Review: DC Comics Final Crisis #1 (SPOILERS)
The somewhat misleading cover to FINAL CRISIS #1I read FINAL CRISIS #1 today. This was the beginning of the much-hyped DC 7-issue limited series that was supposed to wrap up the Crisis that has been happening since 1985 (or since IDENTITY CRISIS, depending on who you listen too). The icon Grant Morrison got the assignment. Now, on with the DailySkew plot review- with full spoilers.
THE GOOD:
- Artwork by JG Jones was great. Colors were great.
- Grant Morrison had the main villain called Libra say “Twilight of the Gods”, which was Alan Moore’s pitch for Crisis II back in the 1980’s.
- The weather has gone nuts (red sky).
THE BAD:
- As you know, I read COUNTDOWN TO FINAL CRISIS (all 50+ issues, including the tie-ins)…yet I have NO idea what is going on in this issue. I checked out the message boards…and no one else does either. Here goes:
THE PLOT:
It starts off like 2001: A Space Odyssey…we see flashbacks to the past (OR it could be one of the 52 DC Earths, where Anthro and/or Kamandi live). We see Metron give fire to the boy. It looks like he invented it for humanity.
A fat and bald detective named Turpin (whom I never saw before) is investigating the deaths of kids. [Yet ANOTHER "Who is killing the New Gods" plot.] He is led to the Dark Side Club [homage to Hellfire Club, with Darkseid], where Darkseid and his Evil New Gods have assumed human form and are living on (I guess) New Earth. The kids who are dying are actually the Good New Gods, like Orion. So it seems as if the New Gods (whom were mostly killed off in COUNTDOWN and DEATH OF THE NEW GODS) are living on earth in human form. I think.
The Guardians of the Universe acted like NYPD BLUE cops and assigned Hal Jordan and Jon Stewart to investigate these deaths. This was the first time I’ve ever read the Green Lanterns actually use police codes for crime scene investigations. That seemed extremely odd to me, not to mention confusing. I guess it was in homage to Alan Moore’s TOP 10. For some reason Hal Jordan didn’t seem too crushed that Orion died, either.
Next we have a bunch of C-List villains fighting the League of Titans (who?) and some are protesting for their civil rights. The police, heroes, and villains seemed way to self-effacing for my tastes…kind of kills the illusion. Dr. Light and Mirror Master team up and talked about Libra (who?), the main villain.
At the Legion of Doom, there is a meeting with some A, B, and C-list villains. Lex Luthor and Vandal Savage don’t want to follow orders from Libra, who quite frankly looks like a JLI costumed villain. Libra promises them their hearts’ desires (like the Beyonder did in Marvel’s SECRET WARS in 1984). Libra grants some D-List villain named the Human Flame (I think) the wish to burn The Martian Manhunter (John Jones) alive. So he’s dead now. [Yeah, RIGHT.]
Meanwhile, at The Hall of Justice, the JLA get together to talk about the New Gods. They’re acting like all of this is new to them. Kinda strange since everyone was present when Darkseid fought Jimmy Olsen in COUNTDOWN. Which really made me think FINAL CRISIS #1 does not take place on New Earth.
The Monitors kick out a Monitor and strip away his immortality for allowing his earth to be destroyed (see COUNTDOWN).
The last page shows a guy waking up (probably this Monitor, who is now human) watching TV with the announcement that Martian Manhunter is dead, and Green Arrow vowed vengeance.
And that’s it.
A message from the editorial staff revealed that EIGHT mini-series which will be released along with and following FINAL CRISIS, and that the normal super-hero titles would not have crossovers. So much for the mega-series of the summer……..DC is cashing in again. I guess I’m not used for readers to shell out $4 dollars an issue to read 9 mini-series to get the whole story. Back in 1984, SECRET WARS was 12-issues, and there WERE no crossovers, one-shots, OR accompanying mini-series. In 1985 when DC released CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS it was 12-issues, too. There WERE technically crossovers, but they were 100% not necessary to read the main maxi-series.
Anyway, this comic was WAY over my head, and judging from the comic geeks online, it will take someone else to discpher this issue and figure it out.
