DCU Comic Book Reviews

FINAL CRISIS #6

How To Murder Earth

January 2009

Written by Grant Morrison

Pencils by J. G. Jones, Carlos Pacheco, Doug Mahnke

Inks by J. G. Jones, Marco Rudy, Jesus Merino, Christian Almay

Covers by J. G. Jones and Carlos Pacheco & Jesus Merino

Synopsis

In the future, Brainiac 5 shows Superman the Miracle Machine to help repair the fabric of time caused by the Crisis occurring in the present day.  On Earth, the Justice League prepare to fight back when suddenly the Watchtower is attacked.  In Bludhaven, the fight continues.  With the help of Black Adam, Captain Marvel is able to subdue Mary Marvel by using the lighting to removed the power of the Gods as Tawky Tawny defeats Kalibak and earns the servitude of Kalibak’s followers.  At Checkmate, Mr. Terrific informs Mister Miracle of the final plan, if the heroes should fall.  Elsewhere, AManda Waller shows the plan to Renee Monotoya where she learn she has been picked to be the leader of the Global Peace Agency on another world.  On the Watchtower, the League battles the Justifiers.  Elsewhere, Libra reveals he knows Lex Luthor betrayed him.  With Sivana’s help, Lex Luthor kills LIbra.  Meanwhile, Barry Allen and Wally West prepare to outrace the Black Racer.  Batman appears before Darkseid with a gun and the bullet that killed Orion.  Batman fires his gun just as Darksied unleashes his Omega beam.  The bullet kills Darkseid; the beam kills Batman.  Outside, the skies turn red and destruction reigns.  It is Superman, tearing the world apart in his grief as he holds the lifeless body of Batman.  

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

“I made a very solemn vow about firearms. But for you, I'm making a once-in-a-lifetime exception.  A gun and a bullet, Darkseid. It was your idea.”

This was another superb issue; I am really digging this mini-series.  Each issue keeps getting better and better.  The plot comes more into focus with this issue as we get into the meat of not only the central conflict but we also get a number of excellent fight scenes.  Yet, this is not an issue of a big fight featuring tons of DC characters; there are a lot of cool ideas and wonderful moments as well.  We get the red skies.  We get the Flashes getting set for another run.  Tawky Tawny vs. Kalibak.  Batman vs. Darskeid.  Checkmate’s plans for Montoya.  At the same time, the tone of this issue is dark and foreboding; I loved how the people were speaking as one in the voice of Darkseid.  This is the moment that Morrison has been building up to and it works beautifully. 

The only drawback to this issue is with the art as penciller Doug Mahnke and inker Christian Almay are added to the list of artists to create a mish mash of styles.  Moreover, the art is beginning to look a little rushed (Why is Mister Miracle white?  Why does Montoya have white hair?  Is the colorist not given enough time to do his job?).  The art is not as bad as it was for Infinite Crisis, but it slowly getting worse and worse.  The best pages were the ending, provided by Doug Mahnke, who probably have more time than Jones and Pacheco.  Next issue is all Mahnke; hopefully it will not only be consistent, but well drawn. 

I am also not sure about the scene with the Japanese Super Young Team as they each declare feelings for each other but don’t, you know, actually express them.  Morrison is making some kind of statement with this scene, but for the life of me I can’t figure it out.  Is this a comment about how super heroes comics are more concerned with fights than romance?  Is this a comment about Japanese magna, which I wouldn’t understand because I don’t read that stuff?  Whatever it was, it was an odd moment that didn’t quite fit in with the rest of the book. 

As for the death of Batman, I am thinking that the Batman we saw is actually some type of clone.  The one thing everyone always says that Batman as an indomitable will.  I think it is within the realm of possibility that atman could foist his will on a clone in order to kill Darkseid.  Plus, this plot device could also explain away the use of the gun; it wasn’t really Batman so therefore he never really sued a gun.  And, of course, it allows DC to bring Batman with an easy explanation n how to bring him back. 

It is interesting to not how the Marvel family played such a big role in the defeat of the New Gods, from Freddie saving Mary from Desaad’s possession to Talky Tawny defeating Kalibak, and Sivana helping to defeat Libra.  I am curious if this was meant to be some kind of comments about the Silver Age goody goodness of the Marvel family in relation to the obscenity of the Apokoliptan Gods.  Or maybe I am just reading too much into it. 

Based on this issue, I am beginning to think that Resist never really happened.  Not only is there no reference made to the OMACs or the resistance set up by Mr. Terrific, but the containment suit worn by Snapper Carr in Resist is not needed by the Checkmate cast when they come out to find the Super Young Team. 

Comic Connection

The opening pages take place after Superman Beyond and Legion Of Three Worlds, two mini-series that have yet to be finished.  I think the second issue of Superman Beyond is set to be released next week; I am not sure when the Legion is supposed to come out.  The scene at the end with Darkseid and Batman occurs after Batman, issue #683, which came out a week ago or so.

 

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