INFINITE CRISIS: Annotations *SPOILERS*

[Morgan Wick]

6.12.5: On Earth-Q, John Woodward: “Mark Waid refers to this Earth in his editorial in Amazing Heroes #91, 1986 as the home of the Quality Comics heroes. He presumably meant either Earth-X or Earth-Quality, which are the official names for the two pre-Crisis Earths that had Quality Comics characters.” (Earth-Quality was where DC relegated those Quality comics that kept featuring superheroes after World War II, where obviously, the allies would have won, as opposed to DC's creation Earth-X, where the Nazis won and the Quality heroes had to form the Freedom Fighters.) Newsarama: “Earth 3181 was the one where everyone was a bobble head by the way.”

6.12.11: Why the focus on him?

6.13.6: I believe that’s Metamorpho, folks.

6.13.8: Green Arrow had recently been at odds with Batman, which seemed to end by the end of JLA.

6.14.1: Don’t you just love this banter? Black Lightning was created in the 70’s, where he was DC’s first black superhero.

6.14.2: That’s “FAIR PLAY” on the sleeves.

6.14.7: Mostly due to tech itself, I believe.

6.14.9: This thing says “PROPULSION SYSTEMS”.

6.15.3: This is the biggest yet. Earth-3 doesn’t make sense, good was bad and vice versa there. It sounds like the imperfect Earth.

6.15.6: This goes back to 3.7-8 and beyond.

6.15.8: The Supermen and Wonder Woman are being merged with Earth-3 counterparts.

6.16.4: Superman merges with Ultraman, Superman-E2 merges with Lex Luthor-E3, Wonder Woman merges with Superwoman-E3.

6.16.6: Hey, you get a physics lesson with your comics!

6.17.1: Note how Alex’s index finger appears to be disappearing.

6.17.3: And everyone’s safe.

6.17.5: They were either consumed in the explosion, or sent to their home Earths.

6.18.1: The heroes in the Tower are loose. Left to right: Nightshade, Breach, Lady Quark, Power Girl, Ray II, Martian Manhunter.

6.18.3: Lois is already dead. Does this mean Alex is out to kill Superman-E2, as well?

6.19.1: A reference back to 1.24. I doubt Power Girl would speak the same way, though.

6.19.2-3: Normally, when Psycho-Pirate says this, he makes it right.

6.19.4: Psycho-Pirate II dies. (Also see 1.24.10, and Scarlet Witch’s recent “no more mutants” proclamation over at Marvel’s “House of M”. Who says DC doesn’t have any original ideas?)

6.19.6: I know Black Adam wouldn’t have wasted a thought about killing Max Lord.

6.19.7: That is Superboy-Prime there.

6.20.3-6: A reference to Supermen having the constant weakness to magic.

6.21.5: Mostly illustrating 6.21.4.

6.21.6: Yes, even Superboy-Prime is into exposition. There was speculation that this outfit heralded the return of the Anti-Monitor. For once, that’s not right.

6.21.7: “Years?” This is never satisfactorily explained.

6.21.9: Absolutely insane, I tell ya.

6.22.9-10: Superboy-Prime, remember, has been craving yellow sun throughout this series.

6.22.11: All being taken back to their home Earths.

6.23.3: This links the two main storylines together.

6.23.8: Batman still harbors some feeling for Dick.

6.24.1: The implication? He’s going to die.

6.24.3: Cold and heartless, man.

6.26: Why Superboy should be this powerful is beyond me.

6.27.4: See 6.14.9.

6.27.5: The OMACs are deactivated. Brother Eye landed in the Saudi desert; it was not completely destroyed until OMAC PROJECT INFINITE CRISIS SPECIAL, released the same week because of delays.

6.27.7: This “Doc Ock” effect was also seen on 6.14, with Black Lightning.

6.28.3: It would appear that Blue Beetle is being sent back to his home Earth, but his line about the GL’s contradicts that. See 6.1.6. (Blue Beetle turns up in issue #1 of his own series, fighting Guy Gardner, and #2 reveals that that takes place “one year later”.)

6.28.5: Aww, Batman’s paranoia is over.

6.29.1: All the people who had been infected with the OMAC virus. (Remember, OMACs were created by nano-viruses that infected a host and, on command from Brother Eye, formed a machine around them.)

6.29.4: Superboy-Prime seems to still be having his way with our Superboy.

6.29.5: Alex appears to be acceding to Superboy-Prime’s request.

