It’s the first in-person SDCC in over three years and DC Comics kicked off its first panel of the convention spotlighting Dark Crisis, the latest event series from writer Joshua Williamson and artist Daniel Sampere. Joining Williamson and Sampere on the Dark Crisis panel moderated by DC executive editor Ben Abernathy were some of the other creators involved in Dark Crisis tie-in books including including Meghan Fitzmartin, Tom King, and Jeremy Adams to offer exclusive details on what’s to come.
Williamson joked that he wanted to call it “Happiness Crisis.” The Dark Crisis panel began recapping the events thus far with first two issues. Williamson reassured fans that Beat Boy is not dead and couldn’t believe fans would think that he’d kill off the fan-favorite Teen Titan. Pariah has trapped the Justice League in what Williamson called “happiness prisons.” Writing a Crisis event means that every issue has to be packed. Apparently he apologizes to Sampere in every script due to how many characters he has to draw.
Though Williamson and Sampere only just met each other yesterday at SDCC, through the collaboration process and Zoom chats they feel like they’ve known each other forever.
Tom King took a moment to praise Williamson for his deep love and caretaking of the DC Universe for the last three years, comparing him to Gardner Fox and Geoff Johns. Though known for his dark sensibilities, King found an opportunity to deviate from his norm and write a happy story for the Man of Steel with World Without a Justice League: Superman tie-in. Fun fact, artist Chris Burnham based the depiction of Superman on his own father.
As a husband and father of two, writing Wally West is incredibly natural for Jeremy Adams.
Meghan Fitzmartin was coming up as a reader when the original Young Justice comics were coming out in the ‘90s so writing the Dark Crisis: Young Justice miniseries is right up her alley.
The Dark Crisis panel then exclusively revealed full true name of the 2022 event: Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths. Given the a sequel to the original groundbreaking Crisis on Infinite Earths by George Pérez and Marv Wolfman.
“We’ve kept the real name a secret from the start because we didn’t want to give away what was happening in the middle of the story, with the return of the Infinite Earths,” said writer Joshua Williamson.
“It means so much to me to be able to be involved in creating a sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths. It really is an honor and a dream come true for any comic book fan,” said artist Daniel Sampere. “Over the next few issues, fans can expect a big action explosion, with lots of epic, huge battles and a lot of emotion and surprises.”
“We’ve kept the real name a secret from the start because we didn’t want to give away what was happening in the middle of the story, with the return of the Infinite Earths,” said writer Joshua Williamson.
To that end, DC announced that it will be reprinting the first three issues of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths to feature the newly announced name on the cover which fans can order copies at their local comic shops starting today for delivery on August 30.
Additionally, DC released the covers and solicitation info for Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 which you can see below:
DARK CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #5
WAR AT THE HALL OF JUSTICE! After the shocking events of the last issue, Pariah has won. And now his Dark Army is poised for the invasion of our world. It’s up to the Titans to rally the remaining heroes to defeat Deathstroke’s ever-growing forces and avert total destruction! An epic war starts on the steps of the Hall of Justice, and only a miracle could help the heroes now. But all hope is not lost, as the worlds without a Justice League have begun to loosen their grip…but can the heroes return to Earth if it means one member of the Justice League could be lost forever?
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by DANIEL SAMPERE and ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ
Variant cover by IVAN REIS and DANNY MIKI
1:25 variant cover by ARIEL COLON
1:50 variant cover by MIKEL JANÍN
1:100 foil variant cover by DANIEL SAMPERE and ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ
Identity Crisis homage variant cover by MATEUS MANHANINI
$4.99 | 32 pages | 5 of 7 | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 10/4/22
Dark Crisis: Yong Justice will introduce Mickey Mxyzptlk, the son of everyone’s favorite 5th Dimensional troublemaker, and reveal him as the mastermind behind the storyline as he tries to bild his own perfect world. was on hand to reveal details of the penultimate issue of Dark Crisis: Young Justice. Arriving in comic stores on October 18, Dark Crisis: Young Justice #5 sees Mickey Mxyzptlk build his own perfect world; the Young Justice team needs to fight back to restore the DC Universe. Check out the solicitation details below:
DARK CRISIS: YOUNG JUSTICE #5
HERE’S MICKEY! Mickey Mxyzptlk, son of Mr. Mxyzptlk, built the “perfect world” where he and the boys of Young Justice could rule without being criticized, without having to change, without ever having to grow up. Mickey has an ugly soul and too much power. The boys of Young Justice will have to overcome their shortcomings and defeat him to get back to the DCU they know and need!
