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Final Crisis

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"Final Crisis" is also the title of the twelfth issue of Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Final Crisis
File:Final Crisis 1 GL Cover.jpg
Green Lantern features in the artwork for the cover of Final Crisis #1.
Art by J.G. Jones
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleMonthly
FormatLimited series
Publication dateMay 2008 - December 2008
No. of issues7
Main character(s)DC Universe
Creative team
Written byGrant Morrison
Artist(s)J. G. Jones, Carlos Pacheco

[[Category:DC Comics limited series|Final Crisis]][[Category:DC Comics limited series|Final Crisis]]

Final Crisis is a seven-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics, in 2008. It is written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by J. G. Jones and, joining him from issue #4 onwards, Carlos Pacheco.[1] It directly follows the conclusion of the 51-issue Countdown to Final Crisis.[2] Promotion about the miniseries describes its story as "the day evil won".

Publication setup

Statements have been made that Final Crisis will flow out of the events of Countdown to Final Crisis, Death of the New Gods, and DC Universe #0, with the "Fourth World" destroyed.[citation needed] However in interview with Newsarama, the writer Grant Morrison commented that:

"when we started work on Final Crisis, J.G. and I had no idea what was going to happen in Countdown or Death Of The New Gods because neither of those books existed at that point. The Countdown writers were later asked to ‘seed’ material from Final Crisis and in some cases, probably due to the pressure of filling the pages of a weekly book, that seeding amounted to entire plotlines veering off in directions I had never envisaged, anticipated or planned for in Final Crisis. "

— Grant Morrison[3]

Thematic cycles

File:FinalCrisis.jpg
Early promo image of Final Crisis.

References to Infinite Crisis as the "middle Crisis"[4] gave readers the impression there would be at least one additional major follow-up to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. A May 2008 teaser poster confirmed this speculation with the tagline: "Heroes die. Legends live forever."[5] At the New York Comic Con Dan DiDio described Final Crisis as completing various thematic cycle stemming from previous "Crisis" limited series.[6]

Author Grant Morrison, who had provided a rough draft of the first issue and an outline of the plot before the Countdown and Death Of The New Gods limited series were conceived, explained his thinking on the continuity discrepancies, stating that he "started writing Final Crisis #1 in early 2006, around the same time as the 52 series was starting to come out, so Final Crisis was more a continuation of plot threads from Seven Soldiers and 52 than anything else."[3]

Format

The first issue of Final Crisis went on sale May 28 2008.[7] Dan Didio announced that with issue #26, Countdown would be renamed Countdown to Final Crisis.[2] In a later interview he mentioned that Countdown to Final Crisis would end with issue #1, the next issue being titled Final Crisis #0.[8] This title was later changed to DC Universe #0, and its relation to Final Crisis was de-emphasized. [9] Writer Grant Morrison has said that this is the last "Crisis", and that it will be "The Lord of the Rings of the DCU".[10] Final Crisis is planned for seven oversized issues released over eight months starting in May 2008. Although there will be other projects alongside Final Crisis, the story will not crossover with any ongoing series.[11]

Sightings

Dan DiDio announced Sightings, a cover banner that appears on various DC comics that are "signposts, marking important storybeats and moments throughout the DC Universe." These Sightings will be related to Final Crisis and other major DCU events in the coming months.[12] The first Sightings header appeared on Justice League of America (vol. 2) #21 and another appeared on Action Comics #866.

Plot

Barry Allen fleeing from the Black Racer. Art from Final Crisis #2 by J.G. Jones.

Detective Dan Turpin discovers the dying Fourth World New God Orion. Green Lanterns John Stewart and Hal Jordan investigate the death of Orion with the help of the Justice League. The Guardians of the Universe place Earth on lockdown, sending a squad of Alpha Lanterns to investigate the murder. Meanwhile, the villain Libra attempts to recruit members for a new Secret Society of Super Villains. Lex Luthor and Vandal Savage express their doubts to Libra about his new Secret Society and his offer of "their heart's desire". To demonstrate, Libra fulfills the Human Flame's desire by killing a drugged Martian Manhunter before the society.

