CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #5 (Aug 1985)
DC Comics
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #5
Date: Aug 1985
Cover Price: $0.75
Publisher: DC Comics
Description
Reprinted in:
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #5 (Digital) (15 Sep 2010) DC Comics
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS HC (Dec 1998) DC Comics
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (Digital) (03 Feb 2015) DC Comics
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS: DC ESSENTIAL EDITION (Oct 2019) DC Comics
JLA - DIE NEUE GERECHTIGKEITSLIGA SONDERBAND #12 (Germany) (21 July 1999) Dino Comics
JLA - DIE NEUE GERECHTIGKEITSLIGA SONDERBAND #12 (Glitter Edition) (Germany) (21 July 1999) Dino Comics
SUPERMAN #270 (Mexico) (26 Oct 1997) Grupo Editorial Vid
SUPERMAN TOMO #3: CRISIS EN LAS TIERRAS INFINITAS (Mexico) (1998) Grupo Editorial Vid
CRISIS EN TIERRAS INFINITAS #5 (Peru) (Aug 2014) Peru21
SUPER STAR COMICS #5 (France) (Oct 1986) Aredit
SUPERAMIGOS #25 (Brazil) (May 1987) Editora Abril
ABSOLUTE EDITION: CRISI SULLE TERRE INFINITE (Italy) (2007) Planeta DeAgostini
CRISI SULLE TERRE INFINITE COFANETTO (Italy) (10 Dec 2016) RW Lion
UNIVERSO DC: CRISE NAS TERRAS INFINITAS Vol 1 (Portugal) (2013) Levoir
KRYZYS NA NIESKONCZONYCH ZIEMIACH (Poland) (Apr 2016) Świata Komiksu
CRISIS EN LAS TIERRAS INFINITAS - DC COMICS ABSOLUTE (Mexico) (2015) Televisa México
CRISIS EN TIERRAS INFINITAS (Peru) (2014) Peru21
PLAY SAGA #4: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (Italy) (Feb 1991) Play Press
DC ESSENTIAL: CRISIS EN LAS TIERRAS INFINITAS (Mexico) (23 Dec 2019) DC Comics
CRISIS EN TIERRAS INFINITAS XP Vol 2 (Spain) (Apr 2020) ECC Ediciones
DC COMICS GRAPHIC NOVEL COLLECTION SPECIAL VOLUME 1: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS HC (UK) (Nov 2015) EagleMoss
DC KOMIKSOVÝ KOMPLET SPECIAL #01: KRIZE NA NEKONECNU ZEMI (Czech) (Jul 2017) EagleMoss
CRISIS EN TIERRAS INFINITAS (Argentina) (Aug 2020) OVNI Books
CRISIS EN TIERRAS INFINITAS (Fourth Print) (Spain) (Sep 2019) ECC Ediciones
CRISIS EN TIERRAS INFINITAS (Fifth Print) (Spain) (Dec 2020) ECC Ediciones
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Cover originally designed to only show three heads. CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS TP. Translated and reprinted in CRISIS NAS INFINITAS TERRAS #2 (Brazil) (1989) , CRISIS EN TIERRAS INFINITAS TOMO #2 (Argentina) (2000), and CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #2 (French) Cover reprinted on SUPER STAR COMICS #3 (French).
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Aug 19, 2026 | 06:38:12 PM | Vu
DC Finest: Events: Crisis on Infinite Earths Part Two is out now. I'm going to wait for a sale, so I won't have a review of this book for you.
Just note that only one issue of Crisis (#5) is present in this book. It does include Legends of the DCU (takes place between #4 and #5).
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posted Feb 2, 2020, 12:22 AM
Writer Marv Wolfman suggested a nice simple cover of two earths merging with three faces for Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (after hearing that George Perez's wife thought he was overworking).
Instead, George turned in this cover with nearly 100 heads: "Once the artist got started, he simply couldn’t stop drawing; if he saw sufficient open space, he added another character’s head. He was having too much fun to stop."*
Appearing on the cover:
Red Tornado
Scalphunter
Wildfire
Halo
Flash
Flash of Earth 2
Jonni Thunder
Amazing-Man
Cheetah of Earth 2
Solomon Grundy
Dr Mid-Nite
Dawnstar
Martian Manhunter
Batman
Firestorm
Superman
Superman of Earth 2
Psycho Pirate II
Spectre
Brainwave Jr.
