DC Hardcover Collected Editions Part 3

[Balakin]

I just ordered it, it was only eight quid so why not. I'll write those other two down so I can get them later on, cheers.

Also just ordered the deluxe Archer's Quest. I was debating whether to get it but it was only £11 on speedyhen and I'll probably get the Smith absolute so I'll have a nice chunk of GA in hardcover.

the Identity crisis deluxe is like 13,5 on speedyhen, I probably gonna go for that soon.
Before you read Infinite crisis I would recommend checking a reading order though, some ofg the tie ins kinda essential (especially the lead up)

[FlashingSabre]

The act is offensive, but making it part of a story line is not. Like someone else said, if you want giant pennies falling from the sky, read different stories.

The best part about mysteries are the reveal. This had a great reveal and the reasoning behind it - why/how it happened and the repercussions that followed - not only made perfect sense but set up some story lines that could have taken other characters into unexplored directions. Unfortunately, DC never really tried.

As Shadow Thief and Firestorm? Eh, they're both chumps.

On a side note, you're getting into serious spoiler territory, so please use caution. There are some who haven't read the story.

And I do. I'm just pointing out why some others who agree with me why they might not want to read it. I just done like having that level of darkness forced into my superheroes. At least, the ones that aren't supposed to be dark. In a Batman or Animal Man story, yeah I'd be fair game. In a Elongated Man story? Hell no.

I completely disagree, and think this mystery is nonsensical garbage, but lets agree to disagree.


On a positive note, I really like Archer's Quest, by the same writer. If you don't already have it, I highly recommend it.

That's your opinion, I guess.

I haven't spoiled anything that makes any logical sense, in context or out.

[Noxex]

Identity Crisis is one of those few stories to make me actively upset when thinking about it. The mystery itself is pretty bad, but then again most mystery stories don't hold up. And its not even that it ruins Tim Drake, Dr. Light, Captain Boomerang, Firestorm, Elongated Man, Sue, Satellite league JLA, etc. (Although...ugh Tim Drake's dad dying really did ruin what made him unique.) Even raping and murdering a women as a plot point, as stupid, lazy, and offensive as that is isn't what I hate so much about that story. (Although even by that time it was a generic troupe.)

Its that Identity Crisis is THE EXACT OPPOSITE of what I want in my DC comics. Note to writers: anytime you have an idea of putting DC heroes in "real world situations" you probably are going to fail, especially if you write a story as generic as Identify Crisis. DC = Good Guys vs. Bad Guys in a world not even remotely like our own. I've never read a DC story and been like "man I wish that there was more rape and murder!" All of these problems really go back to the Killing Joke, but at least it was an original story at the time. Its not that there should never be a woman raped/killed/tortured in a comic EVER, but that its so lazy! Alan Moore was writing in a different time. And forget what I said earlier, yeah a big part of it how many characters it managed to ruin for good. Its like DC was ashamed of their old comics or something. (Also Infinite Crisis has these exact same problems, only with a plot that makes even less sense, and ruins even more important characters like... say, Batman and Action #1 Superman.)

TLDR: To those of us that like our DC comics to be fun adventure tales, and are not ashamed to the least of reading "kids stories" Identity Crisis is the worst piece of crap DC has ever put out. So if for you (like me) Batman vs weird aliens > Batman fighting street crime then don't read it. If you've ever wondered what would happen if a supervillian raped the wife of a hero, then read it. (I kid on that last part, its probably worthwhile for everyone to read it at least once. And I have nothing against anyone for liking it, its just our tastes in comics are 180.)

[mtop2036]

Imo I don't get the hate on identity crisis. Cant say much about the tape thing because I haven't seen another comic that has it but I don't think its offensives in the least bit. And the murdering.....cant count how many people have been"murdered" in story's. But to each their own I guess.



On a side note just got my most recent order in and holy batman! Absolutes are massive!!! This if my first time seeing one in person I mean I knew it was gonna be big but holy crap! Highly impressed.

[TomSlick]

On a positive note, I really like Archer's Quest, by the same writer. If you don't already have it, I highly recommend it.

Yeah, I think it's one of the best GA stories since Grell. I think the only other thing I recall that Brad Meltzer did was a year or so worth of Justice League of America. I liked it and you could tell that there was a lot of stuff he wanted to do, but then he left. Not sure why. One of the issues won an Eisner for best single issue. I think it was the one he did with Gene Ha.

[jjsheridan1001]

Identity Crisis is worth reading for sure. I think the problem is, it took something from childhood and made it into something horrific. Comics were once kid friendly and this was definitely not that book. I like Morales art but the Deathstroke stuff, the League pile on, the poor Dibny's, it's a Vertigo take on the Superfriends all the way.

I disagree. It's an adult, mature, 21st century way. If it were Vertigo, it would have been twisted. It's mature, but not Vertigo level.

[jjsheridan1001]

Yeah, I think it's one of the best GA stories since Grell. I think the only other thing I recall that Brad Meltzer did was a year or so worth of Justice League of America. I liked it and you could tell that there was a lot of stuff he wanted to do, but then he left. Not sure why. One of the issues won an Eisner for best single issue. I think it was the one he did with Gene Ha.

Oh Jesus, I loved Kevin Smith's run. It left me thinking "Damn, could anyone actually do better?" Then Brad Meltzer did Archer's Quest and did just that. It's definitely worth a read.

[TomSlick]

Oh Jesus, I loved Kevin Smith's run. It left me thinking "Damn, could anyone actually do better?" Then Brad Meltzer did Archer's Quest and did just that. It's definitely worth a read.