In the Multiversal Nexus, The Monitors are holding a trial for Nix Uotan, the Monitor of Earth-51. following the events of Countdown to Final Crisis. They decide to remove his status as a Monitor and banish him to a mortal life. Nix Uotan awakens in a bed as a human, having only vague memories of who he is.[3] He is later seen working in a fast-food restaurant, desperately trying to remember who he is while drawing images of mysterious superhumans.

The Alpha Lantern Kraken arrives to take over the investigation of Orion's death. Batman comes up with a theory that Orion was shot with a bullet, but Kraken disagrees. Later, John Stewart finds what appears to be a bullet made out of a strange substance, apparently buried for fifty years. John Stewart is then attacked by a mysterious fellow Lantern when another lantern at the crime scene named Opto leaves to investigate "some damn noise". Kraken determines that the attacker is Hal Jordan, and along with Alpha Lanterns Boodikka and Green Man, arrests him. As Batman tries to reason with her back at the Hall of Justice, he discovers that Kraken (under Granny Goodness of Apokolips' mind-control) was the one who attacked John Stewart. Batman engages her in combat, during which Kraken regains control of herself long enough to warn that the Corps' weapons are ineffective against them. Batman is knocked unconscious by Krakens's power ring and is abducted into a "Boom Tube".

Turpin travels to Blüdhaven, where he is taken in by Reverend Good and introduced to the "Evil Factory" where Batman is being held. Kamandi, imprisoned there explains that they are making slaves. Several beings are being experimented on, including Batman, who attempts to tell Turpin to warn the Justice League.

Flashes Wally West and Jay Garrick search for traces of the mysterious bullet. Wally reveals a theory of Batman's that the bullet was shot backwards through time. They find Metron's Mobius Chair, which Wally believes to be the scope of the "gun" that shot the bullet. The Chair opens a portal from which former Flash Barry Allen appears running from the Black Racer and a bullet containing a sample of an intelligent bacteria, imploring Wally and Jay to run.

S.H.A.D.E operatives are seen raiding the Dark Side Club and find the mummified corpse of Boss Dark Side. The Question is already at the scene and there is a confrontation. She quickly escapes but they catch up with her down the street where she attends a badly burned girl who fell from the sky to the road. This is the same alternate universe Supergirl that fallen monitor Nix Uotan was seen drawing.

Jay Garrick is with the extended family and is recounting what happened with Barry. In a flashback we see all three Flashes racing back through time against the Black Racer to catch the bullet that killed Orion. They fail. All three Flashes turn back to run back to the future but Jay has to stop earlier than the others.

Libra is with The Human Flame and gives him a new outfit. Libra forces the helmet on and tells him its the Anti-Life Equation he hears inside it. The Human Flame submits and puts on the rest of the armor, subservient to Libra's will. Lex Luthor confronts Libra and says he is a threat to be neutralized. Libra offers him an ultimatum. Luthor either is on his side willingly or he will become a drone like The Human Flame.

Clark Kent attends Lois' bedside. His heat vision the only thing keeping her heart beating. Perry White is in a critical condition and other employees of the Daily Planet are either dead or injured. One of the Monitors, Zillo Valla, walks in to the hospital room declaring she knows he is Superman and that he should leave with her to find a way to save Lois' life.

Hal Jordan is taken away by the Alpha Lanterns to Oa where he will be put on trial. Wonder Woman tries to halt preceedings by accusing the New Gods of the murder. Alpha Lantern Kraken (really New God Granny Goodness) dismisses her claims. Hal reassures her that although he has no alibi or memory of where he was at the time of the murders he will be fine. Green Lantern Alan Scott believes it was the gods. He explains that without the New God's good counterparts they will need to raise an army. He sends out a call using the same technology used in World War Two to find superhumans. Oracle is designated the hub of communications. We see various superheroes get their call including Aquaman, Freddy Freeman aka Shazam (formally Captain Marvel Jr), Supergirl, Black Canary and Green Arrow.

