INFINITE CRISIS #5
© DC Comics
Comiscape - March 8, 2006
By: Kurt AmackerDate: Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Greetings, fellow fiends, and welcome to another week of brilliant banter, witty rhetoric, and cataclysmic commentary about the state of the comics industry. Before we dive headlong into this pit of barbed wire and broken glass: I'll run your letters next week on convoluted crossovers and the problems of operating a shared universe. Drop me a line at comicscape@cinescape.com or at kurtamacker@yahoo.com.
Picture this: Joe Normal walks into a comic shop after seeing BATMAN BEGINS on DVD at his friend's house. Joe read comics until he graduated college, and watching Christian Bale kick some ass in the Batsuit made him nostalgic. It's time to give comics another try, he thinks. So, Joe walks in and the Comic Book Guy behind the counter looks up from his copy of INFINITE CRISIS #5 and nods hello, all the while thinking about how he's going to look for some naked Power Girl drawings on the web later. Joe smiles and explains his renewed interest in BATMAN. He asks what's going on with Batman. The Comic Guy grins in a sort of half-smile and hisses through his teeth, as if to say, "Boy, did you just step in the mother of all cow pies." He explains that DETECTIVE COMICS #817 just jumped ahead one year, and that no one's even sure if that Batman's actually Bruce Wayne. Joe asks why. Comic Book Guy explains IDENTITY CRISIS, COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS, and INFINITE CRISIS, referring back to the original CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. Joe remembers that, but only vaguely. He smoked a lot of grass in college. Joe still doesn't understand all this ONE YEAR LATER business. His new friend explains that since INFINITE CRISIS hasn't wrapped yet, you're supposed to wonder what happened. But, there's still that missing year. Comic Book Guy tells him about this weekly thing called 52 that fills in the gap. Not only that, but there's this other thing called INFINITE CRISIS AFTERMATH that picks up the different storylines. And, all those COUNTDOWN miniseries have epilogue one-shots, but only a couple of them are out. He can probably still order them if Joe Normal's interested, especially since the miniseries are collected in trade paperback.
By now, Mr. Normal's got his hands up like Comic Book Guy just pulled a .38 and demanded his pants. Slow down, he says. He asks what's going on with Marvel. Comic Book Guy laughs and explains how the Scarlet Witch went batsh-t a while back and killed a few of the Avengers. But, he says, they're back now and they just had this ordeal with the X-Men called HOUSE OF M where Wanda killed almost all of the mutants. And now, there's this thing called CIVIL WAR where the whole Marvel Universe is going to deal with this thing where the heroes have to register with the government and they split down the middle about it. But, there will also be a second series called CIVIL WAR: FRONTLINE and a couple of miniseries to boot. He asks if Joe wants to open a pull list. Joe slowly backs out of the shop and thinks about collecting stamps or pressing flowers or something.
I like a long, involved story just as much as the next guy, but I think the big two have gotten in over their head, particularly at DC. Whereas readers once complained about self-contained, trade-friendly storylines that barely acknowledged the shared universe (particularly at Marvel), now they have more crossovers and multi-series events than any one person can handle. It seems that the pendulum has swung too far in other direction. Take another glance at that scene with Joe and the Comic Book Guy. All of the INFINITE CRISIS craziness coupled with ONE YEAR LATER and 52 seems a little excessive. I've read all of the miniseries and one-shots thus far (though not all of the crossover issues), but I'm nearly fed up and ready to ignore INFINITE CRISIS AFTERMATH. In theory, I favor the titles in the shared universe acknowledging each other. I've stated in past columns that if Spider-Man stops H.Y.D.R.A. from detonating a nuclear warhead over New York, one would hope the Fantastic Four could at least mention it. However, making all of the titles dependant on each other (as opposed to acknowledging each other) effectively forces readers to buy more comics. The most egregious sin happens when the publishers cross story installments through multiple series a la WAR GAMES -- where part one happens in DETETIVE COMICS, part two takes place in BATMAN, and so on. Any publisher that pulls that one might as well just confess that they want to force readers to buy more books. Admittedly, DC has stated that you don't have to read absolutely everything to understand INFINITE CRISIS. In fact, they've provided a CRISIS COUNSELING guide on their website that highlights the relevant events. While that's helpful and I applaud their efforts to allow readers to pick and choose, they've painted themselves into a corner where the story has become to convoluted and that such an outside source becomes necessary. No reader should have to consult an outside source to understand what's going on in the one or two DC titles they may read. While I don't want shared universe titles to ignore each other, I don't want them to be so dependant and intertwined that readers can't read one without the others. Hell, I read all of the COUNTDOWN miniseries and I still barely understand the RANN/THANAGAR WAR subplot in INFINITE CRISIS.
