Convergence: Blue Beetle #2 (July 2015)

Tags

Andromeda, Apparition, Blue Beagle, Blue Beetle, Brainiac 5, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Catspaw, Chameleon, Chip Kidd, Colossal Boy, Computo, Cosmic Boy, Dave McCaig, Dick Giordano, Element Lad, Ferro, George Pérez, Inferno, Invisible Kid, Karate Kid, Kid Quantum, Leviathan, Live Wire, Saida Temofonte, Saturn Girl, Scott Lobdell, Sensor, Spark, Star Boy, The Question, Timber Wolf, Ultra Boy, Wildfire, Yishan Li

“Legion of Doom!”

• Writer:  Scott Lobdell
• Pencils & Inks:  Yishan Li
• Colors:  Dave McCaig
• Letters:  Saida Temofonte
• Cover Artists:  Chip Kidd, George Pérez, Dick Giordano

>>>SPOILERS<<<

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(You’ve been warned.)

So this is the exciting conclusion to the Earth-4 heroes’ Convergence adventure.  It was better that Cap’s last “battle” in Convergence: Justice League International #2.  This time around he was a little more than just a punching bag.  And I really like the dynamic between Blue Beetle, the Question, and Captain Atom.  I would totally read an Earth-4 series with these three as the primary characters.

This issue opens with a quick reintroduction of the characters.  And I immediately have something to pick at.

Captain Atom is identified as “Nathaniel Adams.” Now, the Charlton Captain Atom’s name was Allen Adam, but I didn’t so much mind the retconning of him to Nathaniel.  After all, the Nathaniel Adam version of the character was my favorite.  But “Adams?”  It was revealed in the last issue that his last name was “Adam!”  See the panel below from Convergence: Blue Beetle #1:

I would love to be DC Comics’ “Captain Atom Fact Checker.”  Heck, I’d do it for free.  I enjoyed this issue and would really like to see more, but that was a little sloppy.  I know it could be worse.  These things happen.  The superhero Breach was once referred to as “Major Adams” (he was originally conceived as a reboot of Captain Atom).

On a downtown Hub City rooftop, the Legion of Super-Heroes descends from the sky to meet with Blue Beetle, the Question, and Captain Atom.  The three Hub City heroes climb atop Beetle’s Bug to meet with them.  The Legionnaires do not come out swinging though.  Cosmic Boy introduces them politely and asks which of the three is their leader.

After naming himself leader, Blue Beetle demands that the Legion surrender.  Cosmic Boy declines, saying he has no fear that the three Hub City heroes can take the Legionnaires.

Beetle electrifies the hull of the Bug to slow down the Legion while he, Cap and the Question jump inside.  Onboard, Tracy reveals that she has hacked into the Legion’s flight rings and has gathered tons of data on them.  Cap says he’s uncomfortable with a civilian like Ted Kord having this kind of tech but the Question shuts him up.

The Bug lurches, knocking them all off their feet.  Colossal Boy has grown to the size of one of the neighboring buildings and is shaking the ship.  Andromeda tries to stop him, but the Bug vanishes from Colossal Boy’s hands, teleporting about a mile away to another rooftop.  Their arrival is observed by a stray dog.

I’m wondering, did Blue Beetle always have this advanced tech?  I know he’s supposed to be super smart, but I don’t recall his ship teleporting. And if he had the technology to teleport objects, why did he even need the Bug?

Beetle tells his partners to keep the Legionnaires of his back for six minutes while he cooks something up.

The Legionnaires continue to search Hub City for its three heroes.  They seem split on the task at hand.  No one really wants a fight, but Telos has warned them that the losers’ cities will be destroyed and to not fight is to lose.  Brainiac 5 is confident the Legion can take on the other heroes.  He says only Captain Atom has real “powers,” and he is essentially raw energy.  Of course, Brainiac is wrong, and soon learns it when Cap blinds the Legion with some sort of light blast (new power?) and plows into them.

