Dark Crisis #1 serves as a fantastic opening chapter for Williamson's story. It has me hooked and I am eager to see what twists and turns this story will take over the next few months. Strap in, folks, as it looks like we're in for a hell of a ride. Read Full Review

The Great Darkness and Pariah will put DC's legacy of heroes to the test. The dark army has taken down the League, and a new group of villains attack. Characters from the last 35 years of DC history will rise to prove their mettle as the foundation and players set up. Emotions will spill as the creative team entertains you as they showcase their love and history for DC Comics. Read Full Review

DC has been hyping Dark Crisis for a while and regardless if you're exhausted on big events promising the world that fail to deliver, this is one worth checking out. This first issue teases what could be a revered and well-received event if the rest stays as entertaining and memorable as the debut. Read Full Review

The comic event comic reader have been patiently waiting to see, this has been years in the making. It certainly does not disappoint. A truly epic event begins right here. Read Full Review

After the explosive action in Justice League #75, this issue largely decides to let us sit in the loss for a bit. That works as effective setup for all the chaos to come. Read Full Review

Dark Crisis #1 isn't just the next major DC event; it's a meditation on the themes of legacy and loss and also doubles as a love letter to the history of the DC Universe. The buildup to this event has been worth the wait, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds especially since it ends on a massive cliffhanger. Read Full Review

The most important part of tragedy is seeing the strong heroes who step up next Read Full Review

Dark Crisis #1 is a successful start to DC Comics latest big event. Joshua Williamson, Daniel Sampere, and Alejandro Sanchez wasted no time in putting over the high stakes of Dark Crisis as the DC Universe's heroes deal with a world without the Justice League. The way things went down built even more hype to find out what happens next. Read Full Review

Sampere delivers some beautifully detailed imagery throughout the issue. Utilizing multiple characters allows for the art to tap into different styles and those styles give the character moments and distinct and unique look. Read Full Review

This issue seemed to want to set up the landscape of the planet before the Crisis happens which gave it that prologue feel. But for me it worked. In particular, and odd for me, I really like Green Lantern in this issue. That alone is a compliment to Josh Williamson. So I am more grabbed than I thought I would be. And given my event fatigue that is also high praise. Read Full Review

Dark Crisis #1 is an entertaining beginning to DCs next big event. It already has some strikes against it for many fans, which is unfair because Williamson and company make this a very entertaining first issue. Its not a comic that will change the world, but its still worth picking up. Read Full Review

A strong, effective introduction that would benefit from having a bit more to say. Read Full Review

Joshua Williamson has had several issues to set up Dark Crisis, and yet still finds himself with much to do in terms of plotting. This leads to a comic full of nascent plot threads for the author to work with as the series progresses, but also limits its characterization somewhat. Jon Kent is wide-eyed and optimistic despite the recent death of his father, and one villains uncharacteristic brutality should not go unexplained. Nonetheless, as opening issues go, this one is a strong starting point for what DC promises to be the must-see comic event of the summer. Read Full Review

A strong start to what will no doubt be a strong story, and one that will be hard to ignore. Who will live, who will die? All bets are off (unless a character has strong franchise value, in which case theyll be ok. Yes, Im looking at you, Harley Quinn). Read Full Review

While this event has a strange tone and didn't exactly blow me away with what it's initially doing, there is something here that grabs my attention and a situation that actually shook me as a reader and fan of DC Comics. Hopefully the Justice League building elements of this book sort themselves out in an interesting way, but there is enough to this story so far to keep me reading and art that leaves me amazed.   Read Full Review

It's Dark. It's a Crisis. It's what you'd expect. Read Full Review

While Dark Crisis #1 didn't quite excite me, the debut has all the makings of a solid story. The overall package by the time things are done may be far better than this opening issue. Still, it has more than enough to entertain and reminds readers that what DC's classic heroes have done over and over was never as easy as it looked. Read Full Review

We're STILL in setup mode, but the events in this issue are simultaneously disheartening and exciting. Read Full Review

The DARK CRISIS begins exactly where JUSTICE LEAGUE: ROAD TO DARK CRISIS #1 left off with absolutely no direction, clue, or guidance as to the purpose of this event. Truthfully, all we know STILL is that the JUSTICE LEAGUE is dead which is the same thing we learned in JUSTICE LEAGUE #75. Williamson spends most of DARK CRISIS #1 forming a team and poking fun at the team he makes in a very meta-perspective. I literally left DARK CRISIS #1 wondering if this was some kind of joke. Read Full Review

