WARNING: CONTAINS POTENTIAL SPOILERS FOR BATMAN #152 & JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #1 & DC ALL IN SPECIAL #1!DC was teasing Darkseid’s Return since mid-July, and with the release of a fresh Absolute power Connect, it’s official – the new god is back after two years. Although his appearance in this issue is brief, it is the beginning of a chain of events that will reshape the DC Universe and leave a lasting impact for years to come.
Darkseid’s brief appearance in Batman #152 is only the tip of the iceberg, signaling the monumental role the New God will play in shaping DC’s future.
Batman #152 by Chip Zdarsky, Mike Hawthorne, Adriano Di Benedetto and Romulo Fajardo Jr. Absolute power Crisis event. With most of DC’s heroes de-powered or imprisoned, the remaining Justice League members and their allies race to find any advantage.
Batman and Catwoman, in particular, embark on a dangerous mission to steal a powerful weapon rumored to be in Amanda Waller’s possession, only to discover that she’s secured a Mother Box and hidden it on Lobo’s home planet, Czarnia. And Where there is a mother box, Darkseid is never far behind– A fact that soon proves to be true.
Darkseid returns to the DC Universe in Batman #152 (2024) by Chip Zdarsky
Amanda Waller’s stolen mother box calls Darkseid’s to Lobo’s home planet
Batman #152 picks up where the previous issue left off, with Batman and Catwoman battling Waller’s Suicide Squad while racing to disarm the timer attached to the Mother Box and steal the New Genesis super-computer. Despite Selina’s efforts, the timer reaches zero before she can disarm it. Surprisingly, instead of an explosion, the shielding of the tomb that protects the Mother Box is knocked out, and the two heroes momentarily puzzled. Bruce quickly connects the dots, Realizing that without the shielding, the Mother Box would act as a beacon, calling Darkseid to their location.
This realization proves correct when Darkseid arrives on Czarnia, forcing Batman and Catwoman to flee for their lives. As they run, Bruce scrambles to activate the Mother Box, hoping it will transport them back to Earth and away from the relentless New God. He eventually succeeds, transporting them to the island where they shared significant moments during Batman #79-A place with deep emotional ties for both. When they land safely, Selina expresses disbelief that they survived. Bruce replies gleefully, “We should be [dead]But we’re not. And if so, he wanted us to live. This is not over…”
DC is set to play Darkseid in a major role in their upcoming ALL-IN initiative
Darkseid will be responsible for creating the Absolute Universe
Thanks to various leaks from DC, fans know that Batman is spot on when he says that their encounter with Darkseid is far from over. Anticipation for Darkseid’s return has been building since Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson revealed during a YouTube announcement that a game-changing moment in Absolute power Will have Darkseid sensing something did “changed” And is “Missing.” While the specifics of this “something” stay clear, It will set Darkseid on a quest that brings him into conflict with Superman’s new, more powerful Justice League.
Sneijder also stressed that the clash will be more than just another battle –It will completely reshape the DC cosmology. One of the most important outcomes will be the creation of a dangerous new reality: the Absolute Universe. This universe will be home to darker, more chaotic versions of beloved heroes such as Wonder Woman, Superman and Batman, all of whom will cope with their own titles. The new world, part of DC’s ALL-IN initiative launched in October, will exist alongside the main DC Universe, adding a new dimension to DC’s story.
In essence, DC is creating a two-planet metaverse. Fans can think of the Absolute Universe as a counterpart to Marvel’s Ultimate Universe. What makes the development even more intriguing is that Darkseid himself will be responsible for its creation. Although the details remain a mystery, The new world will be powered entirely by “Darkseid Energy,” A stark contrast to these “Superman Energy” which holds the current DC Universe. Hence, Darkseid’s brief appearance in Batman #152 is only the tip of the iceberg, signaling the monumental role the New God will play in shaping DC’s future.
DC has already revealed Darkseid’s final fate in the Justice League Unlimited Preview
Spoiler alert: it all ends (and begins) with Darkseid dying—but not before he gets an awesome ax arm
Some fans may be surprised to learn that despite Darkseid’s major return to the DC Universe, his resurgence will be short-lived, as DC has already revealed plans to kill the New God. This spoiler comes directly from the solicitations for Mark Waid and Dan Mora Justice League Unlimited #1, what state, “Darkseid’s death has triggered a massive power vacuum in the DCU, and Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman must unite like never before and expand the Justice League to encompass every hero championing the forces of good in the face of incredible evil!”
Although revealing such a significant event in the solicitations feels surprising, it is likely that there is more to Darkseid’s death than initially meets the eye. Even if DC permanently puts the iconic villain to rest, fans still have a lot to look forward to. One of the most intriguing teases is Darkseid cutting off his arm and replacing it with a giant axe– A wild development previewed in Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Wes Craig and Daniel Sampere’s upcoming DC All In Special #1. The issue, which will be released on October 2, will officially kick off DC’s ALL IN initiative, promising even more shocking twists ahead.
Is DC really killing off Darkseid, and if so, what are the chances of him coming back?
Catch up with the new gods: When was the last time fans saw Darkseid in the DCU?
While killing off Darkseid is undeniably important news, especially after his recent return, this isn’t the first time the New God has faced death. Mainstream continuity followers will recall that Darkseid was previously killed off in the Darkseid War but was later revived in a depowered state. Recently, Darkseid was seen in Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #7, where he returned to Apokolips at full power. Given his history of overcoming death, there remains some hope for Darkseid Enthusiasts that the iconic villain may not have a permanent end in DC’s ALL IN initiative.
Batman #152 is now available from DC Comics!
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