Final Crisis #1 Slugfest

[Thom Young]

Great slugfest, guys!

Not really. It hasn't been posted yet.

However, I had to cut 920 words from my review--and, rather than letting all that work and those wonderful words go to waste, I decided to post them here as a sort of "Countdown to Final Crisis Sunday Slugfest" prequel.

So here they are (with a few more words added, of course):

I’ll state here what I’m sure many fans have already started complaining about (I’ve avoided reading any other reviews or message board discussions, so I’m not positive that this is a complaint but I imagine it is): Was there any coordination at all between the three series (Countdown, Death of the New Gods, and Final Crisis)?

Maybe we’re just seeing parallel universe versions of Orion’s demise in each series (I offer, facetiously).

For those who haven’t been following all of the intricacies of Orion’s death, which included me up to an hour ago (at the time I originally wrote this sentence on Friday), here’s a brief summary:

In Death of the New Gods #6 (or was it #7?), Orion was killed by Infinity Man. His ghost was then brought back by The Source to battle Darkseid in Death of the New Gods #8. Essentially, the ghost of Orion was an unthinking agent of The Source who seemed more like a zombie than a sentient soul. This ghost or re-animated shell of Orion battled Darkseid as a faux fulfillment of the prophecy that Jack Kirby set up 36 years ago in New Gods.

I should point out that Superman witnessed Orion’s death as well as his resurrection as a non-sentient ghost, or soulless zombie (or whatever the un-dead Orion was supposed to be). Superman also watched Orion-zombie’s battle with Darkseid. This point is important: Superman witnessed these events.

Anyway, after the non-resolution to that Orion vs. Darkseid conflict, The Source merged the planets of New Genesis and Apokolips into a Yin-Yang planet while Orion’s ghost or zombie shuffled off (presumably) to wherever ghosts or zombies shuffle off to when they’re no longer needed. Superman then flew off to Earth.

Inexplicably, a very-much-alive version of Orion then showed up in Countdown to Final Crisis #2 to battle Darkseid in the streets of Metropolis--as a faux fulfillment of the prophecy that Jack Kirby set up 36 years ago in New Gods.

Watching from a nearby skyscraper is Superman (and other assorted heroes), and he doesn’t mention that he already witnessed this same scene play out at the Source Wall. In fact, Superman is not at all taken aback by Orion being alive and once again battling Darkseid.

Of course, this might be a parallel Earth version of Superman, Orion, and Darkseid (I facetiously offer).

Anyway, at the end of Countdown to Final Crisis #2, Orion seemingly kills Darkseid and then crawls off into a pile of rubble--seemingly to die from the injuries he suffered in his battle with Darkseid (since, you know, he was already supposed to be dead anyway).

Now we have Final Crisis #1, which shows Dan Turpin (one of Kirby’s original characters from New Gods) finding Orion lying in a pile of rubble--supposedly soon after we saw him at the end of Countdown to Final Crisis #2. Not surprisingly, Orion is dying.

However, before succumbing to the Black Racer (the Angel of Death for the New Gods who is hovering in the sky over Turpin’s shoulder), Orion makes some cryptic statements to Turpin, “Heaven cracked and broken . . . you! / They did not die! He is in you all . . . fight.”

And with those words, Orion dies.

Again.

Finally.

Maybe.

To be determined.

Oh, I should mention here that the Black Racer was one of the first New Gods to die in Death of the New Gods, so how he manages to be hovering around to collect Orion’s soul is another continuity mystery.

It’s also worth noting that Superman and the rest of the Justice League learn from Green Lantern (John Stewart) that Orion has been . . . murdered . . . by an unknown assailant (though presumably an “evil god” from Apokolips).

Murdered? I thought he died from his wounds after battling Darkseid. Or maybe he died at the hands of Infinity Man who was being manipulated by The Source.

What’s more, the Guardians of the Universe are having the Alpha Lanterns investigate this crime of deicide. I don’t recall any such interest from the Guardians after Lightray was “murdered” at the beginning of Countdown, and the Guardians showed no interest at all in the Death of the New Gods series.

Finally, Superman doesn’t pipe up at any point here to say:

Wait a minute! I already saw Orion die at the hands of Infinity Man. I then saw him as a zombie battling Darkseid at the Source Wall. I then saw a non-dead (as opposed to an un-dead) Orion battle Darkseid again in the streets of Metropolis--after which I saw him crawl off to die in a pile of rubble (which I, Superman, did nothing about).

Obviously, the continuity between Final Crisis #1, Death of the New Gods, and Countdown to Final Crisis #2 is a mess. It’s almost as if everything has been re-set back to the beginning of Countdown where there was the mystery of Lightray's death--and that neither of the two “lead-in series” actually mattered or had anything to do with what Morrison was planning.

Or maybe it’s all explained by the notion that these separate series showed parallel universe versions of similar events.

Or maybe there’s simply no one at DC bothering to coordinate anything in these separate series that are supposed to all tie together.

Or maybe Morrison never wanted those other series to lead into what he was planning, and so he simply chose to ignore them and write the story the way he wanted to do it.

If that’s the case--that Morrison chose to ignore the lead-in series that he had no part in--then the pertinent question is: How does this issue work as something separate from all the hyped-up events and series that DC pushed in an attempt to bilk as much money as they could from readers eager to have everything associated with Morrison’s story?

[See my review in today’s “Sunday Slugfest: Final Crisis.”]

[Dave Wallace]

Originally Posted by Thom Young

I’ll state here what I’m sure many fans have already started complaining about (I’ve avoided reading any other reviews or message board discussions, so I’m not positive that this is a complaint but I imagine it is): Was there any coordination at all between the three series (Countdown, Death of the New Gods, and Final Crisis)?

