Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #1
Subtitle Book One The Summoning
Date April 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Dick Giordano
storyline Pariah thought back on creation - when a multiverse was created instead of a universe. He watched as one Earth (possibly Earth-5) was destroyed by anti-matter.
On Earth-3, the Crime Syndicate of America fought to save the world they'd terrorized for so long. Pariah witnessed it die as Alexander Luthor and his wife, Lois, placed their infant son in a capsule and sent it away. As Earth-3 died, Alexander Luthor, Jr. and his capsule landed on the JLA's satellite in orbit of Earth-1. His parents did not realize the satellite had been abandoned.
Somewhere, a being known as the Monitor told a young woman named Lyla to "energize" as he retrieved the last son of Earth-3. Lyla turned herself into the Harbinger. She recruited an ape king named Solovar and removed him from his home. Dawnstar, a member of the Legion of Superheroes in the 30th century, was Harbinger's next recruit. 1942 on Earth-2: Harbinger recruited Firebrand, a member of the All Star Squadron. Blue Beetle of Earth-4 was next for her. At the present, on Earth-2, Harbinger rescued Psycho Pirate from an asylum. Arion, lord of Atlantis, is grabbed next (from 45,000 years ago). Firestorm and Killer Frost were taken from Earth-1.
Harbinger brought all her recruits together on the Monitor's satellite. Many more had amassed there. The Monitor staged an attack on them with shadow demons, then presented himself.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #2
Subtitle Book Two: Time and Time Again
Date May 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Dick Giordano
storyline Mammoths from the dawn of man somehow appeared in the 30th century. The Legion attempted to stop their stampede, but they disappeared. Brainiac 5 discovered antimatter on its way to their Earth.
Batman, while battling the Joker, saw a vision of the Flash (Barry Allen). He appeared and spoke about the dying world, then disintegrated.
The Monitor spoke with the 15 Harbinger had gathered. He told them of an enemy which was destroying universes. These gathered would have to guard weapons the Monitor had placed throughout time against such a threat.
On Oa, the Guardians of the Universe were attacked by an unseen force. Batman of Earth-1 met Superman and told him about the image he'd seen of Flash. Pariah appeared to them, then vanished.
Superman of Earth-2, Dawnstar, and Solovar saved a strange boy named Kamandi from shadow demons at one of the Monitor's towers. The shadows, looking a lot like the Monitor himself, fled. Harbinger, now possessed by a shadow demon (and all together), saw the baby Luthor - now a toddler.
Arion, Obsidian, and Psycho Pirate tended the tower near Atlantis. Pariah appeared; Psycho Pirate inhibited him. Arion tried to stop him, but was also affected. Obsidian shielded him as Psycho Pirate vanished. Monitor and Harbinger discussed the loss of Psycho Pirate, who'd joined their enemy. With Raven nowhere to be found, Monitor prepared to create a second Dr. Light. Pariah saw the antimatter approaching - the universe housing Atlantis would soon die.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #3
Subtitle Book Three: Oblivion Upon Us
Date June 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Dick Giordano, Mike DeCarlo
storyline The Monitor continued testing young Alexander Luthor, who'd now grown to the size of an adolescent. Harbinger visited her other master and was told to destroy the child.
Antimatter began destroying Earth-1. Superman and Batman joined the Teen Titans and Outsiders, saving all the civilians they could from the natural disasters and crumbling architecture. The Flash again appeared, and again faded away.
Brainiac sought out Luthor.
Blue Beetle, Dr. Polaris, and Geo-Force arrived at the Monitor's tower in 1944. They joined Sgt. Rock and the Losers, who were battling Nazis. Shadow demons appeared and killed the losers. After seeing them fight the shadow demons, the Monitor returned these three to their own time.
Solovar died of wounds he received saving Kamandi.
Firebrand, Cyborg, Psimon, and Green Lantern (John Stewart) encountered Jonah Hex, Bat Lash, Scalphunter, and Nighthawk at the Monitor tower in the old west.
Antimatter began hitting all Earths. Harbinger planned to attack the Monitor.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #4
Subtitle Book Four: And thus shall the Earth Die
Date July 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Mike DeCarlo
storyline Supergirl met with Batgirl and discussed the end of the world. John Constantine and Steve Dayton enjoyed a drink as the antimatter approached.
