The story opens with a prologue featuring Krona searching the multiverse for answers. Krona inadvertently created the multiverse trying to see its origin and beginnings. The viewer he used exploded shattering the universe into a multiverse. As punishment, the Guardians of the Universe on OA transformed him into pure energy and cast him out. He has returned, and in his wake Polechamus and Qward are destroyed along with the realities surrounding them. Ultimately, Krona faces The Grandmaster.
Later, Terminus shows up in Metropolis. After a pitched battle, the Justice League manage to defeat him. The Spectre (Hal Jordan) whisks the beaten Terminus from their reality. Meanwhile, in New York, The Avengers are battling Starro. She-Hulk, Yellow Jacket, Triathlon, Quicksilver and Thor are among those taken over by Starro's "face hugger" offspring. Carol Danvers manages to free Pietro Maximoff from a face hugger. He provides the breakthrough the team needs. Vision puts a face hugger on Scarlet Witch and through it, she unleashes chaos magic that forces Starro to flee screaming in agony.
Back at their moonbase Watchtower, the Justice League are confronted by The Watcher and The Grandmaster. En Dwi Gast tells the League that they must gather talisman to ward off Krona and save their reality. Wally West uses the Speed Force to send the team to The Avengers reality where they are able to collect the Ultimate Nullifier! Following their encounter with The Avengers, Earth's Mightiest Heroes - with The Atom eavesdropping - encounter Metron, who lists the same talisman that they must gather to save their reality!
The Avengers travel to the Justice League reality, for a return encounter. The Atom follows Metron to where he confers with The Grandmaster...
It almost goes without saying that George Perez's art is spectacular and fabulous. He is legendary from the pages of both teams, having developed his trademark "Patented Perez Rubble". That's how detailed his art is. down to the very rubble. He is aided and abetted by Tom Smith on Colors & Separations, with Comicraft handling lettering. That's amazing as each character has their own lettering voice.
Busiek's story is EPIC! It's COSMIC! It's GRAND and SPRAWLING! It's not just a Justice League or Avengers story. It's not just bringing these two teams together - in conflict, then, possibly in harmony - it spans both the DC and Marvel Multiverses. Before the teams appear, we get to see Arkon and Thundra as well as the Weaponers of Qward and the Crime Syndicate. While Krona is the major bad guy of the story, it also involves The Grandmaster, Metron and The Watcher. There's so much to this story, so much detail, so much thrown in, there's bound to be a kitchen sink somewhere as well. This isn't a light, disposable, forgettable story. This. One. Plays. For. KEEPS!
One the one hand, that's awesome! It's a spectacle of a story. On the other hand, it's hype to the hilt, and possibly teetering on the edge of being bloated and overblown. It's starts with both Superman and Thor chomping, spouting and just plain yelling. It's possible that there's some minor mind-control there, or maybe just a negative reaction to the opposite realities.
This is no small adventure.
Perez's art is awesome as ever. Busiek's story is huge. It borders on the, "it's not the size of the fish that counts..." it's how you tell this story.
JLA/Avengers 1 earns five stars.
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