DC One Million
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DC One Million was a crossover event published by DC Comics in 1998. It featured a vision of the DC Universe in the 853rd century (chosen because that is the century in which, assuming they maintain a regular publishing schedule, DC Comics will first publish an issue #1,000,000 of one of their current monthly titles. The mini-series was written by Grant Morrison and drawn by Val Semeiks.
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[edit] Setup
The core of the event was a four-issue mini-series, in which the 20th-century Justice League of America and the 853rd-century Justice Legion Alpha co-operate to defeat a plot by the supervillain Vandal Savage (who, being practically immortal, exists in both centuries as well as all the ones in between) and future Superman nemesis Solaris the Living Sun. Every series then being published by DC also put out a single issue numbered #1,000,000, which either showed its characters' involvement in the central plot or gave a glimpse of what its characters' descendants/successors would be doing in the 853rd century. Hitman 1,000,000 was essentially a parody of the entire storyline. A trade paperback collection was subsequently published, comprised of the four-issue mini-series, and tie-in issues necessary to follow the main plot. The series was then followed by a one-shot titled DC One Million 80-Page Giant #1,000,000 (1999), which was a collection of further adventures in the life of the future heroes.
[edit] Plot details
In the 853rd century the original Superman still lives, but has spent over fifteen thousand years in a self-imposed exile in his Fortress of Solitude in the heart of our sun. The galaxy is protected by the Justice Legions, which trace their descent from the 20th-century Justice League and the 31st-century Legion of Super-Heroes, among others. Justice Legion Alpha, which protects the solar system, includes future analogues of Superman, Wonder Woman, Hourman, Starman, Aquaman, The Flash and Batman.
The original Superman announces that he will soon return to humanity, and to celebrate Justice Legion Alpha travels back in time to the late 20th century to meet Superman's original teammates in the JLA, and bring them and Superman to the future to participate in games and displays of power as part of the celebration.
Meanwhile, in Russia, Vandal Savage, defeats the Titans single handedly when they attempt to stop him purchasing nuclear powered Rocket Red suits. He then launches a nuclear strike on Washington D.C.
Unfortunately one of the Justice Legion (the future Starman) has been corrupted by Solaris, who has returned to his old habits. Before the original heroes can be returned to their own time the future Hourman, an android, collapses and releases a virus programmed by Solaris to attack machines and humans.
The Virus affects the guidance systems of the Rocket Red suits and cause them to instead detonate over Montevideo, killing over a million people. The virus also drives humans insane, causing an increase in anger and paranoia worldwide. Believing this was deliberately planned by the JLA to stop him, Savage lauches an all out war on superhumans using "blitz engines" he had created and hidden while allied with Hitler during World War II. The paranoia caused by the virus also leads the Justice Legion Alpha and the contemporary heroes to attack each other.
The remnants of the JLA that stayed in the present and the Justice Legion Alpha overcome their paranoia when the future Superman and Steel realise the significance of the symbol they both wear. The two JLA's are eventually able to stop the virus when it is discovered that it is a complex computer program looking for appropriate hardware. To provide this hardware the heroes build the body of Solaris (including in it a DNA sample of Superman's wife Lois Lane) and the virus flees from the Earth to this body, bringing Solaris to life. In a final act of repentance the future Starman sacrifices himself to banish Solaris from the solar system. The future Superman forces himself through time using confiscated time-travel technology he finds in the watchtower, almost dying in the process.
Meanwhile, in the 853rd century, the original JLA are fighting an alliance between Solaris and Vandal Savage. Vandal Savage has found a sample of kryptonite on Mars (where it was left by the future Starman in the 20th century), which he gives to Solaris. Savage has also hired Walker Gabriel to steal the time-travel gauntlets of the 853rd century Flash (John Fox) to ensure the Justice Legion remains trapped in the past. However he ultimately doublecrosses Gabriel.
Solaris, in a final attack, slaughters thousands of superhumans so he can fire the kryptonite into the sun and kill Superman before he emerges. The JLA's Green Lantern causes Solaris to go supernova and he and the Superman of the 853rd century contain the resulting blast - but not before the kryptonite is released.
The future Vandal Savage teleports from Mars to Earth using the stolen Time-Gauntlets. It turns out however that Gabriel has sabotaged the Gauntlets and Savage instead arrives in Montevideo moments before the nuclear blast he caused centuries earlier, finally bringing his life to an end.
It is then revealed that a secret conspiracy - forewarned by the trouble in the 20th century - has spent the intervening centuries coming up with a foolproof plan for stopping Solaris. Their actions included replacing the hidden kryptonite with a disguised Green Lantern ring - with which the original Superman emerges from the sun and finishes Solaris.
In the aftermath the original Superman, who has become almost a god, and the future Hourman use the DNA sample to bring Lois Lane back to life. They also recreate Krypton, along with all its deceased inhabitants within our solar system. Lois and Superman apparently live happily ever after.
[edit] The Justice Legions
There are apparently 26 Justice Legions. Those featured include:
- Justice Legion A is based on the Justice League. See main article Justice Legion Alpha.
- Justice Legion B is based on the Titans. Members include Nightwing (a batlike humanoid), Aqualad (a humanoid made from water), Troy (a younger version of Wonder Woman One Million), Arsenal (a robot) and Joto (killed in teleporter accident).
- Justice Legion L is based on the Legion of Super-Heroes, and protects an artificially created planetary system (all that remains of the 30th century United Planets). Members include Cosmicbot (a cyborg based on magnetism, based on Cosmic Boy), Titangirl (the combined psychic energy of all Titanians, based on Saturn Girl), Implicit Girl (who contains the abilities of all Cargggites in her "third eye", very loosely based on Triad), Brainiac 815 (a disembodied intelligence, based on Brainiac 5 and Apparition), the M'onelves (who combine the powers of M'onel and Shrinking Violet) and barely humanoid versions of Umbra and Chameleon.
- Justice Legion S consists of numerous Superboy clones, all with different powers. Members include Superboy 820 (with aquatic powers), Superboy 3541 (who can increase his size) and Superboy One Million (who can channel any of their powers through "the Eye"). They all (most notably One Million) resemble OMACs as much as Superboy. This was a very intentional pun, as the title of the story was "One Million And Counting", referring to the million clones, and forming the OMAC acronym.
- Justice Legion T is based on Young Justice. Members include Superboy One Million (as referred to above), Robin the Toy Wonder (optimistic robot sidekick to Batman One Million) and Impulse (the living embodiment of random thoughts lost in the Speed Force)
- Justice Legion Z (for Zoomorphs) is based on the Legion of Super-Pets. Members include Proty One Million and Master Mind. A version of Comet the Super-Horse may also be a member.
[edit] Awards
The original miniseries was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Award for Favorite Limited Series for 1999. The storyline was a top votegetter for the Comics Buyer's Guide Award for Favorite Story for 1999.
[edit] External links
- Comics Buyer's Guide Fan Awards
- The Superman Database - Full list of every issue of “DC One Million” ever published w/ Cover Art and more.
