Countdown: Arena

Cover to Countdown: Arena #1. Art by Andy Kubert.

Countdown: Arena is a four-issue DC Comics weekly series written by Keith Champagne that is slated for publication in December 2007. Spinning out of Countdown, it will feature Monarch (Nathaniel Adam) organizing battles between the various different versions of Superheroes from the 52 Earths of the Multiverse. He will then add those he deems worthy to his army, in preparation for his battle against the Monitors. Solicitations for the event shows that Monarch will specifically want to add a Superman, a Batman, a Wonder Woman, a Green Lantern, a Flash, a Blue Beetle, a Nightshade, a Starman, and a Ray to his army.[1]

Combatants

Batmen

• Batman of Earth-19: A Batman who started his career in the 1880s and fought against Jack the Ripper. Featured in Batman: Gotham by Gaslight.
• Batman of Earth-40: A Batman who was a covert government operative under the alias the Bat during WWII. Featured in JSA: The Liberty Files.
• Batman of Earth-43: A Batman who became a vampire after fighting Dracula. Featured in Batman & Dracula: Red Rain.

Supermen

• Superman of Earth-15: As verified by Keith Champagne, this Superman is Christopher Kent, who in the main DC Universe is the son of General Zod. On Earth-15, Zod is also Superman, apparently replacing Kal-El. Zod (as Superman) of Earth-15 first appeared in Countdown #30 (October 2007); Chris Kent of Earth-15 has not yet made an appearance in a comic book.
• Superman of Earth-30: A Superman who was raised in Communist Russia in the 1950s and eventually helped the Soviet Union nearly rule the world. Featured in Superman: Red Son.
• Superman of Earth-31: A super-patriotic Superman as seen in All Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder, Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again and Batman: The Dark Knight Returns.

Wonder Women

• Wonder Woman of Earth-18: A Wonder Woman who was the sheriff of a western town in the 1890s. Featured in Justice Riders.
• Wonder Woman of Earth-21: A Wonder Woman who started her career in the 1940s. Featured in DC: The New Frontier.
• Wonder Woman of Earth-34: A Wonder Woman who freed women from the cruel oppression of King Jack in 19th Century England. Featured in Wonder Woman: Amazonia.

Green Lanterns

• Green Lantern of Earth-5: A Green Lantern named Hal Jordan who comes from a world home to Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family.
• Green Lantern of Earth-12: A Green Lantern from a world featuring a Batman beyond anything imaginable.
• Green Lantern of Earth-32: A Green Lantern named Bruce Wayne who found Abin Sur's power ring. Featured in Batman: In Darkest Knight.

Blue Beetles

• Scarab of Earth-26: An actual Blue Beetle from a world home to Captain Carrot. He is mentioned in different interviews with Dan Didio in regards to Arena and named in one with Keith Champagne.
• Blue Beetle of New Earth: The Blue Beetle who debuted during Infinite Crisis.
• A Swarm of Blue Beetles

Nightshades

• Nightshade of New Earth: The original Nightshade, Eve Eden, who can manipulate and control darkness. A member of the Shadowpact.
• Nightshade of Earth-13: She is mentioned by Dan Didio in the Countdown 33 interview which talked about the upcomming Countdown: Arena, and that this character will be involved in Arena.

The Ray

• The Ray of Earth-10: A fascist Ray who bears a glowing Swastika on his chest.
• Apollo of Earth-50: Member of Wildstorm Universe's The Authority.

Website

On September 14th, 2007, DC launched an Arena website where fans can vote for which heroes will appear in Monarch's army. So far, the only heroes that people are able to vote for now are alternate versions of Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman. [2]