New Year's Evil: Darkseid #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of February, 1998.
Synopsis for "Shadows in a Greater Darkness"
Desaad and Granny Goodness discuss the unstable political state of Apokolips now that Darkseid is dead. Granny questions Desaad's loyalty and suggests he might have caused Darkseid's disappearance to steal the throne. Insulted, Desaad takes a torturing knife from his coat and swings it at Granny, but Kanto shows up in time to knock Desaad out. However, the reason for Kanto's timely arrival is to warn them about Virman Vundabar's fleet coming to attack them, attempting to usurp the throne. Desaad reawakens and unleashes hordes of Parademons to attack Vundabar's soldiers.
The civil war Granny and Desaad feared breaks out in Apokolips, but they put their differences aside and get into a Mark VIII Pacifier armor to dismantle Vundabar's army. With their armor, they press on and turn the battle in their favor. When Desaad is about to squash Vundabar, something inexplicable happens that halts the fight: Darkseid's stone statue comes to life and speaks to them. The stone giant destroys Vundabar's ship and Desaad's armor. The statue, controlled by Darkseid's will from beyond the Source Wall, speaks to his subjects directly, telling them they should focus their strengths on their real enemies: New Genesis. Struck by fear, Desaad asks his master if he knows a way to free himself from the Source, but the titan goes silent and returns to its natural position, letting Desaad and Vundabar go.
With the the civil war averted, Darkseid's elite learns once again the extent of Darkseid's power and the consequence of betraying him.
Appearing in "Shadows in a Greater Darkness"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Other Characters:
Locations:
- New Genesis
- Apokolips
- Granny Goodness' Orphanage
- Armagetto
- Darkseid's Palace
Items:
- Darkseid Monument
- Mark VII Pacifier
- Boom Tube (Flashback only)
Vehicles:
- Virman Vundabar's Command Ship
- Deathwings (First appearance)
- Mark VIII Pacifier