Johnny Quick of Earth 2
Manhunter of Earth 2 (Paul Kirk)
Firebrand II
Fog
Robotman of Earth 2
Sgt Rock
Dr Light II
Warlord
Kamandi
Blackhawk
Lead
Hawkman
Hawkman of Earth 2
Rag Doll
Star Spangled Kid
Fury
Dr Fate
Ultra-Humanite
Nightwing
Blue Devil
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman of Earth 2
Obsidian
Huntress
Wildcat
Supergirl
Deathstroke
Phantom Stranger
Cyborg
Dream Girl
Atom
Atom of Earth 2
Zatara
Sandman of Earth 2
Monocle
Shining Knight
Liberty Belle
Neptune Perkins
Swamp Thing
Dr Polaris
Amethyst
Red Star
Joker
Green Lantern (John Stewart)
Green Lantern of Earth 2
Nuklon
Tsunami
Guardian
Sargon the Sorcerer
Tarantula
Chameleon Boy
Steel
Solovar
Jonah Hex
Starfire
Green Arrow
Green Arrow of Earth 2
Robin of Earth 2
Power Girl
Northwind
Vigilante of Earth 2
Thunderbolt of Earth 2
Ultra-Humanite as Dolores Winters
Dane Dorrance
Killer Frost II
Arion
Geo-Force
Lex Luthor
Alexei Luthor of Earth 2
Jade
Commander Steel
Hourman
Silver Scarab
Per Degaton
Plastic Man
Starman of Earth of 2
List of characters from Crisis on Infinite Earths Index #1.
* Information taken from dynamicforces.com
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posted Dec 19, 2019, 8:29 PM
DeSade-acolyte asks:
“Hi Q, With CW’s [Crisis on Infinite Earths] having started and DC Daily having gone through each issue [of the original comic], I reread it again. So I’ve got a two part question for you. How many “named” characters are in COIE? Given the large number does that make George Pérez the artist who has drawn the most DC characters? (If not [Pérez], then who holds that title?)”
You’re really living up to your name, acolyte, because this question was downright sadistic. Nevertheless, for my hungry readers, I endeavored to identify and tally every single named character in the entire 12 issue Crisis on Infinite Earths epic, from Abra Kadabra to Zirral of the Omega Men. Throughout its myriad crowds and costumes, I counted 518 characters in total. I will not list them here. (Curiously absent, though? Hal Jordan. Interesting, that. True, he was retired at the time, but you’d think he’d have at least made a small appearance somewhere.)
Related:
Crisis on Infinite Earths poster, featuring a key identifying all 562 characters. Painted by Alex Ross over pencils by original Crisis artist George Pérez, the 65" w x 28" h poster features a 1/2" solid black border "framing" the image, which otherwise appears without any additional graphic elements or logos.
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posted Sep 26, 2010 1:55 PM [ updated Sep 26, 2010 2:13 PM ]
From Vu
The DC Comics application from iTunes finally has CRISIS #2-9 on theirstore. Not really sure why aren't all twelve issues in the store, butwe'll take what we can get.
Unfortunately each issue is $1.99, but on the bright side double issuelike #7 is the same price. At that price, go ahead and buy the tradepapebacker ($24) and scanning in your own comic. If time is valuableand/or you want better scanned quality, then pluck down $15.92 foreight issues (the first issue is free).
Remember, you still have to wait for issues #10-12 to make it in the store.
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posted Jul 20, 2009 3:52 AM by vu sleeper
From avclub.com
Reinventing the pencil: 21 artists who changed mainstream comics (for better or worse)
by Sam Adams, Noel Murray, Keith Phipps, Leonard Pierce July 20, 2009
(excerpt)
3. George Pérez
The 1980s ushered in a new Golden Age of superhero comics, and no one did more to define their look and style than George Pérez. After a wobbly start (his early work bore a too-obvious debt to Jack Kirby), he fully came into his own when he became the regular artist for Marvel’s The Avengers. An industry star at 26, he accepted an offer from DC to work with Marv Wolfman on The New Teen Titans, and from there, they paired for the first big “event” comic, Crisis On Infinite Earths.In these two books, the elements that made Pérez such a fan favorite became clearest to the eye: His was a vivid world, with detailed costume work, glittering metal, elaborate technology, and dynamic musculature—but with the rough edges of his idol Kirby polished into ultra-clean lines, fresh and colorful surroundings, and a penchant for group shots. He had his flaws—in particular, the tendency to draw everyone with the same face, as Crisis #5 shows. He was so technically flawless as to seem somewhat soulless. But Pérez did more than anyone to formalize what modern superheroes were “supposed” to look like.
