As has been the case after reading several previous issues of this limited, the conclusion left me feeling conflicted as well. On the one hand, Meltzer's reliance on continuity works against his plot here, and there's an anti-climactic feel to the pacing of this issue. On the other hand, there's a real sadness to the big reveal as opposed to a sense of shock or outrage, and the closing scenes serve as a sign that this series shouldn't be taken as an indicator that DC's mainstream super-hero stories are heading in a darker direction. There are strong character-driven bits to be found here as well that make me want to see past the weaknesses in the plot, but I just don't get all of the way there.
A lone member of the Justice League comes face to face with the person responsible for the murders of three people with close personal connections to various heroes, and more shocking than the identity of the killer is the motive. It's not revenge. It's not hatred or some kind of super-villain scheme. Learning who was responsible for the murders is as devastating as the killings themselves, and the colorful champions of the DC Universe react in different ways to the news. Some turn their backs on their lives as heroes, and others pick up the pieces and begin to heal.
This issue isn't about big explosions and fight scenes. It's about raw emotion, and Rags Morales and Michael Bair communicate those emotions with great power and skill in the art. There's a subtle shift in the depiction of the killer that works nicely. S/he is presented through the eyes of another character, and when the ugly truth is revealed, some of that ugliness is to be found in the portrayal of the character.
Meltzer has delved into the history and continuity of the DC Universe as part of this book's appeal, so I have a bit of a problem with the big revelation here. The killer should not have been privy to the private life of a non-Justice League member. In other words, s/he should not have been able to target Robin's father. The character's motivation kind of flies in the face of past stories and characterization, but it's been a long time since that character has been explored. So I find the shift in the character here works, mainly because it's convincingly sad and desperate.
The pacing is in this issue is quite off. It reads as though Meltzer tried to spread six issues' worth of plotting over seven. The big reveal kind of falls flat in the opening scene, and the book meanders a bit afterward. I did enjoy the extended denouement. Meltzer offers some nice little character-driven scenes. I really wanted to see more about Lorraine Reilly and her decision to quit the hero biz, and the writer's comment on Superman's and Batman's willful blindness was a strong one.
There's been a lot of speculation online that Identity Crisis marks something of a turning point in super-hero comics, that it and other recent comics like it, such as Avengers #s 500-503, will launch a trend of darker super-hero storytelling, as opposed to the lighter, Silver Age influence that's been in play over the past few years. Meltzer's closing scenes here seem to indicate otherwise. We see the Justice League return to old traditions, and we see the Elongated Man begin his life again, instead of continuing to grieve. These moments struck me as a comment about this series and the genre, that Meltzer's saying this grisly murder mystery shouldn't and won't bring the inherent lightness and fun of the genre to an end. 5/10
