Both Marvel and DC's big summer/fall event books -- Avengers and this title -- are generating incredibly polar reactions among readers. Some love them, some can't stand them. Both storylines boast a lot in common -- death and darkness in the world of super-heroes. Identity Crisis is definitely the stronger of the two, and it's thanks to one key element: the script. Meltzer's narration brings not only maturity and emotion to the genre, but it brings credibility as well. The writer clearly knows these characters well... a little too well at times, truth be told.
A second attack befalls one of the loved ones of the Justice League of America, but disaster is averted thanks to a little luck and a lot of super-hero physics. The incident brings a greater urgency to the investigation, as well as a new focus, given the different methodology employed in the latest attempted murder. Meanwhile, the costumed villains lament the death of Sue Dibny, as it has brought increased pressure from the heroes, forcing just about everyone to lay low. Elsewhere, a one-time villain is questioned in an unorthodox manner, and someone close to a hero receives a chilling message.
Morales brings excitement and tension to the opening scene, and it gets the reader involved in the story right away. There's an exaggerated tone to Morales's characters here, especially when it comes to their eyes. But it works. This story hinges on emotion, and much of it is being conveyed through those eyes. The artists distinguish among the large cast of characters quite well. Now the cover is a different story. I'm not a fan of Michael Turner's cheesecake art, but I have to admit that the colors on this cover really pop. They establish not only a dark mood but a wondrous sense of energy as well.
Meltzer's script really makes this story work. There's such a genuine tone to Green Arrow's inner monologue that it enables the reader to forget this is an event book. It's a story about people instead of a super-hero thriller. A greater complexity emerges in this issue as well, not just because the pattern is elusive, but because there are seemingly unrelated subplots that really flesh out even minor characters. Capt. Boomerang's storyline is unusually interesting, for example.
Meltzer and I clearly grew up reading the same comics. His affection for the Suicide Squad shines through here, and I love all of the little references to past DC continuity that find their way into the story. The problem is that not everyone will have the same nostalgic connection to those small touches. Will it alienate readers? Probably not, I guess, but the story won't resonate for everyone as it's meant to.
The unifying theme throughout this issue is clear: fear. The heroes are terrified that their worst nightmares -- that their loved ones are being targeted as a result of their altruistic activities -- are coming true. The villains are afraid because the heroes are on the warpath. The bad guys -- like some fans -- long for simpler days when the super-hero/villain dynamic was more of a playful one. Everybody's afraid, and it makes for a riveting and tense atmosphere.
