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{{Short description|Limited DC comic crossover series}} | |||
].]] | |||
{{For-multi|the 2019–20 Arrowverse crossover event|Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse)|other uses|Crisis on Infinite Earths (disambiguation)}} | |||
'''''Crisis on Infinite Earths''''' was a twelve issue ] event ]/], produced by ] in 1985 in order to simplify their fifty-year-old ]. The series was written by ], and illustrated by ] (pencils/layouts), with ], ], and ] (who shared inking/embellishing chores). The series eliminated the concept of the ] in the fictional ], and depicted the deaths of such long-standing ]es as ] and ] II. | |||
{{Use American English|date=December 2022}} | |||
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}} | |||
{{Infobox comic book title | |||
| image = Crisis on Infinite Earths issue 1 cover.jpg | |||
| caption = Cover of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (April 1985).<br> Art by ]. | |||
| alt = Several superheroes floating in space above Earths exploding and fracturing | |||
| schedule = Monthly | |||
| format = | |||
| limited=y | |||
| publisher = ] | |||
| date = April 1985 – March 1986 | |||
| issues = 12 | |||
| main_char_team = {{Plainlist}} | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
{{Endplainlist}} | |||
| writers = ] | |||
| artists = | |||
| pencillers = ] | |||
| inkers = {{Plainlist}} | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
* ] | |||
{{Endplainlist}} | |||
| colorists = {{Plainlist}} | |||
* Anthony Tollin | |||
* Tom Ziuko | |||
* Carl Gafford | |||
{{Endplainlist}} | |||
| letterers = ] | |||
| creative_team_month = | |||
| creative_team_year = | |||
| creators = {{Plainlist}} | |||
* Marv Wolfman | |||
* George Pérez | |||
{{Endplainlist}} | |||
| editors = Marv Wolfman | |||
| subcat = DC Comics | |||
| sort = Crisis on Infinite Earths | |||
}} | |||
'''''Crisis on Infinite Earths''''' is a 1985 to 1986 ] ] series published by ]. Written by ] and ] by ], it was first released as a 12-issue ] from April 1985 to March 1986. As the main piece of a crossover event, some plot elements were featured in ] issues of other publications. Since its initial publication, the series has been reprinted in various formats and editions. | |||
The idea for the series stemmed from Wolfman's desire to abandon the ] depicted in the company's comics—which he thought was unfriendly to readers—and create a single, unified ] (DCU). The foundation of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' developed through a character called the ], introduced in Wolfman's '']'' in July 1982 before the series itself started. | |||
The title of the series was inspired by earlier crossover stories involving the multiple Earths of the Multiverse, such as "Crisis on Earth-Two" and "Crisis on Earth-Three", but instead of lasting two to five issues and involving members from as many superhero teams from as many parallel worlds, it involved virtually every significant character from every parallel universe in DC's history. It has in turn inspired the title of the late-2005 DC crossover series '']''. | |||
At the start of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', the ] (the Monitor's evil counterpart) is unleashed on the DC Multiverse and begins to destroy the various Earths that it comprises. The Monitor tries to recruit heroes from around the Multiverse but is murdered, while ] collaborates with the villains to conquer the remaining Earths. Eventually, both the heroes and villains are united by the ]; the series concludes with ], ] and ] defeating the Anti-Monitor and the creation of a single Earth in place of the Multiverse. ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is noted for its high death count; hundreds of characters died, including DC icons ] (the original Supergirl) and ] (the ] of the ]). The story's events resulted in the entire DCU being ], dividing the fictional universe's timeline into "pre-Crisis" and "post-Crisis" eras. | |||
== Overview == | |||
The series was a bestseller for DC. The story is credited with popularizing the idea of a large-scale crossover in comics. ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is the first installment in what became known as the ''Crisis'' trilogy. It was followed by '']'' (2005–2006) and '']'' (2008–2009). ] (2022) also served as a sequel to ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''. | |||
The series (usually referred to as simply ''Crisis'') was highly successful from a marketing standpoint, generating renewed interest in the company's books, enticing readers with the ]d -- but in this case accurate -- promise that "things will never be the same". The story itself was rooted firmly in the cliché of "superheroes battle to save the world", but its unprecedented scope and its great attention to both drama and detail satisfied most readers with its story. Along with ]'s '']'' and ]'s '']'', it contributed to the commercial and creative revitalization of DC Comics, which had been dominated in the market by ] through the late 1970s and early 1980s. | |||
==Publication history== | |||
''Crisis'' also helped popularize the formula of the line-wide "]" comic book series (a concept first seen in Marvel Comics' ] (1983) and ] (1984)). Since 1985, superhero publishers such as DC and Marvel have had frequent "summer crossover" series designed to tie many of their comic book titles together under a single storyline (and thus sell more comic books). | |||
===Background=== | |||
] is an ] ] best known for its ] featuring characters including ], ], and ].<ref name="ignbestcharacters">{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=The Top 25 Best Heroes of DC Comics|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/the-top-25-heroes-of-dc-comics|website=]|publisher=]|access-date=18 March 2018|date=November 19, 2013}}</ref> The company debuted in February 1935 with '']''.<ref name="monitoringthepast">{{cite web|last1=Friedenthal|first1=Andrew J.|title=Monitoring the Past: DC Comics' Crisis on Infinite Earths and the Narrativization of Comic Book History|url=http://www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/v6_2/friedenthal/|website=ImageTexT|access-date=18 March 2018|date=2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315212451/http://www.english.ufl.edu/imagetext/archives/v6_2/friedenthal/|archive-date=15 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Most of DC's comic books (as well as some published under its imprints ]<ref name="ignvertigo">{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=Between the Panels: DC Needs to Take Vertigo Back to its Roots|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2016/04/22/between-the-panels-dc-needs-to-take-vertigo-back-to-its-roots|website=]|publisher=]|access-date=23 March 2018|date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> and ]<ref name="cbryounganimal">{{cite web|last1=Cohen|first1=Jason|title=DC's Young Animal Imprint Gets Major Revamp in March|url=https://www.cbr.com/dc-young-animal-relaunch/|website=]|access-date=23 March 2018|date=December 14, 2017}}</ref>) take place within a ] called the ] (DCU) allowing plot elements, characters, and settings to ] with each other.<ref name="cbrrebirth">{{cite web|last1=Ching|first1=Albert|title=EXCLUSIVE: Geoff Johns Details "Rebirth" Plan, Seeks to Restore Legacy to DC Universe|url=https://www.cbr.com/exclusive-geoff-johns-details-rebirth-plan-seeks-to-restore-legacy-to-dc-universe/|website=]|access-date=23 March 2018|date=February 18, 2016}}</ref> The concept of the DCU has provided DC's writers some challenges in maintaining ], due to conflicting events within different comics that need to reflect the shared nature of the universe.<ref name="monitoringthepast"/> "]" from '']'' #123 (September 1961), which featured ] (the ] ]) teaming up with ] (the ] Flash) was the first DC comic to suggest that the DCU was a part of a ].<ref name="denofgeekflash">{{cite web|last1=Cecchini|first1=Mike|title=The Flash, Crisis on Infinite Earths, and What it Means for DC Superhero TV and Movies|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/the-flash/239939/the-flash-crisis-on-infinite-earths-and-what-it-means-for-dc-superhero-tv-and-movies|website=]|access-date=20 March 2018|date=December 10, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041815/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/the-flash/239939/the-flash-crisis-on-infinite-earths-and-what-it-means-for-dc-superhero-tv-and-movies|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="15brutal">{{cite web|last1=Cohen|first1=Jason|title=Killer Crises: The 15 Most BRUTAL Deaths In Every DC Crisis|url=https://www.cbr.com/killer-crises-the-15-most-brutal-deaths-in-every-dc-crisis/|website=]|access-date=19 March 2018|date=June 22, 2017}}</ref> | |||
The DC Multiverse concept was expanded in later years with the DCU having infinite Earths; for example, the Golden Age versions of DC heroes resided on Earth-Two, while DC's Silver Age heroes were from Earth-One.<ref name="visual"/> Since "Crisis on Earth-One!" (1963), DC has used the word "Crisis" to describe important crossovers within the DC Multiverse.<ref name="downey20180118">{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbr.com/tim-king-dc-crisis-theory/ |title=Tom King May Be Working on DC's First Post-Rebirth Crisis |last=Downey |first=Meg |date=January 18, 2018 |website=] |language=en-US |access-date=March 10, 2018}}</ref> Over the years, various writers took liberties creating additional parallel Earths as plot devices and to house characters DC had acquired from other companies, making the DC Multiverse a "convoluted mess".<ref name="visual"/> DC's comic book sales were also far below those of their competitor ].<ref name="nerd">{{cite book|last1=Weldon|first1=Glen|title=The Caped Crusade: Batman and the Rise of Nerd Culture|date=2016|publisher=]|isbn=978-1-4767-5669-1}}</ref> According to '']'' journalist Chris Sims, "the multiverse . . . felt old-fashioned. . . . Marvel, on the other hand, felt contemporary and when you stack them up against each other, there's one difference that sticks out above anything else: Marvel feels unified."<ref name="ca208">{{cite web|last1=Sims|first1=Chris|title=Ask Chris #208: Crisis on Infinite Earths is Basically a Mess|url=http://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-208-crisis-infinite-earth/|website=]|access-date=20 March 2018|date=August 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612232653/http://comicsalliance.com/ask-chris-208-crisis-infinite-earth/|archive-date=12 June 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
== Origins == | |||
Writer ] became popular among DC's readers for his work on '']'' and '']''.<ref name="visual"/> ], who illustrated ''The New Teen Titans'', also began to rise to prominence in this era.<ref name="STP">{{cite web |url=https://surrealtimepress.com/2015/03/27/five-things-to-keep-in-mind-while-you-read-infinity-gauntlet-part-3/ |title=Five Things To Keep In Mind While You Read Infinity Gauntlet – Part 3 |last=Mitchell |first=B |date=March 25, 2015 |website=Surreal Time Press |access-date=January 11, 2018 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1984, Pérez entered into an exclusive contract with DC, which was later extended one year.<ref name="CI94">{{cite magazine |last=O'Neill |first=Patrick Daniel |date=1991|title=George Perez |magazine=] #94 |location=New York City|page=4 |publisher=Fictioneer Books |author-link=David Anthony Kraft}}</ref> Although ''The New Teen Titans'' was a major success for DC,<ref name="visual"/> the company's comic book sales were still below Marvel's.<ref name="nerd"/> Wolfman began to attribute this to the DC Multiverse, feeling "The Flash of Two Worlds" had created a "nightmare":<ref name="monitoringthepast"/> it was not reader-friendly for new readers to be able to keep track of<ref name="intempol"/> and writers struggled with the continuity errors it caused.<ref name="monitoringthepast"/> In ''The New Teen Titans'' #21 (July 1982), Wolfman introduced a new character: the shadowy, potentially villainous ]; this laid the foundation for ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''.<ref name="auto"/> | |||
The title was originally conceived to be a celebration of DC's 50th anniversary; however, ] saw it as a chance to clean up DC's rather convoluted continuity (which was thought to have put many new readers off buying DC titles) that had built up over that time. | |||