6.29.8: Earth-Prime was originally supposed to be “our Earth,” but it soon acquired a misplaced hero, and then Superboy-Prime, and they had to admit that Earth-Prime wasn’t really our Earth. The hands coming out of the panel may thus be intended to evoke grabbing our Earth.

6.29.9: Two problems: Superboy-Prime was the only hero of Earth-Prime as of CoIE (something he recognizes in issue #7), and Superboy-Prime isn’t being very polite and honest, and hasn’t been very brave.

6.30.1: See 3.10.6.

6.30.3: I believe this calls for another round of censorship on the second print…

6.30.5: Finally, someone calls him on it!

6.31.1: Bam!

6.31.2: This is Earth-One setting off a shockwave.

6.31.3-6: You see the shockwave in these panels.

6.32.1: The Multiverse dies. (Again.) Earth-O dies. Note the evocation of CoIE 1.1.3. Are all these shards becoming part of the new Earth?

6.32.2: If Woodward can give names to post-CoIE Earths, so can I. I’m calling this earth Earth-∞ (Earth-Infinity), after Infinite Crisis.

6.33.2: Note the figures in the background. Are these all former OMAC’s?

6.33.5: Wouldn’t you want to be discovered by a girl with super-strength?

6.33.6-16: How must Cassie feel about kissing someone covered in blood? “He said I wasn’t the real Superboy. <kaff> He was wrong. I just forgot for a little while... we all forgot… don’t let them forget again. <kff>” “You did it, Conner. You saved the Earth. You saved everyone.” “I know, Cass. Isn’t it cool?” Superboy dies. (Not exactly “I love you so much for what you are, for how good you are” or “Do what you have to… we must save the world”, is it?)

6.34: Standing, left to right: Nightwing, Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Superman-E2.

[Morgan Wick]

Issue #7: “Finale”
Writer: Geoff Johns
Pencils & Layouts: Phil Jimenez, George Perez, Ivan Reis & Joe Bennett
Inks/Finishes: Andy Lanning, George Perez, Ivan Reis, Jerry Ordway, Sean Parsons & Art Thibert
Colors: Jeromy Cox and Guy Major, Tanya and Richard Horie
Letterer: Nick J. Napolitano
Asst. Editor: Jeanine Schaefer
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Special thanks to Joe Prado

Plot Summary: All-out war breaks out in Metropolis, as Alexander Luthor attempts to take the “new Earth” in lieu of the “perfect” one. Both Supermen arrive with a host of other heroes that were at the destruction of the tower. Superman-E2 confronts Alex, and Superboy-Prime destroys his equipment. Attacked by Bart Allen, wearing his grandfather’s Flash costume, Superboy-Prime takes off to fly through Oa at light speed, hoping to cause a new big bang, but runs into a wall of Green Lanterns – and promptly kills 32 of them. Back on Earth, Batman and Alex Luthor fight, and Batman almost shoots him, but is dissuaded by Wonder Woman. The Green Lanterns slow Superboy-Prime enough for both existing Supermen to grab him, and they run him through Krypton’s red sun, and onto another planet – where Superboy-Prime discovers the red sun destroyed his armor, and he rips into Superman-E2 and fights Superman. As Superman KO’s Superboy-Prime, the remaining heroes arrive, and Superman-E2 finally breathes his last. The rest of the story is denouement, as several plots are advanced and set up for future stories, and Superboy-Prime vows to escape the place the Green Lantern Corps holds him in…

7.LeeCover: Hoo boy. Who woulda thought Lee could produce a Perez-detailed cover? I’m just going to say “the Green Lantern Corps” and leave it at that. A Green Lantern geek can provide more detailed analysis, but you better also provide a way to group everyone. Power Girl and Superboy-Prime are in the center, and if you look closely you can see two other Supermen. Look very, very closely, just above the figures in the center, and you can see Martian Manhunter.

