The Official "52" Thread

[SuperJerk 0]

Same with Conner. He died as one of the greatest heroes ever after doubting if he was even a hero or not. If anything, I want him to stay dead no matter what. He died a death more spectacular than even Barry Allen, and that takes some doing.

Wait....um, what?

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

In the DC Nation column at the end of issue 37(and any DC book released this week) Dan Didio hides the secret of 52 in the first paragraph. He left it up to the readers to crack the code.

 

Well some already did and here it is

 

"The secret of 52 is

that the multiverse still exists"

 

Here is the column:

 

"This column often hints at many essential facts, but some secrets are ever important to conceal in our retention of the element of surprise. Therefore, above all objections, our one foremost thought is finally recognized and imaginatively coming to fruition. Right here this stands before you, the heart thumping meaning to what waits at our awe-inspired ending is about to see light. So that there is hardly any confusion, a code was transcribed, one easily translated as a harbinger of facts essential to those multitudes who have unilaterally followed the lives of our tenacious heroes from introduction to their various adventures and efforts. We have rallied around these said heroes, whose existence is the stuff of legend. This column's prime information is to let anyone who loves 52 have essential information to x-ecute a very informed opinion to select simply all the clues for summation.

 

So there you have it, the secret of 52. All you need to know about the stunning conclusion to our groundbreaking series is stated clearly in the paragraph above. Of course it doesn't touch upon the heartwrenching conclusion to Ralph Dibny's journey, the ramifications of World War Three or the ultimate fate of the space team, but it does give you an essential key to the direction of the DC Universe for the foreseeable future and where many future stories lie."

[Ted the Poster 0]

Hmm. I'm guessing that's what those 52 seconds were about then.

[SuperJerk 0]

All you need to know about the stunning conclusion to our groundbreaking series is stated clearly in the paragraph above.

And a Pretentious-to-English dictionary.

[Vampiro69 0]

ARRRRGH!!! And I thought we were rid of that stuff once they did away with Hypertime.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Week 37 Recap

 

Week 37, Day 1

Kandor: Kandor falls under attack by Skeets by Skeets bumping the bottle holding Kandor.

Rip: Oh, No…

Supernova: Damn it! It’s Skeets! It has to be!

Skeets: You and your errand boy have gotten sloppy Rip! A tachyon here, a chronal footprint there—you left a trail and I found you! Surrender yourselves immediately or it’s Krypton all over again

Supernova starts to leave but Rip pulls him back.

Rip: Er’ew—we’re not prrrreeeeepared for a confrontation! Size up and stall him! Leave the costucostucostume so I can reassemble its cir—cui—ts into somethingwitha little more oomph! I’ll p-p-pull myself rehtegot! Go! Go!

Supernova leaves the bottle and sizes up surrounded by the Atom’s size changing swirls.

Skeets: Fine. Have it your way, Hunter!

Supernova: He’s not your problem, pal I am

And upon growing to full size Supernova is revealed to be Booster Gold. Skeets does a scan on Booster to confirm through a DNA match that Booster is Michael Jon Carter. When Skeets asks how, Rip tells Booster say to “Tell him everything, Booster. It’ll buy me some time and he’ll know soon enough anyway”.

Booster: I’ve known what’s up with you for week’s now. When I wnt into Rip’s lab, the clues were everywhere. I was stunned, confussed. I almost asked you about it but Rip showed up to stop me. I told you Rip wasn’t in the lab…the first of many, many lies I’d learn to spin. Cloaked from you in a chronal field, he told me the truth about you and we made a plan. First off, I had to play dumb. And if you were really yourself, Skeets, you’d be having a field day with that statement. Rip knew he was destined to face off against you you, so he needed weapons—but had to stay hidden until he was prepared to fight. It was my job to gather an arsenal and there was no way to do that under your 24/7 observation. I had to get totally off of your radar somehow so we pulled a fast one. Rip explained how I could be in two places at once with the help of time travel. Rip faked my death yanking me out of the time stream at a crucial moment and replaced me with my own corpse—something I would rather no dwell on by the way. Suddenly, I was twelve weeks back in time—co-existing both as Booster and under a new humble, virtuous identity that would, frankly, be the last place anybody’d look for me. The Booster/Supernova Rivalry was designed to throw off any lingering suspicions, and it worked. Meanwhile Rip—who had me lift the Atom’s size changing belt and gloves from JLA storage—he took advantage of the super-science in the Bottle City of Kandor. AS Supernova, I brought him every super-weapon I could find from Luthor’s Kryptonite Glove to Hawkgirl’’s NTH Metal in hopes of building something that could beat you here in the most remote location on Earth. That’s right buddy. We operated out of the Fortress of Solitude. Even leveled and abandoned, it’s sublevels were still intact. And don’t think we didn’t plunder it. Where do you think we found parts and powers for the new suit? Think back. Everything I did as Supernova—everything—was based on unearthly lights and applied teleportation. Ralph Dibny called it. Every circuit in that suit was cribbed from Superman’s Phantom Zone Projector!

