ND 01-2023

HUMANITY FIRST #4
Plot by EXCITER
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Art by FRANK CHO
Suggested Music: Iced Earth - "Motivation of Man"
“IN SPITE OF JUSTICE”
As the Justice League struggles valiantly against impossible odds, Vandal Savage executes every last contingency plan that he has in order to stop them and maintain control of Oa! Even the likes of Superman, Wonder Woman, and Black Adam begin to crack under the relentless pressure that the immortal Savage brings to bear! Hal Jordan and John Stewart struggle to pry the Parasite off of Oa’s Central Battery but are being overwhelmed! The sheer number of Manhunters is insurmountable! The Light is unstoppable!
Yet the Justice League’s true power was never its strength alone, but rather its ability to inspire. Other powers throughout the Universe arrive - including fleets from the member worlds of the still-new United Planets, in addition to the Yellow, Blue, and even the Red Lantern Corps! They’re behind our heroes and represent galactic unity!
This is the end of 50,000 years of planning. Against this overwhelming force, Savage begins to see that he can no longer win. But does that end his threat… or make him more dangerous?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
ACTION COMICS #1
PLOT by GUANLISHABI
WRITTEN by MATT FRACTION
ART by LEONARDO ROMERO
"The Man of Tomorrow"
Clark Kent and Lois Lane are investigating the ties between US government and certain terrorist organizations.
Lois believes the government has been selling weapon to terrorist to instigate conflict in certain areas,
and then the government sells more weapons to the local government for anti-terrorism warfare in order to profit.
And she might be right, the powers that be have sent a group of agents disguised as kidnappers to take care of Lane.
Not even her father can save her this time, but her fellow reporter Clark Kent hears this with his super hearing.
Just as Lois is kidnapped and carried away in a car, Superman flies down to smash the car and save Lois.
Later that night, a high ranking officer visits Lex Luthor at LexCorp.
The powers that be have deemed Superman to be an obstacle and they need an expert to deal with him.
It's not just the US, many other countries are not happy with Superman's political interferences.
And they expect Lex Luthor to deliver.
The Man of Tomorrow is a thing of the past. The general argues that they are already in the tomorrow.
Truth, Justice and the American Way died in Vietnam 50 years ago.
Luthor smiles and tells the general that he always delivers.
It's time for a new Superman.
30 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
AQUAMAN #27 *Humanity First Tie-In*
Plot by EXCITER
Written by GEOFF JOHNS
Art by JIM LEE
“WATER AND SAND”
Vandal Savage is losing! Aquaman and Black Adam have contributed to Savage’s defeat as part of the Justice League, but can the two former enemies now formally end the hostilities between their respective nations?
On Oa, Arthur proposes a peace treaty between Kahndaq and Atlantis that would officially end their war. Problem is, Arthur has no authority to sign the tread because he is not the king. His brother Orm is. And Orm has allied with Savage… and refuses to capitulate!
This conflict has been brewing for years. Orm has always chaffed at the prevailing belief among Atlanteans that his brother Arthur was, in fact, the chosen one that is spoken of in Arion’s Prophecy - the King that was foretold to one day reunite the whole of the Underwater. Now Orm has the chance to end that speculation once and for all…
Brother against brother on an alien world for control of Atlantis: only one will return to Earth as the king!
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
BAT-WING #42
Writer: Malcolm Jones
Artist: Dexter Soy
Plotter: Marvell2100
INTO THE LIONS' DEN: Conclusion!
Burendia: With chaos all around them, Bat-Wing finally convinces Kia and the other agents to leave! As much as they all want revenge against The Red Lion, they're all in danger if they stay! It's time to leave Burendia while they can! David looks around for a way out and spots a transport but it's on the other side of the battlefield. Grifter looks over at David, sees what he has planned and immediately calls out to John Diggle. They begin taking out soldiers clearing a path for the rest.
As David gets the others onto the transport and into the air, they all look back to see Grifter, John Diggle and Bronze Tiger lost in a sea of Burendian soldiers. Rick Flagg pilots the transport heading to the Congo and while they're all glad to escape, they can't help feeling guilt. They made it out alive but only because three people sacrificed their lives for them to escape!
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
DETECTIVE COMICS #31 *Humanity First Tie-In*
Plot by EXCITER
Written by MARK MILLAR
Art by JOHN ROMITA, JR.
