This week DC comics revealed that after much debate none of the Crises took place within the new DC 52.  Well that’s great.  There’s an entire bookshelf in my personal library full of amazing tales that now no longer matter.  Well that’s just great.  Without these major events, I’m left confused and so are many other readers.  If this story didn’t take place, then how can this character arc within the story have taken place?  This ruins much of the current “soft” reboot of their titles.

Here are a few things that now don’t matter, and how that screws things up.

1.  Character deaths in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

I’ll leave Supergirl out of this one, because her story just became a mess over the last 30 years.  But what of Barry Allen?  If Barry doesn’t sacrifice himself in Crisis, then there is no Wally West as Flash.  Years of great Wally West stories fall away.  If Barry never leaves then there is no reason for him to return.  Without the Wally and Barry Flashes, there would be no Flashpoint.  And if there’s no Flashpoint then how the hell did we get here?!

This doesn’t just mess up major characters.  The original Dove died in the original Crisis.  Yet in the new Hawk and Dove #1 much mention is made of Don’s death.  I would be a lot more concerned over his death and the lasting effects it carries if the event that caused his death still mattered!

2.  The changes that took place in characters because of Crisis on Infinite Earths now either never happened or have no reason to have happened.

There is no longer a reason for Psycho Pirate to be an interesting character.  Back when he was the only (or few) people to remember a multiverse he was an OMG character.  Everything he said had to be debated and discussed.  Sure, a lot of times his appearances were crap.  But you didn’t know they were crap until years later.  Before that time you may have been seeing hints of the next year in DC comics.   Add some of the more meta fiction stories from Animal Man and Spectre to this list as well.

Furthermore, without Crisis there is no need to reboot the big three.  No need for Batman Year One, Wonder Woman Gods and Mortals or Superman The Man of Steel.  The instant iconic origin for Superman is now replaced by… a t-shirt and jeans?  Action Comics?  More like what I wear to the mall comics.

3.  Two women in Identity Crisis changed the DC Universe (well, not anymore).

If Identity Crisis did not take place, then Sue Dibny does not die.  Thus Ralph doesn’t go through his amazing story in this title, in 52 and as the “ghost detectives”.  Also, if Sue doesn’t die, that also means a murder did not take place and so Jean Loring does not become Eclipso.  Furthermore, Tim Drake’s father doesn’t die and Batman doesn’t realize his fellow heroes are mind wiping people and that eliminates his need to create the Brother MK 1.

If Jean Loring doesn’t become Eclipso, then she doesn’t have the big battle over magic with the Spectre.  Within that story the wizard Shazam was killed and… well actually where the fuck is the Marvel family in the new 52?

4.  No Infinite Crisis means…

No more Superboy-Prime.  Our greatest hero, of another plane of existence, becomes the greatest villain.  He’s insane, unhindered and mad.  Prime carved his insignia into his chest!  He killed dozens of heroes and hundreds (at least) of people.  He is one of the few bad guys who can show up in a book and make the fans say “oh shit”.  Then we count down the 30 days to the next issue because with this guy on the page, bad yet page turning stuff is about to happen.

5. The lack of Infinite Crisis means there’s no need for 52.

Without Infinite Crisis the big three would not have taken the year off.  The massive and brilliant weekly story known as 52 now has no reason to take place.  No creation of Batwoman or Renee Montoya’s Question.  No more Black Adam, or Infinity Inc or Ralph Dibny quest.  Most importantly, no arc to turn Booster Gold from a joke into one of DC Comics most important characters.  No multiverse!  No Skeets and Mister Mind!

What the hell do the last 30 (and especially 10) years matter?

 

Well at least Final Crisis doesn’t exist anymore.  I still don’t know what the hell went on there.  But where the hell are the New Gods?