Yeah, I was the same way. I was disappointed when Smith left although it was said from the start he was only doing a year or so. Then they introduce Meltzer and I'm thinking: Who?????

I wish he'd do more but I imagine he gets paid a lot more to write novels.

[Captain Planet]

The act is offensive, but making it part of a story line is not. Like someone else said, if you want giant pennies falling from the sky, read different stories.

The best part about mysteries are the reveal. This had a great reveal and the reasoning behind it - why/how it happened and the repercussions that followed - not only made perfect sense but set up some story lines that could have taken other characters into unexplored directions. Unfortunately, DC never really tried.

As Shadow Thief and Firestorm? Eh, they're both chumps.

On a side note, you're getting into serious spoiler territory, so please use caution. There are some who haven't read the story.

I think the reveal is what made me hate the story. It felt like a cop out. As if you were reading a murder mystery book and the killer turned out to a minor characters doctor that isn't even in the book until it's time for him to be caught. The rape and murder wasn't horrific by itself but it just kept adding to the doom and gloom of comics with writers taking cliche short cuts in their attempt to be more "mature". DC comics was pretty dark and heavy for awhile.

But I always feel like I'm in the minority with me disdain for this book.

I will say though that I LOVED the scene with Deathstroke.

[pud333]

See, most super hero comics are the type you like. So there's plenty of that. What grabbed me about IC is exactly what you hate about it. I hadn't read a comic book in almost 20 years but that was the book that brought me back to comics. Up until then I had felt comics were just kids stuff (boy was I wrong). After I read that, I was like "Man, I didn't know they could have substance!" Personally I don't understand why someone would want all super hero stories to be the same fluff. I thought IC worked well. Not perfect. But I will always reward daring and ambition in art over the status quo. It certainly got me back into comics. Now that I've been reading comics for a few years, I've gotten bored of a lot of superhero stuff. Junk food is great. But sometimes I want a steak. Or a salad.

Identity Crisis is one of those few stories to make me actively upset when thinking about it. The mystery itself is pretty bad, but then again most mystery stories don't hold up. And its not even that it ruins Tim Drake, Dr. Light, Captain Boomerang, Firestorm, Elongated Man, Sue, Satellite league JLA, etc. (Although...ugh Tim Drake's dad dying really did ruin what made him unique.) Even raping and murdering a women as a plot point, as stupid, lazy, and offensive as that is isn't what I hate so much about that story. (Although even by that time it was a generic troupe.)

Its that Identity Crisis is THE EXACT OPPOSITE of what I want in my DC comics. Note to writers: anytime you have an idea of putting DC heroes in "real world situations" you probably are going to fail, especially if you write a story as generic as Identify Crisis. DC = Good Guys vs. Bad Guys in a world not even remotely like our own. I've never read a DC story and been like "man I wish that there was more rape and murder!" All of these problems really go back to the Killing Joke, but at least it was an original story at the time. Its not that there should never be a woman raped/killed/tortured in a comic EVER, but that its so lazy! Alan Moore was writing in a different time. And forget what I said earlier, yeah a big part of it how many characters it managed to ruin for good. Its like DC was ashamed of their old comics or something. (Also Infinite Crisis has these exact same problems, only with a plot that makes even less sense, and ruins even more important characters like... say, Batman and Action #1 Superman.)

TLDR: To those of us that like our DC comics to be fun adventure tales, and are not ashamed to the least of reading "kids stories" Identity Crisis is the worst piece of crap DC has ever put out. So if for you (like me) Batman vs weird aliens > Batman fighting street crime then don't read it. If you've ever wondered what would happen if a supervillian raped the wife of a hero, then read it. (I kid on that last part, its probably worthwhile for everyone to read it at least once. And I have nothing against anyone for liking it, its just our tastes in comics are 180.)

[Dayle88]

Yeah, I was the same way. I was disappointed when Smith left although it was said from the start he was only doing a year or so. Then they introduce Meltzer and I'm thinking: Who?????

I wish he'd do more but I imagine he gets paid a lot more to write novels.

I just bought the Deluxe after only borrowing the trade and the trades of Smith's run last week. I really liked Smith's run, normally I would hate the demon and magic aspect but I've already read Hit Man so I knew what it was all about. Then I read Archer's Quest and thought it was so much better, and Smith's was very cool all around.

I personally can't stand Batman stories where he's fighting aliens or crazy stuff that he's have no chance against and love the street level approach so I'm glad I ordered Identity Crisis to see what it's all about.

[Thesanmich]

Still salty the that Smith's GA ended up coming out in absolute rather than in deluxe as it was originally solicited as.
Maybe one day I'll get around to picking it up...

[VanWinkle]

flooding the thread, sorry. Here are some CoIE deluxe pics:

Forgive my noobiness, but why does DC glue their sewn bindings to the spine on a lot of their hardcovers? Wouldn't it open more flat and easy if they just didn't glue it down? Or is there a reason for it?

[TomSlick]

Still salty the that Smith's GA ended up coming out in absolute rather than in deluxe as it was originally solicited as.
Maybe one day I'll get around to picking it up...

Yeah, I didn't order it because of that reason and subsequently opted not to pick of the Archer's Quest deluxe because of some slight bookshelf OCC.

[sho nuff]

Forgive my noobiness, but why does DC glue their sewn bindings to the spine on a lot of their hardcovers? Wouldn't it open more flat and easy if they just didn't glue it down? Or is there a reason for it?

I don't believe the ribbon is glued to the spine. They just use cheap glue on their deluxes that isn't flexible so there is no seperation between the two.