===Development=== | |||
Wolfman came up with an idea which would reach across the entirety of the DC Universe and its 50-year history. First of all, he came up with the character of the ] who was initially a faceless character used in many of DC's titles over the course of a year. The Monitor supplied DC's villains with equipment in order to test its heroes for the Crisis ahead. As a result, the character was seen to be a villain himself and his real reasons were not revealed to the reader until ''Crisis'' #1. | |||
In 1981, Wolfman was editing '']''. He got a letter from a fan asking why a character did not recognize ] in a recent issue despite the two having had worked together in an issue three years earlier.<ref name="Slugfest148"/> Soon afterward,<ref name="backissue30">{{cite journal|last1=Greeberger|first1=Robert|title=Crisis at 30: A Look Back at the Most Influential Crossover in Comics History|journal=]|date=August 2015|issue=82}}</ref> Wolfman pitched ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' as ''The History of the DC Universe'',<ref name="Slugfest148">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Reed |date=October 2017 |title=Slugfest |location= ]|publisher=]|page=148 |isbn=978-0306825477 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoyYDgAAQBAJ}}</ref> seeing it as a way to simplify the DCU and attract new readers.<ref name="intempol">{{cite web|last1=Figueiredo|first1=Claudio|last2=Aragao|first2=Octavio|title=Crisis on Infinite Comics: Interview with Marv Wolfman|url=http://intemblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/crisis-on-infinite-comics-interview.html|website=Intempol|access-date=18 March 2018|date=October 12, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041357/http://intemblog.blogspot.com/2009/10/crisis-on-infinite-comics-interview.html|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''The History of the DC Universe''{{'}}s title was changed to ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' because its premise, involving the destruction of entire worlds, sounded more like a crisis.<ref name="backissue30" /> | |||
Wolfman said when he pitched the series to DC, he realized it was going to be a completely new beginning for the DCU.<ref name="villagewolfman">{{cite web|last1=Siegel|first1=Harry|title=Marv Wolfman on What's Got To Die For a New DC World To Live|url=https://www.villagevoice.com/2011/08/31/marv-wolfman-on-whats-got-to-die-for-a-new-dc-world-to-live/|website=]|access-date=18 March 2018|date=August 31, 2011}}</ref> "I knew up front, and they did too, how big this was going to be," he said. "But, no-one knew how well it would sell, or whether it would sell at all. It was a risk DC was willing to take, because my thoughts were that DC needed a lot of help at that time, and they did too."<ref name="comicconinter">{{cite web|last1=MacNamee|first1=Oliver|title=Interviewing Marv Wolfman On New Teen Titans And Crisis On Infinite Earths At London Film And Comic Con|url=http://www.comicon.com/2017/08/01/interviewing-marv-wolfman-on-new-teen-titans-and-crisis-on-infinite-earths-at-london-film-and-comic-con/|website=ComicCon.com|access-date=18 March 2018|date=August 1, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041311/http://www.comicon.com/2017/08/01/interviewing-marv-wolfman-on-new-teen-titans-and-crisis-on-infinite-earths-at-london-film-and-comic-con/|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Wolfman also said he saw it as an attempt to improve DC's reputation for storytelling which many readers at the time saw as old-fashioned.<ref name="Slugfest149" /> | |||
==Plot summary== | |||
] | |||
{{spoiler}} | |||
The story introduced readers to two near-omnipotent beings, the good Monitor and the evil ]. The Monitor had made cameo appearances in various DC comic book series for two years preceding the publication of the series and at first appeared to be a new supervillain, but with the onset of the Crisis, he was revealed to be working on a desperate plan to save the entire ] from destruction at the hands of the Anti-Monitor. The ''Crisis'' series highlighted the efforts of DC Comics' superheroes to stop the Anti-Monitor's plan. Under the initial guidance of the Monitor, a select group of heroes was assigned to protect massive "tuning forks" designed to hold off the ] that had already annihilated untold numbers of alternate Earths. Eventually the conflict grew, and nearly every DC hero became involved in the battle. | |||
The crossover was fleshed out and coordinated at a meeting attended by president ], ], vice president and executive editor ] and DC's editors.<ref name="Back34">{{cite journal |last=Eury |first=Michael |date=June 2009 |title=When Worlds Collided! Behind the Scenes of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' |journal=] |issue=34 |pages=34–39 |publisher=] }}</ref> In 1982, DC hired a researcher to go through their library and read every comic the company had published, a task that took two years.<ref name="Slugfest148" /> The series was delayed to 1983 due to the time for research,<ref name="Slugfest149">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Reed |date=October 2017 |title=Slugfest |location= ]|publisher=]|page=149 |isbn=978-0306825477 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoyYDgAAQBAJ}}</ref> and again to 1985 when it was still not ready for 1983<ref name="Slugfest149" /> and to coincide with DC's fiftieth anniversary.<ref name="visual">{{cite book |title = DC Comics Year by Year: A Visual Chronicle|publisher=] |year=2010 |isbn= 978-0-7566-6742-9}}</ref> As an event like ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' had never happened before, those working on it met for around two hours a week, which was uncommon at the time.<ref name="backissue30" /> | |||
The Monitor was murdered, but his death released enough energy to save the last five parallel Earths (the homes of the known ]) long enough for the heroes to lead an assault on the Anti-Monitor. The villain retreated, but at the cost of ]'s life. This lull in the war provided some breathing room for the heroes, but the various supervillains joined forces under ] and ] to attempt the conquest of Earth, while the second ] died stopping the Anti-Monitor's backup scheme of destruction. ] halted the hero/villain conflict, warning that the Anti-Monitor was traveling to the beginning of time to prevent the Multiverse's creation. Heroes and villains joined forces in response with the heroes traveling to stop the Anti-Monitor, and the villains traveling to the planet ] in antiquity to prevent the renegade scientist ] from performing a historic experiment that would have allowed the Anti-Monitor to succeed in his efforts. | |||
The groundwork for the series was laid the year before it was published.<ref name="auto">''Crisis on Infinite Earths: Absolute Edition''</ref> One of the greatest challenges for Wolfman and Giordano was coming up with a story. Wolfman cited making use of every DC character and creating a plot that was fun to read and filled with surprises as difficulties, as the series needed to sell well; if it did not, it could have caused a disaster for DC. Plotting became easier once a beginning and an ending had been determined and when Pérez became involved. ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' was DC's first mainstream ], which was still a relatively new concept.<ref name="backissue30" /> | |||
The villains failed, and Krona proceeded with his experiment, while the heroes supported the Spectre, whose battle with the Anti-Monitor created an energy overload that shattered space and time. With that, a single universe was created and all the superheroes returned to a present-day reality where the various elements of the five Earths were fused into one. The Anti-Monitor attacked one last time, but fell to a carefully planned counter-attack with some unexpected last-second help from the New Gods' adversary, ]. | |||
Early in planning for ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', a list was made of characters that were part of the DCU;<ref name="Back34" /> characters from other universes, such as those that formerly belonged to ], also were used.<ref name="30reasons" /> According to Wolfman, one of the purposes of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' was to showcase all the characters DC had.<ref name="comicconinter" /> The series is infamous for its high death count.<ref name="15brutal" /> Hundreds of characters died; among the most noted was Barry Allen's. Wolfman has said he did not want to kill Allen, but DC ordered him to because it perceived the character as dull. Therefore, he conceived Allen's death—in which he runs through time before vanishing—as a way to make the character seem more interesting and hopefully spare him.<ref>{{cite web|author1=B.D.S.|title=Marv Wolfman interview|url=http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/interviews/wolfman.shtml|website=The WTV Zone|access-date=20 March 2018|date=2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101650/http://www.wtv-zone.com/silverager/interviews/wolfman.shtml|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Wolfman wanted to make the series unforgettable; he said that many writers had expressed interest in simplifying DC's continuity and he wanted to be the one to do so.<ref name="monitoringthepast" /> | |||
==Post-''Crisis''== | |||
Pérez says he was not the intended artist for ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'',<ref name="syfyperez"/> but was excited when he learned about it, seeing it as an opportunity for "revenge" against Marvel, which he blamed for blocking the '']'' crossover he had been working on.{{efn|The crossover was not released until 2003.}}<ref name="Slugfest149"/> He enjoyed working with Wolfman again, and took a leave of absence from ''The New Teen Titans'' to draw the series.<ref>"George Pérez signs contract with DC, Takes leave of absence from ''Titans''{{-"}}, ''The Comics Journal'' #92 (August 1984), p. 16.</ref> DC initially did not know Pérez would want to work on it. According to Pérez, he was motivated by the fact that DC did not know if the series was going to be a success. He also wanted "to draw everybody I could get my hands on" and called illustrating the series some of the most fun he ever had. Pérez was excited because not only did he get to draw the Teen Titans again, but also obscure characters he was not familiar with, saying he could possibly have never gotten another chance.<ref name="syfyperez">{{cite web|last1=Avila|first1=Mike|title=Comics legend George Perez on DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths|url=http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/watch-comics-legend-george-perez-on-crisis-on-infinite-earths|website=] Wire|access-date=18 March 2018|date=June 28, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324103118/http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/watch-comics-legend-george-perez-on-crisis-on-infinite-earths|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Wolfman has said one panel in ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' shows the ] being destroyed.<ref name="Slugfest150">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Reed |date=October 2017 |title=Slugfest |location= ]|publisher=]|page=150 |isbn=978-0306825477 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoyYDgAAQBAJ}}</ref> When Giordano (the series' initial ]) had difficulty meeting deadlines while continuing as DC vice president and executive editor, editorial coordinator Pat Bastienne reassigned the inking to ] despite Giordano's objections.<ref name="Back34"/> | |||
Characters and other elements established before ''Crisis'' (especially those eliminated by it) are considered "pre-Crisis" and revised ones are considered "post-Crisis". | |||
===Publication=== | |||
''Crisis'' was used by DC as an opportunity to wipe much of its slate clean and make major changes to many of their major revenue-generating comic book series. ]'s revamp of ] with '']'', ]'s relaunching of ], and ]'s ] of ] (see '']'') all took place shortly following ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', and changed substantial elements of the characters' backstories. | |||
