Alien Alliance Invasion
A highly advanced race known as the Dominators had taken notice of Earth and its burgeoning population of superheroes, particularly after the invasion by General Dru-Zod. The Dominators created an alliance to attack Earth before they could evolve into the next Kryptonian Hegemony, citing both the rise of new metahumans and the presence of many extraordinarily powerful aliens living on Earth. The Dominators and their long-time allies the Khund were joined by numerous species including the Thangarians, Kree, Daxamites, Badoon and Vegans. A vast joint fleet was sent to Earth.
The fleet arrived in mid-2012 and opened a major beachhead in Australia before Earth's defenders could react. The Fantastic Four coordinated an immediate counterattack, and quickly slowed down the advance of the invasion in the rest of the world. A detachment of Khund are repelled by an unidentified team of mutants in New York.
After less than two days of fierce fighting, primarily in Asia, and the virtual conquest of Australia, the Alliance offered a 24 hour cease-fire to allow Earth to consider their ultimatum: hand over all metahumans and aliens, or be destroyed. Oa and the Nova Corps send observer units to monitor the invasion.
To the surprise of the Dominators there seemed to be little appetite for their terms: humankind largely refused to surrender their metahuman allies. Many suspected the Alliance was using the ceasefire to construct teleportation gateways at their numerous small beach-heads around the world, as they had in Australia.
An hour before the deadline is up the superheroes of Earth concentrate their forces for a surprise counter-assault on Australia, a plan concocted by Batman, Superman, and Reed Richards. During this battle, Superman took on the Daxamites, and was briefly overpowered as the Daxamites were empowered by the radiation from Earth's sun. Victory seemed assured until the Daxamites flew over Beijing and were exposed to high levels of lead and other heavy metals. This weakened them to the point of death. Superman dragged them into orbit to save them. Shocked by this noble action, the Daxamites withdraw from the conflict.
Without Daxamite support, the invaders in Australia are put on the defensive. Meanwhile several smaller beachheads around the world suffer setbacks - SHIELD drives the Badoon out of Washington, a hastily assembled Chinese super-team drives the Thangarians out of Jiangsu, a mysterious group of armored women drive back a Kree invasion force near Istanbul, and a small Khund force in Metropolis is defeated by a group of young heroes that would shortly afterwards become the Titans. Four vigilantes on Manhattan Island spread out across New York to suppress opportunistic villains trying to exploit the chaos of war.
The observers in space were not inactive, having infiltrated the Dominators ships. The Green Lantern known as Abir Sur joins forces with Nova Corps Centurion Garthan Saal and discover that the Dominators have fabricated much of the evidence that they presented to the Alliance. Moreover they discover plans to harvest genetic engineering data from humans to reproduce the Kree development of the Terrigen Mists and repurpose them for military purposes. The Daxamites declare for Earth and launch a surprise assault on the Khund fleet. The tide of battle starts to turn.
With this evidence producted, a combined Nova Corps and Asgardian fleet appears close to Jupiter and announces that they will join the defense of the Earth. The Thangarians flee from their ancient enemies rather than face Asgard head on. Sensing the tide turning against them, the Dominators attempt to withdraw. As a last-ditch measure the Dominators discharge their modified Terrigen Mists into the atmosphere. It has no effect on the metahumans of Earth, but does cause many delayed fatalities. The population of metahumans also skyrockets exponentially in the following months and years.
In the aftermath of the invasion, several of the most prominent heroes involved in the defense of the Earth form the Justice League. The Nova Corps declares Earth an autonomous territory under galactic law -- most major powers sign up, with the notable exception of the Dominators and Khund.
