The Dark Side Club
Encyclopedia
The Dark Side Club is a fictional underground club in DC Comics
, coming to prominence in the Final Crisis
limited series.
: Mister Miracle mini-series (there was also an earlier Dark Side Club that appeared in a few issues of Justice League International
, but that seems to be unrelated to the current one), the Dark Side Club serves as the stronghold for Darkseid
(known as "Boss Dark Side") and the Apokoliptian New Gods
stranded on Earth and a recruiting central for new loyal servants. Similar in concept to the former Roulette
fight club
, the Dark Side Club provides his wealthy patrons with an underground fighting ring, where brainwashed metahuman
s are forced to fight in often deadly battles. In a human recreation of Granny Goodness
' orphanage
, the captured metahumans, usually the youngest or the most obscure, are fed drugs concocted by Bernadeth
and routinely abused and controlled by Granny.
Among the most known victims of the Dark Side Club there are the Tornado Twins
, children of the third Flash and Misfit
, young protegèe of the Birds of Prey. Since all of them manage to escape, their capture backfires on the Boss Dark Side, alerting the larger heroic community on their activities, and letting Misfit and Black Alice deal crippling blows to the organization, like killing Granny Goodness during their escape.
Dark Side then hires the Terror Titans
in order to capture the Teen Titans, granting the new Clock King the role once held by Granny and Bernadeth as the chief captor and brainwasher. In such role the Terror Titans manage to capture Red Devil
and Miss Martian
, brainwashing the former into a feral, mindless beast, and forcing the latter into undo his mental damage.
However, not every captured metahuman is deemed fit to fight alongside the Boss Dark Side, and Doctor Bud Fogel (actually the Dark God Desaad
) is sent to capture the Infinitors
and deal aggressively with the Everymen kids, the younger heroes receiving often unwanted powers from Lex Luthor
's exogene. Double Trouble
is killed, and Vaporlock
, Amazing Woman, and Empathy are captured, and forced to power a machine meant to rid the Everymen of their lingering powers, deemed too unpredictable and unstable to be used by the Dark Side Club. As a side effect, the still living Infinitors vanish.
The Club returns in the Terror Titans
, where the Terror Titans are shown retaining their chief role, and granting the Dark Side Club a more business driven facade, more similar to the Roulette underground fight club. They manage to capture a cadre of new legacy, semi-obscure heroes, and Clock King
hires Ravager
as his minion and trainer. Rose begrudgingly accepts, still refusing to embrace the cruel ways of the Club and refusing to give up her independent will, apparently with a secret agenda of her own. Writer Sean McKeever
says "We will also bring the Dark Side Club concept from ‘Seven Soldiers’ and ‘Final Crisis’ into its next evolutionary step, and that's the central locale for the story."
In the Final Crisis
series, Dan Turpin
is shown discovering that the Club has been capturing metahuman children, and teaching them to say the Anti-Life Equation
.
Former Milestone Comics hero Static was revealed to be the champion of the Dark Side Club, and the strongest of its captured metahumans. During his match with Ravager, he easily defeated her and unsuccessfully attempted to attack his captors after somehow escaping the effects of the Anti-Life Equation.
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
, coming to prominence in the Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
limited series.
Fictional history
Originating from the Seven SoldiersSeven Soldiers
Seven Soldiers is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda.-Publication...
: Mister Miracle mini-series (there was also an earlier Dark Side Club that appeared in a few issues of Justice League International
Justice League International
Justice League International is a DC Comics superhero team written by Keith Giffen and J. M. DeMatteis, with art by Kevin Maguire, created in 1987.-Publication history:...
, but that seems to be unrelated to the current one), the Dark Side Club serves as the stronghold for Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
(known as "Boss Dark Side") and the Apokoliptian New Gods
Apokolips
In the DC Comics fictional shared Universe, Apokolips is the planet ruled by Darkseid, established in Jack Kirby's Fourth World series. It is also integral to many DC Comics stories. The planet is considered the opposite of New Genesis....
stranded on Earth and a recruiting central for new loyal servants. Similar in concept to the former Roulette
Roulette (DC Comics)
Roulette is a supervillainess in the DC Comics universe.-Fictional character biography:Roulette's grandmother was a Golden Age villain of the same name, who ran a conventional casino and fought Mister Terrific . The current Roulette believes Terry Sloane to be her grandfather, but it is indicated...
fight club
Fight Club (novel)
Fight Club is a 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk. It follows the experiences of an unnamed protagonist struggling with insomnia. Inspired by his doctor's exasperated remark that insomnia is not suffering, he finds relief by impersonating a seriously ill person in several support groups...