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Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:21:25 CST [ submitted by Vu ]
I was surprised to find that Storyteller is #4 on today's "Best Sellers" list from dynamicforces.com, especially since Bret confirmed that they are not at print yet.
In the meantime, I suggest those that's already pre-paid for the book to ask for their money back if you haven't already.
I have personally had problems with certain vaporware books that I will not buy until I actually see it in print.
The best solution is to wait until this website announced when it is available to buy.
Looking around DF's website, I stumbled upon this excerpt from the book:
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"No one else could have done what George did," Wolfman exclaims."His basic storytelling was so superior to anyone’s at the time... noone else could have come close to doing what he did."
Since therewere relatively few places within the issues for Perez to, as Wolfmansays, "do what George does best, which is draw big pictures ofincredible stuff," the artist brought his "wow-able" abilities to bearon Crisis’ covers.
Based on arequest from Perez’s wife, who felt her husband was pushing himself toohard on the series, Wolfman suggested his artist draw a simple coverfor Crisis’ fifth issue, an uncomplicated image featuring only threefaces and two merging Earths.
The coverPerez submitted did contain two merging Earths—along with 96 faces.Once the artist got started, he simply couldn’t stop drawing; if he sawsufficient open space, he added another character’s head. He was havingtoo much fun to stop.
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October 11, 2005 11:25 pm
From www.newsarama.com
Geoff Johns D-I-Y [Do It Yourself] Q&A: Part Two, Page 2
10-11-2005 05:28 PM
Q: Crisis #5 is almost solely responsible for hooking me on comic books at the age of 10. While I love the series I see some things I'd change with my now grown up 20-20hindsight.
GJ: Marv and George deserve all the accolades they get.
Q: Will Infinite Crisis involve DC icons that don't have super cosmic abilities (i.e. Batman, Aquaman, Hawkman) more than their limited involvement in the original Crisis?
GJ: It’s funny, Phil and I were talking about how little Batman is in the first Crisis. Wonder Woman is barely in it too. So, yes, there will be a lot more focus on some of the less comic ability characters. Batman’s all over this.
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November 3, 2003
From COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1565 (14 Dec 2003)
RETROVIEW: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS
written by Jim Johnson
published in COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1565 (14 Dec 2003)
website: www.comicsbuyersguide.com
DC editors bestowed four-color godhood upon Marv Wolfman, when they OK'd his proposal to revamp the company's incomprehensible 50-year history in the early 1980s. and, like an angrydeity come judgment day, Wolfman waved his hand and wiped countless redundant universes from existence, making the DC universe a more accessible place for new readers.
Of course, fandom would have settled forno one other than George Pérez to illustrate such an epic, and Pérez superceded all expectations by turning in one of the finest efforts ofhis career.
Wolfman wastes no time getting started,beginning the culling of the multiverse on the second page. With theironically heroic demise of Earth-3's Crime Syndicate immediatelythereafter, Wolfman also kicks off the first of many emotionallyintense and beautifully constructed death sequences.
It's a bit unfortunate that theremainder of the issue is little more than exposition for the rest ofthe series, but riding along while various heroes and villains fromdifferent Earths and eras are brought together is, nonetheless, afanboy's delight.
It's another fairly slow issue,action-wise. But that's barely noticed amid the excitement generatedfrom the intermingling of such characters from different Earths andtime periods as Kamandi and Earth-2's Superman, for example.
Amazingly, among the dozen of charactersutilized (so far), Wolfman still manages to squeeze in panel time forindividual characters, like The Flash and Psycho Pirate, who eventuallyplay important roles. And, as if that weren't enough, he jams a fewintriguing plot developments into an already-packed issue. Astonishing.