While there is certainly chaos left behind in the wake of the absence of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and the others, Dark Crisis doesn't feel like much of a Crisis event so far. As for Beast Boy, poor Gar deserved better than to get sacrificed to raise the stakes of an event that's already killed off nearly a dozen heroes before it got started. In terms of the Darkness, we also do get some foreshadowing of Pariah's mad plans which both the heroes and villains seem oblivious to. Oh, and who the hell is dressing up as Batman in Gotham City? Read Full Review

Did you know that Dark Crisis was actually the rejected name for Dark Nights: Metal? Funny that I'm not very invested in an event book so unoriginal that it can't even think of its own name. I'm excited at the idea of putting the new generation front and centre, and for that and the art I'm going to give the book a generous score but if the next issue retains all of my problems with this one, expect lower scores going forward. Read Full Review

I live for the big DC events when they are actually great, and this looks like it will deliver. Gorgeous art.

That was... surprisingly good.

Solid start but was disappointed in the portrayal of Harley. Williamson did great with all the other characters' personalities but for some reason reverted Harley to her cliché trope prior to Tynion's Batman run.

Enjoyed this a bit more than I thought I would. It's kind of great watching Jon fall flat on his face, you don't get that a lot these days with everyone being super competent at all times.

A strong start to DC's next big event makes legacy the star of the show. Cape comics can be an impenetrable hobby due to the shear amount of canon and baggage attached. It can be overwhelming and stories too steeped in canon can be slogs to read, especially for anyone who is not caught up, which is virtually most people who don't read and write comic books for a living. Joshua Williamson is one of my favorite writers because he has this ability to respect canon and to make it easy and fun. This book features a wide swath of characters. It harkens back to many incarnations of the Justice League and the DC continuity. It even pokes fun at there being two mostly different Blue Beetles on the team. Williamson makes this stuff and playful and fun but also adds emotional weight and depth to this blockbuster. When it comes to the art, Sampere does a great job drawing a large number of DC heroes and villains. I loved the designs and a lot of Sampere's facial expressions are very well done. There is an exchange between Jon Kent and Nubia in the book and the facial close ups really help relay what the characters are feeling in this moment. This issue sets the stage for legacy characters and obscurer characters to step up to the plate and I am excited to see that hopefully continue throughout the series. If you are looking for a big event book, I think this issue sets a strong start for this one. more

Sampere's art kinda carried this, but it was pretty fun. Even if the script is a little dull, the stories quite enjoyable.

Really enjoyed this story. Was a lot of fun and great art and dialogue and. character work.

The idea is pretty good, and the art is great, but way too many pages were wasted on Jon trying to recruit a new destined-to-fail JL instead of things actually happening.
It's also completely unclear why Nightwing is playing at being a PE teacher instead of leading a new group of heroes to defend earth (the weird explanation in the "Road to dark crisis" didn't really answer the question, as he already did exactly that before until the JL were back).

My post Crisis prediction: the JL return in the Linear-verse from Generations and Future State is preserved as an alternate-Earth, probably Earth-5 since they will be the 5th Generation, hence the moniker 5G thrown around the internet for a few years, which will have its own mini-line of comics that will fold very quickly, much like the Next Age of Heroes. You read it here first.

I really love how this issue opens, feels very respectful and proud about DC's history. The art is amazing too. Jon trying to assemble a new League was the best part for me. I can see this character becoming a good Superman easily. However... This reminds me how Jon already having this level of responsibilities feels wrong and forced. Kara should be the one taking Clark's place. I feel somewhat similar about the new Wonder Woman and Batman. Yara, the "fake" brazilian(I'm brazilian myself and I have some issues with her) and the Batman who uses a Bat costume, the name, but wants nothing to do with it(?).

About Black Adam's role here, don't they have anything that can just see if he's lying or not? Like lie detector machine or something.

But ok, let's talk about the titans section of this issue. Deep down, I know complaining about this is stupid but, how does Dick survive a bomb that close? And I want a really good explanation for Slade doing this, he had made a deal with Nightwing, his "troubles" with the Titans are resolved. I guess this has to do with what happened when Slade was in the Lazarus pit(very dumb thing btw) but still, this needs a better explanation and quick. And Slade's new design is just ugly, I'm sorry.

