Story: "World War III" (24 Pages)

Credits: Geoff Johns and Grant Morrison and Greg Rucka and Mark Waid (plot, script); Keith Giffen (breakdown pencils); Justiano (pencils); Walden Wong (inks); Ken Lopez (letters); Alex Sinclair (colors); Harvey Richards (assistant edits); Jeanine Schaefer (associate edits); Michael Siglain (edits)

Feature Character: Black Adam (last in World War III: Book One; in World War III: Book Two and Three in between pages 4 and 5; appears in World War III: Book Four isochronically with appearances in this issue; see Comment), Steel III (next in issue #52), Booster Gold (last in World War III: Book Two)

Guest Stars: Captain Marvel (last in World War III: Book One; in World War III: Book Two in between pages 3 and 13), Atom Smasher II, Flash I, Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Mister Terrific II, Power Girl (all five in World War III: Book Three in between page 4, panels 3 and 5), Doctor Mid-Nite II, Hourman II, Jakeem Thunder, Thunderbolt, Sand (next in Justice Society of America Vol. 3 #3), Wildcat II (all six last in World War III: Book Three), Stargirl (in World War III: Book Three between pages 4 and 7), Arsenal IV, Black Lightning (both last in Outsiders Annual Vol. 3 #1), Beast Boy, Black Canary, Bulleteer, Doctor Light, Firestorm III, Geo-Force, Green Arrow, Green Lantern (John Stewart), Green Lantern (Guy Gardner), Hawkgirl II, Liberty Belle II (Jesse Chambers; formerly Jesse Quick; next in Justice Society of America Vol. 3 #1), Manhattan Guardian (last in issue #1), Martian Manhunter, Metamorpho, Obsidian, Offspring, Plastic Man, Shining Knight, S.T.R.I.P.E.; Steel IV (next in issue #52), Vixen (next in Justice League of America Vol. 2 #1), Wonder Girl II, Wonder Woman IV (Donna Troy; both next in flashback in Wonder Woman Vol. 3 #2), Fury III, Jade II, Matrix, Nuklon II (all four as Infinity, Inc. II), Aquagirl IV, Halo (both behind the scenes; all of the above characters appear in World War III: Book Four isochronically with appearances in this issue; see Comment), Captain Marvel, Jr. (in between World War III: Book One and World War III: Book Two), Mary Marvel (last in World War III: Book One), Robotman II, Bumblebee, Elasti-Girl, Mento, Negative Man, Vox III (all six as the Doom Patrol; all six in between World War III: Book One and World War III: Book Two), August General in Iron, Immortal-Man-In-Darkness, Seven Deadly Brothers, Accomplished Perfect Physician, Ghost Fox Killer, Shaolin Robot, Socialist Red Guardsman, Thundermind, Celestial Archer (latter six next in World War III: Book Four; latter nine as the Great Ten), Yeti (last in issue 52 #32; dies), Zatanna (last in issue #1), Zatara II (last in World War III: Book Three; next in Teen Titans Vol. 3 #37), Madame Xanadu, Phantom Stranger, Tasmanian Devil (last in issue #1), Jet II, Manticore II (both last in World War III: Book One), Gloss, Thunder III, Spectre III (see Comment for both), Rip Hunter

Villain: T.O. Morrow

Guest Appearance: Red Tornado II (last in issue #33)

Comments: Story continues from issue #49 and continues in issue #51.
World War III is also covered in World War III: Book One to World War III: Book Four, with pages 7 through 21 taking place isochronically with World War III: Book Four. Below is a detailed chronology of these events. A detailed chronology for each character will not be made for this sequence.
Thunder II is shown in this issue even though she along with the rest of the Outsiders were undercover at the time. Spectre III is shown as a member of the Justice Society of America at a time when he was still deciding what his role should be as shown in World War III: Book Four.

Synopsis: