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Aug. 27th, 2004 02:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dewinged-11:52 AM
.
It finally hit me last night.
See, while I had more than a little praise for the first issue of Identity Crisis, I have yet to comment on issues two and three, which were subsequently released. Something about the series, at this point, was troubling me. It might have been the content of issue 2, which I'm not sure was necessary. You know what I mean. It...kinda sorta explains why Ralph and the other Leaguers thought it was Dr. Light from the beginning when Sue was killed, but still...
In any case, this little essay isn't about the content of what happeend to which character. This is something else about this series.
At the end of issue 2, we get confirmation on what Meltzer was telegraphing all issue (like he did with Sue's death in issue 1): It's Not Doctor Light. Well, Duh! It's never the first one you think it is in a murder mystery. While I like Morales' art on the whole, Meltzer isn't really pulling any 'Surprise' moments with his writing style in this. You see it coming, a LOT.
There's been tons of speculation since then. There is more speculation on who's next to die, as opposed to who actually did it.
Issue 3 ends with the death of Jean Loring, Ray 'The Atom' Palmer's ex-wife, after a long fight between the heroes and Deathstroke, as well as a few character moments among the heroes and villains in the DCU. (And note: when they had Flash and Green Lantern find Ralph's Leagers in issue 2, it was Wally and Kyle and Not. John. Stewart. Eventually, the other DC writers should/will take note of that, and fix accordingly.)
Anyway. There's guesses on who will be killed/attacked next, and some on who the killer is.![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lithera mentioned she might have guesses, and I never did get a chance to ask her yet. See, the thing is, I had no idea who it could be, killer-wise, and I didn't quite grasp why. Originally, I figured because I was a Marvel fan for a much longer time than a DC one in the near-twenty years I've been reading comics, my DC-Fu just wasn't up to the challenge.
Last night, I realized it wasn't me, this time.
I was tooling around online, leaving Cartoon Network on my TV in the background. It's summer, there's not much in the way of new shows I actually watch, and the lack of Hamm Twins on the Olympic telecasts had me seeking background noise elsewhere on the airwaves. There was some Scooby Doo commercial...I don't even think it's for the cartoons the network overplays til our eyes bleed (no, you're not seeing things. I hate Scooby Doo. Always did). I think it was for some Scooby Cereal that's out, but I tend to block things like that from my mind on reflex. The commercial went something like this.
Fred: You guys notice anything odd about this mystery?
Velma: I sure do. There's no clues!
Me: ...*LIGHTBULB!*
I found the three issues of Identity Crisis that were out, and I reread them. I had to stop myself from skimming at points, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and take an actual look at the pages. Three issues, two deaths...
And not one freaking clue to be had.
There's nothing there, kids. Not a hair, not a shred of anything that, to me, gives any clue at all to the killer's identity. Granted, I wouldn't want Meltzer to give it all away in the first or second issue, but when the last issue (#7, in December) comes out, I want to look at the resolution of the storyline, and trace it back to the beginning issues, and say 'Oh, that's what this was! Oh, that was how it was done! Oh, there's a clue!'
How does one write a mystery and not allow any clues, especially in a visual medium such as sequential art?
I know, I know, Meltzer's a mystery author, nor am I asking for Identity Crisis to be structured like some Scooby Doo episode (Please, no. That many decades of pure formula will stunt anyone's growth). Still, Mr. Meltzer, dude? throw us a fricking bone, already.
I've seen mysteries like this: there's a killer out there, and the protagonists goes to investigate the killings and track the murderer down. A lot of stuff happens in the middle, and it turns out to be Joe Random at the end, and we end up with no explination of motive, or how the detective figured it out. Usually because the killer revealed themselves.
I don't want that to happen in Identity Crisis. I don't want another four issues of the heroes running into constant dead ends and wrong conclusions only to have them say
Oh, it was John Stewart all along!' (Note: I don't think John Stewart did it. Just, well, a guy can dream.) Most of the folks who I know read comics are adults. We're not stupid; and that kind fo story isn't going to fly.
I want this to have meaning, at the end. I want there to be a motive, a reason, a story, and an explination of how it was done, and connect the seventh issue to the previous six.
For that, people, we need some actual clues in the book.
After all, isn't that what makes it a mystery in the first place?
-Copyright, K. Cinelli, 2004
.
It finally hit me last night.
See, while I had more than a little praise for the first issue of Identity Crisis, I have yet to comment on issues two and three, which were subsequently released. Something about the series, at this point, was troubling me. It might have been the content of issue 2, which I'm not sure was necessary. You know what I mean. It...kinda sorta explains why Ralph and the other Leaguers thought it was Dr. Light from the beginning when Sue was killed, but still...
In any case, this little essay isn't about the content of what happeend to which character. This is something else about this series.
