Identity Crisis #7 - A Review

Written by: Brad Meltzer
Penciled by: Rags Morales
Inked by: Michael Bair
Colored by: Alex Sinclair
Lettered by: Kenny Lopez
Editor: Mike Carling
Publisher: DC Comics

Starman Matt Morrison: Be warned ahead of time. I shall pull no punches and spoilers will be spoken! So have you NOT read this issue of Identity Crisis yet and still do not already know the answer to the question that has rocked the Fandom community for the better part of a year, come no further!

Editor Tim Stevens: It’s Nightwing!

Starman Matt Morrison: What the! Tim, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be interrupting Mathan’s column?

Editor Tim Stevens: Nah. I got bored. Thought I’d see if you got any angry letters from all Mark Millar’s fans for your column last week.

Starman Matt Morrison: Well… you know it ISN’T Nightwing who did it.

Editor Tim Stevens: Yes it is! It just has yet to be revealed that he did it.

Starman Matt Morrison: This was the LAST issue, Tim. I think it’s pretty settled now.

Editor Tim Stevens: That’s what they WANT you to think. All the twists they’ve had so far… all the spin offs they have coming out? You really think it’s over?

Starman Matt Morrison: Yes. Yes I do.

Former Editor Ben Morse: You’re a fool.

Starman Matt Morrison: What the… Ben Morse?

Editor Tim Stevens: Ben? You’re back?

Former Editor Ben Morse: Only for a bit. You see, I know I stopped being Matt’s editor, but I couldn’t help but come back to correct him one more time on this. You see, it isn’t Nightwing who killed Sue Dibny.

Starman Matt Morrison: I know! It was-

Former Editor Ben Morse: It was the Rainbow Raider.

Editor Tim Stevens: What?

Starman Matt Morrison: That doesn’t make any sense! And isn’t the Rainbow Raider dead?

Former Editor Ben Morse: Yeah. I got this straight off the line from my super secret sources at Wizard Magazine (available at all fine comic shops and bookstores everywhere!).

Starman Matt Morrison: Aren’t those the same guys who swore blind three months ago that it was the ghost of Jason Todd back from the dead after an interview with Judd Winick?

Editor Tim Stevens: Lies! Lies and chicanery from all of you! It was Dick Grayson, I tells ya!

Mysterious Scotsman: No, it was Norman Osborn. Because Norman Osborn does EVERYTHING!

Starman Matt Morrison: What the- who the hell are you?

Mysterious Scotsman: I’m Mark Millar, you sad little man!

Starman Matt Morrison: Waaaaaaugh!

Mysterious Scotsman: That was for your column last week.

Editor Tim Stevens: Wow… are those steel-toed boots?

Starman Matt Morrison: ...mommy…

Former Editor Ben Morse: Wait a second! Norman Osborn couldn’t have done it! He’s not in the same universe!

Mysterious Scotsman: Bah! You think such a thing is impossible for Norman Osborn? Inter-dimensional travel would be a piece of cake for the man who invented a time machine just so he could go back and pay Flash Thompson to short-sheet Peter Parker’s bed at summer-camp!

Starman Matt Morrison: … that never… GAAUUUGH!

Mysterious Scotsman: Quiet, you.

Staff Madman Jesse Baker: Actually, you’re all wrong.

Mysterious Scotsman: Who’s this twit?

Editor Tim Stevens: Jesse Baker. The other Comics Nexus loudmouth.

Staff Madman Jesse Baker: That’s right! And here in this sack, I have captured the REAL culprit behind all our problems!

Former Editor Ben Morse:What the- it’s Old Man Winters, who runs the haunted amusement park!

Staff Madman Jesse Baker: No! That’s what they wanted us to think! Pull off the mask, and it’s none other than-

ALL: Brian Michael Bendis?!?!

Brian Michael Bendis: And I would have gotten away with it, if it hadn’t been for Jesse Baker and his magical talking dogs!

