ARGUS formed the Justice League of America to take down the Justice League if they ever stepped over the line. But little did they realise, another version of the League was trying to break through from Earth 3! The Crime Syndicate have fled their reality and taken over the Prime Earth. In fact, they’ve been sowing the seeds of their arrival for some time with the formation of the Secret Society of Supervillains and spies within the Justice League. Now both Justice Leagues are dead.
The heroes lost.
The villains won.
But not all of Earth’s villains are happy about the new status quo or their new masters. Leave it up to Lex Luthor to form his own Injustice League to free the world from the Syndicate’s control!
The massive Forever Evil event sees the ‘bad guys’ prove they can do the saving just as well as the world’s greatest heroes. But it also contains a number of VILLAINS MONTH issues, as well as secondary crossovers – like ARGUS, Blight, Arkham War, Rogues Rebellion and Walled In – that explore how the disappearance of the Justice League impacts the world of magic, the members of the Suicide Squad, the criminals of Gotham City and more!
Scroll past our Fallout section if you just want to focus on those.
SCROLL DOWN to the bottom for the KEY COLLECTED EDITIONS for this event!
Major Event: With a primary mini-series, related mini-series and multiple tie-ins with ongoing books, Forever Evil is considered a major event. It also contains a number of secondary crossover threads, which truly underline its size and impact.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
1st appearances: Character debuts refer to the first appearances of a given character in Prime Earth (New 52 plus) continuity
Previous events that directly impact this story:
- WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS (2013) – Formation of the JLA and debut of the Society
- TRINITY WAR (2013) – Three Justice Leagues face off over Pandora’s Box
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- Justice League of America #7.3: Shadow Thief (tie-in)
- ✔ Superman #23.1: Bizarro
- ✔ Action Comics #23.3: Lex Luthor
- Action Comics #23.4: Metallo
- Nightwing #28-29 (tie-in)
- ✔ Justice League of America #7.4: Black Adam
- ✔ Forever Evil #1
- ✔ Flash #23.3: The Rogues
- ✔ Aquaman #23.1: Black Manta
- Wonder Woman #23.1: Cheetah
- Batman and Robin #23.1: Two-Face
- Superman #23.4: Parasite
- Green Lantern #23.3: Black Hand
- Aquaman #23.2: Ocean Master
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #4
- Justice League of America 7.2: Killer Frost
- Flash #23.1: Grodd
- Batman and Robin #23.3: Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins
- Justice League of America #7.1: Deadshot
- Detective Comics #23.2: Harley Quinn
- ✔ Forever Evil #2
- Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #1
- ✔ Forever Evil: ARGUS #1
- ✔ Justice League #23.4: Secret Society
- Batman #23.2: The Riddler
- Batman and Robin #23.2: The Court of Owls
- Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3: Clayface
- ✔ Justice League #24
- Suicide Squad #24
- Justice League Dark #24
- Batman: The Dark Knight #23.2: Mister Freeze
- Suicide Squad #25-29
- Detective Comics #23.1: Poison Ivy
- Batman and Robin #23.4: Killer Croc
- ✔ Forever Evil #3
- Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #2-3
- ✔ Justice League #25
- Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #4
- ✔ Justice League #26
- ✔ Forever Evil #4
- ✔ Justice League of America #8-10
- ✔ Forever Evil #5
- Detective Comics #23.4: Man-Bat
- Batman: The Dark Knight 23.1: The Ventriloquist
- Detective Comics #23.3: Scarecrow
- Batman #23.4: Bane
- Forever Evil: Arkham War #1
- Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #12
- Justice League Dark #25
- Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #13
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #5
- Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #14
- Constantine #9
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #6
- Justice League Dark #26
- Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #15
- Constantine #10
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #7
- Justice League Dark #27
- Forever Evil: Arkham War #2-3
- ✔ Forever Evil: ARGUS #2-3
- ✔ Justice League of America #11-12
- Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #5-6
- ✔ Forever Evil: ARGUS #4
- Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #16
- Constantine #11
- Forever Evil: Arkham War #4-6
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #8
- Justice League Dark #28
- Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #17
- ✔ Justice League #27-28
- ✔ Forever Evil: ARGUS #5-6
- ✔ Justice League of America #13
- Constantine #12
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #9
- Justice League Dark #29
- ✔ Forever Evil #6
- ✔ Justice League #29
- ✔ Forever Evil #7
- Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs Bane #1
- ✔ Suicide Squad #30
- ✔ Justice League #30
- ✔ Justice League #31-33 (tie-in)
- ✔ Justice League of America #14
- ✔ Justice League #34 (tie-in)
- ✔ Nightwing #30
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| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Justice League of America #7.3: Shadow Thief (tie-in) Following her recent encounter with Hawkman (during WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS), the anti-alien former-spy Shadow Thief uncovers a planned arms deal by a band of Thanagarians. Before slaughtering them, she learns their deal was with her old Mossad comrade, Rahmiel Azaria, whose associates shoot her through a skyscraper’s window. Shadow Thief survives using her powers and recalls how she gained the shadow suit and found out her contact at the Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans (ARGUS) was an alien Daemonite. She then returns to the building and kills the arms dealers, leaving Rahmiel alive and warning him not to deal with aliens… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Superman #23.1: Bizarro Two years ago, Lex Luthor obtained a sample of Superman’s blood. His plans to use the DNA to create a ‘Superman’ only he controls. More recently, Luthor’s experiment on human test subject A-0 had monstrous results. Lex is forced to use sunlight to kill the creature, though he learns from his findings. Now, test subject B-0 nears fruition… 1st appearance: Subject B-0 (cameo) Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #4 (pp.1-7) Pandora’s Box has been opened (as of TRINITY WAR). And Pandora herself has been cast to the barren carcass of Earth 3 where she witnesses the death of the Martian. Now the Box lies on pieces and she is stranded. | |
| ✔ | Action Comics #23.3: Lex Luthor Lex Luthor’s lawyers have released him from prison, but Superman is nowhere to be seen. After reconstructive surgery to restore his face, Luthor tests a new suit of battle armour and checks in on the clone he’s been growing. He also arranges a space shuttle launch, making it look like it’s in trouble in order to draw out Superman. But Superman doesn’t come and Lex decides not to rescue the astronauts to make Superman look bad. Lex Luthor is back! Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Detective Comics #23.4: Man-Bat (pp.1-7) Kirk Langstrom tracks down the woman who betrayed him – Francine Lee-Langstrom, once his wife and now the She-Bat! Kirk becomes Man-Bat and defeats her, but she knew he’d combined her formula with his to become her superior. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Nightwing #28 (pp.1-8) (tie-in) Spinebender comes to the Loop seeking revenge on Nightwing, hoping to kill him at the moment his brittle form turns to glass. Nightwing narrowly escapes as Spinebender shatters. Sonia Zucco turns her back on her father over his involvement in the death of Dick Grayson’s parents. | |
| Action Comics #23.4: Metallo Eighteen months ago, General Sam Lane restarted cyborg super-soldier Metal-Zero (aka Sergeant John Corben) with a piece of Kryptonite. Back on his feet – though mentally unstable – Corben is sent back into the field. His violent methods prompt Lane into blowing up an unmanned plane carrying Metal-Zero over the Atlantic Ocean. Corben walks through the depths and returns to America to seek revenge on Lane who unleashes Metal-2.0, a new cyborg soldier who is quickly defeated but sets off an explosive device. Corben is teleported away by the Secret Society of Super-Villains who offer Metallo a place among them. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Nightwing #28 (pp.9-20) (tie-in) Sonia Zucco apologises to Dick Grayson for her father’s actions and leaves town. Jen Pearson’s parents are murdered by a mugger. She reveals to Dick that she knows he’s Nightwing and asks find the mugger as his sidekick. When Dick refuses, Jen takes his gear to confront the killer, Mr Zsasz, herself… | |
| Nightwing #29 (tie-in) Nightwing tracks his gear and finds Jen just in time, saving her from Zsasz and taking him down. Dick gives Jen advice on how to deal with her loss. | |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #7.4: Black Adam 4000 years ago, Black Adam overthrew the barbaric Ibac the First and freed Kahndaq. In the present day, the terrorist/revolutionary Sons of Adam fight to reclaim Kahndaq once again by resurrecting Black Adam following his most recent death (during SHAZAM!). Black Adam kills Ibac’s modern descendent and becomes Kahndaq’s protector once more. But the sight of technology proclaiming “the world is ours” enrages him further… Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #1 (pp.1-12) While Lex Luthor tries to perform a threateningly hostile takeover of Kord Industries with Thomas Kord aboard his helicopter, an EMP causes it to crash into LexCorp Tower. Kord falls to his death. The Grid has started shutting down the power in major cities, starting with Metropolis, and proclaims “the world is ours”. On his way to dropping off Mr Zsasz at Arkham Asylum, Nightwing is captured by the Crime Syndicate. Ultraman steals Kryptonite from LexCorp. |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #1 (pp.13) / Flash #23.3: The Rogues (p.1) The upgraded Rogues break into Iron Heights to free the Trickster. Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| ✔ | Flash #23.3: The Rogues (pp.2-16) Earlier, the Rogues aborted a bank heist when people were endangered, sticking to their rule that Rogues don’t kill. Afterwards, Glider successfully pulled Mirror Master out of the Mirror World, but lost her astral form. Captain Cold became leader again and decided to break the Trickster out of jail. Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #1 (pp.14) / Flash #23.3: The Rogues (p.17) The Rogues are bowled over by someone reminiscent of the Flash… Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| ✔ | Flash #23.3: The Rogues (p.18) The knock-off ‘Flash’ gives Captain Cold a coin, marking the Rogues’ membership in the Secret Society. The team free the Trickster… Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Aquaman 23.2: Ocean Master (pp.1-5) Ocean Master’s legal counsel warns him he may be facing the death penalty (following his actions during THRONE OF ATLANTIS). Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #1 (pp.15) / Aquaman #23.1: Black Manta (pp.1-3) Death Storm and Power Ring stage a break-out at Belle Reve Prison, interrupting Amanda Waller’s failing attempt to recruit Black Manta into the Suicide Squad. Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Aquaman 23.2: Ocean Master (pp.6-7) Ocean Master’s legal counsel is killed in the explosion at Belle Reve. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Aquaman #23.1: Black Manta (pp.4-9) As the super-criminals flee Belle Reve, King Shark offers Black Manta a place among the Secret Society. Black Manta and Ocean Master cross paths as they retrieve their gear. Black Manta commandeers a helicopter and escapes Belle Reve. 1st appearance: Angle Man/Angelo Bend Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Aquaman 23.2: Ocean Master (pp.8-11) Ocean Master departs Belle Reve. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #1 (pp.16-17) Ultraman powders and inhales the Kryptonite to power up. |
| Wonder Woman #23.1: Cheetah (pp.1-3) The Cheetah is among those who have escaped Belle Reve. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Superman #23.4: Parasite When Metropolis was impacted by a living alien flu Joshua Allen was tested for his exposure at STAR Labs. But he transformed into a parasite who fed off life-forces. When Superman tried to stop him, Joshua fed from Superman and became considerably more powerful. Now, a breakout at Belle Reeve prison allows the Parasite the chance to escape and return to Metropolis… 1st appearance: Parasite/Joshua Allen Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman #23.4: Bane (pp.1-8) Bane leaves Peña Dura Prison, Santa Prisca, loads up a ship with Venom and heads for Gotham City. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #1 (pp.18) In Arkham Asylum, Two-Face, Poison Ivy, Mister Freeze and Riddler are all invited into the Society by Scarecrow during another breakout. |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Wonder Woman #23.1: Cheetah (pp.4-20) US Marshal Mark Shaw tracks Cheetah to a commune in Idaho run by her aunt – the woman who turned her into the Cheetah. Aunt Lyta hunts Shaw, but Cheetah kills her aunt remove the last person who ever knew Barbara Minerva. Warp teleports Cheetah away before Shaw can even try and apprehend her. 1st appearance: Mark Shaw Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman and Robin #23.1: Two-Face Scarecrow gives Two-Face a coin, offering him a place in the Secret Society. Two-Face accepts based on the toss of his own coin. He chooses to kill rioters on Gotham’s streets or make them or make stand trial at the toss of a coin, too. This brings him into conflict with the Secret Society, so he kills their goons and returns the coin. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Green Lantern #23.3: Black Hand Black Hand materialises back on Earth in the mortuary where he was raised. Finding riots and murder on the streets, he raises the dead and sends them after the police. He heads to the cemetery where Hal Jordan’s father is buried and raises him form the grave. The zombie Martin Jordan gives Black Hand his own right hand to replace the one his son cost him. Then Black Hand raises all the dead in the cemetery… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #1 (pp.19-34) / Aquaman #23.1: Black Manta (pp.10-13) At the site of the Justice League’s downed Watchtower satellite station, the Crime Syndicate of Earth-3 announce the death of the Justice League and unmask the captured Nightwing. Ultraman kills the Monocle for implying they’re the Justice League masquerading as villains. Ultraman blocks out the Sun with the Moon. Lex Luthor wonders where Superman is… 1st appearance: Fearsome Five (Gizmo/Mikron O’Jeneus, Jinx, Mammoth/Baran Flinders, Psimon/Simon Jones, Shimmer/Selinda Flinders), Magpie/Margaret Pye, Monocle/Jonathan Cheval, Royal Flush Gang (Ace of Spades, Jack of Clubs, King of Spades), Slipknot, Weasel/John Monroe Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Batman #23.4: Bane (pp.9-11) Bane witnesses the eclipse from his ship. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Aquaman #23.1: Black Manta (pp.14-20) The tides are impacted by Ultraman moving the Moon, washing away Black Manta’s father’s grave. With Aquaman dead, Black Manta redirects his hate toward the Crime Syndicate. Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3: Clayface (pp.1-7) After a heist doesn’t go to plan due to his temper, Clayface finds out the Justice League are dead. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Aquaman #23.2: Ocean Master (pp.12-20) Ocean Master kills two murderous escapees and saves a human boy from more. 1st appearance: Erin Shaw, Tommy Shaw Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #4 (pp.8-20) Pandora returns to Prime Earth where she asks Marcus Severin to repair the Box. She then turns to Vandal Savage to help her find the Outsider. He hands over his coin and she uses it to locate the Outsider inside the Watchtower. [There’s a sizeable continuity error here – just assume Pandora is attending a second meeting of villains] Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #5 (pp.1-11) The Outsider reveals to Pandora that she didn’t bring evil to the world. It was already there. And there’s no way to open the broken Box. She escapes before the Grid can catch her, but she teleports away… | |
| Justice League of America 7.2: Killer Frost Years ago, Dr Caitlin Snow’s colleagues at a secluded STAR Labs Arctic outpost tried to kill her on HIVE’s behalf. Instead, she was transformed into Killer Frost. After the Crime Syndicate reveal the Justice League are dead, Killer Frost turns her back on the Society, believing her one chance to be cured is gone now that Firestorm is dead. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Flash #23.1: Grodd The denizens of Gorilla City have successfully formed a peaceful alliance with the people of Central City (following the events of GORILLA WARFARE). But Grodd arrives with his new powers, ready to stake his claim. He fights off Society members and his fellow gorillas and takes over Central City on no time. But he quickly abandons it all out of boredom. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman and Robin #23.3: Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins With the Justice League dead, the Electroctioner is sent to offer Ra’s al Ghul a place among the Secret Society of Super-Villains. Electrocutioner tries to kill Ra’s when he rejects the offer, but Ra’s spears him first and leaves him to bleed out. 1st appearance: Ra’s al Ghul Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Justice League of America #7.1: Deadshot Deadshot recalls how the senseless death of his mother, father & sister changed the direction of his life. After he finally gets a chance at revenge (while getting paid for it), Deadshot gets a call from Amanda Waller who tells him Belle Reve is gone. She sends him $12,000,000 to come help her… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #1 (pp.1-10) When the Crime Syndicate appeared, Zatanna teleported Steve Trevor to safety. After he’s found by ARGUS agent Etta Candy, he’s shown the ruins of ARGUS HQ which was destroyed by Doctor Light’s activation (during TRINITY WAR). Since then, the identities of ARGUS agents have been made public and they’re being systematically murdered. |
| Detective Comics #23.2: Harley Quinn Disinterested in the Crime Syndicate’s plans and devoid of purpose, Harley Quinn returns to Gotham City. Days ago, she gave free game consoles to kids. Now she blows them up out of boredom. Deadshot approaches her, asking her to return to the Suicide Squad… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Suicide Squad #24 (pp.1-4) Amanda Waller narrowly avoids death at the hands of the rioting prisoners who have taken control of Blackgate Penitentiary. She finds a panic room and sends orders to Deadshot to assemble a team and head for the Rocky Mountains. | |
| Batman #23.4: Bane (pp.9-14) Blackgate is targeted by costumed criminals under Bane’s direction from his ship. He orders the capture of the Scarecrow. 1st appearance: Agatha Zorbatos Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Flash #23.3: The Rogues (p.19-20) After gathering with the Secret Society, the Rogues return to Central City to take it back, but find it in ruins… Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #2 (pp.1-4) Deathstroke’s crew prepare to attack the Whitehouse. Lex Luthor heads into the bowels of the LexCorp building. The Teen Titans prepare to rescue Nightwing. |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #1 (pp.1-12) The Rogues are horrified by what Grodd has done to Central City. The CCPD are in chains and the surviving gorillas have fled to Gorilla City. The Rogues free the cops and find Glider in the hospital. The Secret Society send Black Bison, Hyena, Multiplex, Plastique and Typhoon to encourage the Rogues to destroy what’s left of Central City. Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Suicide Squad #24 (pp.5-11) Deadshot recruits Captain Boomerang. Meanwhile, the Thinker manipulates the Belle Reve inmates into making a huge device for the Crime Syndicate. The psychopath James Gordon Jr decides to take Thinker down. 1st appearance: Thinker | |
| Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3: Clayface (pp.8-19) Clayface tries to earn the attention of the Secret Society by killing the Resistance who are rising up against then. But the ‘Resistance’ was bait set up by the Secret Society to draw out rogue superheroes. After being insulted by their contact, Clayface’s tantrum sets off a destruct sequence and he blows himself up. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #1 (pp.11-20) Steve Trevor leads the last few ARGUS agents to the White House to save the President from Deathstroke, Shadow Thief, Giganta & Copperhead. Back at ARGUS HQ, the deceased Doctor Light appears before everyone in a state of confusion… |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #2 (pp.1-11) Steve Trevor’s team is wiped out. Only the Society members falling over each other and the clever use of explosives allows him to escape with the President. Earlier, in Rhode Island, Killer Frost drained the life of rampaging villain, the Hotness |
| ✔ | Justice League #23.4: Secret Society The Joker of Earth 3 tried to break Owlman’s control over Gotham City, starting by killing his sidekick Talon (Dick Grayson). Then he squirted a fluid into Alfred Pennyworth’s face that made him laugh uncontrollably. Just as Owlman killed the Joker, the skies turned red. A week later, Alfred and Atomica escaped to Prime Earth and started forming a Secret Society of Super-Villains. Now he knows Owlman will ask the captured Nightwing to join them. But the Outsider will convince him to kill Nightwing instead… Also see VILLAINS MONTH |
