“Every time I have a picnic….”
Armageddon: Inferno #3
DC Comics (June, 1992)
“The Last Hope” WRITER: John Ostrander PENCILERS: Luke McDonnell, Art Adams, & Walter Simonson INKERS: Bruce H. Solotoff, Terry Austin, & Walter Simonson COLORIST: Gene D’Angelo LETTERER: John Costanza ASSISTANT EDITOR: Scott Peterson EDITOR: Denny O’Neil WAVERIDER CREATORS: Archie Goodwin & Dan Jurgens (first time I’ve seen this credit in the whole Armageddon saga)
In Abraxis’ dimension, our male “cattle” comforts the female, which is unusual as Abraxis breeds out such emotions. Back in the DCU, Superman is forced to confront a future he once visited, failing to stop the moon from being destroyed. But then he, the Flash, Wonder Woman, Troia (an identity Donna Troy was using at the time), and Power Girl go up against the Daemon, but neither they nor the dinosaur times team succeed in stopping Abraxis from projecting into the last two simulacrum. However, Earth may have one last chance when the Spectre takes Waverider to the dimension where the Spear Of Destiny keeps forcing Ragnarok to continue until it fulfills the spell cast upon it and causes the end of the world. Here the Justice Society Of America (the original Flash, Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Hawkgirl, plus Wildcat, Jonny Thunder & his Thunderbolt, and the team of Sandman and Sandy) continue the fight as well to keep the stalemate, but Waverider is able to freeze time long enough for the heroes to travel to Abraxis’ dimension in the hopes that spreading his mind in five places will weaken him enough to save reality!
What they got right: These are some good backstories for the Daemon as well as the “he” of the cattle. It’s good they found a way to bring back the Justice Society, who would go on to have some really good adventures before the New 52 ruined everything. (I don’t care what Schwartz told you, DiDio, the universe doesn’t need a reboot every 10 years. Stop treating continuity as the enemy!) We even get to see that Superman doesn’t always succeed.
What they got wrong: This may not be Ostrander’s fault because I don’t know who told this story, but is he trying to say the Spear somehow killed him? I don’t know if The Unknown Soldier (the original) was still canon at the time but I vaguely recall hearing that this wasn’t the reason given. Either way, I hate when unexplained events, or even explained ones where the writer finds an opening to say “no, THIS is what really happened and it’s all science fiction/fantasy” are given some alternate reason for happening when the creators try so hard to match the real world as much as possible, which started in the Silver and Bronze ages.
Recommendation: I’m still enjoying the story and recommend checking it out.
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