DC Comics Final Crisis

Did you read this? Can you tell me what the hell happened?

Lemme guess, everyone dies, but it's ok because Superman spun the earth backwards, which of course, reverses time.

That's just science!

*****SPOILERS GALORE*****

For clarity's sake, just read comics written by Grant Morrison.

Must read:

Final Crisis #1-7
Final Crisis: Submit
Superman Beyond #1-2

Optional read:

Batman #682-683
Mister Miracle #1-4 (from the excellent Seven Soldiers meta-series)
Final Crisis Sketchbook

Extremely optional read:

everything else with Final Crisis in the title.
Justice League #21

DO NOT READ:
Death of the New Gods
Countdown to Final Crisis

There was a war beyond human perception, an apocalyptic clash between Good and Evil that destroyed the Fourth World, including Apokolips and New Genesis. Like fallen angels, Darkseid and his inner circle of followers came to Earth, taking refuge in various human bodies which could only temporarily contain their energies. The sheer weight of Darkseid's power and evil had the force of a singularity, gradually slowing down time on Earth and isolating it from the rest of the Universe.

Meanwhile, outside of the 52 realities that make up the current DCU, a group of cosmic entities known as the Monitors are corrupted from within, as one of their number falls under the evil influence of Mandrakk, the Black Judge of Evil, an evil beyond imagining who is draining all of creation like a vampire. His Monitor lackey exiles another Monitor to a mundane life on Earth-0 (the current default setting of the DC Universe).

Darkseid sends forth an evil herald named Libra, an obscure supervillain who possesses all of the powers of the classic Justice League, though 50% weaker. Libra recruits an army of super-villains, either through straightforward recruiting, or direct control under Justifier helmets of Fourth World tech. Wonder Woman is captured and used as a vector to spread virus that cancels out superhuman powers. Possibly she was chosen because of her origin from divine clay... writer Grant Morrison has previously advanced the idea of clay as a missing link between animate and inanimate forms.

Through use of Fourth World technology, Darkseid inflicted a technological virus upon at least half the human race in a matter of minutes, spreading the overwhelming despair and subjugation of the Anti-Life Equation. This put 3 billion humans under the direct physical and mental control of Darkseid, and finally restored this classic villain to an appropriate level of grandeur, as half of humanity repeated his words in perfect synch:

"When I make a fist to crush your resistance, IT IS WITH THREE BILLION HANDS! When I stare into your eyes and shatter your dreams and break your heart, IT IS WITH SIX BILLION EYES! I will take you to a Hell without exit or end, and there I will murder your souls, and make you crawl and beg. AND DIE! DIE! DIE FOR DARKSEID!"

Earth's heroes are overwhelmed. Many fall in direct combat, only to join the forces of Evil under the sway of Justifier helmets. Batman is captured as a potential host for Darkseid. Green Lantern is framed for assault and brought to trial before the Guardians of the Universe. Civilization collapses around the world. Green Lantern beats the rap and mobilizes the entire Green Lantern Corps to save the Earth.

Superman disappears on a mysterious mission with a rogue Monitor and several other Superman types from alternate realities, including a Captain Marvel (Earth-5), an evil Superman (Ultraman), a nazi Superman, and an obvious imitation of Doctor Manhatten of the Watchmen. They battle Mandrakk and his minions, then Superman travels to the 31st Century to get an X-Ray look at a Miracle Machine guarded closely by his old ally Brainiac-5, of the Legion of Superheroes. Captain Marvel travels across the Multiverse recruiting the Superman analogue of every reality, including one that seems to be Barack Obama. (I am serious.)

Back on Earth, Evil triumphs. But Batman escapes, and with the help of multiple Flashes, kills Darkseid. However, he is apparently slain by Darkseid's Omega Sanction eyebeams. Superman reconstructs the Miracle Machine and makes a mighty wish: a happy ending for everybody. Mandrakk arrives to destroy everyone and everything, only to battle a battalion of Supermen. The Green Lantern Corps finally arrive and drive a gigantic stake of green light through Mandrakk's heart. At the close of the story, there is a glimpse of Batman in a prehistoric setting, as he was actually exiled to another time and place by Darkseid, just as Darkseid once did to a young hero of the Fourth World. The end.

The story is quite challenging to read, due to the amazing density of concepts and some artwork that wasn't quite specific enough to convey Grant Morrison's wild imaginings. There is some interesting meta-commentary on fans, critics, editors, the media, the internet and the entire concept of stories themselves. And in the middle of it all is Grant's ongoing fascination with the weirdest ideas currently floating about in modern scientific circles. Best of all, there are many Wow moments that will stay with the reader long after the comics have been read. Truly breath-taking, inspiring either high praise or frantic anger in fans and critics alike.

Thanks Shellhead. I've read several of the comics you've listed, and I had difficulty understanding them. For example, I had no idea where Mandrakk came from, or what his relationship to the Darkseid storyline might be. Vandal Savage and Superboy Prime appear as villains, too, so it seemed to me that Final Crisis was at least four separate but simultaneous crises.

Your synopsis helps. I didn't know any of Libra's backstory, so I found myself wondering who he was supposed to be, and whether he'd ultimately be revealed as someone that I have heard of, or something. I also hadn't realized that the Omega Sanction could send someone back in time, so that bit with Batman was *really* confusing.

I kinda thought that Grant Morrison was making some kind of point about stories, and how a story universe that is truly in crisis is one where the plot is a muddled, jumbled mess and nothing makes much sense. Superman's deus ex machina Miracle-Machine-wish-granter-thing restores the integrity of the universe by turning it back into a place about which intelligible stories can be told.

