World War III



World War III (abbreviated WW III), was a worldwide metahuman conflict which lasted for only one week. Precipitated by the mass slaughter by Black Adam in Bialya, which resulted in millions of deaths, the conflict raged over the surface of the Earth. Eventually, the combined forces of the JSA, Captain Marvel, China's Great Ten, Martian Manhunter, and other heroes stopped Black Adam's rampage.

Event Name: World War III Alternate Names: WW III

Synopsis
Event Locations:
 * Australia
 * China
 * Beijing

First Appearance: 52 #50 Cast of Characters: Black Adam, JSA, Great Ten, Marvel Family Synopsis: World War III (abbreviated WW III), was a worldwide metahuman conflict which lasted for only one week. Precipitated by the mass slaughter by Black Adam in Bialya, which resulted in millions of deaths, the conflict raged over the surface of the Earth. Eventually, the combined forces of the JSA, Captain Marvel, China's Great Ten, Martian Manhunter, and other heroes stopped Black Adam's rampage.
 * Egypt
 * Kahndaq
 * Rock of Eternity
 * Rocky Mountains

History
The War was ultimately the result of a confluence of several events:

Week 38, Day 2
The primary product of the Science Squad of Oolong Island was the Four Horsemen :
 * Azraeuz - Silent King of the Age of Death (Death)
 * Roggra - The Age of War (War)
 * Yurrd - The Unknown in Formless Time Before Time (Famine)
 * Zorrm - Lor of the Age of Fevers (Pestilence)

Week 39, Day
These beings were turned loose on the Black Marvel Family, killig Isis and Osiris. As Isis lay dying in Black Adam's arms, she told him that she was wrong - it wasn't he that required redemption, it was "the rest of the world. The world of men that made such horrible creatures. The evil needs to die. I thought we could be above them, but, for the pain they have put our family through ... avenge us."

Week 45, Days 4-6
Black Adam then followed Azraeuz to the nation of Bialya, killing first the military authorities in league with Intergang, then the entire population of the country - every last man, woman, and child. The world, for unknown reasons, chose not to intervene.

Week 45, Day 7
Succeeding in destroying Azraeuz, Black Adam learned that it was the Science Squad that created the Horsemen, and he set out for Oolong Island.

Week 46-47
Black Adam was captured and tortured by the Science Squad.

Week 48, Day 5
Chang Tzu offers Black Adam to the world community - by auction.

Week 49, Day 1
Arriving at Oolong Island, the JSA demands the release of Black Adam to stand trial for crimes against humanity. It is then, through the telepathicaly provided information of Thundermind that Alan Scott learns of the plot against Black Adam:

Chang Tzu was a member of the Great Ten, China's metahuman defenders. Oolong Island was a Red Chinese stronhold. Under order from Beijing, Chang Tzu utilized Intergang money to design and build doomsday weapons for one purpose -- to destroy the Black Marvel Family.

After entering the Island facility, Atom Smasher, unable to believe the charges against his former ally, lets Adam go free.

Week 50, Day 1
In Egypt, the Marvel Family does battle with Black Adam, destroying some of the Great Pyramids.

Week 50, Day 3
Australia is hit.

Week 50, Day 4
Italy is hit, with the Doom Patrol proving no match for the rampaging Black Adam. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is knocked over in the battle.

Week 50, Day 5
Checkmate locates Black Adam and notifies Mr. Terrific and the JSA.

Week 50, Day 6
Over the skies of China, Adam destroys fighter jets and makes his way to Beijing. Convinced that the Great Ten will be sufficient to stop his rampage, August General in Iron denies the world community the permission to assist them.

Week 50, Day 7
By Day 7, the JSA stand ready at the Chinese border, prevented from entering by virtue of a possible nuclear escalation. Black Adam defeats the Great Ten and, eventually, China allows international help. The JSA attack Ada.

Captain Marvel, petitions the Egyptian gods that power Adam to remove his powers, but they refused to make Adam mortal again, apparently supporting him in his quest for blood.

As the battle rages, the "heroes" of the Everyman Project retreat from the field, leaving the JSA and the other collected heroes to continue fighting.

Co-ordinated by Zatanna, Jay Garrick, Green Lantern, and Power Girl force Adam into the skies, where Captain Marvel has called down the lightning of Shazam. Catching the bolt in the air, Captain Marvel forces it to strike Black Adam, tranforming him into a mortal again.

Falling frome the sky, Adam is apparently caught by Atom Smasher and escapes.

Captain Marvel reveals that, although he couldn't get the gods to rescind Adam's powers, as Guardian of Magic he did have the power to change his magic word to something Adam will never be able to guess.

Recommended Readings

 * 52 #50
 * World War III Series

Related Articles

 * Black Adam