Written by MEGHAN FITZMARTIN
Art by LAURA BRAGA
Cover by MAX DUNBAR
Variant cover by BELÉN ORTEGA
$3.99 US | 32 pages | 5 of 6 | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 10/18/22
Fan-favorite and current Swamp Thing writer Ram V made a surprise appearance at the Dark Crisis panel to announce the creative team details for Dark Crisis: The Deadly Green #1. Ram V will be joined alongside writers Joshua Williamson, Dan Waters, and Alex Paknadel with art by Daniel Bayliss for this one-shot that sees Swamp Thing and Superman join voices to investigate the spread of the Great Darkness across the Multiverse. The one-shot will be available at comic shops on October 4, 2022.
“I’ve had a lot of fun playing with the magical side of DC’s incredible cast of characters from Arion to Zatanna,” said writer Ram V. “I’m thrilled to be working with Joshua, Dan Watters, and Alex Paknadel as co-writers to bring a little bit of ‘magic’ to Dark Crisis with characters like Alan Scott, the Swamp Thing, Jon Kent and John Constantine delving into the Deadly Green.”
Alan Scott has always had a connection to magic even in the original Crisis on Infinite Earths event so his team-up just makes sense to the creators.
DARK CRISIS: THE DEADLY GREEN #1
Superman and Swamp Thing uncover the secrets of the Great Darkness! During the original Crisis on Infinite Earths, Swamp Thing encountered and formed a truce with the Great Darkness, but this ancient force has been awakened by Pariah and now its influence is felt across the Multiverse. Now the Avatar of the Green must work together with new allies to investigate how far the Great Darkness has spread and why it would work with Pariah. If they want to stop the Great Darkness from swallowing the Green, they need some extra help…ENTER: SUPER SWAMP THING.
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON, DAN WATTERS, RAM V, and ALEX PAKNADEL
Art by DANIEL BAYLISS
Cover by GOÑI MONTES
Variant cover by FELIPE MASSAFERA
1:25 foil variant cover by STEVE BEACH
$5.99 | 48 pages | One-shot
ON SALE 10/11/22
The Dark Crisis panel also revealed details for the The reveals didn’t stop there! Fans were also treated to the first look at Dark Crisis: The Dark Army #1 arriving on on November 22, 2022.The one-shot will see Damian Wayne, Red Canary, Dr. Light and a ragtag team of heroes cross enemy lines to steal control of the Dark Army from Pariah but in the proces discover a secret about Dr. Light’s place in Crisis on Infinite Earths that rocks the future of the DCU! Written by Mark Waid, Dennis Culver and Delilah S. Dawson the book will feature a main cover by Gleb Melnikov and variant covers by Werther Dell’Edera and Taj Tenfold.
December will see the release of Dark Crisis: War Zone #1 described as “an on-the-ground look at the madness and chaos of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths” from writers Jeremy Adams, the current writer of the ongoing Flash comic, and Stephanie Williams. The artistic creative team will be announced later. However, DC did reveal the main cover by Mario “Fox” Foccillo & Prasad Rao and as well as the variant cover by Dan Jurgens & Norm Rapmund.
Finally, it was revealed that Jace Fox will do battle with Sinestro in I Am Batman #15, arriving in stores on November 15 from Oscar-Winning writer John Ridley and an artist to be announced at a later date. Fans will recall that Jace rejected Jon Kent’s offer to be involved in the fight against the Great Darkness.
Abernathy asked panelists what DC events impacted them. Williamson pointed to original Crisis on Infinite Earths, citing it as a perfect craft on superheroes. He also mentioned Zero Hero and Underworld Unleashed. The Sinestro Corps War is near and dear to Sampere. King went with infamous Armageddon 2001. Fitzmartin said Identity Crisis and also Tiny Titans. As a kid, Adams was fond of Millennium even though he can’t remember much of it. Though not an event per se, Ram V called New Frontier by the late Darwyn Cooke a great comfort read.
Miss any of The Beat’s earlier SDCC ’22 Coverage? Find it all here!
Didn’t the infinite earths return in Convergence? Or Metal? Or Dark Metal?
Jebus, do I have no idea where DC continuity stands now, and I don’t think DC does either.
The infinite earths returned following Infinite Crisis and the 52 series. Then Morrison’s Multiversity explored the concept further. And Snyder brought back the Monitor/Anti-Monitor from the original Crisis and also expanded on their backstory in Metal/his Justice League run/Death Metal. So saying this is a sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths is fine … for people who have read no other DC events for the past 37 years and all the other Crisis sequels. Talk about blood from a stone…
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