Coming from Grant Morrison, Final Crisis is a crossover event published by DC Comics in 2008, during the post-Crisis era. If you are familiar with most of Grant Morrison’s work in the DC Universe, you know how much he loves to explore the past and, in his own way, to try to make sense of most of it, even if it often ends up hard to follow. That said, Final Crisis is a mostly self-contained story.
Final Crisis deals with alien villain Darkseid’s plot to overthrow reality, and the subsequent death and corruption of various DC characters and their universe. Here is the official synopsis: Using the soul-destroying Anti-Life Equation, Darkseid is remaking the heroes, villains, and everyday people of Earth in his dark image … and destroying the very fabric of reality itself in the process. Now superheroes from around the world—and across the Multiverse—must make a last, desperate stand against the forces of Anti-Life. Will Earth endure? And when the Crisis reaches its climax, who will make the ultimate sacrifice?
What to read before Final Crisis?
A lot of mostly nothing—you can go with DC Universe #0 and then the main event. If you want to be more thorough there’s a lot to read. You can begin with Death of the New Gods, then go to 52 volume #1 (collects 52 #1-26), 52 volume #2 (collects 52 #27-52), Seven Soldiers by Grant Morrison.
To stay in what was published before the event, connecting directly to Final Crisis, here is a list:
- Countdown to Final Crisis #1
- Countdown to Final Crisis #2
- Countdown: Arena
- Countdown to Final Crisis #3
- Countdown: The Search for Ray Palmer
- Countdown: Lord Havok and the Extremists
- Countdown to Final Crisis #4
- Countdown to Adventure
- Fate: Countdown to Mystery
- DC Universe #0
- Grant Morrison’s run on Batman (Batman #676-681) – Here is the complete Reading Order.
- Justice League of America (2006) #21
Final Crisis Reading Order:
Final Crisis in Collected Editions
- Final Crisis 10th Anniversary Omnibus
collects Batman #676-683, #701-702, Birds Of Prey #118, Dc Universe #0, DC Universe: The Last Will And Testament #1, Final Crisis #1-7, Final Crisis: Legion Of 3 Worlds #1-5, Final Crisis: Requiem #1, Final Crisis: Resist #1, Final Crisis: Revelations #1-5, Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1-3, Final Crisis: Secret Files #1, Final Crisis: Submit #1, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1-2, The Flash #240-241, Justice League Of America #21, Superman/Batman #76, Teen Titans #59-60 And Terror Titans #1-6.
Or the TPB collections:
- Final Crisis
collects DC Universe #0, Final Crisis #1-7, Final Crisis: Superman Beyond #1-2, Final Crisis: Submit #1, Batman #682-683 - Final Crisis Companion
collects Final Crisis 1: Director’s Cut, Final Crisis: Requiem #1, Final Crisis: Resist #1, and Final Crisis: Secret Files #1. - Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge
collects Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1-3, The Flash vol. 2 #182 and #197. - Final Crisis: Revelations
collects Final Crisis: Revelations #1-5 - Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds
collects Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1-5
Final Crisis Issue by Issue
- Final Crisis #1
- Final Crisis: Requiem (One Shot)
- Terror Titans #1-6
- Final Crisis #2
- Final Crisis: Rogues’ Revenge #1-3
- Final Crisis #3
- Superman Beyond #1-2
- Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #1-3
- Final Crisis: Revelations #1-5
- Final Crisis: Secret Files
- Final Crisis: Resist #1
- Final Crisis: Submit #1
- Final Crisis #4-5
- Batman #682-683
- Final Crisis #6-7
- Final Crisis: Legion of Three Worlds #4-5
- Superman/Batman #76
- DC Universe – Last Will and Testament
Here is the condensed version recommended by Morrisson (what you can find in the DC Essential Edition):
- Final Crisis # 1- 3
- Superman Beyond #1-2
- Final Crisis: Submit #1
- Final Crisis # 4 – 5
- Batman #682 – 683
- Final Crisis # 6 – 7
After Final Crisis:
Like all big events, there are consequences in multiple series. This event in particular led to four miniseries:
- Final Crisis Aftermath: Run!
collects Final Crisis Aftermath: Run! #1-6 - Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance
collects Final Crisis Aftermath: Dance #1-6 - Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape
collects Final Crisis Aftermath: Escape #1-6 - Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink
collects Final Crisis Aftermath: Ink #1-6
Also…
- The Flash: Rebirth
Collects The Flash: Rebirth #1–6. Deals with Barry Allen’s return in Final Crisis. - Battle for the Cowl
Collects Battle for the Cowl #1–3, and the two issues of Gotham Gazette. Deals with the aftermath of the apparent death of Batman and the selection of his successor.