2012-05-25 - Cutscene: Heroes Crisis - New Earth: Darkness Steals

How strange, for as the heroes sleep or work, as they patrol or fight, a wicked darkness gathers. An evil is building, with no end in sight.

The Hawks - Hawkman, Hawkgirl, and Redtail - have finished uniform repairs that the girls required to their wardrobe. The girls try them out, and Hawkman moves to put his own on as the three of them prep to go out on patrol. As the girls talk, Hawkman notices something strange. The shadows seem to be growing. There is a chill that runs down his spine. He suddenly moves, "Run!" Hawkman tries to reach Hawkgirl to protect her, but the shadows are already reaching up and dragging all three of the Hawks into the darkness as they fight and scream in rage.

Supergirl and Vanguard fly over Metropolis, enjoying a patrol together. True superhero style, it is considered a date. A quiet night, suddenly a hole in the sky appears as the two go to investigate. Kara peers, not seeing it on any of the electromagnetic spectrums, but it is there none the less. Vanguard flies upward and Kara cries out a warning, even as Vaguard says, "Should we call S.T.A.R. La-," before being cut off and consumed as the hole suddenly expands. Like a black hole, it draws Kara within even as she moves to reach out for what is not there.

The Martian Manhunter suddenly reaches up to hold his head where he stands within the Watchtower Womb. He lets out a scream of rage and pain. Darkness is gathering, and it licks at the walls of the Watchtower. As it swallows heroes whole, J'onn feels despair and falls to his knees. Something evil has come, and he could not even lift a finger.

Why Arsenal has to get dressed up to watch Toon Titans, he has no idea. But Lian is wearing her Red Arrow uniform and Starfire is sitting with them in the common room. Of course, this is a recording, but Lian wanted to watch it with everyone. Even Robin is there, rolling his eyes at how horrible this is. "Wait, why am I running after this hostage just like that?" Starfire flutters her eyelashes, "Are you not always like that friend Arsenal?" Before that conversation continues though, the lights suddenly flicker off. There are sounds of surprise and struggling as Lian feels herself shoved from her father's lap and then away, "Daddy?!" When the lights come back on, there is no one there and the couch is overturned. "Daddy!!!!" Tears stream down Lian's face.

One after another disappears as the darkness consumes them, till only a few heroes remain on New Earth. When the world opens its eyes the next morning, the stillness is eerie.