Going Beyond the Source Wall With Scott Snyder’s Justice League

Major DC Spoilers: At Chicago and C2E2, Scott Snyder was asked what happens to the DC Comic Universe after the events of his series Dark Nights: Metal. About the Source Wall at the end of Metal, Snyder said:

“It’s the whole impetus of No Justice … but I’m just gonna spoil it: the Green Lantern Corps goes out to the wall to be like, ‘What’s on the other side?’

The energies are unquantifiable and toxic so they decide to seal it, but they realize is that they have woken up things at its edge that is now coming back. Justice League Odyssey deals with Yuga Khan, and that’s actually why Darkseid is on the team: his father is released from the wall. I’m totally spoiling everything. Justice League Dark also deals with that because, when the wall falls, something happens in No Justice that completely upends magic and the people that created magic on Earth come back to get it. So that’s gonna be a fun one.

And Justice League itself deals directly with it because it deals with the first thing that comes from the Source Wall. That’s the first issue. The first page. Something comes shooting towards Earth and you see Justice League One Million see it and it’s moving so fast that it phases time. So Grant [Morrison]’s characters see it and Justice League One Million sees it and The Monitor sees it … and then Kamandi sees it and is like ‘What?’ and then it comes at Earth.

We are showing everything, and it’s going crazy.”

Snyder then went on to say how he wants everything in the DC Universe to be connected. Even if for just a page, he wants Swamp Thing, Zatanna, Adam Strange all to feel and be part of the new DC going forward.

For those who are not familiar with DC history I will reveal the characters mentioned in Snyder’s interview and what part they may play in the future of DC Comics. First of all the Source Wall has been a resting place for many individuals who have tried to seek out the entity beyond the wall which is thought to be the “Source” of all that exists and acts as the limitless energy from which all life sprang forth in the Universe. The Source Wall has trapped all those who attempt to pass beyond it.

The first captive of the Wall set free talked about by Snyder is Yuga Khan created by writer Mark Evanier and writer/artist Paris Cullins, the character first appeared in New Gods, #17. He was the ruler of Apokolips before Darkseid who is his son. He is the only “Old God” that Darkseid fears because he is immensely powerful. His only downfall was his fascination and obsession with the “Source” beyond the Wall which caused him twice to be trapped in the Source Wall. Darkseid helps Justice League Odyssey because of his respect for what Yuga Khan can do and he is threatened by him.

Yuga Khan

Next the people that created magic on Earth come back to get it. These mystical beings will be challenged by Justice League Dark with Wonder Woman, Zatanna, Dr. Fate, Raven, and Etrigan the Demon. If anyone can hold this group together it would be Wonder Woman. So even magic is affected by the ending of Dark Nights: Metal.

Justice League Dark

Next the first thing that comes from the Source Wall is moving so fast that it phases time and Justice League One Million see it. Who is the Justice League One Million you ask? Well, they were part of the series DC One Million written by Grant Morrison that began publication in November 1998. The group from the far future and includes “Kal Kent”, the Superman of the 853rd century. Also, members included future versions of Wonder Woman, Hourman, Starman, Aquaman, the Flash, and Batman. They called themselves Justice Legion Alpha. Also, the now god-like original Superman lives in the heart of the sun and through his immense will, grants even greater powers to his descendants, so long as they continue to protect Earth. Quite a story from the last century and how much of this will be shared in the new Justice League series remains to be seen.

Justice Legion Alpha

The Monitor sees this thing coming from the Source Wall also. He was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez as one of the main characters of DC Comics’ Crisis on Infinite Earths limited series. At the end of Dark Nights: Metal he is freed from the imprisonment of the Batman Who Laughs. The Multiverse was born due to tampering with the creation of the universe by Krona an ancient being, and the Monitor was born on Oa’s moon, apparently as the living embodiment of all positive matter universes billions of years ago. Somehow he plays in the story with the Justice League or why would Snyder mention him.

The Monitor

Finally Snyder tells us that Kamandi sees the thing that comes from the Source Wall. Kamandi as a character was created by Jack Kirby in 1972 in the series Kamandi, The Last Boy on Earth. He is a young hero in a post-apocalyptic future. After a huge event called “The Great Disaster”, humans have been reduced back to savagery in a world ruled by intelligent, highly evolved animals. This is another mystery how he will be used to tell the story.

Kamandi

In this elaborate series of related stories between Justice League titles many heroes and questionable heroes are used to stop the intrusion of bad elements from the Source Wall. With Scott Snyder writing the flagship title Justice League I am looking forward to adventures ahead and the twists and turns that Snyder is noted for. Join us at Comics Talk in reading all the Justice League books starting with the No Justice story. Don’t miss us at comicstalk.com for more. 🙂 Walt

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