Scott's Take: Infinite Crisis by Greg Cox

Infinite Crisis by Greg Cox is a novelization of the seven issue comic book series. Because the Dallas Library System remains closed due to the pandemic, I have read most of the library books I had checked out when the system shut down. This 2006 published book comes from my personal TBR pile and was a gift from my Mom back in 2008.

Because this book came out more than ten years ago, it uses the canon of the time and not how things are being reimagined today. Set during the “post crisis” it is a low point for Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman personally as well as in their relationships with each other. After the revelations and decisions that led to this novel, Batman recently found out that multiple heroes were mind wiping villains once they learned the secret identities of various Justice League members. Batman also learned that he had been mindwiped as well after he objected to the actions of his fellow heroes. This betrayal led him to start the OMAC project and build brother Eye. 

At a later point, when Superman was mind controlled by Maxwell Lord, he brutally beat Batman until he was barely alive. He then went after Wonder Woman and tried to kill her. The only way to stop him was the death of Maxwell Lord which Wonder Woman made happen by snapping his neck.  Batman believes that Wonder Woman crossed a moral line as no hero kills. The mind wiping that was done on him remains a major issue in their relationship.

The preceding sets up the multiple storylines in this book. Infinite Crisis is one of the more complicated “event comics” I have read. There are numerous deaths, huge battles, and lots of violent action. Heroes and villains die. Many minor heroes and several major heroes find even the most powerful among them will not survive the events in this novel. The comic series that was adapted into this book changed the DC Universe with repercussions that continue today through numerous series.

The story is told from multiple perspectives of heroes and villains. Many readers will be familiar with the major players. Many will not be familiar with many of the minor ones such as Omega Men, the Freedom Fighters, the Justice Society, Power Girl, Max Mercury, and more. This book features minor and major heroes as well as minor and major villains. Just about anyone and everyone is here in this read.

This is all hands-on deck situation with tragedy after tragedy and a massive body count among heroes and civilians. While Infinite Crisis by Greg Cox is a really good book, it is probably over complicated for casual readers. But, I think it is worth a read for any DC Comics fan especially one who enjoyed the comic. 

Scott A. Tipple © 2020