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Crisis on Infinite Earths producer responds to Avengers: Endgame comparisons
We're just a few days away from The CW's Crisis on Infinite Earths crossover event throughout the Arrowverse and beyond. Naturally, it's hard not to compare it to recent comic book crossovers like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which also had monumental stakes throughout all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Recently speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Crisis executive producer Marc Guggenheim didn't shy away from the comparison.
“I’d say certainly for Barry [Allen] and Oliver [Queen], there is an emotional denouement that is reminiscent of Endgame,” he said. “Endgame is an exclamation point. Crisis is a semi-colon."
With Arrow coming to an end after its current season, the showrunners decided to kill off Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell). While that's public knowledge (though, this being the Arrowverse, there's probably a twist or two still left to unravel), the comic arc that inspired the crossover allowed the creative team to have some fun with what will probably draw comparisons to Tony Stark's death in Endgame.
“We basically spoiled our own story by telling the audience Oliver is going to die at the end of Season 7,” continued Guggenheim, who used actual covers from the original Crisis comic when he pitched it to the studio and network. “Working out, quite frankly, just plot twists and surprises and reversals, that was an interesting challenge. I think the original Crisis comic provided a lot of points of inspiration. Even if it didn’t give us the answer to the test, it inspired the answers."
In fact, Guggenheim co-wrote the Crisis episode of Arrow with Marv Wolfman, the writer of the original Crisis on Infinite Earths storyline from the mid-1980s. The iconic and influential limited series, which was drawn by George Perez, helped simplify decades and decades of complicated DC continuity.
“Marv’s pages came in and they were brilliant. Like unbelievably brilliant. Such great writing, so vivid. I literally didn’t end up changing that much,” said Guggenheim. “Marv’s interpretation of Lex Luthor, in particular, is genius. What phenomenal, phenomenal material for Jon Cryer!”
To help fill in certain gaps from the crossover, DC is releasing a special 100-page comic by Wolfman and Guggenheim on Sunday, Dec. 15. The two are responsible for the main story as well as a backup one.
“The story that we’re attempting to tell with our interpretation of Crisis on Infinite Earths is so ambitious, we couldn’t confine it to five hours,” Guggenheim said in a statement. “I’m incredibly excited that we’re getting the chance to tell an ‘in canon’ story that ties directly into the crossover narrative. The comics will enable us to include characters and concepts that couldn’t be included in the crossover, plus the chance to collaborate further with original Crisis architect Marv Wolfman is just icing on the cake.”
“The combination of all-new stories by Marv and Marc, along with content from one of the most monumental events in DC history makes these titles the perfect companion to this reimagining of Crisis on Infinite Earths,” added Nancy Spears, VP of sales for DC. “These books will engage both fans of the TV show and the original story alike and are sure to be true collectors’ items."
Here's the cover drawn by none other than George Perez:
The book will only be available for purchase in participating Walmarts. A second 100-page volume (yes, it couldn't be contained in just one publication) goes on sale January 19, 2020, and feature more stories from Guggenheim and Wolfman.
Get all of the details about the two comics right here.
Crisis on Infinite Earths kicks off this Sunday with Supergirl. From there, it will cross over into Batwoman and The Flash on Monday and Tuesday. The event will pause for winter break before it returns on Tuesday, January 14, in Arrow at 8 p.m. EST. It will conclude right after at 9 p.m. EST in Legends of Tomorrow.
