Dark Crisis

Prelude

Darkseid reveals to his Apokoliptian Elites his knowledge of the Great Darkness, of which he is planning to take control, and his plan to crack the Omniverse. After escaping from Darkseid, Barry Allen runs aimlessly into the ruin of Multiverse-2 where he meets Pariah, who imprisoned him in an alternate reality.[2]

Doctor Multiverse from Earth-8 had not received contact from Machinehead after his negotiation with Darkseid while planning the crack the multiverse. Justice League Incarnate, led by Calvin Ellis, decided to rescue the Flash until they got separated from the Parademon armies attacking their headquarters and confronting other multiversal threats. When Doctor Multiverse touches the crack, she learns a shocking history and convinces the heroes to let Darkseid win.[3]

She reveals to the heroes and Darkseid that the Great Darkness was responsible for causing multiple catastrophic events because of its desire to end all things. During the birth of the multiverse, the Great Darkness declares war against the Light in an attempt to conquer it. The Great Darkness took possession of the Anti-Monitor as its champion while facing off against the Light's champion, the Monitor who summons the heroes to stop Anti-Monitor's goal resulting in the obliteration of the entire multiverse into a single universe which weakens the Light in the process. As the Darkness attempted to regain control, the Swamp Thing successfully brokered a truce with the Light forcing it into deep slumber. The Darkness managed to exert influence over the universe, contributing to the events of Final Crisis and Dark Nights: Death Metal. At one point, the Darkness encountered Doctor Manhattan and manipulated him into altering the timeline, creating The New 52. During Justice League Incarnate's confrontation with the Gentry, the primordial entity Empty Hand was created out of existence as Darkness' right hand caused by its truce with the Light.[4]

Darkseid reveals his first plan to control the Darkness is to declare war on Earth-7 and defeat Empty Hand. As Thomas Wayne attempts to sedate Doctor Multiverse, he is now possessed by the Great Darkness causing Darkseid to kill him and take Doctor Multiverse's energy with him before teleporting to Earth-7. As the heroes try to intervene, the possessed members attack them under the influence of the Empty Hand which Doctor Multiverse frees them. The Empty Hand manages to overpower Darkseid allowing him to activate the Oblivion Machine and lure Darkseid into the dark void. With Orion now the ruler of Apokolips, he decided to destroy the Oblivion Machine which the Justice Incarnate continues to rescue Barry Allen. The heroes enter the void only to discover that Barry is trapped in the twisted reality. As they tried to convince Barry to leave, he refused. Pariah suddenly appears and tries to persuade them of their desire but Doctor Multiverse knows his deception and forced the team to retreat. As Orion departed to Apokolips, Thunderer summons his powers to destroy the Machine decimating Earth-7 in the process before evacuating with the team. Having failed to rescue Barry and the multiverse in jeopardy, the Justice League Incarnate decides to summon Barry's Justice League for aid. Somewhere in the Void, Pariah revealed to Darkseid that despite the Justice League Incarnate's success in closing the portal, both Multiverse-1 and 2 were weakened allowing the Great Darkness to take control of Darkseid and submit him to its will creating its own Dark Army alongside Ares, Doomsday, Eclipso, Nekron, Neron, Empty Hand, and Upside Down Man.[5]

Black Adam, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Superman, Zatanna, Aquaman, John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and Green Arrow are transported into the House of Heroes (headquarters of the Justice League Incarnate) where it is revealed that Calvin Ellis teleported them because Barry Allen is trapped in a twisted reality and the Great Darkness has enslaved Darkseid and killed Spectre. Wonder Woman explains her discussion with The Hands about the cost to the team. Arriving at Multiverse-1 ruins after the attack, The team is encountered by Pariah who is now under the influence of the Darkness. Superman offered Pariah aid to absolve his mistakes but Pariah rejects their help believing that the heroes ruined everything. He claims that he will let the Justice League's world die for the true Multiverse to be reborn. Pariah summons the Dark Army, with Spectre and the Anti-Monitor's shadow demons as their allies, to fight against the Justice League and Justice League Incarnate. During the battle, the Justice League was surprised at how brutal they were and discovered that they were all possessed by the Great Darkness. The battle ends when Green Arrow shoots his arrow to destroy Pariah's machine before being pummeled by Doomsday. Enraged by their interference, Pariah summons his power to erase both the Justice League and Justice League Incarnate from existence. During a battle with Pariah, Black Adam manages to escape and lands in front of the Hall of Justice, saying the Justice League is dead.[6]

Jon Kent meets up with Nightwing and reports to him about the Justice League's death from Black Adam. Nightwing and Jon Kent discuss how heroes that die are usually resurrected, and they decide to team up to honor their mentors' legacy. Wally West, Iris West, Linda Park, and Wallace West discuss Barry's disappearance and Wally promises Iris that he will find him. Wally revisits the Flash Museum honoring heroes' sacrifices before receiving a call from Jon. Hal Jordan learns from Aquaman (Jackson Hyde) about the Leagues' death before escorting the corrupted alien to its home after being cured. Taking place before the Justice League's death, Pariah wanders endlessly in the false reality while facing his guilt until he discovered the reality of multiverse-2 destruction, unaware that the Great Darkness manipulates him into building the machine.[7]

Plot

Nightwing gives a eulogy to the Justice League in front of the rest of the superhero community and the general public, while Deathstroke and his Secret Society of Super Villains also pay their respects as he blows out the candle. As villains spread chaos across the world out of fear, Hal Jordan joins in after hearing from Jon Kent and Wally West that the Justice League was killed by Pariah according to Black Adam, and does not trust Adam. Wally West tells him that Doctor Fate, Ray Palmer, Ryan Choi, and Captain Cold do not know where the Justice League and Barry Allen are. With Hal Jordan departing for galactic threat and Wally West leaving to find Barry, Jon tries persuading Yara Flor and Jace Fox to join his new Justice League, but they refuse due to them being busy. Jon creates his new Justice League (consisting of Damian Wayne, Supergirl, Doctor Light, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Ted Kord, Harley Quinn, Killer Frost, Jackson Hyde, and Frankenstein), to which Adam tells Jon that his Justice League is not ready because some of the members are reformed villains.

Tie-ins

Aquamen

After Jackson Hyde, Mera, and Garth defeat Black Manta, they hear that the Justice League was killed. Jackson goes to Mera to console her over the death of Arthur Curry.[17]

Dark Crisis: Big Bang

After the final battle, the restoration of the infinite Multiverse led to the return of the Anti-Monitor. The Anti-Monitor once again attempted to destroy the Multiverse, but was foiled by Barry Allen, Wallace West and a team of Multiversal heroes.[18]

Dark Crisis: The Dark Army

Damian Wayne leads Sideways, Power Girl, Doctor Light, and Red Canary to Earth 53 to find a way to prevent The Great Darkness from taking over more heroes and Earths. There they realize that the Great Darkness is trying to infect the orrery of worlds. They then travel to the House of Heroes where they are then ambushed by Justice League Incarnate, who are now possessed by the Great Darkness. Doctor Light learns that her powers are connected to the source and frees Justice League Incarnate, as well as preventing the Great Darkness infecting the orrery of worlds, but Doctor Light frees them thanks to her powers, and they head back to their homeworld.[19]

Dark Crisis: War Zone

Linda Park helps save Iris West while revealing she has super-speed, and together they hold off some villains until the Justice League arrives. Meanwhile, Jim Corrigan who has been separated from the Spectre, with the help of Raven, manages to subdue Spectre long enough to merge back together in order to remove the influence of the Great Darkness. Nubia has a vision where Deathstroke and his army will cause Dark Crisis in Themyscira. When the Justice League arrive on Earth, the Green Lanterns manage to repel the Great Darkness. During the battle, Damian Wayne belittles Red Canary. But with the help of Black Canary, Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown, Red Canary regains her confidence and helps defeat some villains.[20]

The Flash

Mister Terrific asks Wally West, Wallace West, Jay Garrick, Jesse Chambers, and Max Mercury to help save Barry Allen by going into the Speed Force and finding Barry's vibrations. Linda Park meets up with Wally and is about to tell him that she has powers when their children Irey and Jai West go into the Speed Force portal that Mister Terrific opened. Irey and Jai West, as well as Max and Jesse land on two different worlds while Wally and Wallace West land on Barry's prison world.[21] Max and Jesse land on an Earth where Barry is not a speedster and is in an apocalyptic world while Irey and Jai West land on an Earth where they escape from a speedster Night-Flash (an amalgamation of Batman and Flash). Wally tries talking to Barry Allen, but Barry sees Eobard Thawne instead due to the prison world and nearly kills him.[22]