7.PerezCover: Not to be outdone, of course… Left to right by rows: Baron Blitzkrieg?, Bulleteer (obscured by title), Weather Wizard, a foot :). Second row: Bolt, Amazo, Captain Marvel Jr.? (shirt's black, that's odd), Bizarro, Robin III, Beast Boy (the tiny green bird), Stargirl, Steel I, Per Degaton, with Dr. Light and Lady Quark in the background. Man-Bat, Wonder Girl II, and Neutron are below them. Third row: Metamorpho, Sinestro, Cheetah, Solomon Grundy, Green Arrow, Wildcat (black silhouette peeking out of Daily Planet globe), Harley Quinn, Arsenal, Aquaman, Bane, Flash-Jay Garrick, Reverse-Flash, Shadow-Thief (another black silhouette). Fourth row: Nightwing, S.T.R.I.P.E., Scarecrow, Mary Marvel, Starman-Jack Knight???, Poison Ivy, Plastic Man (head poking out of "L" in Daily), Black Canary II, Dr. Psycho, Wonder Woman, Gorilla Grodd, Killer Croc. (Look in one of the windows near Poison Ivy's arm and you can see something that looks like an Imperial Stormtrooper; that's Gentleman Ghost.) Far foreground: Batman, Heatwave, Black Manta, Floronic Man, Captain Cold, Deathstroke (getting punched by the arm of Hourman II). Why no Superman?

Annotations: (Part I)

7.1.1-2: This appears to be a direct continuation of the end of #6.

7.1.10: This occurred in the VILLAINS UNITED SPECIAL. Oracle and J’onn had to frantically rally heroes to counter both the threat of the prison break and the threat of the invasion.

7.2-3: In the sky: Amazo, Bulleteer, Black Adam, Bizarro. On the ground: Zsaz, Hardhat, don't know (background behind...), Shock Trauma, Klarion, Shimmer, Manhunter-Kate Spencer, Electrocutioner, Negative Man, Ivo, Headhunter, Detective Chimp, Cheetah (body only?), Manhattan Guardian (another SEVEN SOLDIERS character), Aquaman, Murmur, Dr. Psycho, Katana?, Brutale, Mad Hatter, Shrapnel (not Doomsday, as I originally thought; contrast 7.5.8 and 7.6-7). Note the background is all in pencil in the original, inked and colored in the hardcover.

7.4.1,4,6: Bane, Shining Knight, and Grundy, respectively, all have lines added for the hardcover.

7.4.1: Judomaster dies. (ID from Newsarama.)

7.4.2: Peacemaker II dies. (Or Deadline.)

7.4.3: Indeed, he doesn’t show up again until the very end of this story. The Madmen and the Trigger Twins die. (Very maybe.)

7.4.5: Amazo dies. Black Adam’s presence here, when he was one of the people in the tower, may be related to his departure from the tower in #6.

7.4.6: Solomon Grundy is quasi-immortal…

7.4.7: Mongrel, Geist, Razorsharp, Nightblade, and Ballistic all die. (Although it's very, very hard to tell in the original, of course! This is reportedly cleared up in the hardcover.) (All were introduced in the BLOODLINES crossover, if you were wondering.)

7.5.1: How did Alex Luthor and Superboy-Prime get here, especially so fast?

7.5.3: Boss Moxie dies. (Or Major Disaster.) Baron Blitzkrieg dies.

7.5.4: In the original, Alex says, "And now this ‘unified’ world, this New Earth, has been altered again." In the hardcover, it becomes "I miscalculated. I tried to divide a New Earth. Instead, I only altered its history."

7.5.4-6: Note Earth-Infinity’s similarities to Earth-1. The line in 7.5.5 may be a reference to SUPERMAN:BIRTHRIGHT, the recent re-imagining of Superman’s origin, or to his career as Superboy on Earth-1, more likely the former.

7.6-7: Nice poster. Again.

7.6-7.7: Doomsday dies. (Maybe.)

7.8.1: Left to right: Ray II, Nightwing, Green Lantern-John Stewart, Power Girl, Batman, J’onn J’onnz, Superman, Stargirl, Robin III, Superman-E2, Green Lantern-Hal Jordan, Black Canary II, Wonder Woman, Aquaman.

7.8.4: Sinestro may or may not die here.

7.8.5: Battle of the Doctor Lights!

7.8.7: In the original, Wildcat says, "I think I remember. That's him." In the hardcover, he says "It looks like Superman" instead.

7.9.5: Still not a satisfactory explanation.

7.9.7: “World view?”

7.10.1-3: We find out who that Flash was on 5.31… Bart Allen, formerly Kid Flash II.

7.10.5-6: Superboy-Prime adopts a new plan.

7.11.1: Is it just me, or does J’onn seem to have cool shades on?

7.11.2: Um, I think Superboy-Prime did a pretty good job of telling us himself, without your help…

7.11.3: Superman-E2, Stargirl, Power Girl, S.T.R.I.P.E.

