Writer: Mark Waid
Art: Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, Federico Blee, Troy Peteri, and Mikel Janin
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $4.99
Release Date: December 13th, 2022
After the monumental events of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, Pariah has successfully resurrected the infinite Multiverse…and all of reality is still reeling from the event as Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1 by Mark Waid kicks off. Join Doctor Multiverse on a haunting journey through these newly re-formed realities, from The Jurassic League to DC: Mech…from Dark Knights of Steel to Batman ’89 and back again…in a guest-star-galore all-new epic by comics legend and DC architect Mark Waid!
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1 Review.
THE DISPATCH
Let’s begin with a huge positive, Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1 does a fantastic job explaining the original Crisis on Infinite Earths in the opening pages. To any new fan curious about checking out the original, it does get a bit confusing. Waid’s summary is perfect and wraps an outstanding bow on the classic. However, why is Barry chasing down the Anti-Monitor and why is he taking Kid Flash? This angle is out of nowhere and doesn’t make any sense in the context of the story, the event, or frankly anything for that matter.
On another positive note, I loved the cascading across the Multiverse with Waid landing on current multiverses, especially with recent stories happening now as well. That was a great touch of cohesion to the current fan base, was extremely commendable, and took some strategic thought and planning in which I admired. But, he doesn’t stop there by throwing in some of our longtime favorites like Batman 66, Batman 89, President Obama Superman, The Arrowverse, The Dracula Universe, Tangent Comics Universe, Earth X, and so many others.
Nevertheless, Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1 turns into a summary of multiverses as the Flash punches the Anti-Monitor across a variety of Universes with an infinite punch. However, it’s Waid using the Anti-Monitor that ironically refers to why Barry is attacking him implying the purpose of the issue. It’s actually quite comical.
Nonetheless, we discover that the intent of Barry traversing the multiverse was for him to banish the Anti-Monitor back into his own Anti-Matter Universe. However, how did he know he was out? And why can we now magically put him back in his box with a plethora of random heroes across the multiverse when we couldn’t do it before in the original Crisis On Infinite Earths all those years ago? I’m sorry, I love the heck out of Mark Waid. He is definitely in my top five of writers all time. Yet, this story makes no sense and deflates the old Crisis immensely.
ART
Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund must have had a field day with this week’s Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1. There were so many variations of characters alongside so many different worlds, amassed by the overwhelming similarities between the original Crisis on Infinite Earths, that fans will certainly be eclipsed with excitement. The array of characters and renderings will stand out and ultimately help beef up the story a bit more giving the thematic depth a bit of a crutch this week. Plus, Jurgens’ Anti-Monitor is a nice nod to the late George Pérez’s take on the very same character.
FINAL THOUGHTS
After reading Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1 by Mark Waid, it had only one intention… to help create a summary of universes across the multiverse with distinct characteristics for fans to keep track of. That’s it. Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1 has ZERO connection to Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths and makes ZERO sense with the current plot by Joshua Williamson. Why and how are Barry and Kid Flash doing any of this? I thought they were busy with the current Crisis. Barry just became free with the rest of the Justice League (I thought) and Kid Flash was helping Wally. Now, they’re together tracking down the Anti-Monitor and concerned with him instead of the Great Darkness? The issue makes no sense in conjunction with anything happening right now and truly isn’t worth the buy in connection with the Dark Crisis.
Nevertheless, if you can decouple that hot takeaway from the ongoing Crisis and treat this issue as a standalone title with nothing to do with the Dark Crisis, it’s a fun, quick story that organizes DC Comics’ “work desk”, puts “labels” on some of the “files”, places those “papers” into nice neat piles, and gets things ready for what’s to come. It’s almost like an abbreviated, partial summary of the multiverse all in one place with an actual checklist at the very end. So, if you can look past the fact that Barry turns into One-Punch Man knocking the Anti-Monitor through the Multiverse, and can decouple the fact that this story has literally nothing to do with the Dark Crisis, you ultimately could have a lot of fun with Dark Crisis: Big Bang #1. You’ll have to be the judge of whether or not you can suspend your belief long enough for that to happen. Personally, I can find a balance when giving it a final score. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God bless!