Starman Matt Morrison: … so weak…

Looking To The Stars: Who Dun Et, Part Deux

Last week, I talked about the crimes and evidence we had thus far in "Identity Crisis" and discussed the pros and cons of the various theories that have sprung forth involving "Who Dun Et?" I then asked for all of your opinions and theories.

You people are GOOD.

Admittedly, some of the ideas are a little out there but no more so than some of the other theories being tossed around. In fact, your ideas gave me a few more ideas as well. But first things first: viewer mail.

Our first letter comes from Brandon Downard…


I'm going with Maxwell Lord. In the early issues of JL, he had files on every superhero and knew for certain that Jack Ryder and The Creeper were one and the same. I wouldn't put it pass him to know the IDs of most of the DC heroes considering the research he put in them to make the perfect team to protect him for the alien computer. He has the resources to hire Calculator, Boomerang, Bolt, and any one else that he would need.

I think his motive would be the fact that he wants to bring order to the DC and make up for his screw-up JL. He creates this killer to get the superheroes serious about taking down the world's super villains. The heroes get really serious and in short time they put most of the major and minor villains in jail and in the future they'll be more proactive in their work. He had Calculator get Bolt (who looks really good considering the fact that he was eaten to death by ants in SS V. 2 I. 3) to get the Lex Luthor battle suit so that he could frame an already hated man on the ID killings.



Ummm. Dunno how to explain away Bolt's apparent demise. Any chance that he discovered a latent power to talk to ants and commanded them not to eat him and that everyone just THOUGHT he was dead?

No? Oh. Okay then…

Hmmm… Maxwell Lord: the opportunistic millionaire who personally financed the Justice League throughout most of the Justice League Europe and Justice League International days. Well, he'd certainly be morally loose enough to do this and he's the master of Machiavellian schemes.

Still, I don't know if the idea of him wanting to make up for screwing up the Justice League has any merit. Lord was an egomaniac; a reasonable one to be sure, but definitely not one to easily acknowledge his own mistakes. Besides, as of last year's "Formerly Known As The Justice League" story-line, he was still his incorrigible self and hard at work on creating a new low-rent Justice League.

Ironically enough, said team contained Elongated Man, his wife Sue(who was the one truly sane person on the team) and our next suspect, who was suggested in a letter by Andy DiNunzio…



I have an interesting theory as to who did the murders. Booster Gold is one I came up with. He could have all the knowledge as to the identities of the heroes and still found ways to confuse them by the use of Slipknot's noose. Since he originally stole the items from his future to make him a hero, he has the semi-lax moral code. The why is still a mystery. Could be some unrequited love affair with Sue and hatred of the rest of the heroes for treating him as a joke. I can't come up with a decent reason as to the why, but he could definitely make the motive and opportunity.




Hmmm… Booster Gold. The most opportunist, hero-for-hire ever. Well, he IS a sleaze, but hasn't been a killer. He COULD have stolen the equipment to pull off the murders. Heck, Blue Beetle, who he frequently partnered with, probably has a teleporter and flame-thrower in his lab. But as you say, there's no real motive other than him MAYBE being upset for being treated as a joke. But from what I recall of his time in the Justice League, he tended to dismiss all criticism and thought highly enough of himself to off-set everyone else's low opinion of him.

Besides, aside from the superheroes whom had open identities, I can't see ANYONE letting Booster Gold know their secret identity. You think Batman is going to chance a known superhero who craves the spotlight getting anywhere NEAR the Batcave? Or risk the guy just suddenly showing up at Stately Wayne Manor with a bus full of strippers so he can party with his "close personal friend, Bruce?"

And speaking of Batman, Francisco Gonzalez has a theory about the mastermind being someone very close to the Batman Family.


I have a theory about the master-mind that would explain a lot of things, but, given the character, I do not really think it would be "her".

A brief discussion first. So far the suspects fall in one of two categories: a villain seeking revenge or a hero turned traitor (but none of the second have a real strong, personal motive).

The first suspect was Dr. Light, in revenge for what the JL of A did to him. I think that event could be central to the story and not just circumstantial. What if someone is mad at the heroes, not for doing it, but for not doing it "to someone" else?