“WAR OF THE WARWORLD”
The Dark Knight used stealth to reach the Warworld’s control center - but therein faces Vandal Savage himself! The immortal caveman is a master of every form of combat known to humanity, allowing him to nearly slay Batman until the cowled hero receives some unexpected help…
Scandal Savage, daughter of the immortal, betrays her father! Her motivations, for now, are mysterious. But Batman has bigger problems anyway! Namely, he must keep Warworld’s keys away from Vandal and his ilk. The planet-sized weapon is the most powerful one in Vandal’s arsenal, and Batman will risk it all to buy time for heavy-hitters like Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Martian Manhunter to disable the Warworld while it’s inactive!
Scandal, however, has an even bolder strategy… double back to the control room and use the Warworld against her father! Could it possibly work?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
DEADLY HANDS OF CONNOR HAWKE #42
Plotter: MARVELL2100
Writer: JEFF LEMIRE
Artist: ANDREA SORRENTINO
THE LONG,DARK ROAD.
Connor, Avila, Tasha and The Magus arrive in Nepal to begin the long, treacherous journey to the top of the Himalayas. Tasha has ordered her son to to kill Richard Dragon and take his rightful place as leader of The Guild! And she has threatened to kill Avila if Connor doesn't carry out her demands! As they begin the climb up the long, dark road through the mountains, it should take weeks to reach the stronghold of The Guild.
Connor looks at The Magus and asks why is he doing this? Just let Avila go and he will do what they ask. The Magus tells Connor to focus on the task ahead of him. He will need all of his mental and physical skills when he faces Dragon. Connor asks him about his father and if this is what they all had planned, for Connor to become the head of a murderous guild of assassins. The Magus says nothing and just looks ahead. Connor then looks at Avila nd tells her he'll find a way to get them out of this. But deep inside he wonders, can he beat Dragon? And what happens if he's forced to face his own mother?
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
THE FLASH #42 *Humanity First Tie-In*
Plot by EXCITER
Written by ROBERT KIRKMAN
Art by FRANK CHO
“THE WRATH OF FLASH”
The Flash discovered Vandal Savage’s secret plan to facilitate his own immortal origin: steal life force from alien worlds, infuse it into a meteorite, and send that meteorite back in time for his past self to absorb! Flash tried to stop him, but the Reverse Flash convinced Barry that if he interfered with the past then humanity would be destroyed… so Flash had to let Savage win.
But that doesn’t mean Flash can’t change the future!
Flash, with the help of geniuses from the Justice League and elsewhere, now thinks he can reverse-engineer the Oa-Warworld technology that Vandal Savage used to siphon life force from alien worlds and give that stolen life back to a new world - like the Genesis Device from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - except this time Savage himself will be the power source!
Can Flash reclaim the life force that Vandal Savage stole, returning it to the universe and rendering his arch-foe and the architect of the “Humanity First” event a mere mortal once again? Can he persuade his former mentees in W.O.A.H.’s Speedster Division to help him?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
GREEN LANTERN #42 *Humanity First Tie-In*
Plot by EXCITER
Written by MARK MILLAR
Art by JOE MADUREIRA
“BUILD BACK LANTERN”
Savage’s occupation of the HQ planet of the Green Lantern Corps has left it decimated. John Stewart, Jessica Cruz, and Guy Gardner liberate the sciencells and scour the wreckage. Who among their fellow corpsman survived… and who did not?
Meanwhile, the so-called “Guardians of the Universe” are now an endangered species. There are only three Maltusians on Oa left alive. The highest ranking amongst them, Ganthet, is forced to admit that he was wrong. Hal Jordan warned him, but after countless eons as an authority figure, Ganthet was too set in his ways to heed Jordan’s advice. Disaster followed. He won’t make that mistake again.
The Green Lantern Corps requires new management. It needs an inspirational leader who isn’t afraid to take risks. Someone brave and bold. It needs Hal Jordan. But is the guy who always spoke truth to power prepared to become the power himself?
