Jump to content

Final Crisis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 96.49.141.252 (talk) at 06:02, 1 February 2009 (→‎Plot). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Final Crisis
File:Final Crisis 1 GL Cover.jpg
Cover art of Final Crisis #1.
Art by J.G. Jones.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
ScheduleIrregular
FormatLimited series
Genre
Publication dateJuly 2008 - March 2009
No. of issues7
Main character(s)DC Multiverse
Creative team
Created byGrant Morrison
J. G. Jones
Written byGrant Morrison
Artist(s)J. G. Jones (1-6)
Marco Rudy (5-6)
Penciller(s)Carlos Pacheco (4-6)
Doug Mahnke (6-7)
Inker(s)Jesus Merino (4-6)
Christian Alamy (6-7)
Tom Nguyen (7)
Drew Gerasi (7)
Norm Rapmund (7)
Rodney Ramos (7)
Walden Wong (7)
Doug Mahnke (7)
Letterer(s)Rob Leigh (1-4)
Travis Lanham (5, 7)
Rob Clark (6)
Colorist(s)Alex Sinclair
Pete Pantazis (6-7)
Tony Aviña (7)
Editor(s)Eddie Berganza
Adam Schlagman
Collected editions
HardcoverISBN 1401222811

Final Crisis is a seven-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics in 2008 and written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Doug Mahnke, Christian Alamy,[1] and Marco Rudy later joined the series' creative team.[2] It directly follows DC Universe #0 after the conclusion of the 51-issue Countdown to Final Crisis weekly limited series.[3]

Promotion about the limited series describes its story as "the day evil won". The series deals with alien villain Darkseid's plot to overthrow reality, and the subsequent death and corruption of various DC characters and their universe. In Spring 2008 Morrison explained his conception of the series:

I wanted to do the biggest crossover there’s ever been... it’s got nods to everything, going back to "Flash of Two Worlds" and the first 'Crisis on Earth-1', 'Earth-2', all that stuff. So there’s little elements of all that, but... everything I’m doing right now is about people dying, or the apocalypse, so it’s kind of dark, and the 'Final Crisis' thing is just pushing that as far as it can possibly go. And it’s taking a lot of trends that I see in comics and pushing them to the max to see, 'do we really want it to be like this'?"[4]

Publication history

The origin of the story go back to 2003 when Morrison returned to DC and came up with the idea for another crisis: "I pitched a huge crossover event called Hypercrisis, which didn’t happen for various reasons. Some of Hypercrisis went into Seven Soldiers, some went into All Star Superman, some went into 52 and some of it found a home in Final Crisis."[5] According to Grant Morrison, work finally began on Final Crisis #1 in early 2006, with the intention of the series being a thematic and literal sequel to Seven Soldiers and 52, two projects that Morrison was heavily involved in at the time.[6]

References to Infinite Crisis as the "middle Crisis"[7] gave readers the impression there would be at least one additional major follow-up to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths. A May 2007 teaser poster confirmed this speculation with the tagline: "Heroes die. Legends live forever."

The artwork met with delays, and Morrison had no intention of having them continue into Final Crisis, as DC Comics had hoped. To keep the release on schedule, Countdown wrapped with issue #1 and its planned final issue (#0) was revamped as a 50 cent one-shot special called "DC Universe" #0. Besides hyping upcoming storylines such as "Batman R.I.P." and "The Blackest Night," the issue was narrated by Barry Allen and featured Libra leading a group of super-villains in prayer for the "god of evil", Darkseid. The result is, as described by Morrison, that "we’re watching him fall back through the present, into the past of Seven Soldiers where he finally comes to rest in the body of 'Boss Dark Side’, the gangster from that story."[6]

To help readers identify events pertinent to Final Crisis and other major DCU events in the coming months, a "Sightings" cover banner appears on various DC comics as "signposts, marking important storybeats and moments throughout the DC Universe."[8] The first such headers appeared on Justice League of America (vol. 2) #21 and Action Comics #866, respectively (the JLA issue featured Libra's return and his recruiting of the Human Flame).

The original intent was for Jones to pencil the whole series. Due to delays, however, Carlos Pacheco drew issues #4-6 with Jones, and issue 7 was drawn entirely by Doug Mahnke. Jones said that “Any problems completing the series are my own. I love Doug Mahnke’s art, and he would have probably been a better choice to draw this series in the first place.”[9]

In addition to the core limited series the larger storyline includes a number of tie-ins, comprising one-shots and limited series.

