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It's funny how the DC Universe changes. And I don't mean the structure of it. I mean the way in which certain characters rise and fall in prominence. Sure, some characters stay nearly constant (Batman, Superman, etc.), but others wax and wane as the years go by. Some disappear and aren't seen for years. Others burst onto the stage, either old reinvigorated or new entirely.

To me, the most fascinating rise of such a character in recent years is most definitely Black Adam. Isn't it funny how a one shot villain of Captain Marvel's from the Golden Age -- someone who turned to dust at the end of his first appearance -- has arguably become more central to the DCU than Captain Marvel himself? It's been a long, strange journey for Black Adam. But it's brought him to the forefront of the DC Universe.

Though Black Adam made a few appearances in the seventies and the early nineties, it wasn't until he showed up in the Geoff Johns/David Goyer JSA that he started to rise to prominence. As the legend goes, the writers were looking for someone with the power to take on the JSA single-handedly. They found it in Black Adam. He fit the bill perfectly, because at the time, he was little more than his powers.

But as the series went on, Black Adam popped up again and again. He started to become more than his powers. He joined the team, then turned against it. He went from being a one note bad guy to a strange -- and strangely fascinating -- character. He came to rule a country, then sided with the Society. Black Adam played a role in Infinite Crisis, then 52, and now Countdown. He's got a mini-series coming up.

Whatever you think about the character and the journey he's made, it can't be denied that his rise to fame has been nothing short of astonishing. It just goes to show that any character -- in the right hands -- can be elevated to a position of importance. Every character has potential. It just takes the right writer -- or writers -- to bring it out.

Let's hope DC doesn't forget that.

Devon over at Seven Hells! pointed me to this post over at Those Wednesdays. The author did most of the work I've been meaning to do for awhile regarding the "Big Plan" that DC's had since Dan DiDio came on board. He did a very good job, so go read that and then come back here.

Done? Okay. Then let's get to the point where I try to fill in some of the blanks. Where I pull out the little strands that I've noticed and try to figure out who the real villains behind the scenes are. And if I'm right, then it is leading into the biggest thing to hit the DCU in like, forever.

We know that Darkseid and the Fourth World are involved. We know that they all are going to play a big role. But we also know that they aren't the end all be all of what's happening. In the above linked post Ben makes a reference to Superman #654 where Bruno Mannheim has been transformed. Mannheim says: "It’s not Darkseid. Not even close. You don’t know what they put me through. What they did to me. And now that I've failed them again..."

So it seems that someone bigger than Darksied -- or more precisely multiple someones -- are manipulating things behind the scenes. This is further evidenced over in Ion #10 where Kyle and Donna meet up a with a bunch of Qwardians. Apparently they've fled the Anti-Matter Universe and taken refuge in the regular universe. Seems that a group (the plural is used) of beings more powerful than the anti-matter equivalent of the Guardians of the Universe have driven the Qwardians from their home dimension.

Then there's the Sinestro Corps. Geoff Johns mentioned in an interview (I don't recall where) that there is a group fronting them the way the Guardians front the Green Lantern Corps. We know it can't be the Qwardians. They've already been chased out of their old stomping rounds.

So. Anti-Matter Universe? Beings as powerful as/more powerful than Darkseid? Who could they be? You may see where I'm going, but if not, let's examine that final (or rather the first) piece of the puzzle: Brave New World. The first DC 80 page special kicked off the first act. The second obviously kicks off the second. And in Brave New World we are introduced to a whole slew of Monitors.

Once there was the Monitor. But he did not exist alone. There also was the Anti-Monitor. Now there are Monitors. Do you really think they are alone?