Identity Crisis [Library Binding]

Brad Meltzer (Author), Rags Morales (Illustrator), Michael Bair (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 18, 2008

In the tradition of "Crisis on Infinite Earths" and "Kingdom Come" comes a murder mystery that will shake the foundations of everything you thought you knew about superheroes! When Elongated Man's wife is found murdered in the Justice League of America Watchtower, a secret is uncovered which could destroy the entire JLA - if some of their most powerful foes don't destroy them first! Superman, Batman, the Flash, and a host of other heroes must race to discover the killer...for it seems that their own friends and family are also under threat! Who will live? Who will die? And which heroes are implicated in the darkest secret of all?

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This seven-issue miniseries by bestselling author Meltzer (The Zero Game) was both wildly popular and reviled, and the collection shows that both views have merit. It does knock the rust off scores of DC characters while opening avenues to explore post-9/11 morality. On the other hand, it trashes the roles of characters whom readers have come to consider old friends and tampers outrageously with years' worth of continuity. The story begins shockingly when the wife of the minor super hero Elongated Man is brutally murdered. Things get increasingly serious as other members of the Justice League of America find that their loved ones are targets. The super villains are a lot nastier than they used to be; the heroes, meanwhile, are forced to admit that they could have been responsible for some of what's gone wrong when they started tampering with the minds of villains who deserved it or even fellow heroes who merely disapproved of the idea. This makes familiar heroes more morally ambiguous;more human;and the old, easy trust is lost, with long-term consequences still to be revealed in future DC story lines. In the meantime, Meltzer's script and Bair's inking of Morales's penciled art serves the realistic aspect of the characters very well, making this book a genuine comics landmark. (Sept.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

Grade 10 Up–After the tragic death of Sue Debny, the wife of the Elongated Man, the members of the Justice League of America and most of the DC superheroes are brought together to investigate. Sues murder is unsettling for a couple of reasons: she was a friend, and whoever committed the crime knew enough personal information to be able to sneak past security. Even more troubling are the letters that the family members of other heroes receive, indicating that they are the next targets. The superheroes split into teams to follow the leads that they are most suited to solve. The novel asks: how far do you go to protect your loved ones? What if everything you stand for goes against your need to protect your family? The story moves quickly and the full-color artwork is splendid. Morales captures human emotion in such a way that he breathes life and authenticity into the characters. The coloring job is superb: the dark, somber tones perfectly set the mood. Some of the action occurs offscreen, such as the flashback to Sues rape, making what happens even more dramatic and powerful. Featuring a good mystery, great fight scenes, and good writing, Identity Crisis is an exciting read for fans of the DC universe.–Erin Dennington, Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Library Binding: 288 pages
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1435261275
• ISBN-13: 978-1435261273
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 6.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (103 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,841,597 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Looking at "Identity Crisis" Emotionally, September 29, 2005

By 

Stephanie Crawford (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Identity Crisis (Hardcover)

Up until recently I've been a very casual comic book reader. After reading various comics published by DC that mentioned "Identity Crisis" and finding it hard to avoid "spoilers" everywhere on the web I picked this up the day it was released to get caught up and find out what all the fuss was about. After closing the book, I was shocked about how much a "superhero book" could affect me emotionally. I had lost a very beloved family member a few days before reading this, and I'll admit it did affect the way I viewed this book. But in looking back at it "cold", I believe it stands incredibly well as a graphic novel, a tragic love story and a mystery.

The plot has already been gone over well, so I won't go there. Basically, it's what would be a fairly standard mystery except for that it surrounds the murder of the wife of someone named "The Elongated Man", has Wonder Woman deliver the eulogy, and a perplexing question is how a murderer could get around technology from places including Krypton. Typing it, it does sound like the book could have been a huge joke and misstep for DC- but in my opinion it was very effective.

I was not familiar with Sue Dibny, but I cried when her husband held her dead body in his arms (and saw the surprise present she gave him for his birthday) and the scenes at her funeral. My heart went out when another character lost a very close loved one, and I really felt the tension when the Justice League were at moral odds with one another. I will admit I was very unhappy when we were shown that Sue had been attacked before- by being raped by someone usually referred to as a fairly silly villian. This scene was the hardest for me to read. However it was done off panel, and we are basically shown reactions and some slurs from the rapist- it is not done graphically or sleazily but the very nature of it is harsh. Personally, I read comics for entertainment and as a break, but I did understand what this book was going for. I do not think sexual violence should have any place in 'superhero' comics and I do not believe it was needed in this story to give it more impact, but that's my own opinion.

I think this story has polarized a lot of comic readers. Some would like this genre to stay more classic with pages of fights with supervillians- and that's an extremely valid point. Others are open to and even prefer more adult stories like this one, and the sales of this storyline and the amount of buzz surrounding this have shown it's brought many people back to comics- or even into them the first time. Neither view is wrong, but it makes books like this tricky. Personally I love classic superhero tales but Identity & Infinite Crisis have got me reading current "big title" books for the first time and I'm really enjoying them.

If you go into this story already judging it, and picking apart the mystery aspect and every character action- you'll probably be left dissapointed. It's very well-structured, but parts are manipulated to get things rolling in a different direction. If you're debating reading this, all I can do is recommend that you go in with an open mind and read this with your heart on your sleeve. In the end this is just a book about people, relationships, and the pain we automatically accept when we love and care about someone. If you're ready to believe a superhero, under the mask, can love and lose as much as yourself... then I believe you will get something out of Identity Crisis.

17 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good comic, but a great story, September 20, 2005

By 

riding shotgun (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Identity Crisis (Hardcover)

This story single-handedly led me to pay attention to DC's mainstream superhero fare after years of, justifiably, considering the publisher to be the stumbling dinosaur of the Marvel/DC dichotomy. Who cares about continuity when you've got a story this compelling that makes even the most dust-choked DC relics seem new and fresh and gives modern purpose to the most anachronistic of characters.

It's too early to say whether this represents a serious turning point for the publisher, but for seven edge-of-your-seat issues, Meltzer and Morales fleshed out a tale as entertaining and relevant as anything DC has ever produced.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Terrific: Confessions of a Former DC Addict, November 10, 2006

By 

N. Bilmes "bookaholic" (Vernon, CT United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Identity Crisis (Paperback)

I used to be a DC comic addict, and in the mid-'80s spent more than I should have buying issue after issue of all that DC and First Comics could put out. As I got older, I stopped buying the mags (I was spending my money on dates, then marriage, now kids...) and lost touch with the genre. But sometimes, while browsing in a book store, my legs would take me to the graphic novel section. My eyes would scan the titles, and from time-to-time I'd let temptation get the better of me. The Ultimate Spider-Man for instance,and the new JLA comics in particular caught my eye.

And just last month, I bought this book. I was attracted by Brad Meltzer's name on the spine. I like the guy's thrillers. They're usually mindless fun, perfect for a quick read. I thumbed through the book and liked what I saw of the art. I bought it.

And I'm glad I did.

This is one of the best graphic novels I have ever read, and it will hold a place of honor on my bookshelf, next to my Dark Knight Returns and Ultimate Spider-Man collection. This will be reread time and time again, and I'm glad I got around my aversion to buying comics again.