On Earth-6, Pariah was able to save one life - Lady Quark. Her husband, Lord Volt, and daughter, Princess Fern, along with their world, were killed.
The Monitor blasted a star, sending light toward and observatory in Japan on Earth-1. A scientist was hit - she would become Dr. Light (2). Alex Luthor watched as Harbinger readied to kill the Monitor. The enemy captured Red Tornado.
Vandal Savage watched as Firestorm and Killer Frost arrived at the Monitor's tower during the age of King Arthur. They met up with Shining Knight. The shadow demons attacked, then came together - all over time and creation - a huge shadow stood. The new Dr. Light appeared and kept Starfire and Halo from attacking the Monitor tower on Earth-1.
The Monitor summoned Pariah and clued him in. He commanded the man not to harm Harbinger. Harbinger arrived and killed the Monitor.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #5
Subtitle Book Five: Worlds in Limbo
Date August 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway
storyline The enemy wondered why his powers had not increased - both Earth-1 and Earth-2, along with the Monitor were now dead. In the Monitor's satellite, Lyla and Pariah witnessed a recording the Monitor had made - when he died, his energy placed Earth-1 and 2 in a netherworld so they could possibly be saved. Their vibrations were slowly getting closer - they could merge. Alex Luthor - now a teenager - approached them. The Monitor had discovered he was made of both positive and negative matter.
The Flash appeared in the enemy's lair. Psycho Pirate began playing with his emotions.
Harbinger, Alex Luthor, and Pariah gathered all the remaining heroes and villains of Earth-1 and Earth-2 on the Monitor's satellite. They tried to convince everyone to work together, but some had doubts and wanted to return to their homes. All planets in the universe were experiencing time problems - past, present, and future were merging together.
The enemy unleashed Red Tornado's power. Earths 1 and 2 began to merge. Their inhabitants could now see ghostly images of their counterparts. All the heroes agreed to join the fight.
The enemy finally showed himself to Psycho Pirate and Flash. He called himself the Monitor.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #6
Subtitle Book Six: 3 Earths, 3 Deaths
Date September 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway
storyline The Anti-Monitor increased Psycho Pirate's powers and sent him to conquer three of the remaining worlds. As the Monitor's satellite began to crumble, Pariah disappeared. Harbinger attacked Alex Luthor.
With the Wildcat (Ted Grant) out of commission (his legs were broken in the whirlwind when Red Tornado reappeared), his friend, Yolanda Montez, took over his costume and name. Brainiac captured Lex Luthor (in his green armor). The heroes were thrust on to the three doomed Earths outside the neverworld (X, 4, S). Psycho Pirate was controlling everyone into believing they were causing the antimatter
Harbinger was able to transport the three remaining Earths to the netherverse which housed Earths 1 and 2. They were saved, but now five were merging together.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #7
Subtitle Book Seven: Beyond the Silent Night
Date October 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway, Dick Giordano
storyline Lyla (no longer Harbinger) asked Pariah to take them to Earth. Brainiac captured Sivana and Ibbac of Earth-S. The grabbed representatives from each of the Earths and held a meeting. Harbinger told them about the creation of the Multiverse: on Oa, where the immortal Guardians of the Universe lived, a man named Krona attempted to view the dawn of time. Something went wrong and an antimatter universe (Qward) was created - along with infinite other universes. A civil war broke out on how he should be punished. The controllers and Green Lantern Corps were created. The Monitor and Anti-Monitor were created. After discovering each other, they fought a million-year war. It ended in stalemate with both unconscious for 9 billion years. Pariah awakened the Anti-Monitor: on his Earth, he was the smartest man - he built devices to control the weather and cured all diseases. He discovered the Multiverse, but, in doing so, destroyed his own Earth. This awakened both the Anti-Monitor and the Monitor.
