"Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths", originally "Dark Crisis", is a 2022 comic book storyline published by DC Comics, comprising an eponymous central 7 issue mini-series by writer Joshua Williamson and artist Daniel Sampere, and a number of tie-in books. The event received critical acclaim, with critics praising Williamson's writing, inclusion of characters, art, story, and action. The storyline takes place towards the end of Infinite Frontier, with the conclusion of the series leading into the Dawn of DC in 2023.
The title of the series was changed from Dark Crisis to Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths on and after issue #4, which denoted how the series is a direct sequel to Crisis on Infinite Earths. The series results in the return of the DCU's infinite multiverse which was destroyed in the original crisis in 1986.
Plot Prelude Darkseid reveals to his Apokoliptian Elites his knowledge of the Great Darkness, of which he is planning to take control, and his plan to crack the Omniverse. After escaping from Darkseid, Barry Allen runs aimlessly into the ruin of Multiverse-2 where he meets Pariah, who imprisoned him in an alternate reality.
Doctor Multiverse from Earth-8 had not received contact from Machinehead after his negotiation with Darkseid while planning the crack the multiverse. Justice League Incarnate, led by Calvin Ellis, decided to rescue the Flash until they got separated from the Parademon armies attacking their headquarters and confronting other multiversal threats. When Doctor Multiverse touches the crack, she learns a shocking history and convinces the heroes to let Darkseid win.Justice League Incarnate #1–3 (2022)
She reveals to the heroes and Darkseid that the Great Darkness was responsible for causing multiple catastrophic events because of its desire to end all things. During the birth of the multiverse, the Great Darkness declares war against the Light in an attempt to conquer it. The Great Darkness took possession of the Anti-Monitor as its champion while facing off against the Light's champion, the Monitor who summons the heroes to stop Anti-Monitor's goal resulting in the obliteration of the entire multiverse into a single universe which weakens the Light in the process. As the Darkness attempted to regain control, the Swamp Thing successfully brokered a truce with the Light forcing it into deep slumber. The Darkness managed to exert influence over the universe, contributing to the events of Final Crisis and Dark Nights: Death Metal. At one point, the Darkness encountered Doctor Manhattan and manipulated him into altering the timeline, creating The New 52. During Justice League Incarnate's confrontation with the Gentry, the primordial entity Empty Hand was created out of existence as Darkness' right hand caused by its truce with the Light.Justice League Incarnate #4
Darkseid reveals his first plan to control the Darkness is to declare war on Earth-7 and defeat Empty Hand. As Thomas Wayne attempts to sedate Doctor Multiverse, he is now possessed by the Great Darkness causing Darkseid to kill him and take Doctor Multiverse's energy with him before teleporting to Earth-7. As the heroes try to intervene, the possessed members attack them under the influence of the Empty Hand which Doctor Multiverse frees them. The Empty Hand manages to overpower Darkseid allowing him to activate the Oblivion Machine and lure Darkseid into the dark void. With Orion now the ruler of Apokolips, he decided to destroy the Oblivion Machine while the Justice League Incarnate continues to rescue Barry Allen. The heroes enter the void only to discover that Barry is trapped in the twisted reality. As they tried to convince Barry to leave, he refused. Pariah suddenly appears and tries to persuade them of their desire but Doctor Multiverse knows his deception and forced the team to retreat. As Orion departed to Apokolips, Thunderer summons his powers to destroy the Machine decimating Earth-7 in the process before evacuating with the team. Having failed to rescue Barry and the multiverse in jeopardy, the Justice League Incarnate decides to summon Barry's Justice League for aid. Somewhere in the Void, Pariah revealed to Darkseid that despite the Justice League Incarnate's success in closing the portal, both Multiverse-1 and 2 were weakened allowing the Great Darkness to take control of Darkseid and submit him to its will creating its own Dark Army alongside Ares, Doomsday, Eclipso, Nekron, Neron, Empty Hand, and Upside Down Man.Justice League Incarnate #6
Black Adam, Batman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, Superman, Zatanna, Aquaman, John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, Black Canary, and Green Arrow are transported into the House of Heroes (headquarters of the Justice League Incarnate) where it is revealed that Calvin Ellis teleported them because Barry Allen is trapped in a twisted reality and the Great Darkness has enslaved Darkseid and killed Spectre. Wonder Woman explains her discussion with The Hands about the cost to the team. Arriving at Multiverse-1 ruins after the attack, The team is encountered by Pariah who is now under the influence of the Darkness. Superman offered Pariah aid to absolve his mistakes but Pariah rejects their help believing that the heroes ruined everything. He claims that he will let the Justice League's world die for the true Multiverse to be reborn. Pariah summons the Dark Army, with Spectre and the Anti-Monitor's shadow demons as their allies, to fight against the Justice League and Justice League Incarnate. During the battle, the Justice League was surprised at how brutal they were and discovered that they were all possessed by the Great Darkness. The battle ends when Green Arrow shoots his arrow to destroy Pariah's machine before being pummeled by Doomsday. Enraged by their interference, Pariah summons his power to erase both the Justice League and Justice League Incarnate from existence. During a battle with Pariah, Black Adam manages to escape and lands in front of the Hall of Justice, saying the Justice League is dead.
