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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
I've noticed something with Justice League stories, and that's that they have as good a chance as going bad as being good. Of course this all depends on the writer, but it is understandable that writing a compelling story with a large cast of characters is a difficult task.
Identity Crisis is one of those failures. Let's forget the fact that the title has absolutely nothing to do with this story (back stories within the story, yes, but not THIS story). Why don't we look at the idiotic "shock-value" tactics used by the writer (Brad Meltzer, who isn't even a freakin' coming book writer! I wonder who he screwed to get a story in this market). Let's see, there's the revelation that Dr. Light isn't really a comic-relief character, but actually a magically-lobotomized psychopathic rapist. There's also the unexplained murder of Tim Drake's father, Jack. There's the turning of Green Arrow from a liberal vigilante, to a Clint Eastwood-esque pessimistic antihero. There's a dumbass Superman. And lastly, there's the VERY ANTI-CLIMATIC RESOLUTION!
Maybe I'd be fine with all this if every (or most of the) events were executed well enough, but they aren't. Every one of them is literally thrown in with a poor narration.
This comic sucks by a long shot. I know there have been a fair amount of bad JLA graphic novels (cough cough Countdown), but this ranks among the higher of them. I will commend the artwork, but as I suggested with my review for ASBAR, good artwork isn't worth a horrible story.
Identity Crisis is one of those failures. Let's forget the fact that the title has absolutely nothing to do with this story (back stories within the story, yes, but not THIS story). Why don't we look at the idiotic "shock-value" tactics used by the writer (Brad Meltzer, who isn't even a freakin' coming book writer! I wonder who he screwed to get a story in this market). Let's see, there's the revelation that Dr. Light isn't really a comic-relief character, but actually a magically-lobotomized psychopathic rapist. There's also the unexplained murder of Tim Drake's father, Jack. There's the turning of Green Arrow from a liberal vigilante, to a Clint Eastwood-esque pessimistic antihero. There's a dumbass Superman. And lastly, there's the VERY ANTI-CLIMATIC RESOLUTION!
Maybe I'd be fine with all this if every (or most of the) events were executed well enough, but they aren't. Every one of them is literally thrown in with a poor narration.
This comic sucks by a long shot. I know there have been a fair amount of bad JLA graphic novels (cough cough Countdown), but this ranks among the higher of them. I will commend the artwork, but as I suggested with my review for ASBAR, good artwork isn't worth a horrible story.
http://bestcomicsquest.blogspot.com/2011/09/identity-crisis.html
Packs a huge, emotional wallop. Enough for me to excuse the pre-New 52 expansive, vast mythology Meltzer and co are drawing on. This is really good.
A really good series. It was to see the different perspectives.
There isn't a superhero graphic novel like this, as far as I have read into the DCU. Brad Meltzer writes a great mystery that, even during my second reading, left me stumped and when I finally discovered the answer I was shocked and disturbed in a way that I usually don't feel at the end of most superhero books.
Identity Crisis took the superhero characters that so many people had grown up with and, I believe, added a dimension to the world that hadn't existed before. I would advise the reader that if they have problems with rape scenes in stories this book may not be for you. The level of violence, or perhaps closeness to the characters is shocking, but it helps the reader reevaluate the superhero identity. These characters become people again, vulnerable human beings with problems who don't always make great choices.
Books like this need to be more frequent in the superhero genre, because they're a reminder that these characters are still human beings and not cartoon characters. And perhaps when they suffer unspeakable pain, we the reader might actually feel some too.
Identity Crisis took the superhero characters that so many people had grown up with and, I believe, added a dimension to the world that hadn't existed before. I would advise the reader that if they have problems with rape scenes in stories this book may not be for you. The level of violence, or perhaps closeness to the characters is shocking, but it helps the reader reevaluate the superhero identity. These characters become people again, vulnerable human beings with problems who don't always make great choices.
Books like this need to be more frequent in the superhero genre, because they're a reminder that these characters are still human beings and not cartoon characters. And perhaps when they suffer unspeakable pain, we the reader might actually feel some too.
Found the story both interesting and disturbing. Uses the somewhat misogynist plot contrivance of rallying heroes around a wronged woman, which always bugs, but there were some heavy hitting emotional moments too. I guess I'm just frustrated with any story that's resolved with a heavy handed "wimmins be crazy" explanation.
Is there a level below "utter garbage?" Because this is down there. Just an ugly story... a real shaggy dog of a mystery that leads one direction, then completely shifts direction at the last minute without any lead-up whatsoever. And then, of course, they go the classy route by actually relying on the violent, on-panel rape of a character as a selling point. I still can't believe DC editorial, not to mention their bosses at Time-Warner, actually let this fly. If you're sort of person who actually likes to see beloved icons of childhood treated this way, guess what? You're not coming within a mile of my kid.
Identity Crisis had a lot of characters I hadn't read about yet, even though I was at least aware of several of them. That didn't take away from the story at all. I enjoyed the different perspectives that came up, getting the different views of what was happening. What do the heroes do when their secret identities are compromised and their loved ones are at risk in am extreme credible way? That's what we get here, and beyond that we get a view into some of the difficult decisions that have been made. We get a look at some of that gray morality, doing something that feels wrong to protect others. Emotion came across well through the art, too. It all went together nicely. I'm glad I have this one a shot.
Best-selling thriller author Brad Meltzer writes this tale of the murder of the wife of "second tier" hero Elongated Man (Sue Dibney), and the impact this murder has on the hero's and villains of the DC Comics Universe. The mystery of who killed Sue Dibney isn't really very satisfying, I was disappointed when I found out who did it and why, but the characters reaction to the murder are what matter anyway. Meltzer focuses on the relationships between the hero's and villains and their families and loved ones. How far are the heroes willing to go to protect their families and secret identities when others are threatened and attacked? What have members of the Justice League done in the past to this end and how those actions are impacting today's DC Universe are the interesting parts of the story line. I liked how this story blended the Silver Age of comics and DC's past with the grittier tone that comics take today as well as the way the large cast of characters was handled to make a story that was moving forward without totally disregarding the past.