Alexander opened a portal for the heroes to travel to the Anti-Monitor's location. They made it to his fortress, but realized their powers behaved differently in the antimatter universe. Superman (of Earth-1) and Dr. Light (the female) found the device Anti-Monitor was using to vibrate the universes. Supergirl realized her cousin was being harmed and went to save him. She was able to breach the Anti-Monitor's containment suit, but she was killed. The Anti-Monitor's machinery was destroyed, saving the five universes for the time being. The A-M retreated. Back on her home Earth, Batgirl spoke at the hero's funeral.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #8
Subtitle Book Eight: A Flash of the Lightning
Date November 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway
storyline When the universes halted, the Guardians were freed. The Green Lantern Corps power was restored. Vixen called Firestorm - she'd found Red Tornado's designer, T.O. Morrow. On the JLA satellite, Cyborg, Martian Manhunter, and the Atom were joined by Morrow, Firestorm, Firehawk, and Vixen. Green Lantern (Stewart) and Blue Devil soon arrived. As they did, the Tornado's body exploded. Blue Devil went through the vortex created and ended up in the Vegan System. The others evacuated the satellite.
On Qward, Flash escaped and hostily convinced Psycho Pirate to join forces with him. Flash moved the Pirate in front of the Monitor's minions at such a speed they did not see him - but Pirate was able to instill in them a sense of hate for the Monitor. As they attacked him, Flash entered the antimatter cannon looking to destroy it. He moved so quickly through it that the device was destroyed and he passed through time. His costume and ring remained at the scene, but Barry Allen was dead.
The Monitor, frustrated, absorbed his entire antimatter universe.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #9
Subtitle Book Nine: War Zone
Date December 1985
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway
storyline On Oa, the Guardians granted a ring of power to Earth's Guy Gardner. No sooner than it was bestowed upon him, an explosion occurred. Five of the six immortal Guardians were killed. Gardner swore to avenge their deaths.
Brainiac finally spoke to the villains he'd been gathering since the Crisis began. With the "enemy" now gone, the Crisis appeared over. The five somewhat merged Earths would be theirs for the picking. He appointed Luthor of Earth-1 the field commander, and Luthor of Earth-2 spoke out against it. Brainiac killed him on the spot.
Starfire, Nightwing, and Jericho met with some Tamarianians. Starfire was going home. As reporters and scientists clamored over the time anomalies, a bright blast was seen over the earths. At a UN press conference on the situation, Pariah disappeared. An image of Brainiac materialized claiming that he and his associates had gained control of Earths X, S, and 4. Luthor appeared to them asking for surrender. He gave them 15 minutes. Clark Kent excused himself from the conference and changed clothes. The villains had somehow blocked their Earths away from the other two - no one could pass into them. Jay Garrick (Flash of E2) and Lyla went to Wally West and asked for his help. He came out of retirement - Kid Flash and Flash (Jay) built a new cosmic treadmill. They were able to break through, as Brainiac had predicted. Wars raged between good and evil on all Earths. Psimon killed Brainiac and approached Luthor.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #10
Subtitle Book Ten: Death at the Dawn of Time
Date January 1986
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway
storyline Brainiac reemerged and blasted Psimon's dome. The living computer had loaded itself into another robotic body - only a shell was destroyed. As the battles raged, the Spectre made his presence known. He announced the Anti-Monitor still lived, and had traveled to the dawn of time. Everyone would have to work together, or all histories would be rewritten. As all with the power of time travel met and planned to attack the Anti-Monitor at the dawn of time, a new "Super" appeared, claiming to be Superboy of Earth-Prime. Superman of Earth-1 knew him and vouched for his powers.
They made it to the dawn of time and began to battle the Anti-Monitor. Luthor's group arrived on Oa before Krona could meddle and attacked. As the Anti-Monitor fed on the power of the heroes, he reached for the universe. The Spectre attacked, feeding from the powers of the magicians. They began to see Krona's view screen, and a great explosion occurred.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #11
Subtitle Book Eleven: Aftershock
Date February 1986
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway
storyline With the multiverse destroyed, a single universe existed.
Clark Kent (of Earth-2) awakened and went to work. When he arrived, he realized he was on Earth-1. He and his counterpart went to New York - the place where their two Earths were joined. They found nothing, and no one knew what they were talking about. They traveled to the home of the Flash, where Jay Garrick knew who they both were, but his wife did not. The three joined up with Wally. No one knew where Barry was, but they used his treadmill in attempt to get the Earth-2 Flash and Superman home. In space, they realized there was no multiverse; they returned - the treadmill was destroyed.