At the end of issue 2, we get confirmation on what Meltzer was telegraphing all issue (like he did with Sue's death in issue 1): It's Not Doctor Light. Well, Duh! It's never the first one you think it is in a murder mystery. While I like Morales' art on the whole, Meltzer isn't really pulling any 'Surprise' moments with his writing style in this. You see it coming, a LOT.
There's been tons of speculation since then. There is more speculation on who's next to die, as opposed to who actually did it.
Issue 3 ends with the death of Jean Loring, Ray 'The Atom' Palmer's ex-wife, after a long fight between the heroes and Deathstroke, as well as a few character moments among the heroes and villains in the DCU. (And note: when they had Flash and Green Lantern find Ralph's Leagers in issue 2, it was Wally and Kyle and Not. John. Stewart. Eventually, the other DC writers should/will take note of that, and fix accordingly.)
Anyway. There's guesses on who will be killed/attacked next, and some on who the killer is.
lithera mentioned she might have guesses, and I never did get a chance to ask her yet. See, the thing is, I had no idea who it could be, killer-wise, and I didn't quite grasp why. Originally, I figured because I was a Marvel fan for a much longer time than a DC one in the near-twenty years I've been reading comics, my DC-Fu just wasn't up to the challenge.Last night, I realized it wasn't me, this time.
I was tooling around online, leaving Cartoon Network on my TV in the background. It's summer, there's not much in the way of new shows I actually watch, and the lack of Hamm Twins on the Olympic telecasts had me seeking background noise elsewhere on the airwaves. There was some Scooby Doo commercial...I don't even think it's for the cartoons the network overplays til our eyes bleed (no, you're not seeing things. I hate Scooby Doo. Always did). I think it was for some Scooby Cereal that's out, but I tend to block things like that from my mind on reflex. The commercial went something like this.
Fred: You guys notice anything odd about this mystery?
Velma: I sure do. There's no clues!
Me: ...*LIGHTBULB!*
I found the three issues of Identity Crisis that were out, and I reread them. I had to stop myself from skimming at points, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and take an actual look at the pages. Three issues, two deaths...
And not one freaking clue to be had.
There's nothing there, kids. Not a hair, not a shred of anything that, to me, gives any clue at all to the killer's identity. Granted, I wouldn't want Meltzer to give it all away in the first or second issue, but when the last issue (#7, in December) comes out, I want to look at the resolution of the storyline, and trace it back to the beginning issues, and say 'Oh, that's what this was! Oh, that was how it was done! Oh, there's a clue!'
How does one write a mystery and not allow any clues, especially in a visual medium such as sequential art?
I know, I know, Meltzer's a mystery author, nor am I asking for Identity Crisis to be structured like some Scooby Doo episode (Please, no. That many decades of pure formula will stunt anyone's growth). Still, Mr. Meltzer, dude? throw us a fricking bone, already.
I've seen mysteries like this: there's a killer out there, and the protagonists goes to investigate the killings and track the murderer down. A lot of stuff happens in the middle, and it turns out to be Joe Random at the end, and we end up with no explination of motive, or how the detective figured it out. Usually because the killer revealed themselves.
I don't want that to happen in Identity Crisis. I don't want another four issues of the heroes running into constant dead ends and wrong conclusions only to have them say
Oh, it was John Stewart all along!' (Note: I don't think John Stewart did it. Just, well, a guy can dream.) Most of the folks who I know read comics are adults. We're not stupid; and that kind fo story isn't going to fly.
I want this to have meaning, at the end. I want there to be a motive, a reason, a story, and an explination of how it was done, and connect the seventh issue to the previous six.
For that, people, we need some actual clues in the book.
After all, isn't that what makes it a mystery in the first place?
-Copyright, K. Cinelli, 2004
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-08-27 11:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-27 11:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-27 11:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-27 12:36 pm (UTC)If the next victim follows the same trend, I think I will know who it is...
no subject
Date: 2004-08-27 01:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-27 08:12 pm (UTC)The big strife here is that a LONG time ago there was a schism in the JLA about how far you could go to protect your loved ones from people who knew your secret identities.
Simply enough, the culprit is most likely going to be someone whose knowledge of the JLA's identities was mucked with and is out for revenge... OR someone who knows anyway and is making a point.
I would suggest Vandal Savage, myself. Though he doesn't usually move this stealthily, something this brutal and manipulative would be right up his alley. However, that's probably not the case.
My big problem with Identity Crisis? When it's all said and done, Sue Dibny, Jean Loring (She wasn't dead when the issue ended, so I have hope someone might save her, vain as it is), and whoever else is going to get the axe before December are now just names on the Women In Refridgerators list.
That. Sucks.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-29 07:33 pm (UTC)