A few weeks ago, I complained about the lack of continuity and acknowledgment within the shared universe and I stand by that. I still can't believe that Joss Whedon and Brian Michael Bendis almost ignored HOUSE OF M in ASTONISHING X-MEN and THE NEW AVENGERS, respectively. I find myself with mixed feelings with regards to DC, because they're implementing what I suggested about greater acknowledgement and continuity. Obviously, I'm not responsible for it, because the events leading to INFINITE CRISIS started long before I wrote that column. However, they've taken it to a scale far beyond what I had in mind. Let's be frank: the real issue is whether the company intends to compel readers to buy more comics than they would ordinarily. Few of us have the money to always buy every comic we want. DC says that's not the case, hence the CRISIS COUNSELING page and the laudable lack of a numerated storyline spread across multiple titles (well, except for that four-part O.M.A.C. thing Greg Rucka pulled in the middle of the series). However, having read the five available issues of INFINITE CRISIS in one sitting last night, I think I'd have felt pretty damn lost if I hadn't read IDENTITY CRISIS and the COUNTDOWN stuff. While that rich sense of history and continuity rewards long-time reader, it makes most of the DC Universe virtually inaccessible to new readers like Joe Normal.
If the comic industry were thriving, I wouldn't care that new readers might stay away out of fear of the complicated stories and required huge sums of cash. However, since the end of the 1990s boom, the industry and fans have stressed over how to attract a new generation of fans. I don't have all the answers, but I can assure you that an event spanning two years and a couple of hundred dollars in comics won't help. For that matter, even a smaller event like CIVIL WAR still recalls the forced-to-buy crossover events of years past. However, to Marvel's credit, they've consolidated a lot of the crossover story in CIVIL WAR: FRONTLINE. But, there's still X-MEN: CIVIL WAR, YOUNG AVENGERS/RUNAWAYS, a copy of THE DAILY BUGLE (like the HOUSE OF M PULSE special), and a smattering of crossover issues. Marvel says that the main storyline will stay within the pages of CIVIL WAR and the rest of the stories will simply flesh out the world surrounding it. However, while I realize that no one forces anyone to buy, Marvel knows good and well that when they tie miniseries together -- however tenuously -- some fans will buy all of them. Then, those fans will get fed up after doing it for the fourth or fifth time and give up comics, the industry will crash again, the sun will move closer to the Earth, and we'll all die. All right, that's an exaggeration, but Marvel and DC are playing with fire.
Of course, as stated earlier, a fleshed out, consistent shared universe practically forces these events, which brings up inherent systemic flaws. One has to wonder if trying to hold together a comics universe really creates more problems than entertaining stories. Anyway, what do you think?
New This Week
By Al Brown and Kurt Amacker
Good morning and welcome to another installment of "New This Week," where Kurt and I examine the books arriving at your store today and tell you, without any evidence whatsoever, which ones will be awesome. Thank, as always, heaven for us.
DARK HORSEBlade Of The Immortal #111 (MR) $2.99
Crying Freeman Vol 1 TP $14.95
Al: If I wanted Morgan Freeman crying, I'd rent Million Dollar Baby again.
Dare Detectives Vol 2 The Royale Treatment TP $6.95
Reiko The Zombie Shop Vol 2 TP $12.95
DC COMICS
American Virgin #1 (MR) $2.99
Al: So hey, this is interesting. Steven Seagle (A pretty godawful run on Uncanny X-Men during the 90s; House of Secrets) and Becky Cloonan (Demo) with a story that honestly seems to be about some dude who's trying to save himself for marriage and then gets deviant sex shoved in his face. Hey kids: Do not save yourself for marriage. That's a waste of perfectly good not-being-marriedness. Anyway...featuring terrifying covers by Frank Quitely, this book strikes me as so weird that there must be something more to it. I'll check it out. Somewhat suspiciously.
Authority Revolution Book Two 2 (MR) $14.99
Batman And The Monster Men #5 (of 6) $2.99
Batman Strikes #19 $2.25
Birds Of Prey Between Dark And Dawn TP $14.99
Captain Atom Armageddon #6 (of 9) $2.99
Al: Heh. Captain Atom totally wants to make out with the Engineer. Will anyone tell him she's pretty much a robot?
Chikyu Misaki Vol 3 $9.99
Exterminators #3 (MR) $2.99
Al: I still don't get this book, but I know one thing: it's unpleasant to read. I'm out.
Fables #47 (MR) $2.75
Firestorm The Nuclear Man #23 $2.50
Al: I was pretty much confused across the board by last week's premier of One Year Later. Detective Comics was by far the coolest, and I found Aquaman the most baffling; overall I'm not sure how well this trope is working for me. But anyway...uh, here's more of it.
Hard Time Season Two #4 $2.50
Al: Like "Prison Break," but with superpowers - and a kid - this has been just as good as Season One was. A fun, original book.
