DC Universe Secret Origins #[nn]

In this 2012 tale from DC Universe Secret Origins, Superman’s decision to team up with Powerman instead of Batman stirs tension in Gotham, leaving the Dark Knight questioning his place—until a hidden truth about Lex Luthor’s new weapon begins to unravel. The story explores the fragile trust between Earth’s Mightiest and its most guarded hero, all while a secret motive keeps Superman from revealing the real reason behind the switch.

In "Secret of the Eternal City!" from DC Universe Secret Origins #14, Earth archaeologist Adam is whisked away by a zeta-beam to the distant planet Rann, where he meets Alanna and the scientist Sardath. As alien invaders known as The Eternals lay siege to Rann, Adam and Alanna race toward the hidden city of Samakand in search of a rare life-metal called vitatron—only to find their escape is as mysterious as their arrival.

In "The Planet of Doomed Men," Hal Jordan's energy duplicate is called upon by the Guardians of the Universe to confront a terrifying threat on the distant world of Calor. Sent to save the desperate Calorians from the monstrous Dryg, the duplicate must face a battle that tests not just his power, but the very nature of his existence.

In "The Secrets of the Sorcerer's Box!" from DC Universe Secret Origins #20 (2012), four heroes—Jo, the Crimson Knight, the Mind-Reader, and the Flame-Wielder—survive a miraculous crash only to find themselves inexplicably unharmed, their watches still ticking. With their time now borrowed, they embrace bold new missions, pushing their limits for the greater good. When summoned by Morelian, a descendant of Merlin, they’re tasked with opening the four chambers of a legendary alchemist’s box and confronting wonders beyond mortal understanding.

In a tale woven from myth and destiny, Diana is born centuries ago, blessed with gifts from Aphrodite, Athena, Mercury, and Hercules. As a teenager, she witnesses the devastation of war that claims her father and all the men, then stands beside her mother in guiding the Amazons to their sanctuary on Paradise Island.

In "The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel," a brilliant scientist's accidental teleportation of a Martian to Earth sets off a chain of events that leaves the alien stranded and alone. Now, years later, the Martian—once a visitor from another world—has taken on a new identity as a police detective, navigating a planet far from home.

In a flash of lightning and chemical chaos, Barry Allen gains super-speed and channels his inner hero, donning a costume inspired by the Flash of the 1940s. His first mission pits him against a foe who moves at the opposite extreme—the slowest man alive, known as the Turtle Man.

In "Birth of the Atom!", scientist Ray Palmer pushes the limits of his reducer lens in a lab experiment gone perilous—until a cave-in traps him, Jean Loring, and students, forcing him to risk using the device on himself. What follows is a startling transformation that turns him into a human atom, surviving the impossible with no explosion, only a strange new reality.

In "How Aquaman Got His Powers!", Aquaman confronts the U.S. Navy over their planned atomic depth charge tests, using the moment to share his origin with Commander Haskel. Born to Atlanna, an outcast from Atlantis, and Tom Curry, a lighthouse keeper, Arthur possesses extraordinary abilities tied to his Atlantean heritage—abilities he discovers as a child. As he warns the Navy, the truth of his past becomes a crucial part of a larger, hidden danger.

In "The Man from Robin's Past," Batman and Robin must clear Sando the Strongman—a longtime friend of the Grayson family and the man who cared for Dick after his parents’ death—of a theft that implicates him with stolen goods found in his quarters. As the investigation unfolds, old connections and hidden pasts come to light, testing the trust between mentor and protégé.

In this 2012 tale from DC Universe Secret Origins, Barry Allen contemplates the life of the Flash without his mask—wondering what it would mean to run at lightning speed, not as a masked hero, but as himself. Set against the backdrop of a Golden Age Flash comic, the story explores the weight of identity, legacy, and the choices that define a hero.

In "The Story of Superman's Life!" from DC Universe Secret Origins #12, the Man of Steel's journey unfolds from the ashes of Krypton to the heart of Smallville, where he’s raised by the loving Kents. From his early days as Superboy to the moment he leaves home for Metropolis and the Daily Planet, this tale captures the defining moments that shaped the world's first superhero.

When a mad scientist’s Future Predictor warns Batman and Superman that Robin and Jimmy will die, the duo springs into action—only to find themselves outmaneuvered by the very heroes they’re trying to protect. In a twist of mistaken identity and clever deception, Robin and Jimmy stage a full-scale hoax to expose a secret threat: a group of master criminals who’ve stolen the De-Visor, a device that can render anyone invisible.

Wally West visits Aunt Iris and gets an unexpected surprise when he meets the Flash in his lab—only for a lab accident with mysterious chemicals to give Wally a shocking new power. Now racing through Central City with a hero’s heart, Wally must use his newfound speed to track down a zoo escapee on the loose.

When Dr. Bruce Gordon’s scientific expedition goes awry during a solar eclipse, a malevolent force known as Eclipso seizes control of his body and destroys his life's work, Solar City. Now haunted by the entity he can't fully understand, Gordon teams up with Professor Bennett in a desperate bid to uncover the truth before Eclipso strikes again.

In "Creature of a Thousand Shapes!", Thanagarian officers Katar and Shayera track a shape-shifting fugitive named Byth to Earth, where they're aided by Police Commissioner Emmett in going undercover. As they work to bring the criminal to justice, their mission unexpectedly becomes a turning point in their lives—leading them to consider staying on Earth, far from home.

When June and Alan attend a mysterious costume ball at an old estate, a sudden gong sets the night spinning—literally. As a glowing minotaur on a tapestry pulses with life, June tumbles into a hidden passage, where a strange figure reveals a shocking truth: she is the only one who can face the evil haunting the castle, and the key to stopping it lies within her as The Enchantress.

In "I Was the Man with Animal Powers," Buddy Baker finds himself temporarily gifted with animal abilities after encountering a mysterious alien spacecraft. With his new powers, he teams up with a circus to track down escaped animals and confront a strange alien creature that shares his same strange abilities.

When Congo Bill rescues tribal Chief Kawolo from a jungle peril, the chief gifts him a mystical ring that allows him to swap minds with a golden gorilla—transforming him into the mighty Congorilla. Now hunted by a film crew eager to capture the intelligent beast on camera, the hero must navigate the wilds while keeping his secret—and his humanity—intact.

In this 2012 western-frontier tale from DC Universe Secret Origins, El Diablo rides into a dusty frontier town with a mission that’s as much about justice as it is about redemption. When he intervenes to save an old gold miner trying to support a widowed woman, he uncovers a deeper threat—the ruthless Hooded Man's Gang, whose true intentions run far beyond a simple robbery.

In "null," hard-boiled detective Jim Corrigan takes on a dangerous job targeting Gat Benson, only to be captured and killed in the process. When a voice from beyond calls him back, Corrigan awakens with supernatural powers, determined to stop Benson and save Clarice—though the full scope of his new mission remains uncertain.

In "null," a chilling confrontation unfolds when Benson and his thugs, having just murdered Corrigan, turn their attention to the sole surviving witness, Clarice. Before they can finish her, Corrigan’s ghostly form emerges, a spectral force of retribution rising from the shadows to face them.