DC Comics reviews 8/2/22 – Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #3, Batman #126
Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #3
It feels like there’s a wide chasm between the DC writers who graduated with honors and got their masters in DC lore and their counterparts who have a passing familiarity with characters and want to just write them in their style anyway.
Fortunately, Joshua Williamson is the former and it’s making Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths a rewarding read. One that honors what’s occurred through the various iterations of the DCU.
That’s evident early one with something so small as a panel where Roy Harper and Jason Todd reconnect, a simple yet effective callback to the Red Hood and the Outlaws days. Or a reference to Terrifics Island as a nod to the short-lived, but enjoyable The Terrifics series.
Williamson is capturing the spirit of the great DC events of old. Heroes clash over differing philosophies instead of outright fighting each other. Not everyone is on the same page and it makes for fascinating interaction allowing readers to decide who’s right.
Kudos to Williamson for tying in other comics and story events seemingly on the fly. DC writers built a litany of stories in setting up Infinite Crisis so when it came together it felt like a well-executed plan coming to fruition.
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Dark Crisis hasn’t enjoyed that level of symmetry — see Batman still operating in Gotham, Wonder Woman flying tall in her title, etc. — but as a self-contained read, Williamson is making everything relevant.
Daniel Sampere, with ink assists from Daniel Henriques and Danny Miki, is delivering his career best work as the lead artist.
Sampere is packing panels with detail and various little Easter Eggs to make Dark Crisis look like a major event that would make original Crisis artist George Perez proud.
Alejandro Sanchez’s color work is just as impactful and vibrant reflecting the various energy blasts and great darkness effects emerging on the page.
There’s been a lot of cynicism over Dark Crisis and its new title, but Williamson, Sampere and the rest of the creative team are clearly doing their best to make this an event that is fondly remembered for years to come.
Rating: 10 out of 10