Infinite Crisis: Before and After

DC has now definitely stated the Infinite Crisis is a direct sequel to the 20-year-old Crisis on Infinite Earths. But how are they linked? In an awesome surprise announcement, Marv Wolfman will provide that answer.

Wolfman joins his Crisis collaborator George Perez on the Infinite Crisis team. Perez is providing alternate covers (with Jim Lee) for the 7-issue series. And Wolfman will explore the link between the crises in Infinite Crisis Secret Files, scheduled for February. Executive Editor Dan DiDio explains:

“It pulls the curtain back on the DCU and explains so much about what’s going on, as well as what’s been going on in the DCU since the original Crisis, and clearly shows how the two are connected. It’s also probably one of the most ambitious stories told in a Secret Files, ever. Not only does it address Crisis on Infinite Earths and Infinite Crisis, it also explains some of the anomalies in the DC Universe itself.”

With a page count of 40-48 pages, the Secret Files will utilize a number of artists, each depicting a different time period of the DCU's 20-year post-Crisis history.

With Wolfman showing what leads up to the Infinite Crisis, who's handling what comes after it?

The weekly series 52* will explore that "One Year Later" gap that happend in between issues of the Crisis and in all DCU titles afterward. The superstar writing team for this ambitious 52-issue weekly series is Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid -- and Keith Giffen.

Giffen, who popularized or created many of the characters getting treated so roughly in the events leading up to Infinite Crisis (Max Lord, Blue Beetle, Rocket Red), is the guy who will be providing the consistency between all 52 issues with plot and and breakdowns. A year-long weekly comic is extremely ambuitious, but Giffen says the team is up to the challenge:

I was a little concerned at first, filling 52 issues of a comic, which is basically about four years worth of monthly comic book time, that we might have a little bit of trouble. But after having sat down with this creative team, now my concern is, we might have to cut some stuff out!

I mean, you sit there and Grant Morrison alone cobbles up enough ideas to fill months and months and months of books and storylines, and you combine it with the other guys involved -- I mean, c'mon. It's astonishing that so many people are going, "aw, they'll never pull it off." Because I'm looking at the people involved and I'm saying, "how can we not pull this off? And how can it not be something incredible?"

J.G. Jones will be providing covers. Interior artists have not yet been announced, nor has the price of each weekly issue.

Infinite Issues!

As if an 80-page Countdown and 4 six-issue mini-series (not to mention a 4-issue mini within a mini, and a 4-issue JLA arc) were not enough set-up for the 7-issue Infinite Crisis, the stories told in those mini-series will continue in one-shot specials scheduled to appear throughout the run of Infinite Crisis.

As the recently concluded Days of Vengeance and The OMAC Project demonstrate, the stories didn’t exactly end with their final issues. Not only will they continue in Infinite Crisis, but DC has announced 32-page one-shots for each of the four mini-series that will not only resolve the storylines, but demonstrate exactly how they will tie into Infinite Crisis.

For readers who like to collect stories in trade format, this could present a problem. Trade paperbacks of all 4 mini-series have already been announced for November and December, so they will be out before these specials hit. So what does that mean? DiDio told Newsarama he isn't worrying about that:

"Yeah, the guys in Collected Editions want to kill me. Thing is, I’m approaching this story the same way we approached things before there were collected editions to worry about ... I’m worried about doing the best comics, and I figure it can be collected as things move forward. These are good problems to have though. I want to make sure that everyone is excited about what’s coming out at that moment, and we’ll make sure that everything of importance is collected somewhere down the line. Honestly, we did give this a lot of thought, but in the end, I didn’t want collected editions driving the way the story will be told.”

The OMAC Project trade paperback, will not only include the 6-issue main story, but also the 80-page Countdown to Infinite Crisis and the final part of the "Sacrifice' story from Wonder Woman, where the heroine killed Max Lord (a reprint of tht issue contained a brief recap of what happend in the first 3 parts of Sacrifice, and presumably what will be included as well.). For $14.99, this TPB, which appears in November, is a great deal.

