First thoughts: "Civil War" vs. "Crisis"

So there I was last night, with my stack of new comics, debating: What to read first? The first issue of Marvel’s much-trumpeted “Civil War” or the last issue of DC’s “Infinite Crisis” miniseries?

I went with “Civil War.” The story moves at a rapid pace, starting with a fight between the New Warriors, a superhero team starring on a reality TV show, and some villains. The battle ends on a horrendous note as a bad guy called Nitro blows up the neighborhood - killing hundreds of bystanders. That, in turn, revs up the debate over the Superhero Registration Act, an effort to regulate superheroes and hold them accountable. It’s compelling and it’s believable, though the quick turn from talk to action seems a bit rushed.

As for “Infinite Crisis,” I feel a bit let down. With the first few issues, I rushed to the comic-book shop, dying to know what would happen next. But in the end, I’m left wondering what it was all for.

There were some good scenes throughout the series, but also a lot that didn’t hang together or rang false. For example, the last issue opens with Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman looking down at the body of Superboy, killed the issue before, and blaming themselves, saying they should have been there. And then it ends with them saying, oh heck, let’s just take a year off and leave it to everyone else to defend the planet.