The Final Night, Day of Judgment, Eclipso: The Darkness, War of the Gods, Armageddon 2001
Underworld unleashed batman devil s asylum v1995 001 comics
"Underworld Unleashed" was a multi-title comic book crossover event released by DC Comics in 1995. As well as the core storyline of the three-issue Underworld Unleashed mini-series, most of the DC titles published in November and December 1995 and a number of one-shot issues were part of the series.
The main theme of Underworld Unleashed involved the new ruler of Hell, a demon called Neron, offering many of the DC Universe supervillains and a number of the superheroes their greatest desires in exchange for their souls or for completing a task for him and the consequences of those deals.
Underworld Unleashed is one of the very few DC Comics major crossovers not to directly involve Superman; at the time of the series he was off-world as part of The Trial of Superman storyline. This is important to the Underworld Unleashed storyline, since the superheroes involved are driven by the belief that Superman is the key to Neron's plans.
Plot
Five members of Flash's Rogues Gallery- Captain Boomerang, Captain Cold, Heat Wave, Mirror Master II, and Weather Wizard- are approached with an offer by Abra Kadabra, who had become an agent of the demon Neron in exchange for true magical powers to replace his technology-based magical powers. Abra Kadabra persuades them to cause havoc by destroying five separate targets (an arms depot by Captain Boomerang, a nuclear reactor by Captain Cold, a dormant volcano by Heat Wave, an oil field by Mirror Master II and a chemical dump by Weather Wizard) simultaneously, with the promise of 'respect' and 'a guarantee that they would be remembered forever, not as has-beens but as the most infamous villains of their age' . But Neron's deals are demonic and twisted and they were not told that their actions would cost them their lives and unleash Neron onto the Earth. All five are killed in the ensuing explosions, all of which form a pentagram that releases Neron.
Soon after, Neron kills a priest who administers to the prisoners of Belle Reve Penitentiary and, disguised as him, makes a deal for the soul of one of the inmates (who is bent on revenge for the theft of a treasured calendar) in exchange for a gun. Neron himself had stolen the calendar in question to engineer the situation and he also makes deals to a number of key Belle Reve personnel or persuades or manipulates them in other ways to be absent that evening. The ensuing chaos allows 142 supervillains to escape from Belle Reve. Another member of the Rogues Gallery, Trickster, reads of the deaths of his fellow Rogues and determines not to waste any more time on petty crime but to finally make a major villain of himself. A week later another supervillain, Rainbow Raider, shows Trickster a carved candle he and other recently escaped supervillains had received, with instructions to light it at midnight on a certain day to 'open the door to fame, power and glory' . Trickster steals the candle, secretly replaces it with a rubber chicken, and on lighting it is instantly transported to Hell, joining over 60 other supervillains who had done the same. Neron appears to the gathered supervillains and offers them all their greatest desires in exchange for their souls, then introduces his "Inner Council" - Abra Kadabra, Lex Luthor, Circe, Doctor Polaris and Joker. Fiddler figures out that Neron is actually the devil and Trickster overhears him; then while several dozen of the supervillains accept Neron's offer the rest are returned to Earth. At the end of Neron's speech and empowering session, Justice League America member Blue Devil, who had worked out that the locations of the deaths of the five Rogues Gallery members formed a pentagram, appears. He is offered fame and fortune in exchange for performing a simple task: the destruction of an unmanned electrical power station.
The supervillains who accepted Neron's offer (with the exception of Neron's Inner Council and Trickster) are returned to Earth to fulfil their deals and wreak havoc, many of them with enhanced powers; while Neron turns his attention to Earth's superheroes. As well as trying to gain the souls of Batman, Flash and an unknown number of other superheroes, Neron offers to resurrect Alexandra DeWitt from the dead in exchange for Green Lantern's (Kyle Rayner's) soul. Kyle refuses, and after Neron beats him in battle he spares his life, giving Kyle the message that what he covets most is 'a far more noble soul' who Kyle knows; and that when he has it, Earth will be his. Kyle assumes this means Superman (who is off-world because of his trial in space) and carries the message to the Justice League satellite.
