Pre-Crisis CSA History

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Originally, the Crime Syndicate of America formed on a "reverse" Earth (known as "Earth-3") in a dimension parallel to that of the Justice League. History was much different on this world, a place where George Washington became a traitor to the Revolution, and Benedict Arnold was elected the first President of the United States. Crime and greed, rather than justice and work ethics, are the central values of American society, a structure in which evil was rewarded and goodness never prospered.

Welcome to Earth-3

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Much like Earths 1 and 2, Earth-3 had a long tradition of powered men and women, but rather than justice and goodness, consumed with evil intent. Earth-3 is a world where right is wrong and wrong is right. Crime and decadence are rewarded, while goodness and hard work are severely exploited. Just before World War II, the Crime Legion is formed, serving as a pre-cursor of the CSA that would plague the world in later years.

When war breaks out, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler leads his army alongside that of Britain against the evil Amerika and the Eurostates. Amerika successfully carries out the bombing of Britain and its Houses of Parliament, thus winning the war. This frees the Crime Legion to continue their reign of terror and extend it beyond Amerika's shores.

Later, Dr. Thomas Wayne watch as his wife and child are shot in cold blood by a policeman. He soon afterwards develops the ability to momentarily influence and control the minds of those around him. Dredging up an old Halloween costume, he takes on the persona of Owlman, and begins a crime spree.

A few years later, Kel-Ll comes from his home planet of Krypton (which did not explode in his dimension), and makes Centropolis his new home. Ultraman gains power by exposure to the element Kryptonite. His powers either increase with each additional exposure, or he gains and entirely new power. (A continuity problem exists here in this case, as once pointed out by Al Schroeder. Ultraman's powers are derived from exposure to Kryptonite, yet Kryptonite is created as a result of the explosion of the planet Krypton.)

There in Centropolis, Kel-Ll begins his own life of crime as Ultraman. About this same time, a renegade Amazonian warrior immigrates to Amerika and becomes known as the criminal Superwoman. A short time later, yet another alien descends to Earth in the form of a white Martian known as S'kaa M'axx. Ultraman and the Martian clash nearly immediately with one another, and S'kaa M'axx sets himself up as the Kryptonian's greatest rival. S'kaa M'axx is the carrier of the "Curse of Volthoom," which may or may not be the source of his great power. In their final battle, Ultraman seemingly kills the Martian, but this is uncertain.

Around this same time, two men meet their own fate in unique ways. John Chamberlain uses his scientific knowledge coupled with his thirst for power and develops a super speed helmet. Chamberlain develops into the criminal Johnny Quick. Across the world, Joseph Harrolds meets a mad Buddhist monk while traveling through Bahdnesia. This monk, named Volthoom, grants Harrolds nearly limitless power in the form of a power battery and matching ring. Harrolds takes on the alter-ego known as Power Ring. (There is some speculation that the monk was actually the white Martian, S'kaa M'axx, in disguise. Another theory is that the Martian met the monk sometime before his death at the hands of Ultraman, and passed over the Curse of Volthoom. Either way, the monk subsequently bestows the curse on Joseph Harrolds.)

Ultraman, using Kryptonian technology, builds a robotic servant, and calls it Brainiac.

The Crime Syndicate is Born

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The Crime Syndicate of Amerika

In time, the Syndicate's members become bored with how easy it has become to commit crimes. With no one to stand against them, they begin to search the earth for rivals worthy of their power. Finding none, they begin to look beyond the bounds of the earth. Soon, they discover the multiverse, and the existence of Earth-1 and Earth-2. The Syndicate sets out to challenge both the Justice League Of America of Earth-1, and the Justice Society Of America of Earth-2.

After a protracted battle across the three dimensions, the Syndicate is ultimately defeated, and placed inside an indestructible bubble (created by Green Lantern's ring) inside the limbo between the multiple Earths.

