Janus Directive

Last updated
"The Janus Directive"
Checkmate v1 15.jpg
Cover of Checkmate #15 (May 1989), art by Gil Kane.
Publisher DC Comics
Publication dateMay – June 1989
Genre
Title(s)
Captain Atom #30
Checkmate #15-18
Firestorm the Nuclear Man #86-87
Manhunter #14
Suicide Squad #27-30

"The Janus Directive" is an eleven-part comic book crossover first published by DC Comics between May and June of 1989. Among the creators who contributed to the storyline were writers John Ostrander, Kim Yale, Paul Kupperberg, Cary Bates and Greg Weisman and artists John K. Snyder III, Rick Hoberg, Rafael Kayanan, Tom Mandrake and Pat Broderick.

Contents

History

The crossover storyline ran through the following titles: Checkmate! (#15-18), Suicide Squad (#27-30), Manhunter (#14), Firestorm (vol. 2) (#86), and Captain Atom (#30). Checkmate! and Suicide Squad were published biweekly for the duration of the event.

The storyline focused on the covert operations super-teams and organizations that existed in the DC Universe at the time.

Plot

Suicide Squad leader Amanda Waller begins sending her agents on missions in the apparent pursuit of her own private agenda, the so-called "Janus Directive", bringing the Squad into conflict with other metahuman villains and government agencies. All-out mayhem breaks loose among these groups, involving various metahumans associated with the United States military and civilian agencies.

It is revealed that Waller has not gone rogue - cult leader Kobra tried to murder Waller and replace her with a subservient doppelgänger in order to manipulate and mislead the various government agencies to keep them from stopping his own plan. Kobra plans to activate a massive space-based microwave pulse cannon that would fry all electronic systems (not to mention human nervous systems) in the eastern United States, unleashing the Kali Yuga, the age of chaos he believes it is his destiny to commence. Waller has murdered her double and is playing the role of traitor in order to ferret out the true mastermind behind the Janus Directive. Eventually, the truth is revealed, the groups unite and storm Kobra's space ark, capturing him and destroying his weapon.

The fallout of the Janus Directive results in an irate President Bush reorganizing the various agencies to bring them under executive control; he dissolves Task Force X, the umbrella organization under which both Checkmate and the Squad operated (the component agencies becoming autonomous), and makes Sarge Steel a Cabinet-level official with overall control of all governmental metahuman activity on the civilian side. General Wade Eiling is made his equivalent in the Department of Defense. Waller is put on probation by Bush because of her "lone wolf" tactics, much to her displeasure.

Waller is soon imprisoned for taking matters into her own hands after leading an assassination team to personally liquidate the Vodou-oriented drug ring called the Loa. This leads to the shutdown of all Suicide Squad operations for one year.

Major players

While individual operatives like Firestorm (Ronald Raymond), Firehawk and Manhunter (Mark Shaw) did play a part in the storyline's resolution, they were nowhere as important as the characters in this chart.

Project AtomC.B.I.CheckmateForce of JulyProject PeacemakerSuicide Squad
Major Wade Eiling Sarge Steel Harry Stein Major Victory Peacemaker Amanda Waller
Professor Heinrich Megala King Faraday Harvey Bullock Lady Liberty Bronze Tiger
Captain Atom John Chase Valentina Vostok Mayflower Vixen
Major Force Cherie ChaseGary Washington Silent Majority Ravan
Black Thorn Sparkler Captain Boomerang
Checkmate Knights Abraham Lincoln Carlyle Duchess
Shade, the Changing Man
Count Vertigo

Tie-in issues

Although not bannered as a part of the crossover, parts of Firestorm the Nuclear Man (vol. 2) #87 were an epilogue to the storyline.

See also

Related Research Articles

Suicide Squad DC Comics antihero team

The Suicide Squad is a fictional antihero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The first version of the Suicide Squad debuted in The Brave and the Bold #25 and the second and modern version, created by John Ostrander, debuted in Legends #3.

Outsiders (comics) Superhero team

The Outsiders are a superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. As their name suggests, the team consists of superheroes who do not fit the norms of the "mainstream" superhero community, i.e. the Justice League.

Sebastian Faust

Sebastian Faust, is a fictional comic book superhero from DC Comics, loosely based on the protagonist of the German legend who sold his soul to the Devil. He was introduced in the 1993 Outsiders comic book series.

John Ostrander American comic book writer, known for Suicide Squad and The Spectre

John Ostrander is an American writer of comic books, including Suicide Squad, Grimjack and Star Wars: Legacy.

Judomaster Fictional character

Judomaster is the name given to four fictional superheroes published by DC Comics. The first Judomaster debuted in Special War Series #4 published by Charlton Comics, and was created by Joe Gill and Frank McLaughlin.

Amanda Waller DC Comics character

Amanda Blake Waller, also known as "The Wall", is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Legends #1 in 1986, and was created by John Ostrander, Len Wein, and John Byrne. Amanda Waller is an antagonist and occasional ally to the superheroes of the DC Universe, occasionally described as a supervillain.

Kobra (DC Comics)

Kobra is the name used by two supervillains published by DC Comics. The Jeffrey Burr incarnation of Kobra and his brother Jason first appeared in Kobra #1, and were created by Jack Kirby. Jason Burr debuted as Kobra in Faces of Evil: Kobra #1 by Ivan Brandon and Julian Lopez.

Kim Yale American comic book writer and editor

Kim Yale was an American writer and editor of comic books for several publishers including DC Comics, Eclipse Comics, First Comics, Marvel Comics, and WaRP Graphics.

<i>Invasion!</i> (DC Comics)

Invasion! was a three issue comic book limited series and crossover event published in late 1988-early 1989 by DC Comics. It was plotted by Keith Giffen, and ties up a great many plotlines from various Giffen-created DC series, including Omega Men, Justice League International, and Legion of Super-Heroes. A trade paperback collection of the three issues was released on September 3, 2008.

General Wade Eiling DC Comics villain

General Wade Eiling, sometimes known as The General, is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

The Thinker is the name of five supervillains appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

Ravan (comics)

Ravan is a fictional DC Comics villain. His first appearance was in Suicide Squad #1 (1987), and was created by John Ostrander and Luke McDonnell.

Checkmate (comics) Fictional covert operations agency featured in DC Comics

Checkmate, a division of Task Force X, is a fictional covert operations agency appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The antihero team first appeared in Action Comics #598 and proceeded to have its own ongoing title in Checkmate! In the wake of events depicted in the mini-series The OMAC Project and Infinite Crisis, Checkmate is re-chartered as a United Nations Security Council-affiliated agency and was again given its own series, Checkmate.

Slipknot (comics) DC Comics character

Slipknot is a supervillain, published by DC Comics. Created by Gerry Conway and Rafael Kayanan, the character made his first appearance in The Fury of Firestorm #28.

Plastique (character)

Plastique is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. She is an enemy of Firestorm and both an enemy and love interest of Captain Atom.

A.R.G.U.S. is a government organization in DC Comics. A.R.G.U.S. first appeared in Justice League vol. 2 #7 and was created by Geoff Johns and Gene Ha.

Dr. Helga Jace is a fictional character in the DC Comics Universe. She is a supporting character of the Outsiders and was the scientist responsible for bestowing the different earth-controlling powers upon Princess Tara/Terra and her elder brother Prince Brion/Geo-Force.