I've seen it everywhere online, including from good friends (my old pal Donald messaged me one episode in to proclaim his love for it) that the CW crossover event, CRISIS ON EARTH X was a fun, comic book romp.
Mark Waid (comic writer/creator) took to Twitter to declare that it was perhaps his favorite comic book to film ever.
And I am happy to see such outpouring of love. This 4 part crossover was nothing short of pure joy to watch, start to finish. It was a comic book crossover come to life. No wonder they used the old JLA/JSA crossover concept to sell the event in the months leading up:
I used to love those regular team ups from across the multi-verse to tackle ultimate evil that only a collection of super teams could accomplish.
The CW likes doing these team ups each year, starting several years back with Arrow and The Flash, then continuing with The Flash and Supergirl, then last year with a (mostly) 4 show crossover with Legends of Tomorrow joining the fun. However, last year's INVASION felt a little smallish for such a big event. (Kind of like how empty that airport looked in CAPTAIN AMERICA CIVIL WAR in comparison to how it should have, and wanted to look and feel).
And how could you not love the idea of mad Nazis from a dark world getting punched and slain by super heroes?
Everything was perfect this time around. The humor was great, the action was choreographed to a cinematic scale, and the gravity of the situation was right out of the pages of classic comics.
Also, the emotional weight of several subplots threaded their way perfectly through the episodes without taking away from the overarching tale being told.
To have pulled this off on a TV budget is nothing short of miraculous. Of course, to save some money, they confined some actors and set pieces to the sidelines or to their own shows. The Atom, Steel, Black Canary, Mr Terrific, Wild Dog and others didn't get to come out and fully play for the whole crossover, but when they did arrive it made sense and they made it count.
In many ways I can't imagine how they could have done it any better. The bar has been raised, and the potential of them taking it even higher next season (and beyond) has me very excited.
Sure, it took me a few years to get used to the reality of the DC TV U, which is quite different from the comics or the movie worlds. But like the comics, once you embrace the TV U as its own thing, and stop looking for continuity that fits into the other worlds, it is a great ride. They have created quite a fun universe to play in, and they are holding true to it and building on it with interesting layers.
I have finally given up my discomfort with Oliver and Felicity, and stopped waiting for the Arrow and Canary to find their way together. I have finally realized that Booster and Beetle won't show up on Legends, because The Atom and Steel are essentially those personalities (with Rory as Guy Gardner). I have committed myself to not judging too harshly the unfolding Legion story on Supergirl, since they OBVIOUSLY are deviating wildly from what we have known and loved. But it is Earth 38 that Kara is on. So, we can all have our own versions secure in our hearts and let these also play out.
Plus, its all made up stuff anyway. Let it be what it is, and enjoy it as such.
Major kudos to William Katt (The Greatest American Hero) for a tiny role as the priest on the crossover, and it was a great little hint that has Legion fans going nuts to see what they think could be XS as a waitress at the wedding. (She is a 31st century relative of Barry Allen who is part of the reboot Legion). Clearly she has more to do, since they cast Jessica Parker Kennedy of Black Sails in the role, and it seems like there's something going on with her deliberate interaction with Barry.
Let me take some time to also commend the creative forces behind the shows for continuing to be pro-LGBT and to approach it without a heavy hand. The Sarah and Alex hook up and ripples from it were deftly done. As was the arrival of The Ray in a concentration camp for being gay on Earth X, and his relationship with a decidedly delightful turn on Captain Cold.
Everyone got to shine during the run of episodes, including Iris and Felicity teaming up as the non-hero girlfriends who have to fend off the baddies.
And who doesn't love the good guys turned evil from another world takes that Stephen Amell and Melissa Benoist got to deliver as dark Arrow and Ubergirl! Plus we get Tom Cavennagh back as Reverse Flash.
A major character death and the fallout from it in the final episode was heart-wrenching, and packed more of a punch than you might have expected as well.
All in all, this was simply the most fun time you could want to have with these super heroes. They were all at their finest and the fact that the actors clearly relished the material and brought their A games to it helped to make this a comic book fan's dream come true.
Now, if only the shows will still be airing in 2024, when they have hinted at:
Final seasons for The Flash and Supergirl, no doubt. Well, if they stick to continuity....
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