On this week’s installment of DC’s Metallic, the comedian e-book occasion that happens while you unleash horror-master and Batman veteran Scott Snyder onto the entire bizarre, multiverse-laden historical past of the DC Universe, the forces of fine lastly rating a hard-won victory.

Like an asymptotic curve — maybe within the waveform of some cosmic guitar solo — the tempo of DC Comics’ Metallic occasion has develop into ever slower because it reaches its conclusion. It was speculated to wrap up this month, however its absolute finale, Dark Nights: Metallic #6, was delayed till March.

So as a substitute, we’ve bought what’s technically a filler challenge — in case you can name 4 totally different writers (together with Scott Snyder and Grant Morrison) collaborating with 4 totally different artists (together with Jorge Jimenez and Doug Mahnke) on a wild romp by means of the multiverse “filler.” And Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt completely delivers on a wild, multiversal romp, resurrecting many an idea from Grant Morrison’s blockbuster Remaining Crisis occasion.

[Warning: This post contains spoilers for Dark Knights Rising: The Wild Hunt. Duh.]

“The Ultima Thule. The Multiversal Bleed. Then. Now. Tomorrow?”DC Comics

On this week’s challenge, we see the autumn of the primary of the Nightmare Batmen, the strikeforce of corrupted Batmen impressed by Batman’s deepest insecurities and themed on every member of the Justice League. Cyborg, Flash and Raven carry in regards to the demise of the Red Loss of life, the Flash-themed Nightmare Batman.

Right here’s the way it occurs. However first, you would possibly need to sit down, take a number of breaths, and open your self to the chances of the universe — as a result of this comedian used fairly a number of of them.

Following the occasions of November’s “Bats out of Hell” crossover, the Flash, Cyborg and Raven are touring by means of the area between universes, referred to as the Bleed, on the music-powered dimension hopping ship, the Ultima Thule. Their purpose: make it to the middle of existence and save everybody by “hacking the multiverse.”

The pirate Justice League of Earth-31. DC Comics

Sadly, they’re being pursued by the Nightmare Batmen, who’ve a shift-ship of their very own, the huge Service (which, sure, appears to be like like a canine’s nostril). The Service runs the Ultima Thule “aground,” smashing it out of the Bleed. Whereas our heroes defend themselves, in addition they blip by means of a number of variations of DC’s actuality, together with worlds of pirates, vampires and robots.

Secretly, the Flash sneaks aboard the Service, aspiring to unchain its gas supply: a caged child universe. If unleashed, the universe will develop till it will possibly now not be contained, destroying the Nightmare Batmen’s ship.

The Cruel, an alternate universe Batman who took up the helm of Hades and destroyed the Justice League (after which grew to become the god of warfare), and the Red Loss of life, an alternate universe Batman who sought to cage the Velocity Power by merging his consciousness along with his model of the Flash, try to cease the Flash. Of their try, the Red Loss of life is uncovered to an intense blast of the constructive vitality of creation from the infant universe, reversing him.

This creates a Reverse Flash (identical to the Flash’s nemesis in the primary DC Universe) out of the Red Loss of life — turning him into a superb man.

“Bruce is insane. All of them. Insane. How do I repair this?”DC Comics

Let’s take a break. Do you want a glass of water? It’s necessary to remain hydrated.

After defeating the Cruel collectively, the Flash and the Reverse Red Loss of life understand that someone’s bought to remain behind and ensure the infant universe truly will get off to a superb rising begin, and Red Loss of life volunteers himself as a sacrifice. In the end, he was nonetheless born in a darkish universe from the Dark Multiverse — and the pure constructive universe vitality from the Service’s child universe engine obliterates him totally.

However, like each different scenario in Metallic to this point, the Batman Who Laughs has anticipated the Justice League’s each transfer. Whereas they have been busy preventing and sneaking on board the Service, the Nightmare Batmen have been launching missiles armed with child universes on the Ultima Thule — child universes from the Dark Multiverse, filled with darkish artistic vitality. It doesn’t matter that the Service is falling aside; with its steerage methods disabled, the Justice League’s ship is a poison dart headed straight for the center of the multiverse.

The difficulty does finish on a hopeful notice, nonetheless: the arrival of the heretofore-unknown heroes of the 53rd universe within the multiverse. I received’t spoil what they’re like for you, however they’re precisely what you may anticipate to get when Scott Snyder and Grant Morrison put their heads collectively for a Batman: Metallic tie-in challenge.