But now, you learn that the story continues in another book -- where will that be collected -- as part of the Infinite Crisis collection?

Guess we'll have to see. Since I'm not patient enought to wait for trade on this massive story, i guess it;s irrleavant to me. I'll be buying the individual issues AND the eventual collections. DC has got me!

Here's the info on the TPBs of the other three series:

• Day of Vengeance
• Villains United
• Rann/Thanagar War

Crisis Counseling: One More Time

Adapted from reports on Comic Book Resources....

Two weeks ago, Wizard held its first WizardWorld convention in Boston. While not a major event in terms of news or announcements, a few tidbits about DC, Infinite Crisis, and what happens next were revealed. DC Executive VP Dan DiDio called the convention his “last chance to be vague, lie, and beat around the bush” before Infinite Crisis #1 hit stores.

Here’s a round-up of some of the noteworthy comments from a few different panels:

• Infinite Crisis is not a reboot; it will not restart continuity
• Infinite Crisis is a direct sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths. Marv Wolfman, writer of the original Crisis is writing a Secret Files special that will show exactly how they are connected, explaining some of the inconsistencies that have cropped up in continuity in the last 20 years
• The origins of Jason Todd’s return are related to Infinite Crisis, but will be dealt with in Batman, rather than in the mini-series.
• Infinite Crisis is about what happens when the pillars of the DCU – Superman, Batman, and Wonder woman—stop holding the universe up
• “You can’t have a Crisis without a Psycho Pirate or a dead Flash” This quote from DiDio has been interpreted as meaning that either Barry Allen (a dead Flash) will be appearing or that one of the currently alive Flashes (Wally West, Jay Garrick or Kid Flash Bart Allen) will die. Psycho Pirate, a major character from the original Crisis is currently appearing in the JSA: Classified arc dealing with Power Girl’s origin. The Pirate’s words and action in that story reference the original Crisis.
• DiDio would not comment on whether the new Crisis will see a return to multiple earths, though many recent storylines seem to be hinting at that, most prominently, the aforementioned JSA: Classified arc.
• In reference to writer Mark Waid’s recent comment that the DCU, including Batman, will “lightening up” after the Crisis, DiDio said that Batman is a central part of the events up to and including Infinite Crisis. As a result, Batman would be doing a lot of self-examination before he'll be able to move forward.
• After the series, there will be new series, cancelled series, new costumes and new characters. When write Greg Rucka commented that anything can and will be changed, DiDio responded: "It's as though these characters all exist on multiple Earths!"

For more on what DiDio, Rucka and others from DC had to say in Boston click here, here, and here

Zod for President

General Zod for President

Looking Back on "Identity Crisis"

This Wednesday, DC's long-awaited Infinite Crisis #1 hits comic shops. While the plans for this mega-crossover, considered a sequel to 1985-86's Crisis on Infinite Earths, were in the works for months and even years, the first sign that things were changing in the DCU that readers saw was last year's Identity Crisis.

Identity Crisis was not always supposed to be the start of the countdown to Infinite Crisis, as author Brad Meltzer recalls in a recent interview conducted to coincide with the hardcover release of the controversial seven-part story where the JLA reveals a secret past.

"When I started Identity Crisis, it was supposed to be a small, emotional story. That's it," Meltzer says. "Those were literally the words they said to me. And the key word (was) small."

It wasn't until Meltzer was done writing the story and shared the scripts with DC Vice President/Executive Editor Dan DiDio and Infinite Crisis writer Geoff Johns that Identity Crisis became part of a much larger storyline. Meltzer recalls how excited DiDio was when he read the scripts, and how eager he was to use various elements-- the JLA's decision to erase Batman's memories, the resurgence of certain villains-- in the other titles.

References to the events of Identity Crisis were reflected in most DCU titles, and dealt with directly in Flash and JLA, both of which were written by Infinite Crisis writer Geoff Johns (JLA was co-written by OC scribe Allan Heinberg).

