Today find us with the release of Final Crisis #1 from Grant Morrison and J.G. Jones.
It’s very exciting and when all is said and done it will be the culmination of all the DC events leading back to Infinite Crisis. I’m excited by early reports that make mention of plot points that Morrison has sown all the way back to Seven Soldiers of Victory, which means that Morrison has been working on this one a long time, and to me that’s always a great sign.
Here’s how DC describes the first issue:
Witness the historic start of the final chapter in the Crisis trilogy that could only spring from the mind of Grant Morrison — Final Crisis, featuring stunning art by J.G. Jones (52 Covers)! Worlds will live and heroes will die in this epic tale spanning the beginning and end of the DC Universe!
The entire Multiverse is threatened as the mysterious Libra assembles an army of the DCU’s most terrifying super villains. But what is the ultimate plan, and who will live to find out?
I suspect that this first issue will be somewhat vague and hold no answers, as that would be an apt description of the first issue of most everything Grant Morrison has written (JLA excepted). It usually all makes sense in the end — not always, but usually — so I’m not going to be looking for a lot of big truths and revelations in the kick off issue.
We wanted to give you a place to discuss the first issue of Final Crisis, speculate on the rest of the series, share theories, and ask questions.
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So….Final Crisis…definitely not POW? 🙂
Well the first issue is what it is suppose to be: A first issue. It was vague and held no answers.Which makes me want to see more. It was like the first issue of Secret Invasion, it was nice but not spectacular. Morrison did a good job with the character’s voices and JG’s art, well damn it was beautiful. This issue only had a few problems from what i can see. One was it’s not new reader friendly. THe other was that this was the kind of issue i had to read a few times.
You’re pretty on the money in your assessment, Conor. It’s written very densely, but it’s got a slightly disconnected quality to it. It’s very heady, but doesn’t have a lot of heart. I was…underwhelmed. But, as you say, it’s a first issue, and there’s a lot of potential here.
Comparisons will be inevitable, so I’ll kick off: I think Secret Invasion started stronger than Final Crisis. I’m not talking about spin-offs or how the series has since progressed, but in a #1 to #1 comparison, SI took a bit more of a summer movie approach, and I think it was easy to connect with the material.
Final Crisis is more difficult. It appears to be tackling many stories already in progress and some ideas/themes carried over from Morrison’s Seven Soldiers series. Thus, FC probably has greater potential for a strong and fully satisfying read. But this first issue just kind of happened, and there was nothing that really wowed me here.
Still, I’m in it for the long haul, and I’ve still got high hopes based on Morrison’s track record.
It should also be noted that JG Jones art is fantastic, and I really like Chip Kidd’s cover treatment.
Also: while I understand that the intent was to kill a certain character in a very matter-of-fact manner, I was a bit irritated because I felt that the character in question has been a staple for a long time and deserved a better death. But, hey, it’s the first issue, so… who knows?
Definitely not POW.
And yet they mocked me when I called Seven Soldiers "event books."
Have we any idea what the plan is after this finishes? Have events-yet-to-come been announced or hinted at? Or is this it for a while?
WOW…just WOW
awesome first issue i cant wait for more. seems like Morrison’s gonna have a good backstory and i LOVE JG Jones’ art
Q: Was the Green Lantern cover a variant or was the other one with the hatchet? cuz i got the GL one and i didnt know if there was a difference
Shockingly dense. So much so I am surprised nobody tapped Morrison on the shoulder and said, "But what about the new and/or casual readers?". I can’t imagine a casual reader enjoying Final Crisis fully. The first half the book alone…like the first 8 pages, is dialogue-less cavemen and technological gods.
I enjoyed it. But jeez, this series is…obtuse.
Well I was a new reader (relitivly with DC) and I thought it was good, but I guess if I knew more I could have enjoyed it more. Ill just ask my teacher to fill me in.
The art was awesome but the story seemed a little inside-baseball since I don’t ready any DC. I’m interested to see where it goes though for sure.
I really liked it. I kind of figured DC kind of gave up on the idea of outselling Secret Invasion and told Grant, "Eh… just go nuts." And he did. And I likes.