Cap blasts Cosmic Boy with a burst of energy.  Andromeda goes after Cap, but is knocked back by Chameleon (who seems to be bouncing off buildings for some reason).  Invisible Kid takes Cap from behind and grabs him as Ferro and Star Boy swoop in.

Back on the Bug, Beetle is reading up on a group of Legionnaires, hoping he has found the right ones for his plan.  Tracy tries to shoo away the stray dog (who has now boarded the ship), but Beetle decides to adopt him.

The Question takes on Brainiac 5 (no longer blinded) and seems to defeat him with a riddle.  Karate Kid asks the Question what he’s done to Brainiac.  I wonder, am I the only one who sees a missed opportunity here?  Karate Kid ends up fighting Earth-4 Charlton characters, but Judomaster is not among them?  How coold would that have been?  I mean, it seems like a no-brainer to me.

And just what the heck did the Question do to Brainiac 5?

Saturn Girl, Sensor, and Computo board the Bug.  Their Legion flight rings led them to Beetle’s hiding place.  Beetle tells them he needs the three of them for his plan.  They say it is crazy, but is it crazy enough to work?

Outside, Cap is facing off against Cosmic Boy, Andromeda, and Colossal Boy.  It looks as if this battle will soon be over for Captain Atom.

Just then, Hub City is hit by an earthquake.  In a matter of seconds the city is decimated.  All the heroes are seriously bummed out by this unexpected turn of events.

The Hub City heroes and the Legionnaires board the Bug, where they make a shocking discovery.  Looking outside the Bug’s windows, Hub City appears standing tall and suffering no damage.  Beetle reveals that he, Saturn Girl, Sensor, and Computo used their powers to make Hub City appear destroyed to the outside world.  This way Telos thinks he got his winner and the heroes can focus on teaming up to defeat him.

I really enjoyed this comic.  After the let-down of Convergence: Justice League International #2, I was not expecting much from this issue.  I was pleasantly surprised.  Not only did Captain Atom have a nice juicy role, but Blue Beetle got to show off his brains.  And the Question was there.

Okay, so the Question didn’t do much, but I like seeing him in action with Cap and Beetle.

I liked this story. It was clever and cute (particularly Blue Beagle).  And I really like Yishan Li’s style.  I wish this was an ongoing series.  I give this issue an A.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off this blog.)

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Convergence: Blue Beetle #1 (June 2015)

Tags

Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Chip Kidd, David McCaig, Dick Giordano, Doctor Spectro, George Pérez, Nightshade, Saida Temofonte, Scott Lobdell, The Ghost, The Madmen, The Question, Yishan Li

“Convergence”

• Writer:  Scott Lobdell
• Pencils & Inks:  Yishan Li
• Colors: David McCaig
• Letters: Saida Temofonte
• Cover Artists:  George Perez, Dick Giordano, Chip Kidd

>>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<< >>>SPOILERS<<<

(You’ve been warned.)

This is what I’ve been waiting for.  The Bronze Age (and “original”) Captain Atom returns in this Convergence tie-in.  Cameos aside, this version of Cap hasn’t seen this much action since Americomics Special: Sentinels of Justice #1 in 1983 (yes, Cap was a prominent character in Multiversity: Pax Americana #1, but he was not sporting the white hair, red tights, and silver arms designed by Steve Ditko in 1967).  And even this Captain Atom isn’t exactly the Bronze Age Cap (but close enough).  While I thoroughly enjoyed his return to the printed page, I’m wondering why this issue was a Blue Beetle and not called something else (Sentinels of Justice, perhaps).  Blue Beetle isn’t really the focus of the book.  There’s as much Captain Atom and the Question in this as there is Blue Beetle.  But that minor complaint does not make me enjoy this issue any less.  I was happy with it from start to finish and am extremely pleased to see Captain Atom in any form.

