New Year's Evil: Darkseid # 1 1998 VF/NM

New Year's Evil: Darkseid #1 (February 1998) is a notable one-shot comic book published by DC Comics as part of their month-long "New Year's Evil" event, which specifically spotlighted the perspective of the universe's greatest villains.

Core Plot & Synopsis

The issue, titled "The Power and the Pride," takes place in the immediate aftermath of the Genesis crossover event. Darkseid has been trapped within the inescapable Source Wall, and the wider cosmos believes the Lord of Apokolips is permanently gone.

With Darkseid absent, a massive power vacuum destabilizes the hellish planet Apokolips. His inner circle—the Darkseid Elite—instantly descend into a bitter, backstabbing political war for the throne:

• The Accusations: Desaad and Granny Goodness aggressively trade accusations of treason, trying to position themselves as the rightful heir to the empire.
• The Usurper: The tension reaches a boiling point when the warlord Virman Vundabar arrives with a massive, rogue military fleet. He launches a violent coup to usurp control of the planet by force.

Just as a full-scale, devastating civil war is about to tear Apokolips to pieces, a shocking cosmic event halts the conflict. Deep within the Source Wall, Darkseid relies on his sheer willpower and the Omega Effect to do the impossible: he breaks free from the wall's cosmic grasp. He teleports directly into the throne room, catching his squabbling Elite completely red-handed. The issue ends with a chilling display of raw power, reinforcing that no one can ever truly escape the shadow of Darkseid's absolute tyranny.

Key Comic Information

• Release Date: December 10, 1997 (Cover Date: February 1998)
• Format: One-Shot Special (Part of the New Year's Evil event theme)
• Creative Team: Written by legendary comic industry architect John Byrne, featuring interior artwork by penciller Sal Buscema, inks by Keron Grant, and an iconic cover illustrated by Jason Pearson.