Embedded Files
FINAL CRISIS #2
Ticket To Blüdhaven
Written by GRANT MORRISON; Art by JG JONES; Cover by JG JONES; Variant Cover by JG JONES
DC Comics, August 2008, Color, 40pgs, $3.99
Meet Japan's number one pop culture heroes, the Super Young Team and their languid leader, Most Excellent Superbat!
Join legendary wrestler Sonny Sumo and super escape artist Mister Miracle as they team to face the offspring of the Anti-Life Equation!
See Earth's superheroes mourn one of their oldest allies!
Witness costumed criminals sinking to new depths of cowardice and depravity as Libra takes things too far!
Uncover the doomsday secrets of the poisoned city of Blüdhaven!
Learn the shocking identity of the prime suspect in the murder of a god!
And read on if you dare as Batman becomes the first of Earth's champions to face the Fallen of Apokolips.
All this and a spectacular return from the dead...
Annotations
Page 1 - The crowd outside the night club are DC Universe versions of those Japanese teenagers who dress up as their favourite Manga characters, as briefly mentioned in the Final Crisis Sketchbook. We can see someone in a Killing Joke jacket with a Robin logo bag, a girl dressed as Wonder Woman, another girl dressed as Mary Marvel, someone dressed as The Spirit/Midnight, a man with a Batman TV show-inspired comic-book sound effects shirt and someone dressed as a Stormtrooper from Star Wars.
The Japanese language signs are approximations of real Japanese company logos. The green vertical sign is for fast-food chain Lotteria, the yellow horizontal sign beneath it for electronics store Bic Camera. There's also a billboard for what looks like one of the Blade films. Presumably this all goes to show that JG Jones drew this page from real Japanese street references and doesn't indicate any sort of hidden messages.
The club bouncer's exclamation of “STOP! You must be SUPERCOOL to proceed! YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT!" echoes the cover of 1966's The Flash #163, oft cited by Morrison as his favorite ever comic.
Page 2 - Rising Sun, a member of DC's international super-hero team the Global Guardians, first appeared in Super Friends #8. He was created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Ramona Fradon.
Before Morrison's creation of a whole Japanese super-hero mythology in the Final Crisis Sketchbook, Rising Sun was one of only a handful of Asian heroes in the DC universe.
We also see Rising Sun's compatriots in Big Science Action, a Japanese analogue to the classic Justice League of America. From left to right we have the Akira-inspired Boss Bosozuko; Rising Sun; Junior Waveman, Hammersuit Zero-X, a Gundam analogue; Ultimon, a pretty bare-faced DCU Ultraman; a tentacled monster that is probably Fushikuraje; Speed Racer/Silver Surfer on rollerskates Cosmo Racer; and Goraiko, former member of the Global Guardians' bloodthirsty replacements, the Ultramarine Corps. All but Goraiko were created by Morrison and JG Jones and first appear here after a brief teaser in the Final Crisis Sketchbook. Goraiko first appeared in issue #26 of Morrison's JLA run, co-created with Howard Porter.
The Super Young Team, from left to right, are Shiny Happy Aquazon, Well-Spoken Sonic Lightning Flash, Shy Crazy Lolita Canary, Most Excellent Super Bat and Big Atomic Lantern Boy. They were all created by Morrison and JG Jones and also make their debut here after an appearance in the Final Crisis Sketchbook
Page 3 - Sonny Sumo, created by Jack Kirby, first appeared in Forever People #4 in 1971, where it was revealed he controlled part of the Anti-Life Equation. He was lost in time in feudal Japan thanks to Darkseid's Omega Effect a few issues later and, prior to his appearance here, hasn't been seen since.
Megayakuza is a throwaway villain created by Morrison and Jones who makes his debut here.
Page 4 - Sonny was previously a pretty nice guy. Morrison hinted in an interview that this Sonny Sumo may be from a parallel Earth, hence his inexplicable return to the present and his newfound bad attitude. This isn't explored very much in-story however.
Even the guy on the gent's toilets sign is wearing a cape.
Page 6 - Fire, once again, brings us closer to the gods.
Mister Miracle, Shilo Norman, was created by Jack Kirby and first appeared in 1973's Mister Miracle #15. He was the main protagonist in Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle. He's the third man to use the name. The first Mister Miracle, Thaddeus Brown, was killed in the opening pages of Mister Miracle #1. Scott Free, the Jesus figure of Kirby's New Gods, took his place as Mister Miracle soon after, using his New Genesis technology to escape from ever-more metaphysical traps. Shilo was Scott Free's apprentice, though Free himself is never mentioned here or the Seven Soldiers mini.
