Countdown #31

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Graded population

CGC records 19 graded copies for Countdown #31 (2007). Population is the number recorded by this grading source, not the total print run or all surviving copies.

New Frontiers

Donna Troy, Bob the Monitor, Green Lantern and Jason Todd (colloquially known as the Challengers) arrive on Earth-3—a world dominated by a team of super-villains known as the Crime Society). Immediately, a fight breaks out, and the Challengers and the Crime Society begin tearing up the streets of Metropolis. From out of nowhere, a purple-haired clown with a giant hammer springs into action and begins assisting the heroes. He joyously refers to himself as the Jokester.

Back on New Earth, Holly Robinson prepares for her journey to Paradise Island. She writes a letter to Selina Kyle and leaves it at the front desk of the shelter. Someone (presumably Athena) takes the letter and tears it up.

In the Fifth Dimension world of Zrrf, Mister Mxyzptlk walks down the street walking his pet goldfish Superman while conversing with his companion Miss Gsptlsnz. Suddenly a dimensional aperture appears and Mxyzptlk is spirited away.

In Turkey, Eclipso continues to corrupt Mary Marvel. A group of soldiers approaches them in a threatening manner, demanding them to leave this protected landmark. Mary Marvel turns the soldiers into stone, and Eclipso casually finishes them off by flicking their heads off with her finger. Mary expresses no remorse over this callous deed, and says that she actually feels pretty good about herself.

Meanwhile in "The 'Burbs", Karate Kid and Una arrive at the home of Buddy Blank and his grandson. Buddy greets the strangely dressed visitors with a baseball bat, until the Karate Kid tells him that he needs to find Brother Eye.

At Project Cadmus, Serling Roquette puts Jimmy through another battery of tests. The process causes Jimmy's body to mutate into a hideously monstrous form.

Back on Earth-3, the Challengers continue to fight the Crime Society, until Bob the Monitor confirms that Ray Palmer is nowhere to be found in this reality. With that said, he opens a rift, and the heroes leave for another dimension. The Jokester) decides to join them and becomes a member of their party.

Moments later, Monarch and Forerunner arrive on Earth-3. Monarch offers the Crime Society the opportunity to become conquerors of the Multiverse.

In the Multiversal Nexus, the Monitors continue to debate over what to do about Bob. One of the more aggressive Monitors deems his brother a traitor and declares that he must be stopped at all costs.

| Editor1_1 = Elisabeth V. Gehrlein | Editor1_2 = Jeanine Schaefer | Editor1_3 = Mike Marts | Editor1_4 = Mike Carlin | Writer1_1 = Paul Dini | Writer1_2 = Sean McKeever | Penciler1_1 = Keith Giffen | Penciler1_2 = Manuel Garcia | Inker1_1 = Rodney Ramos | Colorist1_1 = Hi-Fi Design | Letterer1_1 = Jared K. Fletcher

| Appearing1 = **Featured Characters:** * Holly Robinson) * Jimmy Olsen) * Karate Kid) * Mary Marvel) * Challengers from Beyond ** Bob the Monitor ** Donna Troy) ** Kyle Rayner) ** Jason Todd) ** Jokester) **Supporting Characters:** * Buddy Blank) * Mickey Cannon) * Monarch) * Monitors * Serling Roquette) * Una) **Antagonists:** * Eclipso) (Jean Loring)) * Crime Society) ** Green Arrow) ** Hawkgirl) ** Johnny Quick) ** Owlman II) ** Power Ring) ** Spectre) ** Stargirl) ** Super-Woman) ** Ultraman) ** White Cat) ** Wildcat) **Other Characters:** * Athena) * Forerunner) * Kamandi) * Miss Gsptlsnz) * Mister Mxyzptlk) * Selina Kyle) **Locations:** * Fifth Dimension ** Zrrf * Multiverse ** Multiversal Nexus ** Monitor's Satellite * Earth-3 ** Metropolis ** Daily Planet * New Earth ** Metropolis *** Athenian Women's Shelter *** Project Cadmus) ** Turkey *** Ephesus **Items:** * Green Lantern Ring * Ring of Volthoom **Vehicles:** * None

| StoryTitle2 = The Origin of the Joker | Synopsis2 = The Joker was once a failed comedian who was manipulated into a life of crime. He adopted the costumed identity of the Red Hood and ran afoul of the Batman. During their initial confrontation at a chemical processing plant, the Red Hood fell into a vat of chemicals which turned his skin white, and his hair green. It also drove him insane. Since then, he has adopted the identity of the Joker and has become Batman's arch-nemesis.

| Editor2_1 = Elisabeth V. Gehrlein | Editor2_2 = Michael Siglain | Writer2_1 = Mark Waid | Penciler2_1 = Brian Bolland | Inker2_1 = Brian Bolland | Colorist2_1 = Matt Hollingsworth | Letterer2_1 = Jared K. Fletcher

| Appearing2 = **Featured Characters:** * Joker) **Supporting Characters:** * Batman) **Antagonists:** * None **Other Characters:** * None **Locations:** * Gotham City **Ace Chemical Processing Plant **Items:** * **Vehicles:** *

| Notes = * "New Frontiers" is reprinted in Countdown to Final Crisis Vol. 2 (Collected). ** 1st full appearance of Earth-3. The Crime Society of Earth-3 first appeared in a cameo in 52 Vol 1 52. They also made a cameo appearance in Countdown Vol 1 32. They chronologically appeared last in Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer: Crime Society Vol 1 1. ** 1st New Earth appearances of Buddy Blank and Kamandi. In Pre-Crisis continuity, both characters hailed from the reality known as Earth-AD. Buddy was the grandfather of Kamandi and eventually became the first O.M.A.C.. ** Mister Mxyzptlk, as he appears in this story, physically resembles his Earth-Two counterpart Mister Mxyztplk) (note the spelling). * "The Origin of the Joker" is told from the perspective of the Joker himself, and may or may not contain factual information. Flashbacks from the Joker's origin are synonymous with the history and imagery provided in Batman: The Killing Joke. It is reprinted in the 2019 edition of Batman: The Killing Joke Deluxe Edition (Collected) as well as the Absolute Edition.

| Trivia = * In "The Origin of the Joker", one of the Joker's perceived possible origins is that of a mob killer named Napier. This is a nod towards the characterization of the Joker in the 1989 film *Batman)*. In the movie, Jack Nicholson plays a mobster named Jack Napier who later becomes the Joker. The Jack Napier alias has never been established as a canonical real name for the comic book version of the character. To date, the Joker's true name is still a mystery. * Buddy's grandson is seen playing with a brown dog. This may be the New Earth counterpart to Doctor Canus), a talking canine character who appeared regularly in the *Kamandi* comic book series.

| Recommended = * 52 * Countdown * Countdown: Arena * Countdown: The Search for Ray Palmer * Countdown to Adventure * Countdown to Mystery

| Links = * [https://www.silverbulletcomics.com/news/story.php?a=5002 Countdown Counseling at Silver Bullet]

Creative credits

Writers: Paul Dini, Sean McKeever, Mark Waid

Interior art: Keith Giffen, Manuel Garcia, Brian Bolland

Color: Hi-Fi Design, Matt Hollingsworth

Source records & attribution

Panel Profits keeps each source identity attached to its edition record.

COMICBASE: comicbase:293763

GCD: 374865

PANEL PROFITS: 3379686