The idea for ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' was first noted in the December 1981 issue of '']'', which mentioned a twelve-part maxiseries scheduled for 1982.<ref name="Slugfest148"/> The series was announced in Giordano's "Meanwhile..." column DC ran in its titles ]d June 1984. Giordano warned readers that "odd occurrences" would begin to happen throughout DC's comics. He also clarified it would commemorate DC's fiftieth anniversary and would provide the company "wonderful stepping-stones" for new characters and comics.<ref name="monitoringthepast"/> The series was marketed with the tagline "Worlds will live, worlds will die and nothing will ever be the same".<ref name="30reasons">{{cite web|last1=Rahan|first1=Kaleon|title=30 reasons 'Crisis On Infinite Earths' defined comics forever|url=https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/books/news/2015/04/07/30-reasons-crisis-on-infinite-earths-defined-comics-forever/|website=The Star Online|access-date=20 March 2018|date=April 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041400/https://www.thestar.com.my/lifestyle/books/news/2015/04/07/30-reasons-crisis-on-infinite-earths-defined-comics-forever/|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="timeandtime">{{cite web|last1=Sims|first1=Chris|title=Time and Time Again: The Complete History of DC's Retcons and Reboots|url=http://comicsalliance.com/dc-comics-reboot-history/|website=]|access-date=21 March 2018|date=June 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101529/http://comicsalliance.com/dc-comics-reboot-history/|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
The series began in January 1985 and lasted for twelve issues, ending in December 1985 (issues ]d April 1985 through March 1986).<ref name="visual"/> The close spacing of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' and Marvel's similar crossover '']'' caused some fans to create conspiracy theories about ].<ref name="Slugfest150"/> According to writer ], the series "got virtually no promotion ... How many handouts did you see? How many posters did you see in people's windows? How much information was really distributed to the press and how much was gotten just by individual reporters going to Marv Wolfman and George Pérez?"<ref name="gerber">{{cite news |last=Zimmerman |first=Dwight Jon |date=September 1986 |title=Steve Gerber (part 2) |work=] |issue=38 |pages=6–19 |publisher=] }}</ref> | |||
Several other titles which were not significantly ]ned were taken in very different directions following ''Crisis''. '']'' was relaunched starring a younger main character, the previous Flash's sidekick, Kid Flash a.k.a. ]. The '']'' title was cancelled, to be replaced by a new series entitled simply ''Justice League'', featuring a new cast, many of them drawn from what had been different universes in DC's pre-Crisis multiverse. While some of these revamps of classic superheroes were less successful than others, their new beginnings can generally be attributed to the success of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''. | |||
===Tie-ins=== | |||
In the post-Crisis timeline, an epic "Crisis" still occurred in which numerous heroes opposed the Anti-Monitor's attempts to destroy the (singular) universe. While the Flash still died, Supergirl did not, as she had "never existed". | |||
].]] | |||
Elements to set up ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' were put in DC's comics years before the crossover took place;<ref name="ignabsoluterev"/> an example of this was the Monitor's appearance in ''The New Teen Titans''.<ref name="auto"/> In a January 3, 1983 memo, Giordano, Wolfman, and ] instructed editors and writers to use the Monitor twice in the coming year but not to show him: "Because this series involves the entire DC Universe we do ask that each Editor and writer cooperate with the project by using a character called The Monitor in their books twice during the next year". This served to set up the series.<ref name="monitoringthepast"/><ref name="auto"/> When Wolfman and Giordano reiterated this in a 1984 meeting, some editors were not pleased; one was so miffed he did not speak for the rest of the meeting.<ref name="backissue30"/> | |||
]s for ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' were published in DC's ]. Unlike the 1991 Marvel crossover storyline '']'', where Marvel only published tie-ins in titles that needed a boost in sales, the vast majority of DC's comics featured events that directly tied to the crossover.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Kraft |first=David Anthony |date=January 1991 |title=War of the Gods |magazine=] |location=New York City|page=34 |publisher=Fictioneer Books |author-link=David Anthony Kraft}}</ref> The following comic book issues were labeled as part of the crossover; their covers contained a banner that read "Special ''Crisis'' Cross-Over", along with the logo for DC's fiftieth anniversary. | |||
The majority of DC Universe characters are unaware the Crisis occurred. Although the characters who were present at the epic battle at the dawn of time (''Crisis on Infinite Earths #10, "Death at the Dawn of Time"'') were initially treated as exceptions, this idea did not stick. There have been occasional references to the event. A 2002 storyline in the '']'' comic book saw the original pre-Crisis Supergirl landing on post-Crisis Earth, for example, and established that the ], being able to see across dimensions and timelines, is aware the Crisis occurred. In addition, ]'s run on ], heralded for its deconstruction of the concept of the comic book, initiated a "Second Crisis" in which characters such as the original ] from Earth-Three came back to life thanks to the ], who remembered the original Crisis. | |||
{{Div col}} | |||
===Deaths during ''Crisis''=== | |||
* '']'' #50–56 | |||
* '']'' (vol. 2) #13 | |||
* '']'' #17-18 | |||
* '']'' #86–88 | |||
* '']'' #41–42 | |||
* '']'' (vol. 2) #194–195; #198 | |||
* '']'' #18–24; ''Annual'' #1 | |||
* '']'' #244–245; ''Annual'' #3 | |||
* ''JLA: Incarnations'' #5 (released in 2001) | |||
* '']'' #18 | |||
* ''The ] Special'' #1 | |||
* '']'' (vol. 2) #13–14 | |||
* '']'' #31 | |||
* '']'' #414–415 | |||
* '']'' #46 | |||
* '']'' #327–329 | |||
* ''Legends of the DC Universe : Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (released in 1998) | |||
{{div col end}} | |||
==Collected editions== | |||
The following DC characters died during ''Crisis'': ], ], ], ], the second ], all members of the ], the first Dove of ], Farmer Boy of ]'s ], the second ], ] of Earth-Two, ] of Earth-Two, ], ], the Justice Alliance of Earth-D (in "Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths", released in 1999), ], ], ] of Earth-Two, Lex Luthor of Earth-Three and wife ], ], Lord Volt of Earth-Six, ] (Johnny Cloud, Gunner, Sarge, Captain Storm), ], ] I, ], ], ], Princess Fern of Earth-Six, ] of Earth-Two, the second ], ] IV (Prince Gavyn), ], ] of Earth-One, the ], and ] of Earth-One. | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
|+ | |||
!Title | |||
!Material collected | |||
!Published date | |||
!ISBN | |||
|- | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1–12 | |||
|December 1998 | |||
|{{ISBNT|1-56389-434-3}} | |||
|- | |||
|''] Crisis on Infinite Earths'' | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1–12, '']'' #1, ''Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Cross-Over Index'' #1 | |||
|November 2005 | |||
|{{ISBNT|1-4012-0712-X}} | |||
|- | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths: 35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition'' | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1–12, '']'' #1-2 | |||
|October 2019 | |||
|{{ISBNT|978-1401295363}} | |||
|- | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Vol. 1'' | |||
|''All-Star Squadron'' #50-60, ''DC Comics Presents'' #78, ''The Fury of Firestorm'' #41-42, ''Green Lantern'' #194-198 | |||
|November 2018 | |||
|{{ISBNT|978-1401274597}} | |||
|- | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Vol. 2'' | |||
|''DC Comics Presents'' #86, ''Swamp Thing'' #44, ''Losers Special'' #1, ''Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1, ''Infinity, Inc.'' #18-25, ''Infinity, Inc. Annual'' #1, ''Justice League of America'' #244-245, ''New Teen Titans'' (vol. 2) #13-14 and material from ''Detective Comics'' #558 | |||
|May 2019 | |||
|{{ISBNT|978-1401289218}} | |||
|- | |||
|''Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Vol. 3'' | |||
|''Amethyst'' #13, ''Blue Devil'' #17-18, ''Wonder Woman'' #327-329, ''Swamp Thing'' #46, ''Legion of Super-Heroes'' #16, 18, ''Superman'' #413-415, ''DC Comics Presents'' #87-88, 94–95, ''Justice League of America Annual'' #3, ''The Omega Men'' #31, and material from ''The Omega Men'' #33 | |||
|October 2019 | |||
|{{ISBNT|978-1401294489}} | |||
|} | |||
==Synopsis== | |||
Gunner of the Losers showed up alive and well later in the comic Creature Commandos, a ] issue revealed that Nighthawk is believed to have died under different circumstances, Wonder Woman was said not to have died but just been sent back down her own timeline, Lori Lemaris' death has been erased from continuity, the Crime Syndicate were later brought back into continuity in the comic ] (making their deaths in the Crisis out of continuity now), and it was revealed in James Robinson's Starman comics that Prince Gavyn's spirit actually survived and bonded with the super-hero Will Payton. | |||
The conflicting stories of the DCU are explained as a Multiverse, containing many parallel universes and alternate versions of the characters, with the primary DC continuity referred to as Earth-One. They were created after renegade scientist ] built a machine and used it to look back into the beginning of time. A cosmic being from the beginning known as the Monitor catalogues these realities, but he has an evil counterpart, the ], who comes from an ] universe. After ] causes an accident with antimatter in his universe, the Anti-Monitor is released and begins destroying many of the realities with a wave of antimatter, planning on becoming sole ruler of all realities. On ], Alexander Luthor and Lois Lane teleport their son ] to another reality as Earth-Three is consumed by the antimatter wave. To combat this, the Monitor recruits heroes and villains from across time and space to set up five towers, to help merge the multiverse back into one to make it stronger.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
The Monitor dispatches a team of heroes across time and space to defend mysterious machines that could be the key to saving the remaining universes. Meanwhile, we learn Flash didn't disappear after his trial, but rather traveled to the future, and Pariah, constantly witnessing the destruction of worlds, arrives on the doomed Earth-1.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #2. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
===New characters and changes=== | |||
Several new characters were introduced in ''Crisis''. The Monitor's assistant, Harbinger, and doomsayer ] played major roles in the story. Lady Quark was introduced as a survivor of one of the destroyed worlds. A new Dr. Light, this time heroic and female, was introduced. The former ] characters - especially ] - were introduced to the DC Universe. | |||
] of Earth-One encounters the Antimatter wave before being captured by the Anti Monitor. On Earth 1, various heroes attempt to save people from the approaching Anti Matter wave. During WWII, The Monitor's towers appear during a battle which ], ], and the ] are fighting together against Nazis.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #3. Marvel Comics.</ref> | |||
After the ''Crisis'', former ] ] took over the mantle of his predecessor ]. ] was transported to a ] future but this did not prove popular and subsequent stories brought him back to the ]. | |||
The Monitor gives powers to ] turning her into Doctor Light. Unfortunately, he is murdered by ] who is possessed by one of the Anti-Monitor's shadow demons.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #4. DC Comics.</ref> However, the Monitor knew this would happen and his death releases enough energy to project two of the last five parallel Earths into a protective limbo that nullifies the wave.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #5. DC Comics.</ref> The Anti-Monitor recruits ] to his cause, infusing him with part of his power to manipulate the heroes of Earth-4, Earth-S and Earth-X against the rest; this fails when all five Earths enter the limbo universe.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #6. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