The issue opens with WHUB News reporter Vic Sage (aka the Question) reporting on a terrorist attack on the already-besieged Hub City.  One of the many cities domed and cut off by Telos, Hub City is at the mercy of the Madmen.  The Madmen – armed to the teeth – are facing off against the National Guard (led by Captain Nathaniel Adam).

Okay, so Irritating Minutia Point #1: This version of Captain Atom’s real name is Allen Atom, not Nathaniel Adam.  But they are essentially the same dude so I’ll let that one slide.

The Madmen open fire so Captain Adam’s men retaliate in kind.  However, they’ve brought some more heavy weapons than the Madmen.

Vic sends his crew to upload the story and approaches Captain Adam in the aftermath of the destruction.  The Madmen appear to have all been killed.  Donning his Question mask, Vic says he’s not pleased with Adam’s handling of the Madmen situation, but that isn’t what he wants to talk about.  He tells Adam that Ted Kord requires his help.  The two part ways, with Adam not very thrilled at the prospect of hanging out with Ted.

Later, in the rooftop lab of Ted Kord at the top of Kord Industries headquarters, Ted’s assistant Tracy questions Ted about his latest “nothing burger” invention and his need to put a door in the roof of the building.  Captain Adam enters (with his side-arm drawn!?!?!?) and Ted accosts him at once about the attack on the Madmen.

Ted reveals his new invention may free Hub City from the dome and wants Nate’s approval to try.  Thinking back on the pile of dead Madmen, Nate says he has no objection.  Ted pulls a lever and the machine fires a pink blast at the dome.  It appears to not even scratch the surface.  Ted collapses, sure he’s failed, but Tracy tells him to take a look at Nate.

Captain Atom has returned to full power.  As the two heroes bicker over whether or not Ted should be allowed to suit up as Blue Beetle, Cap notices a bunch of swirly colors in the sky.  Figuring he knows what this means, Captain Atom flies off to investigate.

Irritating Minutia Point #2:  There is clearly a door in the ceiling of the room they’re in.  Tracy questioned Ted about it earlier and Ted shot a pink ray at the dome through it.  Why did Cap burst through a wall to exit the room?  Is he just being an ass?  I do like that Yishan Li drew the little sparkles around Cap, though.  Haven’t seen those in a while.

Above the streets of Hub City, Cap finds Dr. Spectro blasting the dome with his colorful rays.  Cap automatically (and wrongly, of course) assumes Spectro is behind the dome and demands answers.  The two are interrupted by the bizarre appearance out of thin air of a costumed individual neither of them recognize.

It is Booster Gold, who does not exist in the Hub City Earth (Earth-4 for those of you keeping score).  Cap assumes Booster is in league with Spectro and gives him an atomic blast.  Blue Beetle, now in costume, hurries to the fight and arrives just as Booster fades away.  This scene has played out before.  We saw it from Booster’s perspective in Booster Gold: Futures End #1 in November 2014.

As soon as Booster vanishes, Cap loses his powers.  He drops from the sky and Blue Beetle scrambles to catch him.  Neither of them are concerned about Dr. Spectro, who also loses his powers and drops out of the sky.  The Question appears on the rooftop with them, but neither Blue Beetle or Captain Adam are interested in what he has to say.

Thinking Hub City is falling victim to an earthquake, the three heroes jump off the roof onto Beetle’s Bug (piloted by Tracy).  The building they were on transforms into Telo, who tells them they must fight the heroes of the other captive cities.  The dome drops, resulting in Captain Atom’s powers returning again.

The dome drops and the heroes brace themselves for what comes next (in Convergence: Blue Beetle #2).  To be continued.

We are treated with a brief history of the Charlton characters of Blue Beetle, Captain Atom, and the Question.

Yishan Li is a capable artist, perhaps not my favorite but by no means bad.  I give his art an A.  Scott Lobdell, I feel, did the best he could with what he had (basically this is just setting up the big fight with the Legionnaires next issue) so I give this issue an A for writing as well.

(All characters and images belong to DC Comics and I am not making any profit off these characters or images.)

