Comics / Cult Favorite

Crisis in the Multiple Crossovers


By Philip Schweier
July 21, 2005 - 11:41

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Well, sportsfans, here we are the Countdown to Infinite Crisis halftime show, where the phrase “costume malfunction” takes on a whole new meaning, especially if your name is Captain Atom.

I applaud DC for its effort to tell great stories. The grander the scale, however, the more involved those stories tend to be. Frankly, I’m exhausted.

Following so many of the sub-plotlines can be a challenging process. The Sacrifice arc running through July’s Superman titles is required reading, according to Omac Project writer Greg Rucka. The arc culminates in Wonder Woman, a title I don’t normally read, but being the anal retentive type that I am, I’ll pick it up.

Such are the pitfalls for casual readers of the DC Universe. Green Arrow affects Teen Titans affects Outsiders affects Batman and on and on and on. I find myself entering stories that I’m completely unfamiliar in titles in which I have little interest. While I appreciate the scope of DC’s efforts, I hope they take a good long breather in 2006, getting back to publishing entertaining individual stories.

In the case of characters with multiple titles like Batman and Superman, part of their appeal lies in their rich history. Writers can capitalize on this to tell compelling stories that depict the various facets of these heroes. For instance, Detective Comics can portray Batman as a crime solver/fighter, while Batman could possibly delve into the character himself. Legends of the Dark Knight could be a bit more ambitious, running multi-issue arcs that build on the whole Batman mythos.

Lately, we’ve had a number of stories that encompass the entire library of titles, such as the Eclipso arc that ran in the Superman titles, followed about three months later by the aforementioned Sacrifice, which did the same. Both were tied into a limited series leading up to the Infinite Crisis.

When the dust settles in the coming months, it’s going to be difficult to tell the players without a scorecard. Many readers will no doubt have to backtrack, in search of events affecting supporting characters in one comic or another.

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Not to be outdone, Marvel Comics is in the midst of its company-wide event, The House of M. Spinning out of the events of Avengers: Dissassembled, the epic promises significant changes throughout the Marvel Universe, including the return of the temporarily deceased Hawkeye. This only goes to demonstrate that whatever sweeping changes either publisher may have in mind, rest assured their permanence is all a matter of perspective.

Since the 1980s, when Marvel fought its Secret War, we have seen Spider-Man return to his red and blue costume. When DC’s Multiple Earths diminished in number, we witnessed the death of Supergirl, only to have her return in various incarnations.

Some readers may feel such mega-events are merely a concerted effort by the publisher to make money. Well, DUH! Publishing comic books is not a charitable effort, all for the benefit of the fans. Every issue on any given comic rack is launched with the intent to turn a profit. If crossing over titles, characters and story arcs results in a reader being exposed to a title they might not normally buy, it may lead to increased readership.

Odd how when one picks up a title simply because Wolverine guest-stars, it’s regarded as crass commercialism. But when that title actually has some appeal to the new reader, then he/she is thankful for the opportunity to enjoy the book. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

By exposing as many people as possible to titles they might not normally buy, a publisher can only broaden its readership base.
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However, as those in the sales and marketing departments of DC or Marvel will tell you, such events often fail to have a lasting effect. Thanks to Hollywood, we may see a spike in the popularity of Batman and Fantastic Four this summer, but in time figures will stabilize at a lower level once again.

Infinite Crisis and House of M will no doubt be remembered as major events in the history of their respective Universes. Every generation of comic book readers need a moment in which all they know is radically turned upside down.

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Still, it’s been said that every ten years or so, a comic company needs to do some selective pruning of their respective universe. It helps to keep mid-tier concepts fresh, paving the way for future development, and prevents tried and true classics from growing stale. Ultimately, it pays off for readers and creators alike, allowing for a more concise canon from which to draw.

Praise and adulation? Scorn and ridicule? Email me at philip@comicbookbin.com


Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12

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