DC's string of Dark Multiverse titles is becoming practically a shadow line of comic books in themselves, like a Dark Elseworlds line, as three additional Tales from the Dark Multiverse one-shots have been announced for December 2020.
1985's Crisis on Infinite Earths, 1991's War of the Gods, and even 2017's Dark Nights: Metal will be revisited - but twisted, with villains winning, heroes turning evil, and more (remember, these are universes from DC's Dark Multiverse).
The three new specials are in addition to the Tales of the Dark Multiverse one-shots revisiting 'Hush' and Flashpoint coming out in November, and others released previously.
Writer Steve Orlando and artist Mike Perkins are giving a surprise retcon twist to the end of arguably DC's biggest event ever with December 15's Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Crisis on Infinite Earths.
"When the Anti-Monitor's deadly grudge match with the Multiverse was finally foiled, there was only one Earth left! But which Earth? That was crucial to what would happen next. In one timeline, Earth-1's Superman stopped the Superman of Earth-2 from going into final battle, but in the Dark Multiverse, it's Jor-L of Earth-2 who survives, changing the landscape for all that follows!," reads DC's description of this alt-universe twist.
"When Surtur comes looking to crush all life, the beleaguered heroes jump into their next big battle, jumping from one Crisis to the next...but will the last days of the Justice Society of America play out differently if Green Lantern Alan Scott steps into the darkness?"
December 1's Tales from the Dark Multiverse: War of the Gods by writer Vita Ayala and artist Ariel Olivetti revisits the Wonder Woman-centric event but with Wonder Woman twisted to become a villain in the story.
"In this 48-page, $5.99 Prestige Format one-shot, the realms of the gods have been turned upside down and inside out, on the verge of engulfing Earth and its people. Only one hero stands to defend it: Wonder Woman!," reads DC's description. "But this dark mirror image of an epic tale features a Wonder Woman who is ready to destroy our world!
"Cursed by the evil goddess of magic, Hecate, the Amazon warrior princess Diana has become a weapon of vengeance ready to tear down any god or superhero that stands in her way," the synopsis continues. "Will Earth and its heroes survive her might? Or are they doomed to worship the dark princess of the Amazons for the rest of eternity?!"
And finally Dark Nights: Metal co-creator/writer Scott Snyder himself, along with co-writers Collin Kelly and Jackson Lanzing, will be imagining what if the event which spawned the Dark Multiverse one-shots ended differently with December 29's Tales from the Dark Multiverse: Dark Nights: Metal.
"In the event-defining epic Dark Nights: Metal, the Justice League defeated the vile Barbatos and his Dark Knights to save our universe from sinking into the abyss of the Dark Multiverse. But... what if they failed? What if Barbatos reigned victorious?" DC's description reads
"Enter an alternate timeline where the DCU as you know it has been dragged down into the darkness. Witness the Justice League you once knew, hideously transformed into dragons who serve at the mercy of evil.
"Duke Thomas, the Last Monitor, will have to seek out Nightwing and the few remaining survivors of the Metal event to assemble the Final Justice League in an attempt to save the Multiverse."
The one-shot, described as "the biggest, loudest arena rock concert in the history of the DC Universe," will be drawn by Karl Mostert and Trevor Scott.
All three 48-page one-shots will be priced at $5.99 each, with primary covers by David Marquez.
Look for DC's full December 2020 solicitations later this week on Newsarama.
Check out every DC Crisis ranked from best to worst. Hint: Crisis on Infinite Earth ranks very highly.
