Writer: Joshua Williamson
Art: Daniel Sampere, Alejandro Sánchez, and Tom Napolitano
Publisher: DC Comics
Price:$4.99
Release Date: September 6th, 2022
Take a glimpse at the inception of the new DC Multiverse! Racing out of The Flash tie-ins, our heroes have discovered the mystery behind Pariah’s new worlds. However, at what expenditure does this understanding come, and what can they even do with this new knowledge? Better yet, it could be conceivable that Pariah and the Great Darkness simply revealed exactly what they wanted them to know. Could this have been their plan all along? Let’s dive into Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 by Joshua Williamson as Deathstroke resumes his plans to obliterate our heroes once and for all, while Nightwing finally joins the fold to rally the troops for one last showdown with the Terminator and his army.
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 on Infinite Earths #4 Review.
THE DISPATCH
Ultimately, Pariah wants to create his own world he watched originally get destroyed back in the first Crisis on Infinite Earths. And in order to accomplish this task, he’s using the Great Darkness. However, the speculation surrounding this issue of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths focuses on whether or not it’s Pariah controlling the Great Darkness, the Great Darkness controlling him, or is someone else entirely controlling both?
BACKSTORY ON DARKNESS
Just for some clarity to some new DC Comic recruits, during the Crisis on Infinite Earths, the Brujeria (some silly cult) awakened the Great Darkness hoping to eradicate the big “g” god and reform the world in their image. And by the way, this was the very same darkness that was there when DC Comics’ big “g” god said, “let there be light.” Nevertheless, this Great Darkness became self-sentient seeking to understand existence. Finally, in a touching embrace with the Light, the two halves literally held hands and formed a truce (So sweet). All the Great Darkness wanted was to go back to the way things were before the Light… sheer nothingness.
Throughout the years since Crisis on Infinite Earths, it’s been the Great Darkness pulling the strings behind the scenes, influencing a return to nothingness. From the likes of Magog, Superboy-Prime, and even Darkseid. Behind the scenes, it’s always been the Great Darkness as a puppeteer working in the shadows to bring back the desired nothingness it craved. However, regardless of what Crisis came about, it was always the Superheroes of Earth-Prime that somehow managed to rally the Multiverses and stop the Great Darkness’ plans. Every Crisis Level event down to Doctor Manhattan stealing history and manipulating time had this Great Darkness working in the shadows with its main goal to destroy everything and bring about nothingness once more.
Therefore, it would only make sense that the best way to continue its plan for nothingness would be to permanently dispose of the heroes from Earth-Prime (A.K.A. The Justice League) that have continued to thwart its plan every step of the way. However, this is where Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 becomes the most perplexing. If the Great Darkness’ goal has always been to recreate nothingness, then why is Pariah trying to recreate other Multiverses? Sure, I could see the Great Darkness using Pariah as a pawn to promise him his world back. But to recreate more worlds seems odd if your purpose is nothingness.
THEORY
Nevertheless, my current running theory is a reversal of the created order. So, follow me through this: the Great Darkness was here first. The Great Light appeared and created in the Darkness eventually overtaking the Great Darkness and delegating it to its area of the “Divine Continuum”. So, it appears as though the Great Darkness understands that the balance is needed and it can’t get rid of the light. Therefore, it wants to recreate the “Divine Continuum” in its own image of darkness. And with that, the darkness being in control.
Worlds made through the darkness spoken into existence through the dark delegating the light to its little corner of the Divine Continuum. This would make sense as to why the Justice League crew from Earth-Prime (who’ve been there every step of the way to thwart the Great Darkness’ plan) isn’t destroyed. Maybe they’re the vessels of light and creation needed to recreate the “Divine Continuum”? Maybe the Great Darkness doesn’t know how to create like its counterpart (The Light) and thus they’re the power source along with Pariah as the creator to reshape the Divine Continuum into darkness. And therefore, in this new “Dark” Divine Continuum, Pariah will have his world back which is his driving force.
MORE REFLECTIONS ON ISSUE #4
Why did Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #3 end with this big reveal of Hal entering Jon Stewart’s world only to be whisked away three pages in and never really look back? It actually makes issue 3 and the build-up surrounding the comic much worse. The build-up of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #3 made it seem like Hal was going to be bouncing around from one world to the next freeing the Justice League. Furthermore, it appeared as though the Legion of Doom was going to rally, pull a Forever Evil, and take down Deathstroke’s army. However, those culminating ideas were brushed away in about 6 total pages of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 causing this reviewer to wonder what the point of the last issue was.
Additionally, I appreciated the point Alan Scott made to Nightwing as well as Grodd to Black Adam. These two aspects of the issue were extremely pivotal moments of the series to date, however, were barely focused on by Williamson and should have been. The emotional charge that could have been from Nightwing should have been a climactic moment. But for the life of me, I can’t understand why Alan Scott had the talk with him instead of someone much closer to Nightwing. Moreover, Grodd’s perspective was truly the more logical than what Black Adam’s was trying to spin which leads me to believe that there is a possibility that something is up with Black Adam or is even secretly working with the Great Darkness as a mole.
Nevertheless, the most interesting aspect of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 was actually the connections made by the Justice League Dark (mainly Swamp Thing). It’s those pages that did a pretty stand-up job of explaining some of the deeper aspects of the story.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Williamson focuses on explaining some background issues of the Great Darkness while showcasing the plan of our heroes moving forward. Sure, there is a bit of action. However, what readers will discover is that Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4 is more set up than anything else. Nevertheless, that’s not always a bad thing. Up until now, this reviewer was wondering what was happening and why. Williamson takes a step back, adds a bit more clarity, and injects some intriguing speculation that should add some bells and whistles to this event before the story comes to a close. Overall, I was pleased with the direction Williamson went and look forward to where DC is going. After Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #4, as well as Flashpoint Beyond #5 this week, I couldn’t help but see so much promise in the future of the company.
I haven’t felt this way about DC Comics in quite a long time. I had high hopes as Future State began… but that fizzled out rather quickly. Before that, I just got sick and tired of the Metal storylines. And frankly, the only “event” book that showed promise in recent years was the Batman: Three Jokers. However, after this week’s installment, I’m jazzed for what’s to come and thoroughly enjoyed the way all the crises fit together with what appears to be an overarching theme that… kind of makes sense. Could I be wrong with my theories and speculations? Of course… I’m wrong more times than I’m right. But as I stated in my Flashpoint Beyond #5 Review, you know a story is good when you can’t stop thinking about it or theorizing about where it’s going and how it all connects together. Not only is Flashpoint Beyond doing that, but so is Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths! I highly recommend picking this issue up, grabbing the back issues, and hopping on board while you still can. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!