Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Identity Crisis

I totally agree.

Actually, there's a surprise twist in the next issue.

The killer is really:

Shrinking Violet!

Oh, geez.

Are we talking about Tim's mother here, or has Jack remarried? If he hasn't remarried Tim's mother died way back just before Tim became Robin.

After rereading issue #6, I think the killer(s) really isn't the person(s) they've suggested at the end of the issue. I think it's someone using the same power(s)...

I agree wity you STU, and echo those that have said they'll be really pissed if who they say the killer is really is the killer. It's just so...random. Why would he/she/it DO that?!? It makes no sense, and seems to be thrown in just to raise the ire of the reader (which, BTW, is one reason that I think this is just a red-herring).

Jack remarried. Tim's mother did die years ago, but I don't remember exactly when/how she died.

Haven't read the issue yet, but I'm hoping for similar, given that it's generally bad form in mysteries to reveal the killer this soon. On the other hand, in comics, this would just set up the inevitable "big fight", so we'll see.

I'm also thinking that if the killer isn't the individual named above, there's really only one other option given what we know.

Tim's mother was murdered by some witch doctor type of guy who had kidnapped the Drakes after their plane crashed somewhere in South America (I think). This all happened in Detective Comics *years* ago under the awesome pencils of Norm Breyfogle.

Quick interlude - Man, Norm Breyfogle is one artist whose work I hated at the time but look back on now with more experienced eyes and realise just how talented he was! I wish he and Jim Aparo could get jobs at DC again today! - End interlude.

As for Identity Crisis #6...

S
P
O
I
L
E
R

S
P
A
C
E

Atom is SO not the killer! Though I did love the surprise revelation, and especially the evidence they discovered that gave him away - only in comic books! , its still too soon for the big reveal. Every fan of mystery stories should know that there's always one last bit of misdirection just before the grand revelation at the end. And that's just what Ray is here.

You wanna know who the real culprit is? I think its going to be Jean Loring. I know this isn't exactly a new theory (they've been saying it on the DC Boards for months now) but it all makes sense now. She has the means (one of Ray's old shrinking belts), the knowledge (as a JLA wife she would know their security protocols, plus she knew Sue and as a lawyer specialising in the superhero set would have access to the files of dozens of heroes and villains), the opportunities (she was off-screen for all of the attacks including the one on herself that she conveniently survived) and finally the motive too (maybe she wanted Ray to start caring for her again? or maybe she resented the superhero community for breaking their marriage up? or maybe she's being mind-controlled? or maybe she was just always jealous that Sue got to hang out on the satellite more than she did? ).

I really hope I'm wrong so that I can still be surprised by #7 - and Meltzer's a good writer so I may very well be - but that's my theory as of this late stage.

Poor Sue and Jean. I always liked all the old JLofA wives and girlfriends!

I completely agree with you for all the reasons you set out. There have been way too many random details about Jean sprinkled around so far for her not to be involved to some degree.

Her saying that she knew Ray would save her when she'd been attacked now stands out as an indication that her plan (to divert attention away from her) went off without a hitch.

Plus, Batman could be trying to reach Ray to warn him about Jean, rather than to apprehend him...

I'm thinking the bad guy was called "The Obeah Man" but it's been years since I read those books.

Good memory Outdoor Miner - I think you might be right.

STU Cat - That's how I read the Batman scene too.

My only question now is this (well, actually I've still got loads of question but this is a big one ) - didn't I read somewhere before this series came out that Elongated Man would play a big part in it and be portrayed as the brilliant detective us Ralph fans know him to be? Well sitting on the same couch and crying for six issues isn't really getting that job done! Its time to put away the tears Ralph!

I predict a big, dramatic entrance from him next issue in which he'll expose the true culprit!

I also think the Atom's a red herring. Whatever the killer's motivation, I imagine it has to tie in with the whole brain wiping stuff that's been the other half of this story (whether it ties in with Luthor's armor is another one). I don't know who the culprit is, and at this point I barely care. This book has been going downhill from the get-go, imo. Two more reasons were served up this issue:
- Batman. Yeah, they not only wiped Light's memory, but wiped Batman's memory of the incident. If this remains canon, how's he supposed to trust any of these heroes again? They invaded his mind to "protect the League", but we're supposed to believe these guys are fighting for justice all the while being teammates with someone they assaulted in the worst way (maybe this will be used as an excuse for Batman's paranoia and distrust of his fellow heroes and the darker change in mood in the '80's)? Aside from how uncharacteristic it was for those Leaguers, I think it's a crappy blemish to put on the League's history (I also didn't buy Ollie's comment that they "panicked" - this is the *Justice League!!*)
- My second reason is a big plot hole (which I admit might not be depending on how things are wrapped up next issue). So let's see, Sue appears to have been burned to death, but she was really killed by a microscopic intruder and the burning was supposed to cover up the real cause of death right? I have a couple of problems with this. Firstly, that the person obviously did a piss poor job with the wrong tool (the killer should've burned her to a crisp) since they managed to find the evidence anyway. A bullet to the brain would've actually destroyed the evidence. Secondly, from what we saw of Sue's death, the killer didn't even need to go to such elaborate means to kill her anyway! S/he could've *actually* burned her to death or shot her, or whatever. Why even take the chance of using such an exotic means of murder on Sue Dibney when a more mundane one would've been just as effective but without "footprints".

