Crisis Continues

I couldn't have planned it this way, but at the same time that I'm re-reading Infinite Crisis there's currently a Dark Crisis going on in comics today.  Perhaps in a few years from now I'll catch up to that one.

The Superman of Earth Two visits Batman in the Batcave to show him the life he could have had with a wife and children.  With Paradise Island under siege by Brother Eye's OMACs, the Amazons abandon man's world leaving Wonder Woman behind.  A teenager named Jaime Reyes finds the scarab that will turn him into the new Blue Beetle.  

Some of the events in Infinite Crisis may only happen on a page or a single panel, but are expanded upon in tie-ins, such as the Spectre crushing Atlantis underfoot in Aquaman #37.  Power Girl gets reacquainted with the Earth Two Lois Lane, who doesn't have much time left to live.  She's given one of Lois' journals, which will be seen later in JSA #82.

The villains of this new Crisis are finally revealed: Lex Luthor discovers the existence of a doppelganger who has secretly been manipulating his Society, and it turns out to be the Earth Three Alexander Luthor.  Power Girl discovers that the Martian Manhunter is still alive, and Alexander and Superboy Prime have been constructing a tower using the Anti-Monitor's corpse, another character not seen since the end of Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Power Girl is knocked unconscious by Superboy Prime and Alexander Luthor, who are determined to use her in their plot even if she's unwilling.

Superman #224

In this month's only Infinite Crisis tie-in, Superman battles the new Blackrock while Lex Luthor finds himself on the run from an OMAC.  As Lex flees in a stolen jet and crashes in the Alaskan tundra, he flashes back to memories of his childhood in Smallville with Clark Kent.  Lex Luthor had a pre-Crisis history of being Clark's classmate at Smallville High School, but this had been mostly ignored in post-Crisis continuity until the Smallville TV series made it popular again.  

Along with Clark Kent's friendship with Lex Luthor, other pre-Crisis Smallville elements would be restored in post-Infinite Crisis continuity, including Superman's previous history as Superboy and his joining the Legion of Super-heroes in the future.

Adventures of Superman #647

Superman fights the real Ruin, while Lt. Lupe Leocadio is set up to find Pete Ross trapped in a Ruin costume.  Fortunately, she realizes it's a trap and doesn't shoot him when she has the chance.  Professor Hamilton wanted to televise his own death at the hands of Superman to destroy the Man of Steel's image the way Max Lord's death had done to Wonder Woman.  But Superman manages to save everyone, even his enemy, and clear his friend Pete Ross' name.  He discovers Professor Hamilton hadn't actually learned his secret identity, so his secret is still safe with Lana and Pete.

Action Comics #834

The Queen of Fables draws on the long-forgotten fairy tales of Krypton to challenge Superman in an imaginary world.  After fighting creatures that were mythical even on Krypton, Superman eventually starts to speak to the Queen of Fables in the terminology of her fairy tales and convinces her that he's not her Prince Charming and Lois Lane is not her rival Snow White.  She acknowledges Superman is an unsuitable prince and dismisses him back to Metropolis.  

In the real world, however, Lois Lane has been kidnapped by a delusional admirer who wants her to be his prom date.  It's a little disappointing to see Lois reduced to the part of the damsel in distress, particularly by the female writer who coined the term "women in refrigerators" to refer to the treatment of women in comics.

Superman/Shazam: First Thunder #4

Dr. Sivana's hired assassins find Billy Batson, but before they can shoot him he says the magic word "Shazam" and turns into Captain Marvel.  Their bullets bounce off of Captain Marvel and he easily takes them all out, but the ricocheted bullets kill his young friend.  A furious Captain Marvel goes to the police station where the assassins are being held and threatens them until they tell him where to find Dr. Sivana.  

On Mount Everest, Superman confronts Captain Marvel about his rampage.  Captain Marvel finally reveals to Superman that he's really just a boy.  At first, Superman is angry at the Wizard Shazam for giving such power to a child, but then he realizes that Billy needs guidance.  Later, Clark Kent finds Billy hiding in an empty building and finally reveals his secret identity to Billy too.