Infinite Crisis

When heroes from a lost paradise return to fix a broken world, they nearly destroy it forever.

Infinite Crisis is a 2005–2006 DC Comics storyline written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Phil Jimenez, George Pérez, Ivan Reis, and Jerry Ordway. The seven-issue limited series debuted in December 2005, with each issue featuring two variant covers: one by Pérez and another by Jim Lee and Sandra Hope. Serving as a sequel to the 1985 Crisis on Infinite Earths, this event revisited characters like Kal-L (Earth-Two Superman) and Alexander Luthor Jr., exploring themes of heroism by contrasting modern cynicism with the nobility of earlier comic eras. The main series was preceded by Countdown to Infinite Crisis and four six-issue tie-ins: The OMAC Project, Rann–Thanagar War, Day of Vengeance, and Villains United. Pre-order sales for Infinite Crisis #1 reached 249,265 in October 2005, nearly double the second-ranked comic, while issue #2 topped November charts with 207,564 pre-orders.

Quick Facts

Schedule: Monthly
Publisher: DC Comics
Issues: 7
Writers: Geoff Johns
Creators: Geoff Johns, Phil Jimenez

Lore & Background

The plot begins with Kal-L (Earth-Two Superman), Earth-Prime Superboy, Alexander Luthor Jr. of pre-Crisis Earth-Three, and Lois Lane Kent of Earth-Two escaping their sequestered paradise in the wake of Crisis on Infinite Earths. Believing the modern DC Universe is flawed due to its darkness, Kal-L seeks to replace it with the perfect Earth-Two. He teams up with Alexander Luthor Jr., who manipulates events from a pocket universe using an inter-dimensional tuning fork and the Anti-Monitor's remains to restore alternate Earths.

A major theme contrasts the dark, conflicted modern heroes with memories of lighter, more collegial predecessors. The storyline highlights Kal-L's belief that the current Earth is inherently bad, causing Batman's mistrust, while Alexander attempts to merge multiple Earths into a single perfect reality. This conflict forces heroes like Power Girl and the modern Superman (Kal-El) to confront their pasts and the nature of heroism itself.

Reader's Guide

Readers should start with Countdown to Infinite Crisis, followed by four six-issue limited series: The OMAC Project, Rann–Thanagar War, Day of Vengeance, and Villains United. Key tie-ins include Superman: Sacrifice and JLA: Crisis of Conscience, which ends with the destruction of the Justice League's Watchtower, leading directly into Infinite Crisis #1. Batman: Under the Hood is another notable tie-in featuring Jason Todd's return as Red Hood. The main seven-issue series was released monthly starting December 2005, with each issue having variant covers by Pérez and Jim Lee/Hope. After the event, DC moved narratives forward one year via the One Year Later event, followed by the weekly series 52 in May 2006, which depicts events between Infinite Crisis and One Year Later. The hardcover edition includes coloring changes and dialogue alterations regarding the re-emergence of the Multiverse.

Did You Know?

Infinite Crisis #1 had pre-order sales of 249,265 in October 2005, nearly double the second-ranked comic House of M #7.
Superboy-Prime killed thirty-two Green Lanterns before being stopped by a 300-mile thick wall of willpower created by the Corps.
The hardcover edition of Infinite Crisis includes significant dialogue alterations related to hints of the Multiverse's re-emergence.
Alexander Luthor Jr. was killed by the Joker, who sprayed acid on his face, electrified it, and then shot him while Lex Luthor mocked him.