==Criticisms== | |||
Harbinger then recruits heroes from the remaining Earths to lead an assault on the Anti-Monitor in the antimatter universe, using the powers of ], the last survivor of ], to open a portal between the limbo and antimatter universes. Pariah tracks down the Anti-Monitor at his fortress, and the heroes destroy a converter, powered by stellar energy, used to destroy the last five Earths; the injured Anti-Monitor retreats and ] dies from his attacks after a distraction from Hoshi<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #7. DC Comics.</ref> The Anti-Monitor creates a new body for himself and tries to use an antimatter cannon to penetrate the limbo universe and destroy the five partially merged Earths. The Flash dies stopping this attempt by using his speed to channel energy.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #8. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
Many readers unfamiliar with the complicated ] of the DC universe found the story confusing, as it was written especially for readers who were intimately familiar with the countless characters created in the pages of DC comics over the space of fifty years, including multiple versions of characters such as ] and ]. | |||
During a lull in the war, the villains unite under ]. He kills Earth-Two's Alexei Luthor while recruiting the Earth-One Lex Luthor to conquer the remaining Earths.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #9. DC Comics.</ref> A furious Anti-Monitor absorbs the energy of millions of worlds and vows to travel back through time to prevent the creation of the multiverse. The ] unites the heroes and villains by warning them about the Anti-Monitor's plan; the heroes travel back in time to stop the Anti-Monitor, while the villains travel back in time to the ancient planet ] to prevent Krona from creating the technology necessary for the Anti-Monitor's plan to succeed.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #10. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
The changes made in the wake of ''Crisis'' were not ushered in consistently. The series itself was published over the course of a year with ongoing series continuing at the same time, and several months of stories set in the "old" continuity continued to be published following its last issue. Furthermore, revamped or relaunched versions of series did not debut at the same time, and DC continued to feature the "old" versions of characters until new versions were launched, sometimes a year or more later. The character of ] was one of the most problematic, as a new version did not appear until ]; this raised the question as to who this "Hawkman" character was who had been running around with the post-Crisis heroes since ]. Similar problems faced the ], which had been affected by the removal of ] from DC continuity, and successive attempts to "repair" it had met with mixed results. In 1994, DC produced a mini-series titled '']'', which attempted to resolve these problems by again ] the DCU, but this time with fewer wholesale revisions. Two major female characters, ] and ] also had their place in the DC Universe become problematic. | |||
The villains fail, and Krona continues his experiment. The Anti-Monitor waits for Alexander Luthor Jr. to reopen the portal between the positive and antimatter universes, capturing the heroes, but a magically empowered Spectre creates an energy overload which shatters space and time. The five Earths merge into a single shared universe, and the superheroes return to the present; only those present at the dawn of time remember the original realities.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #11. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
Many fans of characters that were eliminated or dramatically affected by ''Crisis'' were unhappy with these changes. They argued that the company's five decades of publishing were a rich foundation upon which to build, and complained that the post-Crisis universe was one with which they had no connection. The complete erasure of Superman's cousin Supergirl was particularly controversial, with fans complaining that it rendered her heroic self-sacrifice in ''Crisis'' meaningless. (The fact that the Flash's heroic self-sacrifice was remembered by DC characters as almost ]dom made her treatment seem even less respectful by comparison.) An irregular variety of similar replacement characters named Supergirl were introduced to mixed reactions. DC relented in 2004 and introduced a Supergirl who closely matched the pre-Crisis Kara Zor-El of Krypton. | |||
A cosmically empowered Anti-Monitor attacks again, transporting the new Earth to the antimatter universe and summoning a horde of shadow demons. There are casualties ranging from ], ], Green Arrow of Earth-Two, Prince Ra-Man, ] II, ], ], Huntress of Earth-Two, Robin of Earth-Two, Sunburst, and ]. He falls in a carefully-planned counterattack, culminating in a battle with ] of Earth-Prime, ], and Alexander Luthor Jr., with help from ] adversary ]. In this final battle the Anti-Monitor, reduced to a flaming head, crashes into a star and is killed by Kal-L. Before the star explodes, Alex sends Kal-L, Earth-Two ], ] Superboy and himself to a pocket "paradise" dimension while Wonder Woman of Earth-Two is taken to Mount Olympus by ]. This leaves the heroes of the remaining Earth, none of whom remember the original past, to sort out the aftermath of this crisis. Only Psycho-Pirate, who is locked up in ], remembers the multiverse.<ref>''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #12. DC Comics.</ref> | |||
==Infinite Crisis== | |||
{{main|Infinite Crisis}} | |||
==Alternate versions== | |||
{{spoiler}} | |||
===Tales from the Dark Multiverse=== | |||
After the Anti-Monitor's defeat, it was the Justice League who were forever trapped fighting in Ragnarok. The Justice Society/All-Star Squadron came in to rescue the team but were outmatched by Surtur. Alan Scott then sacrificed himself by becoming the pawn of Surtur known as the Dread Lantern, leading Surtur to other worlds in exchange for his promise that he will always spare Earth. | |||
==Reception== | |||
The ''Infinite Crisis'' storyline, a seven-issue ] launched during 2005, revisits many elements of the original Crisis, with Earth Two's Superman ] having chosen to return to mainstream "reality" with Earth-Three's Alexander Luthor and Earth-Prime's Superboy (Earth-Prime being a stand in for our "reality" in which only one super-hero existed, along with several members of the DC Comics staff). Events in this ongoing series suggest a decision by DC Comics editors to return, at least in some fashion, to either another ] or a different arrangement of the DC universe, and with it a return of some of the Earth-Two continuity for characters such as ]. | |||
Despite relatively limited marketing<ref name="gerber"/> and DC being unsure if the series would be successful, ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' was a bestseller.<ref name="monitoringthepast"/> | |||
]{{'}}s Hilary Goldstein summarized the series as "a crucial turning point for DC Comics" and credited it with saving the company. Goldstein called Wolfman's idea to simplify the DCU bold and unprecedented, noting the story's exceptional size and saying the story was "unbelievable", if somewhat aged. He also praised Pérez's detailed artwork, saying no other artist could have possibly illustrated it as well as he did and gave the book a "must have" rating.<ref name="ignabsoluterev">{{cite web|last1=Goldstein|first1=Hilary|title=Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Absolute Edition Review|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/01/07/crisis-on-infinite-earths-the-absolute-edition-review|website=]|publisher=]|access-date=20 March 2018|date=January 6, 2006}}</ref> Fellow ''IGN'' writer Jesse Schedeen named ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' one of the best DC crossovers, agreeing it was unprecedented and dramatic.<ref name="ignbestcrossovers">{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=Ranking DC's 15 Event Comics|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/01/28/ranking-dcs-15-event-comics-from-best-to-worst|website=]|publisher=]|access-date=20 March 2018|date=January 28, 2015}}</ref> | |||
As Crisis on Infinite Earths, in an effort to clear the perceived mutli-universal clutter, became the ultimate multi-universal story, Infinite Crisis seems to be posed as an answer to the perception on the part of some fans and editors alike that the DC Universe, and comics in general, has become too dark and "gritty" to the detriment of the stories, and thus, will be the ultimate dark and gritty series. | |||
Marc Buxton of '']'' named "Crisis on Infinite Earths" the greatest comic book crossover ever, saying that no crossover has been bigger or as ambitious: "where some events seem hesitant to actually leave a mark on their respective universes, ''Crisis'' did it with aplomb". He praised the series for exploring the entire DCU and felt it was a fitting event for DC's fiftieth anniversary.<ref name="cbrgreatest">{{cite web|last1=Buxton|first1=Marc|title=The Greatest Crossover Events in Marvel & DC Comics History|url=https://www.cbr.com/the-greatest-crossover-events-in-marvel-dc-comics-history/|website=]|access-date=21 March 2018|date=June 11, 2016}}</ref> '']'' noted that many of the series' central events—such as the deaths of Supergirl and Barry Allen—have become iconic moments in DC's history.<ref name="dccucrisis">{{cite web|last1=Casey|first1=Dan|title=Is the DC Cinematic Universe Heading Towards Crisis on Infinite Earths|url=https://nerdist.com/the-dan-cave-batman-v-superman-crisis-on-infinite-earths-dc-comics/|website=]|access-date=22 March 2018|date=March 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101828/https://nerdist.com/the-dan-cave-batman-v-superman-crisis-on-infinite-earths-dc-comics/|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
It remains to be seen. | |||
Not all reviewers have been as positive. Chris Sims wrote the series was messy and built awkwardly, describing it as "a textbook definition of style over substance". Sims said it was far from the best work of Wolfman and Pérez; however, he still thought it was groundbreaking, saying, "It's the first time in comics history that EVERYTHING was in danger".<ref name="ca208"/> | |||
==Parody== | |||
==Merchandise== | |||
''Crisis'' (along with other crossovers and "event" comics of the period) was ] by ] Comics' ] series: Radioactive Man #679 (Sept 1994), entitled "Who Washes The Washmen's Infinite Secrets Of Legendary Crossover Knight Wars?" by Steve Vance. | |||
A novelization of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' was written by Wolfman and published by ] in 2005, with cover art by Pérez and ]. The book follows the events of the original series; most of the story is presented from Barry Allen's ], while parts where he is not present are told from a third-person perspective. It also added some details, including internal monologue and updates to make the story more modern, such as characters having cell phones.<ref name="denofgeeknovel">{{cite web|last1=LaMonica|first1=Bridget|title=Crisis on Infinite Earths Novelization (1985), Book Review|url=http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/crisis-on-infinite-earths-novelization-1985-book-review/38148/crisis-on-infinite-earths-novelization-1985-book-review|website=]|access-date=22 March 2018|date=December 21, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041008/http://www.denofgeek.com/us/books-comics/crisis-on-infinite-earths-novelization-1985-book-review/38148/crisis-on-infinite-earths-novelization-1985-book-review|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2008, ] issued a toy pack centered around the Anti-Monitor as a part of its DC ] toy line. The pack came with a large Anti-Monitor figure with LED-lit eyes, several smaller figures, and a map. An exclusive variant, based on the ], was available at ] and ] Indy conventions that year.<ref name="io9antimonitor">{{cite web|last1=Grabianowski|first1=Dan|title=Anti-Monitor Exclusive Is a Crisis at Infinite Cons|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/391073/anti-monitor-exclusive-is-a-crisis-at-infinite-cons|website=]|publisher=]|access-date=22 March 2018|date=May 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041124/https://io9.gizmodo.com/391073/anti-monitor-exclusive-is-a-crisis-at-infinite-cons|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
