(W) Mark Waid (A) Various (CA) Mike Wieringo
Experience Wally West inheriting the mantle of the Fastest Man Alive in this volume chronicling Mark Waid?s critically acclaimed run! When a freak accident gives Wally the same super-speed powers as his uncle Barry Allen, a.k.a. the Flash, Wally?s journey toward becoming a true hero begins. Watch him take on terrorists, gunmen, and villains like the devious Mirror Master in these supersonic stories! This omnibus collects THE FLASH#62-91, THE FLASH ANNUAL #4-6, GREEN LANTERN #30-31, #40, THE FLASH SPECIAL #1, and JUSTICE LEAGUE QUARTERLY #10.
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Mike Wieringo
Written by Mark Waid, Michael Jan Friedman, and Others Art by Mike Wieringo, Carlos Pacheco, Salvador Larroca, and Others Volume 2 of Waid's fan-favorite run(!) picks up the action with Wally West traveling through time and getting an ominous glimpse of the future. And to make things worse, speedster villain Savitar has Wally in his sights! Collects THE FLASH #0, #92-129, THE FLASH ANNUAL #7-9, ZERO HOUR: CRISIS IN TIME #4, IMPULSE #10-11, THE FLASH PLUS #1, a story from DC UNIVERSE HOLIDAY BASH #1, and WHO'S WHO character profiles.
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Steve Lightle
Written by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn, Michael Jan Friedman and Others Art by Paul Pelletier, Pop Mhan, Ron Lim and Others Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn?s critically acclaimed and beloved creative run comes to its conclusion in this third omnibus, where Wally West meets a Dark Flash from a parallel universe. This final volume collects Flash #142-163 and #1,000,000, Flash Annual #10-13, Flash Secret Files #1-2, Flash 80-Page Giant #1-2, Green Lantern/Flash: Faster Friends #1, Flash/Green Lantern: Faster Friends #2, Showcase ?96 #12, Speed Force #1, and The Life Story of the Flash #1 and includes a new introduction by Waid.
(W) William Messner-Loebs, Mike Baron (A) Greg LaRocque, Butch Guice, Various (CA) Greg LaRocque
Following the death of Barry Allen, Wally West will don the red suit and become the new Fastest Man Alive. Kid Flash no more, Wally must pave his own path forward and live up to the legacy of the man who saved the universe. Collects THE FLASH #1-28, THE FLASH ANNUAL #1-3, MANHUNTER #8-9, SECRET ORIGINS ANNUAL #2, and pages from INVASION! #2-3, featuring over a dozen never-before-collected issues.
(W) Mayim Bialik PhD, Various (A) Various (CA) Derek Charm
Have you ever wondered what?s at the bottom of the sea? Why polar ice melts? Or which tools forensic scientists use to solve a crime?
Well look no further! Everyone?s favorite Scarlet Speedster is here to answer all your burning questions! Barry Allen, with the help of some of his close friends, will take readers on an exciting journey that examines everything from the vast expanse of our galaxy to the smallest living organism known to man.
Curated by award-winning actress and author Mayim Bialik, PhD, and featuring stories created by an all-star cast of writers and illustrators, this anthology aligns with Next Generation Science Standards and provides a helpful bridge between the lessons taught inside the classroom and our everyday lives.
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Scott Kolins (CA) Rafa Sandoval, Jordi Tarragona
Barry arrives back home from his Force Quest to discover something in his city is...off. The people of Central City are all acting strangely, even those closest to him. He better figure things out, because the Trickster has welcomed the Scarlet Speedster back home with an impossible choice: save the people of Central City, or let the villain who caused it all escape to wreak havoc another day. Collects The Flash #66-69 and Annual #2.
In this new hardcover, a mysterious and powerful Speed-Force killer has left a trail of bodies in his wake, and only Barry has the power to stop him. But when the killer stays one step ahead of him, Barry finds himself face to face with the Teen Titans and Kid Flash for the first time, which leads to a confrontation with the Reverse Flash! Don't miss these stories from THE FLASH #20-25, and #23.3: REVERSE FLASH!