Around this time, Alexander Luthor begins his career as Earth-3's first and only superhero. Ultraman enlists the aid of Earth-1's Lex Luthor, and Earth-2's Alexei Luthor in his fight against the new hero. The Supermen of Earths 1 and 2 come to Alexander's call, and the trio manage to defeat their foes. The remainder of the Crime Syndicate lay low for a while after their heaviest hitter is taken down. The other two Luthors are returned home by their Earth's Superman.

Crisis on Infinite Earths

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Post-Crisis Continuity

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After the Crisis was over, the multiverse no longer existed (at least in the form that had been known before). The new Earth was a conglomerate of different Earths which had survived the crisis, and contained a mass of super-powered heroes and villains. The Justice League of Earth-1 and the Justice Society of Earth-2 now fought side by side. Other individuals, most notably Lady Quark, became the sole survivors of their Earths. Some, like Hawkman now had a convoluted past, while others such as Donna Troy seemly now possessed multiple and incongruent pasts.

The Crime Syndicate faded from memory in the new scheme of things, as if they had never existed. In time, it is learned that the multiverse still existed, but in a different form, now connected together much more tenuously than before across Hypertime. Unknown how the Earth-3 dimension either survived or reconstituted itself, the Crime Syndicate came back into existence with a new history just as had the new Earth.

This new Earth, designated as Earth-1 by its Lex Luthor, is a much darker place than the previously known Earth-3. This incarnation of the Syndicate is not content with oversight over crime, but seeks world (and later universal) domination. Now residing in an anti-matter universe known as Qward (in which the planet Qward is the center), the Syndicate's own members now find themselves syncretized with other alternate version of themselves, and reverse-mirroring their positive universe counterparts.

In addition, this new Earth possesses a quality which it had not previously, a growing crop of superheroes who rise up to stand against the Syndicate as best they can. Most of the time, however, they out-gunned and out-classed, unable to turn the tide.

It appears that Ultraman and Power Ring may have come to the positive matter Earth and assisted Animal Man against Overman. Whether the pair were from the anti-matter universe, or some other, unknown analogue is unclear. In addition, Ultraman, Superwoman and Owlman appear in the new Earth's revised history, early in the careers of Superman and Batman. Before Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne knew one another's secret identities, the two of them (along with Lois Lane) encounter the Crime Syndicate members while on a cruise ship. Along with a mirror copy of Deathstroke (who has been hired to protect Bruce Wayne), they defeat the Syndicate members and send them retreating back to their universe.

Another incident involving CSA/JLA interaction is a curiosity. While investigating a set of temporal anomalies, the CSA discovers the Flash and the Atom from yet another universe, and capture them. (This version of JLA members hail from a universe where a nail blows out the tire of Jonathan and Martha Kent just before they can discover the spaceship of a certain Kal-El. As a result, the Kryptonian baby is found by another set of parents, an Amish couple. Because of this, Kal-El does not become a member of the JLA until much later, after his foster parents are tragically killed by a super-powered villain.) After determining the JLA members are not responsible for the anomalies, the CSA let them return to their own universe. The motivations behind this kindness is unknown.

Earth-2?

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So powerful are the Syndicate that riches and possessions no longer hold any meaning or value to them. Currency among these titans comes in the form of momentary power over one another in the form of favors. They have a system known as the "favor bank," and if you owe another member a favor, it must absolutely be repaid. Owlman, though living in fear of Ultraman's vast powers, seems to hold some sway over the Kryptonian, often reminding the alien that "he has the negatives."

A sort of perverse, twisted love triangle exists between Ultraman, Superwoman, and Owlman. Ultraman and Superwoman are a couple, but Owlman constantly pursues the Amazon, and she allows secret gropes from, and rendezvous with Owlman. Superwoman further proves her twisted nature by exhibiting her "special" with Jimmy Olsen

When an airliner crashes on the positive matter Earth, the JLA investigate the crash only to find several unexplainable phenomena. The passenger's bodies are reversed, their internal organs placed on the "wrong" side of their bodies. Money in the passenger's pockets display Benedict Arnold on the one-dollar bill, and the motto "In Mammon We Trust." Discovering that the wall between universes has broken down, their investigation eventually leads to Lex Luthor.

