10 Crazy Facts You Just Have To Accept To Enjoy DC Comics

1. The Anti-Life Equation

The biggest MacGuffin in DC Comics, the Anti-Life Equation is the most dangerous weapon in the known universe. It can decimate civilisations, end entire populations, and effectively kill every living thing. It's also, literally, an equation. Which is pretty goofy.

The Holy Grail for the superest of supervillains, Darkseid, the Anti-Life Equation was first introduced as one of many wacky concepts in Jack Kirby's Fourth World stories, before being folded into the proper DC continuity. The Anti-Life Equation is pretty much what the name says. It's a mathematical equation that can, supposedly, conclusively prove the futility of life. If one is exposed to the Anti-Life Equation, the knowledge will drive them mad with a Lovecraftian fervour, causing them to kill themselves and everyone around them.

Well, it was an actual being for a while, but as of Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers mini-series, it's an actual equation. Look away now if you don't want to go all Rust Cohle from True Detective, because Seven Soldiers revealed the Anti-Life Equation to be loneliness + alienation + fear + despair + self-worth ÷ mockery ÷ condemnation ÷ misunderstanding x— guilt x— shame x— failure x— judgment n=y where y=hope and n=folly, love=lies, life=death, self=dark side.

The craziest thing about DC Comics? That the universe's greatest threat involves long division. Comics are so much fun.