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Infinite Crisis #5. Sigh. How could a mini-series so promising become something so half-assed? I didn't write about it immediately because my list of complaints were a mile long. Fortunately, Evil Robby over at Dial B For Blog has written a review of Infinite Crisis #5 that graphically captures my sentiments, from the stupid Superman vs Superman fight to the pointless church scene at the beginning. Why are Kyle Rayner and the Shadowpact present at the church? Evil Robby says:
Could this have anything to do with the fact that another GL -- Kyle Rayner -- and Shadowpact are getting their own new comic books when "Crisis" ends? Could it also have anything to do with the fact that this "Crisis" series often reads like a marketing tool rather than a comic book? Yes to both.
If the DC Universe is just returned to the status quo, where they've got one Earth and the classic characters, that's not enough of a change. It's just a pointless waste of time. DC will have alienated long-time readers instead of retaining them. I'm not saying that DC has to bow down to fans wishes. Caving into fan pressure won't make for a good story. But so far, as Evil Robby pointed out, Infinite Crisis just seems like a launching pad for new series. Many thanks to Robby for pointing out that Superboy is wearing Anti-Monitor shoulder pads--a Bob Mackie original design!
Marvel's in the mood to alienate readers as well as DC. Fantastic Four 535 featured a really cool story with the Hulk fighting the Thing for the umpteenth time. It was cool because of Mike McKone's wonderful artwork--he draws the Thing the way that John Byrne did. At the end of the story, we see that it was Ben Grimm who planted the seed in Reed Richards' mind to exile the Hulk on an alien planet. That event kicked off the 14-part "Planet Hulk" storyline, which just seems like a clone of Superman's Warworld adventures. You know the Hulk's going to return to Earth more pissed off than ever, right? Reed's betrayal of Bruce Banner just flies against 40 years of continuity.
Sigh. Maybe it's time to stop reading new comics and just focus on the oldies. Nuff said.
External Link:
Dial B For Blog review of Infinite Crisis #5
Does IC require a return to the multiverse to justify itself? I don't think so. The way everyone has been put through the wringer will be enough change to the DCU.
The "Worlds will live, Worlds will die..." portion of the Crisis on Infinite Earths tagline may not apply to Infinite Crisis but the other half certainly will:
"... and the DC Universe will never be the same!"