Alan Moore is one of the most influential comic writers of all time. From groundbreaking Superhero deconstructions like Watchmen to subversive works of science fiction like V For Vendetta, Moore's work has redefined what a comic book could be. In 1987 Moore pitched a story that could have been his opus. The story would have imagined a dark endpoint for the DC Universe and would have seen brutal deconstructions of DC's purest heroes. DC may have rejected the script at the time, but it appears as though they now regret that decision. For the first time ever, DC Comics is publishing the pitch to Moore's lost epic, Twilight of the Superheroes.
The series was framed around a future version of John Constantine warning heroes about the dark future he came from. In Constantine's time, the world is ruled by superheroic dynasties. The two biggest are Superman and Wonder Woman's House of Steel and the Marvel Family's House of Thunder, two dynasties close to becoming one. Heroes such as Batman and the Green Lantern Corps scramble to prevent the dynasties from merging with the marriage of Superboy and Mary Marvel. It would eventually be revealed that Martian Manhunter killed and replaced Billy Batson before the story began and that he has been secretly plotting the downfall of both the House of Steel and the House of Thunder.
The story would culminate in an alien invasion and war between superheroes that would result in nearly every powered hero dying, all according to Batman's plan. Batman saw the superheroes becoming tyrants and wanted to eradicate them. Then the story's biggest twist would come to light. Constantine was working with Batman the whole time. He hadn't gone to the past to prevent the dark future, he came to ensure it.
Though the pitch was rejected by DC, it is the most influential story they never published. While the two are radically different in many ways, Kingdom Come very obviously took inspiration from many of the story's elements such as a war between superheroes. Other ideas such as reintroducing the DC Multiverse would go on to become important plot points in future events. The script made waves as soon as it was leaked online in the '90s. As groundbreaking as Twilight of the Superheroes would have been though, DC publishing the pitch in 2020 is unfortunate at best and outright disrespectful at worst.
Alan Moore's split from DC is almost as famous as his comics. After feeling as though DC had swindled him out of profits and the rights to Watchmen, Moore left DC for good on a bitter note. This split, coupled with his anger over adaptations of his work, was enough to sour Moore on not just DC, but superheroes as a whole. Though many try to paint Moore as a curmudgeon, it's hard not to see his point given how DC has continually disrespected Moore and his work. Though the comic book prequels and sequels to Watchmen have a mixed reception among fans, they absolutely fly in the face of what Moore wanted for his characters. Given the bad blood between Moore and DC, the publication feels like it's in poor taste, especially given the fact that they had originally rejected the story.
The pitch will be published in a large collection titled DC Through the '80s, the End of Eras, a five-hundred-page behemoth that includes other Moore works such as his end to pre-crisis Superman with Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow. Twilight of the Superheroes might be one of the greatest superhero deconstructions of all time, but DC has given fans more than enough reason to hesitate before supporting its publication.