One of the MOST IMPORTANT KEY Series of the new Cinematic DC Universe!
Tying in to DC Comics' year-long maxi-series Countdown to Final Crisis (May 2007 - April 2008), the seven-issue limited series SALVATION RUN featured all of the DC Universe's most dangerous villains -- Joker, Lex Luthor, Vandal Savage, Captain Cold, Bane, Cheetah, Chemo, Clayface, Deadshot, Doctor Light, Grodd, Mad Hatter, Man-Bat, Phobia and Solomon Grundy, among many others -- exiled light years from Earth on a planet called 'Salvation'. There, the villains must struggle with their newfound community while they attempt to escape the planet, a place where every other living thing on it is trying to kill them.
Salvation Run, written by Bill Willingham with art by Lilah Sturges, was published from January to July of 2008, with the events of its finale culminating in DC Universe #0 (Jun 2008) and the Final Crisis (July 2008 - March 2009) Maxi-Series by Grant Morrison, which saw Darkseid and his legions of Para-demons invade the earth.
In a surprising twist to the storyline first established in this past summer's Superman (2025) and continued in the second season of Peacemaker (2025), DC Studios' head JAMES GUNN introduced not only the discovery of Salvation into the latter's season finale, but the US Government's ARGUS operation's intention to use the Multiversal location as a place to disappear criminal metahumans. Accessing the location with advanced technology of an unknown origin to them -- but recognized by fans as a "Boom Tube" -- Peacemaker, who inherited the "Mother Box" from his deceased father, ironically becomes the first "villain" to be marooned on the similarly ironically named Salvation, a place that, is essence, seems to be the answer to all of ARGUS' problems.
In DC's comics, the villains of Salvation Run eventually are rescued by the powerful villain Libra, a secret agent of Darkseid who brings them all into his newly established Secret Society of Super-Villains. Given that Boom Tubes as well as other artifacts belonging to DC's "New Gods" (Peacemaker's silver helmet, for example) have already been introduced in the new cinematic DC Universe, the confirmation that a Mister Miracle series is currently in development, and the certainty that villains introduced in future DC projects will also be exiled to Salvation, the roadmap of Gunn's DC movie universe seems to be coming into focus.
In the cinematic DC Universe, the eventual introduction of Darkseid and the New Gods appears inevitable, as is the eventual escape of the villains that will slowly but surely be imprisoned on Salvation. Their return, whether as a Secret Society or perhaps even as a Legion of Doom, will do far more than unleash their wrath upon their captors; it will unite the World's Greatest Super-Heroes into one Justice League of America.
And if that's not one hell of an exciting story, not to mention an incredible reason to make Salvation Run a part of your comic book collection, then we don't know what is. Give your collection what it deserves -- today.
SALVATION RUN #05-A (OF 7)