Identity Crisis TPB
Brad Meltzer (a), Rags Morales (a)
DC Comics

Liz says: Identity Crisis is many things but at its core, it’s a murder-mystery. The story begins with the murder of Sue Dibny, wife of lesser-known hero Ralph Dibny, also known as the Elongated Man. The mystery surrounding her death brings the Justice League together and at the same time fractures them, calling into question their trust in each other and their own moral choices that may have contributed to the tragedy.

Thriller novelist Brad Meltzer’s portrayal of the characters is what makes this story stand out most; it’s very much an exploration of them as people rather than Gods. His Justice League members are friends as much as they are comrades; they call each other by their first names and take each other’s personalities into account. Even with an expansive cast, nobody gets short-changed.

And then, of course, there’s Ralph Dibny. I had never even heard of Ralph Dibny when I read this book, and I was weeping buckets for him by page twenty-five. His story has stayed with me in the years since I first read this, and even if I never read about him again in anything else, I’ll remember him as a great character based on this.

Though it was billed as an event-book, don’t be fooled; if you’re looking for an action-packed story where multiple earths collide, this is not it. But if you’re after an emotionally powerful, character-driven story about what it’s like to experience love and loss regardless of who you are beneath a mask, Identity Crisis is one of the finest examples I can give.