Identity Crisis is more than a long-underwear book

This mini-series appeared in comic book stores over two years ago but I waited until the trade paperback came out since back issues get expensive and DC Comics released it as a hardback collection too. I also got around to reviewing it now since I’ve loaned it to several other people with positive results, thus I would like to spread the word.

Identity Crisis is about the murder of Sue Dibny and how the event ripples throughout the DC Universe, affecting superheroes and villains alike because dirty little secrets amongst both camps are revealed. Who’s Sue Dibny? She’s Elongated Man’s wife. Elongated Man? He’s a member of the Justice League, has stretching powers like Plastic Man but he’s a skilled detective on par with Batman. It doesn’t matter that he’s an obscure character to the real world, the problem is his public identity in DC. Unlike Superman or Batman, Elongated Man’s name is public knowledge along with his deceased wife’s. Whoever killed her knew where the Dibny’s lived and how to get around the house’s super-high-tech security system. The culprit(s) might even know the real identities of Hawkman, the Flash, Green Lantern, etc. What’s worse and more frightening to the superheroes is that the murderer may use this knowledge to hurt those close to them like Lois Lane, a common tactic used by the Joker and Darkseid.

So a worldwide manhunt by every known and obscure DC superhero takes place leading to the villain community feeling the pressure. Meanwhile, Justice League members Hawkman, Green Arrow, the Atom, Black Canary and Zatanna join up with Elongated Man to pursue a lead they don’t care to divulge with the obvious choices (Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman) since this suspect is dangerous for secretive reasons.

I’ll stop here because anything further would be spoiling the plot and outcome.

Putting aside the usage of DC’s obscure characters (in the minds of the general public), Identity Crisis is a very impressive murder mystery showing how the personal lives of superheroes are changed, ruined or improved by the events following Sue Dibny’s funeral. There’s plenty for fanboys and those who are familiar with the majority of the DC characters (I was only stumped on who a few were) but again, the casual fan who only knows about the superheroes shown in movies or cartoons will enjoy this. When it is resolved, it doesn’t end like a sitcom or soap opera with all the players back to where they started before Sue died. The story has definite consequences which are still playing out today, namely in the latest Justice League of America comic.