There are some situations that could be mirrors here: the obvious one is The Calculator to Oracle.

The second one would explain the "need" for the Sue Dinby's rape, as a mirror action to Barbara Gordon's rape in "The Killing Joke". Some readers see that the torture done to her by the Joker amounted to, if not included rape. And even if that is not the case, how could the JL of A have altered the minds of The Wizard, Felix Faust and Dr. Light and let the Joker get a pass?

That would give a motive for the killings. Her knowledge of the super-hero community would allow for opportunity, and she has access to all the resources that she might need. That would explain the bypass of all the security systems and that surely would explain how Dr. Light knew that the JLA was coming for him in Issue #2. She could have warned him once she saw that the JLA was trying to find him and she would have had that information from the Suicide Squad files (were she first started as Oracle).

Dick Grayson will become the decoy and possibly last victim to this. The killings started the anniversary of his parents deaths... and, according to the DC solicitations, Bludhaven is gonna need another protector.



The scary thing, I can SO see this working. One of the biggest blindsides of the DC Comics Universe is that in a world full of amazing technology, people with magical powers and now… the Justice League using their powers to cover up events such as the rape of one of their members as well as altering the minds of criminals who had learned their secret identities… nobody has ever addressed why nobody has ever thought of trying to heal the broken spine of Barbara Gordon.

I can only remember two times that the question was ever addressed. Once, in Grant Morrison's JLA, when the villain Prometheus told Barbara he could heal her if she quit helping the League. She turned him down. The other time was in "Batman: The Chalice", an alternate universe story where Batman becomes protector of the Holy Grail and offers to use it to heal Barbara. She turns him down because she doesn't believe an item that depends on faith will have any effect on a faithless soul like her.

Still, how much time would it take? Call Zatanna, have her say a few magic words and BOOM… Batgirl walks again. Need something more based in reality? Dr. Midnite is an amazing surgeon who has performed miracles in the past. Ditto Mr. Terrific.

Of course Barbara is very strong-willed and would probably reject help from anyone who suggested that she was in anyway incapable of handling herself in her current form. This has been suggested in the past by other Batman fans who said the only reason Barbara hasn't been cured is because, like in The Chalice, she refused to be helped. Problem is, there's been enough stories where they showed her lamenting the loss of her legs to blow that whole "I'm handi-capable" argument to high-heaven. The truth is that there is no reason, other than editorial power insisting that Barbara Gordon remain confined to a wheel-chair, that she SHOULDN'T have been healed by now.

So think about that. She is cheesed off at the superhero community she busts her butt to help that will watch their own backs but not hers. She got her start as the master hacker Oracle as an associate member of Suicide Squad. She'd definitely have the resources to hire several mercenary villains to act on her behalf as well as the knowledge of how to hack the JLA security systems. She definitely knows the secret identities of Superman and Robin. And she'd definitely be able to send everyone on wild good chases as the plan unfolds…

Still, while Babs COULD do this, as Francisco points out, it would be very out of character for her to do something like this. Besides, as this week's "Batman" and "Birds of Prey" (which actually take place AFTER the end of Identity Crisis chronologically) show, Barbara couldn't have done it by sheer dent of being free to fly around the country.

Unless she really IS the mastermind and plotted the downfall of another patsy as she continues to roam free…

Our last letter comes from James Lawson, who had an idea about how a super power that most of we detectives have ignored might have had a hand in things…


One power set overlooked is time manipulation. As Degaton
showed in a recent issue of JSA, it is possible to find out information
about people then act on it by walking between the seconds of time.

The only problem I see with this theory is I cannot think of any
time-traveling villain that would benefit from this situation. Well,
that is just my theory. Although Snapper Carr is still my top suspect.




Regarding the time-travel option; it certainly is possible, but unlikely as time-travel would be kind of a cheat and go against the grain of the usual detective story. Additionally, it would be kind of cheap to go this far and then find out the whole thing was done by the likes of Waverider or Chronos.

Hey wait… Chronos IS in this story. Crud!

