Infinite Crisis of Comics

2005: Infinite Crisis ... A massive, world-killing, world-altering storyline that shakes DC forever! A sequel to the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths (which turned into the Retcon from Hell), heroes from that Crisis had come back as villains of this piece. It had universes created, cities ruined, and some additional retcon. Even if it was confusing to start with, it ended in a bang, resolved a few issues, and created 52 alternate universes. And it killed Superboy, who no one cared about to begin with (don't worry, he gets better).

2006: "52" ... A massive, world-killing, world-altering storyline that shakes DC forever! Batman has taken a year off after nearly having a nervous breakdown in Infinite Crisis. Superman flew too close to a red son and needs to recharge. Wonder Woman is in temporary retirement. The A-list characters are out of the way, so now, practically every B-list character gets a starring role as they try to handle all the problems that arise during this particular crisis.

Overall, it was surprisingly well written. People die, countries get wiped out, and we get the pun "The Isle of Dr. Morrow." It also spawns several other comic book lines, including Booster Gold. It shows how the major players in the DC universe took a year after Infinite Crisis to get their bearings. Minor Character of Plastic Man dies (has stayed dead thus far). Police Officer Rene Montoya of Gotham City becomes a superhero. The finale starts a War in Hell, and ties up any loose ends left behind by Infinite Crisis.

52 also starts an interesting line of inquiry: practically everyone in DC has come back from the dead at one point or another. Ralph Dibney (Plastic Man) asks the question: Why?

2007: Sinestro Corps War ... a Green lantern storyline. The character of Sinestro has always had a Yellow ring, one that operates on fear like the Green Lantern Corps has rings that operate on will.

So, Sinestro starts his own Yellow Lantern corps. The premise is simple enough: "Crap, Sinestro has an army. We have a problem." This is a massive, world-killing, world-altering storyline that shakes DC for ... the next three years, starting the War of the Rings.

The Sinestro Corps even ends with one of the characters (the Anti-Monitor, who is anti-life itself) being blown to pieces, and his remains turning into the Black Lantern (see 2009).

2008: Final Crisis ... a massive, world-killing, world-altering storyline that ... okay, forget it. I can't even tell you the plot of this one. I'm serious. I read it. We have the New Gods of the planet Apokolips (subtle, no?). They killed the Martian Manhunter. Superboy came back. DC didn't even pretend that they killed Bruce Wayne (Batman), but made him unstuck in time (just like Captain America, hmmm). Superheroes from the future were involved. That's about all I know. Even the Wikipedia article makes me go cross-eyed.

2008-2009: There was New Krypton ... a massive, world-killing, world-altering storyline that seems to have had no impact on anyone. It even ended with the "War of the Supermen" ... Right.

2009-2010: Blackest Night: is a massive, world-killing, world-altering storyline that shakes DC. We have the War of the (Lantern) Rings come to a head as they unleash the Black Lantern Corps—which apparently operate on death. Black rings take over the corpse of practically every interesting character who has ever died in the DC Universe, creating an Army of Darkness (quick, call Bruce Campbell). Check.

The best part of Blackest Night is that they turned the various and sundry resurrections of practically everybody into a plot point. The creature that lives within the Black Lantern, Nekron (again, subtle, no?), has declared that he has prevented everyone in the DC universe from staying dead, he had kept the door from death open for them, allowing them all to come back from the dead ... and allowing him to control them! Which means, uh oh, the Black rings are taking over everyone who has been resurrected over the course of DC history. That's a lot of people.

In order to face this menace, various and sundry heroes and villains are drafted as temporary members of the rainbow coalition (um, the various colored Lantern corps). This ends in the creation of yet ANOTHER Lantern color, and practically everyone who has died came back. And if they haven't yet, just wait for it.

I have just managed to tell you everything that has been happening in DC for the last five years.

One of the things about the Catholic church is that it has a tendency to think in centuries. You won't see another Vatican council in your lifetime, or in the lifetime of your great-grandchildren, mainly because we're still fine-tuning the LAST council.

DC has decided to shake up their universe, which is admirable. It has been creative, and breathtaking, and all sorts of good stuff ...

But in the name of all that's holy, can somebody stop the shaking machine for a minute? There is a massive, world-altering storyline every single month now. Can we wait five minutes for the dust to settle first? After Infinite Crisis, there was 52, and while that was massive, there was only one main storyline, which took place over the course of dozens of issues, and let the dust settle nicely from Infinite Crisis, then DC was in permanent crisis.