Meanwhile, Sinestro loaned the corpsmen from Earth yellow power rings, which they used to assemble the Justice League and reclaim Oa. Now Sinestro is ready to cash in the favor he’s owed…
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
HAWKGRRL, AGENT OF CHECKMATE #4 *Humanity First Tie-In*
Written by TOM KING
Art by TULA LOTAY
Plot by CAPTCLEGHORN
“THE PRIORITIZATION HAP, part 2”
Thal Chayera has been tasked to defend a family of shape shifting aliens knows as Durlans from a gang of humans out to kill the aliens. Because the Durlans are quite talented at shifting their shape, taking disguises and looking like almost anybody or anything, it’s soon the human terrorists in the run.
The Durlans have found their favorite parts of human life, including Japanese robot cartons where individual units combine into one large and far more powerful unit. I bet you didn’t know shape shifting life forms could do that as well. Don’t feel bad, neither did Hawkgrrl.
Even if Hawkgrrl manages to keep herself and the human thugs alive, will she be able to discover the deeper secret the Durlans are keeping?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
HUMANITY FIRST: AGENTS OF W.O.A.H. #4
Plot by EXCITER
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art by ED McGUINNESS
“ALL BAD THINGS…”
W.O.A.H. Is dissolving before it’s agent’s very eyes!
As the Justice League takes the agency’s upper echelons of W.O.A.H. into custody, arresting the likes of Cheetah and Killer Frost, what will become of the rank and file members? Many were newly-activated metahumans that were headhunted specifically by Vandal Savage when he discovered they possessed the requisite metagene. Is that a viable excuse? Will the League imprison these metahumans… or mentor them?
Meanwhile, Ethan Avery’s one-hour of power as the Doomsday-level behemoth Damage is up. He’s a normal soldier now… and can a normal solider escape the assembled heroes of the galaxy?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
HUMANITY FIRST: CENTRAL CITY CITIZEN #4
Plot by EXCITER
Written by ED BRUBAKER
Art by JAE LEE
“PART THREE: SAVAGE OBITUARY”
Flash’s rogues succeeded in keeping Iris West alive. The world now knows the truth… all of it. It is time, then, for Iris West to write the final chapter of Vandal Savage’s story… his OBITUARY!
Over the course of 500,000 years, Vandal Savage committed countless atrocities. He conspired, sometimes from the shadows and sometimes in the open, to control the evolution of humanity. He wanted to shape mankind in his image: powerful, merciless, dominant. But he failed. He failed because it has always been humanity’s vulnerability and capacity for mercy and cooperation that make it special. He couldn’t change that. Not in 500,000 years. Not ever.
Vandal Savage’s actions could have doomed our world to a pariah’s destiny, forever hated by the rest of our galactic neighbors. Instead, the Galaxy bore witness to the best of humanity - its heroes - joining with non-human forces, together, to win the day and prevent further atrocities. I believe this is cause for optimism. Thanks to the Flash, Vandal’s demise literary resulted in the birth of a new world out in space. I believe it can also figuratively do the same for us on Earth.
Let us not remember the villain that manipulated the world to his evil ends. Let us, instead, remember that humanity prevailed against Stone Age philosophy. Let us remember that humanity did evolve, but not to be like Vandal Savage. It evolved to surpass him.
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
HUMANITY FIRST: FOUR WINGS AND A RING #4 (of 4)
Written by N.K. Jemisin (Far Sector)
Art by Liam Sharp (The Green Lantern)
Plot by CaptCleghorn
Byth Rok has been defeated and returned to Thanagar as a traitor and an interstellar terrorist. Hawkman and Hawkwoman tell Green Lantern Rayn Kral of the invitation they received to join a “Justice League”. The League was created to defend Oa and the Green lantern Corps from Vandal Savages. Kral is still unsure of the true motivations of an Earth based team of meta-beings but based on Hol and Thal’s testimony. Adam Strange and Captain Comet also follow the Thangarian trio to fight with the Justice League.
What stands in their way is a warship loaded with dozens of Human criminals, each wanting nothing more than to kill some super-heroes. Will our heroes get past this warship to help free Oa from Savage? Or will our five fighters face fatal fallout from fanatical flagrant fighting forces?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
HUMANITY FIRST: OUR FIGHTING FORCES #4
As Vandal Savage pursues his agenda to put Humanity First, Next Dawn proudly presents an anthology of must-read stories from the event!
“THE END OF THE RACE”
The Black Racer is an avatar of death. Nobody outruns him forever. Yet one person tried…
Vandal Savage had escaped death for 500,000 years. When the Flash siphoned Savage’s stolen life force and used it to vitalize a new world, the Black Racer saw an opportunity. Savage was now a mortal, and his race was over.