 

All this time we are seeing a mix of flashbacks to the story as well as Booster flying around fighting with Skeets. Rip sizes up and comes out of Kandor with the Phantom Zone Projector and fires it off at Skeets.

Booster: That’s it! Crank it up!

Rip: It’s not a guitar amp, Booster! It’s a prison portal and Skeets is holding on for dear life.

Booster: Rip, what’s he—what the Hell is he—

Rip: Oh, dear God—

Booster: The Zone…He’s eaten the Phantom Zone…!

The Phantom Zone whirls around Skeet and then into Skeets with people now showing in Skeet’s face plate.

Rip: I’ll go you one worse. It’s not a meal for him. It’s just an appetizer. But it bought us a retreat. Are you ready?

Booster: Ready? Ready for what--?

Rip: Fifty-Two…Fifty- one…

Rip grabs Booster and they disappear.

Skeets: Oh, No, No. You don’t get away that easily…

The purple affect of the Phantom Zone is still slightly seen and Skeets also disappears.

 

Week 37, Day 4

Star City: Green Lantern (Hal) is using his power ring to help restore basic services to Star City. Ollie is talking to Dinah about become mayor of Star City. Dinah says that she is on sabbatical from the Birds of Prey and that Gypsy is filling in for her.

Dinah:…you wanna come with?

Ollie: Only if we can stop on the way to find somebody.

Dinah: Ollie, I’ve told you, we’ve all been looking high and low for Ralph. Everyone who even puts on a cape or a mask has been asked to report any sighting whatsoever.

Ollie: He’s unstable, Dinah. When we lost him, he was searching for a way to bring his wife back.

Dinah: Don’t mistake passion for insanity, Ollie. Ralph just loved Sue too much to ever, ever let her go.

Dinah then takes off and as Ollie watches her go he asks himself “How does that work…?

 

Week 37, Day 5

Space: Buddy is laid to rest with Arch-Bishop Lobo performing the ceremony. One he is done Lobo tells Kory and Adam “This is where we part company. Alpha Centauri’s that way. I can slingshot ya round th’ Binary System up ahead if ya need the boost…maybe you can hook up with one of them Green Lantern patrols… Let’s go, Fishy. On ta th’ Seven Golden Planets with the Emerald Eye! So what didja see out there anyway that everybody wants ta know?

Adam: I don’t know. Giant hands and…and…something else…I can’t remember. Lobo look…we just want to thank you for getting us through this…

Lobo: Ya can thank me by never crossin’ my path again, Strange, how ‘bout that? Giant hands. Figgered it hadta be something stooped.

Adam: Kory?

Kory tunrs away from Buddy and enters the ship and joins Adam in the cockpit.

Adam: I know. But we can’t take the chance that his body was contaminated. We have to go. Lobo takes off on his cycle followed by Adam and Kory on the ship into a warp and disappears with Buddy shown on the funeral slab. Time passes and Buddy opens his eyes.

Buddy: No. DON”T LEAVE ME!!!

Buddy turns to see the tall yellow aliens that showed him about space from his own series.

Aliens: And so it begins.

 

 

Week 38 cover

 

Preview pages

 

 

Quote:

"Imagine the unification of science and religion, in the form of unstoppable death machines..."

 

[Vampiro69 0]

Damn that sounds like an awesome issue.

[Zorin Industries 0]

Quote:

"Imagine the unification of science and religion, in the form of unstoppable death machines..."

 

 

Thats a Morrison line if I ever heard one

[SuperJerk 0]

I knew Animal Man couldn't really be dead.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Dan Didio talks about World War 3 in the Previews catalog

 

One Year Later. You all remember it, that defining moment when all the stories of the DC Universe jumped from the events of Infinite Crisis to a time where lives of our heroes were dramatically changed. Most changes came without explanation as we watched our heroes deal with the ramifications in an attempt to rebuild their lives. But what happened? What caused this seismic change to the status quo? What transformed so many heroes?

 

For nearly a year we left those questions unanswered, but now their story can be told. We have hinted as it and left hushed clues as we watched the missing year slowly revealed in our mega-hit 52. In 52, we have seen a world that exists without Superman, batman and Wonder Woman, and now with 52 #50, we will see a world at war.

 

World War 3, the World vs. Black Adam, the meta-human war that swept across the globe. Fast and vicious, its not surprising that it altered the lives of so many of our heroes.

 

More devastating than a nuclear holocaust we witness the unbridled rage Black Adam as he carves a hell bent path of destruction. His story will be told in 52, but the effects of his wrath are so far reaching that we needed to create a special four part story to fully show its impact.

