CRISIS On Infinite Earths #7

CRISIS on Infinite Earths #7 (Oct 1985)
title: "Beyond the Silent Night!"
writer/editor: Marv Wolfman
penciller: George Perez
inkers: Jerry Ordway & Dick Giordano
colorist: Tom Ziuko
letterer: John Costanza
cover: George Perez

Order of Appearance: the Human Bomb, Phantom Lady, Uncle Sam, Doll Man, Firebrand, and the Ray 

Other Stars: Starfire, Steel (Earth-1), Harbinger, Alexander Luthor, Pariah, Superman, Lady Quark, Firestorm, Supergirl, and a literal cast of thousands

Opponents: The Anti-Monitor and his lackey, the Psycho-Pirate

Overall Summary: 
Representatives of six Earths get together to learn the Origin of the Crisis, then they head to the anti-matter universe to strike at the Anti-Monitor's machinery in an attempt to stop the Crisis.    

Plot Summary:
On Earth-X the Freedom Fighters are now free of the Psycho Pirate's emotional control. Starfire and Steel explain about the Crisis, and then the Fighters agree to join them in their battle against the Anti-Monitor. 

Lyla (the de-powered Harbinger), Alexander Luthor, and Pariah gather one representative from each world to give the secret origins of the Crisis, the Monitor, the Anti-Monitor, Pariah, and Harbinger. Superman 1, Superman 2, Uncle Sam, Blue Beetle, Captain Marvel, and Lady Quark, the only survivor of her universe, agree to organize a strike team to travel to the anti-matter universe to take the fight to the Anti-Monitor. 

The group, including both Supermans, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel, Captain Atom, Green Lantern (E2), Supergirl, Mon-El and Wildfire from the Legion of Super-Heroes, Lady Quark, Dr. Light, Wonder Woman, Firestorm, and the Ray, break through into the anti-matter universe. As soon as they arrive at the lair of the Anti-Monitor, he animates the rocks around his home to defend his machinery. 

Eventually Superman and Dr. Light find all of his time and dimensional warping machinery. The unlikely duo battle him directly, but then Supergirl hears their battle and rushes to her cousin's aid. She is afraid that her cousin is willing to sacrifice himself to take down the Anti-Monitor, so she steps in and takes his place. Together, they are able to destroy his machinery, stopping the anti-matter waves from destroying any more worlds. 

Unfortunately, Supergirl is blasted by the Anti-Monitor in the midst of battle. He then sneaks away to fight another day as she dies in her cousin's arms. The heroes return to their worlds, and all five worlds mourn the death of Supergirl. 

Review: 

This is probably the best-known issue of CRISIS, as it is the one where Supergirl is killed. And I have to tell you, although it's been several years since I read this story, it still packs quite a wallop. Supergirl goes out a hero, and most of the characters around her have a moment or two to shine, too. 

Unfortunately, that spotlight only fell on Uncle Sam and the Ray this time out. Uncle Sam is the proverbial voice of reason in the meeting with Harbinger and Pariah. Then the Ray lends his light powers against the Anti-Monitor in the anti-matter universe. They both shine, but the others get short shrift; Black Condor doesn't even make an appearance. We do get a nice moment between the Human Bomb, Doll Man, and Firebrand (proving he is still around) but it would have been nice if George Perez had managed to squeeze in Phantom Lady and Black Condor, too. 

One last thing, not directly connected to the Freedom Fighters. I have to give a huge shout-out to colorist Tom Ziuko for his work on this issue. The colors are fantastic! Especially note-worthy is the lighting of and around the Anti-Monitor, and the energy blasts around Supergirl during her murder. These scans are from the 2000 trade paperback version, so a modern shout-out to color reconstruction and enhancement by Tom McCraw, too! 

And while I'm at it, I should praise the two stellar inkers of George Perez, messers Dick Giordano and Jerry Ordway. What a great job they did in a story that had to have been difficult to do. Geoge gets a lot of the appreciation, of course, but his work wouldn't look quite as good if Jerry and Dick weren't there to back him up. 

Doll Man, Firebrand, and 

Human Bomb Moment

Firebrand finally makes an appearance, chatting with the Human Bomb

and Doll Man. Who knew Roy was a religious man?   

 The Ray Moment

The Ray works with Firestorm in the anti-matter universe.

What a sense of humor that guy has!  

Uncle Sam Moment

Uncle Sam steps up to defend the weak against a bully. 

Freedom of Information

• Black Condor does not appear in this story. 
• Phantom Lady has no dialog in this story. 
• Firebrand finally appears, hale and hearty. 
• Although Uncle Sam represents Earth-X during the initial discussions, it is the Ray who joins the others on the raid into the anti-matter universe. 
• This issue includes the death of Supergirl Kara Zor-El. 
• The title of this story, "Beyond the Silent Night," is from a poem called "The Declaration of the Free" by Robert G. Ingersoll. Two lines of the poem are quoted at the end of the story, "Is there beyond the silent night An endless day? Is death a door that leads to light? We cannot say." The final lines, not quoted, are "We do not know. We hope and wait!" For the entire poem, visit the Library of Congress site. 

The Freedom Fighters

assembled by Len Wein