Juniper wrote:

Did you read this? Can you tell me what the hell happened?

I've read the main series. It is one of the most hideous books I've ever read. And I have read a lot.

I like Grant. I get that he likes to go off on his little weird tangents. And sometimes he manages to keep himself in check (most of his run on New X-Men was quite good). But whomever handed him the keys to the DCU should be shot.

It is a convoluted mess.

I did like the idea of a bullet being shot back in time to kill a new god, but besides that the rest was mind blowing horrid.

Shellhead wrote:

*****SPOILERS GALORE*****

For clarity's sake, just read comics written by Grant Morrison.

Must read:

Final Crisis #1-7
Final Crisis: Submit
Superman Beyond #1-2

Optional read:

Batman #682-683
Mister Miracle #1-4 (from the excellent Seven Soldiers meta-series)
Final Crisis Sketchbook

Extremely optional read:

everything else with Final Crisis in the title.
Justice League #21

DO NOT READ:
Death of the New Gods
Countdown to Final Crisis

There was a war beyond human perception, an apocalyptic clash between Good and Evil that destroyed the Fourth World, including Apokolips and New Genesis. Like fallen angels, Darkseid and his inner circle of followers came to Earth, taking refuge in various human bodies which could only temporarily contain their energies. The sheer weight of Darkseid's power and evil had the force of a singularity, gradually slowing down time on Earth and isolating it from the rest of the Universe.

Meanwhile, outside of the 52 realities that make up the current DCU, a group of cosmic entities known as the Monitors are corrupted from within, as one of their number falls under the evil influence of Mandrakk, the Black Judge of Evil, an evil beyond imagining who is draining all of creation like a vampire. His Monitor lackey exiles another Monitor to a mundane life on Earth-0 (the current default setting of the DC Universe).

Darkseid sends forth an evil herald named Libra, an obscure supervillain who possesses all of the powers of the classic Justice League, though 50% weaker. Libra recruits an army of super-villains, either through straightforward recruiting, or direct control under Justifier helmets of Fourth World tech. Wonder Woman is captured and used as a vector to spread virus that cancels out superhuman powers. Possibly she was chosen because of her origin from divine clay... writer Grant Morrison has previously advanced the idea of clay as a missing link between animate and inanimate forms.

Through use of Fourth World technology, Darkseid inflicted a technological virus upon at least half the human race in a matter of minutes, spreading the overwhelming despair and subjugation of the Anti-Life Equation. This put 3 billion humans under the direct physical and mental control of Darkseid, and finally restored this classic villain to an appropriate level of grandeur, as half of humanity repeated his words in perfect synch:

"When I make a fist to crush your resistance, IT IS WITH THREE BILLION HANDS! When I stare into your eyes and shatter your dreams and break your heart, IT IS WITH SIX BILLION EYES! I will take you to a Hell without exit or end, and there I will murder your souls, and make you crawl and beg. AND DIE! DIE! DIE FOR DARKSEID!"

Earth's heroes are overwhelmed. Many fall in direct combat, only to join the forces of Evil under the sway of Justifier helmets. Batman is captured as a potential host for Darkseid. Green Lantern is framed for assault and brought to trial before the Guardians of the Universe. Civilization collapses around the world. Green Lantern beats the rap and mobilizes the entire Green Lantern Corps to save the Earth.

Superman disappears on a mysterious mission with a rogue Monitor and several other Superman types from alternate realities, including a Captain Marvel (Earth-5), an evil Superman (Ultraman), a nazi Superman, and an obvious imitation of Doctor Manhatten of the Watchmen. They battle Mandrakk and his minions, then Superman travels to the 31st Century to get an X-Ray look at a Miracle Machine guarded closely by his old ally Brainiac-5, of the Legion of Superheroes. Captain Marvel travels across the Multiverse recruiting the Superman analogue of every reality, including one that seems to be Barack Obama. (I am serious.)

Back on Earth, Evil triumphs. But Batman escapes, and with the help of multiple Flashes, kills Darkseid. However, he is apparently slain by Darkseid's Omega Sanction eyebeams. Superman reconstructs the Miracle Machine and makes a mighty wish: a happy ending for everybody. Mandrakk arrives to destroy everyone and everything, only to battle a battalion of Supermen. The Green Lantern Corps finally arrive and drive a gigantic stake of green light through Mandrakk's heart. At the close of the story, there is a glimpse of Batman in a prehistoric setting, as he was actually exiled to another time and place by Darkseid, just as Darkseid once did to a young hero of the Fourth World. The end.

The story is quite challenging to read, due to the amazing density of concepts and some artwork that wasn't quite specific enough to convey Grant Morrison's wild imaginings. There is some interesting meta-commentary on fans, critics, editors, the media, the internet and the entire concept of stories themselves. And in the middle of it all is Grant's ongoing fascination with the weirdest ideas currently floating about in modern scientific circles. Best of all, there are many Wow moments that will stay with the reader long after the comics have been read. Truly breath-taking, inspiring either high praise or frantic anger in fans and critics alike.

Great commentary. The thing about Grant for me, is that I usually get what he is going for, but in this case it just seemed to be dense for density's sake, and the story itself was just lost.

Meta commentary may be interesting and what not but if the story doesn't work, what is the point? To me, it was just a horrific mess. It seems to me like he just tried to pack all of his weird ideas into a mini. Take all the basic themes of the Invisibles, add in Seven Soldiers and then make it work in the span of a mini. It just didn't work for me at all. Invisbles had time to gestate, grow and ooze. Even Seven Soldiers, while suffering from some of these issues, had enough room to breath. This was just too much in too little space for me.