What's the point of IC?

**bw38** · 12-22-2006, 07:27 PM

I started getting into comic books (mainly just Batman) this summer. I've ended up buying a bunch and while I can read a lot of them and enjoy them there are often things I don't get. I've been hearing a lot about Infinite Crisis and how it had adverse effects on the DC universe.

What is the point of IC? What does it do to Batman? Would you say it is necessary to read IC to understand some of the more recent Batman comic books? When exactly does IC take place in terms of the comic book issues for Batman? Was it before Hush? or War Games?

I'm planning on getting it, but I'll probably be so lost on so many things so I'm hoping for some understanding before reading.

By the way, do the following titles have any connections to each other? If so, how? Is Batman greatly affected in these issues? I'm talking about the following:
Crisis on Infinite Earth
Zero Hour
Zero Month
Identify Crisis
52
Crisis Aftermath
One Year Later

Are any of these prequels or sequels to Infinite Crisis? I might look into those to just to get em. The reason I mention them is because I've heard of them before in relation to Infinite Crisis but I wouldn't know much more than that.

Anything that can help.

**the goddamn batman** · 12-22-2006, 07:45 PM

I didn't really follow it, as I hate the mega events, but you don't need to read IC to read the current Batman comics.

Now, IC just happened a while ago, and every current comic book takes place ONE YEARafter IC, and 52 tells the story of the DCU during that one year gap. I think Batman has been in one issue of 52.

you could probably get caught up enough on here, and skip buying most of the IC and IC related books.

**shanejayell** · 12-22-2006, 07:49 PM

Out of that lot I'd recomend getting Identity Crisis, it has a strong impact on the Batman series.

**Jkid099** · 12-22-2006, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by bw38

I started getting into comic books (mainly just Batman) this summer. I've ended up buying a bunch and while I can read a lot of them and enjoy them there are often things I don't get. I've been hearing a lot about Infinite Crisis and how it had adverse effects on the DC universe.

What is the point of IC? What does it do to Batman? Would you say it is necessary to read IC to understand some of the more recent Batman comic books? When exactly does IC take place in terms of the comic book issues for Batman? Was it before Hush? or War Games?

I'm planning on getting it, but I'll probably be so lost on so many things so I'm hoping for some understanding before reading.

By the way, do the following titles have any connections to each other? If so, how? Is Batman greatly affected in these issues? I'm talking about the following:
Crisis on Infinite Earth
Zero Hour
Zero Month
Identify Crisis
52
Crisis Aftermath
One Year Later

Are any of these prequels or sequels to Infinite Crisis? I might look into those to just to get em. The reason I mention them is because I've heard of them before in relation to Infinite Crisis but I wouldn't know much more than that.

Anything that can help.

Crisis on Infinite Earths - INFINITE CRISIS is the sequel to this. It's an epic story that pretty much set the stage for the late 80s / 90s DC Universe, but it can be pretty daunting to read as it involves a lot of of pre-1980s (otherwise known as Pre-Crisis) continuity in regard to alternate Earths. Only long-lasting effects on Batman was that it allowed for a retelling of his origin (Batman: Year One by Frank Miller), and a grittier Jason Todd Robin (oh, and it got rid of the original Huntress, yadda yadd yadda).

Zero Hour / Zero Month - An "eh" story (pretty much a blatant attempt to match the epic-ness of CRISIS, but fails) and an effort to work out some of the continuity issues caused by the original CRISIS storyline (and it pretty much doesn't do too much of a good job). In regard to Batman, re-set his origin so the Waynes murderer was no longer Joe Chill and in fact had never been caught. Also, Batman was retroactively now just an "urban legend" in Gotham - there had never been any proof that he actually existed, nor did many believe he did.

Identity Crisis - Most either love it or hate it. Very good in a general story sort of way, not very honoring character-wise (started the trend of killing off Justice League International characters). Reveals that Batman was mind-wiped by the Justice League at one point, and sets the stage for that being a strong reason he's an ultra-jerk to most people as he becomes aware of what was done to him.