Avengers/JLA (September-December 2003)

Tags

Captain America, Captain Atom, Firestorm, Galactus, George Pérez, Green Arrow, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Hawkeye, Iron Man, Kurt Busiek, Modern Age Captain Atom, Photon, Plastic Man, Red Tornado, Superman, The Avengers, The Wasp, Thor, Tom Smith, Yellowjacket

from Avengers/JLA #2

Well, it was bound to happen eventually.  JLA/Avengers (alternatively Avengers/JLA) was a four-issue limited series showcasing one of the first in-continuity meetings of DC Comics’ Justice League of America and the Marvel Comics’ Avengers. The two universe’s heroes had previously met in Amalgam Comics.  The mini-series was published in the 48-page Prestige Format.  Issues #1 and #3 were published by Marvel Comics under the title JLA/Avengers while issues #2 and #4 were published by DC Comics with the title “Avengers/JLA.”

The series was written by Kurt Busiek with pencils and inks by the great George Pérez and colors by Tom Smith.

They didn’t just throw the core members of each team at each other; many “fringe” members made appearances.  Captain Atom, Firestorm, and Red Tornado, for example.  It was a fun mini-series that I’m sure delighted and angered fanboys (and fangirls) in equal measure.  I thought it was great, but did have a “what the…?” moment in issue #2 when Captain Atom was taken down by Hawkeye.

from Avengers/JLA #2

Now, I don’t have a problem with Iron Man besting Green Arrow.  It would stand to reason that Tony Stark’s tech would outdo Oliver Queen’s.  The obvious choice would have been to have Hawkeye face off with Green Arrow, but I like that Busiek didn’t always go with the obvious choice.  But Hawkeye taking down Captain Atom?  Really?  Cap does recover, though.  I mean, it was just Hawkeye.

But then he is blasted by the Wasp and Yellowjacket.  They do no lasting damage, as Cap and Firestorm are seen later on in the fight saving Green Lantern Kyle Rayner from Photon, who had absorbed the Green Lantern energy.  She blasts them with this energy.  The Wasp, by this time, has moved on to try and take down Plastic Man.

from Avengers/JLA #2

from Avengers/JLA #2

Firestorm and Captain Atom later combine their energies with Photon to try and take down Galactus.  This attempt is most likely in vain, as Galactus is a god-like figure that feeds from draining living planets of all their energy.

Captain Atom isn’t seen again until Avengers/JLA #4, where he and many other DC & Marvel heroes are fighting an army of super-villains.  Presumably he made it out alive but he isn’t seen again in this final issue.

This series was pretty awesome.  The premise of these characters getting together is flimsy, but the execution is beautiful.  George Pérez is in his element, and he gives this series a Crisis on Infinite Earths feel.  And Superman is totally badass wielding Thor’s hammer and Captain America’s shield.  I give this whole series an A for story and an A+++ for art.  Just look at that last panel.  George Pérez is a genius talent.

from Avengers/JLA #4

DC Universe: Legacies #5 (November 2010) and #10 (April 2011)

Tags

Allen Passalaqua, Blue Beetle, Brad Anderson, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Firestorm, Gary Frank, George Pérez, Jesus Saiz, Jon Sibal, Judomaster, Karl Story, L.A.W. Captain Atom, Len Wein, Modern Age Captain Atom, Nightshade, Oracle, Peacemaker, Red Tornado, Rob Leigh, Scott Koblish, The Question, Thunderbolt, Tom Chu

DC Universe: Legacies was a ten-part history of the DC Universe that spanned five generations, starting with the dawn of the Mystery Men to the modern era.  With the rebooting of the DC Universe and the advent of the New 52, it has become moot.  The Bronze Age Captain Atom and his old pals from the Sentinels of Justice (along with Judomaster, Thunderbolt, and Peacemaker) make an appearance in issue 5.  This panel was penciled by George Pérez, inked by Scott Koblish, and colored by Allen Passalaqua with text lettered by Rob Leigh.