] (then called DC Direct) released three series of action figures between 2005 and 2006. Based on the ] artwork, the figures had a base with the logo of the series and certain figures included an accessory. The first series included Earth 2 Robin, Harbinger, Monitor, Psycho-Pirate, and Supergirl.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/Series/17415-CRISIS-ON-INFINITE-EARTHS-SER-1-SUPERGIRL-AF|title=Series - CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS SER 1 SUPERGIRL ...|date=July 6, 2005|website=Previewsworld.com|access-date=January 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200127153102/https://www.previewsworld.com/Catalog/Series/17415-CRISIS-ON-INFINITE-EARTHS-SER-1-SUPERGIRL-AF|archive-date=January 27, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref> Later series included Anti Monitor, Earth 2 Superman, Flash, Battle Armor Lex Luthor, Brainiac, <!-- Series 2--> Earth 1 Batman, Doctor Light, Earth Prime Superboy, Earth 2 Huntress, and Weaponer of Qward<!-- Series 3 -->.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}} | |||
''Crisis'' was also ] in ] ] comic book in 1991. Issues #4 and 5, titled "Mices on Infinite Earths" had Mighty Mouse meeting Mighty Mousette and helping the Minatour and Harebinger fight the evil and powerful Anti-Minatour. Issue #4 has a cover by George Perez that parodies ''Crisis'' #7, and Perez also drew the cover of issue #5, which parodies ''Crisis'' #12. | |||
==Legacy== | |||
''Crisis'' was again parodied in ] issue #448, with the review of the fictional "Infinite Secret Crisis on All Earthly Worlds". | |||
Though it was not the first large-scale comic book crossover,{{efn|Marvel's '']'' (1984) preceded ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' by one year.<ref name="cbrgreatest"/>}} ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is generally credited with popularizing the idea.<ref name="visual"/><ref name="syfytheflashcrisis">{{cite web|last1=Siegel|first1=Lucas|title=Grant Gustin Says The Flash Hopes to Reach Crisis on Infinite Earths|url=http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/grant-gustin-says-the-flash-hopes-to-reach-crisis-on-infinite-earths|website=] Wire|access-date=22 March 2018|date=July 27, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324042647/http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/grant-gustin-says-the-flash-hopes-to-reach-crisis-on-infinite-earths|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Comics historian Matthew K. Manning wrote that ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' paved way for all future crossovers of similar scale,<ref name="visual"/> and Andrew J. Friedenthal said "''Crisis'' showed the two major superhero comic book publishers (DC Comics and Marvel Comics) how they could utilize the continuity established by decades' worth of stories to weave together a cohesive, metatextual tapestry that both appealed to long-time readers and brought in massive amounts of money".<ref name="monitoringthepast"/> The series' success inspired DC to begin a tradition of "summer crossovers"; some of these include '']'' (1988–1989), '']'' (1991), '']!'' (1994), and '']'' (2004), and some mention the events of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''.<ref name="visual"/><ref name="briefhistory">{{cite web|last1=Bondurant|first1=Tom|title=A Brief History Of Time: Unpacking DC's Reboots, Relaunches & Retcons|url=https://www.cbr.com/a-brief-history-of-time-unpacking-dcs-reboots-relaunches-retcons/|website=]|access-date=22 March 2018|date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> The second part of one of DC's later crossovers, '']'' (2015), heavily references the series and sees DC's superheroes travel back to its era. The writers of ''Convergence'' all had fun writing stories set during ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', calling the series an exciting time for DC.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schedeen|first1=Jesse|title=DC's Convergence Writers and Artists on Returning to Crisis on Infinite Earths|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/02/18/dcs-convergence-writers-and-artists-on-returning-to-crisis-on-infinite-earths|website=]|publisher=]|access-date=22 March 2018|date=February 18, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gearino |first=Dan |date=2017|title=Comic Shop |location= ]|publisher=]|page=68 |isbn=9780804040839 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oSg6DwAAQBAJ&q=Crisis+on+Infinite+Earths }}</ref> | |||
The series had an immediate effect on DC, dividing the company's history into two eras: "Pre-Crisis" and "Post-Crisis".<ref name="syfyperez"/> Wolfman and Pérez teamed again to produce the '']'' limited series to summarize the DCU's new history.<ref name="visual"/> In the post-Crisis history, during the "Crisis" many heroes fought the Anti-Monitor's army. He attempted to collapse the positive universe's past and future into a single point in time to destroy it, leaving only the antimatter universe.<ref name="jlaincarnations5">{{Cite comic |Artist=Val Semeiks |Writer=John Ostrander |Coinkers=Kevin Conrad, Prentis Rollins |Colorist=John Kalisz, Heroic Age |Letterer=Ken Lopez |Editor=Dan Raspler; Stephanie Wacker |Story=Crisis |url=https://www.comics.org/issue/69065/ |Title=JLA: Incarnations |Volume=1 |Issue=5 |Date=November 2001 |Publisher=DC Comics |language=en |access-date=2023-01-07}}</ref> | |||
==Bibliography== | |||
*''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1-12 (April, 1985 – March, 1986). Reprinted as hardcover (1998; ISBN 1563894343) and ] (2001; ISBN 1563897504) collections with new cover art by ]. | |||
Many of DC's characters had their histories ]. Wonder Woman's comic was relaunched entirely by Pérez, Wein, and ].<ref>{{cite journal |author= Mangels, Andy |author-link= Andy Mangels |date= January 1, 1989|title= Triple Threat The George Pérez Interview|journal= Amazing Heroes|issue= 156|page= 30|publisher= ]|quote = ''Wonder Woman's'' sales are some of the best the Amazing Amazon has ever experienced, and the book is a critical and popular success with its weaving of Greek mythology into a feminist and humanistic atmosphere.}}</ref> Superman was first re-envisioned in the limited series '']'' by ]; his comic was retitled '']'' to make way for a ].<ref name="visual"/> Batman was minimally affected by the reboot, and his comic was not relaunched. However, he was still given ], courtesy of ].<ref name="nerd"/> In addition, ] replaced Barry Allen as the Flash, the Justice League's roster was changed, and characters DC acquired from other companies, such as ] and Charlton Comics, were integrated into the DCU.<ref name="30reasons"/><ref name="ca12">{{cite web|last1=Cereno|first1=Benito|title=12 Facts You May Not Have Known About Crisis on Infinite Earths|url=http://comicsalliance.com/crisis-on-infinite-earths-dc-comics-facts/|website=]|access-date=23 March 2018|date=June 1, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101716/http://comicsalliance.com/crisis-on-infinite-earths-dc-comics-facts/|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The practice of re-envisioning characters in the new DCU lasted well into 1989, with properties such as ], ], ], and the ] all being rebooted.<ref name="visual"/><ref name="briefhistory"/> The revamp raised sales 22% in the first year, and DC beat Marvel in ] sales for the first time in August and September 1987.<ref name="Slugfest157">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Reed |date=October 2017 |title=Slugfest |location= ]|publisher=]|page=157 |isbn=978-0306825477 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoyYDgAAQBAJ}}</ref> ''The Man of Steel'' #1 was the bestselling comic book issue of 1986.<ref name="Slugfest155">{{cite book |last=Tucker |first=Reed |date=October 2017 |title=Slugfest |location= ]|publisher=]|page=155 |isbn=978-0306825477 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hoyYDgAAQBAJ}}</ref> | |||
*''Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Index'' oneshot (March, 1986). Contains a detailed description on each issue of the series, a list of most alternate Earths, and a history of the Multiverse concept. | |||
*''Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Cross-Over Index'' oneshot (July, 1986). Contains summaries of every comic book issue that connected to the ''Crisis'' storyline, descriptions of more alternate Earths, and a list of every character that appeared in ''Crisis''. | |||
''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' has been referenced several times in the various television series that comprise the ], starting with the first episode of '']'' which aired in October 2014. It features a newspaper from 2024 that reads "Flash Missing, Vanishes in Crisis". ], who plays the Flash on the show, has said he thinks the goal of the series is to reach "Crisis on Infinite Earths": "Obviously we'd have to go, I think 10 years to reach that, so there's a possibility for sure. It'll be fun to get there." The concept of a multiverse has been explored several times throughout the history of the franchise.<ref name="syfytheflashcrisis"/> Talking in 2014, ], when discussing the difference between the ] and the ], said "We look at it as the multiverse. We have our TV universe and our film universe, but they all co-exist. For us, creatively, it's about allowing everyone to make the best possible product, to tell the best story, to do the best world. Everyone has a vision and you really want to let the visions shine through ... It's just a different approach."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/jarettwieselman/the-man-at-the-center-of-dcs-tv-multiverse|title=The Man At The Center Of DC's TV Multiverse|last=Wieselman|first=Jarett|work=]|date=October 23, 2014|access-date=October 30, 2014}}</ref> The storyline inspired the 2019 Arrowverse crossover, also titled "]",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tvline.com/2018/12/11/arrowverse-crossover-title-2019-crisis-on-infinite-earths/|title=Arrowverse Crossover Title for Fall 2019 (!) Is Revealed — And It Is a Doozy|last=Mitovich|first=Matt Webb|work=]|date=December 11, 2018|access-date=December 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181212024818/https://tvline.com/2018/12/11/arrowverse-crossover-title-2019-crisis-on-infinite-earths/|archive-date=December 12, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> with the original date seen in the pilot episode of ''The Flash'' having been moved up by five years as a side effect of time travel.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/flash-finale-crisis-change-date/|title=The Flash Officially Moves Crisis To Next Season, Five Years Earlier|last=Dyce|first=Andrew|work=]|date=May 14, 2019|access-date=May 16, 2019}}</ref> | |||
*''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' novelization (2005; ISBN 0743498399). Written by ] from the perspective of the Flash. | |||
*''Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Absolute Edition'' is an Oversized Slipcased Hardcover Set due in November 2005. The first book reprints the miniseries. The second extras including scripts, commentries, retrospectives and for the first time reprints of the two indexes. | |||
==In other media== | |||
The comic book series was adapted as a novel by the original writer, Marv Wolfman.<ref>ISBN 0743498399</ref> This novelization was then performed as an audio drama marketed as a "Movie in Your Mind" by publisher GraphicAudio.<ref>ISBN 1599505975</ref> | |||
The story serves as inspiration for "]", an ] crossover event consisting of an episode each of '']'', '']'', '']'', '']'' and '']''. | |||
An animated film adaptation, '']'', was released in three parts during 2024, beginning with ''Part One'' on January 9.<ref> by Brad Lang, Sep 6, 2023</ref> | |||
In '']'' while being chased by ], ] and ] climb on ]'s Cosmic Treadmill which briefly travels them, along with Solomon Grundy, through many alternate timelines, with one of those being inspired by the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" storyline. | |||