INFINITE CRISIS / 52 - INFINITE CRISIS showed Batman the error of his ways, and supposedly now he is less of an ultra-jerk. Also, it retroactively set it up as him being part of the group that formed the Justice League (as it originally occurred), and that Joe Chill in fact DID murder his parents. In 52, we have a year where he leaves Gotham City, and travels the world to "retrain and find himself."

**bw38** · 12-22-2006, 08:25 PM

Why in the world was Batman mind-wiped by the JLA? And of all people in the JLA why did it have to be Batman?

By the way do you have a general idea of when these events occur in the Batman timeline?

**Kristofer** · 12-23-2006, 04:50 AM

Batman's mind-wipe was explained in Identity Crisis.....
He witnessed them doing the same to Dr Light, got pissed the Hell off, so they wiped the memory of the event from him to keep anyone else from knowing.
MY question is...if they make a pact to keep the whole event secret....why trust telling The Flash ?

**shanejayell** · 12-23-2006, 06:55 AM

Cause Wally figured out enough to blackmail them by threatening to tell Supes.

**Choppa** · 12-23-2006, 07:00 PM

IMO, you don't need to read any of that stuff to know what's going on now with Batman, because it's pretty much never going to get mentioend again. Just start with OYL and you'll be fine.

**bw38** · 12-23-2006, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by Kristofer

Batman's mind-wipe was explained in Identity Crisis.....
He witnessed them doing the same to Dr Light, got pissed the Hell off, so they wiped the memory of the event from him to keep anyone else from knowing.
MY question is...if they make a pact to keep the whole event secret....why trust telling The Flash ?

When you say 'them' who exactly are you talking about? I thought it was all of the JLA but it seems it was only part of them because I was under the impression that Flash was a part of the JLA in wiping Batman's mind, but it seems he found out after the mindwiping happened.

**JeffreyWKramer** · 12-23-2006, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by shanejayell

Out of that lot I'd recomend getting Identity Crisis, it has a strong impact on the Batman series.

And a very negative one. I recommend ignoring that it exists. It's a crappy book.

**Kristofer** · 12-23-2006, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by bw38

When you say 'them' who exactly are you talking about? I thought it was all of the JLA but it seems it was only part of them because I was under the impression that Flash was a part of the JLA in wiping Batman's mind, but it seems he found out after the mindwiping happened.

by "them" I mean the part of the JLA doing so.....lets see if I can get the names right..(please correct me if I miss anyone)... Green Arrow, Hawkman, Elongated man, Zatanna (the one who actually performed the spell), and Black Canary. Flash was not part of the group in doing the mind-wiping. The wipe took place after Dr Light first attempted to rape Sue Dibney. Batman was there and witnessed the mind-wipe. Those mentioned above then held down Batman as Zatanna wiped the event from his mind. After Sue's death in IC, was when the above-mentioned group got together to seek out Dr Light because they felt he came back to finish the job. The Flash showed up and after Dr Light was defeated... Green Arrow told Flash about what had happened.

**bw38** · 12-23-2006, 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by Kristofer

by "them" I mean the part of the JLA doing so.....lets see if I can get the names right..(please correct me if I miss anyone)... Green Arrow, Hawkman, Elongated man, Zatanna (the one who actually performed the spell), and Black Canary. Flash was not part of the group in doing the mind-wiping. The wipe took place after Dr Light first attempted to rape Sue Dibney. Batman was there and witnessed the mind-wipe. Those mentioned above then held down Batman as Zatanna wiped the event from his mind. After Sue's death in IC, was when the above-mentioned group got together to seek out Dr Light because they felt he came back to finish the job. The Flash showed up and after Dr Light was defeated... Green Arrow told Flash about what had happened.

That seems pretty nuts. Where was Superman and Wonderman in all this by the way?

**stealthwise** · 12-23-2006, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by JeffreyWKramer

And a very negative one. I recommend ignoring that it exists. It's a crappy book.

Same here. Just read recaps on the net or wikipedia or something to get caught up. Since OYL, you don't need to know anything new about Batman and his current status quo.