 

World War Three: A Call To Arms; The Valiant; Hell is for Heroes and United We Stand will hit stands the same weeks as 52 #50. Like I said, it’s a fast war but incredibly far reaching. The four parts, written by Keith Champagne (JSA) and John Ostrander (Suicide Squad) and drawn by Pat Olliffe, Andy Smith, Tom Derenick and Jack Jadson, featuring, well, just about everyone.

 

So join us, as we uncover the secrets behind Firestorm, Martian Manhunter and Aquaman’s transformations, and reveal the tragedies of Batgirl and the Teen Titans. And now that I think about it, just how did Jason Todd become Nightwing?

 

Here’s your chance to find out, if you were excited by One Year Later, captivated by 52 and a fan of the DC Universe, April 18 is the week of comics you can’t miss.

 

Oh, one last thing, if you are wondering whatever happened after Dick proposed to Barbara Gordon, give a look to Nightwing Annual #2 also on sale in April. You won’t be disappointed.

 

To be continued.

Dan Didio

 

 

 

 

[SuperJerk 0]

What caused this seismic change to the status quo?

I thought that was what Infinite Crisis was.

 

Also, because it needs repeating...

 

So World War 3 is part of "52"? Funny how if it was something that already happened before OYL, nobody mentioned it until the new JSA #1.

[Lightning Flik 0]

Supes, I think its just a usage of words concerning the "status quo".

 

And probably why it wasn't mentioned was more in due to if you make mention of it you'd automatically say "yo! If World War 3 happens, its so happening in 52." Killing a lot of the hype for it. Shitty planning to make sure it doesn't get spoiled? Yes, since stuff like that doesn't just go away.

 

But then again, this "war" last for only four weeks, so I wonder how the hell it can be World War 3. Wars usually last like YEARS. This one barely gets off the ground.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

DC has released this image to all comic book news sites

 

 

"Let the battle cry be heard in the land, a shout of great destruction."

 

[Steviekick 0]

I just saw that posted on Newsarama and it has definitely piqued my interest. Although the image of a dead Question certainly doesn't make me feel better and I can add him to the list of DC characters that I really liked that got killed in the last three years.

 

Anyway, they've just sold me on WWIII.

[Special K 0]

Is that Nightwing in the Red Robin costume ala Kingdom Come?

[Lightning Flik 0]

That DOES look like the Kingdom Come version, doesn't it? But wonder what that's all about, since Dick's back as Nightwing during the full swing of OYL and Robin is still Robin.

 

Confused says I.

 

To add to the confusion, Batman's decked out in a cross between a knight's gear and some samurai clothing underneath. So is that really Bruce or not?

 

...dammit, I'm confused a lot now.

[Justice 0]

Batman's decked out in Arab garb, actually. Note the scimitar. So this might be Ibn, not Bruce. Could this be a shot of the Kingdom Come world? I mean, that was full of biblical reference...

[SuperJerk 0]

Supes, I think its just a usage of words concerning the "status quo".

 

And probably why it wasn't mentioned was more in due to if you make mention of it you'd automatically say "yo! If World War 3 happens, its so happening in 52." Killing a lot of the hype for it. Shitty planning to make sure it doesn't get spoiled? Yes, since stuff like that doesn't just go away.

 

But then again, this "war" last for only four weeks, so I wonder how the hell it can be World War 3. Wars usually last like YEARS. This one barely gets off the ground.

Using OYL to hype WW3 for 9 months before it actually happens is hardly the worst thing DC could've done.

 

Also, WTF's up with Donna Troy wearing the Wonder Girl costume? Obviously the inclusion of Lord's, Beetle's, and Jade's corpses makes it an amalgamation of time periods, but still.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Week 38 recap

 

Week 38, Day 1

Himalayas: Renee is on a truck with Charlie trying to find how to get to Nanda Parbat. They find a place to stay for the night and Renee attempts to feed Charlie some soup.

Renee: Please, Charlie. Just a sip.

Charlie: cckckssh poison “kaff”

Renee: Please, Baby, you gotta keep your strength up.

Charlie: You hshhh think I don’t rRrcKkk know stupid crkkrs girl “kaff kaff kaff. Hrm heh stupid girl…

 

Week 38, Day 2

Oolong Island: A ship arrives with a load of 300 thermometers that nobody knows who ordered them. Magnus shows up and says “lead shieldings mine. And the beans. And I’ll take the thermometers if nobody wants ‘em”. Morrow shows up to meet with Magnus. Magnus says that he is working on a new Plutonium Man since the first one turned out to be such a disaster. Morrow notices that Magnus seems “a lot more perky, shall we say, since they took away your medication. While Magnus and Morrow continue to talk you see a large stack of empty bean cans as that is all Magnus appears to be eating. Morrow and Magnus then join the others for the revealing of the Four Horsemen. Out come Death, Pestilence and War. Egg-Fu reads from the Crime Bible:

 

The Revelation of Apokolips, Book Ten, Chapter 7

 

"There were four ages of dread apokolips in its anguished, bloody morning. The Age of Hunger, ruled by Yurrd the Unknown, in formless time before time. The Age of War, Roggra sat at the throne of skulls and the rivers ran hot and red with blood. Lord of Fevers was Zorrm. then came Azraeuz, Silent King of the Age of Death, who rode a pale steed across a desert of ash and bone at the black dawn of the fourth world.

