Worlds Collide (2023 comic book)

For the 1994 story, see Worlds Collide (comics).

"Worlds Collide"
Publisher	Milestone Media (DC Comics)
Publication date	February 14, 2023 – present
Title(s) Icon vs. Hardware #1–5
Main character(s)	Earth M

"Worlds Collide" is an ongoing American comic book storyline published by DC Comics through the Milestone Returns relaunch, being a reboot of the 1994 original storyline to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Milestone Media.

Publication history

"Worlds Collide" is a three-act storyline announced by DC Comics to celebrate the thirteenth anniversary of Milestone Media for 2023. It is also a reboot of the original storyline in 1994, in which the Milestone characters were officially introduced into the DC Universe. The first act is titled Icon vs. Hardware, which preview was shown in 2022's Milestones in History, with the series debuting in February 2023.

Plot

Act 1: Icon vs. Hardware

Hardware sneaks inside a secret government facility to look for Icon's spaceship, which is presumed to be inside a specific box. After evading security, he takes the box back to his safe house in Washington, D.C., but finds out there is a time machine created by Benjamin Banneker. Meanwhile, Rocket attends college while Icon still protects Dakota City. When Hardware decides to use Banneker's time machine, he speaks with his estranged father, who left him and his mother after having an affair that conceived another son. Hardware then goes to the present to kill Edwin Alva and prevent the Big Bang, causing a city without Bang Babies, but the present is not what Hardware expected, as Icon appears in front of him.

In the new timeline, Hardware indirectly kills Avila after reflecting two cops' shootings, but the trial declares Metcalf as not guilty. Years later, new metahumans are created by the government, which leads to another world crisis. Icon fights in the memory of Rocket, who died during these events. Hardware then travels to Portugal during the mid-15th century, where he attempts to stop a slave trade run by Vandal Savage. In the prime timeline, Rocket is having a fight with the school's director, which is also Savage.

After dealing with Savage, Hardware ends the trade and founds the United Continents of Africa, but despite his efforts, some events still happen. However, in the alternate timeline, Agnus prevents the bomb inside his ship, and travels to Earth. He is received by Hardware, who decided to apologize for his actions, using the machine to return to the main timeline. Meanwhile, Icon and Rocket confront Savage, when dinosaurs started appearing around Dakota City. In the middle of the crisis, Brainiac begins to invade the Earth.

During the time paradox, Static and the Blood Syndicate join the fight against armies of Nazis. Hardware then destroys the time machine before Brainiac begins invading their Dakota City. In the process, he learns there are no Kyptonians.

Following the fight, Hardware destroys the time machine to end the paradox. In the aftermath, Dharma decides to recruit the Shadow Cabinet.

Titles involved

Act	Title	Issue(s)	Writer(s)	Artist(s)	Colorist(s)	Premiere date	Finale date
1	Icon vs. Hardware	#1–5	Leon Chills Reginald Hudlin	Denys Cowan Yasmin Flores Montanez	John Floyd Chris Sotomayor	February 14, 2023	November 8, 2023

Reception

Issue	Release date	Critic rating	Critic reviews	Ref.
Icon vs. Hardware
#1	February 15, 2023	8.5/10	6
#2	April 5, 2023	8.1/10	4
#3	May 31, 2023	7.9/10	5
#4	August 16, 2023	7.3/10	3
#5	November 8, 2023	6.2/10	2
Overall	—	7.6/10	20

Collected editions

Title	Material collected	Pages	Publication date	ISBN
Icon vs. Hardware	Icon vs. Hardware #1–5	192	February 6, 2024	ISBN 177952305X, 978-1779523051