REVIEW: Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #3

Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #3 is here and it’s an episode of recuperation, reflection, and a confrontation in outer space.

A recent announcement revealed that the event will be called Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths. Even so, it’s no mystery that this event is both a sequel and a tribute to the original event. Crisis events are known for hoarding together heroes against a single villain and we receive that just as the cover advertises. 

While the remaining heroes on Earth recover from the attack on Titans Tower, the Green Lantern Corps is attempting to make the arrest of the century with Pariah as Daniel Sampere illustrates on the issue’s default cover. Hal Jordan, the all-time favorite Green Lantern in the comics, boldly projects constructs of his fallen teammates with his ring. Being the big, bad, cosmic baddie he is, Pariah is sized up and cloaked in the starry void of space as reality ripples around him. This one feels like a classical cover to an issue of Justice League and hypes up Hal’s role in the whole thing. Green Lanterns’ always look like they pop with their bright emerald hues on a black background. Alejandro Sanchez does a great job of this.

There are two other variants to the set and one takes the cake. Mike Allred once again draws Pariah and Superman like in Space Age, but along with several other characters in a tribute variant to the original Crisis on Infinite Earths event. Anti-Matter waves tear through parallel Earths while superheroes helplessly float through space. It truly all goes back to Crisis, with it being one of the main conflicts in Superman: Space Age. In wholesome Allred fashion, his wife Laura joins him with her coloring. 

Dan Mora appears to give us something straight out of his character study notebook with his variant. This one showcases the design aspects of the new character Red Canary who I have admittingly not seen anywhere yet. She’s obviously related to Black Canary in some way and her costume has some of the influence to prove along with some more urban flair like the jacket and sneakers. Her bird insignia is showcased pretty well along with a side view shot. There is also an alternate headshot of her with short hair – perhaps her civilian identity. Looking forward to seeing her in action whenever that may be. 

Dick, Jon, and the remaining young heroes and Titans have warded off Slade’s assault on the tower and Beast Boy managed to escape with his life. But the terrifying realisation that this was just the warm-up round soon sets in as they realise Deathstroke will hit again harder than before with more serious villains. Meanwhile, the ratio of villains to heroes begins to increase as more heroes go into hiding in the Justice League’s absence. 

Black Adam, the survivor of the Justice League massacre, tells our young heroes that their Silver Age heroics won’t cut it at a time like this in true Teth-Adam fashion. The highlight of the book is Jon and Yara, who has finally joined us, telling him off as they embody the mantles of Superman and Wonder Woman. But the reader can’t help but think that Black Adam has a point in this specific circumstance. Deathstroke is sending waves of rogues at them knowing they won’t kill them, perceiving their mercy as a weakness. Black Adam won’t tolerate this and sets off on his own – got to love that anti-hero. 

Hal Jordan leads the Green Lantern Corps on a confrontation with Pariah after breaking Kyle Rayner out of space prison in the last issue. It’s great to see all the faces of Green Lanterns past and present in Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #3. You got Guy Gardner, Jessica Cruz, Simon Baz, and Jo Mullein all together. That has always been Dark Crisis’ strength thus far – uniting characters that fans have always wanted to see interact. Again, that Deathstroke vs. Nightwing fight was years in the making. It’s a cosmic duel between the universe’s police force against someone who desires to end it. Can they possibly hope to prevail? 

DC’s youngest heroes get their first real taste of a multiversal Crisis here. Because they weren’t adults like the classical heroes when they experienced it, they are much more transparent with what they are going through. Of course, they aren’t the old Justice League so they are going to handle it differently as well. You really do believe that everything characters like Jon Kent, Yara Flor, Damien Wayne, and even Dick Grayson have done before this pale in comparison to what Pariah has in store for them. 

That’s something we as readers rarely experience with older more traditional heroes like Clark, Bruce, and Diana because there are so many of their adventures and exploits that predate us and we may not even be aware of. All these are what make Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths such a unique event and Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #3 a great issue to introduce us and younger heroes to such an event.