 

Before Gods, before New Gods, these titans ruled the void. No Flesh can bear their presence, but certain mighty forms are to be constructed through which the Kings may express their shattering cosmic judgment!. Only bodies of stone and steel and storm can carry such riders, and herein is written how such vessels will be made."

 

Horsemen: "BLAKK...AH-DUMM"

 

When Morrow asks what happened to the fourth Horseman he is told “Yurrd the Unknown, The…the Hunger-Lord rode out before the others.

 

Egg-Fu; "They are Unstoppable"

 

Week 38, Day 3

Himalayas: Renee is pulling Charlie on a sled up the mountains to another viallage.

Charlie: Wh-wh-who “nffgg d-d-do you think you are? D-d-don’t hkrk know hnurrh don’t know anything…just…ju-u-st shoot kkkuuhh y-y-you in the he-head…kaff dump your b-b-body hrkkhh rkkkk buh kkyxx butter…butterflies

Renee makes it to the village with Charlie and asks the locals for help on which way to go.

 

Week 38, Day 4

Steelworks: John Henry, Gabe, Dr. Midnite, Kala and Beast Boy are examining the body of one of the Everyman Heroes that died when they are buzzed by a mechanical dragonfly. The dragonfly was created by Natasha as a way to communicate with the others since she is being watched and her phones are tapped. Natasha tells John that she will get all she can on Luthor and that she is sorry for everything.

 

Week 38, Day 5 and Day 6

Himalayas: Renee is still pulling Charlie through the snow when they are met by a heavy snow storm. Renee places the Question mask on Charlie as a way to help keep him warm. AS she continues to pull the sled she ends up falling and the sled knocks over rolling Charlie into the snow. Renee pushes the sled over, holds her hands to her face and starts to cry.

Charlie: You never answered the question.

Renee: Aahh! Ch-Charlie?

Charlie: Get this kaff koff thing off my face. Hard enough to breathe as it is. What the hell kaff are you doing Renee?

Renee: Trying…trying to get us to Nada Parbat. Trying to save you, Charlie.

Charlie: But you can’t. I told you…some things you have to accept…

Renee: I can’t! I can’t! I need you—I don’t know who I am without you!

Charlie: It’s a trick question, Renee…not who ARE you kaff but who are you going to become? Time to change…like a butterfly...

 

and sadly according to the 52 editor, The Question dies.

 

Week 39 cover and preview

 

 

 

 

Quote:

 

"I did find a world of microscopic naked amazons who worship you as a God!"

[Exslade ZX 0]

Well, so far, I've finally gotten around to 37. And just something cool I noticed, when Skeets eats the Phantom Zone, front and center is the "Kryptonian Kid" aka...Zod's son, in the current Superman storyline. (Well, I've only read the first, but I'm pretty sure that's the case)

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Week 39 recap:

 

Week 39, Day 1

Metropolis: Natasha and Jake are following Dr. Laughlin in hopes of getting into Lex’s hidden lab. Upon entering the lab, Natasha rushes up and holds the door open for her and Jake to enter. Dr. Laughlin is under a control panel wiring something under the console when he is approached by Natasha. Dr. Laughlin turns around in surprise and tells Natasha and Jake to get out just before an explosion rips the outer door out and starts a fire all through the room. Natasha takes notice that the sprinkler system has been jammed and the fire extinguishers have been emptied and orders Jake to get some water on the fire, at which time he hits the sprinkler system in the roof. Jake and Natasha hear some people coming so Jake grabs Natasha and flies to the ceiling to hide out. Mercy and two guards come into the room. Mercy calls out for Dr. Laughlin when one of the guards finds…some of him. The guards are instructed to salvage everything they can . Mercy looks down and picks up a piece of paper and mutters “Dennis you dumb, dumb, *******…”

 