As for Snapper Carr, the "mascot" of the original Justice League and second only to Jimmy Olsen on the list of hapless-sidekicks, I somehow forgot to include him on the list of suspects last week. And speaking of suspects, that's as good a cue as any to discuss the new suspects I've come up with since last week.


Snapper Carr

How He Did It? Snapper actually DID have the ability to teleport for a while and, as mascot to the original incarnation of The Justice League, he would have known something of their secret identities.

Why He Didn't Do It? There's no definite proof he ever knew Superman was Clark Kent or knew anything about Batman and Robin. Also, the last time we saw him he didn't have any super powers and had fallen on hard times. So, he wouldn't have had the resources to contact or hire Captain Boomerang.


Martian Manhunter

How He Did It? A founding member of the Justice League, the alien superhero J'onn J'ozz would have the ability and knowledge to perform most of the crimes. He can walk through walls and read minds, so he could easily track down all the people he would need to act on his behalf when he couldn't act directly. Setting Sue's body on fire would also have thrown suspicion away from him, as all Martians have a fear of fire that is so intense it negates their considerable powers.

Why He Didn't Do It? As loyal as he is to the League, they being the only family he has now in the wake of the holocaust of the Martian people, it makes little sense for him to turn on them. No motive at all.


Dakath, the Burning

How He Did It? The dark side of Martian heritage given physical form, this being was created accidentally by Martian Manhunter during a romantic liaison with a fire-controller who helped him overcome his fear of fire. Possessing all of Martian Manhunter's knowledge and powers, as well as the ability to control fire itself, he nearly destroyed the Earth once and was able to put the entire Justice League into check single-handed.

Why He Didn't Do It? He hasn't been seen since the destruction of his physical form in the JLA comic over a year ago. Plus, as a hands-on kind of villain, he's have little reason to recruit Captain Boomerang as an assistant.


Ben Morse, Comic Nexus Editor

How He Did It? Is actually a character in the DC Universe, albeit a rotting zombie in his one appearance so far. Connections with popular DC Comics writers would enable him to find out everything he needed to know to take on the world's finest heroes and outwit them.

Why He Didn't Do It? Well, I was going to keep it secret… but in the interest of clearing his name, I cannot. The Zombie Ben Morse six-part mini-series, with artwork by Jim Lee and writing by Geoff Johns will be out in Summer 2005!

Looking To The Stars: Who Dun Et? - Part One

You'd think the past issue of Identity Crisis would have settled some of the big questions as to who the murderer is.

You'd LIKE to think that…

Truth is that as I write this, a day or so after the release of said comic, the message boards are still filled with more conspiracy theories than Florida come Election Day. But for the sake of voicing the opinions of the masses, as well as my own theories on "who dun et", I present the following list of suspects, motives and problems with the theories behind them.

But first, a quick review of the crimes so far…


Crime #1: Murder of Sue Dibny, wife of Ralph Dibny, a.k.a. The Elongated Man.

The cause of death is unknown so far. Her body was found, partially burned in her apartment. As of the end of issue #2, we find out (from Doctor Midnite, who was doing the autopsy) that she was dead before her body was set on fire, but no other means of death has been mentioned yet. Whoever the murderer was, we know a few facts from the text in issue #1.

First, the murderer had the means to enter their apartment without setting off the security system which is one of the most advanced on the planet. This would have required either the ability to teleport, the ability to walk through walls (aka phase) or a whole heck of a lot of electronic know-how. Or for the murderer to have been able to get through the security; i.e. be a Justice League member.

Second, the burning of the body was done with a flamethrower, but nobody knows this but we, the readers. The heroes investigating the murder are still running under the assumption that a fire-controlling villain is involved.

Third, the killer called her Sue. However, this means very little as her marriage and her husband's secret identity were a matter of public knowledge. Indeed, Ralph Dibny is historically recognized as the first masked superhero to out himself to the public in the DC Comics Universe.

Since then, we have learned (as of issue 5) that the cause of death is still unknown, but that Dr. Fate has ruled out magical involvement.


Crime #2: Attempted Murder of Jean Loring, ex-wife of Ray Palmer, a.k.a. The Atom.

