Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Crisis on Infinite Earths – 1

Synopsis

Tempus Fuginaut muses on how some people believe the job of his kind is to protect the Multiverse from the Dark Multiverse, while in actual their duty is to watch the tragedy that unfolds in the worlds of the Dark Multiverse, without being able to intervene. He starts reminiscing about the Crisis on Infinite Earths, when New Earth was formed mostly from the reality called Earth-One. In case of the Dark Multiverse however, “New Earth” was formed from Earth-Two, the world of the Justice Society of America. After the defeat of the Anti-Monitor, the heroes found themselves on a similar but different world. Superman of Earth-One tried searching for his universe along with Superman of Earth-Two, Jay Garrick and Kid Flash, but was shocked to only find a void.

The Justice League of Earth-One was thus stranded on the new world, as opposed to the events in the Multiverse, where the Justice Society of America after the end of Earth-Two vanished from the world, trying to stop the Ragnarok prophecy from coming to pass. The true tragedy struck when Surtur with his demonic legions attacked Earth and the Justice League, which was emotionally affected due to being forgotten on the new world, fought him, but were completely annihilated. Their most powerful member Superman had also left them, after Alex Luthor of Earth-Three offered him a peaceful life with his eternal love Lois Lane in a pocket dimension.

On New Earth, Surtur rampages across Washington, D.C., with the army unable to do anything. The All-Star Squadron, consisting of their multiverse’s surviving heroes, soon arrives and the Green Lantern Alan Scott warns him to back. Surtur recognizes his symbol and shows him the uniform of his Earth-One counterpart Hal Jordan, detailing how he brutally slew him. He mocks Scott stating even the warriors of Asgard and the League fell before him, destruction is the only thing he lives for, and tells Alan his sacrifice will be worthless. Seeing Hal’s uniform, Alan becomes angry and tells Surtur that the Spectre had deployed League first, knowing he was greatly powerful, but he hasn’t taken down all of Earth’s defenders yet.

Alan gives the signal to attack after Surtur mocks him stating his fellow heroes will die for nothing, but the All-Star Squadron soon finds themselves overpowered. Doctor Fate tells Hawkgirl to keep attacking and take revenge for her husband Hawkman and son Silver Scarab, after they get killed by Surtur. Surtur’s legions slaughter the other heroes, while Fate and Hawkgirl mount a joint attack, but the latter soon gets grabbed by the monster. Fate rescues her, but gets killed along with Nabu upon being struck by Surtur. The Spectre soon emerges out of the Helmet of Fate and fights Surtur, but soon gets killed by his flames. His falling body kills the Atom, TNT, Dyna-Mite and the Manhunter Paul Kirk.

As the Robin of Earth-Two questions the Fury, Lyta Trevor, on whether TNT and Dyna-Mite were really crushed, he gets killed by the ricocheting Dyna-Rings. As a shocked Fury looks upon Robin’s corpse, Surtur tells her that she’s next and killing her mother Wonder Woman would be easy, since he already slew the younger and stronger Wonder Woman of Earth-One. Just then Wonder Woman smashes her invisible plane into the monster, declaring that her Earth-One counterpart may have been younger but never stronger. Surtur survives, but the attack breaks his jaw. As other heroes help Diana up, Surtur breathes fire at them, killing her and Nuklon. Diana tells the struggling Superman to keep fighting before dying and he promises to avenge everyone.

Power Girl tells her cousin Superman to save the others and flee since they can’t win, while she holds Surtur off. After Superman rejects endangering her, Power Girl convinces him to leave, stating the world needs him. She tries fighting Surtur alone, but gets swallowed by him. Surtur looks at the carnage he wrought in Washington after her defeat, and states that the remaining heroes should stay in hiding for their own good, until he destroys the world. At their hideout, Starman assures the survivors that no one can find them due his Cosmic Rod and Yz‘s magic. As the others tend to their wounds or mourn, Johnny Thunder tells his thunderbolt Yz to not be afraid as others are counting on them. Starman tells him the whole world is counting on them and states the Justice Society always survive.

