Title: Heroes in Crisis.
Title: The Price and Other Tales
Writer(s): Joshua Williamson, Julie Benson, Shawna Benson, Collin Kelly & Jackson Lanzing.
Penciller(s): Guillem March, Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona, Scott Kolins & Javier Fernandez.
Colourist(s): Tomeu Morey, Luis Guerrero & John Kalisz.
Letterer(s): Steve Wands, Wes Abbott & Andworld Design.
Publisher: DC Comics.
Format: Hardcover.
Release Date: October 15th 2019.
Pages: 248.
Genre(s): Comics, Science-Fiction.
ISBN13: 9781401299644.
My Overall Rating: ★★★☆☆.
The ambitious and destructive nature of Tom King’s Heroes in Crisis event was a pleasant read that allowed some chaos to the ongoing status quo since the launch of the Rebirth universe over at DC Comics. While they sparingly explored the cause of the reboot throughout some of DC’s comic book series and is still covering it in the ongoing Doomsday Clock epic event, Heroes in Crisis was an entertaining story that covered heavy topics while also killing off some C-list superheroes. Unfortunately, with every event comes tie-ins that are usually subpar or irrelevant in the grander scheme of things. This time around, there were some interesting ideas that are explored but not sufficiently mind-blowing to make this an obligatory detour for fans of King’s latest controversial story arc.
What is Heroes in Crisis: The Price and Other Tales about? Collecting Batman issues #64-65, The Flash issues #64-65, Green Arrow issues #45 and #48-50, and The Flash Annual #2, this story arc is a tie-in collection of stories taking place during Tom King’s controversial Heroes in Crisis event. Split into two stories, the first brings Batman and The Flash to work together to solve a mystery surrounding the death of one of their comrades while their friendship now lies on fragile grounds, unable to establish the amount of trust they are willing to put into one another now that they’ve both recently lost someone dear to them. The second explores Green Arrow’s pitiful self-depreciation following his own loss after the terrible events at Sanctuary.
The odds that this collection could remotely surpass the main event in terms of quality were slim, to begin with. It would be quite stunning if it proved me wrong on that front. Where this volume could be relevant is if it succeeds in sharing stories that are akin to the main event’s message. Surprisingly, The Price story arc turned out to be a sequel to The Button crossover event and it isn’t bad, per se, but brought back some of Tom King’s creations that weren’t particularly memorable in my books (Gotham and Gotham Girl). However, it’s not only through the artwork that the story arc managed to be entertaining but also through the dynamic relationship between Batman and the Flash that allows us to understand their misperception of one another and how much struggle the latter has in trusting the former in his methods.
The second part of this volume looks into the Green Arrow’s recent loss during the major event that launches him on a furious outburst against all the heroes who couldn’t save the person in question, and against himself for not having given that character the time and attention that they required. The visual style for this arc is quite different but still pretty good, giving it the tone it needs to capture the burden on the character’s shoulders following his loss. It also ended up being a story arc that featured a villain who played with perception and that seemed like an excellent idea to play with to me, considering the main theme of grief and understanding that were explored.
While not necessarily essential to appreciate—or hate—Heroes in Crisis, this collection was still enjoyable for what it was. It is a bit odd that Batman, the Flash, and Green Arrow are basically extracted out from their respective ongoing series to go through this event but at least it wasn’t for something that most could agree on as a waste of time.
Heroes in Crisis: The Price and Other Tales is an entertaining tie-in collection examining the role of mentors of fallen heroes and their stance on promoting vigilantism among inspired youths.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for sending me a copy for review!
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Roars and Echoes 
I actually really love the idea of taking characters out of their storylines and exploring relationships. The idea works really well with super heroes. But of course execution matters a ton. I don’t know how you keep where each series is at in your head Lashaan!! I’m still back at the Flash being dead?! But I am curious why the Flash doesn’t like Batman’s methods?! I’ve not read Flash comics but I have seen the tv show and it doesn’t seem like he’s better?!
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It’s a really cool idea, Dani, but the issue I find in that is that it doesn’t exactly make too much sense when you know, for example, that Batman is currently going through nightmares concocted by someone he doesn’t know yet (Batman Vol. 10 Knightmares). To have him doing these things is just inconsistent with what’s happening in the canon storyline and that’s why it’s a bit odd. Otherwise, I’m all for this kind of exploration hahah
Hahah it’s just like any epic fantasy universe, e.g. the Cosmere by Brandon Sanderson. You’ll know what to follow and read, whether you want to or not 😛
Well, he’s working with the original Flash (Barry Allen), trying to uncover the mystery around the murder of the other Flash (Wally West); that should enlighten you a lot more hahaha And the issue Flash has with Batman is related to how Bats trains his younglings to become vigilantes and continues to maintain his ways. And the thing with both of them is that they both consider one another as great detectives (Batman is a noir detective, Flash is a scientific detective) but they never say it to another.
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Ahhh I get it! I guess that is a problem unique to comics because the art is so time intensive that off page story is skipped and then inserting things in that space doesn’t work.
Really fascinating, I didn’t see the differences in their detective styles being that big of a deal but its about acceptance. Thanks for explaining Lashaan!
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Awesome review sir, you know my general feelings on these tie-ins – although I did sort of enjoy the Batman/Flash crossover but otherwise I’m content to leave Heroes in Crisis as it’s own piece. Luckily Event Leviathan is virtually self-contained, although there is some lead up to it in Action Comics but I read that anyway. Look forward to your review of that one eventually!
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Thanks, Chris. And yes, I’m with you with how lame tie-ins usually are… This was one mini-event that was better than usual but the story wasn’t the best arc possible. And yes, I definitely look forward to Event Leviathan. I wonder what it’ll be like for one of the first Bendis events!
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The idea of exploring character relationships sounds so appealing to me, especially when it gives us the most unconventional pairing. The dynamic between Batman and the Flash sounds so awesome, especially since they seem so different from one another. I’m curious to see how that paring pans out.
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Yep, it’s pretty cool to have stories focusing on those two heroes since they both sort of gravitate around the law/detective work. It’s just that they have different ways of perceiving life and different philosophies in vigiliantism.
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Great review, Lashaan! 😄 I think I still haven’t understood how some characters can be in the same story 😂
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Thanks, Caroline! Hahahah they’re in the same universe! Same Earth! Different cities! 😉
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Oh wow, okay! 😁
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I PROMISE I LEFT A COMMENT! DID WORDPRESS EAT IT!?!?! 😱😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
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Hahahahahha ohhhh noooo, I would sooo hate that too! 😮 😮 😮
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Well, ASSUMING IT DID (I FUCKING HATE WP SOMETIMESS!! 😡😡) let me just tel you again THAT I LOOVEEEDD THE REVIEW, as always!! And I am glad that you enjoyed this one, excepting minor issues!❤️❤️❤️❤️
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Hahaahahh thank you for taking the time to repeat what you might have said in your first comment that was never sent, Rain! I really appreciate it. 😀
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Hey, I think my comments are being caught as spam? Could you please check whenever you have the time, Lashaan? 🙂
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I did check and oddly enough, there wasn’t anything there. 😮 It might have been a connection to the server error or a temporary loss in connection to the internet at the same exact moment when you sent your comments. 😮 So far, your comments seem to appear without any problem though! 😀
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OH THANK GODD!! And yeah, I guess that was it! Well, as long as you get them, ALL IS WELL!! 🙂 ;p
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