It would be easy to criticize the factthat all Wolfman does here is fill another issue with unlikely, ragtagalliances plopped into random time periods.
Except it's just too doggone cool not to like, and this is what we all paid 75¢ to see, after all.
This is fun, plain and simple. But it'sobviously none are having as much fun as Wolfman and Pérez themselves,who are making the most of the limited playtime allotted to them Incomicdom's biggest sandbox.
Not to worry. It is a 12-issue series, remember?
Recognizing the need for a breather, Wolfman shifts from the razzle-dazzle of the previous issue's mix'n'match team-ups to the relatively quiet introduction of new characters. Although neither the new Doctor Light nor Lady Quark made any kind of long-term impression on the DC universe, their importance to this story helped keep it from becoming nothing more than a year-long slugfest. Not that there would have been anything wrong with that, of course…
No longer content with just sampling characters from the DC universe, Wolfman brings aboard just about every significant player of the day and manages to cram them all into one scene, no less. Hundreds of worlds have been destroyed, and the focus now narrows to a mere handful of dimensions and paltry few hundred characters.
The villain behind the Crisis is finally revealed, and he also calls himself the Monitor; fancy that. Future references wisely referred to him as - what else? The Anti-Monitor.
Who says all the action has to belong to the "main" earths? Wolfman turns the wow-factor up yet another notch by bringing the former Charlton, Fawcett, and Quality heroes into the conflict.
As with all renovations, half the work is cleaning house first. With this issue, Wolfman has done just that.
It's been a multiversal rollercoaster ride so far, and, with the surviving worlds and heroes now gathered, it's clear that the best is yet to come. And it does.
The grandest and most heart-wrenching issue so far. Having helplessly watched countless worlds die, the heroes finally get to go on the offensive in the most epic and grandiose battle yet. If Pérez' instantly classic cover didn't foreshadow the outcome, world of mouth among fandom certainly did. But, for all its lack of surprise, Kara's death has no less an emotional impact.
Speaking of the cover, Pérez took some heat for a rather, er, uncanny similarity to John Byrne's Uncanny X-Men #136 cover from five years earlier.
A month prior, no one would have thought Wolfman could top Supergirl's heroic death, but with this issue he does just that. Only this time, it is one of the DC universe's founding fathers who bravely gives his life for that very same universe.
And, seniority notwithstanding, his death is all the more tragic because he dies alone, not among his allies, as Kara did, and therefore, his sacrifice goes unknown, at least initially. To this day, this remains probably one of the best written death scenes in comics.
With the surviving worlds momentarily out of danger, Wolfman takes a break from bumping off major characters and focuses on many of the previously neglected super-villains of the DC universe. Actually, it's not so much a break as it is a detour, for this villainous coup has nothing to do with the events of past issues; it's just about bad guys doing what that guy thing.
But one has to forgive Wolfman for his fanboyish diversionary indulgence, because, well, it's a really, really fun issue to read.
Oddly enough, Wolfman aborts the villain's multi-world takeover as unexpectedly as it began, and it's mildly disappointing, because it's suddenly truncated rather than truly resolved. This would have been a neat idea to revisit, were the entire multiverse not seemingly destroyed at the end of this issue.
In fact, that destruction was originally intended to be the end of the series, leaving the DC universe wide open for future revamps, but Wolfman was ultimately given two more issues to give this series a true conclusion and tie up the many loose ends in more fitting fashion.
As Doc Brown would say, one has to think fourth-dimensionally to understand what's just happened.
Or one could just pay close attention to Wolfman's explanation, which actually makes sense, considering that hundreds of universe have been retroactively wiped from existence.
Which is different from being destroyed, according to Wolfman. When criticized for writing the deaths of hundreds of billions, Marv said that, technically, these universe didn't die; they never existed in the first place. So the first 50 years of continuity could now classify as Elseworlds stories!
The multiverse problem has been fixed, so Wolfman basically uses this issue as a lengthy denouement to address the fates of the now-redundant Earth-2 heroes.
But Wolfman appropriately gives special treatment to the Golden Age Superman, in an incredibly heroic battle in which, for once, the hero doesn't lose his life but is, instead, given a blissful retirement.
Wolfman did exactly what he intended: he left the DC universe a much cleaner, simpler place. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for it to become mucked-up again.
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