| Batman #23.2: The Riddler The Riddler arranges for a protest outside Wayne Enterprises Tower while he stages the ultimate break-in (for the first time since ZERO YEAR). Part of the reason for the break-in is to take his revenge on security officer and former-Arkham guard, George Lesley. Succeeding in breaking through to the top floor, the Riddler plays solitaire on the roof, awaiting news that his greatest opponent, Batman, isn’t dead after all. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Detective Comics #23.4: Man-Bat (pp.8-11) Now, Man-Bat is now Gotham’s protector in Batman’s absence, though his methods are far more deadly. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman and Robin #23.2: The Court of Owls The Court of Owls have been controlling Gotham City for centuries, using their assassins, the Talons, to remove anyone who doesn’t follow their grand plan or might expose them. In 1862, one rogue Talon – Felix Harmon – went on a killing spree and had to be contained. Now, there are riots on the streets of Gotham. One of the Owls and his daughter head beneath the city to unleash the first Talon… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3: Clayface (pp.8-19) Clayface joins another crew looking to carry out a job, but he has plans of his own. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #2 (pp.5-11) The Crime Syndicate escaped their world because something even more powerful than them laid waste to it. Ultraman insists that the ‘hitchhiker’ they brought with them should remain alive. Ultraman heads to Khandaq and orders Deathstorm and Power Ring to deal with the rebellious Rogues in Central City. Superwoman is secretly pregnant with Owlman’s child. They both have plans to despatch Ultraman and take this world for themselves. |
| ✔ | Justice League #24 In another universe, on a Krypton where only the strongest survive, Jor-Il kills anyone attempting to leave the dying planet so that his son may escape. On Earth, Kal-Il gained the power to rule his new home-world alongside the Crime Syndicate. The being who destroyed Krypyon devastated Earth 3. Now, while Owlman is busy dealing with Prime Earth’s non-powered criminal organisations, Ultraman stops off at the Daily Planet. He breaks Jimmy Olsen’s hand and throws Lois Lane across the office. Black Adam bursts in and attacks Ultraman before he can kill Lois and Jimmy. But Ultraman may have the upper hand… 1st appearance: Doom Patrol (Celsius/Arani Desai, Negative Woman/Valentina Vostok, Tempest/Joshua Clay) |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Justice League #25 (pp.1-14) 30 years ago in Gotham City on Earth 3, young Thomas Wayne Jr decided to shoot his mother in an alley to ensure his own inheritance. When his younger brother, Bruce Wayne, tried to stop him, Alfred Pennyworth shot Thomas & Martha Wayne as well as Bruce. The younger Thomas puts a final bullet in his brother. Now, as Owlman, Thomas Wayne Jr has called all the major crime families together for a meet, but immediately starts killing every one of them. Family member Eel O’Brian is doused in chemicals and set on fire. Owlman lets a few live to galvanise the families under his direction. 1st appearance: Patrick ‘Eel’ O’Brian |
| Suicide Squad #24 (pp.12-20) “Amanda Waller” recruits another team – Warrant, Steel, Power Girl & the Unknown Soldier – telling them the Suicide Squad have gone rogue and sided with the Crime Syndicate. The Suicide Squad get to the weapon – the One-Machine Attack Construct aka OMAC – first and report their success to Waller. The Thinker pretended to be Amanda Waller when he hired the Unknown Soldier’s team. Unaware of this, they follow “her” orders to kill the Suicide Squad. The real Waller – now wearing a collar – orders the Squad not to bring OMAC to Belle Reve… | |
| Suicide Squad #25 (pp.1-10) The Unknown Soldier figures his team have been hired by a fake Amanda Waller and ends the enmity between his group and the Suicide Squad. But Harley Quinn steals OMAC out from under them all on the Thinker’s behalf. She switches him on and he blasts the two squads. She then escapes with OMAC in a jet… | |
| Justice League Dark #24 A battered John Constantine wakes up the House of Mystery with no memory of how he survived the encounter with the Crime Syndicate. He seems to find himself in random places all over the world (or is he still in the House?), observed by malevolent spirits sowing negativity among humanity. They come together, forming a smoky serpentine Blight. He wakes to find himself taunted by the Justice League Dark and Zatanna, but it’s all an illusion cast by his old flame, the Nightmare Nurse. She’s here to help Constantine and she’s brought her own Swamp Thing… 1st appearance: Blight | |
| Justice League Dark #25 (pp.1-11) The real Swamp Thing sprouts from the duplicate and takes his anger out on John Constantine and Nightmare Nurse. With that behind them, they join forces to tackle the growing Blight – the evil creature living in humanity’s collective unconscious… | |
| Batman: The Dark Knight #23.2: Mister Freeze Following the recent revelations about his mother and Nora Fields (see NIGHT OF THE OWLS), Mister Freeze decided to track down the father who abandoned him. The Arkham breakout gave him the chance to locate his father, only to discover he’d already died. So Freeze freezes his father’s family to ‘preserve’ them. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Suicide Squad #25 (pp.11-20) Back at Belle Reve, unlikely allies James Gordon Jr and Amanda Waller head down to Level 7. While James fends off an attack by King Shark and assures him Waller will help him find his father, Waller herself locates Task Force Y, who turns out to be Kamo, King Shark’s dad. 1st appearance: Kamo/Chondrakha | |
| Suicide Squad #26 Kamo was imprisoned at Belle Reve as a potential weapon to use against Superman. But now, Kamo and King Shark – father & son – fight it out. Above ground, Harley arrives in the Suicide Squad jet and drops OMAC off. James Gordon Jr stabs Harley and slaps an explosive collar on her. Waller lies to Kamo, convincing him to let King Shark live and focus on destroying OMAC to break the spell that traps him here. Thinker transfers his consciousness into OMAC and attacks Kamo, Gordon and Harley Quinn. Buried under rock in Colorado, Deadshot lives! | |
| Suicide Squad #27 Power Girl and Steel stop the collapsed mountain base from crushing the Suicide Squad, Unknown Soldier and Warrant. Deadshot plans on taking his revenge on Harley. Warrant plans on killing Deadshot, but Deadshot gets rid of him at the first opportunity. Back at Belle Reve, Amanda Waller realises Kevin Kho’s consciousness is trapped in OMAC with the Thinker… |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #2 (pp.11-22) Lex Luthor’s Subject: B-Zero is five years from being ready, though he has no choice but to unleash his Superman clone before it degrades, anyway. Luthor dons his new battle armour. Johnny Quick starts killing the police gathered at the downed Watchtower when the Teen Titans arrive. Quick messes with the frequency that keeps Kid Flash in the present, sending him screaming back to the future. The Titans fall. |
| Suicide Squad #28 Power Girl, Unknown Soldier, Deadshot, Steel and Captain Boomerang arrive at Belle Reve in time to see OMAC rip Kamo in half. The heavy hitters attack, but are quickly defeated. Boomerang arrives late, but Thinker/OMAC doesn’t even bother to beat him down. Under Waller’s orders, Deadshot and Harley find a set of bullets that briefly give superpowers. Deadshot shoots Harley, Waller, then himself… | |
| Suicide Squad #29 Deadshot shoots the Unknown Soldier with a magic bullet and he joins Deadshot and Harley Quinn in attacking OMAC. King Shark, Power Girl and Steel add their might while Kevin Kho defeats the Thinker in OMAC’s mind. But Captain Boomerang fails to understand the situation and knocks OMAC into the other dimensional portal known as the Toilet. Waller reveals the ‘magic bullets’ are also the new-model nano-bombs. Now Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Unknown Soldier and James Gordon Jr are officially back in the Suicide Squad. | |
| Detective Comics #23.1: Poison Ivy The rioting and brutality in Gotham City reminds Poison Ivy of moments in her childhood. She recalls murder of her mother at the hands of her father and how she took revenge. Getting fired from Wayne Enterprises led to the accident that gave her powers. Now she uses her abilities to turn Gotham into her ‘Green Kingdom’… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman and Robin #23.4: Killer Croc Three dirty cops lead a SWAT team into Gotham’s sewers to locate evidence that ties them to a smuggling operation. They’re taken out one-by-one by Killer Croc who’s intent on avenging the one man who ever showed him kindness. While the world burns above, Croc continues to build an empire beneath Gotham. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #2 (pp.23-24) At STAR Labs in Detroit, Dr Silas Stone and Dr Thomas Morrow prepare to defend the Red Room from villains wanting to steal their dangerous tech. Batman and Catwoman arrive with what’s left of Cyborg. Batman tells Stone the Justice League didn’t make it. |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #3 (pp.1-14) Batman explains how he witnessed the three Leagues being sucked into the Firestorm Matrix, while he and Catwoman escaped with Cyborg. Batman is informed of Nightwing’s capture. Lex Luthor taps into a LexCorp satellite that allows him to witness Ultraman breaking Black Adam’s jaw and teeth, then dropping him into the sea. |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #1 (pp.13-20) The Rogues defeat the Society villains, but are faced with Deathstorm and Power Ring… | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #3 (pp.15-19) / Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #2 (pp.1-9) In Central City, the cowardly Power Ring attacks the Rogues. Deathstorm depowers Captain Cold before the Rogues make their escape via a reflective surface. Power Ring shatters it… |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #2 (pp.10-12) The Rogues materialise in Metropolis, but their powers are all messed up. And Mirror Master finds he can’t make portals. | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #3 (pp.19-20) / Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #2 (pp.13) The Rogues contact the powerless Captain Cold who’s elsewhere in Metropolis, near Lex Luthor. |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #2 (pp.14-20) The Rogues are attacked by the Archer and the Parasite who aim to impress the Syndicate. Archer is easily despatched, but Parasite proves to be too much for them. The Rogues escape into the Mirror World, but they’re immediately expelled into Gotham City where Poison Ivy awaits… | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #3 (pp.21-24) Black Manta pulls Black Adam out of the water and is greeted by Luthor, B-Zero and Captain Cold. They join forces in the hope of defeating the Crime Syndicate together. |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #3 Poison Ivy asks Weather Wizard and his fellow Rogues to find a way to restore the sunlight for her precious plants. Mirror Master and Heat Wave fight their way past Man-Bat Commandos to steal parts from Wayne Tech, allowing Mirror Master to create a system that provides sunlight for Ivy. But Ivy gets greedy and betrays the Rogues. A Man-Bat Commando snatches Weather Wizard and delivers him, unconscious, to Mister Freeze and Clayface… 1st appearance: Archer | |
