Top-notch superhero story. A bit complex to follow if you don't know your DC superheros ( )

Superbly written, brilliantly drawn, and well-scripted. Interview snippets of key scenes included in the back was worth the read for more insight into the construction of the series. ( )

579

For once, a superhero story brings the action down to earth, giving such a heartfelt emotion to an intriguing murder mystery that leaves you on the edge of your seat until the last page. ( )

One of my very favourite graphic novels, and perhaps my very favourite super hero team-up or event book of all time. Meltzer's ability to quickly get me inside the heads of the myriad of characters -- both ones I was familiar with from before and the many I was not -- and to feel their emotions and think their thoughts is quite impressive. Especially considering how often the narrative hops back and forth between different viewpoints. Morales' artwork is fantastic -- pretty, exciting and most importantly, deeply emotional when it needs to be. Which is often, in this story.

I first bought this comic on a whim, needing something to read on a 4 hour boat ride. I'm not ashamed to say I teared up several times there in my seat, reading this. It's not often a Justice League comic makes you cry, let alone multiple times, but this one did. I've re-read it twice since then, and while the emotional impact is of course somewhat muted upon revisiting, my eyes got distinctly moist at several points even during the third read-through. It's that effective.

"Identity Crisis" is a murder mystery, a conspiracy thriller, a character drama, and a super hero action adventure, all rolled into one, and even upon finishing it, it's tough to know which it is more. What it most definitely is, is a loving dive into DC's many fantastic characters, and -- almost incidentally -- tribute to the Silver Age comics that somehow simultaneously makes the darker, modern incarnations all the more compellingly flawed and conflicted. And what it is most of all is a story about love, and grief, and relationships. And if you know the names of more than five DC characters (which you do. You know you do. Even if you've only ever seen one of the movies, you know the names of three characters from "Superman" alone.), I think you'd enjoy reading this. ( )