Crisis on Multiple Earths vol. 3
by Mike Friedrich, Len Wien, Dick Dillon, Joe Giella & Dick Giordano
Crisis? You ain't kidding. If I had known the title referred to the quality of the stories, I would've given this one a wide berth.
Nostalgia can hide a myriad of flaws but when it comes to nostalgia in comics, that means Marvel to me because I didn't really start getting into DC until
Dick Giordano's tenure as editor-in-chief in the mid 80s, IMHO DC's real peak.
I honestly don't know what possessed me to buy this collection. I used to own a couple of the original issues (101 & 102) contained therein as a young
kid in Australia. I still clearly remember the gorgeous Nick Cardy cover on #101 and how it sent chills down my spine. However, the story was a disappointment
to me even back then as I was devout 10-year-old Marvelite. With a few exceptions (Batman by Adams and Swamp Thing by Wrightson) DC always seemed dull and
bland in comparison.
I read a shedload of comics a year of varying quality and it takes a lot for me to actually abandon reading half way through but this was one of those
instances.
The first story: The Monster Maker by Mike Friedrich was unbearably silly and insipid and his captions and dialogue were awkward beyond words. The ugly artwork
by Dick Dullon and Joe Giella (Monster) didn't help any either.
I actually managed to read the second story arc featuring the Soldiers of Victory but the story by Len Wien was formulaic and bland but at least his writing
was less clunky than Friedrich's The artwork was somewhat better, mainly due to Dick Giordano doing some of the inking. Dillan's artwork is serviceable
but lacks energy and power. It's like all the characters sleep walk through the story.
I started the 3rd story featuring the Freedom Fighters but gave up after one issue. The story was once again formulaic and lacked any sense of
drama.
All told this collection featured the JLA mainstays, the JSA, the Seven Soldiers of Victory and the Freedom Fighters and a hokier gathering of superheroes has
seldom been witnessed.
Not that it was really necessary but this collection once again confirmed to me how much better Marvel was in the 60s and early 70s. I think if this had been
the norm at the time I never would've gotten into comics at all.
