2/05/2011

More NonSense: The Big One

Crisis on Infinite Earths #7
According to the law of diminishing marginal returns, this plot device would inevitably
get less traction with repetition. From Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 © DC Entertainment
Tim O'Neil blogs about the mother of all superhero crossovers, over here, here, here, here, here, here, here... Along the way he tackles the history of the company-wide crossover, the incomprehensibility of continuity, the persistence of the DC multiverse, the impermanence of death, the fluid identity of intellectual properties, the hold of nostalgia over the fan, and Crisis' own dubious legacy. In short, almost everything there is to say about it.

Elsewhere, he explains how Grant Morrison (and everyone else) just doesn't get how Fascism actually works in Jack Kirby's opus the Fourth World when examining the writer's often discussed crossover .

Charles Hatfield tackles Crisis' one true spiritual successor, , where he's not as affectionate as Tim towards the continuity porn and nostalgic indulgence that predominates, now that publishers are very dependent on decades-old properties and older fans. I suppose that where someone stands with regard to the big crossovers of the Eighties ( anyone?) is one useful way to categorize the loyalties of present-day fandom.

For those who just can't get enough of classic crossover trivia, there's always blogs like DC Multiverse.