| ✔ | Justice League #25 (pp.15-22) While Ultraman is busy with Metallo, Owlman asks for Nightwing’s help in saving the world from the Crime Syndicate. Nightwing agrees. Superwoman hears their conversation. |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #4 Mister Freeze wants the Weather Wizard to turn Gotham to a frozen wasteland he can control, but Mirror Master and Heat Wave fight back. Black Mask and his False Face Society come to claim the bounty on the Rogues. Meanwhile, Mr Zsasz fails to kill the Trickster who procures a vehicle to rescue his teammates in. Heat Wave sacrifices himself to burn the Gotham villains and allows the other Rogues to escape. They escape Gotham, but are confronted by the Royal Flush Gang who have Glider as a hostage… 1st appearance: Ace of Diamonds, Ace of Hearts, Jack of Diamonds, Jack of Hearts | |
| ✔ | Justice League #26 The Grid downloads Power Ring’s file to learn his history – how the alien Abin Sur crash-landed on Earth 3 and gave him the Ring of Volthoom. He learns how two criminals on the run became Atomica and Johnny Quick. How disgraced Professor Martin Stein was hired to find the Crime Syndicate’s weaknesses, but experimented on himself and became Deathstorm. But Superwoman’s files have been deleted. At STAR Labs, Cyborg finally wakes up… |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #5 (pp.1-5) The Royal Flush Gang have commandeered Trickster’s stolen truck and drive the three remaining Rogues from Gotham towards Central City. Weather Wizard causes them to crash. Weather Wizard walks off in anger, leaving only Mirror Master and Trickster… | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #4 (pp.1-8) Batman takes a blindfolded Catwoman to the Batcave. Once there, he shows her his contingencies for bringing down the Justice League. But they’re being watched by the Grid. In Metropolis, Lex Luthor resuscitates Black Adam. Black Adam rebuilds his Cold Gun. 1st appearance: Injustice League |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #8 Martian Manhunter and Stargirl wake in a superhuman prison that constructs environments for its inmates. Manhunter seeks out other prisoners and finds it has adapted to Wonder Woman, Flash, Superman, Shazam and Green Lantern, offering them their own private heaven or hell – whichever best subdues them. Meanwhile, Stargirl escapes and finds herself in the ruins of Washington… |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #4 (pp.9-11) Metallo’s attack on an Utah army depot is interrupted when Ultraman rips out his Kryptonite heart. Superwoman arrives and tells Ultraman she’s pregnant and that Owlman is about to betray them. |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #9 Martian Manhunter finds Madame Xanadu and Aquaman losing their minds as the prison’s false realities get darker. Stargirl heads back down into the prison to find Martian Manhunter, who has met the final prisoner – himself! Stargirl bursts in and saves the Martian from his duplicate and flies him to the surface. But instead of safety, she finds Deathstroke and his squad… |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #4 (pp.12-13) Ultraman tasks Deathstorm with figuring out how to create Kryptonite, leaving Power Ring to deal with the Rogues. As Atomica and Johnny Quick are busy with the Doom Patrol, Grid sends someone else to help Power Ring. |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Justice League #27 (pp.1-6) Johnny Quick and Atomica kill Celsius, Karma, Negative Woman and Scorch of the Doom Patrol. 1st appearance: Robotman/Cliff Steele |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #10 Stargirl takes a pounding from Blockbuster, Giganta and the others while the prison’s influence distracts her and makes her fixate on her past. Trapped in Stargirl’s head somehow, Martian Manhunter helps her concentrate, fight back and escape. Stargirl angrily expels Martian Manhunter from her body and leaves to find her family. Manhunter realises the Justice League are trapped inside the Firestorm Matrix. But it’s about to blow… |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #4 (pp.14-24) Luthor, Black Adam, Black Manta, Captain Cold and the creature now calling itself Bizarro break into Wayne Enterprises through the sewer. They run right into Batman & Catwoman, as well as Power Ring with Deathstroke’s band of villains. Batman uses the Sinestro Corps Ring against Power Ring, but he shatters it. Sinestro arrives, looking to reclaim the ring… 1st appearance: Subject B-0/Bizarro (full) |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #5 Lex Luthor’s ‘Injustice League’ take on Deathstroke’s Society crew. Black Manta kills Shadow Thief. Luthor convinces Deathstroke to switch sides, which he proves he’s willing to do by killing Copperhead. Sinestro annihilates Power Ring, prompting his the Ring of Volthoom to seek out a new host. But the search pulse it sends out echos across the multiverse, inadvertently alerting the creature who left Earth 3 in ruins. Sinestro agrees to join the Injustice League, but the group reject Batman’s leadership and his orders not to kill. |
| Detective Comics #23.4: Man-Bat (pp.12-14) Gotham PD open fire on Man-Bat following another example of bloodthirsty ‘heroics’. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman: The Dark Knight 23.1: The Ventriloquist The telekinetic Ventriloquist reopens a Gotham City theatre with the promise of food and shelter for those who need it. When a band of desperate Gothamites head inside, Ventriloquist puts on a creepy show. The Crime Alley Cretins also burst in and the Ventriloquist kills them all, adding to the audience of corpses… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #11 (pp.1-9) The weakened Martian Manhunter is attacked by Clayface while searching Gotham City for the Firestorm Matrix. Stargirl returns and fries Clayface. They’re observed by Despero as they depart for Los Angeles… |
| Detective Comics #23.3: Scarecrow The Scarecrow enters the Gotham territories of Two-Face, Mister Freeze and Riddler and to warn him that someone is coming to claim Blackgate and go to war with the rest of Gotham City. His efforts to recruit Killer Croc don’t go so well, but he reveals a power source owned by the Court of Owls keeping Talons frozen in stasis that could save Poison Ivy’s plants, winning her over. But ultimately, Scarecrow plans to come out on top and to take Gotham City for himself… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Batman #23.4: Bane (pp.15-20) Off the coast of Gotham, Bane rallies his troops and grants them doses of Venom as he prepares to take the city… Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| Forever Evil: Arkham War #1 Bane has taken Blackgate Prison from interim Warden, Agatha Zorbatos, and gained access to the Talons stored in stasis. Adding them to his army of 2000 men, he plans to crush Gotham’s lunatics. Scarecrow continues to seek out recruits, including Professor Pyg. But Bane targets Pyg first. Meanwhile, Penguin plans to cut Gotham off from the world… | |
| Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #12 Despite being erased from existence by Zauriel (during TRINITY WAR), the Phantom Stranger materialises back on Earth in his old home. God – in the form of a dog – has rewarded his sacrifice by giving him another chance. Elsewhere, Chris Esperanza still struggles to adjust after being resurrected by the Phantom Stranger. Chris teleports to the Stranger just as he’s looking to confront Doctor Thirteen over running the Spear of Destiny into him. But Thirteen has committed suicide. Chris brings Thirteen back to life and reveals the Question was the one who forced Thirteen’s hand. The Stranger returns home to find the Sin-Eater has torched his house… | |
| Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #13 (pp.1-3) The Sin-Eater departs, leaving the Phantom Stranger in his burning home… |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Justice League Dark #25 (pp.12-21) In the depths of the ocean, Earth 3’s Sea King returns to life. Constantine, Nightmare Nurse and Swamp Thing confront the Blight, but it proves to be too powerful and casts them out if his plane. Elsewhere, low-level magician Cassandra Craft is kidnapped by demons. 1st appearance: Cassandra Craft | |
| Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #13 (pp.4-19) The Phantom Stranger erases the memory of the Stark family from their neighbours. Zauriel comes to apologise for erasing the Stranger from existence and to remind him to give the piece of Doctor Light’s soul to his family, as promised. The Phantom Stranger confronts the Question over killing him, which becomes a violent confrontation. The Spear of Destiny teleports them to Israel as they fight. Zauriel puts an end to it and takes the Spear. But the Stranger is teleported away against his will… | |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #5 (pp.12-17) Pandora finds herself in another dimension, then materialises back in time where her past-self thinks she’s responsible for the death of everyone in her village. | |
| Justice League Dark #25 (pp.22-23) After 12 hours of dark casting, John Constantine summons and chains Pandora, the Question and the Phantom Stranger… | |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #5 (pp.18-20) Trinity of Sin: Phantom Stranger #13 (pp.19-20) The Phantom Stranger, the Question and Pandora – the Trinity of Sin – find themselves in the Rock of Eternity in chains. Swamp Thing, John Constantine and Nightmare Nurse sit before them, asking to them help them kill all evil… | |
| Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #14 Pandora and the Question fight back against John Constantine, Nightmare Nurse and Swamp Thing until the Phantom Stranger reveals they’re really in the House of Mystery. Question teleports away, but Pandora agrees to help fight Blight. She convinces the Stranger to join this new Justice League Dark, too. Elsewhere, the Blue Devil is taken by demons. And Blight chooses Chris Esperanza to be his vessel. He uses his power to rip Constantine and the others from the House of Mystery… | |
| Constantine #9 The new Justice League Dark regain consciousness in a blacked-out New York City. Blight’s merge with Chris Esperanza has allowed him to cross over to the physical plane along with the mutated Seven Deadly Sins. The JLD nearly contain Blight, but he escapes and goes straight for Constantine. Elsewhere, someone has imprisoned numerous magic-users on behalf of the Crime Syndicate… | |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #6 Pandora wards off Blight and the team fight to save New York’s citizens from Blight’s flame. Blight attacks the JLD, decapitating Constantine and slaughtering the others. The JLD’s bodies materialise in Doctor Thirteen’s house… | |
| Justice League Dark #26 John Constantine sees a vision of Deadman before the Justice League Dark wake up thanks to Nightmare Nurse’s Rod of Asclepius. Now that Blight thinks they’re dead, the JLD – minus the Phantom Stranger – head to the Pacific to seek out Deadman. Instead, they find the body of the Crime Syndicate’s Sea King which is now home to Deadman who leaped into Sea King’s body to avoid detection. The team magically free the Sea King’s body of the last remnants of the original owner’s influence (and that of the spirits of Nan Madol) and give Deadman full control. Elsewhere, the Phantom Stranger has handed Doctor Thirteen over to Blight… | |
| Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #15 Under God’s orders, the Phantom Stranger has surrendered himself and Doctor Thirteen to Blight, who has also taken Chris Esperanza’s family prisoner. The Stranger goes against God’s orders to free the Esperanzas. Chris explains how he offered to partner with Blight. The Phantom Stranger escapes and returns to the Justice League Dark, suggesting they confront God over why he doesn’t help. Elsewhere, Deadman seeks to use his Sea King body to help find the original JLD. In a hidden location, Ultraman oversees the project run by Nick Necro and Felix Faust which includes the kidnaping of magic users, including Mindwarp who doesn’t survive their experiments. | |
| Constantine #10 The Spectre and Zauriel block the path of the Phantom Stranger and the Justice League Dark until God (in dog form) allows them through. Constantine angrily confronts God over his refusal to save Earth from Blight and the Crime Syndicate, then tricks Zauriel into pursuing him back to Earth. God gave each member a different insight, now Zauriel joins their fight. |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #7 Pandora leads the charge against Blight on the George Washington Bridge and accesses incredible power inspired by God’s question to her. She relieves Chris of the Blight armour, but he reclaims it. So she drags Blight/Chris down into the water below… | |
| Justice League Dark #27 Pandora, Zauriel and the Phantom Stranger enter the collective consciousness in search of the human at Blight’s heart. Nightmare Nurse and Constantine use the Blackmare Curse to transform themselves into evil creatures, attacking Blight’s physical form with Deadman/Sea King and Swamp Thing. Zauriel imbues Chris Esperanza with the will of God, transforming him into the Spirit of Redemption. Now Constantine knows where Zatanna and the others are… | |
| Forever Evil: Arkham War #2 Bane’s Venomised army and the freed prisoners of Blackgate have been storming the sections of Gotham claimed by the Arkham escapees. With Bane’s forces falling daily, he turns to the Penguin for an alliance. Penguin agrees to help in exchange for the head of Ignatius Ohilvy, the Emperor Penguin. He also informs Bane that Scarecrow’s Society forces are storming Blackgate in his absence. Commissioner Jim Gordon and Detective Pierce rescue Agatha Zorbatos. Bane interrupts Scarecrow’s raid but let’s Gordon leave… | |
| Forever Evil: Arkham War #3 The Arkhamites claim seven Talons, with Bane retaining one. Killer Croc rescues Scarecrow and Man-Bat from Bane’s clutches. Bane hands Ogilvy over to Penguin who warns Bane that the crazies don’t fear him like they do Batman, inspiring him to make a new costume and proclaim himself the Batman! He beats Croc to a pulp and throws him from the top of Wayne Tower. Now he prepares to reclaim the Talons… | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #2 (pp.11-20) Steve Trevor returns to the ruins of ARGUS HQ with the President who hands over the ARGUS Key. With it, Trevor unlocks the Green Room – a magical panic room – for the President and Etta Candy. Next, he uses the Key to open the Wonder Room and use the Delphi Mirror to speak to the Moirai – aka the Weird Sisters… |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #3 Steve Trevor strikes a deal with the Moirai who teleport him to the home of Professor Martin Stein. Steve interrupts Killer Frost’s efforts to force him to cure her. After a scuffle, Frost agrees to help Stein and Steve Trevor track down Firestorm and free the Justice League. In ARGUS’s secret Green Room, Etta Candy meets the true founders of ARGUS. Elsewhere, Deathstorm offers Ronnie Raymond the chance to exit Firestorm in exchange for the secret of how to make Kryptonite. Doctor Light appears before his family, but they’re terrified. He teleports away and is located by the Crimson Men who offer Light a place among them… |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #11 (pp.10-22) Stargirl and Martian Manhunter stop off at Colorado to defeat a giant robot and some rampaging villains. They depart for LA again, but are attacked by Despero… |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #12 Despero tries to drown Stargirl and physically beats Martian Manhunter. Stargirl survives, but finds Manhunter broken. Under his insistence, Stargirl leaves him behind and heads for Los Angeles. But she’s attacked by Despero when she gets there. As Martian Manhunter breathes his last, he senses that Stargirl will find Firestorn and free the Justice League… |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #5 (pp.6-21) Trickster and Mirror Master confront the head of the Royal Flush Gang in Central City, but their presence is an illusion created by Mirror Master. Trickster rescues Glider from the hospital with help from Pied Piper and the Central City Police Department. Atomica & Johnny Quick arrive in Central City and are about to kill the two Rogues when Weather Wizard returns and uses his powers to slow them down. One of the Royal Flush Gang shoots Weather Wizard in the head, so Johnny Quick kills the Gang member for stealing his victory and is teleported back to the Watchtower with Atomica under Ultraman’s orders. Wizard is just grazed and dazed. Before they catch a break, Gorilla Grodd arrives with a horde of costumed criminals by his side… 1st appearance: Eight of Hearts | |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #6 Pied Piper leaves Glider’s side to fight with the Rogues against Grodd’s squad. His music wakes Glider’s spirit form and she takes charge of the Rogues again. They blow Grodd and his allies though a mirror and smash it! Central City is far from saved, but the Rogues will help rebuild. | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #4 The Grid locates Killer Frost and sends a squad of Secret Society villains to her location in Pennsylvania. Frost, Steve Trevor and Martin Stein escape to Detroit via a secret set of teleportation devices in Stein’s lab. Contact with Psi in ARGUS’ Circus lets him know he needs to retrieve Wonder Woman’s Lasso of Truth from Cheetah. In the Green Room, the President and the man behind ARGUS offer Lt Etta Candy a promotion… |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #16 John Constantine knows where Zatanna is, but has been driven mad by the Blackmare Curse. Nightmare Nurse and Phantom Stranger almost sleep together, but instead they step into Constantine’s mind to cure his madness. Sane again, Constantine reveals Zatanna is in Nanda Parbat (where the JLD recently faced Nick Necro & Felix Faust during WAR FOR THE BOOKS OF MAGIC). The Stranger transports the team there. Still in the Sea King’s body, Deadman fools Necro & Faust and is allowed to enter Nanda Parbat. The rest of the JLD sneak in under the cover of magic… | |
| Constantine #11 The Justice League Dark immediately spring a trap that separates John Constantine and Nightmare Nurse from the others. Constantine convinces the Nurse to focus on finding Zatanna, so the duo press on and locate Project Thaumaton – the gigantic device Blue Devil, Cassandra Craft, Black Orchid, Enchantress, Papa Midnite, Sargon the Sorceress, Shade the Changing Man and Blackbriar Thorn are restrained to. The Crime Syndicate are using them to power a weapon to destroy whatever’s left Earth 3 desolate. Constantine forces ‘Nightmare Nurse’ to unmask… revealing Nick Necro. John gets the upper hand, but Felix Faust knocks him out. Now the new JLD are all prisoners in this torture machine… | |
| Forever Evil: Arkham War #4 Bane (now the new ‘Batman’) finally revives William Cobb, his only Talon. Bane sends Talon to tear through the Arkhamites as they clash with the Blackgate escapees. The Ventriloquist’s puppet, Ferdie, smashes Mister Combustible’s glass head. Bane protects the innocents on the streets and steers them towards the safety of ‘Bane Tower’. Bane intends gaining control of Gotham and giving it to the Court of Owls, then focusing his intentions on what lies beyond the city. Elsewhere, Scarecrow and Mister Freeze awaken the Talons they now control… | |
| Forever Evil: Arkham War #5 Jim Gordon sends Gothamites across the water away from the city on small boats. The Arkhamites’ Talons slaughter Bane’s Venomised army and defeat Bane. Cobb’s trap cuts the Talons in half, kicking their regenerative abilities into action and breaking Scarecrow’s control. Scarecrow himself assumes the worst and uses the Venom sample he took from Bane to transform the Arkhamites against their will. | |
| Forever Evil: Arkham War #6 The Venom-induced Arkhamites assault Blackgate. Having shed his ‘Batman’ look, Bane joins the fight. Man-Bat picks Bane up and drops him at Arkham Asylum and the amped up crazies follow to confront him alone. But the Venom starts wearing off and the painful effects of withdrawal kicks in. Bane is triumphant and hands the fallen Arkhamites over to the Penguin. Bane decides to stay in Gotham now that the city is his… | |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #8 Nick Necro discovered Deadman’s ruse and activated the magical security at Nanda Parbat. The JLD surrendered. Necro & Faust use Nightmare Nurse to test the Thaumaton, burning out her body. Next he tests it on Pandora who bursts free in her armoured form. She teleports away with the Phantom Stranger and the blind psychic Cassandra Craft… | |
| Justice League Dark #28 Faust and Necro tap into Nanda Parbat’s pure magic, using the angel Zauriel as a conduit. Felix Faust prevents Zauriel’s escape by ripping off his wings. Constantine & Zatanna communicate via the lower astral plane – the Inbetween – but she seems unimpressed by his need to reunite with her. Nick Necro emerges on the plane and tries to recruit them, but they reject him. When he chooses to torture them, Faust tries to stop him in order to avoid the Syndicate’s wrath. In New York, the Phantom Stranger is about to recruit Chris Esperanza, but finds he’s under the protection of the Spectre… | |
| Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #17 Chris Esperanza – now the Spirit of Redemption – arrives, carrying an aspect of God in his dog form and ending the dispute between the Spectre and the Phantom Stranger. Chris is unable to help while he adjusts to his new role. Instead he grants the Stranger and Craft love. The Stranger teleports to Las Vegas with Cassandra and Pandora, looking to bargain with the Sons of Trigon. Though it briefly descends into violence the Sons agree to help the Phantom Stranger when they learn of his true suffering… | |
| ✔ | Justice League #27 (pp.7-22) At STAR Labs, Silas Stone and Thomas Morrow rebuild Victor Stone as Cyborg using future tech from a spacecraft hidden in the real Red Room. Cyborg heads to Maryland to ask Dr Will Magnus for help… |
| ✔ | Justice League #28 Six months ago, at the US Army Research Laboratory, Will Magnus built the Metal Men using his Responsometer to emply them as search & rescue robots. They emerged with full personas – more human than he expected. But when the army decided to send them on missions to eliminate targets, the Metal Men refused and fled. Someone stole the eighth Responsometer and used it to create Chemo. The Metal Men sacrificed themselves to stop Chemo. Now, Cyborg convinces Magnus to reactivate the recovered Responsometers and bring back the Metal Men to help him stop the Grid… |
