Crisis on Infinite Earths is a landmark 12-issue limited series published by DC Comics from April 1985 to March 1986. Written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by George Pérez, it was conceived as a way to celebrate DC's 50th anniversary while simultaneously streamlining the publisher's notoriously convoluted multiverse — a sprawling collection of parallel Earths that had accumulated over decades of storytelling. The series brought together virtually every major DC hero and villain from across all realities to face the Anti-Monitor, a cosmic entity bent on destroying all of existence.
The story is famous for its unprecedented scope and for permanently altering the DC Universe. It featured the deaths of major characters including Supergirl and the Flash (Barry Allen), moments that shocked readers and signaled that no character was safe. By its conclusion, the multiverse had collapsed into a single unified timeline, a narrative reset that allowed DC to reboot many of its flagship titles with fresh creative directions. The series also introduced key concepts like the Monitor, Harbinger, and Pariah that have echoed through DC lore ever since.
Crisis on Infinite Earths is widely regarded as one of the most influential comic book events ever published. It established the template for the modern crossover event — a high-stakes, universe-spanning story with lasting consequences — that both Marvel and DC would emulate for decades. Its legacy includes multiple sequels, spiritual successors, and adaptations across television and animation, cementing its place as a foundational text of superhero mythology.