I have faith in Morrison that the series will pay off, but I was utterly disappointed that DC would allow such a confusing and “arsty” comic to pass off for issue #1 (which needs to ATTRACT new readers.) I mean, seriously…I’m dumbfounded. It’s like if I read issue 6 of Morrison’s Seven Soldiers of Victory without reading anything else! Huh?? The reaction is the same all around the ‘Net: “Did I miss an issue?” It looks like Marvel may beat DC this summer with their (generic yet mainstream) Secret Invasion storyline and various crossovers asking “Who’s a Skrull?”.
Final Conclusion: Issue 1 doesn’t make sense, but Morrison always pays off. Seems like a setup to something huge. Disappointed in DC Comics for the number of limited series that will be launched along with it.
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- FINAL CRISIS Checklist and Review
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Danger Man and others, thanks a lot for the interpretations. The PROBLEM I have from the marketing sense is that if FC#1 sold 700,000 issues, only a dozen or so people actually understood it.
At least Marvel released a Secret Invasion one-shot that had Iron Man review all of the Skrull’s history, since it can’t be expected that fans remember their earlier appearances.
FINAL CRISIS had NO recap issues, and no in-text citations explaining ANYTHING.
So…thanks for figuring everything out, I understand it now, but all you’re doing is really proving my point.
Marvel’s Secret Invasion may be too “low brow” for you arrogant, self-important, condescending, Marvel and Bendis-hating comic book geeks, but Issue #1:
-Was 100% clear
-Felt like a blockbuster movie
-Had many jaw-dropping moments
-Had a letter from the Editor-in-Chief explaining to us the issues Bendis but clues in these last 3 years
-Had an interview with Stan Lee going over the origin and history of the Skrulls from FF#2, and how this series pays homage to Marvel history in general
You can rip Joey Quesada, Marvel gimmicks, and Bendis disrespecting continuity all you want…the bottom line that that Secret Invasion may have the most generic name of all time, but after you read Issue 1, you can see why Marvel in #1 in sales.
FYI, unlike COUNTDOWN, DEATH OF THE NEW GODS, and all the countless one-shots and limited series leading up to FINAL CRISIS #1, ALL of the Marvel series tied in to SECRET INVASION #1. No bait and switch here.
Make mine Marvel!
PLEASE…
You REALLY don’t have a problem with having a crossover event hinging on alien impersonator conspiracy taking over the Marvel Universe?
It’s juvenile. It’s for 8-year olds. It’s worse than SECRET WARS II.
It’s written by BENDIS, for God’s sake. BENDIS! Who changed the Beyonder’s Origin and did all of this Illuminate CRAPPPPP!
COME ON, DUDE!
FINAL CRISIS #1 is a WORK OF ART. Grant Morrison doesn’t BELIEVE in DUMBING THINGS DOWN FOR 8-year olds. He was 100% creative freedom to do what he wants.
Morrison is dealing with ICONS, NEW GODS, MULTIVERSE, MONITORS, and ALL OF REALITY, from BEGINNING to END.
I haven’t had the time to read FC1 yet…probably don’t know when I’m going to get the chance, but I want to comment that the previous poster is a bit pretentious.
Jim Shooter’s SECRET WARS was a bread winner for Marvel, and put crossovers and mini-series on the MAP.
It was like a Wrestling PPV, and was never pitched as something else.
You think DC is high-brow and for adults? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
Take George Perez away from CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, and you have a confusing Bronze Age cheesy story that doesn’t hold up.
1984 SECRET WARS, a blatant super-hero vs super-villain gimmick 12-Issue Limited Series, has HELD UP and EVERY fan bought it AND understood it (NO previous comics were necessary).
Fast forward to 2008..SECRET INVASION can be understood by everyone, and is NOT pretentious in ANYWAY.
Look across the street at the Distinguished Competition…they are NEVER going to explain what the HELL has been going on since *IDENTITY* Crisis.
You tell ME which company is ripping you off.
I said Secret Wars **II**, fart knocker
Whew! 55 comments? I don’t know how I missed this thread but my initial reaction is…Have faith in Grant!