, the Dark Side Club provides his wealthy patrons with an underground fighting ring, where brainwashed metahuman
Metahuman
Metahuman is a term to describe superhumans in DC Comics' shared universe, the DC Universe. It is roughly synonymous with both mutant and mutate and posthuman in the Wildstorm and Ultimate Marvel Universes. Use of the term in reference to superheroes was coined in 1986 by author George R. R...
s are forced to fight in often deadly battles. In a human recreation of Granny Goodness
Granny Goodness
Granny Goodness is a fictional character, a deity and supervillain published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, Granny Goodness was modeled on comedienne Phyllis Diller and first appeared in Mister Miracle vol...
' orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
, the captured metahumans, usually the youngest or the most obscure, are fed drugs concocted by Bernadeth
Bernadeth
Bernadeth is a fictional extraterrestrial goddess published by DC Comics. She first appeared in Mister Miracle vol. 1 #6 , and was created by Jack Kirby.-Fictional character biography:...
and routinely abused and controlled by Granny.
Among the most known victims of the Dark Side Club there are the Tornado Twins
Tornado Twins
The Tornado Twins are fictional characters, superheroes in the DC Comics Universe. The twins are Don and Dawn Allen, the children of Barry Allen and Iris West-Allen. They first appeared in Adventure Comics #373 .-Don and Dawn Allen:In their first appearance, the twins are 30th century descendents...
, children of the third Flash and Misfit
Misfit (DC Comics)
Misfit is a fictional character in the . She first appeared in Birds of Prey #96 as a wannabe Batgirl, before taking on her own identity as Misfit.-The new Batgirl:...
, young protegèe of the Birds of Prey. Since all of them manage to escape, their capture backfires on the Boss Dark Side, alerting the larger heroic community on their activities, and letting Misfit and Black Alice deal crippling blows to the organization, like killing Granny Goodness during their escape.
Dark Side then hires the Terror Titans
Terror Titans
The Terror Titans are a supervillain group in the DC Comics. They are a mirror group to the Teen Titans, composed of "legacy" villains. They first appeared as a team in Teen Titans #56 , though Clock King and Dreadbolt appeared in shadow form at the end of #55.-Publication history:The Terror Titans...
in order to capture the Teen Titans, granting the new Clock King the role once held by Granny and Bernadeth as the chief captor and brainwasher. In such role the Terror Titans manage to capture Red Devil
Red Devil
Red Devils or Bulgeun Ahgma is the official supporting group for the Korea Republic national football team.-Origin:The club was established as the "Great Hankuk Supporters Club" in December, 1995...
and Miss Martian
Miss Martian
Miss Martian is a superhero in the . Miss Martian was created by Geoff Johns and Tony Daniel and first appeared in Teen Titans #37 . Miss Martian is named "Megan Morse" after Marvel Comics associate editor Ben Morse's wife, Megan...
, brainwashing the former into a feral, mindless beast, and forcing the latter into undo his mental damage.
However, not every captured metahuman is deemed fit to fight alongside the Boss Dark Side, and Doctor Bud Fogel (actually the Dark God Desaad
Desaad
Desaad is a fictional comic book supervillain, appearing in books published by DC Comics. He is one of the followers of Darkseid from the planet of Apokolips in Jack Kirby's Fourth World meta-series....
) is sent to capture the Infinitors
Infinity Inc.
Infinity, Inc. is a team of superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The team is mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice Society of America, making them the Society's analogue to the Teen Titans, which is composed of sidekicks of Justice League members...
and deal aggressively with the Everymen kids, the younger heroes receiving often unwanted powers from Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor is a fictional character, a supervillain who appears in comic books published by DC Comics, and the archenemy of Superman, although given his high status as a supervillain, he has also come into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Created by Jerry Siegel and...