Meanwhile, Lex Luthor has been kidnapped and replaced by his anti-matter counterpart. When the JLA confront Luthor, he reveals his true identity to them, and begs them to come to his universe for two days and help free mankind from the oppression of the Syndicate. All but Aquaman and Martian Manhunter agree to accompany Luthor back to his world.

Back in the anti-matter universe, Luthor's absence is noted during a meeting of the CSA. Deducing the existence of a counter-universe with dopplegangers of themselves, Ultraman begins making plans for a takeover of the JLA's world. Unknown to them, Luthor and the JLA are already in their universe plotting against them. The first move is made when Green Lantern places a force field around their moon base, trapping them inside.

With the CSA out of the way, the JLA launch a blitzkrieg crusade to right the wrongs perpetrated on the people of the anti-matter earth. They are each bewildered by the history and society of the planet, slowly beginning to understand just how deep the corruption runs. In Gotham, Batman is faced with a version of his father, Thomas Wayne, and a corrupt crime boss Jim Gordon.

Aquaman and J'onn J'onnz appear on the scene and battle the CSA, defeating them quite easily to the surprise of all. Back in the Qwardian universe, the JLA's efforts beginning to fall apart. Batman and the others slowly begin to understand that the fundamental nature of the anti-matter universe is directly thwarting all of their efforts. All attempts to change society for the better are doomed to failure according to the very nature of the dimension. This revelation brings despair to the JLA, but a firm resolve that can furthermore be absolved of any notion of failure. Concurrently, this explains why the CSA was so handily defeated by only a pair of JLA members, their efforts were fated to fall flat on the positive matter Earth.

In short order, the truth of the entire matter is revealed, as it becomes known that Earth-2's Luther has been manipulated by Ultraman's "robotic" servant Brainiac. When the JLA is lured into the anti-matter universe, thereby sending the CSA into the positive, and chain reaction is set in motion in the multiverse, which will eventually result in the two Earths attempting to merge in an effort to correct themselves. Since matter and anti-matter cannot exist in the same physical space, the two universes will collide in an unimaginably massive explosion.

Brainiac's plan is to set himself up in a position to be ready to absorb the energy released from this collision, thereby gaining enough power to evolve into an "Nth level intelligence." The JLA rush into action to prevent the collision, causing Superman to attempt the robot's destruction. Superman assumes wrongly that Earth-2's Brainiac is an artificial construct like the one in his own world, but when he learns that this incarnation of Brainiac is a biological organism, his personal oath against killing stays his hand.

Realizing finally that only evil can truly prevail on the dark mirrored version of Earth, knows the JLA could only prevail if they too chose a course of evil. They decide upon their own evil act, letting Brainiac win. Flash uses his powers to transfer them back to their own dimension, switching places with the CSA in the process. Incensed, Ultraman lobotomizes Brainiac to ensure he never again poses a threat to the CSA's dominance.

Now back in their own respective universes, the two polar opposite teams wonder when they will next take up arms against one another.

Mirror, Mirror

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A baby is born in Metropolis, Earth-1, a few years later. As the expectant father and hospital staff wait for the baby, the unexpected happens. Immediately after the baby is born, he begins to glow brightly, and a huge burst of energy blows every window to shards. Energy lances from the top of the building, and the baby is seen flying away at high velocity. Waves of energy emanate from the baby and fill the Metropolis sky.

Superman rushes in to save a news helicopter from crashing after getting too close to the baby's power blasts, then zig zags through the air to claim the baby. After getting knocked to the ground, Superman finally successfully rescues the child from Air Force missiles and Lexcorp Team Luthor troopers by retrieving his Fortress of Solitude sphere. He encases the child in the sphere, which he hopes will protect the city from the infant's growing powers.

Superman gets the child to the Fortress of Solitude, and places the worn out infant in a stasis field for further study. He then hides the Fortress inside the globe atop the Daily Planet. His sensor's readouts show that the infant's waves of energy contain anti-matter. Just after this discovery, the Fortress is rocked by an explosion. When he turns around to see the cause, Superman finds Ultraman hovering just over the Fortress walls.

