The first preview for the Dark Knights one-shot Batman: The Red Death opens with a Crisis-on Infinite Earths homage, expands to a direct visual reference to the seminal DC Comics event, and then twists things all up with a surprise you'll never see coming -- and that's in just three pages!

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The Dark Nights: Metal spinoff, written by Josh Williamson with art by Carmine Di Giandomenico, opens with a page that's a nod to the original Crisis, as we see a series of spheres apparently crashing into and destroying one another. This is an obvious homage to the iconic depiction of the different Earths of DC's Multiverse converging into each other, indicating that even in the Dark Multiverse, there was some sort of Crisis-level event at some point.

That theory is driven home even harder with the next reveal: A two-page spread showing what appears to be Barry Allen dodging laser blasts as Central City explodes around him, the skies colored an ominous Crisis-red. The final page is the real shocker, though -- Batman is the person who has been shooting at the Flash, and he's wearing Captain Cold's glasses and shooting the Rogue's cold gun. In short, this is definitely not the Earth DC Comics fans have come to know and love.

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The appearance of a Batman armed to the teeth with another character's tech lends implies that we're seeing the Barry Allen/Flash of the Dark Multiverse, likely moments before he dies and the evil Dark Knight somehow takes his powers. After all, the entire Dark Knights concept hinges on the Justice League facing evil versions of their teammate after they discover the other dimension's existence. Whatever the actual answer is, however, will have to wait until September 20 to be revealed, when Batman: The Red Death arrives in stores.

Check out the preview for Batman: The Red Death, and the one-shot's solicitation information, below.

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BATMAN: THE RED DEATH #1

  • Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
  • Art by CARMINE DI GIANDOMENICO
  • Cover by JASON FABOK
  • As the events of DARK NIGHTS: METAL rock the DC Universe, the creatures of the Dark Multiverse stand ready to invade our world! How can even the World’s Greatest Heroes stop a horde of deadly beings that appear to be powerful, nightmare versions of familiar figures? Find out in these special tie-in issues!
  • ONE-SHOT • On sale SEPTEMBER 20 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • FOIL-STAMPED COVER • RATED T+