's exogene. Double Trouble
Nuklon
Nuklon is the name of two fictional superheroes in the DC Comics Universe.-Albert Rothstein:Godson to Al Pratt , Albert Rothstein acquired his powers of super-strength and control over his molecular structure from his grandfather, a reluctant supervillain known as Cyclotron, allowing him to fight...
is killed, and Vaporlock
Natasha Irons
Natasha Irons is a fictional character, a superhero in the DC Universe and the niece of John Henry Irons . Natasha first appears in Steel #1 . She becomes the fourth superhero to use the name Steel when her uncle is injured. In the 2006 limited series 52, Natasha gains superpowers and uses the...
, Amazing Woman, and Empathy are captured, and forced to power a machine meant to rid the Everymen of their lingering powers, deemed too unpredictable and unstable to be used by the Dark Side Club. As a side effect, the still living Infinitors vanish.
The Club returns in the Terror Titans
Terror Titans
The Terror Titans are a supervillain group in the DC Comics. They are a mirror group to the Teen Titans, composed of "legacy" villains. They first appeared as a team in Teen Titans #56 , though Clock King and Dreadbolt appeared in shadow form at the end of #55.-Publication history:The Terror Titans...
, where the Terror Titans are shown retaining their chief role, and granting the Dark Side Club a more business driven facade, more similar to the Roulette underground fight club. They manage to capture a cadre of new legacy, semi-obscure heroes, and Clock King
Clock King
Clock King is a title used by two fictional characters, supervillains published by DC Comics. The first Clock King debuted in World's Finest Comics #111 , and was created by France Herron and Lee Elias.-Publication history:...
hires Ravager
Rose Wilson
Rose Wilson is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. She is a member of the Teen Titans and the illegitimate daughter of Deathstroke the Terminator.-Fictional character biography:...
as his minion and trainer. Rose begrudgingly accepts, still refusing to embrace the cruel ways of the Club and refusing to give up her independent will, apparently with a secret agenda of her own. Writer Sean McKeever
Sean McKeever
Sean Kelley McKeever is an American comic book writer.-Career:Since the end of his creator-owned teen drama series The Waiting Place, which was published from 1997 to 2002, McKeever has written several series for Marvel Comics, including The Incredible Hulk, Sentinel, Mary Jane, Inhumans and...
says "We will also bring the Dark Side Club concept from ‘Seven Soldiers’ and ‘Final Crisis’ into its next evolutionary step, and that's the central locale for the story."
In the Final Crisis
Final Crisis
Final Crisis is a crossover storyline that appeared in comic books published by DC Comics in 2008, primarily the seven-issue miniseries of the same name written by Grant Morrison. Originally DC announced the project as being illustrated solely by J. G. Jones; artists Carlos Pacheco, Marco Rudy and...
series, Dan Turpin
Dan Turpin
Daniel "Terrible" Turpin is a character published by DC Comics. He first appeared as Brooklyn in Detective Comics #64 , and first appeared as Dan Turpin in New Gods #5 .-Publication history:...
is shown discovering that the Club has been capturing metahuman children, and teaching them to say the Anti-Life Equation
Anti-Life Equation
The Anti-Life Equation is the equation for total control over the free will of sentient beings, for which the DC Comics villain Darkseid is searching in the Jack Kirby's Fourth World setting. It is for this reason that he sends his forces to Earth, as he believes part of the equation exists in the...
.
Former Milestone Comics hero Static was revealed to be the champion of the Dark Side Club, and the strongest of its captured metahumans. During his match with Ravager, he easily defeated her and unsuccessfully attempted to attack his captors after somehow escaping the effects of the Anti-Life Equation.
Tie-ins
- Birds of Prey #118
- The FlashFlash (comics)The Flash is a name shared by several fictional comic book superheroes from the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Harry Lampert, the original Flash first appeared in Flash Comics #1 ....
#240 (Vol.2) - Infinity Inc.Infinity Inc.Infinity, Inc. is a team of superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The team is mostly composed of the children and heirs of the Justice Society of America, making them the Society's analogue to the Teen Titans, which is composed of sidekicks of Justice League members...
#11-12 (Vol.2) - The Teen Titans #59-60 (Vol.3)
- Terror TitansTerror TitansThe Terror Titans are a supervillain group in the DC Comics. They are a mirror group to the Teen Titans, composed of "legacy" villains. They first appeared as a team in Teen Titans #56 , though Clock King and Dreadbolt appeared in shadow form at the end of #55.-Publication history:The Terror Titans...
#1-6
External links
- Dark Side Club at the DC Database Project