This time, the murder was attempted with a different weapon: a hangman's noose. Superman (ever the Boy Scout) recognized the knot used as a bowline knot with a Dutch Marine twist. This was, it turned out, the trademarked knot of a villain called Slipknot, who specialized in tying nooses around the necks of his victims. The only thing that ruled him out was the fact that he was in prison, serving a ten-year sentence.

At this point, it is mentioned that Slipknot was a member of The Suicide Squad; a government program that sent convicted super-villains on missions too dangerous for ordinary troops. In the event that they survived, they would be given full pardons. If they were killed in the process, well… no small loss.

We also learn that the killer is definitely a man and wore brown work boots.

The killer was, again, somehow able to circumvent the advanced security system in Jean's apartment.

As the Atom has a public identity and his marriage was also public record, potentially anyone could have known how to find and attack her.


Crime #3: Threat of Murder, Lois Lane, wife of Clark Kent, a.k.a. do I REALLY have to say?

At the end of issue #4, Lois Lane received a letter which read…


Lois-

I know who your huSband is.

You're next.


The S, in husband was written in red ink with a triangle around it; an obvious reference to the Superman symbol.

So whoever the killer is knows Superman's secret identity, which is NOT common knowledge.


Crime #4: Possible Murder of Jack Drake, father of Robin a.k.a. Tim Drake.

Before the murder, Jake receives a box with a note which reads... Jack DRake. Drake with a capital R with a circle around it in red ink; this being a very loose approximation of the Robin symbol. The box contains a note with a gun which reads "Protect Yourself".

Robin's secret identity is even more secret than Superman's.

Shortly after, Jack Drake is assailed in his home by the villain Captain Boomerang. While he is able to apparently fatally wound his attacker, Boomerang is able to throw one razor-sharp boomerang into Jack Drake's chest before collapsing.

We only see the two men bleeding in the last panels, but the suggestion is that both men are dead.

In the build up leading to the fight between the two, we see Captain Boomerang's newly found lost son (whom dad just spent the day with) checking his messages and finding a message from his dad saying that he should watch the news and "this time I'm leaving a calling card… OUR card."

Captain Boomerang, it might be noted, is wearing brown work boots as he kicks in the door to the Drake residence.

Now, for the list of suspects… with the most unlikely coming first.


Firestorm, a.k.a. Ronnie Raymond

How He Did It? With the power to change matter on the atomic level as well as phase through solid materials, he could easily have killed Sue Dibny without setting off the alarms. Is also a JL member, so he could have bypassed the alarms. Probably knew Superman's secret identity as a JL member.

Why He Didn't Do It? Doesn't know Robin's Secret Identity. Lack of a motive, other than just going crazy. He wouldn't have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy. Also, he's kinda dead now as of the last issue.


Green Lantern, a.k.a. Kyle Rayner

How He Did It? A Green Lantern ring could EASILY allow anyone to walk through walls and set a body on fire. Also, he IS a JL member and could have bypassed the alarms. Definitely knows Superman's secret identity.

Why He Didn't Do It? Probably doesn't know Robin's Secret Identity. Lack of a motive, other than just going crazy. Also, he wouldn't have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy.


Nightwing, a.k.a. Dick Grayson

How He Did It? Taught by Batman, he could probably disable a security system utilizing the technology of four different alien races. Also, is an honorary JLA member after leading the team during the otherwise forgettable "Obsidian Age" story. He IS just clever enough to pull off the rest of it off and WOULD have the resources to hire Captain Boomerang as a patsy. And he knows Robin's secret identity.

Why He Didn't Do It? Ignoring the fact that DC is unlikely to turn the original Robin into a villain, he really has no motive other than going totally crazy.


Elongated Man, a.k.a. Ralph Dibny

How He Did It? Could easily break into his own apartment. Is a JLA member, so he could have could have gotten past the alarms. Is a master detective, so he could easily have figured out all the secret identities he didn't know from his time as a JLA member. He would also stand to profit handsomely from his wife's death (insurance policy). Would easily have the resources to hire Boomerang as a patsy.