Hi Hi Puffy Amiyumi #2 (of 3) $2.25
Mad Classics #6 $4.99
Mad Magazine #464 $3.99
Matador #6 (of 6) $2.99
Maxx Book Six TP (MR) $19.99
Monster Collection Vol 5 (MR) $9.99
Kurt: I was excited, but then I realized it was Manga. Now, I don't care.
Seven Soldiers Frankenstein #3 (of 4) $2.99
Kurt: One of the best Seven Soldiers miniseries thus far. Pick it up or I kill you dead.
Seven Soldiers Mister Miracle #4 (of 4) $2.99
Teen Titans #33 $2.50
Al: Not OYL.
Tenjho Tenge Vol 6 $9.99
Tom Strong #36 $2.99
Al: Final issue! Okay, sit down for this one: Alan Moore is back to wrap this book up with the end of the world (whee!), referencing Promethea's finale while he's at it. This should be utterly mad, especially keeping in mind that Alan Moore totally hates DC right now. This, boys and girls, is your ass-kickinest book of the week.
Tomorrow Stories Special #2 $6.99
Wildcats Nemesis #7 (of 9) $2.99
IMAGE
Arthur Suydam Art Of The Barbarian Vol 2 Sketchbook Sgn $16.99
Bomb Queen #2 (of 4) (MR) $3.50
Al: First issue was fine, but not totally ass-kickin for me. Loads of women in skimpy clothes, though, so it's not a total lost.
Doll & Creature #1 (of 4) $2.99
Al: Rick Remender (Strange Girl) with a colorized reprinting of an early work about a society where religion is outlawed and hedonism has run amok. Just like Susan Sarandon's bedroom! (Ha ha ha ew.) What I want to know is, what's with the surfeit of religious books all of a sudden? Weird.
Down #4 (of 4) $2.99
Al: Not Ellis's best recent work (that would be Desolation Jones.)
Kurt: What about Fell? Heathen.
Fell #4 $1.99
Al: This series of self-contained, cheap mysteries by Ellis: also better than Down.
Kurt: Oh, wait. You're still a heathen bastard.
Hysteria One Man Gang #1 $2.99
Al: Cover features a picture of a guy with forks taped to his knuckles; take that as you will.
Kurt: Food fight?
Invincible #29 $2.99
Retro Rocket #1 (of 4) $2.99
Al: Tony Bedard (Exiles) and Jason Orfalas (not much of a portfolio, but a good artist). A broken-down robot saves the world or something. I'll totally check it out.
Rocketo Vol 1 Journey To The Hidden Sea TP $19.99
Socom Seal Team Seven GN $12.99
Kurt: Man, I thought I saw a dirty word there for a second.
Spawn Collection Vol 1 Ltd ED HC $59.95
Vice #5 $2.99
MARVEL
Annihilation Cosmic Event Poster By Dellotto $6.99
Cable Deadpool #26 $2.99
Cable Deadpool Vol 4 Bosom Buddies TP $14.99
Kurt: Man, does that sound a bit homoerotic.
Fantastic Four First Family #1 (of 6) $2.99
Al: By Joe Casey (Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes) and in that same vein. Should appeal to anyone who liked that series' updating of the Avengers' early days.
Incredible Hulk Planet Hulk Prelude TP $13.99
Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #10 $2.50
Marvel Select Flip Magazine #10 $3.99
Marvel Tales Flip Magazine #9 $3.99
New X-Men #24 $2.99
Al: This month, I predict that Kyle & Yost's run continues to be utterly forgettable.
Powers #17 (MR) $2.95
Pulse #14 $2.99
Al: Last issue of this series that picked up where Alias left off except, mysteriously, without any of the awesomeness.
Kurt: Without the colorful profanity, as well.
Sensational Spider-Man #24 $2.99
Sentinel Squad One #3 (of 5) $2.99
Son Of M #4 (of 6) $2.99
Al: After an awesome start, last month's issue was really weird for me. Now I'm suddenly a bit dubious. We shall see.
Spider-Man Unlimited #14 $2.99
Thunderbolts #100 $3.99
Ultimate Iron Man Vol 1 Premiere HC $19.99
Ultimate Iron Man Vol 1 Premiere HC Bookstore Var ED $19.99
Ultimate Spider-Man #91 $2.50
Al: Ultimate Deadpool, so you're either gonna like this or not.
Untold Tales Of The New Universe Nightmask $2.99
Al: Last week's Star Brand story was breathtakingly irrelevant. Will not be checking this out. Wake me when Kickers Inc. show up.
Kurt: WAKE UP! Just kidding.
X-Men The 198 #3 (of 5) $2.99
Al: Ha! The O*N*E are electronically tagging mutants! Like my cat! Boy, you could just ask me how well that's gonna turn out and save yourself some microchips. And pain.
Questions? Comments? Let us know what you think at comicscape@cinescape.com.