DCU: Legacies #5

In DC Universe: Legacies #10, the Modern Age Captain Atom is seen at Sue Dibny’s funeral (his pals Red Tornado, Blue Beetle, and Firestorm are there along with many others).  This page was penciled by Jesus Saiz with inks by Karl Story and colors by Tom Chu.

DCU: Legacies #10

Later in this issue is a back-up story entitled “Snapshot: Redemption!”  Written by Len Wein with pencils by Gary Frank, inks by Jon Sibal, colors by Brad Anderson, and letters by Rob Leigh, this story is labeled “From the super-secret blog of Ted Kord, a.k.a. the Blue Beetle.”  In the telling of the history of the Blue Beetle, the rarely-seen L.A.W. Captain Atom pops up, along with Oracle, Judomaster, and Peacemaker.

DCU: Legacies #10

The DC Comics Encyclopedia (2004)

Tags

Al Vey, Bronze Age Captain Atom, Captain Atom, Dan Jurgens, Daniel Wallace, George Pérez, Jerry Ordway, Josef Rubinstein, Ken Branch, Kevin Maguire, Marc Campos, Modern Age Captain Atom, Monarch, Phil Jiminez, Robert Greenburger, Scott Beatty

Released in 2004, this hardcover book had Who’s Who type entries for most DC characters and events.  Writing credits have been given to Scott Beatty, Robert Greenburger, Phil Jimenez, and Daniel Wallace.  Captain Atom appeared several times (the Modern Age Captain Atom primarily, but also the Bronze Age Cap and Monarch).  Hundreds of artists are credited but where in the book their work appears is not specified.  Most of the artwork, if not all of it, is recycled from previously published works.

The Modern Age Captain Atom drawing is from JLA-Z #1 by Dan Jurgens & Al Vey.  The JLI featuring the Cap is from JLA-Z #2 by Kevin Maguire & Josef Rubinstein.  The image of the Bronze Age Cap and others attacking the Anti-Monitor is from the cover of Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 by George Pérez & Jerry Ordway.  The Extreme Justice drawing is from the cover of Extreme Justice #0 by Marc Campos & Ken Branch.  I could not track down the artists behind the drawings of Monarch and the rendition of Zero Hour.

An updated and expanded version of the encyclopedia was released in 2008.

Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (March 1986)

Tags

Adam Strange, Alexander Luthor, Animal Man, Anti-Monitor, Aquaman, Atomic Knight, Batgirl, Batman, Black Bison, Black Lightning, Black Orchid, Blue Beetle, Blue Devil, Brainiac, Bug Eyed Bandit, Captain Atom, Captain Comet, Captain Marvel (Shazam), Clayface, Cyborg, Darkseid, Deadman, Demon, DeSaad, Doctor Fate, Doctor Light, Doctor Occult, Dolphin, Dove, Earth-1 Superman, Earth-1 Wonder Woman, Earth-2 Superman, Earth-2 Wonder Woman, Electrocutioner, Elongated Man, Felix Faust, Firehawk, Firestorm, George Pérez, Global Guardians, Green Arrow, Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Guardians of the Universe, Harbinger, Harlequin (Molly Mayne), Hawk, Hawkman, Huntress, Jerry Ordway, John Costanza, Kamandi, Kid Flash, Kole, Lady Quark, Lois Lane, Lori Lemaris, Madame Xanadu, Martian Manhunter, marv wolfman, Metamorpho, Negative Woman, Pariah, Peacemaker, Phantom Stranger, Power Girl, Prince Ra-Man, Psycho-Pirate, Rip Hunter, Robin (Dick Grayson), Sargon, Shade the Changing Man, Silver Age Captain Atom, Starman, Steve Trevor, Sunburst, Superboy, Superman, Ten Eyed Man, The Flash, The Spectre, tom ziuko, Tommy Tomorrow, Vigilante, Vixen, Warlord, Wildcat, Wizard (William Zard), Wonder Girl, Wonder Woman, Zatanna, Zatara

“Final Crisis”

• Writer: Marv Wolfman
• Penciler: George Pérez
• Inker: Jerry Ordway
• Colors: Tom Ziuko
• Letterer: John Costanza

This is the epic conclusion to DC’s mega-crossover event Crisis on Infinite Earths.  Captain Atom is featured prominently on the cover, front and center, battling the Anti-Monitor.  He appears in eight different panels in the book, and even has some speaking parts (no small feat in this monster of a series).

