Genesis: Event Theater 1997 part 2

EVENT THEATER 1997 (part 2)

This is number 11 in a continuing series of Great Yada Yadas, where the motto is “We read them so you don’t have to”. Listen to it at Legion of Substitute Podcasters.

• 1 & 2: Karate Kid (broken down into 4 sections: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4) in 2017 (18 issues), episodes 463 & 464
• 3 & 4: Crisis on Infinite Earths (Arrowverse) (part 1, part 2) in 2019 (5 TV episodes plus 2 comics), episodes 583 & 588
• 5: Timber Wolf (1 part) in 2020 (5 issues), episode 624
• 6 & 7: Eclipso (part 1, part 2) in 2021 (20 double-size issues), episodes 638 & 651
• 8 & 9: Valor (part 1, part 2) in 2021 (11 issues) episodes 655 & 659
• 10: The New Golden Age (JSA/Stargirl and related) (1 part) in 2024 (all or parts of 49 issues), episode 844
• 11: Genesis (part 1, part 2) in 2025 (4 issues of the main series plus 24 crossovers, including the Legion book), episodes 864 & 868.

This is part 2 of Yada Yada #11, in which we conclude the Genesis miniseries/crossover. What's this Genesis, you say?

Genesis (Tyler Dayspring) is a fictional character appearing in Marvel Comics. He was a mutant and recurring foe of Cable and Wolverine. He first appeared in a flashback in X-Force #1 (August 1991), and appeared as Mister Tolliver in X-Force #5 (1992) and his first appearance as Genesis was in Cable #19. Some sources state that he is Cable's son, while others claim that he is the son of Cable's villainous clone Stryfe.

Genesis has a long history in science fiction and science fact: it was the title of the pilot episode of Heroes, and also the title of episodes of Arrow, Quantum Leap, Sliders, STTNG, and a pilot from Gene Roddenberry in 1973 that never went to series. Speaking of which, it was also a technology and a planet in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. In real life, it was the name of a NASA space probe that collected solar samples, it was the name of the first two inflatable satellites by Bigelow Aerospace, and it was the nickname for a rock picked up by Apollo 15 on the moon, one of the oldest recovered.

OK fine, it was also DC’s 1997 Event Theater. In part 1 of this yada yada, we learned that Darkseid wanted to harness the power of the Godwave, which was revealed to be a kind of grand unified theory tying together the Source, the Green Lanterns' power rings, the Speed Force, the power of Shazam, Kryptonian abilities, gifts from the Olympian gods, etc. Some of the heroes have traveled to the Source Wall to stop Darkseid, while others remain back on Earth, fighting off Darkseid’s minions and Parademons. It changed some peoples’ powers: for example, Lightning Lass has had her powers change to be making things weightless, while Ultra Boy can use all of his powers at once. At the Source Wall, things start to go badly for the good guys…

LSH v4 #97 (8/27/97)

The Legionnaires fight off Darkseid’s parademons while on an asteroid near the Source Wall. Spark and Saturn Girl report their failure to penetrate the Wall (as seen in Genesis #3). Metron appears and seeks out Saturn Girl, whose thoughts will help him make sense of what’s going on. Then Mantis appears (he already fought the Legion earlier in Happy Harbor in Genesis #2), and Spark is still not used to having anti-gravity powers. Brainiac 5 bargains with Metron for the indefinite loan of a Mother Box. Meanwhile, Phase is on Earth and tries to get her touchstone, but she disappears into it. Mantis has mostly beaten the Legionnaires, but mentions something about the Parademons going to guard a pod, so Gates has an idea and takes Ultra Boy with him. Metron is not satisfied with the information he got from Saturn Girl, and he disappears, leaving  Shvaughn to suggest he might not pay up with the Mother Box. The team continues to fight Mantis while Ultra Boy absorbs the energy from the pod and uses it to zap Mantis and the rest of the Parademons. Metron sends Cosmic Boy the Mother Box after all, and the Legionnaires go off to fight in Genesis #4.

Genesis #4 (8/27/97)

Cover shows a bunch of heroes, led by Electric Blue Superman (including Spark and Saturn Girl).

We pick up where we left off, at the apparent destruction of the Source Wall, and all of the heroes standing around. They are caught by the shock wave, and even the Spectre gets spit out. The heroes here include Saturn Girl and Spark, and the group recounts what has happened so far and what they saw inside the Source Wall. Takion had used his powers to see inside the Godwave, and in it was Darkseid. Takion used up all his power to stop Darkseid and then everyone suddenly appeared outside the wall. That was the “death scream” they heard earlier. But they realize that wasn’t Darkseid after all – he’s still outside, trying to get in! Metron arrives, and tells the group that he saw that it was actually Ares inside the Source Wall, trying to steal the power. The two Old Gods (Arzaz and his opposite number) meet inside and cause Ares to freeze as if in amber in order to make their final confrontation. The heroes confront Darkseid, who says this is the ultimate test: the entire universe must be united to prevent Ares from using the power he has accumulated, so all of the telepaths and magicians tap into the Source to link all the minds of the universe together, and filtering the energy through the fused Apokolips/New Genesis planet, they save the universe. Or something like that. The wizard Shazam explains that Arzaz knew the Nameless One posed the greatest threat to negative thinking, so he sacrificed both of them. On Earth, everyone awakens with refreshed purpose. Metron explains that the cosmos has been unmade and remade, the Source and the Wall (and Takion) are now restored, but Darkseid, Ares, and the two Old Gods are now part of the Source Wall, never to menace anyone ever again.

Books coming out this week expand on some scenes that we saw in #4:

• LSH v4 #97
• Robin Vol. 4 #46 – There is a massive crimewave as superheroes lose their powers, and people believe the apocalypse is happening.
• Superboy & the Ravers #14 – The Ravers battle the forces of Darkseid at the Source Wall, and a couple of Legionnaires have cameos as they fight with the heroes back on Earth. Kindred Marx’s teleporting hand stamp has somehow been removed. (Takes place during the final fight at the Source Wall.)
• Spectre vol. 3 #58 – The Spectre travels from pantheon to pantheon, seeking an answer to why God is not in his rightful place in Heaven. When he reaches The Source, it is revealed that he should search "First Earth Then Within."
• Teen Titans vol. 2 #13 – A “red skies” crossover.
• Wonder Woman v2 #126 – While Diana is in the hospital, Herakles returns to Olympus with the body of Zeus after having been attacked by Ares. Meanwhile, Donna and Hippolyta fight the forces of Darkseid at the Source Wall. Some Legionnaires have cameos in flashbacks to the fight scenes.
• Xero #6 – A “red skies” crossover.

So there you have it. Of course, Genesis and the Godwave had lasting impacts on the Legion and the DC Universe as a whole from 1997 until now, and we never saw Darkseid or Ares ever again. And the DCU was a better place.

The next yada yada might be DC 1 Million, which was Event Theater 1998.