My CGC Identity Crisis Collection
Identity Crisis 1

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COMIC DETAILS

Comic Description: Identity Crisis 1 Signature
Grade: 9.8
Page Quality: WHITE
Certification #: 2811735001
Owner: The Captain

SET DETAILS

Custom Sets: This comic is not in any custom sets.
Sets Competing: My CGC Identity Crisis Collection  Score: 22
Research: See CGC's Census Report for this Comic

Owner's Description

August, 2004

"Chapter One: Coffin"

Brad Meltzer - Writer
Rags Morales - Penciler
Michael Bair - Inker
Michael Turner - Cover Artist
Alex Sinclair - Colorist
Ken Lopez - Letterer
Mike Carlin, Valerie D'Orazio - Editor
Dan DiDio - Executive Editor

Synopsis:
In Opal City, Elongated Man and Firehawk are on a stakeout overlooking the black market sale of one of Lex Luthor's Warsuits. This deal is being engineered by the Calculator, between supervillain Bolt and two street thugs Benny and Trey. Their discussion turns personal while they wait, and they get begin talking about love and secret identities. Firehawk asks Ralph to tell him the story of how he met his wife, Sue Dibny. It is truly one of the great modern romances. Since the first day they met, when she saw him across the room at a party, she's only had eyes for him.
They've been deeply in love, and despite spending time with all of the other stunning gentlemen in the League, their interest has never strayed from each other. It is of course complicated by the fact that because Ralph has a public identity, Sue is always going to be a target for his enemies.

Notes:
- Signed by Rags Morales on 09/06/2014
- Signed by Brad Meltzer on 10/12/2023
- Sue Dibny is killed in this issue. She will return as a Ghost and be reunited with her husband in 52. During Blackest Night, she is resurrected as a member of the Black Lantern Corps when a power ring takes control of her body, for usage in the armies of Nekron. They are finally put to rest when they are destroyed by the Indigo Tribe.
- This issue reintroduces an updated version of the Calculator. In his first appearances, he was a regular costumed criminal who wore a suit with big buttons on the chest and fought Batman. Most recently, he was seen as a resident of the criminal nation Zandia still wearing this costume. Here, he is shown to be a villainous counterpart to Oracle, operating from a remote headquarters where he has access to every computer system in the world.
- This story is collected along with the rest of the series in the Identity Crisis graphic novel.
- Retailer Incentive Edition - Turner Sketch Cover

Trivia:
- Firehawk mentions that someone has an Amazo android on the black market. This plot thread will be further explored during Batman: Under the Hood when a Gotham City crimelord the Black Mask gets hold of it and uses it against Batman and Nightwing.
- Ralph talks to Firehawk about how Sue sets up fake mysteries for him on his birthdays, and he references a mystery that largely revolved around Barry Allen being dressed up as an old man, which happened in an earlier story.
- Jack Drake only recently learned that his son is secretly Robin.
- Black Lightning mentions stepping down from his position as Secretary of Education.
- Ray Palmer mentions his divorce with Jean Loring.
- It is brought up that Sue Dibny was actually made an honorary member of the Justice League, an offer which has been extended to extremely few people. This happened during her time on Justice League Europe, when she effectively ran things from the Embassy and Captain Atom recognized how much work she did for them.
- The suspect list for the murder includes a number of supervillains. Heat Wave, Heatstroke, Doctor Phosphorus, Plasmus, Scorch, Firefly and Firefist are suspected for their flame-related abilities. The list also includes the teleporters Warp, Bolt, Mirror Master, Peek-a-Boo and the Shade.
- Guy Gardner's costuming is problematic. He is wearing his Green Lantern garb at the funeral, which he has not worn since he was dismissed from the Green Lantern Corps a number of years ago. At the time of this issue, he should be in his Warrior attire. It is of course entirely possible that this outfit was simply the best thing he had to wear to the ceremony. Gardner will eventually make his return to the Corps during the Rebirth storyline.
- Ralph and Sue Dibny were last involved in the Super Buddies, a series that spins the superhero team in a humorous direction. A running gag throughout their storyline is that everybody believes Sue to be pregnant, although she adamantly denies this with increasing frustration. That story actually didn't get published until after Identity Crisis, and as a result the funny comes off more maudlin than it was originally intended to be.
- Firehawk is mistaken for Flamebird by civilians.



 
 
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