Identity Crisis

ARTISTS

Writer: Brad Meltzer
Penciller: Rags Morales
Inker: Michael Blair
Colorist: Alex Sinclair
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Editor: Michael Carlin

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CHARACTERS & SETTINGS

heroes: Adam Strange, Animal Man, Aquaman, Arsenal, Atom II, Beast Boy, Big Barda, Black Canary II, Black Condor II, Black Lightning, Blue Beetle II, Booster Gold, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel, Cyborg, Doctor Fate IV, Doctor Mid-Nite II, Elongated Man, Firehawk I, Firestorm V, Flash I, Flash III, Green Arrow I, Green Arrow II, Green Lantern I, Green Lantern III, Green Lantern IV, Green Lantern V, Gypsy, Hawkgirl II, Hawkman I, Jade, Katana, Kid Flash II, Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, Metamorpho, Mister Miracle, Mister Terrific II, Nightwing II, Power Girl, Ray II, Red Tornado, Robin III, Rocket Red #4, Slam Bradley, Starfire III, Stargirl, Starman VII, Superman, Tasmanian Devil, Tempest II, Vixen, Wildcat I, Wonder Woman, Zatanna
supportinges: Commissioner Gordon, Ellen Baker, Jean Loring, Jimmy Olsen, Linda Park, Lois Lane, Maxwell Lord, Oberon, Sue Dibny

Setting: 21st-century Central City, DCU, USA

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ISSUE SUMMARY

Cover Description: From left to right, Elongated Man, Black Canary, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Superman, Batman, Flash II, Hawkman I, and Zatanna stand in mourning above a coffin. (No Booster Gold.)

Brief Synopsis: The DC Universe is turned upside down when someone attacks a family member of a Justice Leaguer.

Costume Worn: MARK XII armored power-suit

Issue Notes: Events in this story must take place following the events of JLA Classified issues 4-9 for reasons obvious to readers of this issue. As the story progresses, many changes were made to the history of the DC Universe as a result of revelations made in this series, though none directly effect the history of Booster Gold.

Reprints: This issue has been collected with the rest of the series in Identity Crisis.

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ISSUE ANNOTATIONS

Page 31, panel 1
SPOILER WARNING!: Booster Gold (wearing his Mark XII costume with its high collar restored) is among the attendees at the funeral of Sue Dibny. Sue's identity as the wife of Justice Leaguer Elongated Man was public knowledge and draws a large crowd. In addition to the families of Sue and Ralph Dibny, identifiable members of the DC Universe shown are Adam Strange, Animal Man and family, Aquaman, Arsenal, Atom II, Beast Boy, Big Barda, Black Canary II, Black Condor II, Black Lightning, Blue Beetle II, Captain Atom, Captain Marvel, Connor Hawke, Cyborg, Dr. Fate IV, Dr. Mid-Nite II, Elongated Man, Firehawk, Firestorm V, Flash I, Flash III, Green Arrow, Guy Gardner, Gypsy, Hawkgirl II, Hawkman I, Jade, Jean Loring, Jim Gordon, Jimmy Olsen, John Stewart, Katana, Kid Flash II (previously Impulse), Green Lantern I, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner, Linda Park, Lois Lane, Martian Manhunter, Mary Marvel, Maxwell Lord, Mister Miracle, Mr. Terrific II, Nightwing, Oberon, Power Girl, Ray II, Red Tornado, Robin III, Rocket Red #4, Slam Bradley, Starfire, Stargirl, Starman VII, Superman, Tasmanian Devil, Garth (as Tempest II, formerly Aqualad), Vixen, Wildcat I, Wonder Woman, and Zatanna. Metamorpho is present off-panel. Most of the figures in attendance had a relationship with Elongated Man and Sue Dibny, either from the pair's days with the Justice League or from Ralph's globe-trotting career as a detective. Reveal

Page 36, panel 3
Though Booster is not shown on-panel, a narrative panel details that Booster and Beetle are leading a group of heroes to interrogate Heat Wave, a former member of Flash's Rogues Gallery recently turned hero. The only evidence incriminating Heat Wave is that Sue was badly burned, indicating a criminal who uses a fire motif.

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ISSUE REVIEW

Boosterrific Review: The first-class art of Rags Morales and Michael Bair set the stage for writer Brad Meltzer's whodunit story about the murder of a beloved Justice League supporting character and the widespread emotional damage that it causes. While we at Boosterrific believe that the storyline of the Identity Crisis mini-series is ultimately flawed and recklessly tragic for the DC Universe, that doesn't stop this first issue from being a remarkably beautiful and deep comic book that is successful on all fronts and is completely deserving of any praise that it receives.

Boosterrific Rating:

• Currently 5.0/5 Stars.

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