The one-shots comprise "Requiem,"[10] "Resist,"[11] "Secret Files" and "Submit" . Also "Rage of the Red Lanterns" is the start of a storyline of the same name, that picks up on events in "Green Lantern: Secret Origin" and continues in Green Lantern #36-38. It starts as a tie-in because, according to writer Geoff Johns, "events in Final Crisis have motivated the Guardians to proceed further with their attempted containment of the light".[12]

The limited series comprise Superman Beyond a two issue mini-series also written by Grant Morrison, Legion of 3 Worlds a five-issue limited series focusing on the different incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes,[13] Revelations a five-issue limited series[14] and Rogues' Revenge a three-issue mini-series focused on the Flash Rogues.[15]

Plot

Metron of the New Gods is shown at the dawn of human civilization giving Anthro the gift of fire. This touches on themes raised in Morrison's Seven Soldiers, with the origin of Aurakles,[16] which posited "the idea of the New Gods having altered human history for their own purposes.[6] This also draws on ideas Morrison put forward in his run on JLA[17] "that Earth was destined to become the cradle of a new race of 'Fifth World super-divinities."[6] The story returns to the DC Universe's present day, where private detective Dan Turpin is shown discovering the dying Orion, because, according to Morrison "knowing how cosmic and epic it was going to get, I wanted to start the story at street level, with the discovery of the body of a god in the trash,"[6] and the superheroes are brought into the plot as they investigate the murder. Meanwhile, the villain Libra builds a supervillain army and kills the Martian Manhunter to prove his power. In an interview, Morrison stated that he "wanted to open with a nasty, execution-style death of a superhero as a way of demonstrating how far behind us the Silver Age is."[6] In the series' second issue, Green Lantern John Stewart is brutally attacked and Hal Jordan is framed for the attack and Orion's deicide.[18]

The superheroes slowly become aware of a plot by Darkseid and the other evil New Gods of Apokolips to conquer and enslave humanity. In the second issue, Batman is captured, while in the third issue Superman is forced to leave Earth in an attempt to save the life of Lois Lane and Wonder Woman is turned against her allies.[18][19] Also in the second issue, Barry Allen, the second Flash, returns from the dead, and attempts to prevent Orion's murder.[18] The evil gods' forces deliver the final blow to humanity when they release the Anti-Life Equation on the Internet, turning nearly half of humanity into mindless slaves of Darkseid.[19]

File:FinalCrisis.jpg
Teaser poster for Final Crisis

[20] Barry Allen reunites with his wife, Iris West, and kisses her, freeing her from the Anti-Life Equation. Throughout the world, various superheroes are shown resisting Anti-Life, culminating in an attack on Darkseid's forces in Blüdhaven which occurs in the Final Crisis #5. Also in this issue, Nix Uotan, a Monitor who was sentenced to live life on Earth as a human, is shown to remember his past and is awakened as a powerful new being.[21]

The Flashes attempt to stop Darkseid before his presence on Earth destroys all of reality.[22] Within Darkseid's bunker, Batman escapes and confronts Darkseid. He states that he will "make a once in a lifetime exception" to his "no firearms" rule and shoots Darkseid using the bullet that killed Orion. As Darkseid dies he fires the Omega Sanction from his eyes and apparently kills Batman.[22] Morrison notes that Batman's use of the gun is symbolic as “the root of the Batman mythos is the gun and the bullet that created Batman. So, Batman himself is finally standing there to complete that big mythical circle and to have the image of Batman up against the actual personification of evil and now he's got the gun and he's got the bullet. It seemed to me to work."[23] Doctor Sivana helps disable the Justifiers so that Lex Luthor can take out Libra. Superman returns to Earth from the 31st century, where he was given access to the reality-altering Miracle Machine by Brainiac 5 of the Legion of Super-Heroes. In a fit of desperate rage, Superman attacks Darkseid's bunker, finding Batman's charred corpse within.

Barry Allen and Wally West, still pursued by the Black Racer, arrive to witness Superman's clash with Darkseid. Darkseid's followers unleash Omega Beams on the two Flashes, who outrace the beams and cause them to hit Darkseid.The Female Furies clash with Libra's army of mind-controlled superhumans, who are now under Luthor's control. Wonder Woman is freed and binds Darkseid with her lasso, freeing the rest of humanity from Darkseid's control. The Black Racer then claims Darkseid as he dies from Radion poisoning.

Superman then builds a copy of the Miracle Machine when Mandrakk the Dark Monitor arrives to consume all remaining life. At the same time, an army of alternate Supermen from across the Multiverse, led by the Captain Marvel of Earth-5, arrives, followed by Nix Uotan who, in turn, summons the Zoo Crew (restoring their original forms and powers in the process), the army of Heaven, the Green Lantern Corps, and the Super Young Team (now transformed into the new Forever People). The battle ends when the Green Lantern Corps stake Mandrakk with a spear created by their rings. Superman and Nix Uotan then use the Miracle Machine to recreate the Multiverse as it was before Darkseid's ascension, and turn the other Monitors into humans.

