Wonder Woman – Volume 1 – 292


Wonder Woman – Volume 1 – 292

General Info

Issue No:
292
On Sale Date:
February 1982
Cover Date:
June 1982
Era:
Bronze Age
Story Title:
Book Two: "Seven Against Oblivion!"

Creative Team

Cover Artist:
Ross Andru, Dick Giordano
Writer:
Roy Thomas (Plot by Paul Levitz)
Penciller:
Gene Colan
Inker:
Frank McLaughlin
Letterer:
Ben Oda
Colourist:
Carl Gafford
Editor:
Len Wein

Characters

Main:
Wonder Woman
Heroes:
Black Canary, Supergirl, Zatanna, Power Girl, Huntress, Madame Xanadu, Phantom Lady
Villains:
The Adjudicator, Plague, War
Olympians:
N/A
Amazons:
N/A
Other:
Lois Lane
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Synopsis

Chapter One – Seven Against Oblivion

Back in Washington DC, Wonder Woman and Zatanna are being interviewed by reporter Lois Lane. The Amazon Princess confirms that she and Zatanna had managed to stop one of the Adjudicator’s minions from causing yet more starvation amongst the masses of India. However, this is only a brief respite and on hearing this, Lois asks whether they can expect to see the other three Horsemen of the Apocalypse arriving soon.

Wonder Woman simply replies that her other Justice League colleagues are keeping a watchful eye out. As Lois pursues the issue, stating that if the Earth is in danger then the public have a right to know, Wonder Woman reaffirms that they will know just as soon as she knows and that she is not prepared to comment further.

With that, the Amazing Amazon thanks Zatanna for her assistance and offers her a ride home in her robot plane, but the magician declines her kind offer and uses her magic to disappear before their eyes. As Wonder Woman turns and walks away, the camera crew assume that the interview is over, but Lois is determined to get more out of the Amazon and runs to catch up with her. She apologises for hassling her but says that it is her job to report one of the biggest stories in history. Wonder Woman replies that she does not mean to be rude but that she meant what she said about making no further comments, in case she panics the public and enflames the issue.

Respecting her wishes, Lois agrees to keep the story quiet. Wonder Woman then becomes lost in her thoughts as she thinks of the Earth’s violent and bloody history, where many mistakes have been made by Mankind. And yet, for all its imperfections it is still our world and no self appointed Adjudicator is going to obliterate it without humankind putting up a fight!

Meanwhile, somewhere in the endless void of the multi-dimensions, the alien being known as the Adjudicator looks down upon the Amazon Princess. He has destroyed many worlds in his time but it still astounds him that despite its many frailties, the Earth has not self destructed long ago. Perhaps it is because of its inhabitants like this so called “Wonder Woman” who opposes him so valiantly, even though she seems doomed to failure. Or are there others like her too?

Already the next horseman is making his way to his target Earth. Known as Plague, he races through the void towards Earth Two, where Black Canary is discussing with her female colleagues their plan of action. As Power Girl and Huntress listen, Canary explains that Wonder Woman is sure that the Adjudicator will strike their world next. They agree to help her, although Power Girl is skeptical and feels that perhaps it is really Earth One’s problem and not theirs. Suddenly though, a TV report states that a serum resistant epidemic has broken out in Atlanta. A convinced Power Girl picks up Huntress and Black Canary and although she cannot fly like Earth One’s Kryptonian known as Supergirl, she nevertheless leaps an eighth of a mile at a time, carrying them towards their destination.

In Atlanta meanwhile, chaos has broken out at the Disease Control Centre. Staff try to subdue Plague as he gallops through the facility. As a valiant doctor tries to grab him though, Plague strikes out and the man falls, suffering from the symptoms of the horrible disease that is spreading rapidly throughout the city. Plague next rides into the city centre and smashes through the hotel lobby of the famed Hyatt Regency, spreading his pestilence in his wake. Men, women and children who cross his path drop like flies, teetering on the brink of death. Suddenly through the glass roof, Power Girl leaps down followed by Black Canary and Huntress. As the aforementioned Gotham vigilante protects a small child, she thinks to herself that one blast from Plague will probably kill her and Black Canary. She is not even sure if Power Girl can survive a brush with Plague either.

In the next instant she finds out as Plague blasts the Kryptonian Girl. She instantly sneezes feeling a little woozy, although otherwise seems unaffected. She cannot help wondering though what a second blast will do to her. As Plague closes in on her again the Huntress intervenes by throwing her Batarang at the horseman. She succeeds in making his steed rear up in fright giving Power Girl some breathing space. Plague then decides to mount one of the lobby elevators and rides up to the next floor to confront Huntress. As she dives out of the way though, Power Girl rips away the elevator track sending Plague tumbling.