I browsed and passed. I just, just don’t have room inmy heart to embrace this right now. Maybe it will come around, or maybe I will. But for now, I am officially out of this summer event. Thanks, says my pocketbook.
this had to have been the least fun i’ve ever had reading a comic ever. i only picked it up because of its "importance" and i won’t be getting any more. i had no idea what was going on. the death scene was insulting, the anthro / kamandi stuff seemed pointless and confusing (the only reason i knew it was them was because of the countless interviews grant has given telling us that’s who it was), the last page was maybe the weakest last page of any event book of all time. the art was good!
2/10. i wont be buying final crisis #2.
This is why I love Morrison!
The only Time I got confused (And I’m a very avid DC reader) was with the B list Teen Titans Appearance, especially with the girls, I recognized Mas and Menos from the cartoon.
Yeah, that was blah. Randomly "shocking" death, lots of recapping for everyone lucky enough to have not read/bought Countdown, lots of Morrison trying to make leftovers of his 7 SOLDIERS stuff relevant. Sticking with my call to read this off the shelf, but that’s standard practice with me and events these days. Only things I’ll be buying out of FC are the two John’s minis.
I agree with @nicknaynard that the last page was insulting–especially considering how top notch the art was up until that point.
the other death scene was equally disappointing. how about some actual drama?
Not a particularly great first issue. Kind of disappointing but we’ll see where it goes.
Horrible first issue. It completely ignores Countdown and Death of the New Gods. DC just slapped everyone who bought all the FC prequels right in the face.
So Confused, so utterly confused. I read DCBats, Supes, bosster gold, etc) I was just lost. Help me IFanboy(base), you are my only hope.
The bit with Superman talking about the New Gods wasn’t written the best to tie in with Starlin’s Death of the New Gods. I don’t think you have to make a point to mention it, but Supes could have said something that indicated his belief that those Gods were all dead.
Also, the only thing that really ties in from Seven Soldiers is the Mister Miracle series. I think part of Final Crisis will be his chance to make a more sensible draft of the story found therein. So long as I don’t see it spelled "Motherboxx", we’re cool.
Good first issue. Now who’s the character at the end and what’s on his hands?
@BigE and nickmaynard…I’m with you guys. I think this book made me realize that I really don’t care about the DC universe (unless you count Vertigo, those books are ok with me). I won’t be picking up issue 2. This Marvel zombie is going to shamble off into the night clutching his Secret Invasion books.
@bryanpittard That was Multiversal Monitor Nix Uotan. The guy that got banished and was told he was going to be turned into a human for failing to save earth 51 or something. I’m kind of lost on what he did and where he did it (as in what comic).
Yeah…not such a great start. Doesn’t seem like anybody told Morrison about the events of DEATH OF THE NEW GODS or COUNTDOWN. And where were these high priority "Deicide" rules for the GL Core when Lightray and Barada were killed on Earth? And why would Superman descibe the New Gods in terms of the Guardian records? Three of them are members of the freaking Justice League!
J’Onn better not be really dead. Because if he is that is prehaps the lamest death for a major character since…since…well maybe ever.
And just who WAS that guy on the last page and why was he looking at his hands?
On the other hand, the art was nice. And there was one great line: "I am not adverse to the taste of human flesh, sir!"
Okay after rereading this I’m not sure that the guy at the end is Nix Uotan… Could be.. but maybe not… Damnit Grant why do you have to be so damn out there.
Oh and the Forums are down and that really makes it hard to talk comics… arg.
Fan-freaking tastic.
Don’t rush through it, I spent about 30 minutes on my first read through and took some notes on themes I saw. Treat it like an academic exercise and your mind will be blown.
Also, maybe the best art ever.
I really enjoyed it as a setup/springboard issue. If you read ANY comics that Morrison writes, you know his style is a unique non linear story telling technique that always pays off in the end. He challenges the reader to join him on a magical ride. I have truly come to appreciate Mr. Morrison and his beautiful and distorted mind.
I look forward to seeing the progression of his latest tale.
the Tiki
I thought it was a good issue – more of a slow burn than what Secret Invasion delivered. I did enjoy the first few pages, with Metron imparting wisdom on early man. Hopefully, Morrison will play that bit out. Other than that, a lot of promise, but so far, it’s like the first five minutes of a movie.
