Identity Crisis

Identity Crisis, the seven-issue crossover mini-series written by Brad Metzler and drawn by Rags Morales, is either blamed or praised as an event that has lead to nearly everything that has happened in the DC universe since 2004. But I didn't love it because of its influence on later comics (although O.M.A.C. was pretty tight). I loved it because it told a series of very human stories about characters who aren't in the spotlight all of the time. I was introduced to characters that I knew very little about, such as Ralph Dibny (the Elongated Man) and his wife Sue, Tim Drake (Robin) and his father Jack, Ray Palmer (Atom) and his estranged wife Jean Loring. Third and fourth string heroes enacted a fantastic story the likes of which the big three (Superman, Wonder Woman and Batman) have only occasionally seen. If you've ever wondered what it feels like to experience love and loss while donning a cape and protecting the world, Identity Crisis will give you a good idea. With great haste, rush to your local comic book shop and pick up this volume. If you have a heart you are unlikely to regret it.