5.2 (or so) ABOUT 52 #52

[MattBrady]

And it’s over.

This week, DC’s 52 ended – one of the publisher’s most ambitious projects to date. People said it couldn’t be done, said that it would crash and burn, said that the fours writers would end up killing each other, leaving layout artist Keith Giffen to stand on their bodies, laughing maniaically, rubbing his hands together while muttering “Eeeeexcellent.”

(Well, okay, maybe not that last part, but all of that other stuff, people did say).

But in the end, the 52 part, weekly series went off without a hitch.

And in this week’s 52, we learned who was behind the bulk of the badness, and saw the return of the multiverse.

And – we caught up with Editor Michael Siglain one last time.

Newsarama: Let's hit this week's issue, or "Crisis on a Limited Number of Earths..." just to start just so we’re all on the same page - all the earths were created by Alexander Luthor's actions during the latest Crisis, right?

Michael Siglain: Yes, thanks to events brought about by Alexander Luthor in Infinite Crisis, when the broken earths reformed into one main earth, it contained far too much energy for just one earth, and that energy caused the main earth to replicate several times over, thereby creating a new multiverse.

NRAMA: So just to be clear on Rip's mission through time and space(s) – Booster died 51 times already as Rip has tried to set things right?

MS: Yeah, let’s just say that Rip¹s mission didn¹t really go according to plan for the first 51 times. But you know what they say, the 52nd time is the charm!

NRAMA: And Supernova's reaction with the puked-up Phantom Zone - that put it back in it's place?

MS: Sure did! Check out page 7!

NRAMA: Big, big picture - at the start of the issue, there were 52 identical earths, and by the end, there are...what? 52 different earths, all altered by Mr. Mind eating random moments of time? C'mon - break it on down for us slow kids...

Mark Waid: That's pretty much it, yeah.

MS: Look, everyone! It¹s extra-special guest star Mark Waid! Thanks for jumping in, Mark. Feel free to take the next question as well!

NRAMA: And these new earths affected by Mr. Mind just happen to resemble earths that existed before the first Crisis, which happened, as certain DCU characters remember the earlier multiverse...

MW: Some of them may resemble some pre-Crisis realities. Most do not. I don't think it was anyone's intention to "restore" a multiverse, nor to "restore" old stories. You're overthinking it.

NRAMA: So, to put a philosophical twist on it, this really is the worlds being changed by the flapping of a butterfly's wings, huh?

MS: Yes.

You know, I had a much longer and far more amusing answer, but at the end of the day, the answer is still “yes.”

NRAMA: The various earths that we've seen here - characters that are alive there, but not on ours, etc...what's up with that? Specifically Power Girl, missing on Earth-2, but present on Earth-1. Why aren't there just two versions of Power Girl, as there are with the Marvels, the Charlton heroes, etc?

MS: As we have now been joined by the one and only Geoff Johns, writer extraordinaire, I humbly pass the mike to Mark and Geoff. Fellas, do your thing.

MW: There's probably more than two. Of any or all of those guys. That's the beauty of it. INFINITE IDEAS, dude. Don't make me look at you and start wondering how big a boot you'd make.

Geoff Johns: Everything in that shot is in there for a reason.

NRAMA: Okay…but then, does the JSA still exist on New Earth? But it exists on Earth 2 as well, right?

MW: Sure! Why not? And maybe Earth-46. And maybe Earth-29. Who knows? The entire point of making 52 worlds was to create possibilities, not limit them.

NRAMA: Alright then, is there a master list of all the earths that charts all of these differences and similarities?

MW: There is not. We, at one point, were asked to provide one, and that 's when we all pointed out that cataloguing them and locking them all in stone is totally antithetical to the whole concept of opening up a realm of wonder and infinite possibility. Superhero comics aren't about rules. They're about flying.

Greg Rucka: Why in the name of all that is holy would we give that away three days after we've brought them back? Sheesh. You guys give a whole new definition to the word "impatience."

MS: And with that, let me welcome Mr. Greg Rucka. For those of you keeping score at home, that¹s three out of four 52 writers. I think our fourth writer is still celebrating the release of week 52. I shall be joining him soon...

