Infinite Crisis 4b NM Geoff Johns Phil Jimenez DC George Perez Cover Jamie Reyes

Description

Infinite Crisis (2005) #4B

Published Mar 2006 by DC
Infinite Crisis (part 4)
George Perez Cover
Written by Geoff Johns
Art by Phil Jimenez & Andy Lanning, George Pérez & Jerry Ordway
40 pg, Full Color

The Crisis continues to explode across the DCU as a great power is unleashed. But whose side is it on? Witness a shocking confrontation between Batman and Nightwing, a vicious battle that threatens to tear the heroes of the DCU further apart, and a startling change to the recently deceased. Plus, guest appearances by more characters than we can list! Issue 4 of 7.

As the true menace of the Crisis becomes clearer, the personal stakes are raised. Batman finally gains a tiny bit of resolution, Alexander Luthor’s machinations come to fruition and we discover why Bludhaven will be a very different town One Year Later. Jimenez (with an assist from Perez and Reis) knocks this one out of the park. Just when I thought I was in a comfort zone with this series, Jimenez delivers a series of pages that popped my mind.

This most recent issue of Infinite Crisis–the one where, as Geoff Johns described on Wordballoon, “things go nuclear”–is my favorite so far in terms of “stuff happening”; only now do I feel like the plot has really started moving. We understand now the “hows” of everything Alexander Luthor has been planning, if not necessarily the “whys.” I’m glad to see all of the Countdown miniseries tied together, even Day of Vengeance, and the suggestion that the heroes will become more pro-active now, lead by Batman, portends good things for the rest of the series.

There was a lot of great stuff here, almost on every page–dropping Chemo on Bludhaven, Crispus Allen becoming the Spectre, learning how all four Countdown miniseries finally tie in, a big shocking fight scene, and the return of Barry Allen and Max Mercury.

I was glad to see that it doesn’t look like Wally West died, or, at least, I don’t think he did. That his whole family was pulled into the Speed Force suggests Wally will be back; that’s too big of a plot point to just let go. Personally, I’m very much in favor of Wally keeping on as the Flash; Bart Allen has not been Kid Flash long enough to trade for the red suit. At least if Wally’s gone he has his whole family with him, rather than dying a tragic death a la Barry Allen. I felt it would have been “death for death’s sake” if Wally West died in Infinite Crisis just like Barry did in the original; better that Wally evolve some way, growing perhaps beyond the whole Speed Force set-up.

The character deaths seem to focus on “limbo characters,” be it Phantom Lady before or Pantha, Red Star, and Baby Wildebeest now. At the same time, these were shocking deaths, and deaths of characters I cared for (hey, everybody has to be somebody’s favorite), so in terms of adding emotional punch to the series, the deaths suceeded. And I did think that the extreme violence in this issue lent a seriousness to Infinite Crisis that puts it on par with Identity Crisis; in specific, Superboy’s ripping Risk’s arm off was a frightening moment, and I hope that Geoff actually revisits Risk down the road, showing what happens to him, rather than let it be for shock value only. With these deaths, DC shows that it means business, and I welcome it even as I’m concerned who else will be killed in the last half of the series.

Though it seems extreme that it should take four issues for all the players to be gathered, I’m looking forward to issue five for the game to finally begin. Infinite Crisis doesn’t read like a story to me the same way that Identity Crisis did, but there were some nice character moments that made it worth while. Here’s looking forward to issue five, the one that’s rumored to be so big, it launches us all one year later.

Near mint, 1st print. Bagged & Boarded.