Finally, at long last, I present the Future-Verse!
The November before last, I embarked on a creative odyssey that started out as a tiny side project using Todd McFarlane's DC Multiverse action figure line as a base. It began with head swaps/kit bashes and alternate looks, and ballooned into a full-fledged customizing undertaking where I ended up teaching myself all about painting, sealing, sculpting, etc. This is the culmination of about a year and a half of working every day for about 8 hours after work.
After an ill-fated assault on Apokolips, the Justice League has disappeared, and the world is in turmoil. The remaining senior heroes fall in a cataclysmic conflict engineered by Lex Luthor. Lex then teams up with billionaire Maxwell Lord and uses the conflict to turn the public against Metahumans and rides the controversy to a second stint in the White House. Metahumans who pledge loyalty to the United States and, by extension, Luthor can operate as federal agents. Authorities banish the rest into retirement or underground.
Years later, an attempt by Hank Henshaw to use Superman's Fortress of Solitude robots to decimate the world leads to Conner Kent's emergence as the new Superman and prodded the rest of the remaining heroes out of hiding. After the conflict, Lex attempts to arrest the heroes who stepped up to help. That's when Uncle Sam (the embodiment of the spirit of what America should and could be), rejuvenated by Conner Kent inspiring the populace, returned and whisked them all away to his personal pocket dimension, The Heartland.
Once in The Heartland (described as "a moment forever locked in time at the height of this country's beauty"), the heroes decided that enough was enough, and that they had let Lex rule for far too long out of fear. It was time to act. So, operating out of various parts of the Heartland, our heroes have organized into different resistance groups. All except for Tim Drake, now known as Knightowl. Convinced that Bruce and the Justice League are still alive, he forms a team of trusted heroes and newcomers and takes them into space to solve the greatest mystery of his life: What happened to the Justice League?
Wonder Woman V: Cassandra "Cassie" Sandsmark
Batwoman II: Cassandra Wayne
The Flash IV: Bartholomew "Bart" Allen II
Cyborg: Victor "Vic" Stone
Animal Man II: Garfield "Gar" Logan
Green Arrowette: Cissie King-Hawke
Firestorm II: Jason Rusch
Gear: Richard "Richie" Foley
Darkstar: Robert "Bobby" Long
Rubberband Man: Adam Evans
Aztek III: David Constant
Starwoman: Courtney Whitmore
Kid Flash IV: Iris "Irey" West II
Green Lantern VI: Alexandra "Alex" Rayner
Power Woman: Tanya Spears
Black Canary III: Laurel Queen
Obsidian II: Blake Swift (formerly Blake Caldecott)
Doctor Midnight IV: Jackson Chapel
Hourman IV/Rush Hour: Johnny Tyler
Sandman V: Desmond Powell Jr.
S.T.R.I.P.E. 2.0: Michael Dugan
Jakeem Thunder and Johnny Thunderbolt: Jakeem Williams and a composite of Ylzkz and Johnny Thunder
Knightowl: Timothy "Tim" Drake
Spoiler: Stephanie "Steph" Brown
Bronze Tiger: Benjamin "Ben" Turner
Katana: Gabrielle "Gabbi" Eto
Green Arrow: Connor Hawke
Longshadow: Tye Longshadow
Superboy III: Jonathan "Jon" Kent
Batman V: Damian Wayne w/ Alfred the cat
Wonder Girl III: Yara Flor
Burst: Wallace "Ace" West
Ms. Martian: M’gann "Megan" M’orz
Aquagirl II: Lorena Marquez
Speedy III: Greg Brave Bow
Animal Girl: Maxine Baker
Red Tornado II: John Smith
Bumblebee II: Jasmine Duncan
Guardian IV: Michael Duncan
Captain Marvel III: Freddy Freeman
Red Devil: Edward "Eddie" Bloomberg
Golden Eagle II: Karly Parker
Captain Marvel II: Mary Batson
Doctor Fate XIII: Khalid Nassour
Bloodwynd II: Raphael Arce
Etrigan the Demon: Jason Blood (formerly)
Shining Knight: Sir Justin
Vigilante XI: Greg Saunders III
Swamp Thing II: Levi Kamei (Turned orange from the pollution created by Luthor's policies.)
Ragman II: Rory Regan Jr.
