Crisis on Infinite Earths: understanding the DC event and the return of Brandon Routh's Superman
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Everything about Crisis on Infinite Earths, the 1985-1986 DC Comics editorial event that redefined the DC universe by eliminating the multiverse. In this article, you'll discover: the creation context with Marv Wolfman and George Perez, the narrative concept (the Anti-Monitor threatens every universe), the iconic deaths (Supergirl, Flash), the simplification of the DC canon, the 2019-2020 Arrowverse adaptation with the return of Brandon Routh and Tom Welling, and the cultural legacy. By the end, you'll understand why this event remains one of the most significant in the entire history of comics.
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Editorial context: DC in 1985
In the early 1980s, DC Comics was going through a complicated period. Since the 1940s, its editorial continuity had accumulated contradictions, parallel realities (Earth-One, Earth-Two, Earth-S, Earth-X), and a mythology that had become inaccessible to new readers.
To solve this problem, DC commissioned Marv Wolfman (writer) and George Perez (artist) to create a massive event that would reorganize the entire DC universe. Crisis on Infinite Earths was published over 12 issues between April 1985 and March 1986, becoming one of the most ambitious editorial events ever attempted in the comics industry.
The strategic objective: merge the parallel realities into a single unified continuity, simplify the canon, and allow reboots of all the DC heroes in a coherent, accessible universe. To place this event within Superman's editorial history, our complete guide to the must-read Superman comic books retraces the major editorial events.
Narrative concept: the Anti-Monitor
The central concept of Crisis on Infinite Earths is the arrival of theAnti-Monitor, a cosmic entity with the power to destroy entire universes by absorbing their positive energy. This threat forces all the heroes of every DC universe to unite for the ultimate battle.
The Anti-Monitor possesses immeasurable powers:
- Ability to devour entire universes in moments
- Manipulation of reality on a cosmic scale
- Creation ofarmies of shadow demons
- Indestructibility against nearly every superhero
Faced with this threat, the DC heroes set aside their differences to fight side by side. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, but also all the heroes of parallel universes (the Superman of Earth-Two, Supergirl, etc.) take part in this cosmic war.
The iconic deaths (Supergirl, Flash)
Crisis on Infinite Earths is marked by the deaths of several major heroes, editorial narrative choices that deeply affected fans at the time:
The death of Supergirl. Kara Zor-El, Superman's cousin, sacrifices herself in battle against the Anti-Monitor to save her cousin. This death, in Crisis #7, remains one of the most moving in the entire history of comics. Supergirl would stay dead for nearly twenty years before her return in the 2000s.
The death of Flash (Barry Allen). The original Flash sacrifices himself to destroy the Anti-Monitor's antimatter cannon, running at an impossible speed until he is transformed into pure energy. This heroic death would establish Wally West (formerly Kid Flash) as the new Flash for nearly twenty years.
These deaths demonstrated that DC events could have real, lasting narrative consequences, paving the way for all future comics events (notably The Death of Superman in 1992-1993).
The simplification of the DC canon
After Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC Comics carried out a major editorial reset. The multiple Earths merged into a single unified continuity. Several important structural decisions:
- Superman is relaunched by John Byrne in Man of Steel (1986)
- Wonder Woman is rebooted by George Perez
- Batman is reinterpreted by Frank Miller (Year One)
- Thehistory of each hero is rethought to be coherent
- The duplicates (the Superman of Earth-One and of Earth-Two) are eliminated
This simplification was widely welcomed by new readers who could finally enter the DC universe without getting lost in multiple continuities. But it also frustrated longtime fans attached to the eliminated multiverses.
The 2019-2020 Arrowverse adaptation
In December 2019 - January 2020, the CW Arrowverse adapted Crisis on Infinite Earths over five episodes crossing over Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow. This adaptation is one of the most ambitious superhero TV crossovers ever made.
The adaptation picks up the main beats of the original comic:
- TheAnti-Monitor threatens the universe
- Tragic death of Oliver Queen (the Arrowverse's Green Arrow)
- Convergence of all the CW heroes for the final battle
- Partial reset of the Arrowverse universe
- Historic cameos by several former Supermen
The critical and popular success of the adaptation confirmed that Crisis on Infinite Earths remains an event that resonates with modern audiences, more than 35 years after its original publication.
The return of Brandon Routh and Tom Welling
One of the most emotionally striking moments of the Arrowverse adaptation is the return of several historic Superman actors:
Brandon Routh, who had played Superman in Superman Returns (2006), briefly dons the Kryptonian costume again in Crisis for a nostalgic cameo. This appearance reconciles his version of Superman with the official DC canon.
