Issue Description

After the INFINITE CRISIS and before One Year Later, the DCU spent a year without Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman. A year in which those heroes were needed more than ever as the fate of the world hung in the balance. Who stood up in their absence? And who sat out? The story of DC's most eventful year ever can now be told as four of the hottest writers in comics - Grant Morrison, Geoff Johns, Greg Rucka, Mark Waid - deliver an unprecedented weekly tale of death, danger, romance, intergalactic terror and the never-ending, universal meaning of heroism. Joined by storyteller Keith Giffen and cover artist J.G. Jones, 52 features art for the first month by Joe Bennett, Ruy Jose, and Jack Jadson. Also, starting in Week #2: 'The History of the DC Universe,' a 10-part backup feature by Dan Jurgens and Art Thibert that takes you on a tour through the legendary past of the DCU. 52: A year without Superman; a year without Batman; a year without Wonder Woman...but not a year without heroes.

Week 3, Day 1.

In Gotham City, police discover what looks to be the body of Lex Luthor, lying in a pool of his own blood.

Over Africa, Power Girl battles Terraman until she is interrupted by Black Adam. Black Adam tells Power Girl that she is over Kahndaq's airspace now and he will not tolerate trespassing.

Week 3, Day 2.

Metropolis - The Steelworks. Natasha Irons and her uncle, John Henry Irons (Steel) argue over her future. Natasha wants to go to the Future Tech Colloquium with her uncle, but is instead forced to go to summer school because of a D in English. Just as Natasha is getting irate, Steel receives a call asking him to identify a body.

Week 3, Day 3.

In Kahndaq, Black Adam's guests bestow upon him the gift of the "most beautiful virgin in all of Egypt" and two million in African gold. The guests are members of Intergang, and want Black Adam's cooperation and safe passage through Kahndaq. The beautiful virgin attempts to escape her captors, who react violently, threatening to break her neck if Black Adam doesn't cooperate. Black Adam will have none of this, and kills one of the guests as an answer.

Week 3, Day 4.

Metropolis. A giant villain in a mechsuit is wreaking havoc, and only Booster Gold can stop him. Aided my Skeets' vast knowledge, Booster Gold takes down Shockwave, and receives an endorsement deal from a pharmaceutical company for his work. Skeets, however, has been glitching - and what was supposed to be a multi-billion dollar endorsement becomes worthless as the CEO is arrested for fraud. Booster Gold decides to find Rip Hunter, thinking he'll be able to repair Skeets.

Week 3, Day 5.

Steel is examining the body of 'Lex Luthor,' and finds that he is a fake. The real Lex Luthor appears and explains that the dead Luthor is from another reality, and was an evil, power hungry man.

Week 3, Day 6.

Black Adam holds a press conference in front of the new Kahndaqian Embassy (formerly Themiscyra House). Black Adam announces that he is hoping to gather allies to "deliver messages to everyone out there looking to take advantage of the heroes' absence." He then delivers his first message by tearing Terraman in half in front of press and viewers from around the world. He then flies away, saying "it's time for heroes who don't just patrol the world... they change it."

52 (2006)

Publisher

DC Comics

Volume Description

52 was a 52-part limited series, published weekly for one year, chronicling the events that take place during the missing year after the end of Infinite Crisis. None of the DC "Big Three" (Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman) are featured in costume in the pages of 52.

While DC had used the weekly format before, (most notably with Action Comics in April 1988), 52 was their first attempt to launch a new title as a weekly. Set in the time between the end of "Infinite Crisis" and the "One Year Later" story lines, 52 dealt with the events of the missing year - a year without Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, The title was masterminded by writers Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka and Mark Waid, with Keith Giffen producing art breakdowns. Its weekly publication meant several artists had to handle the art, starting with Joe Bennett on the first four issues. A massive saga, spanning the whole DC Universe (and beyond), 52 introduced several new heroes and villains, including a new Question and Batwoman, before the big reveal of a new multiversse of fifty two realities, each containing an alternate Earth.

The story had a huge impact on the DC Universe, affecting everything from Black Adam's World War III spin off, to Booster Gold's post - 52 reality - spanning adventures. It also led into countdown to final crisis and left the DC Universe a dramatically different place.

Issues #1-13 are collected in 52 Vol 1 TPBIssues #14-26 are collected in 52 Vol 2 TPBIssues #27-39 are collected in 52 Vol 3 TPBIssues #40-52 are collected in 52 Vol 4 TPB

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