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I hope you enjoy comic books, because the next three (maybe four) episodes are like a submarine journey into the depths of DC Comics continuity. The goal is to take a close look at what's going on between the covers of DC's current comic series, Infinite Crisis. But to do it justice requires some serious attention to the story's background. So we start off in this episode in the 1930s and work our way up to the Seventies, surveying the shape of the DC Comics universe as a whole -- because in the late 50s DC Comics editor, Julius Schwartz, revolutionized the way we look at superheroes, their adventures, and whether those adventures have any connection -- in imaginary space and time -- with the adventures of the heroes that came before.
You NEED to climb on board the Infinite Crisis freight train -- or submarine, if you want to stick with that metaphor -- because it is a huge event involving every DC Comics character and comic book. All the hype about "Heroes will DIE! The DC Comics Universe Will NEVER Be the Same!" is actually true. In fact, those words almost seem restrained, because their function as hype is so common we don't take them seriously. The exclamation points just bounce off us with no effect. So, brother, believe me when I say this is a seriously momentous time to be reading DC Comics. It's like being present during a visit from Haley's comet. The last time an event like this took place was back in 1985 and people are still talking about that one!
Visit your local mega-bookstore, wend your way into the graphic novel section, and pick up some of these titles (in order of importance -- #1 being most important, etc.):
1. Identity Crisis
2. JLA - Crisis of Conscience
3. Teen Titans - The Future Is Now
4. Superman - Sacrifice
5. Day of Vengeance
6. The OMAC Project
There are also these trades which I consider pretty optional:
7. The Rann/Thanagar War
8, Villians United
9. The Return of Donna Troy
The Infinite Crisis series itself is coming out in comic book form. So to track that down you will have to brave the wilds of your local comic book shops.
I am also using some online material for research:
"For Mature Readers: The Adult Audience and Superhero Comic Books" by Steven John Padnick
This, his thesis paper, is available for download at http://homepage.mac.com/padnick/writing/thesis.pdf
"Comics Universes as Fiction Networks" by Jason Craft
This can be downloaded at http://www.earthx.org/files/craftPCA2004_ppr.pdf
Also a book titled "Superheroes and Philosophy" and the two "Syntopicon" volumes from the Great Books collection published by Encyclopedia Britannica. Specifically, the section on "World" -- the idea or concept -- and how it is treated in the great books of the Western tradition, alternate worlds, etc.
Fun stuff, right? Well, it's fun to me. Gotta love that Syntopicon.
Please let me know what you think about the first Infinite Crisis episode of "excuse me, ghidorah?"! Or about Infinite Crisis itself. Feel free to post your thoughts at this blog.
Thanks,
Lint
P.S. BIG ERROR FOR WHICH I AM QUITE SORRY: Julius Schwartz passed away on February 8, 2004. Not in 2005 as I reported in the podcast. Sorry, Mr. Schwartz!
