Originally posted by R.O.T. Yahman
What is the Anti Life Equation ? 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Life_Equation
In Jack Kirby's original comics, the Anti-Life Equation is said to give the being who learns it power to dominate the will of all sentient and sapient races. It is called the Anti-Life Equation because "if someone possesses absolute control over you - you're not really alive!" (Forever People #5). Most stories featuring the Equation use this concept. A full version of the equation supposedly existed in the mind of the millionaire "Billion Dollar" Bates, but he took it to his death.
In Jim Starlin's miniseries Cosmic Odyssey, the Anti-Life Equation is revealed as a living entity, which even Darkseid cannot control, and is subsequently destroyed. This version has not been referred to again.
The JLA story Rock of Ages (1997), by Grant Morrison, includes a future in which Darkseid has learned the Anti-Life Equation, and taken control of both New Genesis and Earth. Earth's population is kept submissive by a constant broadcast of the Equation.
In JLA Annual #2 (1998), written by Ty Templeton, Felix Faust explains that an ancient sorcerer, maddened by his ressurection, plans a spell that will "remove the life frequency from the universe". Superman calls this the Anti-Life Equation.
In Walt Simonson's Orion (2001), it is revealed that Darkseid and Desaad have gained the Equation from clones of Billion Dollar Bates. In stopping them Orion learned the Equation, and tried to use it to make people happy and good, but realised that the supression of free will is always a bad thing. It was later revealed that Mister Miracle knows the formula, but is one of the few with the willpower not to use it.
John Ostrander's Martian Manhunter series (2001) revealed that, long ago, Darkseid learned of the Martian philosophy that free will could be described by a "Life Equation". This led him to consider that there must be a negative corollary to this equation.
In Seven Soldiers: Mister Miracle (2005), by Grant Morrison, Darkseid (or Dark Side, as he now calls himself) has gained full control of the the Anti-Life Equation. By speaking, he can insert the full formula into people's minds, giving them the mathematical certainty that life, hope and freedom are all pointless. Shilo Norman (the current Mister Miracle) is able to break free from this with the help of Metron.
In the animated series Justice League Unlimited, Darkseid finally gains access to the Anti-Life Equation through Lex Luthor. On the verge of killing Superman after vowing to get revenge on him by destroying him and his adopted planet Earth, Lex Luthor reveals the Anti-Life Equation to Darkseid, and they both end up disappearing. It is not known what happened to either Lex Luthor or Darkseid, but Darkseid's carnage on Earth is finally put to an end by an unlikely source in Lex Luthor.