Back in the boom years the only way to make Annuals relevant was to run a company-wide crossover with deep implications for the rest of the universe for the coming year. These crossovers were very much hit or miss with the comic book fans and the Bloodlines series has long been consigned to the bargain bins.

The series ran through all 23 of DC's annuals that year and was bookended by a two-part special called Bloodbath.

The parasites came to earth to feed, but it turned out that their bite would sometimes trigger the latent superpowers of their victims.

This event has the unique honour of being the only big DC cross-title event to star the second Batman, Jean-Paul Valley. It was also the first reappearance of Superman after the Reign of the Supermen.

Very few of the heroes created during this spawning period managed to last beyond the miniseries. One major exception was Hitman who first appeared in the Demon Annual before going on to have his own 60 issue series written by Garth Ennis.

The Annuals covered the three waves of the alien attack, which included the debut of the new characters, dubbed "new Bloods":

Outbreak

The parasites arrive to the main universe and reach earth.

• ''Lobo Annual #1''; Character debut: Layla.

• ''Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #2'' ; Character debut: Edge

• ''Batman: Shadow of The Bat Annual #1'' ; Character debut: Joe Public

• ''Flash Annual #6'' ; Character debut: Argus

• ''New Titans Annual #9'' ; Character debut: Anima

• ''Superman Annual #5'' ; Character debut: Myriad

• ''Green Lantern Annual #2'' ; Character debut: Nightblade

• ''Batman Annual #17'' ; Character debut: Ballistic

• ''Justice League International Annual #4'' ; Character debut: Lionheart

Earthplague

The alien infection and the appearance of the new bloods is discovered.

• ''Robin Annual #2'' ; Character debut: Razorsharp

• ''Action Comics Annual #5'' ; Character debut: Loose Cannon

• ''Legion of Super-Heroes Annual #4'' ; Character debut: Jamm

• ''Green Arrow Annual #6'' ; Character debut: Hook

• ''Detective Comics Annual #6'' ; Character debut: Geist

• ''Justice League America Annual #7'' ; Character debut: Terrorsmith

• ''Adventures of Superman Annual #5'' ; Character debut: Sparx

• ''Hawkman Annual #1'' ; Character debut: Mongrel

Deathstorm

The attack of the parasites and their last attack in launched.

• ''Deathstroke Annual #2'' ; Character debut: Gunfire

• ''Eclipso Annual #1'' ; Character debut: Prism

• ''Demon Annual #2'' ; Character debut: Hitman

• ''Batman: Legends of The Dark Knight Annual #3'' ; Character debut: Cardinal Sin & Samaritan.

• ''Team Titans Annual #1'' ; Character debut: Chimera

• ''L.E.G.I.O.N. Annual #4'' ; Character debut: Pax

Bloodbath specials

• Bloodbath # 1. The Taker awakes.

• Bloodbath # 2.

Related Issues

• JLA in Crisis Secret Files and Origins