(W) Mark Waid - Martin Pasko (A) Various (CA) Humberto Ramos - Wayne Faucher
Impulse, the Flash?s hyperactive descendant from the 30th century, has landed in the present and is ready to make a superhero name for himself! Due to his hyper-accelerated metabolism, Bart Allen was aging fast?like, really fast?and was raised in a 30th-century virtual reality simulation. So when he winds up in our era, he sees the world as one big video game?and he?s got a lot to learn. Luckily, Bart has a mentor named Max Mercury, and if anyone?s up to the task, it?s the zen master of the Speed Force. In this collection, Bart adjusts to life in the 20th century, keeping the town of Manchester, Alabama, safe from threats like White Lightning and Gridlock. Also in this title, Savitar?s machinations in the Speed Force cause Impulse, the Flash, and other super-speedsters to lose their speed! This volume collects Impulse #1-12 and The Flash #108-111.
(W) Geoff Johns (A) Scott Kolins & Various (CA) Scott Kolins
Back in print, this title collects The Flash #164-191, plus The Flash: Our Worlds at War #1, The Flash: Iron Heights #1, and The Flash Secret Files #3! In these tales, Wally West finds himself without his super-speed in a darker, mirror version of Keystone City. Can a powerless Flash defeat Captain Cold and Mirror Master to save the city he loves? Plus, the Flash is shocked to learn that a strange cult is killing all the people he has ever rescued.
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Carmine Di Giandomenico, Neil Googe (CA) Karl Kerschl
A new storm brews over Central City and disproves the old adage about lightning never, well...you know. Just as Barry begins to feel overwhelmed fighting crime, a new speedster debuts-but where did this amazing new friend come from? Spinning directly out of the epic events of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH, the Fastest Man Alive finds himself at the center of a DC Universe at a crossroads-and reeling from the reemergence of his prot?g?, Wally West! Collects issues #1-12 and THE FLASH: REBIRTH #1.
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Carmine Giandomenico & Various (CA) Jason Fabok
The Rogues have sprung a deadly cat-and-mouse game that will have the Fastest Man Alive on the run across the globe! Is the Scarlet Speedster fast enough to stop five diabolical crimes? Then, the aftermath of 'THE BUTTON' has left Barry Allen at a crossroads. Can he mend his relationship with Kid Flash? Green Lantern Hal Jordan offers some advice, but the Flash doesn't have time to make a decision, thanks to the return of the Reverse-Flash! Collects issues #14-27.
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Carmine Di Giandomenico & Various (CA) Mike McKone
Dark clouds gather around Barry and his new family when the citizens of Central City meet Negative Flash. The Flash sets out to save everyone he has ever loved from Negative Flash, but there's just one problem: he is Negative Flash! Barry Allen must get his new powers under control and battle terrifying new villains before they both kill him. Collects issues #28-38.
(W) Geoff Johns (A) Francis Manapul, Ethan Van Sciver, Scott Kolins (CA) Francis Manapul
LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE! Barry Allen--the Flash. His birth kick-started the Silver Age, and his heroic death defending the universe from a cosmic crisis made him a legend. Now Barry Allen has returned to life, and every hero in the DC Universe is overjoyed...except for Barry himself. But there's a purpose to Barry's return that no one could have guessed, and it has to do with a bizarre murder in a Central City crime lab that seems to re-create the accident that gave Barry his speed powers. Whatever happened to Barry Allen when he escaped from the extradimensional energy reserve known as the Speed Force, it changed him in ways he still doesn't understand...and may not understand until it's too late. Acclaimed creators Geoff Johns (Justice League, Green Lantern), Ethan Van Sciver (Green Lantern: Rebirth), Francis Manapul (Superboy: The Boy of Steel), and Scott Kolins (Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge) return Barry Allen to greatness in this compact collection!