The surviving heroes have now banded into the “Justice Society of Earth”. As Superman begins doubting himself, his wife, Lois Lane of Earth-Two, tells him to trust himself and states she believes Power Girl still survives as his family is stubborn. Telling him to stop loathing himself, she states he should remember why she fell in love with him – he’s a man who’ll remain hopeful and keep fighting, no matter how bad the odds. The angry Sandman meanwhile mourns the loss of his beloved sidekick Sandy, regretting how first his love Dian Belmont and now her nephew are dead. Stating that he was deluding himself by adopting a colorful uniform and treating his fights as adventures, he decides to adopt his old costume and promises to strike fear in his enemies.

Wildcat talks to Johnny, who feels unsure about himself and states he’s useless since Yz is refusing to come out of fear. Wildcat assures him it was never about his genie, but his bravery, and knew he would be the last one standing alongside him. Hourman and Jay meanwhile plan to kill Surtur by using his own energy to create a black hole at his core. Remembering their fallen comrades, they resolve to take him down. Huntress condoles Hawkgirl and tells her the best way to honor her loved ones is by forging her own legacy. Hawkgirl agrees, but states the world still needs a hawk and she will continue fighting as Hawkwoman, while donning Hawkman’s helmet. Aquaman upon being questioned by Huntress that he has rejected joining teams in past, states he was never meant to be a part of the society as he was modified by his father’s experiments. But now he’s joined the Justice Society to save the Earth.

In her room, Lyta mourns her mother’s loss, stating she fought for peace while not tolerating any obstacles and she’s not ready to be Wonder Woman. Her mother however reaches out to her, a final gift from Gods of Olympus, stating that she wasn’t ready to leave Themyscira when she learnt about “Man’s world” being in peril. Lyta decides to adopt her mother’s mantle, after she states she knows she will help the world like her when it is in trouble. In another room, Alan apologizes to Obsidian for not being there during his childhood, but he tells him to not blame himself as he never knew about him and he can’t save the world every time. Alan states he is right, but he’ll save the world one last time for him. Surtur later arrives at a coastal area and prepares to march across the sea by boiling it. However most of his legion soon gets annihilated by the waters, which Surtur realizes are being controlled by human magic.

The Justice Society of Earth arrives to fight Surtur and promises to take him down. Lyta strikes first and as he smashes her to the ground, she busts through his hand. Wildcat while battling Surtur’s legions tells Johnny to join the fight. Johnny encourages Yz to come out, stating he has bravery and him. Yz successfully kills many demons, but more keep spawning from the ash of their dead compatriots. Sandman gets fatally wounded but manages to eliminate his murderer with Aquaman’s help. Aquaman tells him that he did show his murderer fear and it’s time Surtur felt it as well. Surtur soon gets attacked by giant sharks and as he states that all flesh dies upon his touch, Power Girl bursts out of his belly. Starman tells Jay to proceed with their plan by running around Surtur, but the monster soon kills the speedster. He the proceeds to slay Starman, before killing Wildcat, Aquaman and Johnny. Superman in anger uses his arctic breath, before landing a powerful punch and breaking his face.

Surtur soon grabs Superman and breathes fire at him to snuff out Earth’s greatest hope. Alan soon tells him to let Superman go, stating there must be something he wants after being freed from his long imprisonment. Surtur reminds he only exists for destruction and Alan states that after so many losses, he finally sees they can’t beat him. He asks him to spare Earth in return for him helping kill other worlds. Getting surprised by the offer and how Alan’s willing to offer his soul, Surtur asks if he’s sure. Alan affirms and states he’s ready to become his avatar. Surtur mocks him, stating the Earths means nothing to him, but him falling so low is something that fills him with more joy than any world’s destruction. He soon agrees and transfers himself into Alan, making him his “Dread Lantern”. Alan apologizes to Obsidian before teleporting away.

Tempus shows the true scale of tragedy this world has suffered and how Green Lantern became corrupted. Though Alan’s sacrifice allowed Earth to have a future, with younger heroes donning the mantle of their dead predecessors under the guidance of the Justice Society of Earth, this allowed Surtur to destroy a great number of worlds under his guidance and killing untold trillions. Tempus states how Earth’s safety came at the costs of others, before looking upon Surtur’s avatar Dread Lantern reciting his oath and stating only death shall survive him.