Synopsis
The story opens with a flashback to the Human Bomb blowing up a hotel and killing the United States Cabinet officials who are meeting there.
This world’s version of the Justice League was founded by Thomas Wayne after his wife and his son Bruce were killed in a robbery. The original members of the group were the Clock, Manhunter, Midnight, Mr. Scarlet, and Nightshade. They originally confined their activities to Gotham and were highly effective in eliminating crime in that city. After the bombing described above, Wayne decided the League needed to expand across the nation and also needed to recruit super-powered members.
Three members of the group – the Clock, Manhunter, and Green Lantern (the Guy Gardner version of the character) – disappeared on a mission a few years before and they are believed dead. Nightshade has left the group and is now known as Destiny. She has psychic powers but they appear to affect her mental stability – the League consults her for information but she does not actively participate.
The current version of the Justice League has eight members:
- Captain Thunder (a version of Captain Marvel).
- Flash
- Marksman
- Midnight
- Triumph (who has a lot of the same characteristics and powers as Superman
- The Unknown
- Widow –
- Wonder Woman
Three of the characters – Marksman, Midnight, and Widow – have no superpowers and their usefulness is dismissed by the other members of the group.
The issue introduces Kamburu, a fictional nation that appears to be based on Iraq or Libya. Kamburu is harbouring a mysterious figure known as Khouriga Edjem, who has been indicted by an international court. Edjem has been providing aid to Kamburu which has created surpluses of energy and food. