JLA – 62

Synopsis

Somewhere in Delhi, several native women cower in a back room of an Amazon safe hold. Two Amazon warriors rush to the defence of these women but are quickly dealt with by a living rock creature at the command of a foreign army general.

Meanwhile in the training facility at the Watchtower, Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman engage in some “therapy”. Using her golden Lasso of Truth, Diana attempts to help J’onn deal with his loneliness and guilt over accidentally releasing the White Martians recently. Afterwards they retreat to Diana’s quarters and Diana admits she has felt the pain of loneliness too now that her mother is dead. As J’onn exits Diana becomes aware of Plastic Man’s hidden presence and dismisses him with a blow to his ego.

Suddenly Diana is called to the infirmary as her two agents from Delhi arrive with rock and dirt bonded to their flesh. They have brought with them a panicked woman, named Aliani, who speaks a language that the Watchtower cannot translate. With a little help from Green Lantern’s ring the JLA are able to find out that Diana’s Amazon sisters were injured while trying to return the woman’s son to her. Apparently he has been kidnapped by her nation’s (allegedly cruel) dictator, Rama Khan of Jarhanpur.

The JLA quickly assembled and they debate whether this situation requires their intervention. Despite the team’s reservations they follow Diana to Jarhanpur expecting to find a totalitarian hellhole but instead arrive to find a thriving paradise. They are immediately greeted by Rama Khan, who arrives by erupting from within the earth on a spire of glass and decoration; it is obvious he wields great power. He instructs his army to make accommodations for the JLA and no sooner does he snap his fingers then the world’s mightiest heroes are experiencing the lavish dressings of this hidden culture.

Diana is not content and accuses the Rama Khan of kidnapping Aliani’s child. Rama Khan explains that Jarhanpur is a very special place. It would seem that every few generations the land chose a new Rama Khan to be its representative and honor the land. As long as the people do their part there will be no war, no hunger, or no drought. Rama Khan goes on to explain that Aliani is actually an outlaw because she tried to kidnap her son, without her son to serve as the new Rama Khan then Jarhanpur would be cast into darkness and fall apart.

J’onn scans the populace and Rama Khan and it would appear he’s telling the truth. Diana, unsatisfied with her teammates’ attitudes, calls for a conference. In the blink of an eye the JLA exists within J’onn’s mind. Diana chastises her teammates for their apparent lack of concern. Superman suggests that maybe her fervor is related to the loss of her [Diana’s] own mother. Before she can respond the JLA are forced out of J’onn’s mind and teleported just outside of Jarhanpur.

Stumbling to recover from the mental jolt the JLA are caught off guard by the Rama Khan who arrives through the land and respectfully asks that they leave. When Diana refuses Rama Khan unleashes the power of the land on her and her teammates. Diana rushes for Khan, who has become a giant, and attempts to discover the truth from him with the help of her lasso. When her lasso reveals that Khan is telling the truth Diana doesn’t know what to do. She is left in shock. Before she can recover Khan pounds her into the ground, placing her in a catatonic state and breaking her lasso.