Why He Didn't Do It? No motive except the money, and he's already comfortably well off from his marriage to a wealthy heiress. Also, would totally ignore years of characterization concerning how madly in love he is with his wife.


Captain Boomerang, a.k.a. Digger Harris.

How He Did It? Was caught red-handed at the scene of the Jack Drake murder. Made reference to his son about "leaving a calling card this time". (What had he done before?) Wore brown work-boots during the Jack Drake murder, like Jean Loring's assailant. Had multiple motives, from striking back at one of the first heroes he fought against (Elongated Man originally lived in the same city as 'The Flash' and fought most of the same villains) to wanting to make a name for himself again to just wanting to make superheroes look foolish. He would also have been able to faked Slipknot's MO, having being a member of the Suicide Squad himself.

Why He Didn't Do ALL Of It? He would have needed a LOT of help to have done ALL the murders. While the evidence suggests he was responsible for the attempted murder of Jean Loring and was definitely the killer of Jack Drake, he probably has no clue about the secret identities of Robin or Superman. There's also the pesky matter of how he bypassed the security. Digger's a right bastich, but he's no security wizard. Odds' are he either had help or is a fall guy for a mastermind planning something bigger. In fact, it's highly doubtful Boomerang would have sent Jack Drake a gun in order to offer him a fair chance at defending himself.


The Calculator, a.k.a. Noah Kuttler

How He Did It? This silly super-villain turned super information broker has been manipulating characters right and left since issue #1, calling up other super-villains and hiring them for special jobs or getting them information they needed. He helped Captain Boomerang with tracking down his lost son but no price was ever discussed for the service. Could it be possible that The Calculator planned the murder of Sue Dibny for some unknown reason and then used Captain Boomerang as a patsy to perform the last two murders to make it look like one criminal with a mission was at work?

Why He Didn't Do ALL Of It? The only problem with Boomerang as the master-villain is that he would have lacked the information on how to get past the security on the first two crimes and he didn't know all the secret identities involved. While The Calculator might be able to get such information, there's no definite proof that he knows Robin and Superman's secret identities or would be able to hack the JLA security systems. Also, from what we've seen there's no direct profit for him masterminding such an operation… and he's all about profit. In fact, as some of the super-villains in this story have pointed out, the murders are making their business harder as the super-heroes are now out in force investigating everyone making their jobs ten times harder. So why go out of his way to rock the boat for so little gain? Unless he's getting paid to act as a go-between by someone else who is more concerned with profit as revenge?


Amazo

How He Did It? A series of several robots programmed to duplicate the various powers and skills of any JLA member, an Amazo robot could have performed the Sue Dibny murder quite easily, excepting that it would have registered as a JLA member on their security system and as such, not a threat. Also, issue one started out with Elongated Man investigating the sale of an Amazo robot on the black market.

Why He Didn't Do It? We haven't seen hide nor hair of an Amazo robot yet. In fact, the crate that supposedly contained one actually held one of Lex Luthor's old battle armor suits. There's also the pesky issue of the robot being designed to go after JLA members, not their families. And the robot wouldn't know all the secret identities.


Lex Luthor

How He Did It? Last time we saw Lex, he swore their would be "a crisis". He has the motive to try and take down the superhero community at large just out of spite. He's got the smarts to take out the JLA security systems and could probably figure out Superman and Robin's secret identities. And assuming he managed to hide away some of his savings in secret accounts before his exposure as a master criminal (as opposed to a slightly dishonest businessman), he'd have the resources to hire Calculator and any other super-villain to act on his behalf.

Why He Didn't Do It? Aside from his armored suit being in a crate up for sale, we've seen hide nor hair of Luthor. And the only real suggestion we have that he's even involved in the story is some muttered words in Superman/Batman #6. Plus, we're assuming a lot that he has the resources and knowledge to pull this off.


Daron, The Dark Overlord

How He Did It? He has the resources. He could get the knowledge. He could very well mastermind the whole thing.

Why He Didn't Do It? Wrong universe, but even then I wouldn't put it past him.