Back at the Disease Control Centre, the staff continue to put themselves at great risk as they struggle to discover an cure. All the while, the Adjudicator watches unseen as physicians and technicians apply the techniques of medicine at great risk to their own lives. Curiosity arises in his eyes once more…

With the Huntress safe, Power Girl turns her attention once more to Plague. But she is not quick enough and he manages to touch her leg. Instantly she finds to her cost that his touch is more potent that his blasts and she falls ill. As she collapses to the floor she warns the horrified Black Canary and Huntress to stay back. Knowing they cannot help their colleague without touching her and exposing themselves, they accede to her wishes and turn to confront Plague on their own. Huntress leaps at the horseman making sure she only touches his robes, hoping this will protect her from infection. She distracts him long enough for Canary to emit her sonic cry, aiming it not at Plague but at his steed. The horse rears up and falls on top of its rider. Although he seems pinned down, the two women know that they cannot destroy him or even seriously hurt him, but they have got to keep trying until they drop.

Suddenly though there is a blinding light from above and the rays strike the fallen horseman, making him vanish before the thankful but nevertheless puzzled heroines eyes…

Chapter Two – “X” Marks The Spot…Where World’s collide!

Linda Danvers, otherwise known as Supergirl, makes her way along a busy street. Wonder Woman has given her the address of someone who she thinks can help them, but Linda is beginning to become a little skeptical. However, she finds that the address of Madame Xanadu exists and as she reaches for the door it opens by itself. She steps inside and is greeted by Madame Xanadu who beckons her inside. Linda pretends she has been sent here by her studio to look for occult props, but the Madame interrupts her, saying she knows what she is really seeking and that she also knows that she, Linda Danvers, is really Supergirl. A shocked Linda tries to deny it but can see from Xanadu’s eyes that her very soul has been laid bare.

All the while the all seeing Adjudicator monitors the conversation, pondering whether perhaps there are others like the “Wonder Woman” after all. His instincts tell him that with Madame Xanadu’s mystic aid, this Maid of Steel will soon find a way to reach her destination. He thinks to himself why postpone the inevitable confrontation – why not make it easier for them to reach it and make it more entertaining for himself? With that he unleashes his multicolored beams of light sending the horseman known as War on his way. He then emits a second ray of light which bathes the room where Xanadu and Linda stand. The Madame tells Linda that although this is not of her doing, they should let themselves go with the stream of light as it carries them away.

They materialise in a barren wasteland that was once Paris, France and Linda finds herself somehow changed into Supergirl. Xanadu tells her that they must have been summoned by the Adjudicator to do battle and she hopes that they will be equal to the task. As they look around she tells Supergirl that they have been transported to their desired destination known as Earth X, a world where Nazi Germany had won the Second World War. Fighting has continued unabated here for more than four decades and the ravaged landscape is the result. Supergirl informs Xanadu that Wonder Woman wanted her to check this world out as it had special links with Earth One.

Just then they hear a scream and picking up the mystic, Supergirl flies to the location. On the way she tells Xanadu that Wonder Woman had told her about how the Justice Leaguers had once helped a bunch of American Super heroes on this Earth, known as the Freedom Fighters.

Down below they see a little girl in the path of an approaching Panzer tank. As Xanadu grabs the girl, Supergirl smashes the tank open and prepares to battle the occupants but to her surprise finds nobody inside. What she does find though is a single glowing hoof print on its exterior.

Suddenly War materialises, leading a convoy of more tanks and introduces himself to them. Supergirl tells Xanadu to run to safety with the child while she deals with “this skeleton in Desert Fox’s clothing”.

But War is not prepared to face her just yet until she had proved her worthiness. As he races back into the ruined city he sends in his tanks to attack her. Supergirl uses her breath to blow the front line away and follows up by pounding the waves of armoured vehicles which follow.

Meanwhile, outside a newly constructed American Embassy Building in the ruined city, a costumed super heroine known as the Phantom Lady is addressing an approaching group of Parisians who chant “Death to the Americans!”. She tells them that War has stirred them up to attack as infantrymen in front of his advancing tanks and surely they must see that he is inhuman, leading them to destroy all that their nations have strived to rebuild together? She uses her powers to create black light which blinds the Frenchmen. But War orders them to advance by following his voice and conquer the Americans. The Phantom lady decides to confront War himself and leaps at the skeletal figure on horseback. But War strikes her with his sword and sends her smashing to the ground. He gloats as the advancing hordes prepare to crush her underfoot but Madame Xanadu drags her to safety.

Phantom Lady thanks her for her help. As War moves towards them, Xanadu tells the heroine to stand back while she deals with the horseman herself. She produces a humble tarot card depicting an image of ‘The Fool’. The card radiates an other worldly light and draws all other eyes towards it, including the eye-less sockets of War himself. He struggles in vain against the strange power of the card as it pulls him forward, but after a sudden burst of light from above he is gone. Once more the Adjudicator ceases the test and returns Xanadu and Supergirl to their own Earth, leaving the Phantom Lady alone amid the rubble to stop the advancing mob. But as the war maddened horde attempt to break down the Embassy doors, turning upon each other as they do so, they suddenly stop and wonder what they are doing. They embrace each other as they at last realise that the spectre of war is gone…

Back on Earth One, Xanadu and Supergirl, now back in her Linda Danvers guise, rematerialise in the shop. Xanadu offers Linda an explanation of what had just happened but the Kryptonian declines the offer, just thankful that they had saved another Earth somehow. But they both know that their own Earth is still in deadly danger…

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