Scans: Final Crisis

[mithen]

I finished reading the TPB of Final Crisis recently in preparation for Return of Bruce Wayne.  It's got its pros and its cons.  The cons are simple:  the plot is so sprawling, disjointed, and complex that it sometimes loses all coherence and you have to just sort of surf along going "Oooh, a cosmic vampire!" or "Huh, that appears to be two Flashes

Comments

[untitledno8]

Another pro: the German in that one panel is pretty much correct, which is something that doesn't happen very often in comics *g*

So in short: Final Crisis is a crazy, muddled, pretty random joyride pitting the best of humanity against absolute evil, and is full of bizarre and beautiful little moments--just don't expect it to make a lot of sense. ;)
That really is the best way to sum this up, ever. I really enjoyed it when I read it the first time, but it is pretty random. I remember reading the bit about the cosmic vampires while I was in our breakroom at work and I just had to laugh so hard.

[mithen]

Another pro: the German in that one panel is pretty much correct, which is something that doesn't happen very often in comics *g*

OMG, I am so relieved to hear you say that! I should have thought to check with you beforehand, because I was fretting about it--I hate it when languages get messed up in things like this (Shogun of Steel has some Japanese howlers, lol).

I really enjoyed it when I read it the first time, but it is pretty randomThere are so many tie-ins (there are apparently whole series for the Tattooed Man and the Japanese team? They'd make a lot more sense with more background) that it's almost impossible to get a full picture. It's hard to even know what to include--I think in the initial printing of the trade they left out the two Superman Beyond issues--which I can understand because they're REALLY RANDOM. But with those left out, the ending is like "Well, Superman has defeated Darkseid, the world is saved and--OMG, COSMIC VAMPIRE THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN IN THIS STORY BEFORE AUUUGHGHHH!" :P

[untitledno8]

--I hate it when languages get messed up in things like this
Oh yeah, me too. I actually got into a discussion about this on Facebook the other day. Sometimes the German bits are so painful to read that it spoils the story for me - that was the case in an otherwise excellent story arc in The Unwritten a while ago. I'm always tempted to write in and offer them my help. Not having to read bad German would be payment enough ;)

The problem with that many tie-ins is that at some point it starts feeling more like work than fun. I actually gave my copy of Final Crisis to a friend yesterday - I'm very curious what she'll have to say about it afterwards *g*

[mithen]

I can see how running into awful German would be a deal-breaker--like having a character suddenly sound like a total moron, you know? Manga/anime that have characters launch into English can sometimes do that--I remember an early anime I was watching had an ostensibly British couple comment on a character's boyfriend by announcing, "So handsome boy!" damos and I said that to each other a lot for a while. :)

Agreed about the tie-ins--I downloaded the whole batch and then looked at the massive folder for a long time, lol. I probably will never read them...but I'm glad to know I'm not crazy and there WERE huge chunks of stuff missing.

[mithen]

Also, I read Countdown - all four volumes, and some tie ins, so I think I was very sick of giant, messy storylines. I felt like zombie Batman by the end of it all: Sumthing iz siriously WRUNG with mi BRANE!

Yeah, I hadn't read any of those, so I think my brain was still fresh enough to tackle this messy crossover. I do wish DC would keep their crossovers a little more...crisp? But I read Crisis on Infinite Earths and that's a pretty crazy hot mess too, so apparently it's not a new thing, lol

[mithen]

You're right, Overman and Uberman aren't even explained very well on Wikipedia! I assume that his cousin appears in one of the tie-ins, so Montoya's knowledge of her would make sense then? Just like I have vague memories of the Monitor reading about the Zoo Crew somewhere in a scene that was definitely not in the TPB.

Black Adam in 52 is a really good version of him, I think. He's one of those villains who can be a lot of fun, and I liked his getting involved in FC. Oh, and Sivana and Luthor's scenes cracked me up! I really liked them there...

[theclexfactor]

Yeah, I didn't get it either, but let me squee over the fact that they confirmed that Prez Obama is a Kryptonian from Vathlo.

[mithen]

I may have squeed out loud a bit at that, lol. Superhero Vathlo-Kryptonian Presidents FTW!

[arch_schatten]

Nubia!! I love herrrr! and President Superman! :D woot woot! I really liked Final Crisis, though I was like VAMPIRE WHAT WHAT for a long while, lol, it eventually made some kind of sense, and.. once you forget you were reading about Darkseid, the Vampire Monitor story is also pretty fun, so I guess is just a matter of not getting too hung up on it. I was all GO JEFFERSON! Isn't he awesome??? I can't believe he can't even talk right in Outsiders, lol, poor Jeff.

And and and Barry saving Iris from the Anti-Life equation with a kiss!! I kind of.. love that, in some fannish AU ways! QUICK! WHO ELSE CAN WE KISS AND SAVE?? :D And and the furies! Wonder Woman and Selina and and AWESOME.

I remember Tim saying he was a Justifier for a while in Red Robin, so I wonder if that happened in one of the tie ins. I kind of.. like the idea of there being so much story I'm not getting, I can imagine a lot of stuff going on. And well, of course, you know, BATMAN. I really liked his shooting Darkseid scene! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR??? :O :O <3 <3 I love

[mithen]

I was all GO JEFFERSON! Isn't he awesome??? I can't believe he can't even talk right in Outsiders, lol, poor Jeff.

I know, now I feel kind of guilty enjoying him in Outsiders...it's like maybe he suffered some kind of long-term damage from being a Justifier and isn't over it yet? Heal up soon, Jeff! And start using commas again!

I remember Tim saying he was a Justifier for a while in Red Robin, so I wonder if that happened in one of the tie ins. I kind of.. like the idea of there being so much story I'm not getting, I can imagine a lot of stuff going on.

It seems pretty clear there is something happening in the Bat-titles behind the scenes! I'd like to find it...but on the other hand, as you say, it's kind of cool to have it open!

But.. BATMAN! you had him right here!! look! look at his bodyyyy!!

He...he still smells faintly of apples!

[mithen]

Whoo hoo! My claim to history is complete. :)