==Sequels== | |||
{{main|Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!|Identity Crisis (DC Comics)|Infinite Crisis|Final Crisis|Dark Crisis}} | |||
'']'' is a follow-up to ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', and '']'' also adheres to the continuity changes of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' and ''Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!''. | |||
''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is the first installment in what became known as the ''Crisis'' trilogy.<ref name="visual"/> The second part of the trilogy, the seven-part '']'', was written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by ], Pérez, ], and ]. It was published from October 2005 to June 2006, with a number of tie-in issues.<ref>{{cite web|title=Infinite Crisis Comic Series Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/infinite-crisis|publisher=]|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041502/https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/infinite-crisis|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the series, Kal-L, Alexander Luthor, and Superboy-Prime escape from the pocket dimension they were left in at the end of the original series; Luthor, having gone insane, attempts to recreate the multiverse using the Anti-Monitor's remains as a generator. Meanwhile, Superboy-Prime, having become disillusioned with the surviving Earth, engages in a destructive rampage after confronting the modern Superboy, Connor Kent. The battle culminates in the two Superboys colliding with Luthor's multiverse generator, restoring the Earth (with slight alterations to continuity) and recreating the lost multiverse. | |||
The conclusion to the trilogy, '']'',<ref name="visual"/> began in May 2008 and ended in January 2009.<ref name="finalroundup">{{cite web|title=Final Crisis Comics Series Reviews|url=https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/final-crisis|publisher=]|access-date=23 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324101535/https://comicbookroundup.com/comic-books/reviews/dc-comics/final-crisis|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> The series was written by ],<ref>{{cite web|last1=Brady|first1=Matt|title=Grant Morrison: Final Crisis Exit Interview, Part 1|url=https://www.newsarama.com/2053-grant-morrison-final-crisis-exit-interview-part-1.html|website=]|access-date=23 March 2018|date=January 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180324041348/https://www.newsarama.com/2053-grant-morrison-final-crisis-exit-interview-part-1.html|archive-date=24 March 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> with art by ], ], Marco Rudy, and ].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Renaud|first1=Jeffrey|title=J.G. Jones Apologizes For Unfinished Final Crisis Work|url=https://www.cbr.com/j-g-jones-apologizes-for-unfinished-final-crisis-work/|website=]|access-date=23 March 2018|date=October 21, 2008}}</ref> In ''Final Crisis'', Darkseid arrives on Earth and begins a conquest to overthrow reality, as part of a plan by ] to conquer the Multiverse. The Justice League and ] join forces in a desperate attempt to stop the upcoming onslaught. | |||
In 2022, a new DC Comics Crisis event occurred, named '']''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nolan |first=Liam |date=2022-07-21 |title=DC Rebrands Dark Crisis With a New Title, Making It a Crisis on Infinite Earths Sequel |url=https://www.cbr.com/dark-crisis-on-infinite-earths-sequel-title-dc-comics/ |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref> which began in June 2022 and ended in December 2022. This series was written by Joshua Williamson and art by Daniel Sampere and Alejandro Sanchez.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schedeen |first=Jesse |date=2022-02-09 |title=Dark Crisis: After the Justice League Dies, The DC Universe Faces Its Greatest Threat |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/dark-crisis-dc-crossover-death-justice-league-pariah |access-date=2023-04-08 |website=IGN |language=en}}</ref> Following the death of the Justice League in issue #75 Pariah has tasked Deathstroke and the Secret Society of Supervillains to start a Crisis Event, and using the crisis energy which would form, restart and bring back the infinite earths lost in the original Crisis. Nightwing and the Titans work to protect the world from the Secret Society, while Hal Jordan investigates the deaths of the Justice League. | |||
==Notes== | |||
{{notelist}} | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | |||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
* at ]. from the original on June 3, 2016. | |||
* - An in-depth three part retrospective by comic book historian Alan Kistler on the Crisis, including a comprehensive issue-by-issue summary, map of the multiple universes, a discussion on why the Crisis had to happen and how effective it was, various cover and interior art scans, and a discussion on Marv Wolfman's novelization. | |||
* {{Comicbookdb|type=title|id=47|title=''Crisis on Infinite Earths''}} | |||
* - An article by Alan Kistler discussing the post-Crisis appearances of several Crisis-centric characters such as Harbinger, Pariah and Lady Quark, as well as characters who seemingly died during the Crisis, such as the original Supergirl. | |||
* '''' at the ] | |||
* | |||
{{DC Crisis Anthology}} | |||
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{{DC events}} | |||
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Crisis On Infinite Earths}} | |||
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Latest revision as of 08:48, 24 December 2024
Limited DC comic crossover series For the 2019–20 Arrowverse crossover event, see Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse). For other uses, see Crisis on Infinite Earths (disambiguation).
Crisis on Infinite Earths | |
---|---|
Cover of Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (April 1985). Art by George Pérez. | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
Schedule | Monthly |
Format | Limited series |
Publication date | April 1985 – March 1986 |
No. of issues | 12 |
Main character(s) | |
Creative team | |
Created by |
|
Written by | Marv Wolfman |
Penciller(s) | George Pérez |
Inker(s) | |
Letterer(s) | John Costanza |
Colorist(s) |
|
Editor(s) | Marv Wolfman |
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a 1985 to 1986 American comic book crossover series published by DC Comics. Written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Pérez, it was first released as a 12-issue limited series from April 1985 to March 1986. As the main piece of a crossover event, some plot elements were featured in tie-in issues of other publications. Since its initial publication, the series has been reprinted in various formats and editions.
The idea for the series stemmed from Wolfman's desire to abandon the DC Multiverse depicted in the company's comics—which he thought was unfriendly to readers—and create a single, unified DC Universe (DCU). The foundation of Crisis on Infinite Earths developed through a character called the Monitor, introduced in Wolfman's The New Teen Titans in July 1982 before the series itself started.
At the start of Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Anti-Monitor (the Monitor's evil counterpart) is unleashed on the DC Multiverse and begins to destroy the various Earths that it comprises. The Monitor tries to recruit heroes from around the Multiverse but is murdered, while Brainiac collaborates with the villains to conquer the remaining Earths. Eventually, both the heroes and villains are united by the Spectre; the series concludes with Kal-L, Superboy-Prime and Alexander Luthor Jr. defeating the Anti-Monitor and the creation of a single Earth in place of the Multiverse. Crisis on Infinite Earths is noted for its high death count; hundreds of characters died, including DC icons Kara Zor-El (the original Supergirl) and Barry Allen (the Flash of the Silver Age). The story's events resulted in the entire DCU being rebooted, dividing the fictional universe's timeline into "pre-Crisis" and "post-Crisis" eras.
The series was a bestseller for DC. The story is credited with popularizing the idea of a large-scale crossover in comics. Crisis on Infinite Earths is the first installment in what became known as the Crisis trilogy. It was followed by Infinite Crisis (2005–2006) and Final Crisis (2008–2009). Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths (2022) also served as a sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Publication history
Background
DC Comics is an American comic book publisher best known for its superhero stories featuring characters including Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The company debuted in February 1935 with New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine. Most of DC's comic books (as well as some published under its imprints Vertigo and Young Animal) take place within a shared universe called the DC Universe (DCU) allowing plot elements, characters, and settings to cross over with each other. The concept of the DCU has provided DC's writers some challenges in maintaining continuity, due to conflicting events within different comics that need to reflect the shared nature of the universe. "Flash of Two Worlds" from The Flash #123 (September 1961), which featured Barry Allen (the Silver Age Flash) teaming up with Jay Garrick (the Golden Age Flash) was the first DC comic to suggest that the DCU was a part of a multiverse.
The DC Multiverse concept was expanded in later years with the DCU having infinite Earths; for example, the Golden Age versions of DC heroes resided on Earth-Two, while DC's Silver Age heroes were from Earth-One. Since "Crisis on Earth-One!" (1963), DC has used the word "Crisis" to describe important crossovers within the DC Multiverse. Over the years, various writers took liberties creating additional parallel Earths as plot devices and to house characters DC had acquired from other companies, making the DC Multiverse a "convoluted mess". DC's comic book sales were also far below those of their competitor Marvel Comics. According to ComicsAlliance journalist Chris Sims, "the multiverse . . . felt old-fashioned. . . . Marvel, on the other hand, felt contemporary and when you stack them up against each other, there's one difference that sticks out above anything else: Marvel feels unified."
Writer Marv Wolfman became popular among DC's readers for his work on Weird War Tales and The New Teen Titans. George Pérez, who illustrated The New Teen Titans, also began to rise to prominence in this era. In 1984, Pérez entered into an exclusive contract with DC, which was later extended one year. Although The New Teen Titans was a major success for DC, the company's comic book sales were still below Marvel's. Wolfman began to attribute this to the DC Multiverse, feeling "The Flash of Two Worlds" had created a "nightmare": it was not reader-friendly for new readers to be able to keep track of and writers struggled with the continuity errors it caused. In The New Teen Titans #21 (July 1982), Wolfman introduced a new character: the shadowy, potentially villainous Monitor; this laid the foundation for Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Development
In 1981, Wolfman was editing Green Lantern. He got a letter from a fan asking why a character did not recognize Green Lantern in a recent issue despite the two having had worked together in an issue three years earlier. Soon afterward, Wolfman pitched Crisis on Infinite Earths as The History of the DC Universe, seeing it as a way to simplify the DCU and attract new readers. The History of the DC Universe's title was changed to Crisis on Infinite Earths because its premise, involving the destruction of entire worlds, sounded more like a crisis.
Wolfman said when he pitched the series to DC, he realized it was going to be a completely new beginning for the DCU. "I knew up front, and they did too, how big this was going to be," he said. "But, no-one knew how well it would sell, or whether it would sell at all. It was a risk DC was willing to take, because my thoughts were that DC needed a lot of help at that time, and they did too." Wolfman also said he saw it as an attempt to improve DC's reputation for storytelling which many readers at the time saw as old-fashioned.
