Deathstroke wants to wipe out the heroes of the DCU once and for all. But there’s one man who doesn’t fear Slade’s wrath, and Nightwing is ready to bring the fight to HIM. Your Major Spoilers review of Dark Crisis On Infinite Earths #5 from DC Comics awaits!

DARK CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS #5

Writer: Joshua Williamson
Artist: Daniel Sampere
Colorist: Alejandro Sanchez
Letterer: Tom Napolitano
Editor: Paul Kaminski
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: October 5, 2022

Previously in Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths: Pariah has won. And now his Dark Army is poised for the invasion of our world. It’s up to the Titans to rally the remaining heroes to defeat Deathstroke’s ever-growing forces and avert total destruction! An epic war starts on the steps of the Hall of Justice, and only a miracle could help the heroes now. But all hope is not lost, as the worlds without a Justice League have begun to loosen their grip… but can the heroes return to Earth if it means one member of the Justice League could be lost forever?

THE INFINITE EARTHS RETURN!

Left at the mercy of the Legion of Doom, Black Adam finds that even the power of Shazam isn’t enough to overcome a literal army of villains. Before his beating becomes fatal, though, he is pulled away by a team of heroes and returned to Titans Tower where Nightwing is assembling every hero he can find to oppose Deathstroke’s army. Elsewhere in the multiverse, Green Lantern Hal Jordan and Flash Barry Allen enter Batman’s imaginary world to free the Dark Knight from Pariah’s lotus-eater machine. It takes power ring-created replicas of his sons and the rest of the Bat-family, but Batman is freed, after which they seek out Wonder Woman. On Earth, the kids of Titans Academy arrive and pledge their power to Nightwing’s army, as does a still-wounded Beast Boy, and the rest of the Flashes. Black Adam tries to stop them, shouting that they’re not the Justice League, but Nightwing isn’t interested in his nonsense. “We never were,” responds the former Boy Wonder, “We’re the Titans.” As their battle rages on Earth, the Justice League discovers Superman’s dream world, only to discover that The Man of Steel is now a LUCID dreamer… and he is ANGRY.

GRADUATION DAY

With the exception of an ending that feels like we’ve once again pushed the “ESCALATE” switch, this issue really works. Williamson ratchets the tension one scene at a time, while Sampere’s art conveys a wide variety of emotions, with a special focus on the anger. His focus on an enraged Black Adam confronting a defiant Nightwing is interesting in how noticeably different the facial expressions are. That final splash where Pariah and his Great Darkness Army (Darkseid, Nekron, Neron, Eclipso, Mer-Man, Beast Man, and Norm from Cheers… No, wait!) is chillingly effective. The downside, however, is that it comes suddenly and inexplicably after a full issue of successes for the heroes, and it doesn’t really feel earned, nor is Pariah’s sudden rally explained or narratively clear. That said, seeing the Titans’ students graduating from tyro to being the front line of a big universal crossover is satisfying for someone who read that whole series. (I still miss Stitch.)

BOTTOM LINE: ENJOYABLE CHAOS

All in all, Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 is more successful than not, delivering a strong first half, impressive moments for Superman, Nightwing, and Beast Boy, dynamic art, and a comeuppance for Black Adam that’s long overdue, earning 4 out of 5 stars overall. The wrap-up of this series is shaping up to be a strong one, even if it feels less important or central to DC’s publishing line than the book it’s trying to emulate.

Dear Spoilerite,

At Major Spoilers, we strive to create original content that you find interesting and entertaining. Producing, writing, recording, editing, and researching requires significant resources. We pay writers, podcast hosts, and other staff members who work tirelessly to provide you with insights into the comic book, gaming, and pop culture industries. Help us keep MajorSpoilers.com strong. Become a Patron (and our superhero) today.