| ✔ | Justice League #29 (pp.1-4) Will Magnus gets the Metal Men back online and they agree to help Cyborg rescue the Justice League. |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #5 At Crimson House Delta, the Crimson Men offer Doctor Light the chance to become human again in exchange for a special task. Steve Trevor and Killer Frost head to New York where they’re overpowered by Cheetah’s Menagerie – a band of animal-themed villains. Steve wrests the Lasso from Cheetah because his heart is purer. Killer Frost escapes captivity and rejoins the fight. Just as they achieve victory, Doctor Light flies in and attacks Steve… |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #6 (pp.1-18) In the Green Room, ‘Mr Green’ explains to Etta that ARGUS has existed for hundreds of years. Since the late 1800s, ARGUS has come under attack from the Crimson and their Crimson Men who want to bring about the red skies of the apocalypse. With the new superhuman threat, Lt Etta Candy’s job is to keep Steve Trevor alive! Meanwhile, in New York, Steve Trevor’s consciousness briefly falls into the hands of the Moirai who unlock a memory from the Trinity War – the moment when Wonder Woman admitted to Steve she no longer loves him. Revived, Steve and Killer Frost battle Doctor Light. Steve uses the lasso to prove to Light that the Crimson Men have lied to him. Light teleports away. Martian Manhunter psychically contacts Steve Trevor. Steve and Killer Frost depart for Rhode Island. |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #13 Stargirl arrives in Los Angeles to find her family’s home in ruins. She’s followed by Despero, but she overpowers him with her Cosmic Staff. She locates the Firestorm Matrix, but none of it’s real. She never escaped the prison and everything she recently experienced was created by Despero. Martian Manhunter is alive and was contacted by Steve Trevor who told him to use Wonder Woman’s lasso to free the League. |
| ✔ | Forever Evil: ARGUS #6 (pp.19-20) Mr Green exits the Green Room and dons a skull mask for a meeting with the Crimson Men. Steve Trevor’s clash with Doctor Light was a test. ‘Mr Green’ is a Crimson agent intent on destroying the organisation from within… |
| Constantine #12 Nick Necro has been divining the future. And it’s not good. He gives Constantine the means to escape the Thaumaton and takes control of Deadman and Swamp Thing, using them to attack him. Constantine hurls his magic blade into Necro’s chest, but falls through a portal into Hell. Now the Swamp Thing is free of Necro’s control… and he’s angry! | |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora #9 Approaching Nanda Parbat, Pandora senses the deaths of Nick Necro and John Constantine. Deadman is free from the Sea King’s body. The Swamp Thing’s rage grows to enormous proportions, threatening Nanda Parbat. The desperate Felix Faust uses a device to pull the secrets of the captured magicians into his mind, all at once. He even learns the truth about Pandora – she’s not human or from this universe. The Thaumaton blasts the gigantic Swamp Thing. Zauriel saves Constantine from Hell. A second John Constantine knocks Faust out and decides to tap into all of the available magic himself… | |
| Justice League Dark #29 The powerful Constantine selflessly returns the stolen magic to the other sorcerers and dies. Pandora explains that the second ‘Constantine’ was one of John’s inner demons transformed into human form by his love for Zatanna. The Sons of Trigon turn on the gathered sorcerers. John Constantine teleports away to the House of Mystery, leaving Zatanna in charge and his former-teammates in great danger. The Spirits of Nanda Parbat transport the entire compound to another dimension. Zatanna teleports everyone back before Nanda Parbat explodes. Zatanna teleports to the House of Mystery and throws John Constantine out. | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #6 (pp.1-6) The Injustice League break into the Watchtower and find Nightwing strapped into the Murder Machine – a bomb that will detonate unless Nightwing’s heart stops. |
| ✔ | Justice League #29 (pp.5-7) Cyborg recaps the fate of the Justice League, the introduction of the Crime Syndicate and the origin of the Grid as he and the Metal Men approach the fallen Watchtower… |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #6 (pp.7-24) Trapped in the room with a bomb, Luthor shoots down Batman and prepares to kill Nightwing. Black Manta stabs the Outsider to death and unmasks the Syndicate’s hooded prisoner. Captain Cold freezes off Johnny Quick’s leg. Sinestro detects Firestorm in the Watchtower when the Syndicate return. Black Adam goes for Ultraman. The ‘hooded man’ – Alexander Luthor – speaks the word “Mazahs!”, breaks free and snaps Quick’s neck. This man wants the Syndicate dead and he’s powered by the team members he’s already killed… |
| ✔ | Justice League #29 (pp.8-24) Cyborg lures Grid out of the Watchtower and into a fight with the Metal Men. Grid teleports Society members Hector Hammond, Doctor Psycho and the Fearsome Five into the fray. Grid and Cyborg fight it out in the Digital Universe until Cyborg shuts Grid down. He exits to find the Metal Men have defeated the Society. Steve Trevor and Killer Frost arrive, explaining the Lasso of Truth holds the key to freeing the Justice League. More Society members arrive and take Steve down. The Metal Men handle the villains while Cyborg takes the Lasso and seeks out Firestorm… |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #7 (pp.1-31) Lex Luthor stopped Nightwing’s heart with a cardioplegia pill to diffuse the timer, then saves him with a shot of adrenaline. Cyborg arrives with the defeated Grid’s body. Batman agrees to shake Luthor’s hand, giving Lex the chance to steal his Kryptonite Ring. Superwoman brings Mazahs – the true father of her unborn child – to Ultraman and reveals her betrayal. Lex Luthor rejoins the Injustice League who watch as Ultraman and Mazahs tear into each other. Mazahs kills Deathstorm and absorbs his power. Lex fails to save Bizarro’s life when Mazahs attacks the Injustice League. Sinestro impales Mazahs with a lightning rod so Black Adam can summon his lightning and depower him. But it doesn’t work and Mazahs turns his attention to his Prime Earth counterpart, Lex Luthor who utters the word “Mazahs!” while holding the lightning rod. Lex kills the powerless Alexander Luthor. Black Adam and Sinestro move the Moon to expose Ultraman to the sunlight. While Batman and Cyborg free the Justice League from the Firestorm Matrix, Owlman tries to recruit Nightwing as an ally against the Crime Syndicate. Lex Luthor crushes Atomica under his boot, but lets Ultraman suffer in the sunlight despite his pleas to Luthor to kill him. Lex then steps up and saves Superman by removing the sliver of Kryptonite from his brain. 1st appearance: Mazahs/Alexander Luthor (Earth 3, full) |
| Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs Bane #1 (pp.1-14) The power is back on in Gotham City. Bane breaks the back of one of the men who are trying to profit by selling urgent supplies to the needy. Elsewhere, batarangs cut Scarecrow free from captivity by the Talons. The Batmobile takes out William Cobb. | |
| ✔ | Suicide Squad #30 (pp.1-6) Black Manta is given a pardon and the US Secretary of Defence encourages him to go back to doing what he does (could they mean “trying to kill Aquaman”?!), as long as it’s not in US Waters. In the Senate, Amanda Waller and ARGUS are blamed for the Crime Syndicate’s successful invasion. |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #7 (p.32) The day after the Injustice League’s victory, the team go their separate ways. Black Manta gives up Aquaman’s trident. The Earth-bound members are pardoned for past crimes. |
| Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs Bane #1 (pp.15-27) Bane gets another Venom infusion at Wayne Tower when Batman emerges. Their fight goes from the Tower to the streets until Batman knocks Bane out. | |
| ✔ | Suicide Squad #30 (pp.7-15) The US Secretary of Defence fires Amanda Waller from ARGUS and explains Task Force X will now carry out international missions. Belle Reve has been rebuilt in secret and Waller is back to running missions. 1st appearance: Coldsnap/Darryl |
| Forever Evil #7 (p.33) With the world believing Nightwing is dead, Batman sends Dick Grayson on a new mission. | |
| Nightwing #30 (pp.1-22) One month ago, Dr Leslie Thompkins revealed to Batman that she may have let his true identity slip to a secret organisation after they rescued her from the depopulationist cult, die Faust der Kain – the Fist of Cain. Now, after a violent test of Dick Grayson’s will, Batman asks him to allow the world to believe he’s dead so that he can infiltrate Spyral. His mission is to find out why they’re seeking out the costumed heroes’ true identities. 1st appearance: Helena Bertinelli Also part of AGENTS OF SPYRAL | |
| Justice League #30 Everyone loves Lex Luthor for saving the world. Yesterday, after all the media attention he received, Luthor invited the Justice League to his satellite which he offered up as the League’s new Watchtower. He invited himself and Shazam into the team to help stop the threat the Crime Syndicate were running from, but they rejected his membership. The Justice League decided to seek out Power Ring’s ring to access its files. In Portland, the Ring of Volthoom found a potential host in agoraphobic Jessica Cruz. In Gotham, Lex showed up at Wayne Manor, asking to see Batman. Now, as a member of the Justice League, Lex Luthor takes down the remaining members if the Secret Society… 1st appearance: Jessica Cruz, Livewire/Leslie Willis, Negative Man/Larry Trainor, Tattooed Man/Mark Richards |
| Must Read | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Justice League #31 (tie-in) Last night, in Wayne Manor, Lex Luther drew a gun on Bruce Wayne while accusing him of being Batman and uncovers the door to the Batcave. Batman refuses to let him join the League. Captain Cold accepted an invite to LexCorp. Jessica Cruz knew the men who attacked her four years ago are still out there and refused to leave the house. Knowing this, the Power Ring forced her to become its host. The surge from her transformation into Power Ring draws the attention of the Doom Patrol, with Element Woman as their newest member… 1st appearance: Elasti-Girl/Rita Farr, Mercy Graves New identity: Jessica Cruz as Power Ring |
| ✔ | Justice League #32 (tie-in) A week ago, Niles Caulder – aka the Chief – rescued Element Woman and manipulated her into joining his Doom Patrol. Yesterday, in Portland, the team tried to take down the Power Ring’s new host. When she escaped, the Chief ordered the Doom Patrol to give chase rather than save innocents from burning buildings. The Justice League arrived and saw to those in danger. In Metropolis, Lex Luthor offered Captain Cold the job of LexCorp Head of Security. In Oregon, Cyborg tapped into the Power Ring which reveals itself to contain the spirit of Volthoom of Earth 3. He wants to create a beacon that will draw the being who destroyed Earth 3 from that reality to Prime Earth. The Chief tries to take the Ring of Volthoom, but Luthor arrives and threatens to explode his spine… |