NRAMA: Okay – we’ve got a multiverse, but what's this “Megaverse” of which Rip speaks? Any clues where we may see that show up again?

MS: All in good time. This is just an early seed.

NRAMA: Did Booster take Beetle's Scarab? How does that work? If Beetle doesn't have the Scarab on New Earth, then a lot of stuff didn't happen...

MW: Unless dialogue was dropped, there's mention near the end that some of that stuff has to be "put back," isn't there?

MS: Actually, those lines were rewritten. We figured we¹d address that elsewhere.

GJ: Also, in the comics Beetle had the scarab in Crisis on Infinite Earths and then in Blue Beetle #1 it was just gone until he got it back in Countdown. Now you know why.

NRAMA: That sounds as if it’s approach the statute of limitations (or the setting of a new one) for a retroactive explanation…what is that…22 years later, the explanation is given? Nice.

MS: And there’s some fan out there thinking, “Finally!”

NRAMA: Okay – technique-wise…did Booster just save the multiverse with a football pass? That sounds like a drunken viewing of Flash Gordon followed by a game of "I dare you..."

MW: Booster was a star quarterback. Daniel was a star receiver. Come on. It's a perfect little touch.

GJ: A drunken viewing of Flash Gordon? You lost me on that one. Oh, you mean because Flash Gordon was a football player…

NRAMA: Well, specifically (and bending a copyright slightly) this:



Just pointing out that, once upon a time, someone else saved a world with his mad football skilz.

GR: You really want me to come over there and punch you, don't you?

NRAMA: Ahem. Anyway - again with the layman's terms - what did Booster and Supernova do?

MW: Booster saved the multiverse by catapulting a Suspendium bomb through a rift in time and having Supernova catch it at the exact right point to create a timeloop.

MS: Nicely put, Mark.

NRAMA: But - by bombing Mr. Mind at that early point so he couldn't crawl into Skeets, none of the "bad Skeets" stuff happened, did it? If Sivania caught him after Week 1, Day 1, Mr. Mind never evolved, never ravaged the multiverse, etc...or are these not the droids I'm looking for?

MW: First off, it's "Sivana." "Sivania" is the mythical country under my rule in which everyone spells "Dibny" correctly, all the time. Second, re-read it. Sivana caught Mr. Mind before we saw him in Sivana's lab in Week One. That's why Mr. Mind was in his lab. Mind himself is the only one caught in a loop--not the rest of reality.

GJ: Hence, Mind is caught in a terrible little time loop of 52 weeks.

NRAMA: Ho-kay. Rip's line of time being "Broken or opened?" line - isn't he a time cop? Shouldn’t he be worried about fixing things, rather than exploring?

MW: No, he's more interested in exploring than in fixing things. That’s what makes him a DC character.

GJ: You shouldn't get Mark worked up like that. That's how Isis died.

NRAMA: One from the readers: If Black Adam is powerless, the most wanted man on the planet and being chased by Checkmate, why would he go to the most obvious place in the world (his palace in Kahndaq) and take the time to skin Sobek and make boots out of him?

MW: He's THAT ANGRY.

GJ: Who said he was in Kahndaq? All I see in that panel is a pyramid.

GR: What Geoff said. And I'll add this: you don't happen to know where Bin
Laden is, do you?

NRAMA: In that vein, technically, the current DCU is about a year out from this issue, and no one has caught Black Adam. Was anyone really looking? You're going to say Bin Laden, again, aren't you?

GR: Yup. Already did. For the record, there's an oblique reference to the taskforce that is tracking (please note, not HUNTING, but tracking!) Black Adam in Checkmate #5, made by the Black King, Taleb Beni Khalid, in conversation with his Bishop. I reproduce the dialogue here:

KHALID: They've got one job to do, they need to be doing it right! Where'd they lose him?

4 SHEN: Northern Iraq. He could be anywhere by now.

TWO: KHALID handing the PDA back to SHEN, thoroughly annoyed.

5 KHALID: Same notifications as last time. Stress to the Council that this has happened before and is not cause for panic.

6 KHALID/linked: I want the entire taskforce in my office at oh-seven-hundred

THREE: Angle, intersection, as SHEN and KHALID part company, each heading different
directions. KHALID is heading for a doorway marked ¬ "EXIT."