As Superman and Ultraman battle, the anti-Kryptonian informs Kal-El that there's not much time, referring to the fact that if Ultraman remains in the positive matter universe for more than 24 hours, then Superman will be drawn into the Qwardian universe. After Ultraman knocks Superman into the baby's stasis field, causing significant damage, Superman states he knows who Ultraman is and what that stakes are.

The two are evenly matched, their battle raging through the Fortress, nearly destroying the tesseract mechanisms that allow entrance and egress to the Fortress. Superman soon realizes that Ultraman is out to kill the baby, his foe's viciousness seemingly beyond reason. Superman retrieves the baby from the stasis field and tries to think of a way to get away from Ultraman but is unable to escape before Owlman and Superwoman appear on the scene. Superwoman lassos the baby away and gives it to Owlman who holds it hostage.

Ultraman explains to them all that he traced a anomaly from the anti-matter universe through a connection between the anti-Phantom Zone and the Phantom Zone. His indication is that he believes the baby is the anomaly, but Superman pleads with his enemies that it is only a baby, though he himself begins to suspect something is amiss. It is at this point that the baby's true identity asserts itself, the Brainiac of Earth-2 "boots up" inside the baby's mind.

Brainiac takes over the Fortress tesseract forcing Ultraman and Superman away. Brainiac explains how he escaped destruction at the hands of Ultraman by transferring his consciousness into some of Ultraman's cells, initiate cell division, then escape to Earth-1 through the Phantom Zones. Finding a pregnant woman, he places himself in the womb and allows himself to be born. Exerting his control over the tesseract, he causes it to begin expanding in an attempt to destroy the Earth.

Owlman pulls what he calls a "white dwarf ingot" from a pouch (an element that works on Ultraman the way kryptonite does on Superman) to try and kill Brainiac. Ultraman launches himself at Owlman in a rage, over Owlman's assertion that he could kill the anti-Kryptonian. Superman stops Ultraman, and says that the sacrifice is necessary for the survival of both universes. No longer having the upper hand, Brainiac disappears into the Phantom Zone. Owlman reveals that the white dwarf ingot was in reality nothing more than common chewing gum.

With Brainiac gone, the tesseract is no longer under his control and reverts to normal. The Justice League is seen to have arrived on the scene to assert crowd control and help to contain the now gone tesseract. In the Phantom Zone viewer, Superwoman appears, gets her hands on the Brainiac baby and kills it. Holding his anger and horror in check, Superman orders the CSA trio back into their own universe and stay there.

The Road to Infinite Crisis

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JLA / Avengers

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Banding together, the teams fight and ultimately prevail over Krona. The fallen Guardian Of The Universe is turned into a "cosmic egg" that will be born into a new universe in a trillion years. The two separate universe are set to right, but the anti-matter universe is "reborn" in the backwash. (Multiple theories exist as to the true results of the event. It is possible that this cosmic event is what caused the Earth-3 universe to be reborn as the anti-matter universe post-Crisis. Others suggest that the anti-matter universe was already in "re-existence," and that the ripples of the Krona debacle explain the circumstances of the near future.)

The Fall of Modora

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Back in the anti-matter universe, the Crime Syndicate finally solidifies their hold over the Earth by breaking into the shielded country of Modora (covered by a sonic dome), and defeating their last super-powered enemy, Lady Sonor. Sonor, who had once been a member of the Justice Underground (a group of superpowered beings organized by Alexander Luther to stand against the CSA), is the last obstacle to the Syndicate's world domination. When Johnny Quick takes the point against her, Sonor uses her cybernetically enhanced powers to disintegrate the speedster by hyper-increasing his body's vibrations. Owlman, having planned ahead, is the only one able to stand against Sonor's sonics, and literally blows her up. Sonor is defeated and horribly maimed, but not killed.

Back in the Panopticon, Sonor is put into cryogenic storage while the CSA ponders what to do now that they rule the world. Suddenly, Johnny Quick reappears in a state of extreme panic. He informs the CSA that he was sent one years into the future, and what he saw there was nightmare inspiring: nothing. In a year or less, the CSA and their entire future ceases to exist.