| ✔ | Justice League #33 (tie-in) Yesterday, while the Justice League and Doom Patrol fought over Jessica Cruz, the Ring of Volthoom activated and sent its signal across the multiverse, alerting the Anti-Monitor. Lex tried to sever the Ring’s connection to Jessica, but the Chief attacked him. While they fought, Batman talked Jessica down. Later, Batman convinced the League to let Lex Luthor join so they can keep an eye on him. |
| ✔ | Suicide Squad #30 (pp.16-24) A seemingly random act of extreme violence leads to Black Manta’s arrest. 1st appearance: Heatstroke/Joanne |
| Detective Comics #23.4: Man-Bat (pp.12-14) Kirk Langstrom’s formula has turned his Man-Bat persona into a true monster. Also see VILLAINS MONTH | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #7 (p.34-36) Grad student Ted Kord offers to sell Kord Industries to Lex Luthor, but Lex encourages him to take it over because family is important. Element Woman and Vibe are missing. Ultraman and Superwoman are incarcerated, though they refuse to reveal what destroyed their world. Owlman is still on the loose. 1st appearance: Ted Kord |
| ✔ | Suicide Squad #30 (pp.25-30) Deadshot and Black Manta are sent to Belle Reve. The US Secretary of Defence visits the incarcerated Black Manta who asks to join Task Force X. |
| Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs Bane #1 (pp.28-29) Jim Gordon meets with Bruce Wayne who’s agreed to help find the restoration of Arkham Asylum. Bane is Arkham’s first new resident. | |
| ✔ | Forever Evil #7 (p.37-40) Lex Luthor begins work on a new imperfect clone of Superman, in the hope of giving life to a new Bizarro. Lex has figured out Bruce Wayne is Batman. Superman believes Darkseid was the one who devastated Earth 3. But it was the Anti-Monitor who drained that world. And he and his mystery ally are gathering the power needed to kill Darkseid… |
| ✔ | Justice League of America #14 Stargirl interrogates Steve Trevor (on Amanda Waller’s behalf) about the Justice League of America. He explains the JLA have been blamed for everything that went down over the past few weeks and lies about the current whereabouts of the rest of the team. Green Arrow desperately tries to keep the team together, but none of the others are interested. Stargirl is given the approval to put a new team together, and Martian Manhunter is going to help her… |
| ✔ | Justice League #34 (2014) (tie-in) Mirror Master contacts Captain Cold, asking why he’s working for Luthor now. Cold explains it’s to pull of the biggest job of the Rogues’ lives. Elsewhere in Metropolis, Lex Luthor questions Superman over the need for Batman in the Justice League while they fight Gorilla Grodd together. Aboard the new Watchtower, Jessica Cruz struggles to control the Ring of Volthoom until Flash inspires her. She decides to keep the ring and learn how to use it for good. Lex begins to learn the power of good will on a mission to the third world with Wonder Woman. LexCorp and Wayne Enterprises form a partnership, though Bruce Wayne warns Lex Luthor that he will slip up once day. After officially becoming a member f the Justice League, Lex Luthor makes a secret deal with the fugitive Owlman. |
| ✔ | Nightwing #30 (pp.23-30) In Tokyo, Nightwing takes down a member of the Fist of Cain. He does the same in Amman and Kampala, drawing the attention of Spyral who send an agent to recruit him… Also see AGENTS OF SPYRAL |
| Must Read | Issues & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Teen Titans #24-29 (2013-2014) The Teen Titans are sent back to Kid Flash’s future timeline where he stands trial for his actions. | THE TRIAL OF KID FLASH |
| Aquaman #25 (2014) Ocean Master is revealed to have stayed on the surface, making a new life for himself with Erin Shaw and her son. | ||
| Justice League Dark #30 (2014) Zatanna takes the reins of the Justice League Dark; Black Orchid and Nightmare Nurse leave the team. | ||
| ✔ | Justice League #35-39 (2015) The assassin Neutron tries to kill Lex Luthor, but accidentally releases the secret LexCorp project dubbed the ‘Amazo Virus’ into Metropolis; as a member of the Justice League, Lex Luthor contains the virus and cures those infected; Power Ring (Jessica Cruz) also joins the League on the Amazo mission; Lex’s story about his sister, Lena Luthor, is proven to be a lie when he introduces Lena Luthor to Bruce Wayne. | |
| ✔ | Sinestro #1-5 (2014) Sinestro proves his mastery over the Parallax entity when he fights the threat of the Paling; Sinestro reclaims leadership of the Sinestro Corps. | |
| ✔ | New Suicide Squad #1-4 (2014) Black Manta, Deadshot and Harley Quinn carry out their first mission with Amanda Waller’s new Suicide Squad, alongside Deathstroke and the Joker’s Daughter; Vic Sage is introduced as the new leader of the Suicide Squad. | |
| Robin Rises: Alpha #1 (2015) Talia al Ghul finds herself resurrected, initially unaware of her previous fate. | ROBIN RISES | |
| ✔ | Justice League United #0-4 (2014) Martian Manhunter, Stargirl and Green Arrow head up the Justice League United, backed by ARGUS and replacing the Justice League of America. | JUSTICE LEAGUE CANADA |
| Batman: Eternal #3 (2014) Mister Combustible is revealed to have survived having his head smashed by the Ventriloquist’s puppet, Ferdie. | BATMAN: ETERNAL | |
| Green Lantern #36-37 (2015) Hal Jordan allies with Black Hand to utilise the Black Lantern Corps – the only thing feared by the New Gods – when they try to obtain the Power Rings of the Emotional Spectrum; Hal comes face-to-face with his ‘resurrected’ father. | GODHEAD | |
| Batman: Eternal #18 (2014) Killer Croc is revealed to have survived his encounter with Bane and returned to the sewers. | BATMAN: ETERNAL | |
| Futures End – Pandora: Trinity of Sin #1 (2014) The Seven Deadly Sins are revealed to be aspects of Pandora herself. | FUTURES END | |
| ✔ | Grayson #1-2 (2014) Dick Grayson establishes himself as an agent of Spyral while investigating the organisation on Batman’s behalf. | AGENTS OF SPYRAL |
| Batman: Eternal #29-30 (2014-2015) There’s another break-out as Arkham Asylum when the asylum itself is destroyed by the Spectre; Bane escapes Arkham Asylum. | BATMAN: ETERNAL | |
| Trinity of Sin #1-6 (2014-2015) Pandora recalls her true identity; Pandora, Question and the Phantom Stranger are absorbed into the Redemption Box and decide to combine their abilities to save the world from becoming the Dark Earth; the Question removes the Phantom Stranger and Pandora’s sins and, withering away, vanishes from reality. | ||
| Superman/Wonder Woman #15 (2015) Parasite next faces Superman head-on. | TRUTH | |
| The Flash #41-42 (2015) Girder is revealed to have survived Grodd’s attack on Central. | THE ACOLYTES OF ZOOM | |
| Action Comics #31-32 (2014) Metallo returns, powered by a Kryptonite heart once again | DOOMED | |
| Batman #39 (2015) Uriah Boone – one of the Court of Owls’ first Talons from the 1600s – is resurrected to take on Batman; it’s not confirmed if Boone is the ‘First Talon’. | ENDGAME | |
| ✔ | Sinestro #16-21 (2015-2016) Sinestro allies with Black Adam again due to their mutual enmity with the Paling; Black Adam briefly joins the Sinestro Corps. | |
| ✔ | The Flash #48-52 (2016) In his role as a member of the Justice League, Captain Cold is called back to Central City to apprehend the Flash when he starts working with the Rogues; it’s revealed that Heat Wave survived the confrontation with Gotham’s villains; Captain Cold, the Rogues and the Flash join forces against the real threat – the Riddler; Glider’s astral form is restored and she wakes from her coma. |
| Must Read | Issues & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Grayson #19-20 (2016) The identity of the leader of Spyral is revealed; Dick Grayson tricks Doctor Dedelus into taking over his body, then wiping his the world’s memory of Dick Grayson; Dick wilfully reclaims his body and casts Dedelus out, restoring his secret identity. | |
| ✔ | Justice League #40-45 (2015) The Anti-Monitor reveals himself as the threat the Crime Syndicate were running from when he arrives on Prime Earth; Darkseid’s daughter Grail is revealed to the Anit-Monitor’s secret ally, joining forces with him against her father; Anti-Monitor succeeds in killing his lifelong nemesis. | THE DARKSEID WAR |
| Justice League: The Darkseid War – Lex Luthor #1 (2016) While on Apokolips, Lex Luthor obtains a Mother Box and becomes the ‘God of Apokolips’ in Darkseid’s absence. | THE DARKSEID WAR | |
| ✔ | Justice League #46-50 (2016) The Grid is revealed to have survived his battle with Cyborg; Lex Luthor’s deal with Owlman is to give his Superwoman’s child in exchange for his aid against the Anti-Monitor; the Anti-Monitor is transformed back to his original form as Mobius; Ultraman faces Mobius in a fateful final battle; Grail turns against Mobius and allies with Steve Trevor who weapnises the Anti-Life Equation to kill Mobius; Owlman is disintegrated by an outside force (later revealed to be Doctor Manhattan); the Grid is finally destroyed; Superwoman and Mazahs’ son is born, but its absorption of Lex Luthor’s Omega Effect and the Anti-Life Equation results in the child becoming host to the reborn Darkseid; Grail kills Superwoman; Jessica Cruz overcomes the entity in her Power Ring, but the ring and the entity are ultimately destroyed by the Black Racer; for overcoming great fear, the Green Lantern Corps give her a new ring and make her a Green Lantern. | THE DARKSEID WAR |
| Legends of Tomorrow #4 (2016) Copper is added to the ranks of the Metal Men. | ||
| DC Universe: Rebirth #1 (2016) Pandora is killed by an unknown entity (later revealed to be Doctor Manhattan); Pandora accuses the entity of being the one who actually committed the sins which she’d been blamed for. | DC REBIRTH | |
| Justice League #52 (2016) Following the apparent death of Superman, Lex Luthor takes on the Superman identity himself with his Mother Box-powered Warsuit. | PATH OF DOOM | |
| Wonder Woman #1 (2016) Etta Candy continues to act as Commander of ARGUS (though the conflict with the Crimson Men and the identity of Mr Green remain unrevealed). | DC REBIRTH THE LIES | |
| Justice League: Rebirth #1 (2016) Green Lantern Simon Baz joins the real Justice League. | DC REBIRTH | |
| ✔ | Nightwing: Rebirth #1 (2016) Dick Grayson resumes his Nightwing identity. | BETTER THAN BATMAN DC REBIRTH |
| Superwoman #1-7 (2016-2017) Lex Luthor uses Doctor Omen’s Super-Man tech in an effort to cure Lena Luthor’s illness, but it only increases her intellect and leaves her paralysed; Lena makes Bizarress clones of Superwoman of Earth 3 in her bid for revenge against Lex. | DC REBIRTH | |
| Blue Beetle: Rebirth #1 (2016) Ted Kord agrees to help the Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) to utilise his powers. | DC REBIRTH THE MORE THINGS CHANGE | |
| ✔ | Red Hood and the Outlaws #1-6 (2016-2017) The Red Hood discovers a LexCorp weapon stolen by Black Mask is actually another Bizarro clone; this Bizarro joins the Red Hood as one of his Outlaws. | DARK TRINITY DC REBIRTH |
| Suicide Squad #1-4 (2016) Katana joins the Suicide Squad as Rick Flag’s second-in-command. | THE BLACK VAULT DC REBIRTH | |