Some of the books directly setting up Infinite Crisis also reference those events, such as the 80-page Countdown to Infinite Crisis, the mini-series The OMAC Project (revealing the depth of Batman's paranoia, more relevant now that we know the reason for it) and Villains United, which reveals the super-villain community organizing for protection now the the JLA's secret of mind-wiping villains has been revealed). Even Days of Vengeance, the magic-based mini-series, has the mystery killer from Identity Crisis as the catalyst of that story.

But Meltzer notes one important thing in his interview that sets his book apart from what has come since -- it's the only story that's completely self-contained. I don't completely agree with that.

While the mystery from issue 1 is resolved by the end, there are several plot points that are NOT wrapped up in the book, most notably, how much do Batman and Superman now know about the JLA's secret and who is Captain Boomerang's son's mother? The answers are revealed, but not within the pages of Identity Crisis. You have to read subsequent issues of Batman, Adventures of Superman, JLA and Flash to learn those answers (and I haven't read all of them yet myself).

That said, however, Identity Crisis is a great read for DC superhero fans and worth the $25 price tag for the hardcover (a cheaper softcover version is likely at least a year away). In additon to great art by penciller Rags Morales and inker Michael Bair, it offers mysteries, secrets and a look at super-heroes' real weaknesses. And it ain't kryptonite.

DC's Dark Days over soon?

DC-exclusive writer Mark Waid recently talked to the website, Monitor Duty about his comics writing experience. It's a great interview (mostly focused on Superman: Birthright, the "new" Superman origin, out this week in trade paperback) , but the most interesting comment he made was regarding the DCU after Infinite Crisis, which debuts in October, when asked about the increased "darkening" of the DC universe:

When we’re on the other side of the CRISIS, those days are GONE. Just gone. We’re sick to death of heroes who are not heroes, we’re sick to death of darkness. Not that there’s no room, not that Batman should act like Adam West, but that won’t be the overall feeling. After all this stuff, after everything shakes down, we’re done with heroes being dicks. No more we screwed each other and now we must pay the consequences. No, we’re super-heroes and that’s what we do. Batman’s broken. Through no ONE person’s fault, but he’s a dick now. And we’ve been told we can fix that.

He also talks about the popularity of comic-book movies, his favorite comic-book movie, the upcoming Superman Returns, writing the Legion and continuity.

MJ confirms Spidey 3 Villians

Apparently confirming what had been rumored for awhile, actress Kirsten Dunst (Mary Jane Watson) recently told reporters that Thomas Haden Church will play Sandman and Topher Grace is Venom in Spider-Man 3, due in theatres May 4, 2007. The film begins shooting in January. The actress has yet to see the script.

Another villian rumored to be in the sequel is the Hobgoblin, with Harry Osborn (James Franco) taking over the goblin glider from his father Norman Osborn, the Green Goblin, played by Willem Dafoe. Franco dodges that question here.

Behind the scenes of Justice League Unlimited

Dwayne McDuffie, writer/producer/story editor for Justice League Unlimited, recently talked to the Comics Foundry website about his work on the animated series featuring virtually every character in the DC Comics universe.

He talks a lot about what it's like writing for the show, the challenge of season-long arcs, shout-outs to fanboys, restricted characters (this season, Aquaman is off-limits) and who the audience for the show is:

We know who the demographic is. It’s kids. A lot of older viewers watch. I know everybody thinks it’s only grownups that watch Justice League and they do. But the amount of kids who watch Justice League watch Teen Titans, another show I work on that is more obviously aimed at children. You know, there will be some stuff that kids won’t get, but man, Superman just picked up that whole building.

Great article for fans of the show.

We just saw four new episodes that featured the introduction of Hawkman, a new look for Supergirl and obscure characters Warlord and the Viking Prince, not to mention the introduction of the bad-guy version of the League -- the Legion of Doom, fronted by Gorilla Grodd. We don't know when the next episodes are coming, but we do know they feature Deadman, the Seven Soldiers of Victory, the Flash's Rogues Gallery and more! Stay toon-ed!