(W) Geoff Johns (A) Francis Manapul, Ethan Van Sciver, Scott Kolins (CA) Francis Manapul
LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE! Barry Allen--the Flash. His birth kick-started the Silver Age, and his heroic death defending the universe from a cosmic crisis made him a legend. Now Barry Allen has returned to life, and every hero in the DC Universe is overjoyed...except for Barry himself. But there's a purpose to Barry's return that no one could have guessed, and it has to do with a bizarre murder in a Central City crime lab that seems to re-create the accident that gave Barry his speed powers. Whatever happened to Barry Allen when he escaped from the extradimensional energy reserve known as the Speed Force, it changed him in ways he still doesn't understand...and may not understand until it's too late. Acclaimed creators Geoff Johns (Justice League, Green Lantern), Ethan Van Sciver (Green Lantern: Rebirth), Francis Manapul (Superboy: The Boy of Steel), and Scott Kolins (Final Crisis: Rogues' Revenge) return Barry Allen to greatness in this compact collection!
(W) Various (A) Various
Read the stories that inspired or were influenced by the motion picture The Flash, directed by Andy Muschietti (It). This box set contains three softcover versions of graphic novels starring the Scarlet Speedster and the Dark Knight?The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive, Flashpoint, and Batman: The 1989 Movie Adaptation.
(W) Kenny Porter (A) Ricardo L?pez Ortiz, Juan Ferreyra, Jason Howard (CA) Max Fiumara
Race through the streets of Central City in this lead-up to the hotly anticipated blockbuster The Flash! After Barry Allen's adventure with the Justice League, he's determined to become a truly skilled and inspirational hero. But new threats are arising all around Central City. Barry will need to master his powers, and fast, to face down the likes of Girder, Tarpit, and the Top! Collecting issues #1-3 of The Flash: The Fastest Man Alive.
(W) Van Jensen, Robert Venditti (A) Various (CA) Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund
Art by Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, Francis Manapul and Others Writers Van Jensen and Robert Venditti are joined by a host of artists including Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund in the stunning conclusion to the New 52 Flash in The Flash: The Road to Rebirth Omnibus, collecting The Flash #26-52, The Flash Annual #2-4, The Flash: Futures End, DC Universe: Rebirth #1, and a story from Secret Origins #7!
(W) Joshua Williamson (A/CA) Carmine Di Giandomenico
A new storm brews over Central City and disproves the old adage about lightning never striking twice! Just as Barry begins to feel overwhelmed fighting crime, a new speedster appears-but just where did this amazing new ally come from? Now, the Fastest Man Alive finds himself in a city of speedsters-and dealing with the reappearance of Wally West! Collects THE FLASH: REBIRTH #1 plus issues #1-8 of the new series.
In this new paperback collection starring The Flash, Mob Rule wages a campaign of crime across Central City, plunging the city into darkness! The only way The Flash can save his city is to make his brain function even faster than before - but as much as it helps him, it also comes at a steep price. Collecting issues #1-8 of the monthly series!
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Jorge Corona & Various (CA) Carmine Di Giandomenico
A storm is brewing over Central City. Just as Barry begins to feel overwhelmed fighting crime, a new speedster appears-but just where did this amazing new friend come from? Spinning out of the events of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH #1, the Fastest Man Alive finds himself at a crossroads. Collects issues #9-13.
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Carmine Di Giandomenico & Various (CA) Carmine Di Giandomenico
In 'Rogues Reloaded,' the Flash's old foes, the Rogues, have abandoned Central City, pulled off that big score they've been after for years and are living it up in a beachside mansion. The only problem? They ripped off the wrong marks-and now some truly evil people are out for revenge. If the Rogues are going to have any chance of surviving, they'll need the help of their least favorite person alive: the Flash. Collects issues #14-20.
(W) Joshua Williamson (A) Carmine Di Giandomenico & Various (CA) Carmine Di Giandomenico
Gorilla Grodd is after Central City's Speed Force, but the one thing Barry Allen can't outrun is the truth, and his nemesis knows a terrible secret about the Fastest Man Alive. As Barry battles Grodd, he loses what he prizes most in the world and must call in Wally West to protect Central City while he sets out to get it back. But with a new Flash protecting his city, will Barry be willing to cross lines he never crossed before? Collects The Flash #39-45.