Aboard Brainiac’s ship, Dolphin, Captain Comet, Rip Hunter, Animal Man, the Atomic Knight, and Adam Strange convince Brainiac that his memory was tampered with to make him forget the Crisis. Realizing that his power is inadequate to battle the Anti-Monitor, Brainiac sets course for the world of a more powerful being. On Earth, the Anti-Monitor’s image is seen in the skies all over the globe. He repeats that the Earth is now in the anti-matter universe. His past victories over positive universes are meaningless, he says, because of the super-heroes’ efforts to stop him. When he lists Supergirl and the Flash as casualties, Kid Flash freaks out and demands to know what has happened.

The Supermen scan the globe and watch the populace panicking. Harbinger appears, and teleports them to another destination, then gathers Dr. Light from Japan, leaving Sunburst to defend the country. When Dr. Light states that she caused Supergirl’s death, Harbinger replies that the battle had already killed Supergirl, and that the Anti-Monitor’s final attack merely gave her a swift death. In the skies, the darkness splits into a million shadow demons, which begin an all-out attack on humanity, and the super-heroes mass to resist them. The Global Guardians team with other heroes to free their native lands from the threat, but the demons’ numbers never seem to dwindle. The Phantom Stranger summons Dr. Mist to help revive the comatose Spectre. Below, Harbinger has gathered a large group of heroes, along with Pariah and Alexander Luthor, to lead a final assault on their nemesis. Alex creates a bridge between universes, and they depart near Apokolips.

Brainiac’s ship goes into stationary orbit around Apokolips, and he and his guests teleport to the planet, where Darkseid appears before them.

Back on Earth, the majority of the heroes are still battling the demons. The Dove is slain by a shadow-being as his brother witnesses.

In Dr. Fate’s Salem tower, the magically powered heroes have gathered to pool their shamanistic might. The Earth-2 Green Lantern (Alan Scott) and Dr. Occult form the nexus of their energy.

On Qward, in the anti-matter universe, Harbinger and the heroes arrive in the Anti-Monitor’s old headquarters. Kid Flash insists on joining them because of his mentor’s death. Suddenly, an image of the Flash appears to him—the last one Barry cast before his death. Wally follows the afterimage to where an insane Psycho-Pirate clutches at an empty uniform. Kid Flash knocks him out, and realizes that Barry Allen is truly dead when Lady Quark finds his ring. Pariah informs them that a great concentration of evil lies before them. They follow to find a towering Anti-Monitor, ready for the final slaughter.

In Atlantis, Aquaman leads his underwater legions against the shadows. Lori Lemaris saves a trapped Mera with a force beam. A demon closes in on her and kills her. In Chicago, Green Arrow of Earth-2 is killed by a shadow. In Philadelphia, Cyborg, the Son of Vulcan, the Vigilante, and the New Wildcat continue rescue operations.

In New Orleans, Shade the Changing Man witnesses the death of Prince Ra-Man. In Skartaris, Travis Morgan leads his forces against the black menaces. In Gotham City, both Clayface II and the Bug-Eyed Bandit perish at the hands of the demons. In Salem, the tide finally turns. The supernatural crusaders send their combined force in a net of energy to gather the demons from the Earth’s surface, and bind them helpless in space. Over the Earth, lives have been lost, including those of Kole, Huntress, and Robin, but other lives have been saved. For a moment, the survivors can take stock.