I felt very lost while I was reading it as it did show attention to people and things that I have no real knowledge of. After I finished this, I read the JLA from last week, and sighed a big, "Oh, okay, now that makes sense." Which kind of sucks because new readers are definitely going to be lost with this one. I’m still with this series though as it is purty and I trust that all will come together in the end.
I thought it was a really good first issue. I’ll probably read it a couple more times to try and digest it all. I gasped when the hero bought it and I really dug the Green Lanterns locking down the crime scene Earth. Also, the art was very good as expected.
i didn’t read any of the lead in stuff, I just couldn’t justify buying any of them until i knew if they were going to be any good. Because of that i was a bit less excited for it from the get go than i was for infinte crisis with it’s four clear cut mini’s that lead into it.
I wasn’t really excited for this book up until about a week ago when i heard morrison speak in a podcast about FC. I enjoyed the book though, if only because if you have read morrisons JLA or any of his mainstream DC stuff there is a thread that leads towards this. This is a first issue and here are the threads that i saw set down by it.
1. Dark side is back and he appears to be a human, with other humans who also had new god names.
2. Turpin and orion have a history in the new gods series that kirby did. So i think he is going to become something more than human.
3. Jo’nn died here, and then at the end a guy wakes up going holy crap.
these things lead me to think that people die, heroes die, and come back as something more, and that is how the fifith world is going to be made. At the end of this, it might not be a story of an earth similar to our own, but an earth that is now the home of God’s and monsters.
I liked it. Yes, it was dense. Yes, there are a lot of subplots. Yes, it’s a Grant Morrison book. As his run on Batman has shown, though, he builds his storylines slowly, and I for one can’t wait to see where he takes this one. But yeah, not very newbie-friendly at all. If you hate Grant Morrison AND are a Marvel zombie who doesn’t read much, if any DC, stay far away!
So…That happened…I guess?
Admittedly I’m coming into this whole event with something of a ho hum attitude (DC editorial needs to be culled, and swiftly, but that’s a discussion for a different place) but this really was a mess. Though honestly the issues with this book have little to do with Morrison or Jones.
Fifty-something weeks ago Countdown began, and still high from the adreneline rush that was 52, I decided to pick it up. Forty-something weeks ago I was losing interest, but feeling that if I wanted to enjoy Final Crisis I would need to understand the events that led up to it, I stayed on board. Something-teen weeks ago, after Countdown had gone completely off the rails and become an unreadable mess, I still flipped through my roomate’s copy to at least see what this was all counting down to. Today was the straw that broke the camel’s back though.
Seriously DC, what the hell was the point of forcing your readers to purchase a 52 issues lead-in to Final Crisis if you’re completely going to ignore it? These aren’t small continuity gliches either! Wasn’t the entire point of both The Death of the New Gods and Countdown that Orion had killed Darksied? Why are the Moniters appearantly exactly the same as they were at the start of 52? Weren’t Superman and a bunch of heroes witnesses to Orion and Darksied’s final battle?
The Libra stuff really did intrest me, and I am interested to see if this really does end up being Morrison’s DCU magnum opus, so I will pick up the next issue. I just think that it’s really low of DC to sell a false bill of goods to its readers. They bilked a lot of people out of a lot of money and really disrespected Paul Dini by forcing him to write the story they demanded, and then not even having it matter in the end.
This was truly awful.
Final Crisis is shaping up to be a 7 part suicide note from DC.
I really don’t understand all the hate? It’s the first "set-up" issue. Do you want a straight forward/linear storytelling style that gives you all the answer to all the question posed?
Did anyone notice the things in the background of the last panel? Corporate letters and an Oolong Island postcard pinned to a cork board as well as a mathematics book prominently placed on the bookshelf. I believe this book has a lot of clues drizzled through out, we just haven’t caught on yet. 🙂
the Tiki
Secret Invasion #1 left you wanting more. Final Crisis #1, not so much. You need to hook the reader. You can be awesome without being confusing.
@Tiki – I agree. I like having a sense of unease or mystery after the first issue. I don’t understand why so many people have already decided they hate this entire series, or that the DCU isn’t "for" them, based on this first issue. Oh well, it’s pretty clear that this is going to be a polarizing series, depending on one’s tastes.