Syndicate Rules

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The new world order set in place by the Syndicate has left them bored, their day to day existence closer to that of policemen than overlords. Johnny Quick dismantles a rebellion in China, causing fury in Owlman, who had been funding the in the hopes that it would give them a few moments of enjoyment in putting it down. Power Ring strides into the middle of the argument to announce he's found the perfect target for the CSA.

On the planet Qward, the planet's ruler is overseeing his tedious responsibilities, when explosions are heard around the city. Qward is being annihilated by by the Crime Syndicate, the greatest Qwardian Weaponers Of Qward and Thunderers Of Qward are being killed, unable to stand against the Syndicate's might. Then suddenly, the entire universe falls apart.

When the universe reboots, Owlman and Johnny Quick are back in their headquarters arguing over China again. As before, Power Ring walks in, but he is no longer a Kyle Rayner doppelganger, but a counterpart to John Stewart. Soon, the CSA discover chronal anomalies which lead them to believe their entire universe is only a few months old. Though they remember a history, they subconsciously sense something in not right. Tracing the disturbance to the matter universe, the CSA mistakenly assumes the Justice League is responsible, and make plans to enact their revenge.

While the JSA is busy cleaning up yet another mess caused by the universe reasserting itself after the Krona affair, the CSA enter the matter universe and take up residence in the Metropolitan Hotel. Knowing their time is short, and that the nature of the matter universe would never allow them to prevail in an assault against the JLA, Owlman hatches a plan that will allow them to ultimately prevail. Quick procures some JLA uniforms, and the evil doubles begin enacting their plans in the guise of the Justice League. Unknown to all, Qwardians have also discovered and investigated their universe's restart. Having traced the cause to the matter universe, they are on their way to destroy the source, and the CSA as well.

The Syndicate travels the world posing as the Justice League. This time around, they have 36 hours before the balance of thing are upset, so they try to hold things together by "doing good" like the Justice League. Though repugnant to them, they grit their teeth and help people and save lives. Meanwhile, Owlman has hacked the Internet and set up twelve computer hubs in cities around the world, his master plan put into motion.

As the secret tryst between Owlman and Superwoman heats up, Power Ring and Johnny Quick are roped into helping take down a group of super villains who've attacked a Star Labs facility. After being soundly defeated, the citizens standing by risk their own lives to save the duo. Catching a second wind, and using the crowd as a distraction, they finally defeat the attackers, but remain incredulous at the common people being willing to risk their lives for the heroes.

Outside the UN building, Ultraman arrives and is overwhelmed by onlookers who want an autograph from Superman. Ultraman loses it, kills over 200 people with his heat vision, rips his Superman costume off and flies away. When he contacts Owlman, he learns that Power Ring and Quick have discovered more about the source of their universe's scrambling.

The Qwardians, having found and retrieved a doomsday weapon, cut a swath across their universe on their way to the positive matter universe, destroying planet after planet along the way. Finally coming to blows, the Justice League believe they have the upper hand, but soon learn that whatever has altered the multiverse has changed the fundamental outcome of things as well. The 36 hour deadline passes during the battle with nothing happening. The two teams regroup after the JLA retreats, allowing the Syndicate to fortify their growing hold over the Earth.

Nearly down for the count, the League's big hitters are saved by the sudden arrival of the New Gods via Boom Tube, who crack open the Void Hound. Batman's group meet with little success as the Syndicate easily defeats the Elite group. Moved to action, the Syndicate arrives on the battlefield and attack the Martian Manhunter.

After a series of unexpected events and double-crossings, the Qwardians are convinced of the Earth's innocence in their universe's reconstruction. He takes his fleet back to the anti-matter universe, informing the CSA he means to destroy their world in retribution for what they desired to do to Qward. In the Watchtower, the Flash has made contact with the Contruct, a sentient colony of hyper-advanced digital life being held be the JLA. The Contruct sees the JLA as their deity, and offers to give Flash the solution to all their problems with the CSA.

