Better Read When Dead: DCeased Heroes Continue to Entertain

DCEASED is a comic series I can get invested in. Why? Because despite utilizing the characters of the DC Universe, it's self-contained. It doesn't promise to have any impact on the DCU as a whole -- unlike, say, books that have that promise stolen from them like DOOMSDAY CLOCK.

In this pocket universe, Darkseid has unlocked the much-sought-after Anti-Life Equation. But it has been corrupted, and turns whoever sees it into a mindless undead creature who can infect others into becoming the same. And with Darkseid's death, the equation gets broadcast through Cyborg to every television, computer, and phone in the world. An epidemic ensues, and even the world's greatest superheroes are not immune from its effects.

In DCEASED: A GOOD DAY TO DIE #1, Mister Terrific has a plan to fix things. A few plans, in fact, being that he's the third smartest man in the world (although not knowing if the other two died, he may be due for an upgrade). His first plan is to go to Apokolips for more information, but Big Barda and Mister Miracle have just returned from there -- or from where it was. It's gone, destroyed by Darkseid in his death throes.

So it's on to the second option: magic, an unorthodox approach for a man who has been a longstanding atheist and scientist. But, any port in a storm will do. The problem is that his hopes are hung on the shoulders of John Constantine, who's ready to pack it in and let the world tumble into oblivion.

Which leaves only the third option, the one that could destroy the space-time continuum. Mister Terrific is ready to place the fate of the world into the hands of Blue Beetle and Booster Gold.

Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!

Oh. He was serious.

Turns out Booster Gold has a time machine. And if utilized properly, one could go back before the plague and prevent it. Unfortunately, when they get to the time machine, they find Waverider doing his best "You Shall Not Pass," as he stands to preserve the current timeline. But if this current timeline is cut short -- if there is no future -- then where does Booster Gold come from?

Things go to hell, quite literally, and it may be that John Constantine has no choice but to play the hero after all. Will things be set right? Or is this the way this DC Universe comes to an end?

But if the world has no future, where does Booster Gold come from? And what role does Waverider play in these events -- and how does he manage to turn John Constantine into playing the hero once more? I don't know -- and that's the fun of it! Tom Taylor has spun a colorul, fanciful, and fun-filled armageddon, with Laura Braga and Darick Robertson illuminating the manuscript in a fashion that makes the end of the world a beautiful sight.

(DC Continues the horror-movie homage alternate covers with DCEASED. For this issue, we elected to get the cover tribute to THE CONJURING.)