I think the Atom's a red herring too, despite that look on his face at the end. Doctor Light has to tie into this heavily based on those few panels with him in it.

Yeah, that seems to have made no sense whatsoever -- though I suppose there could still be an explanation for it next issue.

Did you notice the title of the issue, prominently labeled in large letters, under the scene where Jean is hanging on the door, "dying"? It read "SERIAL KILLER." If Jean does turn out to be the killer, that would have been a pretty subtle way to label her, IMO. (And everyone else is labeled throughout the series -- "lovers," "father and son," "friends," etc. -- including Jean, who's labeled as "divorcee" on just the prior page.)

Plus, I don't think you see any part of the killer's body in that scene where Jean's attacked, unlike the scene where Sue is killed. The hands that are tying a blindfold around Jean's face could actually be her own...

Maybe, should Jean be the murderer, the reasoning behind giving Sue a stroke before torching her body was to not to have to see Sue suffer. It could be Jean had enough feelings for an ex-fellow spouse of a hero to not to want to see her burn alive.

That's just 'cause his Viagra was kicking in.

I think he just shrank every other part of his body to make himself look bigger!

I'm not reading this coz of all the raping that's going on - but are we supposed to believe that Jean Loring has out smarted Batman?

Other things that bothered me about the latest "IC"
-- How in the world did the rest of the heroes think that Boomerang was behind Sue's death (and Jean's attempted murder)?!? Boomerang kicked in the door, which is totally not the same m.o. -- oh yeah, and the killer didn't use a boomerang in Sue and Jean's attacks!
-- One of the problems I have had with the series is that the "realistic" tone of this story seems incongrous at times with a comic about men in tights and Ollie's discussion with Wally hammered home that fact. Did anyone else find it a bit ridiculous that Green Arrow was talking about how the mask protects them and their loved ones, but of all the heroes, he's one of the most easily identifiable regardless of that skimpy mask! It only serves to show how overblown Meltzer's script is and how despite wanting to tear down the conventions of the silver age, he's being selective about which ones he thinks need to be done away with.
-- Again, the very liberal use of first names. Are we officially back in silver age continuity where everyone knew everyone's identity? I can believe Hal or Barry being more relaxed about it, but Zatanna calls Batman "Bruce" on the satellite. I thought he was more protective about his ID back then.

Other questions that are raised:
-- What did Ollie mean about Batman when he said, "You think he hasn't done the same to us?"??
-- How does the Calculator have all those cameras around? He's right in the middle of GA and Flash's conversation and right there with Dr Light
-- How exactly did Batman figure out the killer's identity? He thinks the word "molecule" and suddenly has a revelation? I hope he offers up some actual proof at some point (or at least what lead to this deduction).

Haven't read the latest ish yet, but....

The Atom ain't the killer. I'd bet just about anything on that. If he *is*... well, shades of AVENGERS DISASSEMBLED.

Jean Loring? Well, I never DID like her. But where's Carol Ferris while all this craziness is going on?

Is IDENTITY CRISIS really worth losing the followup to "Formerly Known as the Justice League" mini? So far, I have to say... no it isn't. Though DC would disagree. The latest IC is the # 1 comic of November per DIAMOND.

It isn't lost - DC plans to put it out in "JLA:Classified" (I don't remember when though)

I thought I read somewhere that Giffen and Maguire hadn't finished it, and weren't going to finish it. Are they going to have someone else finish it off then? Unless it's Hughes on art it just won't be right.

Spoilers

It had better not be the Atom! Please tell me DC won't go that far...

Actually, I don't really think it's him anyway. Like others have said, the real killer will be revealed in the end and this is a red-herring.

It's also already been established in DC history that Jean Loring has gone completely nuts before. Does anyone remember the JLA story where she became "Queen Jean" or something like that and went crazy, to the point where Hawkman and the Atom had to take her to Thanagar and cure her? It was right at the end of the Silver Age, circa the same time that both Atom and Hawkman's comics came to an end, and the story continued into the pages of JLA. Wish I had the issue numbers in my memory. Since Meltzer has obviously done serious JLA homework and has incorporated a lot of old JLA stories, it isn't unreasonable to consider that he might include this one too--and that Jean might be crazy.

The Amazo/son of Amazo theory is still a good one too though, since he could easily duplicate the Atom's power.

All of the points brought up about the flaws in this series are valid. There are a lot of 'out of character' moments and mistakes. Just like #1, I'm still loving/hating the title. Not sure how I feel about the whole thing, but I *am* interested.

Lou, I was under the impression that they had finished it but would no longer do anything of the sort because of IC.

Giffen & DeMattis are done (and, indeed, have sworn off doing anything related again because of IC). How far along Maguire is varies according to reports, but he's not done yet.

One wonders why, since he said he was working on it before Formerly 6 had come out...