INFINITE CRISIS #3

Bursting at the Seams

By Kurt Amacker     December 23, 2005

The dense, multithread story presented thus far in INFINITE CRISIS stands as both its greatest strength and its most devastating weakness. While the series rewards those readers who have followed the DC Universe since IDENTITY CRISIS (at the very least), those trying to jump on with the first issue of INFINITE CRISIS will feel hopelessly lost, much less with this third issue. That seems like a negative opening to a positive review, but this review will likely serve best those that merely want my thoughts on something they've already decided upon (or not).

This third issue continues the threads begun in the four COUNTDOWN TO INFINITE CRISIS miniseries, including the O.M.A.C. assault on Themyscira, the Spectre's fight with the newly-formed Shadowpact, and the return of the Earth Two heroes and villains. We also learn the identity of the Super-Traitor that took out the Justice League Watchtower. Most powerfully, the elder, Earth Two, Superman confronts the younger Batman we all know and makes a case for a cosmic union of the two realms. Effectively, he asks Bruce Wayne to help him return the DC Universe to its Golden Age innocence. You can probably guess how Captain Mope responds. Amid the chaos and sh-t blowing up throughout much of the issue, their meeting is both touching and tragic. Superman confronts Batman, showing him the dark shadow of a man he's become. At the same time, he offers to save him with the misguided idealism of the Earth Two heroes. It feels like two trains about to collide, and you know that everything can only end in tragedy.

Phil Jimenez and CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS penciller George Perez join forces on this issue, and they create a complex, stunningly detailed milieu. God help you if you haven't kept up thus far in this series, because there's almost too much happening -- both visually and narratively. Amazingly enough, Geoff Johns and the editorial staff at DC have managed to keep this from falling apart into a convoluted mess. Those that have kept up for the past year or so will find this issue compelling and, ultimately, rewarding. Those that haven't, uh, I guess should borrow a huge stack of books that starts sometime last year. Thus far, it's been worth it.

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