All across the Earth, heroes were confused - they remembered battling the Anti-Monitor at the dawn of time, but nothing else. It appeared as though time had realigned. They heroes met at Titans Tower, where Harbinger and Pariah appeared. The heroes from other Earths who'd been at the dawn of time still existed - as anomalies. There were two Dick Graysons - one 19 (of this Earth), and one much older. Helena Wayne, daughter of Earth-2's Batman existed, but didn't. Earth-2's Superman flipped out realizing his wife never existed.
The sorcerers also met. The Spectre's power had yet to return to him. Shadow demons began appearing around the globe.
Batman, Robin, and Alex Luthor arrived - they'd met with Lex Luthor, who had no memories of defeating the Anti-Monitor. The villains were not at the dawn of time, but on Oa - they had no memories of the multiverse. An electrical storm broke out over the entire planet. Earth was transported to the antimatter universe.

Issue Crisis on Infinite Earths #12
Subtitle Book Twelve: Final Crisis
Date March 1986
Writer(s) Marv Wolfman
Artist(s) George Perez, Jerry Ordway
storyline The Anti-Monitor told the Earth's heroes their deaths were imminent and real - just like those of Supergirl and Flash. Everything went dark. Harbinger spread her self out and gathered heroes for yet another attack. The darkness was realized to be shadow demons coming down to attack. Heroes fought them all over the planet.
In orbit, Brainiac's ship took six heroes to Apokolips to meet Darkseid.
Harbinger, Pariah, and Alex Luthor got the heroes to Qward. There, they saw a vision of the Flash. Kid Flash followed it and found Psycho Pirate pulling on Barry's suit. Pirate had gone insane. Back on Earth, Robin and Huntress (of Earth-2) were destroyed by shadow demons. Heroes fell to the Anti-Monitor's power all over the planet. At once, the shadow demons flew away - the sorcerers had defeated them. The heroes attacked the Anti-Monitor. Dr. Light and Alex Luthor drained his power sources and blasted him. The Anti-Monitor was dead. Alex opened a portal and moved the Earth back into the positive universe.
The shadow demons converged and recreated the Anti-Monitor. He blasted out at the heroes, killing Wonder Woman. Superman of Earth-2 flung the heroes through the portal created by Luthor. He took on the Anti-Monitor alone. The shadow demons, transformed by the sorcerers, began breaking the Anti-Monitor down from the inside. Superboy of Earth-Prime, also without a world to return to, stayed to help Kal-L.
Superman threw a moon into the Anti-Monitor as Darkseid watched. The AM continued to get up after every blow. Somehow, Darkseid - linked with Alex Luthor - blasted him. His final attack was thwarted by Superman, who punched him into a star. The star exploded. Alex Luthor showed Superman that he'd saved his wife. He invited the three to step through one final portal he opened where they could all be safe from the exploding star.
With the single Earth now in the positive universe, things began to change slightly. Wonder Woman, though dead from the Monitor's blast, devolved back into her original state - clay. The Wonder Woman of Earth-2, along with her husband, were transplanted to Mt. Olympus by Zeus. The survivors mourned their fallen comrades. Jay Garrick found no trace of disease in the body of Wally West - he was cured. Kid Flash was no more - Wally would now carry on as the Flash.
Lyla, Pariah, and Lady Quark began exploring the new world. Psycho Pirate, the only person who had any memories of the multiverse, was locked away in Arkham Asylum.

trade paperback edition novelization

Notes, references to time, and chronology:
The tag-line of this event - Worlds will live. Worlds will die. And the universe will never be the same. - seems to sum it up rather well. Many of the alternate Earths were destroyed. A great battle was fought at the dawn of time, negating the multiverse, creating a single universe. After the event, only Psycho Pirate remembered exactly what had happened.
Note: all DCU titles / stories published before this may be out of continuity. Batman was not "rebooted" - the events of his history pretty much stayed - after the Crisis, Dick had still been Robin (and was Nightwing), and Jason Todd (with a new origin) was Robin.

   
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