... maybe it’s all explained by the notion that these separate series showed parallel universe versions of similar events.

Or maybe there’s simply no one at DC bothering to coordinate anything in these separate series that are supposed to all tie together.

Or maybe Morrison never wanted those other series to lead into what he was planning, and so he simply chose to ignore them and write the story the way he wanted to do it.

If that’s the case--that Morrison chose to ignore the lead-in series that he had no part in--then the pertinent question is: How does this issue work as something separate from all the hyped-up events and series that DC pushed in an attempt to bilk as much money as they could from readers eager to have everything associated with Morrison’s story?

It doesn't line up with those prior events (like "Countdown" and "Death of the New Gods") at all, as far as I can tell.

I recently read an interesting interview with Morrison in which he talks about the first script for Final Crisis being written in 2006, and how DC have essentially fumbled the lead-up to the event by overusing the New Gods (which he asked them not to touch before he reintroduced them in Final Crisis) and failing to ensure that the continuity of the current DCU lines up with the start of Final Crisis.

Originally Posted by Grant Morrison

Back in 2006, I requested a moratorium on the New Gods so that I could build up some foreboding and create anticipation for their return in a new form … instead, the characters were passed around like hepatitis B to practically every writer at DC to toy with as they pleased, which, to be honest, makes it very difficult for me to reintroduce them with any sense of novelty, mystery or grandeur. So in cases like this, where fellow creators have overlooked my carefully established additions to DC continuity or ignored my pleas to hold certain characters in reserve, my intention is to follow the through-line I’ve established in my own work so that there’s at least some long-term consistency.

Here's the link.

Originally Posted by Thom Young

However, before succumbing to the Black Racer (the Angel of Death for the New Gods who is hovering in the sky over Turpin’s shoulder),

Ah, that's who that was! I was wondering.

As for Final Crisis #1 itself, as much as I didn’t think the issue was a particularly dazzling opener (not to give too much away, but I awarded it 3 bullets), I don’t understand why some people have had such an extremely negative reaction to it, either. I really don’t feel as though there’s enough there to write the book off just yet. Of course, I don't feel that there's enough there to make it really enjoyable, either...

[Jim Beard]

Seriously - I'm putting Countdown behind me forever...like Satan.

That way lies madness. And as of FC1, I am done with it. It didn't matter then and it doesn't matter now. I won't let it impact my comic reading any more, nor my enjoyment of anything going forward.

Opinions may vary and I respect that.

Jim

[Thom Young]

Originally Posted by Dave Wallace

It doesn't line up with those prior events (like "Countdown" and "Death of the New Gods") at all, as far as I can tell.

I recently read an interesting review with Morrison in which he talks about the first script for Final Crisis being written in 2006, and how DC have essentially fumbled the lead-up to the event by overusing the New Gods (which he asked them not to touch before he reintroduced them in Final Crisis) and failing to ensure that the continuity of the current DCU lines up with the start of Final Crisis.



Here's the link.

Exactly.

Originally Posted by Dave Wallace

As for Final Crisis #1 itself, as much as I didn’t think the issue was a particularly dazzling opener (not to give too much away, but I awarded it 3 bullets), I don’t understand why some people have had such an extremely negative reaction to it, either. I really don’t feel as though there’s enough there to write the book off just yet. Of course, I don't feel that there's enough there to make it really enjoyable, either...

I gave it three bullets after my first reading.

I gave it four bullets after my second reading.

I have it four and a half bullets after my third reading.

I then read it a fourth time but kept my score at four and a half bullets.

After the reviews come out and you see why I gave it such a glowing review, ask me why I didn't give it five bullets.

I didn't get around to going into that because that would have just added 900+ words into the review after I trimmed the review at Keith's request.

[Dave Wallace]

Originally Posted by Thom Young

I gave it three bullets after my first reading.

I gave it four bullets after my second reading.

I have it four and a half bullets after my third reading.

I then read it a fourth time but kept my score at four and a half bullets.

After the reviews come out and you see why I gave it such a glowing review, ask me why I didn't give it five bullets.

I also would have given it a lower score if I had reviewed it after just one reading. But I read it a second and third time and enjoyed it a little more. I couldn't decided whether to award it 3 or 3-and-a-half bullets, but I certainly don't think I'd give it any more than that.

But let's wait for the slugfest to be posted before we start discussing the reasons why.

[kpowers70]

It's late because of me , sorry.

I also cut a lot down and stopped myself from a repeat of my Indiana Jones Review only because this would have been more of a rant.

I read it three or four times and couldn't enjoy it.

I mean, we'll get into the theories discussion after the sluggie, I'm sure. But come on, this issue sucks.

[Thom Young]

No, this was the best superhero comic I've read in a long time--aside from All-Star Superman.

[Dave Wallace]

It's up: http://www.comicsbulletin.com/review...3391049363.htm

[Dave Wallace]

Originally Posted by Kevin

While there wasn't really a big "blockbuster" story-arc from Marvel last summer...

That would be World War Hulk.

Originally Posted by Thom

Still, if the Neanderthal attacking Anthro's tribe is Vandar Adg (Vandal Savage, who appears later in the story in his current guise with the Society of Super-Villains), then the sub-textual play on words is there to enjoy.

I believe that Morrison and/or Jones has/have confirmed that it is Vandal Savage in those pages.

[kpowers70]

Originally Posted by Dave Wallace

That would be World War Hulk.

Was that last summer? June 13th, 2007 ... okay, so I forgot about World War Hulk... and I really liked WWH too... but then again it was up against the Sinestro Corps War.