7.11.5: Top to bottom: Zauriel, Firehawk, Lady Quark, Mary Marvel, Superman, Power Girl, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel Jr., Superman-E2, Ray, Halo, Breach, Green Lantern-John Stewart, Geo-Force, Green Lantern-Hal Jordan, Stargirl, S.T.R.I.P.E, Looker, Shining Knight, Terra II.

7.12.1: Zauriel dies. (To the extent an angel can die, of course...)

7.12.2: "Vibrating." Another reference to vibrational frequencies separating the Earths?

7.12.3: Foreground to background: Breach, Looker, Technocrat, Mary Marvel.

7.12.4: Breach dies. (Whether or not this takes out Looker as well is questionable.)

7.12.5: Nice little message there. Breach explodes, Captain Atom returns. (In the original, he says "What? Where am I?" In the hardcover, he says "Where’s the Earth… that other Earth?")

Between 7.12 and 7.13: A page has been inserted here in the hardcover of Batman fighting Deathstroke. Again, my citations follow the original.

7.13.6: I have no clue what Alex means here. What, specifically, is he referring to, taking out Brother Eye?

7.13.9: Nightwing was originally supposed to die here, but at the last minute DC editorial saved him for use in future stories. The only way Batman's subsequent behavior makes sense is if he thinks Nightwing's dead. It also sets up a brief disconnect at 7.32.7 - one minute it looks as though he's taking a mortal blast to the chest, next, "Hey, I'm on a boat!" (Props to Comics101's Scott Tipton for that one.)

7.15-16: In the previous week’s “DC Nation” column, Dan DiDio was so hyped up on the “Thin Green Line,” and I can’t think of anything funny to say about it. I need said Green Lantern expert to decipher this great poster.

7.17.2-3: Scientifically, of course, this makes no sense, since space is pretty durned cold anyway, but you see worse in almost every comic…

7.17.3-5: Green Lantern expert again. Remember, when Green Lanterns die, their rings go off to search for a suitable replacement.

7.17.6: This is the closest we’re going to get for an explanation of Superboy-Prime’s and Alex Luthor’s behavior…

[Morgan Wick]

7.18.4: Why does Power Girl need to stay out of this?

7.18.5: A reference, of course, to Hal’s “Parallax” period. (Although it was recently retconned so it wasn't his fault, at the same time he was re-installed as Green Lantern, making many fans happy...)

7.18.8: In the hardcover, one of the Supermans exclaims "For tomorrow!". This is absent in the original.

Between 7.18 and 7.19: Another page has been inserted in the collection that was absent in the original. Once again, I follow the original.

7.19.11: In the original, the gun goes "Chak". Either there are no bullets in the gun, or this sets up the gun potentially going off next page. The "Chak" is gone in the hardcover.

7.20.15: I don’t know what caused the cave-in. Did the gun go off in 7.20.11?

7.20.16,17,or 18: In the hardcover, someone notes off-panel that "He's going to be fine," whoever "he" is. Also, the Superboy-Prime caption has a minor change.

7.23.3: The Green Lantern symbol suggests this is Oa. Events in RANN-THANAGAR WAR suggest it may be the resurrected Thanagar, but the reference to Krypton in 7.21.3 suggests it’s something different. Neither's right; Newsarama says it’s the living GL planet Mogo (7.27.6, note, includes a reference to Mogo). Mogo appears to be able to get around...

7.23.6-7: This is going to get confusing. This looks like Superman-E2, with the white patches…

7.23.8-9: …but here the patches are gone, and this looks like the modern S-shield…

7.24.3: …and now Superman-E2 is behind him.

7.24.7: Watching the parts he wanted him to see, of course.

7.24.9: Just look at all that blood.

7.25: Now this is our Superman fighting back.

7.25.5: Apparently Superboy-Prime no longer has faith even in Alex Luthor.

7.26.11: All of a sudden, that crappy line in 2.8.6 makes a little bit of sense! And he’s referring to “Action Comics” as well! But is this the best he could do? (Note also the reference to Superman’s sin of “inaction”.)

7.27.4: GL expert again. In the original, Power Girl says "Let me down now, John." This is taken out of the hardcover.

7.27.5: According to Newsarama, that may consist of all the Kryptonite sprayed all over the planet.

7.27.6: There’s an off chance that Mogo drifted here specifically to serve as a battleground.

7.27.7: Our Superman is okay, so the Kryptonite he fell down near in 7.26.12 is unimportant.

