Just in time for the start of spooky season, DC’s I Know What You Did Last Crisis hits the stands October 2nd. This holiday anthology takes a different approach from previous iterations as each creepy tale takes place during a previous Crisis or perhaps more accurately, crossover event. Events from 1985’s first “Crisis”, Crisis on Infinite Earths, all the way up to 2011’s Flashpoint are represented. This 80-page giant is filled with spine-tingling yarns that will delight the most continuity-conscious readers.
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I’ll be the first to admit I’ve got some holes in my comic book reading, especially when it comes to crossover events. To be honest, the only event from the ones featured in this issue I’ve actually read is Crisis on Infinite Earths. If you’re in the same boat as me, and not familiar with all of these events that span 25 years of comic book publishing, fear not: it didn’t stop me from enjoying all of these stories at least on some level. If anything, it made me more resolved to look into these various events and see what they’re all about.
For a self-proclaimed horror anthology, the stories can range from pretty scary/disturbing to only mildly scary. There’s plenty of blood and dismemberment, especially in Dr. Light’s Millennium event story “A Constant State of Healing” and Midnighter’s Flashpoint story “Violent Tendencies”. Batgirl’s vignette is probably the least scary, but it did have a heartwarming conclusion with Barbara and Killer Croc sharing a tender moment as the world disappears around them. It wouldn’t be a horror anthology without the expert in fear, Scarecrow. He has a cameo in the Birds of Prey story as well as features in his own quest to understand terror, narrating in great detail about the intricacies of the human fear response.
The two stories that were the most difficult to grasp for me were the JSA in “At the Point of Vanishing” and Nightwing’s “Crisis Obscura”. They did both have interesting moments and enjoyable plot points. Wesley Dodds The Sandman narrates the JSA tale, and his doubts about pulling his weight like the other, more powerful members of the JSA such as Green Lantern and Flash are relatable to anyone who has imposter syndrome. Through his quick wits, gumption and perseverance, he’s able to succeed where his allies do not. Not knowing the specifics of the Infinite Crisis event hindered my understanding of the story, and after doing a bit of googling, it seems Dan DiDio’s relationship with Nightwing is fraught with controversy, but I think his take in this tale is more tongue-in-cheek than malicious.
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All of the artists do a wonderful job of recreating the art styles that were prevalent at the time of their specific crises publication. The Batgirl and Dr. Light stories both look like ’80s comics, providing plenty of nostalgia while the Midnighter and Scarecrow tales are much more modern by comparison. It’s refreshing to see so many different artistic styles in one book, as sometimes these anthology stories can stick with a certain “house” style and all start to look the same. I thought the Birds of Prey story had the best art. Silver Banshee looks positively spooky while the renderings of a zombie Green Arrow were ghastly. I wasn’t familiar with penciler Jose Luis or inker Jonas Trindade, but I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for their future work. Terrified facial expressions abound from start to finish, and do a good job of selling the fear all of the characters are experiencing. The colors throughout the book are successful in setting a scary mood. Lots of dark shades and shadows, but there’s also great use of lighting and smoke/gas throughout the book. There’s even some great use of Kirby Krackle.
DC’s I Know What You Did Last Crisis is a fun, nostalgia-packed homage to both horror and the intricate tapestry of DC’s event-driven history. While the scares range from mild to gruesome, and some stories may be challenging without deep continuity knowledge, the anthology shines through its art, tonal variety, and a clear affection for its source material. For longtime DC fans and those new to the broader Crisis lore, this collection offers something for everyone — a spooky treat that rewards both casual enjoyment and die-hard devotion to the tangled web of superhero crises.
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