Week 39, Day 3

The Ruins of Atlantis: Ralph and the Helmet of Fate come across the remains of Atlantis; the birth place of magic on Earth according to the Helmet of Fate. Ralph takes note that Aquaman would never let that fate happen to Atlantis and asks if Aquaman is dead. Fate tells Ralph that “If he lives…if he lives it is as a victim of the magicks of legend and the power of the sea. He can not help us with what we seek”. A disheveled looking Aquaman tells Ralph “perhaps I can assist you. Fate tells Aquaman that they are in desperate need of a waded link from the Shackles of Arion. Ralph and Fate are told where the Shackles are but that “…no one has ever obtained a link and lived to tell the tale for breaking the chain frees the ancient beast it contains. Upon reaching the shackled beast fate tells Ralph “We haven’t time left to deliberate, Ralph. The Aethers are fast converging and you must take action soon or risk losing your wife forever. We must have this piece. What exchange will you make?” Ralph looks down at his wedding ring – the wicker ring – and gives it over. The ring is now used as the bottom link in the chain holding the beast as Ralph and Fate walk away, Ralph “We have very little left to gather, don’t we? We’re almost done” to which Fate replies “Almost."

 

Week 39, Day 6

Oolong Island: While Egg Foo and others starting up a Boom Tube, Dr. Sivana is approached by Doctor Tyme to see if he has found any sign of his missing 52 seconds. Sivana tells him that he wasn’t even looking but is looking at something with a greater mystery, artificial time in particle form which he calls Suspendium. When asked by Dr. Morrow about Mr. Mind, Sivana tells him that he “…wanted to see what would happen if I bombarded the slimy little creep with suspendium radiation without his consent. I have no idea where he wound up after they brought me here, but the suspendium’s been acting very strangely…” Dr. Morrow excuses himself and leaves. On his way through the lab we see three of the Horsemen leaving via Boom Tube. Morrow approaches Magnus, who is working on a computer, and tells him that he needs to take care as to not raise any suspicions on himself with the tin cans, mercury thermometers, a missing gold watch, lead shielding… Magnus tells Morrow that he would need a lot more than that to rebuild his Metal Men. He then pulls up on the computer screen a news article on Red Tornado’s rampage in Australia. Morrow tells Magnus that he will have to look into it immediately and leaves. Magnus turns back to his PC and tells Mercury that he needs to stay out of sight at which time a miniature Mercury walks out from behind the computer screen.

 

Week 39, Day 6

Shiruta, Kanhdaq – the Gardens of Isis: Black Adam, Isis and Sobek are talking about Osiris as they are concerned that he has not left his room and will not talk to Adam or Isis about the situation. According to Sobek, Osiris is concerned that he is cursed and that all of them with the power are curse. Suddenly a big Boom is heard overhead and it starts to rain. Isis said that she did not do it and Sobek points to the garden, to which Isis holds some flowers and says that they are dying.

 

Week 39, Day 7

Metropolis: Natasha is spying on Lex with her “bug” to see what is going on in the Alpha Lab. She is startled when Jake approaches her. She tells Jake that she can only get a visual if she is within 50 meters of the bug. Jake tells Nat to come with him as he needs to show her something he found. While walking down the hall she wonders if they are preparing the lad for treatment, who is the subject. Jake stops at a door and tells Nat “I told you, I found something that I think will explain a lot”. Jake opens the door to reveal “Jake” on a table missing part of his legs and left arm. The Jake next to Natasha then reveals himself to be Hannibal – Everyman. Hannibal then changes appearances to Lex and then into Natasha. Natasha blasts Hannibal through a wall and continues to fire at him with her powers. Just as she fires again, Hannibal is blocked by Lex who takes the blast full on without budging but it ends up making a hole in his shirt. Lex then asks Natasha “…did you earn the powers I gave you? The powers that I’m about to take away”? And with a click of a remote by Mercy Natasha loses her powers. Lex then throws Natasha against a wall. Upon getting up Natasha notices a report that says that Lex is eligible for treatment. Lex then approaches Natasha and hits her two more times and then back hands her. Natasha about to pass out tells Lex “You’re as much an animal as Everyman”. To which Lex responds “Wrong. I’m Superman" while holding Natasha up with one hand.

 

 

Week 40 cover and preview

 

 

 

[SuperJerk 0]

In the new issue of Wizard (which I bought for reasons even I don't fully understand), they have a quote from Mark Waid says "hiring a supervillian and getting busted in public and all of that was part of Booster's plan Would Booster be that big of a douche? No, of course not."

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

I guess I should mention the rumored weekly Countdown series that will immediately follow 52

 

Paul Dini will be the writer in charge and the series will be numbered backwards going from 51 to 0

 

It is only a rumor at the moment but we will find out for sure in two weeks when the solicitations come out and DC announces their next big project at the New York Comic Con

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Week 40 recap(Now with pictures)

 

Week 40, Day 1

Metropolis: Having gotten a hold of Natasha’s spy bug Lex uses it to contact John in an effort to call John out by showing him what he has done to Natasha. John unhappy with the situation suits up in his Steel armor and sends a priority communiqué to the Teen Titans in an effort to acquire their help in the matter and asks them to meet him at the Lexcorp Building.