Morrison's use of Shilo Norman fits, indeed defines, his reinterpretation of Kirby's Fourth World. These New Gods are humans, instilled with the spirits of the Gods and acting out neo-Biblical dramas here on Earth.
Page 8 - A Mother Box is a God machine used by Kirby's Fourth World characters, first appearing in 1971's New Gods #1. Norman refers to his, the last of the Mother Boxes, as Motherboxxx in a nod to OutKast's Speakerboxxx album.
The Mother Box is characetrized by a "ping ping ping" sound and can heal mortal wounds, as it does to Sumo's burns here.
Page 9 - Nix Uotan is reading the dictionary, searching for his magic word. "cathexis" is the investment of emotional energy in a particular idea or thing.
The search for a lost magic word echoes Morrison's Flex Mentallo mini, soon to be back in print!
The L train runs between Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Big Belly Burger is DC's McDonald's stand-in. It's been around since 1988's Adventures of Superman #441.
Uotan is drawing characters from parallel universes we encounter later in the story. Left to right we have Overman and Overgirl, from the Nazi Earth 10; the blue guy with the atomic symbol on his forehead is Captain Adam, Charlton's Captain Atom by way of Alan Moore's Dr. Manhattan. The Monitor he's drawing is Mandrakk, who we'll learn more about in Final Crisis: Superman Beyond. The drawings are all by Grant Morrison and can be seen in the sketch section of Final Crisis Secret Files
Page 10 - The Mad Hatter, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, first appeared in Batman #49 in 1948. As you've probably noticed, he's pretty heavily indebted as a character to his namesake from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Turpin seems to be still looking for the children from the Dark Side Club, even though he found them last issue. How he got away from them isn't revealed.
Page 11 - President Jonathan Horne was elected in Superman Secret Files & Origins 2004 and was created by Geoff and Jeremy Johns and Jim Fern. He followed Pete Ross into office who replaced President Lex Luthor after his impeachment. None of these guys seem to be the President seen in Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray's Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters mini-series, from 'ideas and concepts' by Morrison, but then the Father Time character they use bears no resemblance at all to the character as seen in Seven Soldiers: Frankenstein.
Turpin's forehead in the broken mirror foreshadows his transformation into Darksied's Earthly vessel.
Page 12 - J'onn J'onzz's funeral on his homeplanet of Mars.
Panel 1, from left to right, Booster Gold and Skeets, who played a large part in 52; The Justice Society of America's Mr. Terrific; Hal Jordan, Green Lantern; Zatanna;, as seen in Seven Soldiers; Vixen, from the Justice League of America; Ion, former Green Lantern Kyle Rayner; Red Tornado, also from the JLA; Stargirl, from the JSA; and Wonder Woman.
Panel 2, from left to right, John Stewart, Green Lantern; the JSA's Wildcat; Black Lightning, who gets his own Final Crisis one-shot with Submit; Doctor Mid-Nite and Hourman from the JSA; Superman; Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern; Outsider and JLA member Geo-Force; Black Canary; and Wally West, The Flash.
Panel 3, from left to right, Hawkman and Hawkgirl from the JSA; Green Arrow; Firestorm; the Outsiders' Metamorpho; Batman; Red Arrow, formerly Green Arrow's kid sidekick Speedy; and probably Power Girl from the JSA.
"Pray for a resurrection" The heroes of the DC universe know no-one stays dead forever. Just amongst guests at this funeral, Superman, Batman, Hal Jordan, Green Arrow, Wonder Woman, Metamorpho, Hawkman, Red Tornado and Booster Gold have all returned from the grave.
Page 13 - Libra has assumed command of The Society. From Libra clockwise we have Lex Luthor; Clayface; Effigy (stood to one side); the Human Flame; Vandal Savage; Zoom; Ocean Master (stood at the end); Shadow Thief (on the wall behind Ocean Master); Weather Wizard; Deathstroke; Talia al Ghul; Dr Light; Mirror Master; Dr Sivana; Gorilla Grodd; and Heat Wave.
Page 15 - J'onn J'onzz impersonated Nightwing villain Blockbuster in the excerable Salvation Run, immediately preceding his ignomious end in issue one.
Alpha Lantern Kraken first appeared in 2007's Green Lantern #25; she's one of the Green Lanterns of Space Sector 38 and is from Apokolips, planet of the evil New Gods.
The “Source” Kraken refers to is the divine energy that all things come from, worshipped by all the New Gods and said to be the place where their life energy goes upon death.
Space Sector 2814 is Hal Jordan's beat. Heliopolis was seen in 1983's Green Lantern #166, M'Brai is from 1982's Green Lantern #153, and Athmoora appeared in Green Lantern #16 from 1962.
Page 16 - Kirby krackle, Jack Kirby's signature style of drawing energy, seen here when Wonder Woman touches Kraken, who is, of course, possesed by Granny Goodness of the New Gods.
