Over the last three decades, DC Comics has placed the word “Crisis” atop all of their big tentpole event titles, hoping to stand on the shoulders of that famous and seminal twelve-part tale from the mid-1980’s, while still furthering the story of the comic book publishers stable of heroes and their never-ending struggle against evil and insurmountable odds.
Zero Hour: Crisis In Time (1994), Identity Crisis (2004), Infinite Crisis (2005), Final Crisis (2008), Heroes In Crisis (2018), and 2022’s Dark Crisis (On Infinite Earths) are all examples of the “Crisis” lineage that followed the original, Crisis On Infinite Earths (1985) series.
That’s how important that particular title has been for DC and their legions of fans.
Today, we get to see an out-of-continuity aspect of what happened well before Crisis On Infinite Earths occurred. And, luckily for us, it’s by two of comicdom’s greats, placing the greatest superhero of them all in the front and center!
Written by the critically acclaimed Mark Russell (Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles, One-Star Squadron, The Flintstones, Prez) and illustrated by award-winning comic book luminary, Mike Allred (Silver Surfer, Bowie: Stardust, Rayguns& Moonage Daydreams, Madman, iZombie, X-Statix), Superman: Space Age is a three-issue miniseries that takes Superman/Clark Kent through several decades of both real-life history and DC comic book history, leading up to the moment where “world’s would live, world’s would die and the DC Universe would never be the same” – the famous tag line for Crisis On Infinite Earths.
Believe me when I say that Superman: Space Age is a joy to read and to behold!
Beginning in the mid-1960’s, young and eager reporter, Clark Kent, heads to a bar to interview one of the strangest men he’s ever encountered: a green-vested and green-jacket, silver haired man from an alternate earth named Pariah (whom any reader of the original Crisis will easily identify). On his third drink, the stranger details to Clark the future and the coming universal apocalypse in two decades.
After years of standing idle, Clark Kent decides to finally become the hero he has always hidden away. Battling dangers and evil do-ers over the years, Superman sees the world transform into a place that seems bent on destroying itself. And of course, the foretold Crisis looms closer and larger.
Compellingly told and wonderfully illustrated, Superman: Space Age is fascinating walk across multiple decades of America and global life. It’s full of pop culture history, world-shaking events and, ultimately, hope in the face of despair – something at which Superman excels!
Superman: Space Age may be out of DC Comics continuity today, but that lends the series the freedom to be whatever it wants and needs to be in order to tell its’ wholly original story. Here, it’s sheer, unbridled joy for the always-heroic Superman and for our collective love of comic books and the comic book medium.
Besides, when it comes to DC Comics, we know that any story that takes places in any time and presented in any manner, will always be part of the wider DC Universe, no matter how out-of-continuity it may originally seem.
And that sense of belonging is a fantastic feeling.
Be part of the joy and make the run to your local comic book shop today to pick up Superman: Space Age #1!