I’m going to reread it tonight.
This kind of left me feeling like Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. By the end I was scratching my head and shrugging my shoulders. "Well that happened."
It felt more like Countdown # minus 1 rather than a Crisis book. Not really what I was expecting. That may turn out to be a good thing, but I’m not sure I’ll be around by the end.
*posting this again in hopes that someone will acknowledge my query. where are you when i need you conor?!*
somebody please explain to me what happened to the final issue of Salvation Run? not that many people were reading it.. but, you see, a majority of these villains (including Luthor and Savage) were exiled to a foreign planet, a prison planet of sorts.. conflicts took place.. anyway, it wasn’t great but still. how can these villains be back?!
i really liked this but have a hard time playing along because part of me is lost to continuity.
kudos to dr. light and his pharmaceutical needs as well as the human flame’s camera phone. gotta love the modern era.
don’t know about the art. don’t wanna fight about it. all i know is the panels featuring trinity were repulsive.
And while we’re asking about explanations (someone with knowledge please answer FACE!): does anyone know if DC/Morrison/Didio have offered ANY explanation as to the big discrepancy between this issue and Countdown #2/Death of the New Gods? Seriously, just a few weeks ago, in Countdown #2, Orion killed Darkseid. In this issue, Orion turns up dead, clearly killed either by Darkseid or by someone on Darkseid’s behalf. WTF? I mean, are they just messing with us? Is DC just rubbing salt in the wound that is Countdown…?
Or, have I/we missed something? There certainly wasn’t any explanation in DC Universe #0. Has anyone from DC offered ANY explanation, perhaps at one of the panels at the cons… ? ANYTHING?
@FACE – I didn’t read SALVATION RUN.
@Jim – There is no discrepancy between DEATH OF THE NEW GODS and FINAL CRISIS in terms of the death of Darkseid, it all lines up.
@FACE Salvation Run hasn’t ended yet. The final issue is scheduled to come out June 11.
@LukeHopkins I think your on to something. At least I hope so. I would like to see Martian Manhunter return in some form. The News Story at the end is titled "God of War is murdered" or something like that. God of war also = mars, so maybe Morrison is doing someting with that. I don’t know. Screw it. I say this issue wasn’t all that but I’m not going to be too quick to judge on this one. Grant Morrison has shown a knack for pay-off moments in the past, even if that has been combined with a knack for confusing wtf endings that only fans of secret symbolism and crap like that enjoy. No offense, fans of secret symbolism and crap like that, I’m just not one of you, though I used to be.
@Nealappeal… the Mars/God of War thing was so obvious, how the hell did I not see that?!?!? Nice catch. 🙂
the Tiki
Style without substance?
Heck, I’m one of the biggest DC fans so I’m willing to give this more time, but i seem to notice an alarming trend at DC. Their publicity/marketing department seems to be doing a great job, but the actual content is lacking. For example: remember near the end of 52 and before Countdown, we saw all those neat ads for Countdown: Seduction of the Innocent, Jimmy Olsen Must Die, Look to the Sky, Unto Man Must Come a Great Disaster, etc….those were awesome promos and had me so stocked for Countdown!…and then it fell flat. I think these ‘anti-motivation’ ads running right now are cool, but gulp, I’m so nervous for the product. All the black ads now are neat: Batman R.I.P.; The Day Evil Won, etc. have me gangbusters and Final Crisis looks very pretty and has a top-notch designer attached to the outside, boy i’m hoping the inside is going to deliver….!
Awesome first issue … I’m baffled by the hate for it I see here, but I guess everyone has different tastes …
I have zero complaints, nice art, great set-up issue story-wise to a big event. Hopefully they keep the standard this high.
I just hope the death is about as permanent as any other death in comics, because (without spoiling) I really like the character alot & would miss him bein’ in the DCU.