Comments? Theories of your own? Some little detail I missed that could blow the whole thing open? Drop me an e-mail .


Tune in next week. Same Matt time. NEW Matt Website.

Looking To The Stars: Crisis of Dual Identities!

Two books came out this past week, both with the word “Identity” in them. One is a highly anticipated book, declared the thing to watch this year by Wizard Magazine, which promises to have a lasting presence in the books of its universe for the rest of the year, and indeed, for all time. The other has, in general, been discarded as a cynical ploy by the Marvelous competitor of this first universe, to steal their thunder with a storyline that seems to offer little more than an excuse to throw several cool villains together in what looks like your typical heist flick with superpowers.

Is either of these pictures totally accurate? Both? Neither? Read on for one man’s opinion…

Identity Crisis #1

Since the story is the major concern here, I’ll mention the salad that is the artwork quickly so we can move on to the meat of the writing quickly. Suffice to say, I’ve been a fan of Rags Morales ever since his first issue on Hawkman and he does not disappoint here. I hope DC gets him on a regular monthly book soon after this, because as this book shows, he is too great a talent to not used regularly.

I’ve found Brad Meltzer’s writing to be a mixed bag. I think he’s a great idea man and a good writer of dialogue. More, his love and understanding of old DC Comics characters is clear and obvious in his writing. And in this book, he takes some old-school, often forgotten characters… and actually does something with them. Not with a retcon as such, but with an expansion; something that fits the base idea behind the character and makes them more relevant without changing them completely.

The best example of this I can give without spoiling most of the plot may be The Calculator. Once a costumed shlub in a costume that let him do amazing things through the power of computers, he has now changed himself into a villainous version of Oracle; giving other villains the information they need… for a price.

Still, I do have some issues with Meltzer’s work. While he has a great eye for character and an obvious love for comics history and trivia, he sometimes takes liberties with past stories for the sake of his own, picking and choosing what he wants to use. This problem was evident through his Green Arrow run, culminating in the final scenes where we discover that Oliver Queen must be an Oscar-caliber actor for having managed to fake total surprise and indignation at the revelation that Connor Hawke was his son before his death… despite having apparently KNOW about Connor nearly 20 years later, but being unable to settle down and have a family then. Never mind that such stability is all Oliver has EVER wanted in his life…

There are no such glaring characterization glitches in this issue, though there is another example of either sloppy attention to detail or picking-and-choosing. To wit, this book does inform us that Elongated Man and his wife now live in Opal City: home town of the much missed Jack Knight, a.k.a. Starman. Fans of that book will remember that the Dibnys showed up during the final major story arc and announced their intention to settle down in Opal. Rather funny then how later, as they run down a list of suspects for the much ballyhooed murder that the name Dr. Phosphorous comes up and a team is dispatched to fight him. Rather an easy task as the good doctor was killed in that same Starman series by a cancer-ridden Ted Knight, who was determined to stop the super-villain who was indirectly responsible for “killing” him. I’m willing to concede that Dr. Phosphorous is not quite dead, but it seems a waste to bring him back after the amazing sacrifice Ted Knight made.

Still, this is fanboyish nit-picking about a book that has too much else going for it to NOT be a modern masterpiece. And that is what it is. I shall spoil nothing for those who have not yet read it, except to say that the book does live up to everything that it promised. A JLA member DOES die. We do get to see the old school JLA getting together to do something. And yes, we do get a murder mystery. This story is a loving tribute to everything that made DC Comics great and still makes it great. I’ll stick with this one to the end, even if I do wince occasionally as a dead villain shows up alive and well or one of my favorite stories goes ignored. Cause for a good ripping yarn, I can forgive a lot. And in the end, it’s just a story.

Final Score: 9.5 out of 10.

Identity Disc #1

So there’s this crime boss, possibly immortal, who is an urban legend. He’s even more powerful than The Kingpin was at the height of his power. He gets the dirt on six of the nastiest baddies of all time and sends them out to recover another legend: The Identity Disc…which is not really a Disc, but a database containing the secret identity and contact information of every single costumed crime-fighter on the planet Earth. One he has that, he intends to give the information to said villains, who will then do as they do and kill off all the heroes so that said crime boss can scheme his evil schemes without fear of being hauled in by a bunch of well-meaning citizens in their jammies.

