Is it necessary to read Final Crisis after RIP?

[direction9]

and it's always hilarious that people are still pissed that they didn't realize to read the books that the writer of final crisis was also writing. like people honestly didn't realize that superman beyond might be something they'd need to read more than, say, legion of three worlds.

last rites however was simply not essential to final crisis. the absence of batman, and the abruptness of his reappearance in final crisis all work in favor of that story.

[DrSimonHurt]

Yes, its necessary. No, don't listen to anyone who says otherwise.

Final Crisis was Batman coming face to face with the literal manifestation of everything he has ever been afraid of. It is part of the Morrison story. If you miss that part, everything after RIP flops.

[tylenoljones]

Yes, its necessary. No, don't listen to anyone who says otherwise.

Final Crisis was Batman coming face to face with the literal manifestation of everything he has ever been afraid of. It is part of the Morrison story. If you miss that part, everything after RIP flops.

I would agree that you'd be missing out by not reading Final Crisis, but I can't say it's worthwhile to people that have no familiarity whatsoever with the DCU beyond Batman when the Time and The Batman trade is readily available.

Morrison's work rewards re-reading anyway, and I like to think these folks will get around to Final Crisis eventually.

and it's always hilarious that people are still pissed that they didn't realize to read the books that the writer of final crisis was also writing. like people honestly didn't realize that superman beyond might be something they'd need to read more than, say, legion of three worlds.

last rites however was simply not essential to final crisis. the absence of batman, and the abruptness of his reappearance in final crisis all work in favor of that story.

None of it's necessary, but Last Rites should be read just because it's one of the highlights of the entire run.

Morrison told everyone Superman Beyond was essential, but DC didn't make it essential, so I can understand people not being happy about that. The problem has since been corrected, however, so I don't know that it's worth anyone getting upset over years and years later.

[T Hedge Coke]

did Darkseid know he was dragging all of the multiverse into oblivion? why was he bragging to Superman that everything in the universe was now Darkseid, considering Batman had just shot him and he was about to die? why did Darkseid shoot Orion if he knew that it had just caused his own death?

Been awhile since I've read it, but I don't think Darkseid knew that shooting Orion would lead to his demise, and technically Orion was shot "after the fall" (as seen in Seven Soldiers Mister Miracle), so Darkseid was likely wounded and desperate.

We see Darskseid shoot Orion in Final Crisis.

He shoots Orion because he's dying, his desperate, he can rub it in Superman's face, and basically, he's suiciding while taking us all with him. In that same scene, he's trying to get Superman to beat up on him, because he's wearing an old, human, man. When he's in control of the majority of remaining conscious beings, there, too, he's wearing people, so it's not something anyone can assault without hurting other people. Batman was willing to hurt an innocent to help them (like a surgeon? hmm...) while Superman isn't into that, especially not a normal human dude he likes, so he's just arrested there.

(And then the Flashes run up his bullet's trajectory with Death, the Black Racer, following them straight to where the bullet came from, the gun Darkseid's holding in his hand.)

To break it down further

did Darkseid know he was dragging all of the multiverse into oblivion?

Yes. And what better way for evil to suicide than to drag us all down first?

why was he bragging to Superman that everything in the universe was now Darkseid, considering Batman had just shot him and he was about to die?

Because almost everything was Darkseid; it's true, regardless of whether or not he was dying (and he was only dying from the shot while remaining in Turpin's body; leaving immediately would've solved the problem). And it was a dick thing to say, and Darkseid's all about being a jerk.

why did Darkseid shoot Orion if he knew that it had just caused his own death?

The world was ending, he'd succeeded in his goals of controlling, humiliating, and degrading everything in the universe that wasn't run off to another universe or, well, Superman, whom he was still trying to humiliate. He was done and he's corrupt, self-absorbed evil. He was committing suicide and taking as much of existence with him as he could.

[BadBoy House]

Yes, its necessary. No, don't listen to anyone who says otherwise.

Final Crisis was Batman coming face to face with the literal manifestation of everything he has ever been afraid of. It is part of the Morrison story. If you miss that part, everything after RIP flops.

I've already started reading it. I shall try to stick with it.

[Superdog]

I would actually say you should read it for completeness sake, even if it only has Batman in a little bit of it. It gives context to the Batman stories that are part of it, like 682 682 and 701 and 702.

[BadBoy House]

I've got part 7 left to read. Gotta say I've actually really enjoyed it. It's good that there are annotations online for each issue. Helps to understand what's happening.

[zur en arrh]

yep. it's necessary to read comics that are awesome.

Yup.

Final Crisis has some of my favorite moments ever and some of my favorite dialogue ever. I think Batman and Superman both have the finest moments in the history of their characters in the story.

[HeroComplex]

Thought this would be the best thread to ask...I just bought the paperback trades for: Batman R.I.P, Final Crisis, Battle for the Cowl, Batman: Time and the the Batman, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, and Batman and Robin Vol. 1. Is there a certain order I should read them in? Thanks guys!

[carabas]

Thought this would be the best thread to ask...I just bought the paperback trades for: Batman R.I.P, Final Crisis, Battle for the Cowl, Batman: Time and the the Batman, Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne, and Batman and Robin Vol. 1. Is there a certain order I should read them in? Thanks guys!

Batman R.I.P.
Final Crisis

Batman and Robin Vol. 1
Batman: Time and the the Batman
Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne


Battle for the Cowl, that one you just take back to the store unread and try to get a refund. It has no real connection to those other stories. It's 100% filler.

[philioteria21]

1. R.I.P.
2. Final Crisis
3. Battle for the Cowl
4. Batman and Robin
5. Time and the Batman
6. The Return of Bruce Wayne

You should probably pick up Batman & Robin volumes 2 and 3 too!

[T Hedge Coke]

Just to point out, you can also read Return of Bruce Wayne immediately after RIP, Final Crisis, or Time and the Batman.

You'll get different things out of any of those choices, but it will still make sense in the end.

[carabas]

You should probably pick up Batman & Robin volumes 2 and 3 too!

Yeahn those fit before and during The Return of Bruce Wayne.

[HeroComplex]

Thanks guys! I want to pick up Vol 2 and 3 as well, just ran out of money this month. Is there anything between Vol 3 and the Batman Incorporated Vol 1 that I should look into buying as well?

[Mr. Holmes]

No, Batman and Robin vol. 3 leads directly to the Inc trade.