Is Identity Crisis worth Buying?

[Darkseid Is]

You should definitely buy it and read it. I've never seen a book that people either hate so much or love so much. I'm one of the weirdos that think it's great.

[Darkseid Is]

A Death in the Family is a book I enjoy but disturbed me a lot more than Identity Crisis. Batman holding a teenage boy's half naked, bloody body. Also Killing Joke to me felt a lot more brutal.

[Stanlos]

If you like Batman being paranoid even for him and dream of Deathstroke being able to beat down the entire Justice League, then yes.

Its a bit rapey, though.

Is this the moment when Deathstroke suddenly becomes a Batman villain????? I

[BatmanJones]

It always perplexes me that so many fans that I respect love this book. I will freely admit I have not read it, but a simple description of what happens pretty much confirms to me that there is no way any amount of execution would make me enjoy it or respect it.

It perplexes me that such a thoughtful fan would judge a book based on descriptions of plot points and not read it for themselves, particularly when it's advocated for by posters you respect. I would guess that you would love it. It's not the way it's described here. The awful things that happen to the beloved characters are sensitively written by a super-fan in order to point out the horrific real world consequences of the violent world in which they operate. People that hate it have it in the "fridging" category. It's not that at all. Ralph and Sue have never been written with so much heart. I'd challenge you to read just the first issue and see if you're sure you want to avoid it. If you hate the first issue, I'd understand you opting not to ever read it. I don't ever understand someone deciding they hate something they've never read, for any reason.

In my very strong opinion there has never been a better Justice League story nor one with more heart than this one. I think you're missing out. But my point is that you can't have any idea if you are or not.

[BatmanJones]

If anyone here that has decided never to read the series is willing to give it one issue (based on how many have it as an absolute favorite), you could find out for yourself for $0.99 by reading #1 at least here:

https://www.comixology.com/Identity-...RGV0YWlsTGlzdA

[BatmanJones]

As for me, though I hadn't intended to at all, all it took was finding that link to know I'm about to read this dearly beloved (IMO) series again right now. I can't count how many times I've read it before. It never gets old for me.

[AnakinFlair]

Identity Crisis was the TPB that got me into DC comics. Up till I read that, I was strictly Marvel.

It's not a traditional 'Crisis' story- the story is smaller in scope and more personal. And it's fairly controversial. But I enjoyed it, and would happily recommend it.

[Slim Shady]

Putting this here just because it's the most recent Identity Crisis thread. This thread really explains a lot about how Identity Crisis became the mess it was and the awful mindset that was fueling DC's line:

https://twitter.com/StuffValWrites/s...96323905413121

It was a really dark, and imo, bad era for comics in general. There were a bunch of extra dark, not fun stories written during that time from both DC and Marvel. I'd say IC personified that era perfectly.

I don't like it. For a bunch of the reasons already talked about here. But I will say, if you love all things DC, it's probably worth reading once. Even if you finish it and instantly hate it and mad you wasted your time reading it. It's like a bad car wreck, you know you shouldn't look, but you slow down and look anyway.

[Raijin]

I don't pay people's opinions on here any mind whatsoever, you shouldn't either. I think you just buy the book and see for yourself. That's what i do with everything.

And something is deeply wrong with you guys, if rape was all that you got out of the book. Might want to get some help there.

[Assam]

And something is deeply wrong with you guys, if rape was all that you got out of the book. Might want to get some help there.

No one 'only got rape out of the book', not sure where you got that idea. The rape was just one element of the story that didn't work at all and was systemic of a much larger problem with DC from 2003-2015 and both on this thread and others, the numerous faults in the book have been discussed to death.

[BatmanJones]

If anyone here who has never read this series PM's me their email I will buy #1 on comixology and gift to you. I'm not made of money but I'll do this for anyone that's willing to check it out.

Too many have resisted this series and never even read it based on things they heard. I am so against that line of thinking I'm willing to buy #1 for you if you're open to having your mind changed. I fully expect if someone were to read #1 for the first time they'd be eager to read the rest of it.

[Nick Miller]

I agree with batmanjones

I think this board has its detractors, but again there many fans of the book who do not post here.

It’s a riveting comic, with great art. Unless you are big time Ralph and Sue fans.

[charliehustle415]

It was a really dark, and imo, bad era for comics in general. There were a bunch of extra dark, not fun stories written during that time from both DC and Marvel. I'd say IC personified that era perfectly.

I don't like it. For a bunch of the reasons already talked about here. But I will say, if you love all things DC, it's probably worth reading once. Even if you finish it and instantly hate it and mad you wasted your time reading it. It's like a bad car wreck, you know you shouldn't look, but you slow down and look anyway.

I agree with Slim's notions, it was super dark and it ushered in the grimDark era of DC which I loathed. Further, I can't take Rags' art at all; however, it is something to read just for the historical context because it did lead to the next Crisis event and one of my favorite comics "52"

[Bored at 3:00AM]

There is some beautiful dialogue and characterization in Identity Crisis. There are big chunks of the story that read like editorially mandates and the central mystery is a dud that doesn't hold up to any degree of scrutiny.

That said, it is absolutely worth reading.

[Robanker]

There are some great small character moments, but outside that and the art, I'm not a fan and I like it less each year for new reasons. Still, it's a time capsule of that period of DC and you may want to give it a look for that reason; decide for yourself.