Meanwhile, Neron causes further disruption on an Earth now seething with violence and war as a result of his demonic influence on people and the chaos caused by the supervillains in his debt. He also spreads chaos on New Apokolips, giving all those who desire the missing Darkseid's throne information on each other's plans, thus causing New Apokolips to wage war with itself. Back in Hell, Luthor and Joker force Trickster to reveal that Neron's power is contained within his Soul Jar, and succeed in rupturing the Jar using Polaris', Kadabra's and Circe's mystical and scientific resources together. As the Jar is breached a swirl of green smoke reaches outward, spiriting Polaris, Kadabra and Circe away, which is what Luthor and Joker had actually planned. However, Neron had preempted them by fooling Trickster into giving them false information, thus removing his Inner Council before they could become a threat to his power. He traps Luthor and Joker in a snowglobe - although they believe they are in a snowstorm in Metropolis until they reach the glass walls of the globe. As Earth collapses into war, anarchy and chaos, Justice League America calls most of the world's superheroes together to stand against Neron. Like Kyle, all assume that because he is missing, it is Superman that Neron referred to as the pure soul he wanted and that he had already been captured. The elite of Justice League America decide to take the fight to Neron and Blue Devil, who had been fooled by Neron's Faustian deal into indirectly causing the death of his friend, filmmaker Marla Bloom, takes them to Hell. Now alone in Hell after the fall of the Inner Council, Trickster, who had not yet been offered a deal for his soul, realizes that he had been taken for a fool again and that Neron had deeper plans that he had not revealed. He begins to scheme against him.
On Earth, Doctor Fate's home, the Tower of Nabu, has become the portal to the Underworld that the demon Blaze is trying to secure so Neron can send Hell's demonic forces to Earth. Sentinel and Fate fight to close the portal, Sentinel destroying the tower to do so. While Fate battles back from being flung into far dimensions, Sentinel is drawn away from his wife Molly Mayne-Scott, a.k.a. Harlequin, who opens a box containing one of Neron's candles and accepts a deal to become young again, losing her soul in the process. Sentinel contacts Phantom Stranger, Zatanna and Jim Corrigan (Spectre, but without his full powers as the Spectre-Force within Corrigan had made a deal with Neron for a separate existence) for help. Together with Deadman, they enter Hell to get Molly's soul back from Blaze. Spectre tries to help, but discovers that his deal keeps him from opposing Neron and, as a result, he is Neron's slave and is destined to become his successor. Realizing that he is not prevented from fighting other demons, however, he joins the others, and Sentinel rescues Molly's soul. Blaze is forced to flee from Neron for failing to stop the supernatural team, and while the magical heroes escape Sentinel is captured by Neron and taken captive to Hell.
With Blue Devil's power, Justice League America pierces the barrier to the Underworld and confronts Neron's demonic army, battling through the circles of Hell to find Superman. Ray, Firestorm, Captain Atom and Maxima are killed on the way, while the other superheroes, with the exception of Captain Marvel, begin to be corrupted by the influence of their hellish surroundings. In Hell, the demon Satanus bargains with Neron for the return of his soul after failing in his task to stop the Leymen of Primal Force, offering up the whereabouts of his sister Blaze in exchange, but once his soul is returned and Blaze caged by Neron, he reveals to her that Neron can be beaten by a single word that if spoken, even in Hell, would give Neron pause. For this treachery Neron kills Satanus, though not before his comment is overheard by Trickster. At that moment Blue Devil, seeking revenge for the death of Marla, finally reaches Neron ahead of Justice League America and is killed; while Neron reveals that it was Captain Marvel's soul he wanted all the time, just as Trickster realizes the truth.
Neron has kept Blaze alive because her demonic powers dampen Captain Marvel's powers. She reverses this by augmenting his powers instead, saving him from death; while Blue Devil, who cannot die in Hell, attacks Neron in a new demonic body. Taking advantage of the diversion, Trickster tells Captain Marvel about the magic word, and Captain Marvel deduces that the word is 'Shazam' . When he uses it, the resulting lightning bolt in Hell stuns Neron and releases Justice League America from their spell to attack again, and Trickster uses the time provided to persuade Captain Marvel that he has a plan to defeat Neron. Captain Marvel suddenly offers Neron his soul, in exchange for 'the release of my friends ... the release of Earth. No "and", nothing else. Nothing' . Neron tries to take the offer, but because it was purely altruistic, the first time someone had ever asked for something without personal gain involved, he cannot do it. Taunted by Trickster he disappears and everyone is returned to Earth, including Luthor and Joker, who are freed from the shattered snow globe. In addition, all of the supervillains who accepted Neron's offer (unbeknownst to them) are allowed to keep their enhanced powers and apparently are no longer in debt to him, although one of them -Major Disaster- soon finds out that he has the number 666 on his forehead (and that only he can see it), thus implying that the rest of them do, too.
