Crisis on Infinite Earths #8

History

Crisis on Infinite Earths grew out of writer Marv Wolfman's long-held conviction that DC's Multiverse, with its parallel Earths and duplicated characters, had become impenetrable to new readers; he originally pitched the concept under the title 'The History of the DC Universe' before it was renamed to reflect its apocalyptic scope. Wolfman and penciller George Pérez — the same creative team that had revitalized DC with The New Teen Titans beginning in 1980 — were the natural architects of the 12-issue maxi-series, and Pérez signed an exclusive contract with DC in 1984 to ensure his availability. Issue #8 was scripted by Wolfman, pencilled by Pérez, inked by Jerry Ordway, colored by Anthony Tollin, and lettered by John Costanza, with Wolfman also serving as editor; the Gaspar Saladino cover lettering frames a George Pérez image of the dying Flash enveloped in anti-matter energy, one of the most reproduced images in Copper Age comics. Wolfman later acknowledged he deliberately left a structural loophole in the Flash's death sequence — visible in the time-scattered visions Barry experiences as he disintegrates — that would allow a future writer to revisit the moment without a true retcon.

Trivia · 8 facts

• Cover-dated November 1985; story title 'A Flash of the Lightning!'; written by Marv Wolfman, pencilled by George Pérez, inked by Jerry Ordway, colored by Anthony Tollin, lettered by John Costanza, edited by Marv Wolfman.
• Death of Barry Allen (the Silver Age Flash): Allen escapes captivity on Qward, uses the Psycho-Pirate to turn the Anti-Monitor's Qwardian Thunderer slaves against their master, then circles the antimatter cannon's energy core at maximum velocity until the cannon self-destructs — consuming himself in the process. All that remains is his empty costume and ring.
• First full appearance of the Anti-Monitor in his rebuilt, armored form, a new costume design by George Pérez introduced after the villain's defeat at Supergirl's hands in issue #7.
• First appearance of Firehawk's new costume, debuted mid-issue during the Justice League satellite sequence.
• Subplot: Red Tornado's body explodes aboard the Justice League satellite while T.O. Morrow, Firestorm, Vixen, Ray Palmer, and others attempt repairs; Blue Devil is simultaneously teleported into the Vegan star system, tying directly into Omega Men #31 and Blue Devil #18.
• Darkseid and Desaad appear on Apokolips in a key scene establishing that Darkseid has deliberately stayed out of the conflict, waiting to destroy whichever side survives in a weakened state.
• Barry Allen remained dead in mainstream DC continuity for approximately 23 years, returning in Final Crisis #2 (2008) and fully in Geoff Johns's The Flash: Rebirth (2009); his death directly led to Wally West assuming the Flash identity starting in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 and his own ongoing series in 1987.
• Reprinted in: Crisis on Infinite Earths TPB (2000), Crisis on Infinite Earths Hardcover (1998), Crisis on Infinite Earths Absolute Edition (2005), Flash: A Celebration of 75 Years (2015), Crisis on Infinite Earths Giant #2 (2020), and as a standalone DC Facsimile Edition (cover date February 2020, published December 4, 2019; second printing November 2024).

Cast · 40 characters

Full credits

Key issues in Crisis on Infinite Earths

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#7 Death — Death of Supergirl

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#4 1st appearance — Kimiyo Hoshi

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#2 1st appearance — The Anti-Monitor

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#3 1st appearance — Kole

Variants (2)