyline and the only relation is a vague and quick mention of the events.
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 decades-old logo with a new one 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.
Synopsis
The story begins in the wake of the crises of the four lead-in limited series, with Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman all 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 they were sent to in Crisis on Infinite Earths. Kal-L seeks out his cousin, Power Girl, also a survivor of Earth-Two. He explains his plan: to bring back Earth-Two, which he sees as the true Earth.
Kal-L visits Batman to enlist his support, stating that the mistrust and hostility Batman developed were because of the Post-Crisis Earth's inherent "bad" nature. Batman refuses. Afterward, he learns Superboy-Prime destroyed the JLA Watchtower and kidnapped the Martian Manhunter.
Power Girl learns Alex and Superboy-Prime have created a machine, using kidnapped heroes and villains specifically attuned to former universes as well as the remains of the Anti-Monitor, in pursuit of some unknown goal. They capture her, however, and add her to the roster of heroes powering the machine.
Superboy-Prime confronts Kon-El, the current Superboy, for not appreciating his life, and attacks. Teams of heroes intervene, but the powerful and out-of-control Superboy Prime kills several heroes. The Flashes and Kid Flash force him into the Speed Force, assisted by speedsters already in the Speed Force. Jay Garrick, the only speedster left behind, says the Speed Force is gone.
Alexander reveals to Power Girl that he and Superboy-Prime had been leaving their "paradise" earlier and orchestrating the events of the four lead-in limited series to keep this universe's heroes distracted and to set up his interdimensional tuning fork, which he now powers up to make Earth-Two appear, separate from the current Earth, with transported heroes originally from it its only meager population.
In the streets of Earth-Two Metropolis, time catches up with Lois and she dies. Kal-L vents his fury by fighting Kal-El until Wonder Woman restrains him. Alexander restores many alternate Earths, looking for a perfect world, while Kal-L realizes Earth-Two was never perfect. A Flash (seemingly Barry Allen) emerges from the Speed Force, warning that the Speed Force was unable to hold Superboy-Prime, who returns wearing the Anti-Monitor's armor.
Consequences
Aftermath
- 52: Weekly comic book post-Infinite Crisis, and related events.
References
- ^ "COUNTING DOWN IN THE DCU WITH DAN DIDIO". Retrieved Feburary 10.
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