Steel and the Titans arrive at the Lexcorp Building to a crowd of Lexcorp employees who are being lead out of the building as “He wants to keep his workers safe”. Upon their arrival the Titans and Steel break through the front of the building where two security guards are located and quickly taken out when Steel slams his hammer into the floor;

The Titans consist of Beast Boy, Raven, Aquagirl and Offspring. An elevator arrives containing some of the members of Infinity Inc and some robots. Nukleon rushes towards Steel – “Well, well. Look who wants a rematch-- only to get knocked on his BUTT with an upper cut from the hammer’s handle. Steel starts to strangle Nukleon with the handle while asking him where Natasha is.

 

Upstairs: Lex is watching the battle on a PC screen with Mercy and Natasha in the same room. Lex looking down at Natasha “I have to admit I’m really looking forward to this. Aren’t you?

 

Downstairs: Steel is knocking his way through the Lexcorps security robots and knocking out another member of Infinity Inc. Beast Boy tells Steel to go and to …”let us Sluggo the Nancies!” Steel confirms that he heard the security guards correctly when they arrived that the floors above are empty and then takes of breaking through the ceilings/floors towards Lex’s office.

 

Upstairs: Steel crashes through to the top level to be met by Mercy and Natasha at which time Mercy starts firing at Steel. John jumps towards Mercy, with the bullets having no affect on Steel, and brings his hammer down towards Mercy, she steps aside allowing Steel to smash the desk that was behind her and is quickly knock out with a hit from Steel elbow to Mercy’s chin. Natasha gets up and runs to John giving him a big hug. Natasha tells John that “It’s good to see you!” John in return hugs Natasha back and tells her “It’s good to see you too. The Titans are down in the lobby. I want you to head down there; you’ll be safe with them. Natasha takes a step back and tells John that she want to stay with him and reveals that Natasha is really Everyman, who turns into a giant crab. Steel is grabbed by the crab’s right pincher and starts to get crushed causing cracks all over Steel’s armor.

With all his might John breaks the pincher and escapes the grasp of the crab. Steels armor is now shattered as well as Everyman’s right hand. Steel pulls off his helmet, picks up his hammer and starts to walk towards Everyman who is slowly changing back into his human form.

John: Where’s my niece? WHERE IS SHE!?

Everyman: With Luthor—She’s with Luth----orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

At which Everyman falls through the hole in the floor created by Steel during his flight up to the top floor.

 

 

 

Downstairs: Everyman dies from his landing

Beast Boy: Not enough room for two shape shifters around here.

Offspring: (looking up and seeing John Henry) Man, I would not want to be Luthor right now…

 

Upstairs: John smashes the door of Lex’s office and is met by Lex and Natasha who is bound in a high security chair.

John: LUTHOR! YOUR SUPER-POWERED THUGS ARE CRAWLING HOME TO MAMA! YOU’RE ALL ALONE! LET HER GO OR I POUND YOU AND YOUR HAND-TAILORED SUIT INTO THE SIDEWALK!

Lex: You think this is Dodge City, Dr. Irons? This is called breaking and entering, and the law entitles me to retaliate. Now. How does this work?

Lex uses his powers and blasts John with heat vision, which triggers the sprinkler systems, and then proceeds to look at his hand using x-ray vision. John gets up and leaps at Lex swings his hammer down upon Lex. Lex is driven into the floor from the hit and then quickly grabs the hammer and pushes the handle of the hammer threw John’s side.

While John is pulling the hammer out, Lex flies out of the floor and hits John and then backhands him knocking him out of the window and breaking the handle of the hammer. Lex then turns towards Natasha all full of himself.

Lex: I like this. Explain to me again how being human is so much better than this. Now we can build our new JLA. We’ll enforce MY laws, MY philosophies, Natasha. With no one smart enough or coordinated enough to stop us, we’ll make the world a better place in days.

Natasha: Are you insane?

Lex: We’ll even rename Earth in my honor! Why Not? Planet Lexor!

John walks back in through the window.

John: You’ll never succeed, Luthor. You know why? Because you lack what all your pseudo-supermen lacked: a cause worth fighting for. No noble intention. No love. No creed. Nothing gives your life meaning only Luthor.

Lex: If I needed analysis, I’ll hire a qualified shrink, Irons. You have four broken ribs and a ruptured appendix. You small intestine is leaking fecal matter into your bloodstream…”

 

John tells Natasha that “we’re going home” which infuriated Lex who then smashes his desk with a single punch. Lex tells Natasha that he needs her to explain it all to the press and the Teen Titans to which Natasha tells Lex that she will as long as he doesn’t hurt John. John tells Lex that she doesn’t tale orders from anybody least of all you. This upsets Lex who charges at John. As Lex grabs John around the throat, John throws his hammer at the chair holding Natasha breaking her free. John punches Lex just as he uses his heat vision and blows a hole in the roof. Natasha picks up the hammer and says to herself “Luthor proved a close range electronic pulse can disorganize the artificial exo-gene. You hammer has an atomic power source”.

