Worst Single Issue of 2008
Jim Doom says: Final Crisis #1!
I’ve grown to actually like Final Crisis quite a bit, but it’s undeniable that the series got off on the wrong foot. Much of that blame falls on DC editorial and the misguided lead-in, but the reaction to this debut issue was most likely the opposite of what DC was hoping for. DC’s response to the criticism — especially Morrison’s — didn’t help either.
The confusing, illogical and continuity-laden yet continuity-defying launch of this series adjusted the readership mindset of the masses who wanted to love it but were quickly convinced it was crap. Grant Morrison and Geoff Johns are clearly two different types of writers, but the contrast between Infinite Crisis #1 and Final Crisis #1 could not have been more apparent. The following issues only got better, but the damage was done. The series has its defenders, and rightfully so, but the conventional wisdom held that Final Crisis was irreparably damaged.
Honorable mentions: Hulk #1
This was so stupid. I really dug World War Hulk and immediately stopped caring.
Other issues I really disliked: Mighty Avengers #19, Justice League of America #25, Justice Society of America: Kingdom Come Special.
Doom DeLuise says: DC Universe #0!
This was hyped up as the bridge between Countdown to Final Crisis and the Final Crisis series itself. It was also hyped as the return of a long-gone A-list superhero.
Instead, there wasn’t a single mention of anything that happened in Countdown (I can’t really blame them on that one), and saying that this was the return of Barry Allen is maybe the most misleading thing you could possibly say about the issue.
What we were left with is basically several snippet stories that show what will eventually be spinning off from Final Crisis. Kind of. We still haven’t seen how Legion of 3 Worlds or Blackest Night will tie in to anything, and there hasn’t been a mention of the “Manazons” since (until last week’s DC Nation page).
It’s mostly just incoherent nonsense peddled as the starting point for the biggest event of the year for DC. Compared to the one-shot lead-in to Infinite Crisis (Countdown to Infinite Crisis), you can see just how different the mentality at DC shifted over the three years between those two books.
Thankfully, it cost next to nothing. And, hey, it shows. The thing literally fell apart as I was reading it.
Here’s what we thought were the Worst Single Issues of the past couple years:
2007:
Doom DeLuise: Amazing Spider-Man #545 (end of One More Day)
Jim Doom: Marvel Zombies: Dead Days
Doominator: Ultimates 3 #1
Fin Fang Doom: Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities2006:
Doom DeLuise: Every issue of Nightwing
Jim Doom: Nightwing #124
Fin Fang Doom: Nightwing #124