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  1. #1
    JohnConstantine
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    Default Question about Crisis on infinite earth

    So, I want to understand how the actual DC universe took place, and which heroes and powers are obsolete and which ones are valid (i.e. Superman eating Kryptonite/ sneezing out a solar system, batman punching a bullet or keeping up with karate kid). Do I need to read COIE in order to understand that?

  2. #2
    Obsessed & Compelled Bored at 3:00AM's Avatar
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    Not really. Although it was very significant when it first came out, most of what occurred in the original Crisis has been revised again at least three times by now. All you really need to know is the broad strokes, which more recent continuity rearranging events like Infinite Crisis (which is a straight up sequel to Crisis) can get you up to speed on.

    While the art is gorgeous and worth buying just for that, I must admit I have never been able to make it through the whole thing. There are too many characters and the defacto main characters, who are NOT Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman, aren't really that compelling and the story is needlessly convoluted.

  3. #3
    Amazing Member
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    The way I've been learning about it all is to just go over your favourite characters and their most famous stories. This will bring you in line with any now obsolete characters that you are most likely to end up coming across. For the wider understanding, as simple as it sounds, research through the internet. It will give you a broader overview and then you can make a more informed choice about whether to pick up COIE. Also, may be worth listening to some Podcasts if that's your kind of thing. Geek History Lesson usually has a lot of information and will regularly bring this up even just slightly for a lot of DC characters.

  4. #4
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    Like 'Bored at 3.00am' said, I would start at infinite crisis as well, also the omac project by Greg Rucka which leads directly into infinite crisis. From there you'll have a good rough idea of the continuity before the new 52, then depending on the characters you like will have a good starting point to read their stories from that period.

    Also another reason infinite crisis is a good starting point imo is because before that event the continuity was very confusing and although it still was after IC...lol, it wasn't as bad nonetheless.

  5. #5
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    You should read it if you like DC superheroes cuz it's a fun story on a really epic massive scale. An it's sorta historically important if you're a comic book collector. But it's not going to tell you if say, JLA vol 2 #49 is still canon or not. And like Bored said, DC has rebooted the universe like 4 times since then.

    I'd say if continuity matters to you, then Rebirth which is happening right now, is a good place to start. Then go backwards and look into the histories of the characters you like or are curious about.

  6. #6
    Ultimate Member Lee Stone's Avatar
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    The real charm of COIE (and virtually every major universe-wide crossover event since then) is seeing your current favorite non-Trinity heroes rub elbows.

    The story is still really good and is the definitive guide to how to do an event series right.
    However, it's a bit lost in translation now because many of the second-tier and third-tier characters featured in it have been out of view for so long many readers have no attachment to them.

    I remember being excited seeing the opening group that included Dawnstar and Firestorm.
    And classic Earth-2 was still a thing back then... and Titans was DC's top team...
    A lot of things have changed since then that have clouded the context for new readers to just jump in.

    Also, the Who's Who series that ran alongside it was a boon and really should be collected with Crisis in an Omnibus.
    I had only been reading DC for about five years (three of those from my brother's comics) before Crisis hit and, aside from the core DCU of the time (JLA, Titans, Legion and All-Star Squadron/JSA), most of the characters were new to me at the time.
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