Crisis on Infinite Earths Issue 1

"In the beginning, there was only one. A single black infinitude... so cold and dark for so very long... that even the burning light was imperceptible. But the light grew and the infinitude shuddered... and the darkness finally... screamed, as much in pain as in relief. For in that instant a multiverse was born. A multiverse of worlds vibrating and replicating... and a multiverse that should have been one, became many. That was then. This is the planet Earth... and in as many moments as it takes to comprehend its fate, this Earth will die!"

- Pariah

"The Summoning"
At the beginning of time, the Big Bang occurred, forming the universe. However, where there should have been one universe, there were many, each one a replication of the first, with their own separate histories. For in that instant a multiverse of worlds was born.

At the present time, a great white wall of pure anti-matter energy stretches out across the cosmos. It pervades the Multiverse, consuming entire galaxies. On an unknown parallel world, a being named Pariah arrives. He is forced to witness the death of multiple worlds in multiple dimensions. He disappears as he is transported to the parallel world known as Earth-3. On that world, the Crime Syndicate, in a rare demonstration of heroism, strives to save their beleaguered planet. However, even their combined might cannot prevent their deaths at the anti-matter wall.

The planet's sole hero, Lex Luthor, retreats to his home where his wife, Lois, holds their infant son, Alexander, in her hands. Luthor places Alexander into an experimental rocket capsule and launches him from the planet Earth. As Earth-3 dies, Alexander's capsule pierces the vibrational wall separating dimensions. It lands on the abandoned Justice League Satellite orbiting Earth-1.

On board another satellite, a being called the Monitor summons his assistant Harbinger. He instructs her to travel to various alternate Earths and bring together a select group of super-powered beings. Harbinger uses her power to create replicant versions of herself and sends them to the various Earths. The Monitor meanwhile, prepares to gather Alexander Luthor's space capsule.

The first of Harbinger's replicants travels to Earth-1 and gathers King Solivar from Gorilla City. Another travels to Earth of the 30th century and summons Dawnstar of the Legion of Super-Heroes to her cause. A third replicant journeys to Earth-2 of the year 1942 to enlist the aid of Firebrand. One version gathers the Blue Beetle from Chicago. Another version of Harbinger collects the Psycho-Pirate from Earth-2's present timeline. She brings him to Earth-1 where they encounter Firestorm and Killer Frost. The Psycho-Pirate uses his Medusa Mask to make Killer Frost fall in love with Firestorm. Another replicant travels to Pre-Cataclysmic Atlantis to find Arion the Sorcerer. However, a Demon-Shadow attacks her and takes possession of Harbinger. The possessed replicant finds Arion and brings him back to the Monitor's satellite.

When they arrive, they find a room full of heroes and villains from alternate realities. Before the assemblage has a chance to acclimate itself to their foreign environment, a horde of Demon-Shadows attacks them. They fight them off until the Monitor arrives. He casts a brilliant burst of light, which dispels the shadows. Introducing himself, he tells the impatient gathering that he had summoned them because their universes may soon be destroyed.

Individuals

 * Arion
 * Blue Beetle (Earth-4)
 * Cyborg
 * Dawnstar
 * Doctor Polaris
 * Firebrand
 * Firestorm
 * Geo-Force
 * Green Lantern (John Stewart)
 * Harbinger
 * Killer Frost
 * Monitor
 * Obsidian
 * Pariah
 * Psimon
 * Psycho-Pirate
 * Solovar
 * Superman (Earth-2)
 * Crime Syndicate of America (Earth-3)
 * Ultraman (Earth-3)
 * Owlman (Earth-3)
 * Super-Woman (Earth-3)
 * Power Ring (Earth-3)
 * Johnny Quick (Earth-3)
 * Alexander Luthor (Earth-3)
 * Lois Luthor (Earth-3)
 * Alexander Luthor, Jr. (Earth-3)
 * Shadow Demons
 * Koris
 * Cara
 * Detective Karp
 * Jersey

Locations

 * Earth-1
 * Atlantis (Pre-Cataclysm)
 * Africa
 * Gorilla City
 * Space
 * Justice League Satellite
 * Metropolis (30th Century)
 * Legion Headquarters
 * Suicide Slum
 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * Earth-2
 * New York
 * New York City
 * Manhattan
 * Earth-3
 * Earth-4
 * Illinois
 * Chicago
 * Space
 * Monitor's Satellite

Items

 * Green Lantern Ring
 * Medusa Mask

Vehicles

 * Blue Beetle's Bug

Behind the Scenes

 * Coming Soon

Trivia

 * Many of the characters enlisted by Harbinger for the Monitor are featured in tie-in crossover issues.
 * John Stewart joins in Green Lantern Vol. 2, #194.
 * Firestorm and Psycho-Pirate are recruited in Fury of Firestorm #41.
 * Obsidian joins in Infinity Inc. #18.
 * Cyborg joins in New Teen Titans Vol. 2, #13.
 * Alexander Luthor's exodus from Earth-3 is reminiscent of Superman leaving Krypton in Action Comics #1.