The crossover was fleshed out and coordinated at a meeting attended by president Jenette Kahn, Paul Levitz, vice president and executive editor Dick Giordano and DC's editors. In 1982, DC hired a researcher to go through their library and read every comic the company had published, a task that took two years. The series was delayed to 1983 due to the time for research, and again to 1985 when it was still not ready for 1983 and to coincide with DC's fiftieth anniversary. As an event like Crisis on Infinite Earths had never happened before, those working on it met for around two hours a week, which was uncommon at the time.
The groundwork for the series was laid the year before it was published. One of the greatest challenges for Wolfman and Giordano was coming up with a story. Wolfman cited making use of every DC character and creating a plot that was fun to read and filled with surprises as difficulties, as the series needed to sell well; if it did not, it could have caused a disaster for DC. Plotting became easier once a beginning and an ending had been determined and when Pérez became involved. Crisis on Infinite Earths was DC's first mainstream maxiseries, which was still a relatively new concept.
Early in planning for Crisis on Infinite Earths, a list was made of characters that were part of the DCU; characters from other universes, such as those that formerly belonged to Charlton Comics, also were used. According to Wolfman, one of the purposes of Crisis on Infinite Earths was to showcase all the characters DC had. The series is infamous for its high death count. Hundreds of characters died; among the most noted was Barry Allen's. Wolfman has said he did not want to kill Allen, but DC ordered him to because it perceived the character as dull. Therefore, he conceived Allen's death—in which he runs through time before vanishing—as a way to make the character seem more interesting and hopefully spare him. Wolfman wanted to make the series unforgettable; he said that many writers had expressed interest in simplifying DC's continuity and he wanted to be the one to do so.
Pérez says he was not the intended artist for Crisis on Infinite Earths, but was excited when he learned about it, seeing it as an opportunity for "revenge" against Marvel, which he blamed for blocking the JLA/Avengers crossover he had been working on. He enjoyed working with Wolfman again, and took a leave of absence from The New Teen Titans to draw the series. DC initially did not know Pérez would want to work on it. According to Pérez, he was motivated by the fact that DC did not know if the series was going to be a success. He also wanted "to draw everybody I could get my hands on" and called illustrating the series some of the most fun he ever had. Pérez was excited because not only did he get to draw the Teen Titans again, but also obscure characters he was not familiar with, saying he could possibly have never gotten another chance. Wolfman has said one panel in Crisis on Infinite Earths shows the Marvel Universe being destroyed. When Giordano (the series' initial inker) had difficulty meeting deadlines while continuing as DC vice president and executive editor, editorial coordinator Pat Bastienne reassigned the inking to Jerry Ordway despite Giordano's objections.
Publication
The idea for Crisis on Infinite Earths was first noted in the December 1981 issue of The Comics Journal, which mentioned a twelve-part maxiseries scheduled for 1982. The series was announced in Giordano's "Meanwhile..." column DC ran in its titles cover dated June 1984. Giordano warned readers that "odd occurrences" would begin to happen throughout DC's comics. He also clarified it would commemorate DC's fiftieth anniversary and would provide the company "wonderful stepping-stones" for new characters and comics. The series was marketed with the tagline "Worlds will live, worlds will die and nothing will ever be the same".
The series began in January 1985 and lasted for twelve issues, ending in December 1985 (issues cover dated April 1985 through March 1986). The close spacing of Crisis on Infinite Earths and Marvel's similar crossover Secret Wars caused some fans to create conspiracy theories about idea theft. According to writer Steve Gerber, the series "got virtually no promotion ... How many handouts did you see? How many posters did you see in people's windows? How much information was really distributed to the press and how much was gotten just by individual reporters going to Marv Wolfman and George Pérez?"
Tie-ins
Elements to set up Crisis on Infinite Earths were put in DC's comics years before the crossover took place; an example of this was the Monitor's appearance in The New Teen Titans. In a January 3, 1983 memo, Giordano, Wolfman, and Len Wein instructed editors and writers to use the Monitor twice in the coming year but not to show him: "Because this series involves the entire DC Universe we do ask that each Editor and writer cooperate with the project by using a character called The Monitor in their books twice during the next year". This served to set up the series. When Wolfman and Giordano reiterated this in a 1984 meeting, some editors were not pleased; one was so miffed he did not speak for the rest of the meeting.
Tie-ins for Crisis on Infinite Earths were published in DC's ongoing series. Unlike the 1991 Marvel crossover storyline The Infinity Gauntlet, where Marvel only published tie-ins in titles that needed a boost in sales, the vast majority of DC's comics featured events that directly tied to the crossover. The following comic book issues were labeled as part of the crossover; their covers contained a banner that read "Special Crisis Cross-Over", along with the logo for DC's fiftieth anniversary.
- All-Star Squadron #50–56
- Amethyst (vol. 2) #13
- Blue Devil (DC Comics) #17-18
- DC Comics Presents #86–88
- The Fury of Firestorm #41–42
- Green Lantern (vol. 2) #194–195; #198
- Infinity, Inc. #18–24; Annual #1
- Justice League of America #244–245; Annual #3
- JLA: Incarnations #5 (released in 2001)
- Legion of Super-Heroes #18
- The Losers Special #1
- The New Teen Titans (vol. 2) #13–14
- The Omega Men #31
- Superman #414–415
- Swamp Thing #46
- Wonder Woman #327–329
- Legends of the DC Universe : Crisis on Infinite Earths #1 (released in 1998)
Collected editions
Title | Material collected | Published date | ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
Crisis on Infinite Earths | Crisis on Infinite Earths #1–12 | December 1998 | 1-56389-434-3 |
Absolute Crisis on Infinite Earths | Crisis on Infinite Earths #1–12, Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Index #1, Official Crisis on Infinite Earths Cross-Over Index #1 | November 2005 | 1-4012-0712-X |
Crisis on Infinite Earths: 35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition | Crisis on Infinite Earths #1–12, History of the DC Universe #1-2 | October 2019 | 978-1401295363 |
Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Vol. 1 | All-Star Squadron #50-60, DC Comics Presents #78, The Fury of Firestorm #41-42, Green Lantern #194-198 | November 2018 | 978-1401274597 |
Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 | DC Comics Presents #86, Swamp Thing #44, Losers Special #1, Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths #1, Infinity, Inc. #18-25, Infinity, Inc. Annual #1, Justice League of America #244-245, New Teen Titans (vol. 2) #13-14 and material from Detective Comics #558 | May 2019 | 978-1401289218 |
Crisis on Infinite Earths Companion Deluxe Edition Vol. 3 | Amethyst #13, Blue Devil #17-18, Wonder Woman #327-329, Swamp Thing #46, Legion of Super-Heroes #16, 18, Superman #413-415, DC Comics Presents #87-88, 94–95, Justice League of America Annual #3, The Omega Men #31, and material from The Omega Men #33 | October 2019 | 978-1401294489 |
Synopsis
The conflicting stories of the DCU are explained as a Multiverse, containing many parallel universes and alternate versions of the characters, with the primary DC continuity referred to as Earth-One. They were created after renegade scientist Krona built a machine and used it to look back into the beginning of time. A cosmic being from the beginning known as the Monitor catalogues these realities, but he has an evil counterpart, the Anti-Monitor, who comes from an antimatter universe. After Pariah causes an accident with antimatter in his universe, the Anti-Monitor is released and begins destroying many of the realities with a wave of antimatter, planning on becoming sole ruler of all realities. On Earth-Three, Alexander Luthor and Lois Lane teleport their son Alexander Luthor Jr. to another reality as Earth-Three is consumed by the antimatter wave. To combat this, the Monitor recruits heroes and villains from across time and space to set up five towers, to help merge the multiverse back into one to make it stronger.
The Monitor dispatches a team of heroes across time and space to defend mysterious machines that could be the key to saving the remaining universes. Meanwhile, we learn Flash didn't disappear after his trial, but rather traveled to the future, and Pariah, constantly witnessing the destruction of worlds, arrives on the doomed Earth-1.
Barry Allen of Earth-One encounters the Antimatter wave before being captured by the Anti Monitor. On Earth 1, various heroes attempt to save people from the approaching Anti Matter wave. During WWII, The Monitor's towers appear during a battle which Sgt. Rock, Haunted Tank, and the Losers are fighting together against Nazis.
The Monitor gives powers to Kimiyo Hoshi turning her into Doctor Light. Unfortunately, he is murdered by Harbinger who is possessed by one of the Anti-Monitor's shadow demons. However, the Monitor knew this would happen and his death releases enough energy to project two of the last five parallel Earths into a protective limbo that nullifies the wave. The Anti-Monitor recruits Psycho-Pirate to his cause, infusing him with part of his power to manipulate the heroes of Earth-4, Earth-S and Earth-X against the rest; this fails when all five Earths enter the limbo universe.
Harbinger then recruits heroes from the remaining Earths to lead an assault on the Anti-Monitor in the antimatter universe, using the powers of Alexander Luthor Jr., the last survivor of Earth-Three, to open a portal between the limbo and antimatter universes. Pariah tracks down the Anti-Monitor at his fortress, and the heroes destroy a converter, powered by stellar energy, used to destroy the last five Earths; the injured Anti-Monitor retreats and Supergirl dies from his attacks after a distraction from Hoshi The Anti-Monitor creates a new body for himself and tries to use an antimatter cannon to penetrate the limbo universe and destroy the five partially merged Earths. The Flash dies stopping this attempt by using his speed to channel energy.
During a lull in the war, the villains unite under Brainiac. He kills Earth-Two's Alexei Luthor while recruiting the Earth-One Lex Luthor to conquer the remaining Earths. A furious Anti-Monitor absorbs the energy of millions of worlds and vows to travel back through time to prevent the creation of the multiverse. The Spectre unites the heroes and villains by warning them about the Anti-Monitor's plan; the heroes travel back in time to stop the Anti-Monitor, while the villains travel back in time to the ancient planet Oa to prevent Krona from creating the technology necessary for the Anti-Monitor's plan to succeed.
The villains fail, and Krona continues his experiment. The Anti-Monitor waits for Alexander Luthor Jr. to reopen the portal between the positive and antimatter universes, capturing the heroes, but a magically empowered Spectre creates an energy overload which shatters space and time. The five Earths merge into a single shared universe, and the superheroes return to the present; only those present at the dawn of time remember the original realities.