Our all-star team of the curdled cream of the crop is…

1. The Vulture- tried reforming last year in the Gawd-Awful “Get Kraven” mini-series. Has apparently turned back to crime. He’s been recruited into this scheme thanks to his long lost daughter being framed for a murder in Texas. And I don’t need to tell you that they don’t treat female murderers well in Texas.

2. The Sandman – reformed for quite a while and became a better character for it. Went evil again on the whims of Howard Mackie, died after getting bit by Venom, merged with the MTV beach house set, and then went crazy before becoming all evil again. Playing into this scheme thanks to his mother’s life being threatened.

3. Sabertooth – perpetual pain in the neck of Wolverine. Is being blackmailed with an unknown secret. 10 to 1 it turns out he has the largest private collection of Hello Kitty merchandise on the Eastern seaboard.

4. Juggernaut – perpetual pain in the neck of Professor X. Actually reformed sometime back in Uncanny X-Men. Framed for murder, he is going along with this scheme to get proof of his innocence.

5. Bullseye – perpetual pain in the neck of Daredevil. Back in his usual costume after a very brief, two-issue stint, in the costume he had in the movies. Probably in this for the money, as no reference was made to him being blackmailed.

6. Deadpool- perpetual pain in the neck of anyone who spends two minues with him. Probably also just in this for the money, as it’s hard to imagine anyone blackmailing someone as shameless as Wade Wilson.

Of course if someone REALLY wanted to learn the identities of every superhero in the Marvel Universe and kill them, this team would be a good one. With the exception of Spider-Man and a few of the Avengers, most of them already have open identities or are known to one of the villains above.

Kill Daredevil? Semi-public identity. Even if he denies it, Matt Murdock is still believed to be Daredevil and Bullseye already pressed the issue once.

Kill The X-Men? You have a guy who LIVES In their fricking mansion right there! Not to mention a mercenary who has crashed the place to hang out with Siryn more than a few times. I think you can find them pretty easy.

Fantasitc Four? Look for the big tower with the 4 on it.

Avengers? Most of them have open identities. The big issue is actually getting someone close enough to Tony Stark without his technology or security team being an issue, not finding him.

Spider-Man’s the trickiest one in the bunch to pin down and if you go “friend of a friend”, Vulture could easily find out his ID from Kraven the 2^nd if “Get Kraven” has any place in Spider-Man history. (It doesn’t. I’m just speaking rhetorically…)

That’s the problem with the whole conceit of this story. Thanks to a number of different writers over the past three years, the concept of secret identities is now a non-issue with the vast majority of Marvel superheroes. And various signs make it clear that this story does not take place in the past before Captain American, Daredevil and Iron Man were revealed to the world. Signs like William Blake being a villain or Juggernaut’s new costume and talk of being reformed. The issue is not finding out the identities of these heroes… it’s figuring out a way to attack them and win.

This is not to say that the issue is a total waste. The characterization is pretty much spot on even if the plot is a bit of a mess. Deadpool is inappropriately funny. Sabertooth is sufficiently predatory. Sandman is just as blustery and quick-tempered as ever. And Bullseye? Calm and collected as ever. And the dialogue is nothing if not inspired. I lost it on Deadpool calling Sabertooth “Puss in Boots”.

The artwork is a mixed bag as well, being far too heavily inked in some places with some overly thick lines. Things are too shadowy by half, with the Vulture’s wrinkles making him look not so much like a wrinkled old man as they make him look like an old-time print-shop clerk, smeared in ink. Still, the pencils look good when they can be seen through the shadows.

This could have been a great book… five years ago. It is merely good, and even then only if you ignore the fact that a CD full of superhero secret identities is not the great treasure it once was. It’s not quite the spoiler-book that many make it out to be, but neither is it anything to write home about.

Final Score: 4 out of 10.

Tune in next week. Same Matt time. Same Matt website.