Barry Allen and Iris West take a vacation, but their relaxation is cut short when their cruise ship is attacked by King Shark! Can the Fastest Man Alive save a sinking ship when there's no land in sight - or will he be fish food? This and more in stories featuring the Flash taking on his greatest rogues, including Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Heat Wave, Captain Boomerang, and Weather Wizard! Collects stories from The Flash Giant #1-7 (first wave) and The Flash Giant #1-5 (second wave).
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Andy Kubert, Sandra Hope
The event that reshaped the DC Universe, now collected in its entirety in one massive omnibus edition! Barry Allen works for the Central City Police Department, where he?s solved numerous criminal cases. As the Flash, he protects the innocent and battles evil. He is the Fastest Man Alive! Or he was... Barry Allen wakes up to a world that is not his own. A place where his mother was never killed...and the Flash never existed. This altered universe is on the brink of a cataclysmic war. No human has ever wielded the Green Lantern?s light, and no one has ever heard of Superman. Batman has as much blood on his hands as his enemies do, and America?s last hope is Cyborg. Powerless and alone, Barry Allen desperately tries to hold on to his memories of the reality that once was. If there is any hope of setting things right, he must convince this world?s strange, dangerous heroes to help him fix what was broken. This omnibus collects Flashpoint #1-5, Booster Gold #44-47, The Flash #9-12, Flashpoint: Reverse-Flash #1, Flashpoint: Abin Sur t
(W) Geoff Johns (A/CA) Andy Kubert
Barry Allen is a hero. But this is not the world he knew. This is a world where Wonder Woman and Aquaman have plunged millions into the darkness of war, where Batman has as much blood on his hands as his enemies, where no one has ever heard of Superman, and where the Fastest Man Alive is just another man. Rediscover the groundbreaking story by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert that forever changed the DC Universe! Collects FLASHPOINT #1-5.
(W) Grant Morrison (A/CA) Frank Quitely
YOU! BUY THIS BOOK NOW-- OR THE EARTH IS DOOMED! The wait is over--The Man of Muscle Mystery has returned! Born in the fertile pages of the groundbreaking series Doom Patrol, the force of nature that is Flex Mentallo was willed back into existence by the legendary creative team of New York Times best-selling writer Grant Morrison and superstar artist Frank Quitely (All-Star Superman, Batman and Robin, We3) for a special four-issue miniseries that shook the very foundations of reality! Now, this singular vision of heroism and the redemptive power of imagination is finally available in a single hardcover volume. Featuring all-new coloring as well as a special sketchbook section showcasing more than a dozen pages of behind-the- scenes material, Flex Mentallo: Man of Muscle Mystery Deluxe will not only change the way you look at comics, it will alter your understanding of spacetime itself!
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Phil Hale
THE VERTIGO HORROR ANTHOLOGY SERIES RETURNS TO PRINT IN THIS ALL-IN-ONE COLLECTION! Written by John Arcudi, Brian Azzarello, Garth Ennis and Others Art by Richard Corben, Frank Quitely, Kent Williams and Others Delusions of grandeur. Lustful desires. Violent fantasies. We've all had dark thoughts we dare not act out. We've all imagined scenarios where we'd let our basest instincts take over. But we never speak of or share them, because the reaction they might stir may cause others to flinch. This tome of terror features some of the most disturbing and twisted stories ever to be imagined by a who?s who of comics? greatest visionaries and is sure to leave a lasting impression on your psyche long after you?ve finished reading it...whether you like it or not. Collects FLINCH #1-16.
(W) Mark Russell (A/CA) Steve Pugh
It's the Flintstones as you've never seen them before! Issues #1-6 of this new series starring the first family of Bedrock (and civilization, really) tell the story of the dawn of civilization through the eyes of Fred, Wilma, Barney, Betty and the rest of the citizens of Bedrock. Shining a light on humanity's oldest customs and institutions, writer Mark Russell (PREZ) blends satire with Hanna-Barbera's classic characters.
