The Monitors Explanation

Green Machine 2216·10/23/2019 in Questions

Hey y’all! I have encountered characters known as the Monitors during my reading, but the different Multiverses and their rules have me a little confused on the different Monitors.

1) I know that Pre-Crisis there were two - the Monitor and the Anti-Monitor - overseeing their respective universes. Did they cease to exist after Crisis on Infinite Earths?

2) Then they popped back up again after Infinite Crisis. Does that mean they were created by the alternate Alexander Luthor, or did they manifest by themselves? Were they still around before then?

3) Did they still exist after Flashpoint? Are they active in Prime Earth’s continuity? I know that a Monitor exists and the Ant-Monitor as well, but are there a bunch of them like after Infinite Crisis?

Thanks in advance for any assistance! I’m Green Machine by the way. You can call me Green or Mean Green (that last one is optional😅).

(Edited by Green Machine 2216)

Monitors Anti-Monitor

Roscoe Coaltrane·10/24/2019

All good reads. Darkseid War and Dark Nights: Metal are such different things. Both multiversal, but somehow everyone still has a character and motivation in Darkseid War, unlike Metal. Though in DSW I do lose track of who-killed-who after a while.🤪

Sinestro Corp War (SCW) is fairly linear; but is also one of the first places we the real cost of being GLC; I mean, some of those Corps members just come apart. Have you read through GL to Blackest Night and War of the GLs? That’s where all the groundwork done in GL and SCW really pays off.

I’m more of a multiversal reader than any single character. I love Metamorpho; but my ‘anti-hero’ is still Krona for his constant multiversal shenanigans. Because the GLC and Blackest Night were one of the few places where history stayed essentially identical between NE and PE, my man Krona is one of the few characters that did not get to come back again in PE. He was an emotional ghost. He was met in his distant past. But no come-back for Krona. Even Alan Scott and the JSA is back!

(Edited by Roscoe Coaltrane)

Green Machine 2216·10/24/2019

Darkseid War was cool to see considering Geoff Johns begins set-up for it in Darkseid’s first invasion during Justice League: Origins.

Dark Knights: Metal introduced the Dark Multiverse, which I think is one of the better recent creative initiatives taken by DC. I prefer the works of Johns or Morisson over Scott Snyder, but Snyder still delivered an entertaining multiversal epic.

I actually just finished Blackest Night, which was long overdue (seemed like a fitting comic to read as Halloween approaches)! Phenomenal story, but I expected nothing less from Geoff Johns. So I haven’t gotten to War of the Green Lanterns yet, but soon!

Roscoe Coaltrane·10/24/2019

... and continued the setup for Darkseid War in Trinity War/ Forever Evil. Johns really plans things out.

I was disappointed with Dark Nights when it first came out, but it’s earned a bit of respect from me for the new cosmology and the Batman Who Laughs; and the ties to past continuity (well, mostly) that it has.

The one bit of Metal that went into multiversal depth was Dark Knights: Rising The Wild Hunt with the Ultimate Thule and Detective Chimp. Morrison (And Tynion And Williamson) get writing credits with Snyder. I thought that it was the strongest DN:M book.

Blackest Night is certainly my favorite event. The War of the GL won’t disappoint either.

EchoEmpire·10/24/2019

And once you're done with War of the Green Lanterns, you can step into the New 52 and Rise of the Third Army. I see that you've read Johns' run, but what Green Arrow have you read? If you're looking for some quality Green Arrow stories, you can always ask me or Culpa (even though he isn't active that much anymore) and you'll receive a plethora of recommenations.

Green Machine 2216·10/24/2019

Admittedly, I’m a little behind on Green Arrow. I’ve read Year One, Longbow Hunters, and Quiver (the first dozen of so issues of Kevin Smith’s run).

Oh, and Dennis O’Neil’s Green Arrow/Green Lantern.

I’m reading his Rebirth run right now, which I’m really liking. From there, we’ll see what happens!

(Edited by Green Machine 2216)

Anotherbatmanfan·10/24/2019

Dont worry, nobody know what got carried over

Yeah Johns had the longest and best GL run. His run goes on into the start of the N52

Personally, I like SCW and BL, but I dont like DKM, and its not even a Batman thing

Green Machine 2216·10/24/2019

I have heard it said that Dark Knights: Metal is a good comic book to read for DC fans in general, but Batman fans will dislike it. Which sounds pretty accurate to me.

Dark Knights: Metal unsurprisingly felt very much in line with Scott Snyder’s Batman run, where Batman is more of the Herculean, “I always have a plan” type character that I feel like has been slowly becoming the dominant Batman depiction since The Dark Knight Returns and Tower of Babel.

I think that sort of Batman is pretty awesome, but I’m not hardcore into Batman. I won’t pretend like I understand how the character should be written. But that’s more or less who Batman is to me.

(Edited by Green Machine 2216)

EchoEmpire·10/24/2019

Batman does have a plan and contingency preparations. It's just that this has become more and more ridiculous, eventually reaching the point where Batman can seemingly do anything as long as he has enough time to prepare. This has become known as "Bat-God writing" and is dominantly frowned upon by most of the comic community. It's been prominent in almost all titles featuring Batman for a while, especially during Snyder's run of Batman (cough Endgame). And of course there's the literal Bat-God panel from Darkseid War that has gained much infamy.

I personally despise Bat-God writing. It just furthers fanboys' belief that Batman can beat anyone and anything as long as he has enough time to prepare. Because Prepman has prep he can prep the prep and with that prep defeat Superman, Doctor Manhattan, The One Above All, and Jesus Christ all with one prep-hand tied behind his prep-back! Ugh. So obnoxious.

(Edited by EchoEmpire)

Green Machine 2216·10/24/2019

Hahaha😂. I could see how it can be annoying, and it’s pretty far removed from his origins as a vigilante protecting the streets of Gotham from criminals and super-powered psychopaths.

Idk, aside from his more popular comics, I usually only read Batman within a Justice League setting, where he’s dealing with larger than life threats and writers feel the need to “amp him up” in order to contend.

Again, probably not how Batman should be, probably lazy writing, but I’d be lying if I didn’t find that kind of Batman awesome😅.

Anotherbatmanfan·10/24/2019

I actually thought Bat god was kinda cool looking tbh. But hey, Flash was Black Racer Flash in that (so... another Black Flash?). But yeah Im not a fan of Bat prep god as seen in a lot of comics. He beat the JL like how many times at this point? I still liked Snyders run before Endgame. He certainly didnt go full prep in Court of Owls

What do you think?