Anti-Monitor

One-time ruler of the anti-matter universe, the Anti-Monitor initiated the Crisis, attempting to destroy the positive-matter universe(s) and expand his own. The villain most responsible for Barry Allen’s death, he was ultimately killed in a pitched battle on the anti-matter world of Qward.

Detailed History

Ten billion years ago, on the planet Oa, the scientist Krona attempted to view the origin of the universe. In doing so he altered creation, and the universe was split into a multiverse. A second consequence was the creation of a parallel anti-matter universe, and the release of its evil into the positive-matter universe.

On the moons of Oa and its anti-matter counterpart, Qward, the Monitor and Anti-Monitor came into being. The first simply observed, while the other conquered, creating the Weaponers of Qward and transforming the greatest of them into shadow demons. Eventually, the Anti-Monitor learned of his counterpart’s existence and attacked. The war lasted millions of years, ending in a stalemate with both beings left in stasis for more than nine billion years.

Finally, on one Earth, another scientist repeated Krona’s mistake. Using an anti-matter chamber to protect himself, he probed the multiverse’s origins...and awakened the Monitor and Anti-Monitor. The Anti-Monitor manipulated the scientist’s chamber, unleashing a wave of anti-matter that destroyed his universe and funneled its energy to the Anti-Monitor.

Crisis

The Anti-Monitor began systematically destroying universes, absorbing them into the anti-matter universe and taking their power for his own. The Monitor began gathering allies, preparing for a final stand. As the campaign closed in on the last few universes, the Monitor attempted to stabilize them and recruited the heroes of five Earths.

Two acts early in this phase proved critical to the Crisis’ outcome. First, the Anti-Monitor corrupted the Monitor’s most trusted agent, Harbinger. Under her enemy’s influence, she killed her master. Second, he captured the Flash (Barry Allen) because of his ability to travel between dimensions. The Flash sat out most of the crisis in captivity on Qward, but scored a critical victory when he escaped.

In death, the Monitor’s own energies protected the last surviving universes. His sacrifice kept them alive long enough for the Earths’ heroes to confront the Anti-Monitor on Qward, where he was nearly killed by Earth-1’s Supergirl. Frustrated, the Anti-Monitor prepared an antimatter cannon to destroy the remaining worlds. As it neared completion, the Flash broke his bonds and destroyed the cannon, forcing the Anti-Monitor to try yet another tactic.

Unable to destroy the last five universes, the Anti-Monitor absorbed the energy of millions of worlds in his own universe, then traveled to the dawn of time. He planned to alter creation itself—using the energies of the heroes he knew would pursue him—such that only the antimatter universe would exist. Instead, he battled the Spectre, and while creation was changed, the result was a single positive-matter universe and a parallel anti-matter universe.

Aftermath

While most people in the new universe had no memory of the preceding events, those who had been at the dawn of time did remember. The Anti-Monitor remembered it all. Furious that one planet could defy him when thousands of universes had fallen, he pulled Earth into the antimatter universe, sending his shadow demons to destroy everything. A coalition of heroes—including a few survivors from worlds that no longer existed—took the battle to Qward once again and created a rift to send Earth back to the positive-matter universe. After repeated attacks, the Anti-Monitor was finally killed by the Superman of Earth-2.

• Primary Sources
• Art Credits
• Profiles in Print
• Appearances

Primary Sources

• Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985–1986) - Marv Wolfman and George Perez

Art

• Who’s Who in the DC Universe #16 (June 1986) - George Perez

Profiles

• Who’s Who in the DC Universe #16 (June 1986)
• DC Comics Super-Heroes and Villains Fandex under The Monitors (2010)

Significant Flash Appearances

• Crisis on Infinite Earths (1985–1986) - Marv Wolfman and George Perez
• Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths (February 1999): “The Untold Story,” Marv Wolfman
• Flash #149–150 (June–July 1999): “Chain Lightning Parts 5–6,” Mark Waid and Brian Augustyn

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