Countdown: Arena
| Countdown: Arena | |
|---|---|
Cover to Countdown: Arena #1
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | Weekly |
| Format | Mini-series |
| Genre | |
| Publication date | December 2007 |
| Number of issues | 4 |
| Main character(s) |
Monarch Superman Batman Wonder Woman Green Lantern The Flash Blue Beetle Nightshade Starman The Ray |
| Creative team | |
| Writer(s) | Keith Champagne |
| Penciller(s) | Scott McDaniel |
| Collected editions | |
| Countdown: Arena | |
Countdown: Arena is a four-issue American comic book mini-series published by DC Comics. Written by Keith Champagne with art by Scott McDaniel, that ran for four weeks in December 2007.
Spinning off of Countdown, the series features Monarch (Nathaniel Adam) as he organizes battles among various characters from the 52 Earths of the Multiverse. He then adds those he deems worthy to his army, in preparation for a battle against the Monitors. Monarch seeks to build a powerful strike team, specifically it seeks powerful alternates for Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Blue Beetle, Nightshade, Starman, and the Ray to compose the squad.
Monarch's battles get underway, as Eve of Shadows (Earth-13), Vampire Batman (Earth-43), Ray "the Ray" Palmer (Earth-6), Scarab (Earth-26), Hal Jordan Jr. (Earth-12), Starwoman (Earth-7), Johnny Quick (Earth-3), and Wonder Woman (Earth-34) are selected as Monarch's champions. The Batman of Earth-19 and Apollo of Earth-50 become Monarch's "backups", held in stasis. Throughout the series, tensions build between the all-American Superman of Earth-31 and his Russian Earth-30 counterpart. Superman-31 and Vampire Bat discover that a transporter miraculously designed by Earth-33's Ted Kord can travel the multiverse. After the group realizes the connection between Monarch and Captain Atom, Breach volunteers to collect the other counterparts from across the 52 earths in an attempt to overpower Monarch. In the conclusion, the Supermen fight is interrupted by a barrage of alternate Captain Atoms, who Monarch is able to overpower and absorb into himself. This reveals Ted Kord-33 and Breach (actually the brainwashed Breach of New Earth, not of Earth-8) to be his accomplices. Breach betrays Monarch by giving Superman-31 the transporter to save everyone on board the ship. The last man standing after Superman-31's departure and Superman of Earth-16's sacrifice, the Red Son Superman of Earth-30 becomes Monarch's final team member.
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Wikipedia