Skyrocket: Celia Forrestal
Amazing Man IV: Will Everett IV
Miss America: Joan Dale Trevor
Phantom Lady II: Jennifer Knight
The Human Bomb II: Andy Franklin
Black Condor III: John Trujillo
Mister Terrific III: Jeffrey "Jeff" Holt
Shift: Joseph "Joey" Mason
After the disappearance of the Justice League, the hero and meta community were in disarray. Lex capitalized on the confusion to swoop in and, with the help of Maxwell Lord, secure the trademark to the Justice League and all of its subsidiaries. This barred any of the remaining heroes from reforming the League under that name, significantly weakening their influence. Then Lex set about recruiting and creating a team of morally questionable and naive domestic and international superhumans that would only answer to him. Maxwell Lord's telepathic abilities swiftly persuaded any who refused. Justice League International operates under the strategic leadership of a pardoned Slade Wilson, hunting down and eliminating Metahumans, fighting intergalactic threats, and defending against rogue nations that harbor Metas.
While Lex and Slade command Justice League International, Maxwell Lord plays both sides against the middle. On one end, he's bankrolling The Speedster Response Team; a group of particularly brutal operatives deputized by the administration to go after Speedsters and other metas. Outfitted with the weapons of the Rogues, Flash's former enemies, who perished while trying to resist Luthor, they are quite formidable. On the other end, Max has formed a new Doom Patrol. Made up of Metas that were deemed too unphotogenic and unmarketable, these individuals are used to raise havoc across the country and sow anti-metahuman sentiment. Most are completely willing to get a paycheck to wreck stuff and roll over when the JLI arrive, but some needed a little extra persuasion from Max.
Meanwhile, the Society, which used to lurk in the shadows, has now come into "the Light". While the heroes have lost all of their mentors, the villains have never been more organized and determined to take over and guide the world into a new Golden Age of Villainy.
The Society's proteges, the Titans of Injustice, have thrived with no meaningful competition from the heroes of the world and have carved out several territories across the world in which they control criminal enterprises and also several legitimate business ventures and interests.
Justice League International
Secretary of War: Slade Wilson (United States)
Major Force: Clifford Zmeck (United States)
Triumph: William MacIntyre (United States)
Geo-Force: Brian Markov (Markovia)
Samurai: Toshio Ito (Japan)
Icon II: Ekon Freeman (South Africa)
Firehawk II: Theresa Laurent (France)
Knight IV: Arthur William (United Kingdom)
Squire V: Arjun Sharma (United Kingdom)
Fire II: Luciana Flavia Oliveira (Brazil)
Frost: Anja Larsen (Norway)
Commander Steel (United States)
Captain Nazi: Baron Albrecht Krieger (Germany)
Rocket Red: Mikhail Volkov (Russia)
Atom Smasher: Albert "Al" Rothstein (Israel)
Darkstar: Guy Gardner (Earth Representative for the Darkstars)
The Huntress: Helena Wayne (Italy)
Wonder Warlord: Jason Prince
Cheetah II: Deborah Domaine
Doctor Light I: Arthur Light
Icicle II: Cameron Mahkent
Deathstorm: Ronald Raymond (corrupted by Eclipso)
Doctor Zoom: Thaddeus Thawne
Zookeeper: Samuel Register
The Dark Archer: Tommy Merlyn
Headcase: Bernard "Barney" Venton
Black Manta II: David Hyde Jr.
Vandal Savage: Vandar Adg
Damian Al Ghul: Damian Wayne
Commander Cold: David Mack
Klarion: Klarion Bleak with Teekl
Scarecrow II: Adalyn Stern
Solomon Grundy: Cyrus Gold
Maxwell Lord leads both the
Commander Cold: David Mack
The Thinker: Clifford DeVoe
Captain Boomerang III: Greg Robertson
Abra Kadabra II: Roberto Giovanni
Mister Element III: Joseph Murkowski
Mirror Master IV: Rafael Perez
Golden Glider II: Laurie Smythe
The Trickster III: Anthony Villareal
Weather Witch: Joslyn Jackam
and the newest iteration of
Robot Man III: Drake Arnold
Shadow Thief IV: James Hammer
Rainbow Raider II: Carrie Bates
Doctor Alchemy IV: Julian Albert
Unaffiliated Villains and Anti-Heroes
Doctor Psycho: Edgar Cizko
Sportsmaster III: Victor Crock
Tigress II: Artemis Crock
Doctor Polaris II: John Nichol
Copperhead II: Nathan Prince
Deadshot II: William Simmons
Star Sapphire III: Krystal Chapman
Dreadbolt: Terrence Bolatinsky
The Rival: Edward Clariss
Holocaust: Leonard Smalls Jr.
Vigilante IX: Donald Fairchild
Poison Ivy II: Lillian Rose
The galactic balance in the greater galaxy changed irrevocably when the Green Lantern Corps and the Guardians of the Universe fell to Hal Jordan and never recovered. Thus, the Darkstars, established years ago by the Controllers, became the preeminent force for good in the universe. Led by Director John Stewart and Administrator Ferrin Colos, the Darkstars have become far more organized in response to the needs of the galaxy.
