Identity Crisis (2005)

Beautiful build up, new POV, well drawn, but weak revelation/climax. ( )

STORYLINE: Someone is hunting and killing the family members of Justice League superheros. Their secret identities are no longer keeping their loved ones safe, despite the moral bonds seven of them have broken over time to keep those identities secret. The plot follows hunting the murderer, with equal weight given to the morality of this League within the League.

ART: Classic colours tending towards the dark, noir tones. The drawing are detailed, intricate in spots, and add dimension. ( )

(Warning: review contains spoilers.)

I knew nothing at all about this going into it; I found it at the library, mistakenly assumed from the title that it was one of DC's periodic let's-retcon-the-uni/multiverse series, and decided to give it a shot.

It ain't perfect. You need to suspend your disbelief to the breaking point to buy several of the plot developments, including the final explanation. For once, I found that I was pulled along enough to ignore the inconsistent and nonsensical bits, but I wouldn't blame anybody else for not being able to.

Between Sue's death and her rape, women-in-refrigerators would seem to be in play, though one might argue that offing Robin's dad and Captain Boomerang—yes, I think both count—provides gender parity there. Still, it would have been nice had there been a strong, well-rounded, non-insane female character in the book who didn't die in the first chapter. In particular, Zantanna might have been used as more than a plot device.

Still... if you can get past all that, it's an engaging read, the art is excellent, and it adds some nice shades of gray to the goody-goody Justice League. ( )

Really surprised to see the love/hate thing going on for this one but I guess it's one of those "say anything you want about me just spell my name right" things. It was a big event and a lot of stories fed off it. I haven't read any of the other stories (though I have on in my bag waiting) but this one was fun for me. There was suspense, action, mystery, moral dilema's, murder and yes rape.

Some people complained about it being too adult, too dark etc... but really that's what I want in a comic. I don't want to read Robin saying "Golly gee Batman...". So yes this one's not for the kiddies but really much the writing today really isn't. Maybe some comics just hide it better, like the sexual innuendo in Shrek, so that the kids just don't get it.

I loved both the teamwork and the division between the superheroes. I liked the glimpse into the "day in the life of a super villian". I liked them making fun of the Calculator's old costume. Lots of cool stuff and that's not even mentioning the killer art.

So if you're a purist or squeamish you might want to avoid this one. Otherwise dig in and have fun with it. ( )

I used to be big into comics years ago, even had my own mail order business I attempted to start up when the internet was in it's infancy. I've since fallen out of the industry and have fallen way behind on my story lines. I've since been trying to pick up some trade paperbacks to try and get caught up. I've yet to read any of Brad Meltzer's novels, though I've got a few on the shelf and am looking forward to getting to them some day soon, so when I saw this story I was excited to get into it.

I wasn't disappointed, here was a story that held me entranced throughout and I finished this in one sitting. The artwork was superb and as with most comics, enhanced the story, set the pacing, built the suspense and entertained in it's own way. The problem I had with this book were of my own creation. I was too far out of the stories to truely understand what was going on or why. While this is a standalone series and I didn't need to keep up with the characters, I really felt no sympathy for them either. Most of the characters that starred in this, were side characters in series that I didn't follow before anyway. The ones I enjoyed back in the day, were really sideline characters in this one, so in that I was a bit disappointed, but as I said that was my failing no the authors.

If you enjoy comics and even have a passing interest in the characters and story, pick this up it will be worth it. ( )