Superheroes who accepted Neron's offer
Blue Devil - He made a deal for fame and fortune in exchange for destroying an unmanned electrical power station, indirectly causing the death of his friend, film producer and director Marla Bloom. The fame and fortune resulted because he was free to pursue other film opportunities without her.
Guy Gardner - He was offered the resurrection of his loved ones and the return of Coast City in exchange for killing John Stewart. He agreed because Neron lied to him, telling him that Stewart should already be dead but that a rift in time had prevented it and that this had caused Gardner's tragic history to occur. Gardner then changed his mind.
Harlequin (Molly Mayne-Scott) - She had her youth restored, but her soul was won back and the deal undone by her husband Sentinel (Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern).
Hawkman - One of his "Hawk-Avatar" spirits within him sold its soul in order to gain ascendance over the other avatars also resident in his body, but it failed.
Madame Xanadu - She was given power over three demons in exchange for her soul upon her death, which she accepted - in order to trick Neron because she was immortal. Neron offered her a deal just to prove that he could tempt those with "gray souls" as well as those who were evil.
Ray II (Ray Terrill) - He thought Neron was a beautiful woman, Kathy Noren, who worked in his office. Neron makes a deal with Vandal Savage not to go after Ray's soul in exchange for Savage guiding Neron to Atomic Skull II instead. Ray then approaches Kathy/Neron, who avoids the conditions of the deal with Savage by letting Ray make the offer to take flowers to a hospital and give them to the dying movie serial actress who portrayed Zelda Wentworth (the Atomic Skull's one true love (at least in his own mind)) in exchange for Death Masque no longer having existed - and thus Ray's father Lanford "Happy" Terrill, who had been the original Ray, would not die. Did not fulfill the terms of his deal, and so did not lose his soul nor benefit from the deal.
Spectre - The Spectre-Force (not its host, Jim Corrigan) agreed not to oppose Neron in order to be free of Corrigan. As a result, Spectre became Neron's slave and potential replacement in Hell. However, the deal did not include not fighting other demons, so Spectre became involved in the supernatural heroes' attack on Hell.
Vril Dox II - He sold someone else's soul for information on how to regain control of L.E.G.I.O.N. by killing his son Lyrl Dox. Also had IceMan killed (actually he asked for him 'to no longer be a problem' , but was happy with the result).
Superheroes who rejected Neron's offer
The following is an almost complete list of the superheroes who are known to have refused Neron's offer. A number of others may be very briefly shown dealing with Neron in Underworld Unleashed #2.
Batman (Bruce Wayne) - He was offered the resurrection of Robin II (Jason Todd).
Captain Atom - Unknown offer.
Damage - Unknown offer.
Flash III (Wally West) - He was offered the resurrection of Flash II (Barry Allen).
Green Lantern V (Kyle Rayner) - He was offered the resurrection of Alexandra DeWitt.
Knockout - She was offered "power, prestige, anything you could dream of".;
Max Mercury - Unknown offer.
Mystek - Unknown offer.
Oracle (Barbara Gordon) - She was offered the use of her legs again, plus invulnerability and powers to rival Superman's if she would become his librarian, while her soul was hers to keep. She refused, knowing she would lose her soul anyway.
Silver Swan II (Valerie Beaudry) - Unknown offer.
Superboy (Kon-El or Conner Kent) - He was offered the chance to become Superman.
Triumph - He was offered his lost 10 years back and thus the opportunity to become a major superhero and lead Justice League America if he opened a box containing one of Neron's candles.
Supervillains who accepted Neron's offer
The following is an incomplete list of the supervillains who are known to have accepted Neron's offer. Others who accepted may have been briefly shown dealing with Neron in Underworld Unleashed #1 but were not followed elsewhere in the series.
Abra Kadabra - Neron's lieutenant; he was given real magical powers that replaced his technology-based magical powers and became part of Neron's Inner Council. It is not known whether he sold his soul prior to Underworld Unleashed #1.
