Synopsis
The Janus Directive is a crossover storyline between the major government organizations of the DC Universe that took place in 1989. It was written by Paul Kupperberg, John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Cary Bates, and Greg Weisman, with illustrations by Steve Erwin, John K. Snyder III, Rick Hoberg, Doug Rice, and Tom Mandrake. The individual series' in the crossover were Captain Atom, Checkmate, Firestorm, Manhunter, and Suicide Squad.
Synopsis
Amanda Waller gathers the heads of every organization under her control in Task Force X. This includes Bronze Tiger of the Suicide Squad, Harry Stein & Harvey Bullock of Checkmate, and Bridgette D'Arbo of Project Peacemaker.[1] Waller announces she has discovered a conspiracy called the "Janus Directive," indicating that either Force of July or Project: Atom (both rivals in American intelligence) intend to wage war on Task Force X. Peacemaker is sent to capture or assassinate Doctor Megala and General Eiling at Project: Atom. The Suicide Squad are sent to capture or kill the Force of July, and steal their leader Abraham Lincoln Carlyle's Medusa Mask. Doctor Light kills Sparkler, Ravan kills Mayflower, and Carlyle dies of a heart attack while fighting Shade. The other members are defeated and the Suicide Squad takes the Medusa Mask. Peacemaker successfully abducts Megala, but Eiling escapes in the attack.[2] It is revealed that Eiling and Megala also heard of a "Janus Directive" indicating that the other two agencies planned to attack them. Stein believes Waller has lost her mind and he sends his operatives Black Thorn, Gary Washington, and Val Vostok to capture her. They successfully infiltrate Belle Reve, but Bronze Tiger and Captain Boomerang fight them off while Waller escapes. Eiling tracks Megala down to Checkmate Headquarters and sends Major Force to attack the facility.[3] Waller sends the rest of the Suicide Squad to destroy Checkmate HQ and assassinate Megala. They arrive to find Peacemaker locked in battle with Major Force, while the exposed secret headquarters is televised on the news. Count Vertigo and Shade take down Peacemaker while Duchess beats Major Force in a fistfight. The captured Megala is revealed to be a body double when he explodes. Harry Stein learns that the agencies are being manipulated, but his agents are captured before they can reveal the culprit is Kobra.[4]
Checkmate HQ moves to a new base in the Rocky Mountains, since their old base was destroyed and exposed. Harry Stein makes an alliance with General Eiling. Stein explains that several high-profile leaders in the intelligence community have been acting uncharacteristically, and he believes they have been replaced by doppelgangers. This list includes Amanda Waller, Babylon, and Doctor Megala. Kobra has his Blackadder agents execute Checkmate Knights around the world. Black Thorn and John Reed are attacked in the abandoned Atom Project facility, but they're rescued when Peacemaker flies them out and blows up the building.[5] The real Amanda Waller hires Manhunter as an outside agent she can trust. She sends him to infiltrate a corporation connected to the Janus Directive called Anaconda Industries. Manhunter learns they are planning on using a giant microwave cannon to wipe out American cities while preserving the infrastructure. The Blackadders shoot Manhunter and believe they killed him, but he manages to escape.[6]
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Issues
- Checkmate #15 -- Part 1: Knight Kill
- Suicide Squad #27 -- Part 2: Scattermove
- Checkmate #16 -- Part 3: Shadow Knights
- Suicide Squad #28 -- Part 4: Death Game
- Checkmate #17 -- Part 5: A Hard Day's Knight
- Manhunter #14 -- Part 6: Misdirection
- Firestorm (Volume 2) #86 -- Part 7: Home Fires Burning
- Suicide Squad #29 -- Part 8: Heavy Squad
- Checkmate #18 -- Part 9: Knight Fight
- Suicide Squad #30 -- Part 10: Endgame
- Captain Atom #30 -- Part 11: Troubles in Paradise
Recommended Reading
- Captain Atom (Volume 1)
- Checkmate (Volume 1)
- Firestorm (Volume 2)
- Manhunter (Volume 1)
- Suicide Squad (Volume 1)
Links and References