The countdown has begun and a superhero will die. DC Comics released "Countdown to Infinite Crisis" on March 30, the introduction to a brand-new universe-wide storyline that the company said would seriously impact the company's Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman books.
"Countdown" will lead to "Infinite Crisis," the sequel to "Crisis on Infinite Earths," a popular 1985 crossover comic book series in which DC revamped and simplified its comic book universe. "Infinite Crisis" will be published on the 20th anniversary of the original series.
Although "Infinite Crisis" will not affect the DC universe to the same extent as the original, "it's still a very cosmic, epic storyline," said DC Comics executive editor Dan Didio.
"The goal for this is a further redefinition of what it takes to be a hero in the DC universe," Didio said.
The storyline will satisfy many readers' unanswered questions about certain characters, their motivations and where they came from, Didio said.
The monstrous 80-page "Countdown" pools the talents of three acclaimed DC Comics writers and seven popular artists. The story follows long-running yet little-known hero Blue Beetle's quest to solve a mystery surrounding a project to keep tabs on the world's superheroes. By the end of the adventure, a hero will be betrayed and killed.
"What we're trying to do is up the ante in regards to the pressures and dangers that the heroes face on a consistent basis," Didio said. "It's not an easy job to be a hero, and part of that is [showing] ... how much our heroes keep on striving to continue to do the right thing and fight for the better good. It helps make them stronger and greater in their own right."
"Countdown" is quite ambitious in how many popular and less-known DC superheroes and villains it is able to fit in one book. Longtime DC readers will appreciate the return of not only Blue Beetle, but Booster Gold, the wizard Shazam and Hal Jordan as Green Lantern.
"DC has this incredible wealth of fabulous characters that has never really been tapped to its full potential," Didio said. "We're really trying to touch upon all characters that we think haven't been properly shown or haven't been shown in a while."
Since "Countdown" is merely an introduction, the story is not always the most compelling, saving its biggest bang until the end. Still, one has to begin somewhere, and the book succeeds in setting up the "Infinite Crisis" comics to follow.
The complete "Infinite Crisis" saga will be told mostly as its own distinct mini-series but will cross over to other DC books when necessary, Didio said. DC has set "Countdown" with a low, $1 price tag in an effort to win back both casual and former readers.
"We wanted everybody to have no excuse on why they didn't pick that book up"