With John now holding his hands around Lex’s throat, Lex flies them both up through the hole in the ceiling and outside onto the roof of the building. Lex could hear that Natasha said something but can’t make it. Lex then slaps John off of him, but John’s robotic left hand is still around Lex’s throat which Lex easily breaks. Natasha then hold up the now powered up hammer taking Lex’s powers away.

Lex: What have you done to me?

John: The same thing you did to all those kids you killed on New Year’s! But maybe you should thank us: The Everyman Treatment is toxic. It was eating you up inside—in six months you’d be dead. SO I just saved your life, Luthor. Saving lives is what I do.

Lex: Get away from me! The exo-gene will recover in seconds! I’ll tear you apart!

John: (grabbing Lex around the throat) You don’t have seconds. Time for a fair fight.

 

Downstairs: Mercy is being taken away by the police while the Titans are standing around.

AAAAAUUUU

Offspring: uh-oh Blood curdling cries of pain.

Beast Boy: What’s happening up there? Did he make it? I mean it’s all gone quiet!

Aquagirl: No, look! LOOK! Up in the sky!

The Lexcorp “L” falls out of the sky crushing the Lexcorp title and entryway. When the Titans look up they see John with his arm around Natasha and Lex knocked out lying on his back.

 

 

Week 40, Day 5

Kahndaq:

Osiris: The rain has not stopped for over a week, and yet our gardens die. Civil unrest has begun to take hold in a country that has been peaceful for nearly a year. The Hospitals are overflowing with the sick, suffering from diseases that have not plagued these lands in centuries. Our cemeteries are overflowing.

This is my fault Sobek. If I had not murdered that man I would have been able to keep these corrupted powers under control.

Sobek: Do you really think they did this, Osiris? You killed but one…

Osiris: And those around me will forever suffer because of it. I am cursed. Kahndaq is cursed. You may be as well, my friend.

Sobek: That would be terrible!

Osiris: I need to do something about it. I need to purify myself on a pilgrimage. I need to release my powers…and gain new ones to set things right. I do not want to do this to Isis and Black Adam, but will you help me find it, Sobek? Will you come with me?

Sobek: Come with you where, Osiris?

Osiris: To the Rock of Eternity. I need to find a new family.

 

 

Preview of next week

 

 

 

[Exslade ZX 0]

The preview pic for next weeks (42) at the end looks awesome.

 

It's a shot of Dibny, I assume, with the Fate Helmet on and a gun pointed to his head. Intriguing to say the least.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Looks like Countdown is a reality

 

From Previews order form for May...

 

PAGE 74

GEM

MAR07 0187 COUNTDOWN #51 SRP: $2.99 = $

MAR07 0188 COUNTDOWN #50 SRP: $2.99 = $

MAR07 0189 COUNTDOWN #49 SRP: $2.99 = $

MAR07 0190 COUNTDOWN #48 SRP: $2.99 = $

 

http://previews.diamondcomics.com/su...rforms/cof.txt

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

Week 41, Day 1

Space: With their ship on fire having been attacked by Molek the Hunter, both Adam Strange and Starfire abandon ship to attack Molek on his own ship. Upon entering Starfire takes a bolt from Molek to her left shoulder and is injured. Molek looks at Adam and tells him, “Ah-Dum Strange. Blind. Helpless. Head in jarrr for Lady Styxxxx”. Starfire then blasts Molek and tells him the Lady Styx is dead. Molek responds “Yuu think?” and then activates the Suicide – destruction - sequence for his ship so that Adam and Kory can not take it. Adam grabs Starfire and flies her out of the ship before it explodes.

 

Week 41, Day 2

Nanda Parbat: Renee returns to Nanda Parbat after leaving with no notice and spending time with the monks. Tot enters the room to find Renee is holding the rose she was given by Isis; The rose is very much alive. Tot informs Renee that Richard Dragon is “At that Ice Cave of his. He wants you to meet him there…” Renee then takes her leave and goes to Richard Dragon’s Ice Cave where he meets up with Renee and the two start to fight.

 

Richard: Two weeks eating rice with the monks of Rama Kushna, a change of clothes and you think that does it? Or is this just a case of fake it ‘til you make it?

Renee: Charlie wanted me to carry on for him. That’s what I’m trying to do.

Richard: No. You’re doing what you always do when faced with loss and guilt—you’ve just changed the props you use to a Gi instead of a bottle and a kick instead of a kiss.

Renee: I’m not denying my grief.

Richard: Just because you’re feeling it doesn’t mean you’ve accepted it. You want to honor Sage? Then stop running from yourself. Deal with who you are so you can see who you can be.