A cosmically empowered Anti-Monitor attacks again, transporting the new Earth to the antimatter universe and summoning a horde of shadow demons. There are casualties ranging from Dove, Lori Lemaris, Green Arrow of Earth-Two, Prince Ra-Man, Clayface II, Bug-Eyed Bandit, Kole, Huntress of Earth-Two, Robin of Earth-Two, Sunburst, and Ten-Eyed Man. He falls in a carefully-planned counterattack, culminating in a battle with Superboy of Earth-Prime, Kal-L, and Alexander Luthor Jr., with help from New Gods adversary Darkseid. In this final battle the Anti-Monitor, reduced to a flaming head, crashes into a star and is killed by Kal-L. Before the star explodes, Alex sends Kal-L, Earth-Two Lois Lane, Earth-Prime Superboy and himself to a pocket "paradise" dimension while Wonder Woman of Earth-Two is taken to Mount Olympus by Zeus. This leaves the heroes of the remaining Earth, none of whom remember the original past, to sort out the aftermath of this crisis. Only Psycho-Pirate, who is locked up in Arkham Asylum, remembers the multiverse.
Alternate versions
Tales from the Dark Multiverse
After the Anti-Monitor's defeat, it was the Justice League who were forever trapped fighting in Ragnarok. The Justice Society/All-Star Squadron came in to rescue the team but were outmatched by Surtur. Alan Scott then sacrificed himself by becoming the pawn of Surtur known as the Dread Lantern, leading Surtur to other worlds in exchange for his promise that he will always spare Earth.
Reception
Despite relatively limited marketing and DC being unsure if the series would be successful, Crisis on Infinite Earths was a bestseller.
IGN's Hilary Goldstein summarized the series as "a crucial turning point for DC Comics" and credited it with saving the company. Goldstein called Wolfman's idea to simplify the DCU bold and unprecedented, noting the story's exceptional size and saying the story was "unbelievable", if somewhat aged. He also praised Pérez's detailed artwork, saying no other artist could have possibly illustrated it as well as he did and gave the book a "must have" rating. Fellow IGN writer Jesse Schedeen named Crisis on Infinite Earths one of the best DC crossovers, agreeing it was unprecedented and dramatic.
Marc Buxton of Comic Book Resources named "Crisis on Infinite Earths" the greatest comic book crossover ever, saying that no crossover has been bigger or as ambitious: "where some events seem hesitant to actually leave a mark on their respective universes, Crisis did it with aplomb". He praised the series for exploring the entire DCU and felt it was a fitting event for DC's fiftieth anniversary. Nerdist News noted that many of the series' central events—such as the deaths of Supergirl and Barry Allen—have become iconic moments in DC's history.
Not all reviewers have been as positive. Chris Sims wrote the series was messy and built awkwardly, describing it as "a textbook definition of style over substance". Sims said it was far from the best work of Wolfman and Pérez; however, he still thought it was groundbreaking, saying, "It's the first time in comics history that EVERYTHING was in danger".
Merchandise
A novelization of Crisis on Infinite Earths was written by Wolfman and published by iBooks in 2005, with cover art by Pérez and Alex Ross. The book follows the events of the original series; most of the story is presented from Barry Allen's point of view, while parts where he is not present are told from a third-person perspective. It also added some details, including internal monologue and updates to make the story more modern, such as characters having cell phones. In 2008, WizKids issued a toy pack centered around the Anti-Monitor as a part of its DC HeroClix toy line. The pack came with a large Anti-Monitor figure with LED-lit eyes, several smaller figures, and a map. An exclusive variant, based on the Sinestro Corps, was available at San Diego Comic-Con and Gen Con Indy conventions that year.
DC Collectibles (then called DC Direct) released three series of action figures between 2005 and 2006. Based on the George Pérez artwork, the figures had a base with the logo of the series and certain figures included an accessory. The first series included Earth 2 Robin, Harbinger, Monitor, Psycho-Pirate, and Supergirl. Later series included Anti Monitor, Earth 2 Superman, Flash, Battle Armor Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Earth 1 Batman, Doctor Light, Earth Prime Superboy, Earth 2 Huntress, and Weaponer of Qward.
Legacy
Though it was not the first large-scale comic book crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths is generally credited with popularizing the idea. Comics historian Matthew K. Manning wrote that Crisis on Infinite Earths paved way for all future crossovers of similar scale, and Andrew J. Friedenthal said "Crisis showed the two major superhero comic book publishers (DC Comics and Marvel Comics) how they could utilize the continuity established by decades' worth of stories to weave together a cohesive, metatextual tapestry that both appealed to long-time readers and brought in massive amounts of money". The series' success inspired DC to begin a tradition of "summer crossovers"; some of these include Invasion! (1988–1989), Armageddon 2001 (1991), Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! (1994), and Identity Crisis (2004), and some mention the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths. The second part of one of DC's later crossovers, Convergence (2015), heavily references the series and sees DC's superheroes travel back to its era. The writers of Convergence all had fun writing stories set during Crisis on Infinite Earths, calling the series an exciting time for DC.
The series had an immediate effect on DC, dividing the company's history into two eras: "Pre-Crisis" and "Post-Crisis". Wolfman and Pérez teamed again to produce the History of the DC Universe limited series to summarize the DCU's new history. In the post-Crisis history, during the "Crisis" many heroes fought the Anti-Monitor's army. He attempted to collapse the positive universe's past and future into a single point in time to destroy it, leaving only the antimatter universe.
Many of DC's characters had their histories rebooted. Wonder Woman's comic was relaunched entirely by Pérez, Wein, and Greg Potter. Superman was first re-envisioned in the limited series The Man of Steel by John Byrne; his comic was retitled The Adventures of Superman to make way for a new Superman series. Batman was minimally affected by the reboot, and his comic was not relaunched. However, he was still given an updated origin, courtesy of Frank Miller. In addition, Wally West replaced Barry Allen as the Flash, the Justice League's roster was changed, and characters DC acquired from other companies, such as Fawcett Publications and Charlton Comics, were integrated into the DCU. The practice of re-envisioning characters in the new DCU lasted well into 1989, with properties such as Green Lantern, Hawkman, Black Orchid, and the Suicide Squad all being rebooted. The revamp raised sales 22% in the first year, and DC beat Marvel in direct market sales for the first time in August and September 1987. The Man of Steel #1 was the bestselling comic book issue of 1986.
Crisis on Infinite Earths has been referenced several times in the various television series that comprise the Arrowverse, starting with the first episode of The Flash which aired in October 2014. It features a newspaper from 2024 that reads "Flash Missing, Vanishes in Crisis". Grant Gustin, who plays the Flash on the show, has said he thinks the goal of the series is to reach "Crisis on Infinite Earths": "Obviously we'd have to go, I think 10 years to reach that, so there's a possibility for sure. It'll be fun to get there." The concept of a multiverse has been explored several times throughout the history of the franchise. Talking in 2014, Geoff Johns, when discussing the difference between the DC Extended Universe and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, said "We look at it as the multiverse. We have our TV universe and our film universe, but they all co-exist. For us, creatively, it's about allowing everyone to make the best possible product, to tell the best story, to do the best world. Everyone has a vision and you really want to let the visions shine through ... It's just a different approach." The storyline inspired the 2019 Arrowverse crossover, also titled "Crisis on Infinite Earths", with the original date seen in the pilot episode of The Flash having been moved up by five years as a side effect of time travel.
In other media
The comic book series was adapted as a novel by the original writer, Marv Wolfman. This novelization was then performed as an audio drama marketed as a "Movie in Your Mind" by publisher GraphicAudio.
The story serves as inspiration for "Crisis on Infinite Earths", an Arrowverse crossover event consisting of an episode each of Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow and Batwoman.
An animated film adaptation, Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths, was released in three parts during 2024, beginning with Part One on January 9.
In Scooby-Doo! and Krypto, Too! while being chased by Solomon Grundy, Scooby-Doo and Shaggy climb on Flash's Cosmic Treadmill which briefly travels them, along with Solomon Grundy, through many alternate timelines, with one of those being inspired by the "Crisis on Infinite Earths" storyline.
Sequels
Main articles: Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, Identity Crisis (DC Comics), Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, and Dark CrisisZero Hour: Crisis in Time! is a follow-up to Crisis on Infinite Earths, and Identity Crisis also adheres to the continuity changes of Crisis on Infinite Earths and Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!.
Crisis on Infinite Earths is the first installment in what became known as the Crisis trilogy. The second part of the trilogy, the seven-part Infinite Crisis, was written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway. It was published from October 2005 to June 2006, with a number of tie-in issues. In the series, Kal-L, Alexander Luthor, and Superboy-Prime escape from the pocket dimension they were left in at the end of the original series; Luthor, having gone insane, attempts to recreate the multiverse using the Anti-Monitor's remains as a generator. Meanwhile, Superboy-Prime, having become disillusioned with the surviving Earth, engages in a destructive rampage after confronting the modern Superboy, Connor Kent. The battle culminates in the two Superboys colliding with Luthor's multiverse generator, restoring the Earth (with slight alterations to continuity) and recreating the lost multiverse.
The conclusion to the trilogy, Final Crisis, began in May 2008 and ended in January 2009. The series was written by Grant Morrison, with art by J. G. Jones, Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy, and Doug Mahnke. In Final Crisis, Darkseid arrives on Earth and begins a conquest to overthrow reality, as part of a plan by Libra to conquer the Multiverse. The Justice League and Green Lantern Corps join forces in a desperate attempt to stop the upcoming onslaught.
In 2022, a new DC Comics Crisis event occurred, named Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths which began in June 2022 and ended in December 2022. This series was written by Joshua Williamson and art by Daniel Sampere and Alejandro Sanchez. Following the death of the Justice League in issue #75 Pariah has tasked Deathstroke and the Secret Society of Supervillains to start a Crisis Event, and using the crisis energy which would form, restart and bring back the infinite earths lost in the original Crisis. Nightwing and the Titans work to protect the world from the Secret Society, while Hal Jordan investigates the deaths of the Justice League.
Notes
- The crossover was not released until 2003.
- Marvel's Secret Wars (1984) preceded Crisis on Infinite Earths by one year.
References
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External links
- Earth-One, Earth-Two, Crisis on Infinite Earths at Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Archived from the original on June 3, 2016.
- Crisis on Infinite Earths at the Comic Book DB (archived from the original)
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- DC Comics limited series
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- Comics by George Pérez
- Comics by Marv Wolfman
- Fictional events
- Comics about time travel
- Comics about parallel universes
- Comics about the end of the universe
- Reboot comics
- Fiction about Earth
- Comic book reboots
- Mass murder in fiction
- Apocalyptic comics
- Comic book conflict storylines