Tom Welling, the Clark Kent of the series Smallville (2001-2011), also appears in Crisis for a poignant moment that definitively closes his TV Superman arc. His retirement scene at the Kent farm with Lois Lane (Erica Durance) is considered one of the most moving in the whole adaptation.
Tyler Hoechlin, the modern Superman of Superman & Lois, plays his main role in the crossover.
These historic appearances create an emotional continuity between all the Superman eras on television, validating the idea that all these Supermen exist in the official DC multiverse.
The sequels (Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis)
The success of Crisis on Infinite Earths spawned several sequels that structured DC's modern editorial history:
- Infinite Crisis (Geoff Johns, 2005-2006): a direct sequel that brings back some vanished multiverses and characters
- Final Crisis (Grant Morrison, 2008-2009): a cosmic event with Darkseid as the main threat
- Flashpoint (Geoff Johns, 2011): the event that leads to the New 52 reset
- Convergence (2015): brings back several heroes missing since Crisis
- Dark Nights: Metal (Snyder, 2017-2018): a modern multiversal event
- Dark Nights: Death Metal (2020-2021): conclusion of the multiverse arc
This tradition of DC cosmic events, launched by Crisis, now structures the publisher's editorial calendar. To explore how these events fit into the Superman mythology, our complete guide to the history of Superman retraces the entire editorial evolution.
Cultural legacy
The legacy of Crisis on Infinite Earths on comics culture is considerable:
The event as a genre. Crisis invented the event comics format that has dominated the industry for forty years. Every publisher (DC, Marvel, Image) now organizes its comics around major annual events.
The multiverse as a narrative tool. Although Crisis eliminated the multiverses, the narrative advantages of this structure eventually convinced DC to reintroduce them. The modern DC multiverse (and its Marvel equivalent) now allows stories that would have been impossible before Crisis.
The art of George Perez. Perez's dense, multi-character, dynamic compositions in Crisis left their mark on an entire generation of artists. His art remains an absolute reference for later events.
To explore other major comics sagas that shaped Superman's history, our analysis of Kingdom Come, our guide to Red Son and our analysis of the New 52 retrace the hero's main editorial transformations. To celebrate these events every day, our store offers a complete selection of Superman DC events figures, Superman decorations and Superman clothing.
Superman's fresh start after Infinite Crisis is told in Up, Up and Away!.
To understand how several Supermen coexist, see our guide to the DC Multiverse and Hypertime.
FAQ — Frequently asked questions
What is Crisis on Infinite Earths?
Crisis on Infinite Earths is a DC Comics editorial event published in 1985-1986, written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by George Perez. The event merged all the DC multiverses into one unified continuity, simplifying a canon that had become too complex after decades of parallel continuity.
Which heroes died in Crisis on Infinite Earths?
The most iconic deaths are those of Supergirl (Kara Zor-El, sacrificed against the Anti-Monitor) and Flash (Barry Allen, sacrificed to destroy the antimatter cannon). These deaths deeply affected fans and remain the absolute references for heroic deaths in comics.
Has Crisis on Infinite Earths been adapted for film or television?
On television, yes. The CW Arrowverse adapted Crisis over five episodes in December 2019 - January 2020, crossing over Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, Batwoman and Legends of Tomorrow. The adaptation included historic cameos, notably by Brandon Routh and Tom Welling.
Why did DC do Crisis on Infinite Earths?
To resolve the contradictions accumulated in the DC canon since the 1940s and allow new readers to enter the universe without getting lost in the multiple parallel continuities. It was a massive editorial reset to relaunch DC's entire catalog.
What are the sequels to Crisis on Infinite Earths?
Several DC sequels have extended the Crisis tradition: Infinite Crisis (2005-2006) by Geoff Johns, Final Crisis (2008-2009) by Grant Morrison, Flashpoint (2011), Convergence (2015), Dark Nights: Metal (2017-2018), and Dark Nights: Death Metal (2020-2021).
Is Crisis on Infinite Earths easy to read for a beginner?
Not particularly. The event assumes prior knowledge of the many DC heroes and their continuities. For a beginner, it's better to start with more accessible sagas like Kingdom Come or Superman: Birthright before diving into Crisis. Our complete guide to Superman comics offers recommendations suited to each profile.
Conclusion
Crisis on Infinite Earths remains, more than forty years after its publication, one of the most significant editorial events in the entire history of modern comics. Its narrative scope (merging the multiverses), its iconic deaths (Supergirl, Flash), and its lasting influence on the industry make it an absolute reference.
On the return of Smallville's Lois in this crossover, see our portrait ofErica Durance.
Understanding Crisis means understanding how a publisher can take major narrative risks across its entire catalog while preserving fans' attachment. The 2019-2020 Arrowverse adaptation confirmed that this event remains relevant to modern audiences, and that its themes (heroic sacrifice, unity in the face of cosmic threat) are timeless.