Our Worlds at War

2001 DC Comics storyline

Not to be confused with World at War.

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"Our Worlds at War"

Cover of JLA: Our Worlds at War (September 2001), art by Jae Lee.

Publication date| August – October 2001
Genre|

*   * Crossover

| Title(s)

Action Comics #780-782
The Adventures of Superman #593-596
Batman #593-594
Batman: Our Worlds at War #1
The Flash: Our Worlds at War #1
Green Lantern: Our Worlds at War #1
Harley Quinn: Our Worlds at War #1
Impulse #77
JLA: Our Worlds at War #1
JSA: Our Worlds at War #1
Nightwing: Our Worlds at War #1
Superboy vol. 3 #89-91
Supergirl vol. 4 #59-61
Superman vol. 2 #171-173
Superman: Our Worlds at War Secret Files and Origins #1
Superman: The Man of Steel #115-117
Wonder Woman vol. 2 #171-173
Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War #1
World's Finest: Our Worlds at War #1
Young Justice #35-36
Young Justice: Our Worlds at War #1
Creative team
Writer(s)| Jeph Loeb
Joe Casey
Mark Schultz
Joe Kelly
Phil Jimenez
Peter David
Geoff Johns
Penciller(s)| Mike Wieringo
Ed McGuinness
Doug Mahnke
Ron Garney
Leonard Kirk
Angel Unzueta
Volume 1| ISBN 1-56389-915-9
Volume 2| ISBN 1563899167
Complete Edition| ISBN 1401211291

"Our Worlds at War" is a comic book storyline, published by DC Comics in mid-2001. OWAW was a crossover storyline that spanned several different books, including several books starring Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and a number of supporting characters and books. Creators involved in the crossover included writers Jeph Loeb, Joe Casey, Mark Schultz, Joe Kelly, Phil Jimenez, and Peter David, and artists that included Mike Wieringo, Ed McGuinness, Doug Mahnke, Ron Garney, and Leonard Kirk.

## Plot[edit]

The crossover, which occurred mainly through the monthly Superman titles, Wonder Woman, and a series of character-themed one-shot specials, dealt with the heroes of the DC Universe facing the threat of the cosmic force known as Imperiex, who attacked Earth for the purpose of using the planet as the staging ground for the "hollowing" of the entire universe.

Thanks to the sacrifice of Strange Visitor and General Rock, Earth's forces managed to crack Imperiex's armor, intending that Darkseid would subsequently use boom tube technology to transfer Imperiex's energy back to the galaxies which he had destroyed. However, Brainiac-13 appeared on the battleground with Warworld, and absorbed the Imperiex energies, vowing to use them to rule everything.

In a desperate gambit, Superman dived into the heart of the sun, thus gaining a massive power boost that enhanced his abilities significantly. Rapidly realizing that Warworld could not be destroyed without releasing Imperiex and triggering another Big Bang, Superman and the Martian Manhunter formed a brief telepathic link with the remaining major combatants — including Darkseid, Lex Luthor, Steel and Wonder Woman — to explain their new plan. With Darkseid's powers weakened, they would have to use Tempest, empowered by the faith and strength of the Amazons, focusing the energy through Steel's new 'Entropy Aegis' armor (which was created from a burned-out Imperiex probe), and, with Lex Luthor activating a temporal displacement weapon, Superman would subsequently push Warworld through a temporal boom tube, sending both Imperiex Prime's and Brainiac's consciousness back 14 billion years to the Big Bang, destroying both villains through a combined effort. In his final moments, Imperiex Prime realized, in an ironic twist, that the imperfection he had detected in the universe was himself.

The planet Daxam was involved, temporarily stolen from its rightful orbit.

## Characters[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)

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* The Flash
* Superman
* Krypto
* Wonder Woman (Diana Prince, Hippolyta)
* Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
* The Martian Manhunter
* Aquaman
* The Justice League of America
* Young Justice
* Superboy
* Supergirl
* Imperiex
* Brainiac 13
* Darkseid
* Grayven
* Doomsday
* Lex Luthor
* Suicide Squad
* Manchester Black
* Strange Visitor
* Lois Lane
* Lena Luthor
* Sam Lane

### Deaths[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2008)

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* Steel: killed,[1] then returned with another suit.[2]
* Guy Gardner:[3] suggested by dialogue, later proved false. [citation needed]
* Hippolyta:[4][5] perished while saving Greek citizens. Has since returned.[6]
* Aquaman: presumed dead, Atlantis missing.[3] Has since returned.[7]
* Sam Lane: killed.[5] Later turns up alive.[8]
* Maxima: killed.[2]
* Massacre: killed.[2]
* Ma and Pa Kent: missing.[9] Later turn up alive.[10]
* Strange Visitor: killed.