7 KHALID: they can explain how they lost Black Adam to me in person.

8 SHEN: Yes, sir. Good night, sir.

MS: Cool! Thanks for the peek at the script, Greg!

NRAMA: Got it. Okay, just wrapping up - Ralph - dead? That's what he was looking to do all along, rather than bring Sue back?

MW: Not exactly. Ralph's initial desire was to bring Sue back, but by week 42, he'd come to the horrible realization this desire had turned him into a man he didn't like, one that he wasn't sure Sue could even love. The kind of obsessive who would dump a legless man out of his wheelchair. Ralph amended his wish. He didn't just want Sue back. He wanted to be with her again, doing heroic things, solving mysteries with her at his side.

GJ: What Mark said.

MS: Ditto.

NRAMA: So – Mike, all in all - gimme that big 'ol wrap-up statement...what you learned in your time on 52...how you'll miss it, what you'll do with all that free time....when you think the nightmares will stop…

MS: It’s hard to sum up my whole 52 experience in just a few sentences, so perhaps a paragraph or two will work. 52 was, without question, the biggest and best job of my editorial career. It was also the most intimidating and monstrous job of my career. The sheer amount of work that goes into a weekly comic is staggering. It¹s almost a 24/7 job, and no, I’m not kidding. It was a gi-normous amount of work, but not for one second did anyone - anyone think that we’d miss a beat, either in story or shipping. Geoff, Grant, Greg, and Mark did a truly outstanding job and, from an editor and fan’s point of view, it was amazing to work with each and every of them. And then add Keith Giffen, J.G. Jones, Alex Sinclair and a stellar list of artists to the mix and you’ve got pure gold. I’d also be remiss if I didn¹t mention Stephen Wacker, who did an absolutely remarkable job of leading the team and running the show. I’m still trying to fill Steve’s shoes and I look forward to every book he’s going to put out for our cross-town competition.

And while I’m naming names, I must mention a few people from various departments here at DC. A very big THANK YOU goes out to Nick Napolitano, Hank Manfra, Corey Breen, Dezi Sientry, Cherie King, Chris Burns, Kenny Lopez, David Ng, Fred Haynes, Lauren Kestner, Steve Wands, Robert Clark, Jared K. Fletcher, Travis Lanham, Pat Brosseau, Phil Balsman, Rob Leigh, Jack Mahan, Paul Moore, Scott Wilson, Valerie Reupert, Chris Conroy, Mike Zagari, Dave McCullough, John Morgan, David Hyde, and last but certainly not least, Alex Segura. These guys and girls are the unsung heroes of 52, and they don’t get to see their names in print all too often, so ladies and gentlemen, please take a bow. We couldn¹t have done it without you.

There are few more very important people involved in 52 that deserve an extra-special shout out. Assistant Editor Harvey Richards and Associate Editor Jeanine Schaefer were in the trenches day in and day out and their work on this book was invaluable. And finally, the biggest thanks must be saved for Dan DiDio and Paul Levitz, not only for the idea of the series (thanks, Mr. Levitz!), but, more than that, for their continued support, dedication, and encouragement.

Finally, an extra special thanks goes out all of the fans who stuck with us for 52 weeks. I hope you enjoyed the ride, gang. Everyone at DC worked their hearts out to make sure 52 was the best it could be, week in and week out. We had a blast working on it, and we hope you guys enjoyed it.

And as for me, you¹ll soon see my name gracing the pages of two very cool 52
spin-offs, both of which we get to preview here. The first is Booster Gold--written by Geoff Johns & Jeff Katz with art by Dan Jurgens and Norm Rapmund--and the second is Black Adam--written by Peter Tomasi with art by Doug Mahnke and Christian Alamy. Here, for your viewing pleasure, are the covers to both of those first issues. They hit stores this August, so be ready...

[click on the image to open larger versions]



/

As if that wasn't enough--and after a weekly book, it isn't--I'll also be working on Justice Society of America, JSA: Classified, and many, many other cool, and still top-secret books, including one little ditty called 52 AFTERMATH: The Four Horsemen, written by Keith Giffen with art by Pat Olliffe. It seems that the fearsome Four Horsemen of Dread Apokolips have returned, but not in the way you think, and only Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman stand a chance against them. Want more? Then take a look at this little piece of art...