| Blue Beetle #1-6 (2016-2017) Ted Kord reveals how he become the original Blue Beetle; Ted creates technology to assist Jaime Reyes in his role as the new Blue Beetle. | DC REBIRTH THE MORE THINGS CHANGE | |
| Midnighter and Apollo #1 (2016) Felix Faust is revealed to be alive when he’s seen turning down a chance to kill Midnighter and Apollo. | ||
| ✔ | The Flash #14-17 (2017) With Lex Luthor having unofficially departed the Justice League, Captain Cold returns to the Rogues. | |
| Wonder Woman #8, 18 (2016-2017) Cheetah’s origin is completely rewritten, presumably as part of Doctor Manhattan’s restructuring of reality. |
| Must Read | Issues & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Suicide Squad #16 (2017) Lex Luthor is revealed to have an army of Bizarros as his las line of defense. | EARTHLINGS ON FIRE |
| Bug! The Adventures of Forager #4 (2017) US Marshal Mark Shaw is next seen as Manhunter, having joined the Manhunter Cult. | ||
| ✔ | Superman #33-36 (2017-2018) Lex Luthor rejects Superman as an ally, claiming he no longer trusts him and removes the Superman symbol from his armour; no longer affiliated with the Justice League (though not having been a full member for some time), Luthor continues to prove his worth as a hero. | |
| ✔ | Deathstroke #24-25 (2017-2018) Vandal Savage is reveal to have kept a smaller line-up of the Secret Society of Super-Villains going. | |
| Dark Days: The Forge #1 (2017) Eel O’Brian is next seen as Plastic Man. | DARK KNIGHTS: METAL | |
| The Flash #39-44 (2018) Grodd to returns to Central City with signs of an incurable illness caused by the Speed Force; Flash manages to stop Grodd from destroying Central City with the Negative Speed Force. | ||
| Mera: Queen of Atlantis #1-6 (2018) Orm continues to live with Erin Shaw and her son on the surface world; the couple get engaged and make wedding plans; Orm is drawn back into the war for the throne of Atlantis as Ocean Master, leaving Erin and her son. | THE KINGSLAYER | |
| ✔ | Justice League: No Justice #1-4 (2018) Lex Luthor fights alongside the Justice League against the Omega Titans, but his outlook on humanity shifts; Lex implies that he now sees the Justice League as an enemy. | NO JUSTICE |
| ✔ | Justice League #1-7 (2018) Lex Luthor directly opposes the Justice League, forming the Legion of Doom and racing the League for the Totality; Hawkman joins the real Justice League (though this is technically a different Hawkman to the one who joined the Justice League of America). | NEW JUSTICE |
| Batman #50 (2018) Batman and Catwoman almost marry. | THE WEDDING | |
| DC Holiday Special 2017 #1 (2018) Chroma is inexplicably resurrected (later revealed to be due to the machinations of Doctor Manhattan); he takes the new identity Rainbow Raider. | ||
| The Flash #59 (2019) Solovar survived Grodd’s attack on Central City, but he eventually passes away due to the long-term effects of his injuries. | ||
| ✔ | Action Comics #1005 (2019) Vic Sage resumes his role as the vigilante Question | EVENT LEVIATHAN |
| Detective Comics #1008-1013 (2019) Lex Luthor grants Mister Freeze the means to resurrect Nora Fields, which he does successfully. Nightwing #62-66 (2019-2020) Talon (William Cobb) resurfaces, stalking his descendent, Nightwing. Year of the Villain: Ocean Master #1 (2020) Ocean Master laments the loss of his relationship with Erin Shaw. | YEAR OF THE VILLAIN | |
| Doomsday Clock #7 (2018) Celsius is revealed to have faked her own death to escape Niles Caulder’s Doom Patrol. | ||
| ✔ | Justice League #35 (2020) Earth 3 and the Crime Syndicate are revealed to have been restored while the multiverse healed itself. | YEAR OF THE VILLAIN |
| Suicide Squad: King Shark #1-6 (2022-2023) Kamo returns, making King Shark run the gauntlet to prove he’s worthy of the throne. | ||
| Nightwing #82-83 (2021) Nightwing meets Melinda Zucco who has ties with Dick’s father who explains why Tony Zucco killed Dick’s parents. | ||
| ✔ | Deathstroke Inc #1-7 (2021-2022) Deathstoke investigates the TRUST Council and discovers they’re really the new Secret Society of Super-Villains. | THE LAZARUS TOURNAMENT |
| Nightwing #99 (2023) Tony Zucco escapes prison but is captured again by Nightwing. | ||
| DC’s Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun #1 (2013) It’s revealed that the Doom Patrol’s Tempest really did die (and didn’t fake his own death as Lex Luthor claimed). |
Forever Evil contains a number of smaller events caused by the actions of the Crime Syndicate that can be read separately from the main event if you don’t want to go into the main story. Below are the Quick Lists that cover those events, along with the characters they impact most.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
ARGUS
Wonder Woman’s ex, Steve Trevor, searches for the missing Justice Leagues.
- Justice League of America #7.3: Shadow Thief
- ✔ Wonder Woman #23.1: Cheetah
- ✔ Forever Evil: ARGUS #1
- ✔ Justice League of America #7.2: Killer Frost
- ✔ Forever Evil: ARGUS #2-6
ARKHAM WAR
Bane makes his bid to take over a Gotham City without Batman, but it results in all-out war between the criminals of Blackgate and the Arkham Asylum escapees.
- Batman and Robin #23.1: Two-Face
- Batman #23.2: The Riddler
- Detective Comics #23.4: Man-Bat
- Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3: Clayface
- Batman: The Dark Knight #23.2: Mister Freeze
- ✔ Detective Comics #23.3: Scarecrow
- ✔ Batman #23.4: Bane
- Detective Comics #23.1: Poison Ivy
- Batman and Robin #23.4: Killer Croc
- Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #2-4
- ✔ Forever Evil: Arkham War #1-6
- ✔ Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs Bane #1
BLIGHT
The world has been dominated by evil, manifesting as the unstoppable Blight – now John Constantine gathers the remaining magic users on Earth to stop it
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #4 (tie-in)
- Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #12 (tie-in)
- ✔ Justice League Dark #24
- Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #13 (tie-in)
- ✔ Justice League Dark #25
- Trinity of Sin: Pandora #5 (tie-in)
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #14
- ✔ Constantine #9
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: Pandora #6
- ✔ Justice League Dark #26
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #15
- ✔ Constantine #10
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: Pandora #7
- ✔ Justice League Dark #27
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #16
- ✔ Constantine #11
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: Pandora #8
- ✔ Justice League Dark #28
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #17
- ✔ Constantine #12
- ✔ Trinity of Sin: Pandora #9
- ✔ Justice League Dark #29
ROGUES REBELLION
The Rogues return to Central City to find it in ruins thanks to the Crime Syndicate and Gorilla Grodd – and they’re not gonna stand for it
- ✔ Flash #23.3: Rogues
Superman #23.4: Parasite - ✔ Flash #23.1: Grodd
- ✔ Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #1-6
WALLED IN
Belle Reve Penitentiary has fallen to the inmates, forcing Amanda Waller to reform the Suicide Squad to oppose the Crime Syndicate’s ally, the Thinker
- ✔ Justice League of America #7.1: Deadshot
- ✔ Detective Comics #23.2: Harley Quinn
- ✔ Suicide Squad #24-30
See how this story fits into the wider DC Universe continuity with these reading orders:
Notable collected editions featuring Forever Evil
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Forever Evil | Forever Evil #1-7 |
| Forever Evil: ARGUS | Forever Evil: ARGUS #1-6 |
| Forever Evil: Arkham War | Batman #23.4: Bane Forever Evil: Arkham War #1-6 Forever Evil Aftermath: Batman vs Bane #1 |
| Forever Evil: Blight | Constantine #9-12 Justice League Dark #24-29 Trinity of Sin: Pandora #6-9 Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #14-17 |
| Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion | Flash #23.3: The Rogues Forever Evil: Rogues Rebellion #1-6 |
| Justice League vo.5: Forever Heroes | Justice League #24-29 |
| Justice League vol.6: Injustice League | Justice League #30-39 |
| Justice League of America vol.2: Survivors of Evil | Justice League of America #8-14 |
| Nightwing vol.5: Setting Son | Nightwing #25-30 Nightwing Annual #1 |
| Suicide Squad vol.5: Walled In | Suicide Squad #24-30 Suicide Squad: Amanda Waller #1 |
| Collected Edition Title | Includes… |
| Aquaman by Geoff Johns Omnibus | Aquaman #23.1: Black Manta Aquaman #23.2: Ocean Master |
| Batgirl vol.4: Wanted | Batman: The Dark Knight 23.1: The Ventriloquist |
| Batman: Arkham – Ra’s al Ghul | Batman and Robin #23.3: Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins |
| Batman: Arkham – The Riddler | Batman #23.2: The Riddler |
| Batman by Snyder & Capullo Omnibus vol.1 | Batman #23.2: The Riddler |
| Batman: Arkham – Two-Face | Batman and Robin #23.1: Two-Face |
| Batman and Robin by Tomasi and Gleason Omnibus | Batman and Robin #23.1: Two-Face |
| Constantine vol.2: Blight | Constantine #9-12 |
| DC Comics: The New 52 Villains Omnibus | Action Comics #23.3: Lex Luthor Action Comics #23.4: Metallo Aquaman #23.1: Black Manta Aquaman #23.2: Ocean Master Batman #23.2: The Riddler Batman #23.4: Bane Batman and Robin #23.1: Two-Face Batman and Robin #23.2: The Court of Owls Batman and Robin #23.3: Ra’s al Ghul and the League of Assassins Batman and Robin #23.4: Killer Croc Batman: The Dark Knight #23.1: Ventriloquist Batman: The Dark Knight #23.2: Mister Freeze Batman: The Dark Knight #23.3: Clayface Detective Comics #23.1: Poison Ivy Detective Comics #23.2: Harley Quinn Detective Comics #23.3: Scarecrow Detective Comics #23.4: Man-Bat Flash #23.1: Grodd Flash #23.3: The Rogues Green Lantern #23.3: Black Hand Justice League 23.4: Secret Society Justice League of America #7.1: Deadshot Justice League of America #7.2: Killer Frost Justice League of America #7.3: Shadow Thief Justice League of America #7.4: Black Adam Superman #23.1: Bizarro Superman #23.4: Parasite Wonder Woman #23.1: Cheetah |
| Flash by Buccellato & Manapul Omnibus | Flash #23.1: Grodd Flash #23.2: Reverse-Flash Flash #23.3: The Rogues |
| Justice League: The New 52 Omnibus vol.2 | Forever Evil #1-7 Justice League 23.4: Secret Society Justice League #24-34 Justice League of America #7.4: Black Adam |
| Justice League Dark: The New 42 Omnibus | Constantine #9-12 Justice League Dark #24-29 Trinity of Sin: Pandora #6-9 Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #14-17 |
| Justice League Dark vol.4: Rebirth of Evil | Justice League Dark #22-29 |
| Nightwing: The Prince of Gotham Omnibus | Nightwing #28-30 |
| Suicide Squad vol.4: Discipline and Punish | Detective Comics #23.2: Harley Quinn Justice League of America #7.1: Deadshot |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora vol.1: The Curse | Trinity of Sin: Pandora #4-6 |
| Trinity of Sin: Pandora vol.2: Choices | Trinity of Sin: Pandora #7-9 |
| Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger vol.3: The Crack in Creation | Trinity of Sin: The Phantom Stranger #12-17 |
| Wonder Woman: The Cheetah | Wonder Woman #23.1: Cheetah |
Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023
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