7.28.3: Left to right: Don’t know, John Stewart, don’t know, Martian Manhunter, Power Girl, Superman, don’t know, Hal Jordan, Guy Gardner, don’t know, don’t know. If something can move Mr. Tough Guy, Super-Jerk, "I Can Challenge Batman (Just Not For Very Long)" Guy Gardner, it can move anybody.

7.28.4-10: Finally, Lois' final words are explained. Parts of this final speech in parenthesis appear only in hardcover. “Kara… I finally understand. I know what Lois was trying to tell me….I’ll always be with you, Kara. Even if you can’t see me. I’ll always be here. It’s not going to end. It’s never going to end… for us… (one day you'll see... they're still out there...) Lois.” Superman-E2 dies.

7.29.3: Hinting at the opening of Beetle’s own series, as well as a coming subplot in 52 (which I’ll explain later) involving Booster Gold’s rising fame.

7.29.4: Power Girl and Wonder Girl mourn their loved ones.

7.29.5: The new Spectre does some self-examination.

7.29.6: The cane suggests Dr. Fate, but the green thing appears to be a Green Lantern from the Tangent Universe, which made a brief appearance in #6.

7.29.7: Wally’s eventual fate may become clear later.

7.29.11: Bart passes the mantle of the Flash back to the one who started it all.

7.30.3: Alex begins plotting his Plan B.

7.31.1: The Joker gets his comeuppance.

7.31.4: Luthor and Joker teaming up. It never gets old.

7.31.7: Alexander Luthor dies.

7.32-3: This is setting up 52, the weekly series that followed the end of Infinite Crisis. Its aim was to track a year in the life of the DCU without Superman, Batman, or Wonder Woman.

7.32.1-2: This may suggest that, as a result of the red sun and Kryptonite he encountered in the climactic battle, Superman may now be powerless.

7.32.4: This certainly seems like innuendo, at least on a first read…

7.32.7: I believe this is Dick Grayson and Tim Drake.

7.32.8: Did he ever really go it alone? He’s almost always had Robin…

7.33.10-11: And so the year begins.

7.34-5: (counts slowly to ten) This spread is even more jam-packed in the hardcover (this rundown is based on original). Asterisk indicates I had help from CBR user mdg1. Across top, ignoring the Big Three: An OMAC, Supergirl, Enchantress?*, Robin III?* (wearing a very odd costume), Wonder Girl II, Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel?, Speedy II. Going across, by location of heads, rough top half of page: Question, Black Adam, Steel III (Natasha Irons)*, Steel II, Ragman*, Lobo?, Starfire, Catwoman, Adam Strange, Blue Devil, Phantom Stranger?, Martian Manhunter, Detective Chimp??, Nightmaster??, Elasti-Girl?, Frankenstein’s Monster, Cyborg, Klarion?*, Nightwing, Shining Knight, Bulleteer, Grace?*, Shazam (or Captain Marvel I)??*, Captain Boomerang II*, Metamorpho, Ravager III*. Rough third quarter of the page: Stargirl, Wildcat, Starman???*, Catman, Vixen, Booster Gold, Alan Scott, Huntress, Ray III???*, Human Bomb II?*, Black Canary, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Zatanna, Black Condor III*, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner as Ion, Raven??*, Mr. Terrific II, Green Lantern-Guy Gardner, Jakeem Thunder, Thunderbolt, Jade Canary?*, Red Tornado, Tina of the Metal Men, Tin of the Metal Men. Triangle dominated by Green Arrow: Robotman?, Beast Boy, Green Arrow, Mercury of the Metal Men, Iron of the Metal Men, Gold of the Metal Men, Lead of the Metal Men. Bottom: Phantom Lady III*, Blue Beetle III, Creeper, Flash I, Manhunter-Kate Spencer, ? (suggested to be Dr. Mid-Nite, but looks nothing like what he would be), S.T.R.I.P.E., Sand?*, Doll Man*, Hourman, Aquaman II?, Captain Atom, Guardian II(I)*, Sasha Bordeaux?*, Green Lantern-Hal Jordan, Atom IV*, Firestorm, another Flash? (slightly incongruous, given the sequence in 7.29), Batwoman?*, and to top it all off, a really bizarre re-imagining of Uncle Sam. Many of these are versions of characters introduced only after Infinite Crisis, but are included here to a) promote them and b) show status quo after the OYL jump.

