Editing Crisis on Infinite Earths (section)

{{Short description|Limited DC comic crossover series}}
{{For-multi|the 2019–20 Arrowverse crossover event|Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse)|other uses|Crisis on Infinite Earths (disambiguation)}}
{{Use American English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox comic book title
| image = Crisis on Infinite Earths issue 1 cover.jpg
| caption = Cover of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' #1 (April 1985).<br> Art by [[George Pérez]].
| alt = Several superheroes floating in space above Earths exploding and fracturing
| schedule = Monthly
| format =
| limited=y
| publisher = [[DC Comics]]
| date = April 1985 – March 1986
| issues = 12
| main_char_team = {{Plainlist}}
* [[Monitor (Mar Novu)|Monitor]]
* [[Harbinger (DC Comics)|Harbinger]]
* [[Pariah (character)|Pariah]]
* [[Superman|Superman (Kal-El)]]
* [[Superboy-Prime]]
* [[Alexander Luthor Jr.]]
* [[Barry Allen|Flash (Barry Allen)]]
* [[Psycho-Pirate]]
* [[Anti-Monitor]]
* [[Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)|Supergirl]]
{{Endplainlist}}
| writers = [[Marv Wolfman]]
| artists =
| pencillers = [[George Pérez]]
| inkers = {{Plainlist}}
* [[Dick Giordano]]
* [[Jerry Ordway]]
* [[Mike DeCarlo]]
{{Endplainlist}}
| colorists = {{Plainlist}}
* Anthony Tollin
* Tom Ziuko
* Carl Gafford
{{Endplainlist}}
| letterers = [[John Costanza]]
| creative_team_month =
| creative_team_year =
| creators = {{Plainlist}}
* Marv Wolfman
* George Pérez
{{Endplainlist}}
| editors = Marv Wolfman
| subcat = DC Comics
| sort = Crisis on Infinite Earths
}}
'''''Crisis on Infinite Earths''''' is a 1985 to 1986 [[American comic book]] [[fictional crossover|crossover]] series published by [[DC Comics]]. Written by [[Marv Wolfman]] and [[penciller|pencilled]] by [[George Pérez]], it was first released as a 12-issue [[limited series (comics)|limited series]] from April 1985 to March 1986. As the main piece of a crossover event, some plot elements were featured in [[tie-in]] issues of other publications. Since its initial publication, the series has been reprinted in various formats and editions.

The idea for the series stemmed from Wolfman's desire to abandon the [[Multiverse (DC Comics)|DC Multiverse]] depicted in the company's comics—which he thought was unfriendly to readers—and create a single, unified [[DC Universe]] (DCU). The foundation of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' developed through a character called the [[Monitor (Mar Novu)|Monitor]], introduced in Wolfman's ''[[Teen Titans|The New Teen Titans]]'' in July 1982 before the series itself started.

At the start of ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'', the [[Anti-Monitor]] (the Monitor's evil counterpart) is unleashed on the DC Multiverse and begins to destroy the various Earths that it comprises. The Monitor tries to recruit heroes from around the Multiverse but is murdered, while [[Brainiac (character)|Brainiac]] collaborates with the villains to conquer the remaining Earths. Eventually, both the heroes and villains are united by the [[Spectre (DC Comics character)|Spectre]]; the series concludes with [[Superman (Earth-Two)|Kal-L]], [[Superboy-Prime]] and [[Alexander Luthor Jr.]] defeating the Anti-Monitor and the creation of a single Earth in place of the Multiverse. ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is noted for its high death count; hundreds of characters died, including DC icons [[Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)|Kara Zor-El]] (the original Supergirl) and [[Barry Allen]] (the [[Flash (DC Comics character)|Flash]] of the [[Silver Age of Comic Books|Silver Age]]). The story's events resulted in the entire DCU being [[Reboot (fiction)|rebooted]], dividing the fictional universe's timeline into "pre-Crisis" and "post-Crisis" eras.

The series was a bestseller for DC. The story is credited with popularizing the idea of a large-scale crossover in comics. ''Crisis on Infinite Earths'' is the first installment in what became known as the ''Crisis'' trilogy. It was followed by ''[[Infinite Crisis]]'' (2005–2006) and ''[[Final Crisis]]'' (2008–2009). [[Dark Crisis|''Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths'']] (2022) also served as a sequel to ''Crisis on Infinite Earths''.