Infinite Crisis

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, DC moved the narratives of most of its DC Universe series forward in time one year. 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.

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.Infinite Crisis #1, 2005 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.Infinite Crisis #2 (2005) JSA #82 (2006)

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.Infinite Crisis #3, 2006

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.Infinite Crisis #4, 2006

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.Infinite Crisis #4, Teen Titans #31 (2006)

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.Infinite Crisis #5, Superman (vol. 2) #226 &227, Adventures of Superman #648 & #649 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.Teen Titans #32, Infinite Crisis #6 (2006) 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''Infinite Crisis Special: Villians United, 2006, 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."Up, Up, and Away"

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.Infinite Crisis #7, 2006

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.

Series canceled during the "Infinite Crisis" event

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. 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.

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

Kal-L crying after the death of Lois Lane-2 is reminicent of the death of Supergirl.Crisis on Infinite Earths #7, 1985
Jim Lee's cover has Superboy's shirt draped in the background, which looks like Superman's cape when he dies in Superman Vol. 2, #75 (1992)
Mongul's appearance in Infinite Crisis #1 has the same panel framing from Alan Moore's "For the Man Who Has Everything", sans Jason Todd.Superman Annual #11, 1985
The S-Shield that Superboy-Prime carves into his chest is reminiscent of the promo art for "The Death of Superman".
The first splash page of Kal-L fighting Kal-El is based on Action Comics #1.
The panels from issue #7 depicting a conversation between Jay Garrick and Bart Allen mirror the conversation Garrick has with Wally West in the original Crisis. Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, 1985.
The skies turn red, as they are throughout the original Crisis.
The original Superboy, Kal-El, had a similar battle with Conner Kent in a Zero Hour story. He even says the same line, "You're not Superboy!" before his first strike.Superboy #8, 1994
The creation of "New Earth" resembles the collapse of the Multiverse.''Crisis on Infinite Earths #10-11, 1985
The cover of issue #5, with Kal-L fighting Kal-El, resembles the panel in which Kal-L knocks Kal-El out so that he can fight the final battle with the Anti-Monitor.Crisis on Infinite Earths #12, 1985

References

External links

Official home for Infinite Crisis
Dan DiDio: Crisis Counseling Session 3 (newsarama.com)
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

DC Comics storylines | DC Comics titles | Infinite Crisis