Final Crisis the lot of ’em (DC – Morrison)
I have a bunch issues with Final Crisis, and probably not what you’d expect.
I like books things that start out small and then spiral outward and end small again, it’s a good formula if you do it right. And I like the DC idea of stories as Da Vinci code like mysteries that need to be solved. And I should say that I like Grant Morrison.
But here’s the flaw in how DC pull off Final Crisis, if you only read the core book, it makes no sense. If your story relies on all the ancillary books they should have been included in the main title. Final Crisis should have been a 24 or so issue series with the all the pertinent information contained inside the book itself.
The second problem with Final Crisis, is actually kind of an interesting phenomenon. Most of where the story unfolded came outside of the books, in the blogs with comic book sleuths with too much time of their hands, digging up the little tid-bits of information about the goings on in the book. The blogs, were where most of the interesting or cool or clever ideas unfolded or were discovered. It wasn’t, unfortunately in the book. I don’t know how I feel about that. I like the interactiveness of the process, I like the idea of a book so dense it takes the combined might of 1000’s of intellects to unravel it, but ultimately just the fact that it need unraveling leaves me with an empty feeling about the book itself. I don’t know, maybe I’m being lazy in my reading. I don’t like stories that I’m spoon fed, like CIVIL WAR and SECRET INVASION, but I don’t need my books to like reading read James Joyces’ Ulysses either.
And thirdly, I have the same problem with FINAL CRISIS as with SECRET INVASION. Where were my heroes? What exactly did they do to triumph? Really, despite all that happened, not much.
And fourth, sometimes less is more. Writing a simple story with depth is alot harder than over-writing a story. In art it is a sign of insecurity if you rely on too many details, when you don’t have the talent to pull out the necessary few details to convey the picture. If you can’t write a decent story, write a long complicated one. I could have done without the multiple crisis’. The Darkseid story line was engaging. The stupid Monitor story line wasn’t. The Darkseid story line has a kind of cool, dramatic ending (though not particularly well told). The Monitor story line ending was stupid. All these heroes kept appearing from all across the multiverse, but none of them did anything, but stand (or float) around in their pajamas. So what was the point? Oh, look Mandrakk’s dead, all we had to do was poke a stake through his near omnipotent heart, we can all go home again, sandwiches anyone? Again, there was no struggle or drama to the ending.
My fifth problem, is a ot of the premises of Final Crisis were cool and mind bending and all, but unfortunately the concepts weren’t executed that well and in truth have been done by other writers already, and done better. The SUPERMAN BEYOND, multiverse as a virus like story that erupted within the order of the void or universe or whatever, was in truth was done a lot better in Alan Moore’s Promethea. And the Universe Endingness of the Darkseid story line was a good idea, but I never felt that last vulnerable kernel of reality alone in an endless abyss, teetering on the edge of non-existence which I would have expected. And again Alan Moore, did it a lot better in “Wildstorm Spotlight #1 Featuring Majestic” about all existence winking out.
And the last, absolutely WORST part of FINAL CRISIS? After DC just ripped the heart out it’s universe and put it back in with cheap slight of hand, after the killing off, supposedly, one of their big three, after the relegating Wonder Woman to a second rate ineffective, pawn of the bad guy instead of a hero, and elevating Superman to godhood, there was DAN DIDIO’s editorial, hype box, blurb thing in the back.
Thank you very much for joining us, I hope you enjoyed this evening’s entertainment, stay tuned though for even MORE DRAMATIC CHANGES “we’ve got big things in store for 2009…” Battle for the Cowl, Blackest Night (which might actually not suck), Faces of Evil, Origins & Omens, “an all-out assault on your entertainment senses…major changes to our characters… surprise story lines…” You know what? I’m tired of endless dramatic change and upheaval. When does it stop? When does it become stupid?
I want my heroes back. I’m tired having the carpet pull out from under me once a year or more.
Comics should be about stories, and characters you care about and engage you. Not about shock value that passes for creativity. Final Crisis, Secret Invasion are like buckets of cold water in the face, which sure, maybe exhilarating in it’s own way if you’re into that “…all out assault on your senses” kind of thing, but really when you think about it, it’s kind of annoying. And if given a choice, you wouldn’t want another one.
