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"The Fall of Earth": Lex Luthor, standing by himself on the Moon, remembers the day when his world was transformed, an apocalypse triggered by the invasion of a squadron of Dark Batmen, led by the Batman Who Laughs.

Quote1 See it for what it has become. See what my actions have made it. Quote2
Lex Luthor

Dark Nights: Death Metal Guidebook #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of October, 2020. It was published on August 18, 2020.

Synopsis for "The Fall of Earth"

Lex Luthor, standing by himself on the Moon, remembers the day when his world was transformed, an apocalypse triggered by the invasion of a squadron of Dark Batmen, led by the Batman Who Laughs. As the Justice League was missing, transported in an adventure to save the Multiverse by the Quintessence, the other heroes fell quickly. First, the west coast was destroyed by the death of Captain Atom, planned in detail by Dr. Arkham, the maddest of the scientists the Batman who Laughs found in the Dark Multiverse.

Then, the Batmage decided to darken the doors to Themyscira, and transform all the world of magic into Hell. And even if antagonized by the heroes of magic, they were not able to stop him. The Titans and the Teen Titans united, trying to stop the Darkfather, a Batman who killed Darkseid and took his power for himself. The Suicide Squad battled Bathomet, a chtonian elder beast who woke inside one of the Dark Universes. And while this battles happened, the city of Gotham changed with Castle Bat, a living Batman inside a building, appeared out of nowhere.

Then the League came back, with failure on their faces. They wanted to talk about what happened, because some parts of the story were not clear, but there wasn't enough time. And so they committed a fatal mistake: they separated, each of them to protect their own city. And so the Batman who Laughs, who predicted this, already had specific Batmen to take down all the leaguers. The Martian, Hawkgirl and John Stewart were the first three to fall. Of course, Batman understood that they could win only together, and he escaped more than twenty Dark Batmen, giving up Gotham to the enemy. Together with Flash, he prepared to make a final stand.

But they still failed: the Batman who Laughs won, and crowned himself king. He changed the world in his image, with the heroes giving up to save what was most dear to their heart, Atlantis for Aquaman, the Amazons for Diana. Superman then was trapped in the center of the sun, to fuel it as it extinguished during the clash between Wonder Woman and Perpetua. So now Lex stands, with a mysterious book in his hands: reported on it there's the current history of the universe, but also something forgotten by Wonder Woman. Something that, together with the Death Metals Lobo is searching in the Multiverse, will give Luthor a chance to answer back. And he will do it once he takes his Legion back alongside him.

Appearing in "The Fall of Earth"

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  • Bat-Truck (Flashback only)
  • Black Fleet (First appearance; unnamed) (Flashback only) (Cameo)
  • Death Drive (First appearance chronologically) (Flashback only)

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Synopsis for "Queen of the Desert"

Harley Quinn is on patrol inside the Arkham Wastelands, which once were the West Coast of the United States of America, forever changed because of the death, and subsequent explosion, of Captain Atom. Amanda Waller sent his Suicide Squad there, but they are missing and Doctor Arkham, the Dark Batman acting as supervisor for the area, wants them for his experiments. While searching, Harley meets a mutated hyena. Soon though, Harley gets attacked by Captain Boomerang, mutated thanks to the radiations which spread everywhere in the area. Harley is saved by the hyena, who kills Boomerang. Harley so decides to adopt him, calling him George.

Appearing in "Queen of the Desert"

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  • Trinity Rocket (Real name revealed) (In picture only) (Cameo)

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Synopsis for "The Umibozu"

Aquaman encounters the Umibozu, releasing him after removing his curse. He also tells Bathomet that Aquaman won't work for the Batman who Laughs, and him, anymore.

Appearing in "The Umibozu"

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  • The Umibozu (Single appearance; dies)

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  • Black Fleet (Real name revealed) (First full appearance)
  • Death Drive (In picture only) (Cameo)

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Synopsis for "Seeds of Hope"

Poison Ivy suffers, being caged inside the Batman who Laughs' own version of hell. She wants to see her plants, and the sun on her face. Diana, the unwilling warden of Hell, tells her she should not wish for freedom, as she's safer here, in the cage. Diana though lets her go, so that she can learn by herself why she wanted Pamela to stay caged. Coming out to see the free world, Ivy discovers that the Green is constantly burning and suffering, and comes back to her cage in tears. To make her feel better, and to promise her a fight will come to free the world, Diana brings her a surviving plant in need of caretaking.

Appearing in "Seeds of Hope"

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Synopsis for "Dragonlance"

Batman is in the Batman who Laughs' own version of Gotham, resurrecting Jonah Hex with the Black Lantern Ring. He selected Hex to be his guardian, arming him with a White Lantern bullet. If the Ring takes control of Batman, turning him into a Black Lantern, Hex must free Bruce from the Ring's influence.

Appearing in "Dragonlance"

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Notes



See Also


Links and References

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