Page 17 - Green Lantern Opto309V first appeared in 2007's 52 #41, we don't know what sector he patrols.
The 'theotoxic' (i.e. poisonous to Gods) bullet is made of radion, a metal the New Gods are vulnerable to, ala kryptonite. It's deceptively old appearance is due to the fact that it shot backwards through time in order to kill its intended target Orion.
Page 18 - More Kirby krackle from Kraken
Page 19 - "No Lantern escapes the Alpha Lanterns", riffing on "no man escapes the Manhunters," the slogan of the Guardian's previous failed attempt at an intergalactic police force prior to the creation of the Green Lantern Corps. From left to right, we have Boodikka, Green Man, Kraken, Green Lantern Opto309v, and Alpha Lantern Chaselon.
Page 20 - The Amazons of Paradise Island use the Purple Ray to heal mortal injuries. It was invented by Wonder Woman in her first appearance, 1942's All Star Comics #8
Hal Jordan's was possesed by Parallax, some sort of avatar of fear, in 1994's Green Lantern #50. Batman never being "Jordan's biggest supporter" after Green Lantern's redemption was an explicit plot point in Geoff Johns' Green Lantern: Rebirth.
Page 21 - And some more Kirby krackle. Kirby Kraken anyone?
Page 22 - Conformation that Kraken is possesed by Apokalips's Granny Goodness.
Boom Tube's are the de rigeur mode of transport for the New Gods.
Page 23 - The Atomic Knights, riding giant irradiated Dalmatians, were created by John Broome and Murphy Anderson, and first appeared in Strange Adventures #117 in 1960. This version of them appeared in the 2006 Battle For Bludhaven mini-series. Battle For Bludhaven is that rarest of beasts, a tie-in mini-series written after Morrison handed in the script to Final Crisis #1 that doesn't explicitly contradict everything that's going on here. Morrison mentioned in an interview with Newsarama that the Atomic Knight's steeds were meant to invoke "an immediate connection to the Dog Cavalry of Apokolips".
Page 24 - "The air out there", Bludhaven was destroyed when the Society dropped Chemo, a giant mass of toxic chemicals in the shape of a man, on it.
Command D was the bunker Kamandi was found in Kamandi #1. The big reveal at the end of the aforementioned Battle For Bludhaven mini was a secret facility beneath the ruins of the city, also called Command D
The Reverend Good explicitly states that he and others are the Gods of Apokolips for anyone lagging behind. Turpin is now well on the road to becoming the new human shell for Darksied. Turpin's line that "My son died..." may refer to a previously unseen son he had that died or may be referring to Darksied's son Orion, killed in issue one
Page 25 - Simyan and Mokkari, created by Jack Kirby, first appeared in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #135 in 1971. They run the Evil Factory, a mobile genetics lab where they create man-animal monstrosities like the Tiger-Man seen here on the table, a new body for Kalibak, Darkseid's son. All of this is an effort to tie Kirby's animal men from Kamandi into his originally unrelated Fourth World stuff.
Page 26 - Perry White, first appeared on the radio show The Adventures of Superman. He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and made his first comics appearance in Superman #7 in 1940
Also originally from the radio show, Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, who made the transition to comic books in Superman #13 in 1941. He has Jim Lee's cover to Superman #204 as the screensaver on his computer. His use of 'Mrs. Kent' here betrays him as an imposter.
Superman's Girl Friend (and now wife) Lois Lane first appeared way back in Action Comics #1.
Page 27 - Jimmy is really Clayface, a character with a long and convoluted history, now based largely on the version from Batman: The Animated Series. He was created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane, and first appeared in Detective Comics #40 in 1940.
Sundoller Coffee was first mentioned in 52 #2, a DCU stand in for Starbucks.
Page 28 - The Flash on the left is Wally West, the former Kid Flash, created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, who first appeared in The Flash #110 in 1959. He became The Flash in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 in 1986 after the death of his uncle, Barry Allen.
The Flash on the right is Jay Garrick, created by Gardner Fox and Harry Lampert. The original Flash, he first appeared in Flash Comics #1 in 1940.
Twisters is revealed explicitly as the former Central City Community Center, as heavily hinted at in DC Universe #0
Vibrations have long been the key to travelling between parallel universes, as far back as the original parallel Earth story in The Flash #123.
Page 30 - As the issue began with "Stop!," it ends with "RUN!".
This Flash is Barry Allen, when this issue was published 22 years dead, whose return has been teased since DC Universe #0. He's chasing the Radion bullet that Darksied has fired back through time to kill Orion. The ominous figure chasing him is the newly redesigned Black Racer, the New God of Death
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