 

Having gained the advantage Richard holds Renee facing a wall with her reflection all over the different facets. Renee stares at the wall then gets up and runs out of the cave.

 

 

Week 41, Day 3

Haven Correction Facility: Upon arriving at the facility to visit one of the prisoners, Ralph is denied access. He is informed about the disappearance of Dr. Morrow. Ralph looks over the paperwork on Morrow and finds that cameras had been installed a month before Morrow disappeared. Even though he is told that technicians had been over the room, Ralph takes it upon himself to examine the cameras at which he discovers that there is teleportation micro circuitry in the lens rims. Due to Ralph’s discovery he is allowed in to meet with Professor Milo whom is wheelchair bound.

 

Ralph: Hello Milo.

Milo: We’ve not met.

Ralph: I know you through Batman. You’re Professor Milo, the Technomancer. You like mixing a little magic with your science.

Milo: I…I have no idea what you you’re…

Ralph: According to my sources, you bartered heavily for a certain well-traveled antiquity I require. I’m not sure what price you paid for it, but that’s not my concern.

***Ralph bends down and examines the right wheel of Milo’s wheelchair***

What impresses me is that you successfully faked a paralytic condition just to get the artifact smuggled into Haven as part of a wheel chair.

Milo: NO!

***Ralph pulls the wheel off of the wheel chair***

Ralph: Again, Milo, kudos. You alone found a loophole. Haven’s scanners are set to scan every house-arrest domicile for as little as on stray nanite but they’re so tech-focused that magical objects, properly enchanted, can go undetected. Right under everyone’s noses, you’ve been experimenting with the Silver Wheel of Nyorlath. Which is now mine…free and clear, which is a pleasant change.

The director of Haven comes in to see Milo on the floor and Ralph holding the wheel. The director asks Ralph to help him pick Milo up as Milo’s legs have been amputated from the knees down. Ralph says he has to go and the Helmet of Fate appears. When two guards come into the room Ralph, the Helmet and the Wheel vanish.

 

 

Week 41, Day 5

Nanda Parbat: Renee sits down on and shares a bench with a Woman.

Renee: So what’s a nice girl like you doing in a spiritual retreat like this?

Woman: I’m waiting for a friend. We’re supposed to be meeting here, but I’m afraid I’m early. He’s going to help me start a new life, I suppose you might say.

Renee: The old one not working out?

Woman: Not exactly as I hoped, no. I killed a man.

Renee: You have a choice?

Woman: I tell myself I didn’t. And yourself? Why are you here?

Renee: I was…I was trying to save my friend’s life. He had cancer.

WomanDiana: You have my sympathies.

Renee: yeah. I get so angry, I just want to scream, y’know? I’m here in Nanda Parbat for Heaven’s sake, and still, Charlie dies of cancer. All these miracles in our world, all the wonders and still my friend, he dies of cancer. I mean, can you explain that to me? Does that make sense to you?

Woman: No. But it was not my experience, so I cannot interpret it for you.

Renee: There’s nothing to interpret.

Woman: Certainly there is. You are looking for a reason, and you are looking for it without. But the only reason you find will be the reason you bring to the experience and that can only come from looking within.

Renee: It’s not that I don’t want to look. I’m dying to look. But I’m afraid what I’ll see there.

Woman: Then that is all the more reason to do it. It’s a simple question which will have greater rule over you your fear or your curiosity? ***The woman's sleeves slide down revealing silver bracelets on her wrists

 

Renee goes back to the Richard Dragon’s Ice Cave with a candle and sits down looking at the wall. The candle goes out making the smoke and ember from the wick form a question mark.

 

 

Week 41, Day 7

Space: Adam and Starfire are still using their spaceship which is falling apart, has no power except for that in life support and is taking them into a K-Type Sun. Adam is blames himself for Molek blowing up his ship and starts to talk to Kory about his fear of loosing Alanna to a real hero. All of a sudden a planet appears in front of the sun causing the ship to fall into it. Adam does what he can to provide a soft landing but the ship hits the side of a mountain and crashes into a lake.

OPTO309V: We got ‘em. Strange. If Molek’s transport hadn’t suicided when it did, we’d have missed the radiation flare that brought us here. Green Lantern OPTO309V made the sighting.

Mogo: Lantern Mogo made the catch.

 

 

 

 

 

[SuperJerk 0]

If Starfire lives through "52," I wonder how they're going to explain where she was during OYL. The Titans were talking about her like she was dead.

[Justice 0]

I'm guessing that she never actually makes it back to Earth, so everyone thinks she's dead.

 

And it looks like Felix Faust is making his move.

[SuperJerk 0]

Yeah, I thought of that, but I'd think the GL Corps would figure out a way to get her back to Earth in the 11 weeks left. Even if she chose not to go back to Earth, she'd at least let them know she was alive.