On Qward, the Supermen of Earth 1 and 2, Captain Atom, Lady Quark, Firehawk, Wonder Woman, and other tarot’s strike at the Anti-Monitor, but he ignores their blows, feeding on the energy of a nearby star, As Dr Light absorbs the energy of one of the binary suns they are between, the Anti-Monitor feels his power draining away. Alex begins to drain the anti-matter energy away from their enemy. Negative Woman uses her negative-self to bind the Anti-Monitor and inhibit him: then Harbinger leads all the energy-producing heroes against him, Dr. Light blasts him with the energy of a sun, and he falls into the ruins of his fortress. Alex creates a dimensional hole, large enough to enclose the Earth and return it to its proper universe. The heroes follow. The ball of bound demons hover and then fall on the fallen enemy. Thus, the Anti-Monitor absorbs his slaves energies and rises again, while the heroes start to give battle. Wonder Woman is caught in a withering flash of power, and is borne away to an unknown destination. Superman of Earth-1 and Lady Quark vow deadly revenge, but Kal-L knocks them out, and tells Superboy to take them back. Since he has no world and no wife to return to, the elder Superman has the least to lose. Then he confronts the monstrous Anti-Monitor, and batters him. Superboy sends Superman and Lady Quark back through Alex’s shrinking body, and turns to aid him. Superman continues his one-man war against the Anti-Monitor, striking telling blows, while the villain, his power waning, absorbs more energy from the anti-cosmos, and blasts him and Superboy. Darkseid, watching the conflict on a viewscreen, proclaims his planet to be endangered if the Anti-Monitor survives, sends a power burst at him through Alex’s eyes. The enemy, devastated, is hurled into the core of one of the binary suns. Superman, Superboy, and Alex are stunned to see the spectre of their enemy rising from the sun. Superman smashes into his foe’s fiery body, scattering him: the remains fall back into the sun and the star begins to implode.

They bravely await the end and Superman wishes that Lois could have lived to see their triumph. At that, Alex produces Lois from a void-pocket in his body where she had been sent to wait. She tells her husband that she had been to a tranquil world. Alex cannot return them to Earth but he can take them all to this beautiful world. Superman, Lois, and Superboy opt for that choice. The foursome vanish seconds before the exploding sun would have reached them.

Back on Earth, Lyla is explaining facets of the Crisis to Pariah and Lady Quark. Wonder Woman was returned to the clay which Aphrodite and Athena had given life, then spread across Paradise Island.

Time then continued to reverse itself, as the Amazons were returned to their original homeland before they fled Man’s World. Zeus brought the homeless Wonder Woman of Earth-2 and her husband Steve Trevor to Olympus, where they could live peacefully. The bodies of Robin of Earth-2, the Huntress, and Kole were never found. All those who died were mourned. In Keystone City, Jay Garrick determined that Kid Flash’s illness was in remission, his body chemistry being changed by a blast from the Anti-Monitor. He could again move at super-speed, though only to a maximum of Mach-1. Wally donned Barry Allen’s uniform, and announced, “From this day forth — the Flash lives again!”

The Great Disaster will not exist in the Earth’s future, but a lost child will he found in Command D. adopted by General Horatio Tomorrow of the Planeteers, and named Thomas. Jonah Hex will be torn from his era to fight in the future, while the Guardians of the Universe must face the first division in their ranks. Thus, Lyla concludes her tale, and Lady Quark and Pariah ask her to help them explore their new homeworld. They leave with her, honoring the memory of their benefactor, the Monitor. And, in Arkham Asylum, the staff discuss a new patient who seems beyond help, straitjacketed in a rubber-lined room. Roger Hayden, formerly Psycho-Pirate, gibbers about Earths beyond numbers, the Anti-Monitor, and the memories, which only he had been allowed to keep.

Beautifully drawn.  George Pérez and Jerry Ordway really had a way of making something with so many characters not look too crowded (in my opinion).  This issue set the stage for what would be my DC Universe (1985-2005).

(Thanks to the DC wiki for the synopsis.)