Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse #11 is an issue of the series Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 2015. It was published on May 20, 2015.
Synopsis for "The Brink of Madness"
This story is reprinted from Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse #31 (Digital), Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse #32 (Digital) and Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse #33 (Digital).
On Earth-43, Batman of Earth-0 tells Hawkgirl of Earth-19 and Robin of Earth-43 to get behind him as the Nightmare Batman lunges at them. Robin warns Batman that their opponent is unbeatable, but he still decides to fight. As Hawkgirl tries attacking the vampire Batman with her mace, she gets smashed away. The Batman of Earth-0 then tells Robin to help her while he goes to confront the vampire himself. Both prove their equal in hand-to-hand combat, but Batman knocks the vampire down. He then asks Robin if Shayera is okay and after finding out she is, fires his Batrope at the Batman of Earth-43. The vampire however breaks through it, and jumps at him, before quickly incapacitating him with his claws.
As the Nightmare Batman prepares to bite his Earth-0 counterpart, Robin attacks him from behind. Batman states he told him to stay away, but the Nightmare Robin replies that he would have died if he did. Despite slashing at the vampire repeatedly with his blades, he realizes he can't beat him. Shayera soon hits their enemy with her mace, but Robin reveals he can't be beaten through physical assaults. Batman states that they should flee as the battle is pointless, and they already have found the Earth Engine. The others agree and he quickly opens a Bleed portal before the vampire can attack them again. Returning to Earth-19, Batman learns from his world's Superman that the heroes have discovered another Earth Engine in the basement of that world's Lex's headquarters.
Though Superman doesn't trust Lex, he believes his claims of innocence are honest. The heroes collectively surmise that someone is trying to create a mind-controlled army to battle the Monitor. Superman of Earth-0 states that they may still have time, since the machines are lying dormant and this might be because all of them haven't been put in place. As they struggle to come up with a plan to deal with Earth Engines, Lantern states that they should inform the Monitor as he might know more. Batman agrees and tells the Wonder Woman of Earth-17 to call him through her orb. In the basement, Lex admires the Earth Engine, which makes the Mecha Superman of Earth-44 uneasy. As Batman arrives to question Lex what he has learned, the latter shocks them by telling that if they tampered with the Earth Engine, it would drive everyone mad and make them kill themselves.
The Monitor arrives on Earth-19 after being summoned by Atomic Wonder Woman and describes the Earth of the universe as an important as well as ambitious world, but regrets it was where the Harbinger died. Wonder Woman states that they all still feel the loss, before Uotan learns that she has brought in both old and new allies, due to the threat of the Infinite Crisis still hanging above the universe. Noticing the Superman of Earth-0 and Hawkgirl of Earth-19, he comments that they show great promise and he has watched them since birth. Shayera thinks of this as creepy and as Monitor gets offended by what she's implying, Wonder Woman states she meant no offense.
The Monitor then gets taken to see the Earth Engine and struggles to understand the bizarre contraption, before figuring out that it consists of both magic and technology, while being built with Monitor technology. Uotan suspects Luthor of Earth-19, who insists he had no hand and it was designed by stealing his ideas. Superman vouches for Lex, stating he doesn't believe he was behind it, despite his mistrust of him. The Monitor decides to move on to learning more about the device from the heroes, being told by Batman that it's meant to create mind-controlled armies, in order to fight the Monitor himself. He also states that they have been placed on multiple Earths but lie inactive, which means they are all meant to be activated together.
Monitor believes Batman is correct and that there must be a single artifact to start them. He also agrees with Wonder Woman and Gaslight Catwoman's idea to recruit heroes across the multiverse in order to find it, before deciding to disable the Earth Engine. Lex however warns him against it, stating it's been set up to drive everyone mad in order to prevent any tampering. Uotan however decides that it must be disabled regardless, but as he proceeds with it, an energy wave strikes everyone and incapacitates him. As the others struggle under the Earth Engine's effect, the Arcane Green Lantern tries to envelop it in a force field to keep its energies at bay. Superman of Earth-0 decides to take the Monitor someplace safer, but the Mecha Superman informs that the world is going mad.
As the Lantern struggles to form a field around the Earth Engine, the heroes try awaking the Monitor up and ask him what to do now. He however lashes out in fury and tells them that they can all die. Hawkgirl strikes at him, but he remains unaffected by her mace. As he blasts her, Robin of Earth-43 pushes her out of the way. Mecha Superman of Earth-44 punches the crazed Monitor, before trying to restrain him along with Superman of Earth-0 and Wonder Woman of Earth-17. The Green Lantern of Earth-13 meanwhile states that he is unable to contain the Earth Engine's energies, and Batman tells him to shield the heroes instead. As he complies, the effects of the machine are negated on them. The Monitor however is left unshielded since he has already been driven mad.
The Luthor of Earth-19 meanwhile becomes aggrieved and decides to leave the lab, after seeing what his designs have been used for, and looks at the crazed outside world with horror from his building's window. Back in the lab, the Monitor breaks free and smashes everyone away who comes in his path. Mecha Superman finally pins him down, but Batman realizes it won't be for long and asks Hawkgirl if she can bring her people to help. She affirms and states that their Nth Metal armor might dampen the effect of Earth Engine on them. Batman also tells her to convince the Aquaman of Earth-19 since he's a great warrior, and she agrees despite her reluctance.
As Hawkgirl departs, Batman tells Catwoman of Earth-19 to send out a call for help to any heroes they know across the multiverse. Nightmare Robin soon alerts him about the Monitor breaking free of Mecha Superman's control and he tells everyone to attack him together. Meanwhile, Lex wonders who could have stolen his device and is soon told by a man to finish the control device in order to activate the Earth Engines. He complies as the man activates his suggestion device and states that it will only require a short time. The man commends him for following his orders faithfully and reveals himself to be Vandal Savage of Earth-19.
Appearing in "The Brink of Madness"
- Batman (Earth-0)
- Hawkgirl (Earth-19)
- Nightmare Robin
Supporting Characters:
- Arcane Green Lantern
- Atomic Wonder Woman
- Gaslight Catwoman
- Gaslight Lex Luthor
- Mecha Superman
- The Monitor
- Superman (Earth-0)
Antagonists:
- Gaslight Vandal Savage
- Nightmare Batman
Other Characters:
- Aquaman (Earth-19) (Mentioned only)
- Harbinger (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Multiverse
- Earth-19
- Earth-43
- Earth-0 (Mentioned only)
- Earth-17 (Mentioned only)
- Earth-44 (Mentioned only)
- The Bleed
- Nil (Mentioned only)
Items:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse Vol. 2.
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse series
- Images from Infinite Crisis: Fight for the Multiverse Vol 1 11