DC recently shocked readers around the world with the recent "Death of the Justice League." They are now looking to shake up their universe even more with the upcoming Dark Crisis miniseries. The highly anticipated event will be the latest "Crisis" event to threaten DC's multiverse and follows in the vein of classic stories such as Final Crisis, Infinite Crisis, and, of course, Crisis on Infinite Earths. Taking place after the most powerful heroes in the DC Universe met their end in Justice League #75, Dark Crisis is sure to come with a slew of even greater surprises and is expected to herald the introduction of a new League and feature the death of a hero in the very first issue.
CBR had a chance to speak with acclaimed writer Joshua Williamson about the upcoming series. Even though he has been billed as one of the busiest writers in comics and is currently penning several DC projects (including the Batman-centered crossover "Shadow War"), Williamson found the time to tease a little bit about what is coming up in Dark Crisis, as well as some of the heroes and villains involved in the multiverse-altering event.
CBR: The first issue of Dark Crisis features the death of a major hero. Who made the decision to pull the plug on this particular character?
Joshua Williamson: My answer to that going to be just as vague as the question: read Dark Crisis #2. I think that issue will answer most of your questions. It's mostly one long fight scene and features a big fight between Nightwing and Deathstroke. There's also a big confrontation between Cyborg Superman and Jon Kent, and there are some other really big moments that happen. The death is hard to talk about without giving too much away, but it is important to the whole story. It's not a throwaway thing.
What can you tell us about the new Justice League introduced in Dark Crisis #1?
Well, there is no Justice League. Jon tries to build one, but it's not going to work. You can't create a League just because you want to make one. It just doesn't work that way. That's a major part of the story, the fact that there really is no Justice League, and you can't just make one out of thin air.
Who is your favorite member of the "Not Really" Justice League introduced in Dark Crisis #1?
The "Not Really" Justice League? That's pretty funny. I really like Dr. Light and Frankenstein. Obviously, I like Damian Wayne a lot because of my history with that character, and I like getting to write him in this context. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle are cool. I like all these characters, and that's a part of why they're here.
What kind of role will this unofficial Justice League play in Dark Crisis?
Every character you see in Dark Crisis #1 plays an important role throughout the series. There are no throw-away characters. Dr. Light has some especially big moments. It is called Dark Crisis, after all.
I assume this means we can expect a big Booster Gold / Blue Beetle moment at some point in Dark Crisis as well?
Yes, of course. I love Blue and Gold, and I'm happy that they are both a part of Dark Crisis. They have a couple of great moments, especially later in the series.
Deathstroke has had fluctuating morals in the past. Why is he decided on such a violent and unapologetic approach toward the Teen Titans in Dark Crisis #1?
As far as I'm concerned, Deathstroke is a villain. He's not a hero or an anti-hero. He's a villain. I wanted to make that absolutely clear before we got to Dark Crisis. If you've been reading Deathstroke Inc. and Shadow War, you can see where the pieces have all been put together that explain his attack in Dark Crisis.
Shadow War, in particular, explains how Deathstroke gets to the place of being an all-out villain and dives deeper into his mindset. You can really understand what happened to him by the time you get to Shadow War Omega. There's another piece to the puzzle that will explain how everything flows and establishes how important Deathstroke is to the story. He is a villain throughout, and there is no redemption or going back and forth for him here.
What can you share about Black Adam's disapproval of Jon Kent's new team in Dark Crisis #1?
He sees them as children. He doesn't believe that even the members who have experience have what it takes to be considered the Justice League. There's a scene later where he flat-out tells them that they're lost in the shadow of the League. He does not believe in them. He has no faith in their abilities, and he feels that they are incapable of stepping up.
Is there a particular moment in Dark Crisis that you can't wait for fans to see?
The last page of every issue! There's stuff in Dark Crisis #2 that is sure to make the Green Lantern fans happy. Issue #3 features some fun moments that classic fans are sure to enjoy. There's something about every issue that gets me pumped, and I'm very excited about getting there!
Dark Crisis is written by Joshua Williamson and illustrated by Daniel Sampere and Alejandro Sanchez. The first issue is on sale June 7 from DC Comics.