## Publications[edit]

The story ran through the following issues:

* Action Comics #780-782
* Adventures of Superman #593-596
* Batman #593-594
* Batman: Our Worlds at War #1
* Flash: Our Worlds at War #1
* Green Lantern: Our Worlds at War #1
* Harley Quinn: Our Worlds at War #1
* Impulse #77
* JLA: Our Worlds at War #1
* JSA: Our Worlds at War #1
* Nightwing: Our Worlds at War #1
* Superboy #89-91
* Supergirl #59-61
* Superman #171-173
* Superman: Our Worlds at War Secret Files and Origins #1
* Superman: The Man of Steel #115-117
* Wonder Woman #171-173
* Wonder Woman: Our Worlds at War #1
* World's Finest Comics: Our Worlds at War #1
* Young Justice #35-36
* Young Justice: Our Worlds at War #1
* Superman/Batman #64, #68-71 (a brief new direction of the Superman/Batman series at the start of 2010 that featured a story that took place in the aftermath of Our Worlds at War with #64 acting as a prologue and #68 through #71 being the story proper complete with the trade dress banner).

### Collected editions[edit]

The story has been collected into trade paperbacks:

* SUPERMAN: OUR WORLDS AT WAR VOL. 1 | 256pg. | Color | Softcover | ISBN 1-56389-915-9
* SUPERMAN: OUR WORLDS AT WAR VOL. 2 | 247pg. | Color | Softcover | ISBN 1-56389-916-7
* SUPERMAN: OUR WORLDS AT WAR THE COMPLETE EDITION | 512pg. | Color | Softcover | ISBN 1401211291

## References[edit]

1. ^ Superman: Man of Steel #116 (September 2001)
2. ^ a b c Superman: The Man of Steel #117 (October 2001)
3. ^ a b JLA: Our Worlds at War #1 (September 2001)
4. ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 2) #172 (September 2001)
5. ^ a b Action Comics (vol. 1) #781 (September 2001)
6. ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 3) #8 (June 2007)
7. ^ JLA: The Obsidian Age (September 2002)
8. ^ Superman: New Krypton Special #1 (December 2008)
9. ^ Superman (vol. 1) #172 (September 2001)
10. ^ Superman (vol. 1) #174 (November 2001)

* v
* t
* e

Wonder Woman

* William Moulton Marston
* Elizabeth Holloway Marston
* Olive Byrne
* H. G. Peter
* Other contributors

Characters|

| Wonder Women|

* Diana Prince
* Orana
* Artemis of Bana-Mighdall
* Hippolyta
* Nubia
* Wonder Girls
* Cassie Sandsmark
* Donna Troy
* Yara Flor

|

Supporting
characters|

* Antiope
* Etta Candy
* Fury
* Hephaestus
* Heracles/Hercules
* Hermes
* I Ching
* Julia and Vanessa Kapatelis
* Justice League
* Mala
* Nemesis (Thomas Tresser)
* The Olympian
* Paula von Gunther
* Philippus
* Poseidon
* Queen Desira
* Helena Sandsmark
* Sarge Steel
* Steve Trevor
* Wonder Man
* Zeus
* Zola

Enemies|

* Ares
* Baron Blitzkrieg
* Baroness Paula von Gunther
* Blue Snowman
* Veronica Cale
* Cheetah
* Circe
* Dark Angel
* Decay
* Doctor Cyber
* Doctor Poison
* Doctor Psycho
* Duke of Deception
* Egg Fu
* Eviless
* First Born
* Genocide
* Giganta
* Hades
* Hypnota
* Kung
* Mask
* Maxwell Lord
* Medusa
* Minister Blizzard
* Osira
* Queen Clea
* Silver Swan
* Superwoman
* Tezcatlipoca
* Zara

Factions|

* Amazons of Themyscira
* Amazons of Bana-Mighdall
* Children of Ares
* Godwatch
* Olympian Gods
* THEM!
* Titans of Myth
* Villainy Inc.

Locations|

* Aeaea
* Themyscira (The Paradise Islands)

Publications|

* All Star Comics
* Wonder Woman
* Amazonia
* Batman/Superman/Wonder Woman: Trinity
* The Blue Amazon
* Comic Cavalcade
* Crossover
* The Legend of Wonder Woman
* Sensation Comics
* Superman and Wonder Woman: The Hidden Killer
* Superman/Wonder Woman
* Wonder Woman '77
* The Wonder Woman Chronicles
* Wonder Woman: Earth One
* The World's Greatest Superheroes

