Comic Review: Heroes in Crisis #1

Heroes in Crisis #1

DC Comics

Writer: Tom King

Artists: Clay Mann and Tomeu Morey

Coming off of several controversial decisions, DC Comics now delivers its newest event, Heroes in Crisis, to a wary audience. When Tom King talked about the book, he described it as an examination of mental health and violence through the tragic lives of superheroes. Unfortunately, something else takes center stage in Heroes in Crisis #1. It does tackle violence’s psychological impact on superheroes, as promised. But unfortunately the former takes prominence over the latter. Tom King has proved he’s capable of writing mature, captivating books with Omega Men, Mister Miracle, and Vision. But the first issue of Heroes in Crisis paints a dark picture for the rest of the event and not in a good way.

Heroes in Crisis #1 throws the reader straight into the turmoil, as Harley Quinn stumbles upon Booster Gold in a Nebraska diner and the Trinity discover a tragedy at Sanctuary, a refuge for superheroes. The first plotline suffers from repetitive dialogue, though it remains mostly true to the characters. It provides a decently complex rendition of Harley Quinn. It has an uncharacteristically quiet Booster Gold, though it quickly gives the reason why. That portion of the book does feel a little unsubstantial. It’s there to build up future issues and doesn’t do a whole lot else.

The cracks start to show the more we see of Sanctuary and the fate of its patients. Of all the ways to kill off characters and set up a mystery, the book approaches it in a particularly voyeuristic manner. The Trinity find various obscure characters butchered in the ruined Sanctuary. But the deaths are not a tragic but fulfilling end to those heroes’ personal narratives. Heroes in Crisis only re-canonized them to raise the book’s body count. It aims to shock and horrify but it doesn’t accomplish much else. The lucky ones get one page The Office style interviews that lay out their fears and inadequacies before turning back to their mangled corpses. Most don’t. The remains of two of DC’s most enduring, developed, and neglected heroes are also found splayed out in the blood-drenched halls of Sanctuary.

One of them has had his characterization regress so much over the last ten years, his demise might be for the better. But killing the other one was in bad faith and difficult to justify. It seems like a rejection of the promises made in Rebirth. He’s already died and came back a few times since his return. But even if it doesn’t stick, like all the other times, it now seems apparent that DC won’t be using him in a meaningful way. Admittedly Heroes in Crisis still has time to make these deaths a worthy end for such long-running characters. But right now that looks unlikely.

Clay Mann’s detailed art helps cushion some of the story’s missteps. His realistic style and focus on emotion is a good fit for what is meant to be an introspective story. While Heroes in Crisis #1 is still gruesome, Mann at least holds back more than the writing does. The plot might be careless in how it sends off the characters but he tries to add some weight to it. Unfortunately, the way he draws Harley Quinn and Wonder Woman is a little too lurid. Additionally, Tomeu Morey’s colors don’t always mesh with the art. Most notably the clumsy digital effect used to represent the reflective parts of Booster Gold’s costume.

Heroes in Crisis #1 is not the apocalyptic betrayal many people were playing it up as. It doesn’t leave the reader wanting more so much as wondering what will actually stick. The event has eight more issues to bring it all together. It succeeds in setting up a mystery and asking important questions but it’s uncertain if it can provide satisfying answers. But right now the prospects of Heroes in Crisis improving are about as grim as its premise.