In the latest edition of Comics to Read Before You Die, Jessie Robertson looks at Identity Crisis…
Identity Crisis #1-7 (June – Dec 2004)
Writer: Brad Meltzer
Penciler: Rags Morales
Inker: Michael Blair
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Creators: Brad Meltzer, Rags Morales, Michael Blair
Editor: Mike Carlin
I’m not sure exactly how to sum up what wholly comprises the book we’re here to talk about today; it’s possibly (strong possibility) the best piece of comic fiction ever written, or at least I’ve ever read. It takes characters we’re all familiar with and puts them into situations normal people, every day, have to deal with and shows you that beyond the powers, these are human characters at heart. It also takes characters you may not be familiar with and makes you sympathize and instantly become drawn to. It does everything it sets out to do so well. It’s a murder mystery, at its core, but once that initial horrifying act transpires, and our heroes are left with the pieces and how to proceed, they do it as superheroes. They go at their tasks like they normally would but things are different this time; it’s one of their own. When a suspect’s name is brought up, a small contingent of heroes close to the departed separate and in the midst of that discussion, a dark secret comes out amongst the group. And then the layers peel back from that change of circumstance and more aspects peel off of those and you are left with this intricate web of lies, deceit, collusion and maybe….justice? When the story wraps, it wraps in a way that no other superhero comic would; there’s no climactic battle destroying half the city or trip to the cosmos to right some universal wrong – no it wraps the same way it would in our everyday life, motivations that could stem from a normal person you meet walking down the street every day. It ends as it began; tragically and as real as you’ll ever find in this medium.
I’m being purposely vague for a reason; I don’t want to spoil one panel , one line of dialogue or one plot thread because they are all so good. The art is also exceptional and paints these characters, again as real people. There’s no exaggerated superhuman features; just emotional human faces and dark lines that meld the characters and scenery into a sharp drama that can’t be matched. There really is no excuse for any comic book fan, and fan of great stories in general not to pick up this book and read several times over.
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