Storylines|

* “Introducing Wonder Woman” (1941)
* Gods and Mortals (1987)
* Challenge of the Gods (1987–88)
* War of the Gods (1991)
* The Contest (1994)
* The Challenge of Artemis (1995)
* Paradise Island Lost (2001)
* Our Worlds at War (2001)
* The Hiketeia (2002)
* Down to Earth (2003–04)
* Who Is Wonder Woman? (2006–07)
* Amazons Attack! (2007)
* The Circle (2008)
* Ends of the Earth (2008)
* Rise of the Olympian (2009)
* Flashpoint (2011)
* The Lies (2016)
* Year One (2016)
* The Truth (2017)
* Godwatch (2017)
* Trial of the Amazons (2022)

Technology|

* Golden Girdle of Gaea
* Invisible Plane
* Lasso of Truth
* Mental radio
* Wonder Woman's bracelets

In other media|

| Film|

* 1974 film
* 2009 film
* Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
* DC Extended Universe
* Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
* 2017 film
* soundtrack
* Justice League
* Zack Snyder's Justice League
* Wonder Woman 1984
* soundtrack
* Peacemaker: It's Cow or Never
* Shazam! Fury of the Gods
* The Flash

|

Television|

* Wonder Woman
* episodes
* 2011 TV pilot

Miscellaneous|

* Alternative versions
* Earth-Two
* Bizarra
* Superwoman
* Cultural impact
* Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
* Literature
* Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines

Category

* v
* t
* e

DC Comics crossover event publication history

1980s|

* "Crisis on Infinite Earths" (April 1985)
* "Legends" (November 1986)
* "Millennium" (January 1988)
* "Invasion!" (January 1989)
* "The Janus Directive" (May 1989)

1990s|

* "Armageddon 2001" (May 1991)
* "War of the Gods" (September 1991)
* "Eclipso: The Darkness Within" (July 1992)
* "The Death of Superman" (October 1992)
* "Bloodlines" (1993)
* "The Children's Crusade" (December 1993)
* "Worlds Collide" (July 1994)
* "End of an Era" (August 1994)
* "Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!" (September 1994)
* "Underworld Unleashed" (November 1995)
* "DC vs. Marvel" (April 1996)
* "The Final Night" (November 1996)
* "Genesis" (October 1997)
* "DC One Million" (November 1998)
* "Day of Judgment" (November 1999)
* "JLApe: Gorilla Warfare!" (1999)

2000s|

* "Our Worlds at War" (August 2001)
* "Joker: Last Laugh" (December 2001)
* "Identity Crisis" (June 2004)
* "Infinite Crisis" (December 2005)
* "Amazons Attack!" (March 2007)
* "Sinestro Corps War" (August 2007)
* "Final Crisis" (July 2008)
* "Blackest Night" (June 2009)

2010s|

* "Brightest Day" (May 2010)
* "Reign of Doomsday" (January 2011)
* "Flashpoint" (May 2011)
* "The Culling" (November 2011)
* "Batman: Night of the Owls" (April 2012)
* "Death of the Family" (October 2012)
* "H'El on Earth" (October 2012)
* "Throne of Atlantis" (November 2012)
* "Wrath of the First Lantern" (February 2013)
* "Batman: Zero Year" (June 2013)
* "Trinity War" (July 2013)
* "Forever Evil" (September 2013)
* "Forever Evil: Blight" (October 2013)
* "The New 52: Futures End" (September 2014)
* "Convergence" (April 2015)
* "Darkseid War" (June 2015)
* "The Button" (April 2017)
* "Dark Nights: Metal" (June 2017)
* "The Lazarus Contract" (July 2017)
* "Doomsday Clock" (November 2017)
* "Milk Wars" (March 2018)
* "Heroes in Crisis" (September 2018)
* "The Terminus Agenda" (March 2019)
* "Year of the Villain" (May 2019)

2020s|

* "Dark Nights: Death Metal" (June 2020)
* "Joker War" (September 2020)
* "Generations" (September 2020)
* "Endless Winter" (December 2020)
* "Future State" (January 2021)
* "Infinite Frontier" (June 2021)
* "Fear State" (August 2021)
* "War for Earth-3" (March 2022)
* "Shadow War" (April 2022)
* "Dark Crisis" (May 2022)
* "The New Golden Age" (November 2022)
* "Lazarus Planet" (January 2023)
* "Worlds Collide" (February 2023)
* "Knight Terrors" (July 2023)
* "Gotham War" (August 2023)
* "Titans: Beast World" (November 2023)
* "House of Brainiac" (April 2024)
* "Absolute Power" (July 2024)

Launch lines|

* DC Explosion/DC Implosion (1978)
* The New 52 (2011–2016)
* Hanna-Barbera Beyond (2016–2019)
* DC Rebirth (2016–2017)
* Murphyverse (2017–present)
* The New Age of DC Heroes (2018–2020)
* New Justice (2018–2021)
* The Sandman Universe (2018–present)
* Milestone Returns (2020–present)
* Infinite Frontier (2021–2023)
* The New Golden Age (2022–present)
* Dawn of DC (2022–present)

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