Atomic Skull II (Joseph Martin) - He was given enhanced power which he used to attempt to gain the love of Zelda Wentworth (who, in his mind, was the woman he loved).
Azrael - One of the false Azraels who seemingly fell to his death after battling the real Azrael was actually saved during his fall by Abra Kadabra and offered his life. As a result of his taking the deal he survived the fall, then was given the Azrael/Batman costume (which he used for underground fights) and was also given the chance to kill Batman in order to distract him and keep him from discovering Neron's plans.
Blackguard - He was given enhanced intelligence, strength and equipment.
Black Manta - He was transformed into a human-manta ray hybrid with superhuman powers. Chronologically the first event of Underworld Unleashed .
Blaze - She initially became one of Neron's lieutenants and was assigned to keep the DC Universe's mystical heroes occupied. Sold to Neron by her brother Satanus in return for his own soul back.
Blockbuster II (Roland Desmond) - He asked to be smarter, but later realized he should have asked to be human again as well.
Bolt - He was given a chance to carry out his dream assassination...the murder of a well-protected computer expert.
Brimstone - The techno-seed and the Brimstone personality possessed a S.T.A.R. Labs scientist who dealt with Neron for power and was killed. Referred to in Underworld Unleashed - Patterns of Fear #1.
Buggmeister - An alien criminal on the run from Lobo who sold his soul for insect powers and an insect-like body. Eaten by a giant stag beetle.
Captain Boomerang - He was given healed cybernetic hands and promised that he would be one of the greatest supervillains ever. Killed carrying out his task.
Captain Cold - He was promised that he would be one of the greatest supervillains ever. Killed carrying out his task.
Cheetah III (Barbara Ann Minerva) - Initially it seemed that Cheetah had been transformed into a more cheetah-like form than she had before and could grow more savage the angrier she became. Later, it was explained that she had sold her soul to resurrect a friend, resulting in the aforementioned reversion to a more bestial state. Wonder Woman and Cheetah's friend changed her back into her human form and undid the deal.
Chiller - He was given a chance to carry out his dream assassination...the murder of a well-protected rock star.
Chronos - In exchange for killing Atom, he was given time travel, time manipulation and phasing powers, but these caused accelerated aging. He then devised a special glove that allowed him to age others instead when he held them with it, thus partly negating the deal.
Circe - She was given greater magical powers in order to avenge her many defeats by Wonder Woman. Became part of Neron's Inner Council prior to Underworld Unleashed #1.
Copperhead - He was transformed into a human-snake hybrid with enhanced reflexes and agility, venomous fangs, claws, a forked tongue and a prehensile tail, but was now susceptible to cold temperatures.
Deadline - He was given the chance to carry out his dream assassination...the murder of a Texas District Attorney.
Deadshot - He was given the chance to carry out his dream assassination...the murder of an entire kindergarten class.
Doctor Bedlam of Apokolips - Unknown offer designed to cause maximum death and chaos on New Apokolips.
Doctor Phosphorus - He was given enhanced power and personal temperature control which allowed him to wear clothes without having them burn off of him.
Doctor Polaris - He sold his soul in order to be rid of his benevolent personality, Neal Emerson. Became part of Neron's Inner Council prior to Underworld Unleashed #1.
Earthworm - He was given superhuman powers, including a humanoid worm-like physiology, stretching powers, a vibrational drilling power and psionic control of vermin.
Enforcer ("Joe Gardner", a Draalian clone of Guy Gardner) - He was given enhanced equipment, superhuman strength and durability and flight powers.
Evil Star II (real name unknown) - He was given the power to create dozens of his Starling spawns, although they are no longer indestructible as were the original five Starlings.
Gorilla Grodd - His intelligence and psionic powers were restored. Told the whereabouts of the Talisman of Arok in order to legitimise his reign over Gorilla City, but Catwoman keeps it from him.
Heat Wave - He was promised that he would be one of the greatest supervillains ever. Killed carrying out his task.
Hellgrammite - He was given enhanced powers and his drone offspring can no longer be changed back to human form by exposure to X-rays.
IceMan - He was given a completely new set of non-ice based powers and enhanced strength. Killed by Neron as part of a later deal with Vril Dox.
