By far, the best book this year has been IDENTITY CRISIS from DC comics. Written by an award-winning mystery author, it is compelling, well-told and a damn fine toad strangler.

I’ve been thinking a lot about it. And with all the evidence we’ve seen so far, nobody has asked a few very important questions.

So far, the identities of two victims have been public. Everyone knew Sue Dibney and the Atom’s ex-wife were who they were. But Tim’s dad was a secret. And the false lead on Lois Lane… so who knows all these secrets?

Someone knows who these people are and someone has a plan. Someone who is smart enough to put all this together. Who could plot such a scheme?

Also, we have to ask: why would they do this? Nothing happens without motive. Someone wants these people to pay and in a specific way. He wants these people to pay by losing someone close. Losing a wife, a lover, a father.

Who fills all these qualifications? Someone who knows a lot about the heroes, who has the means to plan, to get by security systems devised by five different races (“not including that scary shit Bruce thinks up”), and has a vendetta so personal, he feels he has to hurt the people the heroes love. Maybe it’s because he feels he can’t hurt the heroes themselves, so he’ll do what he can to hurt them.

It’s a good one. A damn good one. And my vote for “Book of the Year.”

Any thoughts?