Welcome to our weekly Monday Demythify column!
UPDATE:
Forever Evil #7’s release date has been pushed back 2 months to May 21, 2014 from March 26, 2014. This will lead to a domino effect impacting tie-in books like Justice League and others. Speculation is that this will also move several of DC’s new ongoing series set for July 2014 release to August 2014 as many are contingent or stem from the conclusion to Forever Evil #7. More news to follow as this story develops.
Reader Mark Mischke asked that I prepare a “Top 5” Demythify column on the post Forever Evil #7 fate of the Earth 3 Crime Syndicate. I’m happy to oblige.
In preparing for this column, my probable theories changed dramatically after I realized that the Crime Syndicate has had 50% of its Earth 3 members killed in the pages of Forever Evil or its tie-ins. The question around the fate of the Crime Syndicate after Forever Evil #7 is one of several mysteries and questions set for a resolution in next month’s Forever Evil finale:
- In Forever Evil #6 we learned the surprising identity of the Crime Syndicate’s Hooded Prisoner from Earth 3 after having done a rundown of the likely candidates.
There may be more to this new super-powered prisoner-no-more next month. - Nightwing’s fate was partially revealed in that same issue, but as predicted all is not as it seems considering the likely scenarios for what’s next for Richard Grayson. The final fate for Nightwing likely comes in Forever Evil #7.
- What exactly is the Earth 3 Destroyer? We’ve seemingly seen its first real look recently during Forever Evil Blight and we’ve explored several other possibilities.
- How Forever Evil will tie into the now exponentially expanded The New 52: Futures End since the answers may be hiding in plain sight?
- How the stealth return of one the DC Comics New 52’s Top 10 time anomalies will impact Forever Evil and Futures End?
- What exactly is After Forever?
Ok, with that, what are the likely post Forever Evil #7 fates of Earth 3’s Crime Syndicate? Glad Mark asked.
Possible Spoilers follow.
(5) Crime Syndicate Is Dissolved
The Earth 3’s Crime Syndicate seems to be a bunch of conniving miscreants. Perhaps the team is like a match; burns brightly for a short time? It would be great to see Nightwing, a.k.a. Dick Grayson, play a major hand in their defeat and dissolution.
With half of the team’s Earth 3 contingent already dead, will any members survive to actually dissolve the team by the time Forever Evil #7 wraps up?
(4) Crime Syndicate Civil War?
It seems certain that Ultraman, Owlman and Superwoman will at least be the surviving members of the Crime Syndicate. They clearly have their own agendas. Perhaps one of them takes the helm of the Crime Syndicate and reforms it with new members from the multiverse or Prime Earth? That would leave Owlman to form his own Crime Society (there was one in the old DC Comics) and perhaps Superwoman to take the helm of the Secret Society of Super-Villains.
DC Comics has a dearth of A-list super-hero teams, but not many A-list villain teams. Perhaps we can get three viable ones out the remants of Forever Evil #7 and the Crime Syndicate “seed”. Each super-villain team would naturally fight the various Justice Leagues and super-hero teams of the DC Comics New 52, but also each other over “turf”? Maybe we’ll get a Crime League out of all this too? Or even a Legion of Doom?
The x-factor her is Alexander Luthor and his power of MAZAHS. Is he a villain or a super-hero? Perhaps he takes on a faction as well or aligns with one?
(3) Phantom Zoned
It really depends on whether DC Comics wants to let the Crime Syndicate rest after Forever Evil #7 or continue to profile them in new ways. If it’s for a breather, what better way than to relegate the surviving members of the team to the Phantom Zone?
When DC wants to use them again, they can.
(2) The Silver Surfers of the Earth 3’s Destroyer?
Marvel has the Silver Surfer who is the herald of Galactus the devourer of worlds. Perhaps this all-powerful being enslaves the remaining members of the Crime Syndicate, or some of them, to find him/it other worlds to devour?
The Crime Syndicate defeated and humbled?
(1) Lex Luthor’s Plan B?
Lex Luthor and Captain Cold join the Justice League post Forever Evil. We know that this is likely not a sustainable situation. Two of Earth’s greatest villains on its greatest super-hero team? Heck Superman and Flash rebel and leave the team seemingly over this. Unlike writer Geoff Johns interpretation of Sinestro, a character with his own moral code and endgame, Lex Luthor has less redeeming attributes. He is always scheming. His entry on the Justice League may be his biggest con yet.
Maybe Lex somehow traps the remaining members of the Crime Syndicate in Forever Evil #7 to uncork them later? Trapped unknowingly in the Firestorm Matrix like the Justice Leagues after Trinity War? Somewhere or somewhen else? Maybe in a prison in the Bleed?
What do you think will be the Crime Syndicate’s post Forever Evil #7 fate(s)?
Thanks for reading. All feedback welcome.