That’s it for me, gang. Thanks for letting me ramble on week after week. Be on the lookout for a new Mike next week!

And as another Mike would say, "Have fun without me!"* -- Mike Siglain

(*)"Have fun without me!" tm & © Mike Carlin, 2007.

[God-Man]

Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman vs. The Four Horsemen? GIMME GIMME GIMME NOW!!!!

[Wonder Boy]

Huh.

Interesting.

But the Multiverse thing is making my head hurt a bit.

[Foobster]

I still don't get the whole time travel 52 earths thing. I'll have to reread #52 and this article. Repeatedly.

Well, so long 52 5.2. Been nice knowing ya. Sniff.

I'd be in mourning if not for Countdown and the inevitable Newsarama catch-ups. Invaluable!

[GSHAG]

Originally Posted by MattBrady

NRAMA: Okay – technique-wise…did Booster just save the multiverse with a football pass? That sounds like a drunken viewing of Flash Gordon followed by a game of "I dare you..."

MW: Booster was a star quarterback. Daniel was a star receiver. Come on. It's a perfect little touch.

that splash page was the shiznit, great ending

[God-Man]

KHALID: They've got one job to do, they need to be doing it right! Where'd they lose him?

4 SHEN: Northern Iraq. He could be anywhere by now.

TWO: KHALID handing the PDA back to SHEN, thoroughly annoyed.

5 KHALID: Same notifications as last time. Stress to the Council that this has happened before and is not cause for panic.

6 KHALID/linked: I want the entire taskforce in my office at oh-seven-hundred

THREE: Angle, intersection, as SHEN and KHALID part company, each heading different
directions. KHALID is heading for a doorway marked ¬ "EXIT."

7 KHALID: they can explain how they lost Black Adam to me in person.

8 SHEN: Yes, sir. Good night, sir.
MS: Cool! Thanks for the peek at the script, Greg

Heh, Black Adam was never mentioned in the issue. He's refered to as The Target. Still, cool little easter egg there.

[nightwingoracle]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

Huh.

Interesting.

But the Multiverse thing is making my head hurt a bit.

Why?

It's pretty simple.

Once upon a time there were Infinite Earths. Then the CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS happened and all but five (Earth-1,-2,-4,-S,-X) were destroyed. Those five were combined into the one and only Earth.

Now, there are 52 Earths (New Earth, and Earths-1 through -51). New Earth is the Earth in the regular DCU books. The other earths are alternates where other adventures can take place.

Pretty simple.

[summers88]

I'm all over the Booster series!! Is Black Adam a mini or ongoing?? Mini I'll get but not an ongoing. I'll check out the Four Horsemen too. That seems pretty kick ass.

CONGRATS ON 52 DC!!! Job well done!!

[johnstumbo]

Loved this series. Was the first book I read each week. Here's hoping Countdown is just as good.

[gwangung]

Greg Rucka: Why in the name of all that is holy would we give that away three days after we've brought them back? Sheesh. You guys give a whole new definition to the word "impatience."

No, that's the definition to the term "Internet comicbook fan."

[tralfaz]

ah man, you didnt ask about when and how did Mr MInd get into Skeets

[ParisCub]

GJ: Also, in the comics Beetle had the scarab in Crisis on Infinite Earths and then in Blue Beetle #1 it was just gone until he got it back in Countdown. Now you know why.

NRAMA: That sounds as if it’s approach the statute of limitations (or the setting of a new one) for a retroactive explanation…what is that…22 years later, the explanation is given? Nice.

MS: And there’s some fan out there thinking, “Finally!”

Well, the actual REAL question has always been, how did Ted Kord get the scarab in Crisis 1 when we know he never had it in the Charlton comics (on on Earth C) and that Wolfman has always said it was a mistake he did in Crisis.

[RocketeerZ]

Great stuff. I was one of the ones screaming the loudest about the "mistreatment" of Booster Gold... and so I will be one of those cheering the loudest and saying "I WAS WRONG!"

