Today I continue my celebration of the 30th anniversary of Crisis on Infinite Earths #7, the landmark issue where Supergirl dies protecting her cousin and saving the universe.
I have talked this month about the significance of this issue. I have discussed my mixed feelings about this issue, how at the time I hated it but now have come to understand how this has impacted the legend of Supergirl.
Most importantly for this issue, I have mentioned how this cover has become 'the image' of the Crisis. Love the story or hate it, nothing says Crisis like this image of Superman holding the dead Supergirl. It has spawned countless homage covers from Fallen Angel, to Mighty Mouse, to Matrix holding Draaga in Superman Man of Steel, to Valor, to Supergirl holding Supergirl in Many Happy Returns, to a reverse cover with Supergirl holding Superman in an episode of Fringe ... the list goes on and on. This is the picture that resonates in fandom's mind when thinking of the Crisis.
With an image this powerful, we have seen it over and over again, not just in comics but also with merchandise.
And, sadly, I don't have any of this merchandise despite wanting much of it. While most are on EBay, I haven't bought them either due to price or condition.
This cover was made into to poster given to comic book stores to help promote the series.
I have to admit that my purchases of comics at this time was about 50% newsstand and 50% direct market/comic book store. I don't recall seeing this hanging anywhere.
Has anyone seen this poster? I still haven't seen it anywhere.
I would frame this and hang it for sure.
DC Direct also made a statue based on the cover.
I absolutely love this statue and it's design. It captures the feeling of the cover nicely, maybe even adding more torment to Superman's face!
I don't own this statue either but would love it in the shrine. Unfortunately, it is hard to find and therefore a bit too pricey for me. I still keep my eyes open for it.
The DC Universe Infinite Heroes Crisis series came out with a Supergirl figure, having her in the classic headband costume she wore at the time.
But there was a sort of variant version of the figure where she is wearing a torn costume consistent with those suffered in the Crisis #7 battle. It even has her in the 'held position' of the cover within the packaging!
Fantastic stuff. I own the other version of this figure. Wish I could find this one too!
I don't play Heroclix. I have no idea how you play Heroclix. And therefore I don't know if this is a 'good' Heroclix figure.
But I would love to buy this playing piece for Heroclix. It is an impressive job of sculpting for such a tiny figure. Every convention I go to there is always a table with a massive amount of HeroClix figures, many loose. But every time I ask if they have this figure, the answer is always no.
Nifty little piece.
And then finally, I also don't play the DC Comic collectible card game.
But I stumbled across this card in my research of the issue. Once more, I cannot comment on whether this is a good card to have in your deck or not.
But here is the Crisis on Infinite Earths team up card including a picture of Superman holding the dead Supergirl again. This Superman has a much more grim countenance.
The image has been lots of other places like comic panels where the crisis is remembered or as a painting by Alex Ross on the trade. It is a brilliant and powerful piece of art and worthy to be remembered and reimagined.
This is, deservedly, the image of Crisis on Infinite Earths.
I have that poster C7, the second one is just a photo of the statue and can be easily reproduced with a photo of the statue. I don't have the trading card.
ReplyDeleteGood Old DC....slaughtering Supergirl initiated a whole revenue stream for a character Dick Giordano assured us had no licensing profile at all.
ReplyDeleteI HATE how this damn image pretty much overwrote the character for nineteen long years....makes my blood boil quite frankly.
JF
I've seen the Infinite Heroes Crisis sold on Amazon before. Sometimes you have to sift through a lot of pages, as well as be clever in the search line, like Infinite Crisis Superheroes Supergirl Superman.
ReplyDeleteAnd speaking of cover images, don't forget Supergirl #20 which has Power Girl holding New 52 Supergirl in that same pose!
ReplyDeleteWhat is interesting is that is not an original design, but rather a homage to Uncanny X-Men #136 with Cyclops holding Jean Gray in the milestone Dark Phoenix saga.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, here is a link that shows most of the COIE #7 homages. Even GI Joe could not resist:
https://nicfoley.wordpress.com/2014/02/17/homage-overkill-crisis-on-infinite-earths-7/
Gene.. I asked George Perez about it after a friend, an X-Men fan told that. He said that is not true, that if was more like an unconscious or accidental reference to an older comic, don't remember which book but I think it was a Kirby cover of Odin holding Thor in a similar pose.
ReplyDeleteThanks for comments.
ReplyDeleteI debated doing a post on other cover homages but I think I had done that somewhere along the line. I especially like the homage covers that involve Supergirl - holding Draaga, Many Happy Returns, Fallen Angel, etc.
This is certainly one of the top 5 comic covers of all time.
ReplyDelete