Issue Invasion book one Subtitle The Alien Alliance Date January 1989 Writer(s) Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo Artist(s) Keith Giffen, Todd McFarlane, P. Craig Russel, Al Gordon, Joe Rubenstien storyline Fifty humans were gathered before strange aliens (hairless, exposed teeth, yellow skinned, with single red circles on their foreheads). The aliens were conducting a test on them to see what genetic traits humans had that could manifest to give them superpowers in adverse conditions. Seven survived the tests, which added fear and doubts to the aliens' plan - they'd projected that only one would live. The six remaining (one of the seven was injured and removed) all tested positive for a meta-human ability (including Lucas Carr, former associate of the Justice League). The Dominion were already out in force to nullify the Green Lantern Corps, though all but four were now powerless. Once they were finished off, Earth would have no allies. Thanagar had already allied themselves with the Khund, who the Dominion were using as muscle. Adam Strange hoped to avoid allying Rann with the Dominion (hoping to stay neutral) by giving himself up to them. Other worlds also joined the Dominion, completing their alliance: the shapeshifters of Durla, the Hawkmen of Thanagar, the Gil'dishpan, the Daxamites, the warlords of Okaara, the Citadel, the Psions, and the Khund. Darkseid sent his respects, but warned the alliance not to destroy Earth. The Omega Men's Tigorr's ship was attacked. His men sprung to action when the Durlan / Khund forces breached their hull. The Omega Men who weren't killed were captured. The Alliance warships gathered in Earth's solar system, then headed toward the undefended planet in quest of destroying its superheroes and stopping the spread of the human metagene. Adam Strange, one of their prisoners, used a Zeta Beam to teleport to Earth. He was met by Khunds - advanced scouts. A Coluan prisoner planned an escape. Melbourne, Australia was the first city to be struck. Once on Earth, the Daxamites realized they had Superman-like powers - they could fly and were invincible. The Lords of Order summoned the Spectre. He was not to interfere, as chaos was not at fault. He was instructed to prevent Earth's other mystics from interfering. The Alliance gained their first metahuman specimen: the Tasmanian Devil was captured at the JLI embassy. The President ordered Task Force X not to be deployed. The Alliance commanded Earth to give up their superheroes in order to save the rest of the planet. The UN declined.

Issue Invasion book two Subtitle Battleground Earth Date February 1989 Writer(s) Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo Artist(s) Keith Giffen, Todd McFarlane, P. Craig Russel, Al Gordon, Joe Rubenstien, Tom Christopher storyline War raged across the globe - many superbeings were in combat, including the first casualty: the Doom Patrol's Celsius. Superman met with the Alliance and they struck a temporary cease-fire. He returned and gathered together Earth's heroes for a war plan. Captain Atom, the chosen leader of Earth's superheroes, decreed they must take the battle to the invaders. Amanda Waller suggested enlisting Earth's supervillains. Earth attacked the Alliance an hour before their deadline was up. While the superheroes attacked Australia, Aquaman led his forces (Atlantis, the Doom Patrol, and the Sea Devils) against the Gil'Dishpan forces near the Arctic Circle. Flash was captured by the Dominators. As they began to experiment on him, they realized he was mechanical. The android exploded with Lex Luthor looking on from his office. The Dominion called their troops back to their moonbase - Earth had won in Cuba, the Arctic, and had pushed the invaders out of Australia. One of the Dominion's low level researchers made a huge discovery: the metagene. "The answer is the metagene - a biological variant lying dormant in select members of the human race until an instant of extraordinary physical and emotional stress activates it. A spontaneous chromosomal combustion then takes place, as the metagene takes the source of the biostress - be it chemical, radioactive, or whatever - and turns the potential catastrophe into a catalyst for genetic change!" He'd also found a way to negate the metagene. Flash rounded some of the aliens up and herded them back to their ship. His father, a Manhunter, detonated the ship, knowing he would also kill himself. Superman informed the JLI that the Daxamites had switched sides. Aboard one of the ships harboring prisoners, the "normals" rioted - Vril Dox had placed agression-inducing drugs in their food. As the riots' intensity increased, some of the normals realized they had powers - their matagenes had activated. The Daxamites had sent a message home, and their reinforcements had arrived. Daxamite control sent a message to Earth - knowing the Alliance would also get it - pledging their support. With all Daxamites displaying similar powers under the yellow sun as Superman, the momentum of the war moved fully to Earth's side. A message sent out from inside the Dominion mothership - the war effort was second to the metahuman project. The Alliance received the message and turned against their once-allies. Deadman, who'd possessed the Dominator who originated the message, continued possessing leaders and sending in their surrender messages. Captain Atom addressed a UN press conference: all alien invaders except the Dominion and Khund had given an unconditional surrender. They were set free with enough fuel to return to their home worlds. The Dominion and Khund would be disarmed by Daxam.

Issue Invasion book three Subtitle World Without Heroes Date March 1989 Writer(s) Keith Giffen, Bill Mantlo Artist(s) Keith Giffen, Bart Sears, Joe Rubenstein, Tom Christopher, Dick Giordano, Pablo Marcos storyline The Dominator who'd discovered the metagene fired what he called a "genebomb" at Earth. He believed it would negate the metagene across the planet. Super-powers across the planet became unstable - some went berserk. The President ordered the Marines be sent in against the heroes. Max Lord was called to gather all non-affected superheroes in attempt to contain those who'd become unstable. The Omega Men and the Blasters headed to Earth in an Okaaran ship. All of the sudden, the metahumans collapsed and their powers seemed to go dormant. At the Mediplex (formerly a Lexcorp facility), Max Lord, Amanda Waller, and others toured the scene of what had become the metahuman hospital. It was feared that they were all dying. Lord and Waller ordered the Green Lanterns (Guy and Hal), Martian Manhunter, Starman, Robotman, and Rocket Red to Dominion World to look for a cure. While working on the plan, Max Lord passed out. The heroes headed out; the media noted that Superman was missing. They met up with the Kryptonian on the way, and also the Okaaran ship carrying the Omega Men. They all boarded and headed to Dominion World. Hal attempted to comfort Kalista, who'd lost her lover, Primus, to the war. On Dominion World, the one who sent out the genebomb (thus ruining Dominion's plans of "cultivating" superheroes) stood trial. The heroes intercepted a communication about it - he had been advised to create a cure. Snapper Carr snapped himself and J'onn (as a Dominator) down to the planet. J'onn located the prison on the other side of the planet. Snapper took him back aboard the ship. Metamorpho was somehow resurrected by the genebomb and brought to the Mediplex. J'onn, accompanied by Robotman, visited the prisoner. He was able to gain entrance using his telepathy and his disguise as an upper-caste member. Upon simply speaking to the bomber, he was able to capture the cure from his mind. Back on the ship, he told the Omega Men they'd have to break back into the place they'd escaped from in order to gain use of the Dominator's lab equipment. As their ship prepared to exit Dominion space, they were spotted. Evasive action was taken while Superman and the GLs took apart the battle cruisers. At their destination, J'onn and one of the Omega Men began producing the antidote. As they reboarded their ship and made their escape, the Khund attacked and destroyed the facility. With the antidote in hand, the heroes returned to Earth and cured their peers. Superman refused to return to his adopted home planet.