Joker - He sold his soul for a box of Cuban cigars. Became part of Neron's Inner Council prior to Underworld Unleashed #1 but double-crossed him.
Killer Frost II (Louise Lincoln) - She was given greater cold power.
Killer Moth - He was transformed into a carnivorous human-moth hybrid and called himself Charaxes (the name was based on an actual butterfly genus).
Kryppen (full name unknown) - An inmate at Arkham Asylum who made a deal with Neron to get him Batman's soul by poisoning everyone in Arkham and then forcing Batman to kill someone in the asylum to get the antidote. The plan was thwarted when Batman poisoned Kryppen to make him give up the antidote's location.
Lex Luthor - He was restored completely to full health after his cloned body fell victim to a "clone plague" in exchange for his soul and giving "consultancy" to Neron. Became part of Neron's Inner Council prior to Underworld Unleashed #1 but double-crossed him.
Lobo - He had Neron rid him of a radio that had been implanted in his head for 20 years by wishing it to be inside Neron's head after Neron refused to grant the first deal - Neron's own soul - as he didn't have one.
Major Disaster - He was given the magical ability to perceive probability and locate weak points in objects and people in exchange for killing Aquaman. Mistakenly kills Thanatos (who had usurped Aquaman's place on the throne of Atlantis) instead.
Merlyn - He was given the chance to carry out his dream assassination...the murder of Batman.
Metallo - He was given the ability to morph into any mechanical shape he could imagine and project his consciousness into any technological or metallic device, as well as absorb any machinery he came into contact with to further enhance his body.
Mirror Master II (Evan McCulloch) - He was promised that he would be one of the greatest supervillains ever. Killed carrying out his task.
Mist (Kyle Nimbus) - He was cured of his senile dementia in exchange for destroying Opal City and harming Shade.
Mr. Freeze - He was given natural cryokinetic powers (such as the ability to emit cold blasts from his hands) and was made able to survive in warmer temperatures without his refrigeration suit, although later he was reverted back to his original subzero biology and developed a new refrigeration suit and freeze gun as a result. He also briefly changed his name to Freeze before changing it back to Mr. Freeze.
New Gods of Apokolips - Granny Goodness and Virman Vundabar were given information about each other's plans (so as to perpetuate their civil war), although Targa of New Apokolips refused to make a deal. In exchange, Neron caused war and chaos on New Apokolips.
Ocean Master - He was given a trident that granted him great mystical power, but it also caused him excruciating pain when he was not actually holding it.
Psycho-Pirate II (Roger Hadley) - He was given enhanced power and restored sanity by being merged with his Medusa Mask, becoming a psychic vampire as a result who stayed sane by leeching the remaining life from others after his mask had fed on their emotions.
Purgatory - A man named Paul Christian who lost his legs and was given temporary legs by Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner). He was given permanent legs and a Green Lantern-type green flame power in exchange for killing Green Lantern. Taken to Hell by Neron when he fails.
Rag Doll (Peter Merkel, Sr.) - His youth was restored and his flexibility enhanced in exchange for destroying Opal City and harming Shade.
Satanus - He became one of Neron's lieutenants and was assigned to kill the Leymen of Primal Force publicly. When he failed, he traded information on the whereabouts of his sister Blaze to get his soul back, but was killed after betraying Neron when it was returned.
Shadow Thief - He was given a more powerful costume that possessed the ability to bring shadows to life and change other people and objects into evil shadows under his control.
Shrapnel - He was given enhanced power.
Louie Snipe - The criminal informer who helped kill Jim Corrigan before he became Spectre. His soul was freed from Hell in exchange for acting as the host for the Spectre-Force instead of Corrigan.
Sledge - He was given enhanced strength.
Spellbinder III (Fay Moffit) - She was given visually based illusion powers that only worked if her eyes were uncovered. The deal was made after she killed her boyfriend, the original Spellbinder (Delbert Billings), who refused the offer.
Star Sapphire II (Carol Ferris) - She was offered a normal life without Sapphire's spirit or her child. She was separated from Sapphire and the child taken by Neron.
Trickster was not actually offered a deal, but Neron used him to watch his Inner Council, telling him that there would be time for a deal later.
Tezcatlipoca II (Chama Sierra) - He was transformed into a human-jaguar hybrid.
Weather Wizard - He was promised that he would be one of the greatest supervillains ever. Killed carrying out his task.