Jon Kent meets up with Nightwing and reports to him about the Justice League's death from Black Adam. Nightwing and Jon Kent discuss how heroes that die are usually resurrected, and they decide to team up to honor their mentors' legacy. Wally West, Iris West, Linda Park, and Wallace West discuss Barry's disappearance and Wally promises Iris that he will find him. Wally revisits the Flash Museum honoring heroes' sacrifices before receiving a call from Jon. Hal Jordan learns from Aquaman (Jackson Hyde) about the Leagues' death before escorting the corrupted alien to its home after being cured. Taking place before the Justice League's death, Pariah wanders endlessly in the false reality while facing his guilt until he discovered the reality of multiverse-2 destruction, unaware that the Great Darkness manipulates him into building the machine.
Plot Nightwing gives a eulogy to the Justice League in front of the rest of the superhero community and the general public, while Deathstroke and his Secret Society of Super Villains also pay their respects as he blows out the candle. As villains spread chaos across the world out of fear, Hal Jordan joins in after hearing from Jon Kent and Wally West that the Justice League was killed by Pariah according to Black Adam, and does not trust Adam. Wally West tells him that Doctor Fate, Ray Palmer, Ryan Choi, and Captain Cold do not know where the Justice League and Barry Allen are. With Hal Jordan departing for galactic threat and Wally West leaving to find Barry, Jon tries persuading Yara Flor and Jace Fox to join his new Justice League, but they refuse due to them being busy. Jon creates his new Justice League (consisting of Damian Wayne, Supergirl, Doctor Light, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Ted Kord, Harley Quinn, Killer Frost, Jackson Hyde, and Frankenstein), to which Adam tells Jon that his Justice League is not ready because some of the members are reformed villains. Deathstroke and his army launch an attack on the Titans Academy, injuring many superheroes and shooting Beast Boy in the head. On Multiverse-2, Pariah reveals his plan to the Great Darkness by using the Justice League's death to incite Earth-0 into deep despair, allowing him to excess his phase of destroying the multiverse.
Nightwing manages to recover from the attack and confronts Deathstroke who reveals that his Secret Society of Super Villains has already targeted Nightwing's closest allies. Deathstroke challenges Nightwing to a fight which Nightwing wins, but Deathstroke offers a second challenger and Nightwing realizes that Deathstroke will kill the person who loses him in a fight. Nightwing offers himself up but is saved by Jon Kent. Deathstroke also sends in Cyborg Superman to take down Jon Kent, but Jon Kent defeats Cyborg Superman. Pariah tells Deathstroke to spare the heroes and orders him to retreat bringing his Secret Society with him, which he relents. Black Adam arrives and announces that he will be training the new Justice League. Kyle Rayner escapes from prison and meets up with Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps, where he learns that Wally West, Kid Flash, Jesse Chambers, Max Mercury, and Wally's kids are trying to find Barry Allen.
As Donna Troy discusses the aftermath of Titans Academy's incident, Deathstroke's Secret Society of Super Villains tries to capture more heroes while the public starts to lose hope that the Justice League will return, forcing other heroes to make difficult choices. Barbara Gordon, Duke Thomas, Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown and Cassandra Cain go visit the Titans tower to make sure Nightwing is okay after the attack while checking on Beast Boy. Black Adam is trying to train the new Justice League and convinces them they must kill their enemies to scare Deathstroke, but they disapprove of his actions believing that killing them will not justify their victory. Damian Wayne confirms that Deathstroke is well aware of their moral views of killing. Yara Flor arrives and stops Adam from killing Count Vertigo in front of the Justice League forcing Adam to leave in humiliation and ask the Legion of Doom for help. Deathstroke reunites with Ravager and persuades her to be her legacy as the Darkness infested his Secret Society to start a crisis. As Jon Kent and Damian Wayne argue about their loss of hope, the Justice Society of America arrives to help the new Justice League. Meanwhile, Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps arrive at Ryut. Hal, Kyle, and Sojourner Mullein teleport toward Multiverse-2, leaving other Green Lanterns to prepare for the upcoming battle. As the three Green Lanterns confront Pariah on Multiverse-2's ruin, Hal discovers the Great Darkness' plan of using the Justice League's death to weaponize them and recreating new pocket dimensions before being disintegrated and transported to the pocket world of John Stewart.