The Black Racer sped into the event and, before the Justice League could react, impaled Vandal Savage on his cosmic ski poles.
The long race is finally over. And, as always, the Black Racer wins…
But where is he racing to next?
"JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE RING" *Conclusion!*
Written by Grant Morrison
Plot by CaptCleghorn
Art by Frank Quitely
Rhonda Pineda, known as Atomika, is inside a Green Lantern ring at sub-atomic size experiencing the force powering the ring in very unusual forms. At this point, the team she came to OA with has given her up for lost on a fool’s errand. “No big deal,” they said, “She just shrinks, what good is that?”
She’s experiencing existence as a totally new form at matter/energy because her size has gone beyond the planck length at which physical laws stop working as expected. She can see the beyond tiny wavelengths of the energy accessed by the Green Lantern rings. The smaller the wavelength the more powerful the energy. And Rhonda looks to shrink that wavelength even more using her belt’s abilities.
If she can manage to utilize the ring’s power and manage to increase the energy by shrinking wavelength, can Atomika fight the seduction of so much power, even from a depleted ring? And what will she do when she manages to find a ring with power still in it?
32 PGs./Rated T+ …$2.99
JLAlien #12 *Humanity First Tie-In*
Plot by NX01A
Written by AL EWING
Art by RYAN SOOK
'HUMAN LEAGUE'
•The fiendish finale!
•VOODOO stopped her villainous cohorts from killing billions of peaceful human-alien hybrids by tweaking their bioweapon to kill only pure humans. The thousands of WISE MEN are dead, humanity on this Earth is extinct, and Voodoo is overcome with guilt with the blood of humanity on her hands.
•The grateful world computer ALIEN-ATOR's quantum codex finally guides the reality-lost bad guys back home but the welcome they receive isn't what they expected. The world's changed since they were gone, and not for the better where aliens are concerned.
•Formula Z6 gas neutralizes the Martian powers of MA'ALEFA'AK!
•A neural blocker designed for depowering telepathic PSIONS knocks out MAXWELL LORD!
•LEX LUTHOR's stolen prototype solar energy disruptor drains BLACKFIRE's Tamaranean powers!
•The ÜBERADICATOR accepts a most intriguing job offer.
•And Voodoo cries with joy at being back home and free of her murderous companions.
•How were some of the worst aliens, hybrids, and metahumans taken down so quickly and so easily? The heroes who did it will never tell but a little 5th dimensional imp whispered in their ears that he was done having fun with his toys and wanted them put back in the box for someone else to play with.
•Coming soon: JLβ!
32 PGs./ Rated M...$3.99
MAN OF BRONZE #16
Writer: Chip Zdarsky
Artist: Philip Tan
Plotter: Marvell2100
WRATH OF THE TIGER!
Blood runs in the streets of the capital of Burendia as Ben, Grifter and John Diggle battle soldiers so that Bat-Wing and the other Congo agents can escape! Now, Ben turns his attention to Matthew Bland, President of Burendia who also goes by the name of The Red Lion! Years ago Bland captured and tortured them all leaving mental and physical scars. But Ben is long gone leaving the Bronze Tiger fully in control as he races towards his prey, slashing everything in his path. The Red Lion smiles and rushes to greet his enemy! This will be a great battle he thinks, songs and stories will be told of his great victory!
The two meet in all the chaos and begin their dance of death (I'm taking poetic license here)! At first they seem evenly matched, going blow for blow! However as the fight goes on, The Bronze Tiger seems to be getting stronger and stronger and doubt begins to creep into the mind of The Red Lion! Bland, realizing that he is about to lose, suddenly surrenders. But Ben is to far gone and is out for blood. He raise his claws, ready to rip Bland's throat when his hand is stopped in mid-air by John Diggle, the same John Diggle who betrayed them all to Bland the first time!
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
THE QUESTION #42
Writer: MARK RUSSELL
Artist: BILL SIENKIEWICZ
Plotter: CaptCleghorn
“Is it Justice or Vengeance?”
Marian Mercer, the vigilante calling herself Pagan has fired a bullet between the legs of one of the Hub City school shooters. The Hub City Police do not allow him to change his underwear before bringing him in. Vic and Marian manage to escape before the HCPD brings them in as well.
