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From: scott@hou2g.UUCP (Danger Mouse)
Newsgroups: net.comics
Subject: CRISIS #7 (Spoilers, natch)
Message-ID: <515@hou2g.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Jun-85 16:38:47 EDT
Article-I.D.: hou2g.515
Posted: Wed Jun 19 16:38:47 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Jun-85 13:23:32 EDT
Organization: A Loss For Words
Lines: 72



Hmm...Five issues and five Earths left....

I must say I've not enjoyed a comic this much in years.  Sure,
I've seen better art, writing, humor (Hooray Ambush Bug!), etc.,
but I just enjoyed this story immensely.  This took me back, as
Jerry said, to those days of the very first Crisis story--my
"formative" years.  What makes this better than Secret Bores
(well, at least the most important reason, at any rate) is that
Crisis is making changes and EXPLANATIONS.

Ah, Krona, Guardians, Manhunters, Qward (wasn't the whole Anti-
universe itself referred to as Qward?  Having it be the counterpart
to Oa makes PERFECT sense), multiple universes, disembodied hands containing
swirling masses, Controllers, etc.  This is SO much better than any
meta-explanations or beings Marvel has ever come up with.  (One possible 
exception: Galactus)  I LIVE FOR THIS STUFF!!!!  I remember how intrigued
I was, a few years ago, to find Universo was a renegade GL.  This 
kind of thing is in the same vein.

It's refreshing to finally see a story where they don't feel obligated 
to throw in Bats, or Atom, or GA, or all the other relative lightweights.  
Here we have the really BIG guns:  Mon-El, the Big Red Cheese, Uncle 
Sam (he's SO NICE--reminds me a little of Reagan's public image :-) ), 
and three Kryptonians thrown in for good measure.

Well, three were thrown in; only two came out...

I'm kind of sorry to see Kara go. (I wonder if this had anything to do 
with the poor showing of her movie :-) )  I recall the early Linda Lee stories
with Jim Mooney art (I STILL can't stand that stuff!), and how bad her
various title and backup features were.  It's too bad the only time she
got good writing was for her swan song...if only Wolfman had written a
series with her...Granted it was perhaps overly glorifying and melodramatic, 
but then what the hell DO you want in a death issue.  

This actually had me choked up.

I'm only glad I read the Kal/Kara team-up in DC Presents beforehand--this
would have spoiled it completely.  And poor Brainiac 5...

Speaking of higher-level intelligences, what do you think is up with
Brainiac and his "select few"?  I'm a little upset that that Mantis Morlo
clone, Savana (or is it the other way around? :-) ), was actually SELECTED 
by Brainiac to join them.  That strikes me as kind of, well, er...illogical, 
if I know my Brainiacs.

Bits and Pieces:

 - I thought the Monitor/Antimonitor duality bit was a little pat, but...
 - Pariah's origin and (especially) his punishment were both intriguing
   and fitting.
 - Enjoyed the "older" Supes counseling restraint after Kara's death.
   What is to happen to him, if only one Earth is to be left?  Think
   he and Lois will go off somewhere together?  Or will DC take advantage
   of probably their only opportunity to "kill" Superman?
 - The coordination of the various "parties" attacking Qward was well done.
 - No mention of Flash or Red Tornado.  Hmm....
 - Think Darkseid is with Brainiac, or elsewhere?  (My money's on 
   the latter.)

				Thanks, Marv!

				Scott J. Berry


P.S.  No time to review the Superman Annual--I expect JMB or Moriarty
      to rave as usual about Alan Moore's script (and JUSTIFIABLY so),
      but did anyone else notice the Monitor among the worshippers of
      Mongul toward the end?  And isn't it Monghul?