I enjoyed almost all of 52... although I lost a lot of interest in the Steel storyline mainly because it seemed to be spinning it's wheels (at times the same with the Question/Montoya storyline) but all in all it was great stuff. The thing I liked the best about it was that it felt like an ENDING... it wasn't a sudden BAM it's over thing... but a real buildup and climax that felt epic like.

I have every intention of picking both spinoffs up (Booster Gold and Black Adam) and I'm hoping to se a new Animal Man series as well.

[TCJohnson]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

But the Multiverse thing is making my head hurt a bit.

Why?

I am sorry, it just seems simple to me. There are 52 other worlds, each one is different.

[metrognome]

Why is there a muppet on one of the cards on the Booster Gold cover?

[Binker]

Hey Newsarama, aren't you guys going to do a 5.2 (or so) ABOUT COUNTDOWN?

[tralfaz]

Originally Posted by metrognome

Why is there a muppet on one of the cards on the Booster Gold cover?

are you talking about mr mind?

[SeamusMcClernan]

Originally Posted by Wonder Boy

Huh.

Interesting.

But the Multiverse thing is making my head hurt a bit.

D.C. without the mutiverse wasn't sh!t -- that's why I stopped buying comics right after the 1st "Crisis."

Originally Posted by nightwingoracle

Why?

It's pretty simple.

Once upon a time there were Infinite Earths. Then the CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS happened and all but five (Earth-1,-2,-4,-S,-X) were destroyed. Those five were combined into the one and only Earth.

Now, there are 52 Earths (New Earth, and Earths-1 through -51). New Earth is the Earth in the regular DCU books. The other earths are alternates where other adventures can take place.

Pretty simple.

God bless you.

[jaredgood1]

I hereby demand that every Newsarama interview must contain at least one Flash Gordon clip. Bonus points if it has Klytus.

[bbf203]

Originally Posted by nightwingoracle

Why?

It's pretty simple.

Once upon a time there were Infinite Earths. Then the CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS happened and all but five (Earth-1,-2,-4,-S,-X) were destroyed. Those five were combined into the one and only Earth.

Now, there are 52 Earths (New Earth, and Earths-1 through -51). New Earth is the Earth in the regular DCU books. The other earths are alternates where other adventures can take place.

Pretty simple.

It may be pretty simple, but it does make my head hurt also. Maybe they need to do a little more explanation of the mechanics of it.

I was left scratching my head particularly by the new "earth-2", where we saw the headline of "kryptonians still missing" (I don't have the comic in front of me, so this may be a little off). This seems to reference Power Girl (now on New Earth) and the Superman who died in Infinite Crisis. So, doesn't this lead you to believe that this is in fact the 'old' earth-2, and not a completely 'new' earth-2. But, this seems contradictory to what Mark Waid says above, that this is NOT a 'restoration' of the old earths, but completely new ones.

See, my head hurts...

[crooow]

Mark Waid:Some of them may resemble some pre-Crisis realities. Most do not. I don't think it was anyone's intention to "restore" a multiverse, nor to "restore" old stories. You're overthinking it.

I guess that explains the subtle, but numerous differences in the new multiverse, such as Norman McCay as a priest, CSA Martian Manhunter, etc.

Is the Big 3 vs. the Four Horsemen a one-shot or a miniseries?

That Black Adam cover looks freaky. I figured that we haven't seen the last of Isis, but not like that. Hopefully the hand reaching for the amulet of Isis at the end of 52 #52 belongs to an American schoolteacher named Andrea Thomas. Then again, probably not.

[crooow]

Originally Posted by Binker

Hey Newsarama, aren't you guys going to do a 5.2 (or so) ABOUT COUNTDOWN?

They already said so. Tune in next week.

[caats19]

black adam and the lazerus pit? i assume. GODS i can't wait for booster.

[coolmvm]

Originally Posted by God-Man

Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman vs. The Four Horsemen? GIMME GIMME GIMME NOW!!!!

The FIRST TRUE POST IC TEAM UP OF THE BIG 3!!!

May it will prove to the DCU why they are the BEST!!!

[j2lepew]

To everyone who worked on 52 each week, thank you. I enjoyed the series, and it will feel sad not seeing a new issue gracing the stands next Wednesday.