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
Written by Geoff Johns, Peter J. Tomasi, Sterling Gates, Brian Buccellato and Others Art by David Finch, Scot Eaton, Philip Tan, Patrick Zircher and Others The Justice League has fallen. The Crime Syndicate, the League's evil mirror image, has targeted and eliminated nearly every hero on Earth. Featuring FOREVER EVIL #1-7, FOREVER EVIL AFTERMATH: BATMAN VS. BANE #1, FOREVER EVIL DIRECTOR'S CUT #1, FOREVER EVIL: A.R.G.U.S. #1-6, FOREVER EVIL: ARKHAM WAR #1-6, FOREVER EVIL: ROGUES REBELLION #1-6, JUSTICE LEAGUE #24-29, JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #8-14, NIGHTWING #30, and SUICIDE SQUAD #24-30!
(W/A/CA) Jack Kirby
In the 1970s, legendary creator Jack Kirby revolutionized the comic book medium with a monumental multi-series saga that introduced impossible new worlds, iconic new characters, and sweeping new mythologies. He called it the Fourth World, and its debut elicited unprecedented levels of excitement from comics readers everywhere. The epic ran across four monthly titles?The New Gods, The Forever People, Mister Miracle, and Superman?s Pal Jimmy Olsen?collected in full here in one slipcase box set!
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Jack Kirby
Written by Jack Kirby, Paul Levitz, Gerry Conway, Steve Englehart, Steve Gerber, and others Art by Jack Kirby, Keith Giffen, Don Newton, Dan Adkins, Marshall Rogers, Jim Aparo, and others In the 1970s, legendary creator Jack the King Kirby revolutionized the comic book medium with a sweeping multi-series saga that encompassed impossible new worlds, iconic new characters, and sweeping new mythologies. He called it The Fourth World. For the first time ever, DC Comics proudly presents the stories that came after. The Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 collects the first 12 years of stories that followed Jack Kirby's epic, including the legendary Great Darkness Saga and Kirby's very own return to the Fourth World in Super Powers. Featuring MISTER MIRACLE #19-25; THE NEW GODS #12-19; ADVENTURE COMICS #459-460; THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #112, #128, and #138; DC COMICS PRESENTS #12; FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL #13; JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #183-185; LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #290-294; LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES ANNUAL #3; SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS #1-5; SUPER POWERS
(W) Neil Gaiman & Various (A) Peter Gross & Various (CA) Mark Buckingham
'A long time ago, I wrote the first part of a story, and waited to find out how it middled, then worked with Jamie Delano and Alisa Kwitney on the end. For years people have asked how and when they could read all the story of The Children's Crusade. I'm glad to say that it's now been retooled and refinished, and is something both old and new - a forgotten jewel and a new delight.'-Neil Gaiman For the first time ever, the two-issue miniseries THE CHILDREN'S CRUSADE, written by Neil Gaiman, Alisa Kwitney and Jamie Delano, is collected - and with them, a new chapter written by Toby Litt that completes the tale as Gaiman originally envisioned it. When several children go missing in a small English town, the Dead Boy Detectives are on the case. A series of strange and unexpected twists takes them to Free Country, a place that dates back a millennium, where children never grow old and are free from the abuse and tyranny of adults. But Free Country is failing, and what it needs is the strength of five innately power
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Dan Mora
DISCOVER THE DARK DESTINY OF GOTHAM CITY! In the not-too-distant future, a sinister force has invaded the city of Gotham, and it?s a power unlike any the Bat-Family has faced before. The Magistrate controls everything, and their constant surveillance leaves Gothamites with nowhere to hide?even in their own homes. Where did the Magistrate come from? And who can stop them? To make matters worse, in their path to total takeover, the Magistrate has killed Batman! Or have they? With Bruce Wayne off the grid, it?s up to his remaining friends and allies to help stave off the brutality of the Magistrate?or die trying! This action-packed volume of the Future State saga collects Future State: Dark Detective #1-4, Future State: Red Hood #1-2, Future State: Batman/Superman #1-2, Future State: Catwoman #1-2, Future State: Harley Quinn #1-2, and Future State: Robin Eternal #1-2.