Shilo Norman is about to board a plane to leave Japan but the plane explodes. He and Sonny Sumo are rescued by the Super Young Team in their Wonder Wagon. Meanwhile Wonder Woman and two Atomic Knights enter Bludhaven and are confronted by Mary Marvel who sports a radical new look and claims to work for Darkseid now. She kills one of the knights and fights Wonder Woman. Mary infects Wonder Woman with the Anti-Life Equation. Elsewhere, Mokkari sends the Anit-Life Equation to every e-mail address in the world. Oracle and Mr. Terrific attempt to shutdown the internet but do not succeed in time.

Barry and Wally finally stop running in a post-apocalyptic future, presumably infected with both the Morticoccus Virus and the Anti-Life Equation, and are soon confronted by the deformed Wonder Woman, Batwoman and Giganta along with a normal-looking Catwoman.

Tie-ins

Several one-shots and mini-series will be released that will tie in with Final Crisis:[6] [13]

April

  • DC Universe #0

May

  • Justice League of America #21
  • Final Crisis #1 (of 7)
  • Final Crisis: Sketchbook

June

  • Action Comics #866
  • Final Crisis #2 (of 7)

July

August

September

  • Final Crisis #4 (of 7)
  • Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #2 (of 5)
  • Final Crisis: Revelations #2 (of 5)
  • Final Crisis: Rogue's Revenge #3 (of 3)

October

  • Final Crisis #5 (of 7)
  • Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #3 (of 5)
  • Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns (one-shot)
  • Final Crisis: Resist (One-Shot)
  • Final Crisis: Revelations #3 (of 5)
  • Final Crisis: Submit (one-shot)

November

  • Final Crisis #6 (of 7)
  • Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #4 (of 5)
  • Final Crisis: Revelations #4 (of 5)
  • Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #2 (of 2)

December

  • Final Crisis #7 (of 7)
  • Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #5 (of 5)
  • Final Crisis: Revelations #5 (of 5)

Grant Morrison has also said that a two-part story following the "Batman R.I.P." storyline will also "fit in" with Final Crisis.[6]

Reception

Sales estimates for May 2008 put Final Crisis in second place to the second issue of Secret Invasion, with estimated sales of 159,036 and 200,344, respectively.[18]

Notes

  1. ^ Carlos Pacheco Joins JG Jones on Final Crisis, Newsarama, June 16, 2008
  2. ^ a b SDCC '07: DC's 'Countdown...To The End?' PANEL, Newsarama, July 26, 2007
  3. ^ a b c Grant Morrison on Final Crisis #1, Newsarama, June 9, 2008
  4. ^ Justice League of America #9: "The Lightning Saga, Chapter Three", July 2007.
  5. ^ Final Crisis Teaser poster, Newsarama
  6. ^ a b c NYCC '08: DC's (final) Final Crisis Panel, Newsarama, April 20, 2008
  7. ^ DC Comics' solicitation for Final Crisis #1
  8. ^ Talking to Dan Didio 2007, Part Two, Newsarama, December 21, 2007
  9. ^ Dan Didio, Geoff Johns on DC Universe #0 & Final Crisis' Plan, Newsarama, February 9, 2008
  10. ^ Wizard Magazine #192, pg 77
  11. ^ Phillips, Dan (2008-02-11). "Dan DiDio on DC's Future". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  12. ^ "DC Nation #110"
  13. ^ Final Crisis: Secrets and Truths with Geoff Johns, Newsarama, May 9, 2008
  14. ^ Remembering the Martian: Tomasi on FC: Requiem, Newsarama, July 9, 2008
  15. ^ Meltzer Bridges Final Crisis with “Last Will and Testament”, Comic Book Resources, June 4, 2008
  16. ^ INFINITE GEOFF JOHNS II: Action Comics, Comic Book Resources, April 2, 2008
  17. ^ Rucka Reveals Final Crisis: Revelations, Comic Book Resources, June 5, 2008
  18. ^ Sales Estimates for May, 2008, Comic Book Resources, June 17, 2008

References

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