This six-issue series by the late Darwyn Cooke was influenced by previous works such as Kingdom Come, Watchmen, and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. It takes place primarily in the 1950s, and depicts the Golden Age superheroes Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman meeting Silver Age characters the Flash, Green Lantern, and Martian Manhunter. The story bridges the gap from the end of the Golden Age to the beginning of the Silver Age in the DC Universe.
Hal Jordan is given a super-scientific ring by the dying alien Abin Sur, while the Challengers respond to another reported dinosaur.
Superman and Batman confer on the Smiesel story left to Batman by John Jones, while a shadow comes over Wonder Woman, and King Faraday plays chess with J’onn J’onzz. The Challs, accompanied by Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen, approach Cape Canaveral and the reported pterodactyl, which is taken out by Superman, while Aquaman encounters an odd phenomenon under the sea.
Wonder Woman crash lands at Cape Canaveral, while Lois Lane discovers the secret of Dinosaur Island.
The rest of the players — The Flash, Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow and Speedy, The Sea Devils, Blackhawks, and Hal Jordan — head to Dinosaur Island.
Wonder Woman relates to Superman the story of the fight between the amazons and Dinosaur Island that led to her arrival in wounded condition. Superman rallies the troops for the fight and heads off to take on the island, but is hit with a giant blast and drops into the ocean lifeless.
