Doomsday Clock has been faced with countless delays but the ninth issue went on sale today and it finally gives us the moment we've been craving for. As the DC Universe's heroes head to Mars for a confrontation with Dr. Manhattan, the reveals come thick and fast, while things take a turn for the worse back on Earth as metahumans continue coming under fire.
The issue is an absolute must-read and while we delve into all the biggest spoilers here, I highly recommend that you pick it up and give it a read for yourselves as it's an absolute blast.
For now, though, we're touching on everything from the truth behind Firestorm's origin story to Superman's status and how that fight plays out with Dr. Manhattan, you'll find everything you need to know about how the latest chapter in this event unfolds.
To check out this spoiler-filled breakdown, all you guys have to do is hit the "View List" button below!
Dr. Manhattan Wiped The Legion Of Superheroes From History
In a past issue of Doomsday Clock, we learned that Dr. Manhattan moved the Lantern out of Alan Scott's reach and stopped the Justice Society of America from ever being formed.
Now, it's revealed that the ramifications of that decision mean that the Legion of Superheroes is never created and the universe (which would have been saved by one of its members in 3019) is "in darkness" as soon as 2030. WhatDr. Manhattan isn't sure of, though, is whether he's the one responsible for destroying everything or if he's destroyed by Superman.
Superman Is In A Coma
Following that explosion in Moscow (which has been traced back to Mars by several teams of heroes, including various iterations of the Justice League and the Green Lantern Corps), Superman has been left comatose while Batman is also badly injured.
He's being kept in the Hall of Justice which is surrounded by protesters who have completely turned on metahumans. The President, meanwhile (who appears to be a take on Donald Trump), has disowned the Man of Steel and Tweets out a message that he's done more for the planet anyway.
Dr. Manhattan Vs. The DC Universe
Pretty much every major superhero you can think of from Batgirl to Martian Manhunter and John Constantine have assembled on Mars and it doesn't take long for a battle to ensue between them andDr. Manhattan.
It seems like the Watchmen villain wants to discredit or kill Superman before he can destroy him but after a single blow from Guy Gardner seemingly kills Dr. Manhattan, he quickly resurrects himself and destroys Guy's ring before admitting that he finds it "difficult" to affect that particular energy.
Magic Isn't Magic
When Justice League Dark heroes like Constantine and Zatanna take aim atDr. Manhattan, he makes it clear that none of them are actually wielding magic.
Instead, the power they use is actually "the scraps of creation," energy which has been forgotten before being wielded by the likes of Deadman andDr. Fate. Dr. Manhattan finds the whole concept of magic to be laughable and ends up using it against the heroes as he points out that it feels good to still be able to learn a new trick or two.
Lex Luthor Has A Plan
After confronting Lois Lane in the Hall of Justice, Lex Luthor reveals that he was the one who sent The Daily Planet reporter that footage of the Justice Society of America and notes that he believes there's a force out there undermining not only Superman but reality itself. He notes that Wally West was one of Dr. Manhattan's "victims" and it seems as if that speedster will now get involved.
The Shocking Truth About Firestorm
Back on Mars, Dr. Manhattan takes Ronnie Raymond to the past and shows him that Dr. Martin Stein may be more villainous than any of us ever could have guessed.
Ronnie sees his mentor talking about how a bigger accident frequently leads to better results and he tells someone on the phone that he's managed to manipulate Ronnie by being the father figure he desperately needed. Confirming that the "accident" that bonded these two will make them "one," Stein says he hopes to learn about metahumans from the inside.
In other words, the Superman Theory about man-made metahumans appears to be true.
Dr. Manhattan's Weakness
As the battle on Mars continues, Dr. Manhattan's one weakness may have been revealed: radiation. Firestorm manages to hurt the villain, while Captain Atom is actually able to destroy him!
However, the God-like being reforms himself and as a helpless Batman (who has just woken up back on Earth) fails to get a message to the heroes, a blue explosion rings out across the Red Planet.
Black Adam Makes A Move
As Wonder Woman addresses the United Nation to ask for peace, the building is attacked and Black Adam - who has learned that the world's heroes are absent - makes a move and seemingly confirms that he's looking to take over Earth with the metahumans who have fled to his home country.
This is a big cliffhanger and we don't know for sure what Black Adam has planned but it definitely appears as if he's the villain of this story back on Earth which should shake things up massively.
Everyone Is Dead
As we return to Mars, Dr. Manhattan walks away from the carnage his explosion caused and we see a number of DC heroes bloodied and seemingly dead at his feet. It could just be that they're unconscious or badly wounded but things are looking bleak and it now appears as if Superman is the only one left who will be able to go head to head with the classic Watchmen villain. We'll have to wait and see!
Have you guys read Doomsday Clock #9 yet? What did you think? As always, share your thoughts in the comments section below and stay tuned for updates as we have them.
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