In the distant past, Anthro dies of old age after bringing fire to the people of Earth. Bruce Wayne, still in his Batman garb, lays his utility belt upon Anthro's body, and starts drawing a story on the cave wall.[24]

Format

The first issue of Final Crisis went on sale May 28 2008.[25] Final Crisis is planned for seven oversized issues released over nine months starting in May 2008. Although there will be other projects alongside Final Crisis, the story will not crossover with any ongoing series.[26]

Tie-ins

Several one-shots and mini-series have been and will be released that tie-in with Final Crisis:[27] three series run in parallel to the main main one and the one-shot, "DC Universe: Last Will and Testament," was planned to fit in the 'break' between Final Crisis #3 and #4.[28]

Morrison, who wrote one of the "final" Batman stories in "Batman R.I.P.," stated, "First it's R.I.P., and we'll see how that winds up for Batman. Then the two-parter mentioned (Batman #682-683) goes through Batman's whole career, in a big summing up of everything that also ties directly into Final Crisis. And Final Crisis is where we see the final fate of Batman."[29]

Reading order

Morrison has provided a reading order for the comic books he wrote:"[5]

  • Final Crisis #1-3
  • Superman Beyond #1-2
  • "Submit"
  • Final Crisis #4–5
  • Batman #682–683
  • Final Crisis #6–7

Aftermath

In a move Dan DiDio described as "inspirationally tied to Final Crisis," in early 2009 the villains will take over the main DC Universe titles and some will be featured in "Faces of Evil," a series of one-shots, all designed to examine the question "What happens when evil wins?"[32]

Collected editions

The series will be collected into a single volume:

  • Final Crisis (240 pages, hardcover, June 2009, ISBN 1401222811)

In addition the main tie-ins are being collected

  • Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds (168 pages, hardcover, August 2009, ISBN 1401223249)
  • Final Crisis: Revelations (168 pages, hardcover, August 2009, ISBN 1401223222)
  • Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge (144 pages, hardcover, July 2009, ISBN 1401223338)
  • Green Lantern: Rage of the Red Lanterns (collects "Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns" and Green Lantern #36-38, 176 pages, hardcover, July 2009, ISBN 140122301X)

Reception

Sales estimates for May 2008 put Final Crisis #1 in second place to the second issue of Secret Invasion, with estimated sales of 159,036.[33]

Notes

  1. ^ Carlos Pacheco Joins JG Jones on Final Crisis, Newsarama, June 16, 2008
  2. ^ Review of Final Crisis #5, comiXtreme, December 13, 2008
  3. ^ SDCC '07: DC's 'Countdown...To The End?' PANEL, Newsarama, July 26, 2007
  4. ^ Grant Morrison interview from PulpSecret on YouTube
  5. ^ a b Grant Morrison: Final Crisis Exit Interview, Part 1, Newsarama, January 28, 2009
  6. ^ a b c d e f Grant Morrison on Final Crisis #1, Newsarama, June 9, 2008
  7. ^ Justice League of America #9: "The Lightning Saga, Chapter Three", July 2007.
  8. ^ "DC Nation" #110
  9. ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (10/21/08). "J.G. Jones Apologizes For Unfinished Final Crisis Work". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved 2008-10-21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ a b Remembering the Martian: Tomasi on FC: Requiem, Newsarama, July 9, 2008
  11. ^ a b Resistance Leaders: Rucka, Trautmann on Final Crisis Special, Newsarama, October 29, 2008
  12. ^ a b Geoff Johns on Final Crisis: Rage of the Red Lanterns, Newsarama, October 27, 2008
  13. ^ a b INFINITE GEOFF JOHNS II: Action Comics, Comic Book Resources, April 2, 2008
  14. ^ a b Rucka Reveals Final Crisis: Revelations, Comic Book Resources, June 5, 2008
  15. ^ a b Back With A Flash: Johns & Kolins Talk lash: Rogue's Revenge, Newsarama, January 11, 2008
  16. ^ Seven Soldiers of Victory #1 (December 2006)
  17. ^ JLA #15 (February 1998)
  18. ^ a b c Final Crisis #2
  19. ^ a b Final Crisis #3
  20. ^ Final Crisis #4
  21. ^ Final Crisis #5
  22. ^ a b Final Crisis #6
  23. ^ Mahadeo, Kevin (2009-01-14). "Grant Morrison Kills The Batman". Wizard. Retrieved 2009-01-16. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ Final Crisis #7
  25. ^ DC Comics' solicitation for Final Crisis #1
  26. ^ Phillips, Dan (2008-02-11). "Dan DiDio on DC's Future". IGN. Retrieved 2008-02-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ Final Crisis: Secrets and Truths with Geoff Johns, Newsarama, May 9, 2008
  28. ^ a b Meltzer Bridges Final Crisis with “Last Will and Testament”, Comic Book Resources, June 4, 2008
  29. ^ Phillips, Dan (2008-08-26). "Killing Batman And The DC Universe". IGN. p. 6. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  30. ^ NYCC '08: DC's Final FINAL CRISIS PANEL, Newsarama, April 20, 2008
  31. ^ Drawing the Rage: Shane Davis Talks Red Lanterns, Newsarama, October 20, 2008
  32. ^ January Sees 'Faces of Evil' at DC - Dan DiDio Spills, Newsarama, September 18, 2008
  33. ^ Sales Estimates for May, 2008, Comic Book Resources, June 17, 2008

References

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Final_Crisis&oldid=267777715"