Invasion!
(The CW DC heroes vs aliens)
by Phil Perich for the Legends of DC Blog
This year’s week long crossover of the CW DC Comics TV shows has the potential to be one of the most ambitious undertakings ever to happen on network TV, as characters from four different shows will interact in one huge storyline. It has been revealed that the storyline will be loosely based on the 1988 Invasion miniseries by DC Comics in which several alien races form an alliance to attempt to conquer Earth. After their attack fails, one alien faction sets off a gene bomb that affects the powers of everyone on Earth who has superpowers due to a metagene. The final issue shows those remaining heroes who didn't get abilities from a metagene searching for a cure for their comrades. How could this story be adapted for the CW shows? I have a few ideas.
Supergirl
In the original story, Superman attempts to intervene and arrange a cease fire as an impartial third party due to his Kryptonian heritage. When this fails, Superman is on the front lines helping drive back the alien invaders. And after Earth’s metahumans are put at death’s door by the gene bomb, Superman, who was off planet when the bomb detonated, helps Green Lanterns Hal Jordan and Guy Gardner, Martian Manhunter, and others storm one of the alien planets to retrieve the information on the cure. Any or all of this could easily be done be Supergirl herself!
The Flash
In the comic book series, The Flash at the time was Wally West. Wally was in Cuba at the time battling shape shifting Durlans, one race of aliens part of the alliance. It would be great to see Barry and his team finding and battling shape shifters. But once the gene bomb hit, Wally was taken out of the fight. The Green Lanterns and the Omega Men were responsible for transporting the remaining heroes to the alien world. While not able to travel through space, Barry could easily run his allies anywhere they would be needed in the world.
Arrow
While not making a big impact on the battle, Batman was fighting aliens hand to hand on the ground until their retreat home. But his job became even more important after the gene bomb, with Batman having to take down metahumans whose powers were out of control or criminals trying to take advantage of a hero less Earth when most of the remaining heroes went into space in search for a cure. I can’t wait to see Oliver using some martial arts on alieninvaders.
Legends of Tomorrow
At first, The Legends team could be compared to the rest of the heroes of the DC Universe who fought off the alien invasion alongside Superman (Firestorm was there!), but the team has one weapon at their disposal that wasn’t a part of the original story that could be the deciding factor in the battle: Time Travel. While we’ve seen the dangers of time travel in this universe (Thanks Barry!), Between the Flash and the Legends, any mistake by the heroes could be corrected through the use of traveling back in time.
In the final analysis, the crossover may only be similar to the original storyline in name only, just the same title and names of alien races. Either way I can’t wait to see what we get, probably in another five or six weeks. Anyone else have any theories or predictions?
@nightwingpdp or @LegendsOfDCPod on Twitter
You can hear me and my friends discussing all the CW DC shows and everything DC Comics on the Legends of DC, Channel 52, and Before the Bat podcasts. I also write another blog, the True Believers Blog about all things Marvel. You can find all my podcasts and blogs at www.southgatemediagroup.com or www.philperich.wordpress.com.