I noticed a lot of people had a problem with the death in this story. I didn’t. I think it served it’s purpose. It’s shocking to see someone so easily kill a major DCU superhero. Now you have to take Libra Seriously. He abuducted the Martian Manhunter and then Stabbed him in the heart, for no other reason than because some nobody villian asked him too. And look at that pannel. It’s so dynamic. You really get the sense of that staff being plunged through the Martian Manhunter. The J’onn is on his knees and villains are gathered around him, cheering his murderer on. In the pannels above, look at the faces of Lex Luthor and Vandal Savage. They are clearly stunned. This is an amazing story point.
I understand that this was a disappointment to Martian Manhunter fans, not just because of the death, but the lack of Heroism in the death. Hopefully Final Crisis: Requiem will do a good enough job of remembering him to make up for this.
So, the thing about the issue – it didn’t end big. It didn’t quite satisfy. I wanted a bit more. something to hold on to for the month I have to wait for the next issue. But I enjoyed this book. I like the threads. I like the cosmic crimes scene angle. I want more of this. It feels promising. I can’t wait until issue two. And i’ll probably buy more of the tie ins than I plan to. because I have more money than willpower.
All I know is everyone panned Morrison’s first issue of Batman RIP and they are now gushing over the second part of the story arc. Lesson learned… patience. 🙂
the Tiki
I often felt the best part of Countdown was the tie-in books. Most people rejected Countdown but really seemed to enjoy books like Death of the New Gods, Arena, Mystery, Adventure, etc. Not many gave Salvation Run a chance, so I’m going to encourage those of you who haven’t to atleast pick up the final issue when it’s released on June 11th (thank you King Yoda).
I’m going to serve up some important ties to FC here which I’m not sure can be defined as spoiler or not. Is it spoiler to tell you what happened prior to the events of Final Crisis which you have most likely already read? I don’t know. If so, you’ve been warned:
*POTENTIAL SPOILERS*
A number of villains could be found in Salvation Run. These villains are making their presence felt in FC. They include: Grodd, Luthor, Savage, Dr. Light, Mirror Master and Captain Cold – with the latter protest marching against vigilante brutality.
So?
So they were never released from the prison planet. The 6th issue ends with them being attacked by Darkseid’s Parademons. This was supposed to take us into Final Crisis, but, with what I’m assuming is a delay, it has only been lost in the mix. Maybe DC decided to make some last minute changes to the final issue of Salvation Run before they released it. Whatever the case may be the situation is at odds with current continuity.
Something else that ought to compel those of you looking for more insight to FC.. The recently departed Mr. J’onzz, well, he was there too. He seemed to be acting correspondence, or was he working alone (?), feeling that the exile of DC’s villains to a far-away planet may have been a bit harsh. He offered to help but the villains rather caged him in fire instead. He was last seen in said cage. That is, until FC.
Anyways, I just saved you $18. Your welcome.
The Joker also played a big part in Salvation Run. I don’t believe there’s any significance to Batman RIP and he hasn’t made an appearance in FC, so no issues there.
@JIM – thanx for your support
@Conor – thanx for not reading Salvation Run 🙂
@Nealappeal
Compare Kitty’s fate to Martian Manhunter’s. Or compare it to Supergirl’s or Barry Allen’s. That’s how it should be done.
*Spoiler point*
I havent read the full issue (dont get my comics shipment until Monday), but i know enough now that MM dies by being stabbed? Once again, i havent read the details, but can you even stab MM? Can’t he phase, etc. I would think it would be hard to stab him…? Once again, this is some ignorance asking the question because i havent got to read the issue yet, but i am so curious if that is indeed what happened…
@ FACE – In Salvation Run, Manhunter was on a secret JLA mission that only Batman knew about (then I guess it’s not really a "JLA" mission?) on the prison planet, and it sucks that we know that all the villains get off the planet before we get the conclusion to the mini series … because I thought they were all going to die there, for sure. heh.
Also, Irion died in Final Crisis #1 too, but no one is talkin’ about that? Poor Irion. My thoughts are with him and his Godlike family.
@Wade – i was sure they were goners too, convinced Didio wanted to reboot the whole DCU. 😉
Conor was spot on with his prediction of a vague first issue with no answers, and that’s what I was expecting too. Some cool moments in #1 but I’m more excited to see all this setup start to play out. I just don’t see Morrison dropping the ball, especially a ball this big.
Please excuse my balls.