7.36: And we end with an epilogue akin to CoIE’s, but very different in tone. Almost as if they’re setting up another sequel…

7.36.2: They’re referring to Emerald Twilight here, folks.

7.36.11-12: And Superboy-Prime has the last word: “I’ve been in worse places than this. And I’ve gotten out.”

[mdg1]

My breakdown of the big splash page at the end of #7:

Row 1: Omac, Supergirl, unknown (Enchantress?), Ragman, Batman, WW, Superman, Wonder Girl, Robin, Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel (II?), Speedy, Metamorpho.

Row 2: Black Adam, Natasha Irons-Steel, Lobo, Catwoman, Blue Devil, Detective Chimp, Nightmaster, Elastic-Girl, Cyborg, Nightwing, Bulleteer, Shazam?, Captain Boomerang II, Ravager III.

Row 3: Question, John Irons-Steel, Starfire, Adam Strange, Phantom Stranger, Martian Manhunter, Frankenstein, Klarion, Shining Knight, Grace?, Red Tornado.

Row 4: Power Girl, Huntress, Hawkman, Ion, Mister Terrific II, JJ Thunder (& bolt), Jade Canary?, Red Tornado, Platinum & Tin

Row 5: Stargirl, Catman, Alan Scott, Human Bomb II, Zatanna, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Raven? Green Arrow, and the rest of the Metal Men.

Row 6: Wildcat, Starman?, Vixen, Booster Gold, Ray (III?), Black Canary, Hawkgirl, Black Condor III, Sasha Bordeaux, Hal Jordan, Flash IV, Robotman

Row 7: Phantom Lady III, Blue Beetle III, Creeper, Flash I, Manhunter (Kate), Unknown (Dr. Mid-Nite?), Sand?, STRIPE, Doll Man, Hourman II, Aquaman II, Captain Atom, Manhattan Guardian, Atom III, Firestorm, Batwoman, and Uncle Sam.

There are a couple unknowns, and a few maybes.

[Cayman]

Row 7: Phantom Lady III, Blue Beetle III, Creeper, Flash I, Manhunter (Kate), Unknown, Sand?, STRIPE, Doll Man, Hourman II, Aquaman II, Captain Atom, Manhattan Guardian, Atom III, Firestorm, Batwoman, and Uncle Sam.

There are a couple unknowns, and a few maybes.

I think that Unknown was a strangely-colored Dr. Mid-Nite.

Cay

[mdg1]

I've seen that suggested, and as he's near a couple of other JSA members, that works for me.

[Morgan Wick]

My breakdown of the big splash page at the end of #7:

Row 1: Omac, Supergirl, unknown (Enchantress?), Ragman, Batman, WW, Superman, Wonder Girl, Robin, Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel (II?), Speedy, Metamorpho.

Row 2: Black Adam, Natasha Irons-Steel, Lobo, Catwoman, Blue Devil, Detective Chimp, Nightmaster, Elastic-Girl, Cyborg, Nightwing, Bulleteer, Shazam?, Captain Boomerang II, Ravager III.

Row 3: Question, John Irons-Steel, Starfire, Adam Strange, Phantom Stranger, Martian Manhunter, Frankenstein, Klarion, Shining Knight, Grace?, Red Tornado.

Row 4: Power Girl, Huntress, Hawkman, Ion, Mister Terrific II, JJ Thunder (& bolt), Jade Canary?, Red Tornado, Platinum & Tin

Row 5: Stargirl, Catman, Alan Scott, Human Bomb II, Zatanna, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Raven? Green Arrow, and the rest of the Metal Men.

Row 6: Wildcat, Starman?, Vixen, Booster Gold, Ray (III?), Black Canary, Hawkgirl, Black Condor III, Sasha Bordeaux, Hal Jordan, Flash IV, Robotman

Row 7: Phantom Lady III, Blue Beetle III, Creeper, Flash I, Manhunter (Kate), Unknown (Dr. Mid-Nite?), Sand?, STRIPE, Doll Man, Hourman II, Aquaman II, Captain Atom, Manhattan Guardian, Atom III, Firestorm, Batwoman, and Uncle Sam.

There are a couple unknowns, and a few maybes.