(W) Joshua Williamson, Dennis Culver (A) Giannis Milonogiannis, Nikola Cizmesija (CA) Yasmine Putri
Disaster strikes Gotham City, and all evidence points to the Next Batman! Red Hood must choose justice over his family and allies when the corrupt Magistrate enlists him to bring in the new Batman dead or alive! Featuring the entire cast from the popular Future State Batman titles, this story line kicks off the next chapter in this forbidding world of tomorrow, and does so in brilliant, black-and-white storytelling! Collects Future State: Gotham #1-7 and stories from Future State: Dark Detective #2-4!
(W) Dennis Culver (A) Giannis Milonogiannis (CA) Simone Di Meo
Peacekeeper Red, a.k.a. Jason Todd, has a tough beat in his new role with the Magistrate?helping maintain law and order on the streets of Gotham City. It?s a difficult task on the best days but a deadly new player has come to town, intent on destroying the status quo and killing all his competition?there?s a new Clown Prince in town as Gotham braces for the Next Joker! This volume collects Future State: Gotham #8-12.
(W) Dennis Culver (A) Geoffo, Giannis Milonogiannis- Justin Greenwood (CA) Guillem March
The rumors regarding Bruce's death have been greatly exaggerated! Now, despite the best efforts of the impostor, Hush, the real deal has returned with the help of Talia al Ghul. Together they must travel the world to find their son, Damian Wayne, before it's too late! The return of Batman and Robin to Future State Gotham can't be far behind, unless...something terrible happens first! The final volume in the epic series! Collects FUTURE STATE: GOTHAM #13-18.
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Dan Mora
The first Future State collections are here! In the far-flung future, an all-new Justice League must investigate the mysterious death of their greatest foes?the Legion of Doom! The Justice League Dark emerges from years of hiding to fight the villainous force stalking supernatural heroes and villains alike! John Stewart and his band of abandoned Green Lanterns must hold the line against an invasion of murderous zealots in an uncharted dark sector after their rings have stopped working! Barry Allen battles for the soul of his former Flash partner, Wally West! And Jackson Hyde and Andy Curry, son of Black Manta and daughter of Aquaman, must find each other again after being torn apart if they hope to escape the mysterious universe-spanning One Great Ocean! Collects Future State: Justice League #1-2, Future State: The Flash #1-2, Future State: Green Lantern #1-2, and Future State: Aquaman #1-2.
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Javier Fernandez
A glimpse into the possible future of the DC Universe reveals stories filled with dark turns, darker actions, and dark possibilities for heroes and villains alike. The future of the Suicide Squad sees the clandestine team hunting its former leader?Amanda Waller?on Earth-3. The once young and optimistic Teen Titans face some of the former students of Titans Academy as they team with Red X for one last chance at redemption. Picking up on those events, Shazam hides a mysterious secret he?s held since his time at Titans Academy, while trying to undo a literal deal with the devil. Even further in the future, the world sits cold and dead with few survivors braving its barren wastelands. Can a new Swamp Thing help humanity regain a foothold, or will it extinguish the last flames of hope?
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Ladronn
The first Future State collections are here! Giant, sprawling future Gotham City is under martial law, protected and regulated by a private security force led by the infamous Peacekeepers. Their mandate is to maintain the safety of the citizens of Gotham, regardless of any constitutional rights, and to hunt down, incarcerate, or kill all masked vigilantes, villains, and criminals in the city limits. It?s a dangerous and violent look at a possible future Gotham City and the heroes and villains who live there! Collects Future State: The Next Batman #1-4, select stories from Future State: Dark Detective #1-4, and Future State: Nightwing #1-2.
(W) Various (A) Various (CA) Jen Bartel
What does the future hold for Wonder Woman? Quite a lot! This collection brings together all the adventures of Wonder Woman from DC?s Future State event. First up is Nubia, the finest Amazon warrior, who heads out on her own to gather magical relics before Grail can get them and use their combined powers to cause some unholy mischief. Then, down in Brazil, Yara Flor takes a journey into Hell to save one of her fallen sisters. She also finds the time to team up with Jonathan Kent, the next Superman, to help the sun retain his supremacy as the ruler of the sky. Finally, long after all her friends and allies have fallen, Diana Prince must make one last stand against the Undoing, a malevolent force that threatens to pull the universe apart.