Forever Evil

"Forever Evil" is a 2013–2014 crossover comic book storyline published by DC Comics that began in September 2013 and ended in May 2014, consisting of an eponymous, central miniseries written by Geoff Johns and art by David Finch. It is the first line-wide crossover since The New 52 reboot of the DC Universe. It focuses on all the villains of the DC Universe. The miniseries spins out of the events in "Trinity War".

Johns revealed in August 2013 that the Crime Syndicate, an evil version of the Justice League from Earth-3 in the Multiverse, are the true villains of the event and not the previously thought Secret Society. The event was originally scheduled to end in March with Forever Evil #7, yet ended in May 2014, after the final issue was delayed to April, and eventually again to May. The final issue's delay was due to Johns realizing he needed more pages to conclude the story than originally intended.

With the three Justice League teams—the Justice League, Justice League of America, and Justice League Dark—"dead," the Crime Syndicate comes from Earth-3 to take over this world, where they recruit villains to their cause. Earth-0 villains that resist the Crime Syndicate follow Lex Luthor to form the Injustice League to take down the Crime Syndicate.

In the final issue of the "Trinity War" event, the leader of the Secret Society, revealed to be Alfred Pennyworth of Earth-3, uses Pandora's Box to open a gateway from Earth-0 to Earth-3, which allows Ultraman, Superwoman, Owlman, Johnny Quick, Power Ring, and Deathstorm to arrive; their teammate Sea King, however, does not survive the trip. In addition, Superwoman brings a hooded prisoner through the gateway with them. Atomica is revealed to be the mole in the Leagues and is actually Atomica from Earth-3. Grid, a sentient computer virus, separates Cyborg's prosthetics from his body. The Crime Syndicate attack the three Justice Leagues, claiming Earth-0 now belongs to them.

At this time, Cheetah is imprisoned at Belle Reve and communicates with an unknown person, indicating that she will wait for Black Manta. Meanwhile, Zatanna mentions premonitions of an upcoming war between superheroes triggered by a death and John Constantine shaking hands with Lex Luthor.

Lex Luthor meets with Thomas Kord in a bid to buy Kord Industries, when his helicopter loses power and crashes. Getting up from the wreckage, he sees Ultraman entering a LexCorp building looking for kryptonite. Ultraman asks Grid to find other locations of it. Grid also cuts power to all major cities and orchestrates the release of all superhuman prisoners. Returning to Gotham City, Nightwing is kidnapped by Superwoman and Owlman. In Central City, the Rogues attempt to break into Iron Heights Penitentiary to free Trickster, only to be interrupted by Johnny Quick, who succeeds in freeing all the inmates, while Deathstorm and Power Ring infiltrate Belle Reve. Scarecrow tries to recruit multiple Batman rogues to the Secret Society, and they, along with many other villains, gather at the Justice League's fallen Watchtower. There, the Crime Syndicate present Aquaman's trident, Wonder Woman's lasso, and Superman's cape as proof that the Justice League is dead. During the Crime Syndicate's broadcast to the world, Superwoman reveals that Nightwing is Dick Grayson. After the villains disperse, Ultraman is affected by the rising sun, and moves the moon in front of it to create a solar eclipse.

Luthor goes to the bowels of LexCorp to release Subject B-0, an imperfect attempt to clone a Kryptonian. At the Justice League Watchtower, Grid informs Ultraman that there is an uprising in Kahndaq, requiring his attention, and that the Rogues refuse to join the Crime Syndicate. Ultraman tells Grid to send Deathstorm and Power Ring to take care of the Rogues. Before departing, Ultraman checks on the prisoner brought from Earth-3. Owlman and Superwoman believe he should be killed, but Ultraman refuses, claiming that they might need him. Owlman asks that Grayson stay alive, but Ultraman and Outsider disagree, knowing he is not the Dick Grayson they knew from Earth-3. After Ultraman leaves, Superwoman (who is having an affair with Owlman) reveals to him that she is pregnant with his child. They make plans to have Owlman overthrow Ultraman and take control of the Crime Syndicate.

The Teen Titans arrive at the Justice League Watchtower to attack the Crime Syndicate, only to be greeted by Johnny Quick and Atomica. Quick uses his powers on Kid Flash, creating a hole in time that traps the Titans. At S.T.A.R. Labs, Silas Stone and Dr. Thomas Morrow remain in the Red Room to protect its technology and research. Batman and Catwoman arrive with the critically injured Cyborg, the only ones to survive the Syndicate's initial attack. Batman explains that, after the Crime Syndicate arrived, Deathstorm attacked Firestorm and imprisoned everyone except Batman, Catwoman and Cyborg inside the Firestorm matrix. While Stone and Morrow prepare to stabilize Cyborg, Batman learns of Nightwing's unmasking and leaves to find him. Elsewhere, Luthor connects to one of his personal satellites to locate the Crime Syndicate. He finds Ultraman and notes that he is avoiding direct sunlight. In Central City, Deathstorm and Power Ring confront the Rogues for failing to level the rest of the city. When Power Ring attacks, Captain Cold freezes his hand. Deathstorm attacks Captain Cold and extracts his freezing powers from his DNA. Mirror Master attempts to get the Rogues out through the Mirror World but Power Ring destroys the mirror they were using to escape, causing the Rogues to be separated. Captain Cold ends up at Luthor and Bizarro's location where they are joined by Black Manta, who has retrieved Black Adam from the ocean after his defeat by Ultraman.