Main Entry:
re•qui•em
Etymology:
Middle English, from Latin (first word of the introit of the requiem mass), accusative of requies rest, from re- + quies quiet, rest — more at WHILE
Date:
14th century
1: a mass for the dead2 a: a solemn chant (as a dirge) for the repose of the dead b: something that resembles such a solemn chant3 a: a musical setting of the mass for the dead b: a musical composition in honor of the dead
requiem

That’s the Merriam-Webster definition and it is rightfully applied to the Final Crisis issue on all levels, which rehashes the Martian Manhunter, J’onn J’onzz’ funeral. The way the death of the Martian Manhunter was handled in Grant Morrison’s pages of Final Crisis was very unexciting and almost unnoticeable, which is rather harsh considering the history of the character. This points to some of the larger issues I have with Grant Morrison’s Final Crisis, the story is in the details and this is a detail that could have been used to convey so much.



This is the death of a friend, and comrade to many in the Superhero community. Obviously, there was some planning probably that the actual funeral and/or death would be handled in this side book, but the whole feel is just distracting. Apparently there will be some more deaths in this Final Crisis, but if this is the way it is going to be handled then I feel more disappointment is in the future.



As a stand alone title dealing with the Manhunters funeral Peter Tomasi does an excellent job in wrapping up the Manhunters history and the way he does it is compelling. Key members of the JLA receive telepathic memories of the Manhunter and they each write down what he has imbued in them in a book. They will be his living legacy. Batman seems to be the most choked up about this situation and if you needed confirmation that the Batman in the pages of Final Crisis is Bruce Wayne then you need not look to far because he removes his cowl in one scene and that definitely looks like Bruce, so I think it is safe to assume Bruce will be making it out of Batman RIP intact.



This is really one of the must have’s of the year, not because it is related to Final Crisis, but because it deals with the death of a Legend. Yes, Martian Manhunter was an iconic character and his death will more than likely have some great impact on the DCU that I am sure Grant Morrison will glean over and fail to share the significance of until some later point in this run. I am just disappointed with Morrison’s Final Crisis on a whole and every time I find a point where I like what is being done, I have to look and go wait, but this is bad and then realize it isn’t Morrison who is handling the good that I like.



So go and pick up this issue of Final Crisis Requiem, if at the very least it gives you somewhat of an Origin Story of the Manhunter and it answers those questions of how they were able to abduct and kill him, points Morrison felt were better expressed outside the pages of Final Crisis and in its own standalone.



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