But my major problem here is Deathstroke killing Gar. This is not the first time he does this, but it feels wrong. After Trial of the Terminator the two became friends, seeing this ignored bothers me a lot. This comic wants us to think about the old days, this is clear by the opening page, but it does not want us to remember all the details.

Gar's death is also another problem with this by itself. Events like these always feel the need to kill characters but this is just empty to me. Feels robotic, a editorial mandate, "kill someone, this will boost sales and people will know what we're serious about this". Think about Dark Nights Metal. No one died there, and yet, everybody was buying. Actually, that event had "negative" deaths, with missing characters coming back. That event had its problems but it was exciting to read. This? I'm not so sure, now I'm just like "ok, who dies next to help with the sales?". more

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• TheKing

Absolute Z to the 4 - Jun 8, 2022

In the final couple of issues of Teen Titans Academy, Gar and Victor got merged into one being (sharing their minds in a merged odd-looking body), and Raven created an illusion that they had separate bodies that looked like their regular selves. That should mean if you actually see Gar, you must be seeing an illusion, and therefore the bullet must have missed. At least that's where I think this could be going! Maybe getting to that plot point is the only reason TTA's run was extended a bit.

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The healthy approach to a comic book would be to have your expectations for it completely neutral, and your mind open. Obviously we're incapable of that, since we're only humans - driven by our prejudices, preferences and emotions. I was skeptical about this entire event, and I still am, but I'm willing to give it a fair chance instead of preemprively calling it a gimmicky publicy stunt. Even if iit kinda fits the description.
Point is, Dark Crisis seems like a competently told and drawn event and while I would not call it life changing and universe shattering, it may end up being a pretty entertaining blockbuster adventure. I'm glad I didn't have any expectations for it, for better or worse, because it managed to surprise me a bit and make a generally positive impression on me. So I say - give it a chance and see where it goes. It may implode halfway through, it may be quickly forgotten and retconned afterwards, it may be a beginning of a new era of DC Comics (again - for better or worse), or it may be just an entertaining popcorn spectacle and nothing more. We'll see. For now it was a pretty enjoyable read. more

Good start too this book, I'm excited to see where this goes. Not a perfect book, but a lot of fun and great art. Im always in for a good Multiverse story, and I can't wait to see a Dick vs Slade fight.

Beautifully illustrated. Entertaining to read.

Happy to see Hal’s back. Hope this situation remains. Jon’s new league lineup caught my attention. It’s more interesting than just a cheap POC version of the original league.

aw sad superboy sad that no one will join his sad club :(

It's not bad. i just find the character interactions and responses a little bit jarring. like Kara's response to John's request to join him. also the league might be dead but dc has more powerful characters then the ones that died in the issue 75. Like Raven should be lot more powerful than Zattana considering she doesn't have upside down man inside her anymore and with dr.fate with her they should be a force to reckon with. aslo they have characters like jakeeem thunder on their side that are as powerful as 5th dimensional imps. not to mention a full planet of daxamites. so excuse me for not buying the whole thing about now that the league is dead they're in a very bad shape.

Williamson is such a mediocre writer. This was a real nothing burger.

Absolutely no interest in reading the next issue.

Looks like it is going to be the worst crisis of all time.

The Post-Modern Anti-Hero "Justice League"? Jon Kent creates a "Justice League" with child-mass murderer Harley Quinn and criminal Killer Frost. There is no plan, no structure, no direction, no story.

Just scenes. Just posing. Put on a costume and pose. And strut. And pontificate.
They should just make the Hall of Justice into a dance club.
Put on your costumes, put on some music and dance, and pose.

That is what costumed heroes / heroines are reduced to in the post-modern anti-hero age.

You know it is really bad, when genocidal Black Adam is the only "voice of reason."

Even Comic Book Dispatch writes: "I literally left DARK CRISIS #1 wondering if this was some kind of joke."

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Hex - Jul 8, 2022

Didn't Batman murder people in his early books? The ones you revere so much?

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The writing was good, the art was great, but Jonathan as a new leader of the Justice League? I wouldn’t follow him to a Mcdonald’s that was giving away free hamburgers.