Animal Man #23

Issue Details

Synopsis

Psycho Pirate has found(or managed to create) his medusa mask that allows him to control other people's emotions. He puts it on and we see that he has created a veritable treasure trove of multiversal items; including copies of Flash and Watchmen, a wanted poster of Abraham Lincoln, and a picture of Adolf Hitler with the American flag.Pirate claims that it's time for the grand finale and goes walking through the halls of Arkham. We find that he has also begun creating various heroes and villains that were wiped out during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. He walks past Johnathan Crane's cell, but refuses to let him out; saying that he's sick of fear. Pirate enters a room where various characters have gathered. Some of them(especially Ultraman) are having a hard time with having been brought back to life. Psycho Pirate uses his powers to calm them down, and tells them that they didn't really die; they were just in his head the whole time. And now they're all coming back.The two yellow aliens who gave Animal Man his powers have brought Dr. Highwater to Arkham Asylum against his wishes. The aliens tell him that they have no choice in the matter and that they have to play their assigned roles in the story. Highwater is surprised to find that several different versions of Arkham are shifting from one to another. The aliens explain that lost worlds are returning and that soon the unified world will be torn apart. Highwater asks about Animal Man whom the aliens had said was important. The aliens tell him that Animal Man is in the continuum, but he is out of reach. They must do what they can.Meanwhile, Animal Man has traveled to the past and is sitting at an outdoor cafe in San Francisco with the Phantom Stranger, Etrigan, and the Immortal Man.(Vandal Savage was supposed to be there, but he was too busy founding a desert cult.) Phantom Stranger explains that Buddy has recently suffered from a tragedy; the others want to hear all about it.Back at Arkham, Psycho Pirate appears to...