Linda Park manages to persuade Mister Terrific to let her go in the Speed Force after waiting for a long time and punches Barry before he could kill Wally. Wallace West is nearly tricked to stay in the Prison World but snaps out of it. Jay Garrick arrives to take Irey and Jai West home, and all the speedsters rendezvous at Barry's prison world, with Barry realizing that the Justice League are alive and they're trapped in prison worlds like he was when he encountered Pariah. The rest of the speedsters return to Earth while Barry Allen goes out to try to free the rest of the Justice League before rejoining them.[23]

Young Justice

Tim Drake, Arrowette, Cassie Sandsmark, Bart Allen, and Conner Kent set up statues after Nightwing's speech in Dark Crisis #1. While talking in a table, Tim, Conner, and Bart are suddenly transported into different worlds; Tim sees Alfred Pennyworth again, Conner sees Dubbilex, and Bart meets up with Max Mercury. Cassie tries asking Wally West, Nightwing, and Jon Kent but they do not know where they are. The trio meet up with each other on Happy Harbor (first headquarters of the Justice League) where they are confronted by the villainess Mighty Endowed. However, an alternate version of Cassie saves them.[24]

Cassie manages to convince Arrowette to help her, and they track down Red Volcano and Red Tornado. Conner, Tim, Bart, and alternate Cassie go to Metropolis to fight Tora where they realize something's not right with this world. They go to the Justice League headquarters where they debate whether they should stay in the prison world. When they go back to Happy Harbor, they see Lex Luthor, Deathstroke, and Captain Boomerang.[25]

I Am Batman

Sinestro, under orders of Pariah and Deathstroke, tries to torture Jace Fox (the new Batman) and have Jace get the Yellow Lantern ring. This fails when Jace Fox sees through Sinestro's illusions, and decides to go help the Justice League fight against Pariah's Great darkness enemy.[26]

Superman: Kal-El Returns Special

After defeating Mongul, Superman returns to Earth where he reunites with his family and friends. After talking to Lois, Superman heads to the Hall of Justice where he meets with Naomi McDuffie, Wally West, and Martian Manhunter. As they bond and talk about their recent adventures, Superman is transported to the Justice League Incarnate to help them deal with Pariah and his dark army.[27] This issue sets up Superman's prior actions before Justice League #75: the death of the Justice League.

Dark Crisis: Worlds Without a Justice League

Following the events of Justice League #75 and the supposed deaths of the League, they are not dead but instead trapped in dream universes by Pariah, in order to power his machine. In these universes the rest of the Justice League does not exist, just the titular character and their supporting cast. These dream universes are meant to show the Justice League their perfect lives. This happiness powers Pariah's machine, which helps him and his Dark Army exert influence and power in the main DC multiverse.

Superman

Superman is trapped in a world where he has to deal with his son Jon Kent growing up and being independent.[28]

Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman is trapped in a world where Etta Candy is president of the United States and Artemis of Bana-Mighdall did not murder her mother, Queen Hippolyta. She encounters Doctor Psycho who is held captive by the Amazons.[29]

Batman

Batman is trapped in a world where his Bruce Wayne persona is separated by Alfred because Alfred wants Bruce and Batman to be happy. Meanwhile, Zatanna is trapped in a world, but is freed by Zatara, John Constantine, Aquaman, Batman, Superman, Flash, Hal Jordan, and Wonder Woman.[30]

Green Lantern

John Stewart is transported to a world where John helps fight off an enemy called The Radiant Dead who killed Guardians of the Universe. Meanwhile, Kendra Saunders is trying to enter the Temple of Life to break her reincarnation cycle to be her own person.[31]

Green Arrow

Green Arrow is in a world where he is Robin Hood alongside Connor Hawke, Roy Harper, and Mia Dearden trying to fight Merlyn, who is the Sheriff of Nottingham. Green Arrow is attacked by Black Canary, but they stop fighting in order to get to know each other. While at a club, they are attacked by an alternate version of Oliver Queen who never left the island, but Black Canary saves Green Arrow and they kiss, revealing that no matter what world they are in, they will always be soulmates.[32]

Prelude issues

Main series

Tie-in issues