With the absence of the Green Lantern Corps and the dissolution of their treaty with them, The Reach expanded into our galaxy, remotely activating Jaime Reyes' scarab and using him to enslave Earth. Luckily, the Darkstars halted their advance, and now a tenuous treaty that allows them to operate in Earth's space sector, but with limits on how both can interfere with the populace, is in place. The Reach unfortunately claimed Jaime Reyes.
Meanwhile, Brainiac lurks in the shadows, influencing events on Earth for his benefit. After rescuing Grodd from a fate worse than death*, Brainiac rebuilt him and turned him into what he believes is a loyal servant. With Grodd's telepathy and force of mind added to Brainiac's own formidable abilities, they are a force to be reckoned with, but everyone knows Grodd won't play the servant for long, especially with his mind on revenge. Revenge on Wally West and his children. *Grodd attempted to kidnap Wally's children, Jai and Irey, so he could siphon their Speed Force into himself. Wally was so enraged that he gave Grodd what he wanted, but not how he thought he would. Wally used his speed to run Grodd into the Speed Force, but then held him halfway in and halfway out, ravaging Grodd's body before Wally disappeared.
A Boom-Tube away, New Genesis and Apokolips, because of the machinations of Darkseid, have merged back into one planet called New Omega. During the failed assault on Apokolips by the Justice League, Darkseid activated a contingency plan that would merge the two planets back together. As a result, many of the Leaguers sent to fight Darkseid lost their lives, and the rest became Darkseid's soldiers, or in Kal-El's case, imprisoned. A sizable number of Genesisians perished as well, leaving only Lightray, Highfather, and a small pocket of survivors. And on the other end, the Justice League's attack weakened Darkseid, and his son Grayven, sensing this, took up arms against his father with his own loyal soldiers (including the son of the dead, Orion). Upon hearing of this disaster, Mister Miracle II (Scott Free), Big Barda, Mister Miracle III (Shilo Norman) and Avia (Avia Free) attempt to travel to New Omega via Boom Tube but because of the interference from Darkseid's disaster, Scott and Barda are both lost in a malfunction. With no time to mourn, Shilo and Avia form a resistance along with Lightray and Highfather. Eventually, they would help free Kal-El from the clutches of Darkseid and, though severely weakened, he would join the Resistance as well.
A few months after the failed Justice League attack, Amanda Waller sent her team, Task Force X, after the missing heroes. Most of the members died. However, Scarecrow (Jonathan Crane), Bane (Eduardo Dorrance), and The Reverse-Flash (Daniel West) "survived". Darkseid transformed the survivors and placed them on Task Force Omega with the brainwashed Leaguers.
Director John Stewart (Earth)
Administrator Ferrin Colos (Zamba)
Mister Miracle III: Shilo Norman
Psycho Pirate II: Roger Hayden (Glorious Godfrey's replacement)
Omega Lantern: Raker Qarrigat
Martian Manhunter: J'onn J'onzz
Reverse-Flash III: Daniel West
Scarecrow I: Jonathan Crane
Brainiac: Vril Dox and Brainiac Drones
Grodd: reclaimed and repaired by Brainiac after Wally West held him halfway inside and outside of the Speed Force.
Cyborg Superman: Hank Henshaw and corrupted Superman robots
Blue Beetle: Jaime Reyes and the Blue Beetle Corps
And that is that. The Future-Verse is finally complete. I want to thank my inspirations, in no particular order: Dwayne McDuffie (RIP), Mark Waid, Grant Morrison, William Messner-Loebs, Peter David (RIP), Kurt Busiek, John Robinson, Marv Wolfman, George Perez (RIP), Jack Kirby (RIP), Geoff Johns, Carmine Infantino (RIP), Gail Simone, Devin Grayson, Gerry Conway (RIP), Keith Giffen (RIP), Roy Thomas, Alex Ross, Stan Lee (RIP), Sal Buscema (RIP), Gardner Fox (RIP), Christopher Priest and so many more.
Also, GPSLot on eBay for their amazing soft goods products and CustomsbyMartin for the Kid Flash head.
Most of all, I want to thank my family and friends. Especially my wife, who became somewhat of an unwitting artistic inspiration and then (mostly) a willing artistic collaborator and sounding board. My mother, my big sister, and my little brother, as well as many of my buddies who listened to my ideas and gave me feedback. Especially the negative feedback.
If you have questions about lore or recipes, drop me an inbox or a message.
If you made it this far, Thanks for reading!
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