Forest Whitaker picks up his "Shield"

Actor/director/producer Forest Whitaker has joined the cast of The Shield for its fifth season, scheduled to debut in January. According to the Hollywood Reporter:

Whitaker will play Detective Jon Kavanaugh, an ambitious newcomer to the Los Angeles Police Department's Internal Affairs division who is tasked with investigating rogue cop Mackey, played by series star Michael Chiklis, and the strike force he leads.

Series creator Shawn Ryan said the Whitaker's character "will present the biggest danger to Vic and his team in the history of the series so far."

Last season's big-name guest star Glenn Close was nominated for an Emmy for her turn as Capt. Monica Rawlings.

Miss him by THAT Much

Actor Don Adams dead at 82

Infinite Crisis #1 Preview Pages

Click the pic to see more preview pages:

Animated/Comic-Related DVD Releases

Well, let's just call this what it really is, my DVD wish list (along with Batman Begins and Revenge of the Sith from the previous list):

October
4 – Cinderella Special Edition
18 – Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology (special editions of Burton/Schumacher Batman movies)
18 - Adventures of Superman Vol 1 (1950s TV series)
18 – Batman vs. Dracula (Direct-to-DVD, based on current animated series)
25 – Looney Tunes Golden Collection Vol. 3

December
6- Batman: The Animated Series Vol. 4 (I also still need Vol. 3)
6 - Superman: The Animated Series Vol. 2
6 – Star Wars: Clone Wars Vol. 2

DVD Release Schedule for Summer Movies

With the end of the summer movie season comes the wait for those movies to hit DVD. As expected, most will hit before Christmas. Here’s the schedule, subject to change:

October
18 - Batman Begins
25 - Bewitched

November
1- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
8- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
15 - Madagascar
15 - Stealth
22- War of the Worlds
29 – Mr. & Mrs. Smith

December
6- Fantastic Four
27 – Dark Water
TBA - The Dukes of Hazzard

Early 2006
The Wedding Crashers
The 40-Year Old Virgin

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit

From the producers of Chicken Run comes Wallace and Gromit and the Curse of the Were Rabbit. Opening October 7th, here's the trailer.

Spoiling your Comics

Because some comic fans are tired of all the crossovers that DC (Countdown to Infinite Crisis) and Marvel (House of M) are foisting on us, they have banded together to create "Spoilt!" a blog that reveals the major plotlines of all the comics that you can't afford to buy, but need to read to keep up with crossovers. So save a few bucks and enjoy!

"Paperback Believer"

This is just too cool for words -- a mixing of the Beatles' "Paperback Writer" and the Monkees' "I'm a Believer" in a song/video called "Paperback Believer."

Miller Covers Robin

This week, issue #2 of Frank Miller and Jim Lee's All-Star Batman & Robin the Boy Wonder comes out. Last week, DC unveiled an alternate cover by Frank Miller, seen here:

Family Guy Direct-to-DVD Clip

Tonight begins the second season of Family Guy's second shot on Fox. And more Family Guy is on the way. At the end of the month, look for the direct-to-DVD movie: Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin - The Untold Story. This new, unrated movie focuses on Stewie's quest for his real father. See a clip here.

More Sin for Your Home

Sin City was released on a bare-bones, single disc DVD a few weeks ago, but as expected a deluxe, two-disc version is coming out in December. Check the specs out here. One highlight: an entire Sin City graphic novel!

In addition to the orginal theatrical cut, the collection will include an extended 147 minute version. Some of the other extras include:

• commentary track with director Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller
• commentary track with Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino
• commentary track featuring Austin, TX crowd reaction
• 15 Minute Film School featurette
• Movie in High-Speed Green Screen feature
• 17 un-interupted minutes of Tarantino's segment
• footage from the Sin City cast/crew party.
• 10 minute Cooking School with Robert Rodriquez

Spacey as Luthor

Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor in Superman Returns