I don't think that spread breaks down into nice neat rows easily at all. Here's how I currently break it down:

7.34-5: (counts slowly to ten) Asterisk indicates I had help from mdg1. Across top, ignoring the Big Three: An OMAC, Supergirl, Enchantress?*, Robin III?* (wearing a very odd costume), Wonder Girl II, Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel?, Speedy II. Going across, by location of heads, rough top half of page: Question, Black Adam, Steel III (Natasha Irons)*, Steel II, Ragman*, Lobo?, Starfire, Catwoman, Adam Strange, Blue Devil, Phantom Stranger?, Martian Manhunter, Detective Chimp??, Nightmaster??, Elasti-Girl?, Frankenstein’s Monster, Cyborg, Klarion?*, Nightwing, Shining Knight, Bulleteer, Grace?*, Shazam (or Captain Marvel I)??*, Captain Boomerang II*, Metamorpho, Ravager III*. Rough third quarter of the page: Stargirl, Wildcat, Starman???*, Catman, Vixen, Booster Gold, Alan Scott, Huntress, Ray III???*, Human Bomb II?*, Black Canary, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Zatanna, Black Condor III*, John Stewart, Kyle Rayner as Ion, Raven??*, Mr. Terrific II, Green Lantern-Guy Gardner, Jakeem Thunder, Thunderbolt, Jade Canary?*, Red Tornado, Tina of the Metal Men, Silver of the Metal Men? Triangle dominated by Green Arrow: Robotman?, Beast Boy, Green Arrow, Tin of the Metal Men?, ? of the Metal Men, Gold of the Metal Men, Lead of the Metal Men? Bottom: Phantom Lady III*, Blue Beetle III, Creeper, Flash I, Manhunter-Kate Spencer, ? (suggested to be Dr. Mid-Nite, but looks nothing like what he would be), S.T.R.I.P.E., Sand?*, Doll Man*, Hourman, Aquaman II?, Captain Atom, Guardian II(I)*, Sasha Bordeaux?*, Green Lantern-Hal Jordan, Atom (III?)*, Firestorm, another Flash? (slightly incongruous, given the sequence in 7.29), Batwoman?*, ? (suggested to be Uncle Sam, but doesn’t even look like the character in #1). Some of this may be hinting at later developments coming out of the "One Year Later" gimmick. Note how much related characters tend to stick together.

[mdg1]

Oh, I know it isn't perfect, but it's more of a guideline. Somewhere on Newsarama someone numbered all the heroes and did it that way, but I prefer this approach.

And that's Uncle Sam (check the hat). The character in BfB #1 is Father Time, a different person entirely.

[Morgan Wick]

And that's Uncle Sam (check the hat). The character in BfB #1 is Father Time, a different person entirely.

I meant Infinite Crisis #1. Sorry, no matter what the hat is, no Uncle Sam wears that kind of trenchcoat.

[Paul Newell]

I was waiting until you finished your lists, Morgan, but now's the time for a great big thanks Morgan!

I'll leave the annotations here until the discussion dies down, eventually I will move it to the FAQ board to preserve it for posterity. Thanks again for all the hard work. :)

[mdg1]

I meant Infinite Crisis #1. Sorry, no matter what the hat is, no Uncle Sam wears that kind of trenchcoat.

And I just thought about giving him an overcoat inspired on the USA war of secession to give him a martial and timeless look…

http://www.comicon.com/cgi-bin/ultim...;f=36;t=004800

[TommyV]

And that's Uncle Sam (check the hat). The character in BfB #1 is Father Time, a different person entirely.

That's a different person entirely? I don't think so.....I'm almost positive "Father Time" in BfB IS Uncle Sam (unless you've read somewhere that he's definitely not...)

[gentlesatirist]

...has to be a healed Barbara Gordon/Oracle, right?

And the character that many are assuming is Dr. Mid-Nite - because of the costume and his proximity to other JSA members - is African-American, suggesting that maybe the current Dr. Mid-Nite will be killed off.

And since the new Mr. Miracle is the only 7 Soldiers member not to appear, chances of him surviving 7 Soldiers #1 don't look good.


- FE

[mdg1]

Yeah, back when they released the cover to Freedom Fighters #1, Justin Grey revealed that the goateed fellow on the cover (who we now know is Father Time) was not Uncle Sam.

[Sean Walsh]

...has to be a healed Barbara Gordon/Oracle, right?

That'd be an interesting rehab, wouldn't it?

She never wanted the "easy way out" - yes, I'm calling the reinvention of the universe as an "easy way out" :p - but IIRC that thing with Brainiac seemed to get her spirits up, so maybe she'd suit up as Batwoman with the use of her legs.