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It's taken a while, but for better or worse Infinite Crisis is here. Personally I think it's for the better. It's difficult to say that with a lot of conviction after just one issue, but the groundwork that has been laid in all the different titles (many limited series) leads me to believe that the results of Infinite Crisis will not be something easily ignored. I'll do my best to talk about the first issue without any major spoilers, but be cautioned I will mention elements (and I'll have a quote near the end).
First, I must say that DC has made an excellent choice in who is handling this title. Outside of having your choice of covers for each issue being done by Jim Lee or George Perez (I'll be getting all the Perez covers myself), you've got Geoff Johns doing the writing and Phil Jimenez doing the pencils of the title. I think that is an excellent way of not only paying homage to the work Marv Wolfman and George Perez did on Crisis on Infinite Earths, but it's also a way of making sure that the "quality" bar wasn't lowered for Infinite Crisis in comparison to the original crisis.
With that said, let's go on to the content of the story. Very quickly it is established that the universe and Earth are slowly getting out of control. Villains and OMACs are running amok on the Earth, and the center of the universe is no longer Oa, it's a tear in reality that is radiating destruction. Then, to top it all off, the JLA is lying in ruins (figuratively and literally). Overall things aren't looking good. Of course, if you look back at the original crisis things didn't look good back then either. As before the villains are causing more problems than they are worth, but unlike before our main core of heroes isn't from different Earths. That would be a good thing, if they could work together at all.
As the Earth's heroes branch out across the Earth and universe they're losing their connections to each other. The fallout of Identity Crisis and many other happenings has driven a rift between some friends, and what looks like a loss of purpose is causing others to turn their backs on what they do if not at least question why they do it. The most noticeable problem? The "big three," Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman have become disconnected. They're each fighting, but they're fighting alone even while standing together.
A majority of the first issue is dedicated to these three heroes talking on the moon trying to figure out how things have reached the point they have. Yet, everyone seems to be doing it in a manner that is mostly passive-aggressive (heavy on the aggressive). Superman seems lost, Batman is overly paranoid and Wonder Woman is reminding the men that she is an Amazon first and foremost. As time goes on it becomes clear that these heroes have lost their patience, with their teammates and mostly themselves. I believe that this will become a major point as the title moves forward.
Within this first issue we see (in as little as three panels) that it has fallen to the younger generations of heroes to do the work that their adult counterparts won't do, or perhaps can't do. Three generations of heroes working at once, and only the younger two with any semblance of being effective. There was a time before the original crisis that youthful heroes grew up and followed in the footsteps of their mentors and parents. Now, their adult counterparts won't let them do that (or DC won't I should say). How fitting that the man that has written the one title where true mentoring has been happening (JSA) is writing Infinite Crisis. I don' think that's luck.
As I read this first issue I wasn't sure if I was reading about chaos for the characters and them questioning and losing their way, or if I was reading about DC doing self reflection. I am VERY well known for over analyzing things, but if you look at what is happening in the pages of Infinite Crisis and place it in the context of DC's writers/artists/etc. impression on the world, it actually applies. The oldest in the biz (JSA) are working to keep the youth (Teen Titans and Outsiders) connected, but the generation between the youth and the eldest (JLA) have become disconnected, they're doing what they think is right but they're losing themselves in the process.
I was hit with this "connection" when I read the most impacting statement in the issue (and probably one of the most impacting statements I have read in a comic in quite some time). After each of the big three points out to the others their faults Batman turns to Superman and says, "EVERYONE looks up to you. They listen to you. If you tell them to fight, they'll FIGHT. But they need to be INSPIRED, and let's face it, 'Superman' . . . the last time you really inspired ANYONE . . . was when you were DEAD." Angry words. Harsh words. But most unfortunate is that they were truthful words.
The heroes have lost their way. The heroes have lost their ability to inspire. This is true of the universe that DC created, and may also be true of the real world we all live in. What can these heroes do to fix the situation? What can DC do to fix the situation? Look to the best. Look to those that have inspired. Look to the originals. If you can't find them, then look at their work (check out the backup story in Legion of Super-Heroes #11 and you'll get an idea of what I mean).
Whether the DC heroes want it or not, the help they need is on the way. The question is how will they react to it? I'm not sure, but I have a feeling it's not going to be pretty at the start. However, no matter what happens when the dust settles the DC universe will have changed. I just hope that it will be a place where the heroes remember why they do what they do and can inspire the youth of the DC universe and the real world to look up to them again.
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