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Summary
Summary
Written by Brad Meltzer Art by Rags Morales & Michael Bair Covers by Morales & Bair and Michael Turner The most talked-about and successful miniseries of 2004 - the story that has created ripple effects throughout the DC Universe for many years to come - is now available in a stunning hardcover volume! New York Times best-selling author Brad Meltzer (GREEN ARROW) teams with artists Rags Morales & Michael Bair (WONDER WOMAN) and cover artist Michael Turner (SUPERMAN/BATMAN) to deliver an all-too-human look into the lives of super-heroes, and the terrible price they pay for doing good. When the spouse of a JLA member is brutally murdered, the entire super-hero community searches for the killer, fearing their own loved ones may be the next targets! But before the mystery is fully solved, a number of long-buried secrets rise to the surface, threatening to tear apart and divide the heroes before they can bring the mysterious killer to justice. Bonus features for this special hardcover edition include extended commentary by Meltzer and Morales, the rest of the creative team talking about their favorite moments, a look at Morales's sketchbook and more! Retailers please note: This hardcover will ship in two editions available on different order lines featuring covers by Morales & Bair (BOOK MARKET VERSION) and Turner (DIRECT MARKET VERSION). See order form for details.
Author Notes
Brad Meltzer was born on April 1, 1970 and grew up in Brooklyn, NY. He graduated from the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. His first published title was called The Tenth Justice. His other works include Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Book of Fate, The Zero Game, The Inner Circle and The Fifth Assassin. He is the Eisner Award-winning author of the critically acclaimed comic book, Justice League of America. He also wrote the non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter. He has written speeches for former President Clinton's National Service Program and played himself as an extra in Woody Allen's film, Celebrity. In 2013, his title History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.
In 2014 his titles, I Am Abraham Lincoln, I Am Amelia Earhart and I am Rosa Parks made The New York Times Best Seller List.
In 2016, Meltzer's title's The House of Secrets, I Am George Washington, and I Am Jane Goodall made the New York Times Bestseller list.
(Bowker Author Biography)
Reviews (4)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 10 Up-After the tragic death of Sue Debny, the wife of the Elongated Man, the members of the Justice League of America and most of the DC superheroes are brought together to investigate. Sues murder is unsettling for a couple of reasons: she was a friend, and whoever committed the crime knew enough personal information to be able to sneak past security. Even more troubling are the letters that the family members of other heroes receive, indicating that they are the next targets. The superheroes split into teams to follow the leads that they are most suited to solve. The novel asks: how far do you go to protect your loved ones? What if everything you stand for goes against your need to protect your family? The story moves quickly and the full-color artwork is splendid. Morales captures human emotion in such a way that he breathes life and authenticity into the characters. The coloring job is superb: the dark, somber tones perfectly set the mood. Some of the action occurs offscreen, such as the flashback to Sues rape, making what happens even more dramatic and powerful. Featuring a good mystery, great fight scenes, and good writing, Identity Crisis is an exciting read for fans of the DC universe.-Erin Dennington, Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Publisher's Weekly Review
This seven-issue miniseries by bestselling author Meltzer (The Zero Game) was both wildly popular and reviled, and the collection shows that both views have merit. It does knock the rust off scores of DC characters while opening avenues to explore post-9/11 morality. On the other hand, it trashes the roles of characters whom readers have come to consider old friends and tampers outrageously with years' worth of continuity. The story begins shockingly when the wife of the minor super hero Elongated Man is brutally murdered. Things get increasingly serious as other members of the Justice League of America find that their loved ones are targets. The super villains are a lot nastier than they used to be; the heroes, meanwhile, are forced to admit that they could have been responsible for some of what's gone wrong when they started tampering with the minds of villains who deserved it or even fellow heroes who merely disapproved of the idea. This makes familiar heroes more morally ambiguous-more human-and the old, easy trust is lost, with long-term consequences still to be revealed in future DC story lines. In the meantime, Meltzer's script and Bair's inking of Morales's penciled art serves the realistic aspect of the characters very well, making this book a genuine comics landmark. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Identity Crisis collects a seven-issue comic book series that cast an unusually harsh light on DC Comics' leading superheroes. After Sue Digby, the wife of second-string hero the Elongated Man, is brutally murdered, his comrades search for the killer while trying to protect their loved ones from similar fates. The hunt reveals that the suspect, Dr. Light, had brutally raped Sue years before, and one of the heroes then used her powers to magically lobotomize him, expunging the incident from his memory. As the story proceeds, other ethical dilemmas arise, and other supporting characters meet harsh ends. Thriller novelist Meltzer brings solid plotting and vivid characterization to the series, which penciler Rags Morales' detailed art perhaps overdramatizes. The apparent intention of showing the high cost of being a hero is achieved but seems manipulative and sensationalistic because of the shock value of killing off a character, Sue, who'd been around for 40 years.\b Despite, or because of, its luridness, the series enjoyed mainstream-media publicity and huge original sales; expect demand for the collected edition. --Gordon Flagg Copyright 2005 Booklist
Library Journal Review
This top-selling, expertly written and drawn mystery has become a flashpoint for superhero fans. When Sue Dibny, wife of the Elongated Man, is brutally murdered, the world's heroes-Superman, Batman, Nightwing, and many others-head out to find the killer, hoping that their own loved ones won't be next. But Flash and Green Lantern uncover a secret in the past of Sue and the Justice League-a secret which, had it not been hidden, would have torn the super-group apart, and which still might do so. Meltzer, author of popular prose thrillers such as The Zero Game, is a long-standing superhero fan, and the dialog and interaction he writes for the heroes is excellent. Penciller Morales, inked by Bair, does strong work in the traditional idealized realism of superhero comics, with an extra measure of grit and emotion added. But long-time fans are liable to balk at the book's revelation, feeling that it badly taints favorite characters and fondly remembered stories. Still, this story has had great impact on DC's current output, making it a must-read for many. Recommended for all collections, but with a rape scene (depicted without nudity), it's for mid-teens and up. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.