The JLA, Elite and reserves enter the anti-matter universe to protect Earth-2 from the Qwardians. Having learned of the favor bank, J'onn and Superman devise a plan. They refuse to help the CSA against the Qwardians unless they ask it as a favor. Superwoman capitulates, and the CSA owe the JLA a favor.

Green Lantern John Stewart uses his ring to isolate the what they have discovered is powering the Void Hound, another Contruct. Bringing their own Contruct close enough to communicate, and it tries to convince it to stop fighting because it is no longer alone. However, the Qwardian construct evolved as a single entity and not a colony, and therefore cannot understand its positive counterpart. With the Construct's help, Lantern absorbs the anti-construct into his ring, depriving the Qwardians of a power source. The battle is over and the Qwardians retreat.

Superman confronts Ultraman about the murders outside the UN, but Owlman uses a "cosmic balance device" to send the JLA home. Down on Earth-2, the populace having witness the favor of the JLA to the CSA, begin to revolt en masse against their opressors. The Syndicate once again have their hands full.

Infinite Crisis

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Otherwise, the Syndicate's participation during the Infinite Crisis is rather limited. At one point during the crisis, Ultraman is nearly merged with Superman, Superwoman with Wonder Woman, and Alexander Luthor (Junior's father) with Earth-2's Superman. Further knowledge of the Syndicate's fate (along with that of their universe) is unknown until a later date.

Kandor

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The Secret

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A recently unearthed code was deciphered which read, "THE SECRET OF FIFTY-TWO IS THAT THE MULTIVERSE STILL EXISTS." What this means for the future of the Crime Syndicate of Amerika is unknown, but it does seem to confirm that future interaction between the universes is possible and likely.

CSA Reserves?

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There is a brief glimpse into the operations of the Panopticon, where three other individuals are seen to be hard at work. It is not known if these three are full CSA members, reservists, or servants who have been pressed into service by the CSA. It would not be a stretch of the imagination to think the latter since the CSA's members have a fundamental mistrust of anyone and everyone around them. Only the "favor bank" and the long standing relationships of the core keep their tenuous alliance alive.

The three potential reservists are:

Spaceman: an Earth-2 version of Starman.

White Cat: an Earth-2 version of Black Canary.

Doctor Noon: an Earth-2 version of Dr. Midnight.

Incongruities and Uncertainties

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There are many events which happened in the history and lives of the Crime Syndicate--and their world--pre-Crisis that no longer persisted in the post-Crisis multiverse. While much of the above history could be pieced together from various sources, there are events which can be said to have happened to the CSA or its members, but are not so easily reconciled with their post-Crisis history.

Ultraman's dog was Neutro the Ultradog. He eventually has the dog euthanised.

Ultraman's father Jur-Ll is sentenced to the Phantom Zone. He escapes, and become the Crime Lord of Kandor on Earth-1.

Power Ring's ring is redundantly unnecessary, his lantern grants him the same powers with or without his ring.

The doppelganger of Hawkman is Hro Talak of Thanagar, called the Blood Eagle.

An anti-matter/Earth-2/Qwardian style universe is destroyed by a visit from Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite of Earth-1.

Talon, who was a short-term member of the Teen Titans, may have been Tim Drake of Earth-2. Earth-2's Owlman put Jack "Rat Eyes" Drake on trial. Ultraman then kills Drake as a favor to Owlman. Owlman adopted Tim Drake.

Ultraman and Owlman are arrested at one point after trying to vandalize the Statue of Liberty.

Swamp Thing of Earth-1 once visited Earth-2.

Lex Luthor is framed by the CSA and placed in Straker's Prison.

Updated Sightings

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In addition, this version of the Crime Syndicate looks to have a doppelganger of Martian Manhunter, a personage which no incarnation of the Syndicate has ever possessed before. What does all this mean for the future. Will two different versions of the Crime Syndicate clash in the future? Will this new Syndicate discover and attack the Earth-1 Justice League? Only time will tell.