Supervillains who rejected Neron's offer
The following is an incomplete list of the supervillains who are known to have refused Neron's offer. Others who were briefly shown dealing with Neron in Underworld Unleashed #1 may also have refused, but have not been directly identified as having done so. Those in the latter category are herein marked with an asterisk (*).
Airstryke - Unknown offer.
Black Bison* - Unknown offer.
Black Hand* - Unknown offer.
Black Spider (Eric Needham)* - Unknown offer.
Carapax - Unknown offer.
Catman - Unknown offer.
Cluemaster* - Unknown offer.
Crazy Quilt (Paul Dekker)* - Unknown offer.
Doctor Alchemy* - Unknown offer.
Doctor Spectro* - Unknown offer.
Dumas II (real name unknown)* - Unknown offer.
Dummy* - Unknown offer.
Fiddler - He was the only person that recognized Neron as the devil from the beginning.
Gentleman Ghost* - Unknown offer.
Ghost* - Unknown offer.
Golden Glider* - Unknown offer.
Gunhawk* - Unknown offer.
Hi-Tech* - Unknown offer.
Hyena (Summer Day)* - Unknown offer.
Jewelee* - Unknown offer.
Magpie* - Unknown offer.
Mammoth* - Unknown offer.
Mongul - He was killed by Neron after refusing to make a deal and attacking him.
Parasite (Rudy Jones)* - Unknown offer.
Poison Ivy - Unknown offer.
Prankster - Unknown offer.
Punch II (Clyde Phillips)* - Unknown offer.
Riddler - Unknown offer.
Scarecrow - He claimed to have accepted Neron's offer while battling Hawkman, but privately revealed he was bluffing and hadn't taken the deal.
Shade - He claimed to no longer be a supervillain, even going so far as to tell Neron to 'go peddle his wares elsewhere' , as he is already immortal and has great wealth. Neron would seek revenge on Shade by making deals with Mist, Rag Doll and Doctor Phosphorus.
Shark III* - Unknown offer.
Solomon Grundy* - Unknown offer.
Spellbinder (Delbert Billings) - When he refused Neron's offer he was killed by his girlfriend Fay Moffit who took the deal and became the new Spellbinder.
Terra-Man* - Unknown offer.
Vandal Savage - He offers his soul willingly, but this time Neron refuses it as it is "black and tasteless" rather than innocent.
Ventriloquist (Arnold Wesker) and Scarface* - Unknown offer.
White Dragon* - Unknown offer.
List of Underworld Unleashed titles
The following DC Comics titles contained stories linked to Underworld Unleashed. They are listed in a roughly chronological order as the story did not flow in a strictly linear manner - most titles fit loosely into a framework delineated by the 3 issues of the mini-series:
Adventures of Superman #530 (December 1995): 'Different Demons' ;
Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #3 (Winter 1995): 'Fighting Back' ;
Underworld Unleashed #3 (late December 1995): 'Seduction of the Innocent' .
In addition:
Deathstroke #53-54 (November 1995-December 1995) both allude to events in Underworld Unleashed but are not identified as tie-ins on the covers.
Aquaman vol. 5 #18-20 (March–May 1996) reveal Ocean Master's deal a few months into the following year after the crossover ended but are not labeled as tie-ins.
Starman vol. 2 #70-72 (October–December 2000) revealed that Shade's rejection of Neron's offer led to deals with Mist and Rag Doll to harm Shade and destroy his adopted home, Opal City, but these deals were only seen in flashbacks within the story, which was published years after the crossover ended.
Other information
When the supervillains arrive in Hell, Neron's first words to them are "Please allow me to introduce myself", the opening line of the Rolling Stones' song Sympathy For the Devil. It is also the first thing he says to Paul Christian, who becomes Purgatory thanks to him.
There are later repercussions from Neron's actions, mainly due to an unknown number of candles that still exist. Among the superheroes, both Triumph and Kid Devil are most seriously affected, but these events happen outside of the Underworld Unleashed storyline.
Reprints
The 3-issue mini-series Underworld Unleashed, together with Underworld Unleashed: Abyss - Hell's Sentinel # 1, was collected as a trade paperback called Underworld Unleashed (DC Comics, 1998, 158pp (ISBN 1-56389-447-5)).
