Eventitis. It’s been one of DC’s huge problems in recent years. Dan DiDio seems to be giving the DCU a terminal case of it. Sure, events have been part of larger comic universes ever since Marvel’s Secret Wars but in recent years it has gotten so bad that “status quo” is nonexistent in the DC Universe. Events used to be an annual event, something to bring readers in for the summer and promote titles people might not have known about, especially the smaller titles, or a point to create new titles. However, they were rare while nowadays DC is flooded with them. And in the case of Doomsday Clock in eternal “we’ll get it done, we promise” mode. It was more important to do one around Batman than finish the one they’re on. They’re like chain smokers now.
(Not to be confused with The Chainsmokers. I should warn you that’s a link to “Selfie” because that’s the song I know them most by.)
Anyway, I’m surprised a comic celebrating the various crises the DC Universe has undergone wasn’t done in DiDio’s time as editor-in-chief but in 1998. As part of our ongoing look at Secret Files & Origins (or just Secret Files depending on what page or cover you’re on), we’re up to “JLA In Crisis”, a book that came out just after the event “DC One Million“. You won’t be surprised that a story set in the 853rd century starring new incarnations of the Justice League was created by Grant Morrison if you followed comics in recent years. The Hourman of that period came back with the original…well, this version anyway…JLA, which ties into the story. I’m not sure why it’s called “One Million” though.
And there is only one story this time. The usual “Lost Pages” just runs around the solar system of One Million but there is an adventure in the beginning, as the Flash starts reliving those earlier events. Good thing he gets that out of his system in this book because in the future there would be a lot more to deal with. Although since DiDio and Tom King just killed him off I guess that doesn’t matter for old Wally. White Wally’s dead because DiDio hates legacies…or at least the ones he didn’t grow up with since technically Barry Allen is a legacy Flash as well. But enough about Danny, let’s talk about something more interesting.
Wasn’t there a breakfast cereal mascot with this gimmick?
JLA In Crisis: Secret Files
DC Comics (November, 1998)
Origin Story: “The Flash’s Infinite Crises”
WRITER: Tom Peyer
PENCILER: Rags Morales
INKER: Dave Meikus
COLORIST: John Kaliz
SEPARATIONS: Digital Chameleon
COVER ART: Rodolfo Damaggio & Robert Camanella with Digital Chameleon
There is no letterer listed, even for the profile pages. For this book the profiles aren’t about characters but a short synopsis of the events. I’m just going to focus on the story.
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