Does DC rely on Crisis on Infinite Earths too much?

Are Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen the best choices for animated movies?

In July, the DC fans who attended this year’s San Diego Comic-Con were greeted with the announcement that Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen would be adapted into animated movies scheduled for release in 2024.

Calling these titles massive would be severely understating their popularity. They’re two of the most renowned storylines the company has to offer, and rank among the best-selling comics in the medium’s history; and with good reason, they’re both fantastic.

Not only were these stories a great success financially, but they’ve also significantly impacted the direction of the entire industry. Crisis on Infinite Earths was DC’s first major reboot and the first event that interwove all of their ongoing comics. While the story itself was gripping and incorporated jaw-dropping twists  – particularly in relation to the ‘permanent’ deaths of major characters.

Watchmen, it could be argued, has had a bigger impact on the medium than any other book. The 1980s was a time of change in the industry. The material was slowly getting darker, exploring heavier topics, and introducing characters who were notably flawed. In Watchmen, Alan Moore blurred the lines between protagonist and antagonist, right and wrong, and left the reader with a lot of uncomfortable questions. This is a formula many writers are still trying to emulate to this day.

Does DC rely on Crisis On Infinite Earths and Watchmen too much?

So, with the success of both of these classic comics in mind, it’s easy to see why DC are always persuaded to go back to these properties.

However, I do wonder if titles such as Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen are starting to become too much of a safety net for DC, and the adaptations of these books are slowly losing their appeal due to the frequency at which they’re being presented to us.

As recently as 2019, HBO aired a TV show called Watchmen based on the comic series and The CW’s Arrowverse universe did a huge crossover event titled Crisis on Infinite Earths (which adapted many of the iconic moments from the comic saga). While both adaptations offered original stories merely inspired by the source material, those shows are extremely fresh in the minds of the viewers.

The Court of Owls proved newer material also generates success

There will, and should, always be a place for legendary titles in the modern day, but it’s equally important to create household names out of the new material, too. Scott Snyder’s The Court of Owls is a fine example of DC executing this to perfection in recent years. The comic became hugely popular among fans, the company released an animated movie based on the book, and Snyder has since established himself as one of the biggest names in the industry. And the Court was adapted as recently as this year in The CW’s Gotham Knights

There are plenty of great comics from the last decade that would translate perfectly into animated movies. Robert Venditti’s 2018 run on Hawkman, for instance, was sensational. This could make for a highly entertaining watch while also showcasing a criminally underused character. Ram V’s Swamp Thing would most certainly be enjoyable in an animated format for similar reasons, too.

I love Crisis on Infinite Earths and Watchmen, but can we please see something else?

Which DC stories would you like to see adapted into animated movies? Is it time for DC to try something different?