It is expected the captured shooter will talk and give up his friends. The FBI is involved as are state authorities. Parents of victims are making the rounds on media outlets and various news and “news” programs. Ron Troupe is making a name for himself with his understanding, kind, understanding mannerisms.
Vic, on the other hand, is facing pressure from the DCBA network to make this a big story and to focus on it heavily. His desire to bring forth aids to prevention of attacks like this and education warning signs is far too gentle and controlled for DCBA.
And Vic’s day gets interesting in the Chinese “May you live in interesting times” curse way. Betty Bates, Lady@Law has good news and bad news for him. She tells him the “Me Too” case against him is extraordinarily weak and really shouldn’t have gotten as far as it did. The woman making the charges is an employee of Lorelei Chase, the singer known as the Siren. The charger has a number of payments made to her by DCBA.
Interesting times, indeed.
32 PGS./ Rated M for Mature Readers...$2.99
SENSATION COMICS #31 *Humanity First Tie-In*
Written and Illustrated by ZOE THOROGOOD
Plot by H-E-D
MAN’S WORLDS, PART TWO
“Night Sky”
Diana of Thymescira, the CELESTIAL WONDER WOMAN, has voyaged to the stars.
While fighting the forces of the Light on the planet Staryl, she came face to face with her old nemesis, the CYBERNARY.
Their combat is intense… but lasts long enough for Vandal Savage to recall his forces from the region.
It’s all hands on deck to defeat the Justice League – which, Diana has not forgotten, she is pledged to join.
Traveling by starlight, Diana joins her sworn allies in the fight… but the League itself will not be enough.
The people of the cosmos must rise in solidarity to reject the Savage tyranny!
The Starylese only have superpowers under the right confluence of sunlight… but those few hours will have to be enough.
Inspired by Diana, the people of Staryl join the fight to liberate Oa!
Will their aid be enough to turn the tide? See for yourself, in the pages of HUMANITY FIRST #4!
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
SUPERMAN #1
PLOT by GUANLISHABI
WRITTEN by GENE LUEN YANG
ART by GURIHIRU
"The Last Son of Krypton"
Doomed Planet. Desperate Scientists. Last Hope. Kindly Couple. Superman, the Last Son of Krypton.
Years ago, Superboy planted a Golden Flower from Krypton in Smallville.
Now, that Super-Flower is growing strong, actually maybe a little too strong.
The yellow sun light of Earth may have just created the strongest flower in the universe.
And to make things worse, the flower is slowly becoming conscious.
Superman arrives in Smallville to discover an indestructible flower monster trying to control all the plants.
But even Superman may not be enough to stop the Kryptonian plant.
As the Super-Flower feed on solar energy, all of Superman's attacks just makes the Flower grow stronger!
Before long, the Golden Flower will bloom and spread all the seed across Earth.
There will be an army of Super-plants to conquer the planet!
But is Superman willing to break his vow and kill the flower with White Kryptonite?
Or is there another way?
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
UNCANNY G-MEN: HUMANITY FIRST #4
(LGY: UNCANNY G-MEN #13)
Written by Kieron Gillen
Plot by H-E-D
Art by Jamal Campbell
Quintus Thump may have perished at the hand of his own creations (See Uncanny G-Men #7!), but his legacy lives on! In the wake of his death, his cousin Esau Thump taken over the Pacifier project… and has used his access to Manhunter technology (thank you, Vandal Savage!) to jumpstart a bold new phase of Pacifiers… Project Belphoebe. But Belphoebe units won’t be ready for generations.
In the meantime, he unveils the KEEPER!
A Pacifier that builds Pacifiers!
Uh oh.
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
UNCANNY G-MEN #14
Written by Kieron Gillen
Plot by H-E-D
Art by Valerio Schiti
TERROR IN ORBIT
As if the Keeper wasn’t bad enough on it’s own — try stopping a self-replicating robot army while in Zero-G!
That’s right, the Uncanny G-Men have gone where no Gen-Actives have gone before – space!
Half the team is in Esau Thump’s clutches – and the other half is staging a daring rescue.
They encounter a shocking roadblock – the original five G-Men themselves! But how? And more importantly, why?
(If you guess, dear reader, was that they’re Keepers disguised as the original team, then you’re right!)
Even if they can succeed – how can they possibly get back to Earth?
32 PGS./Rated T+...$3.99
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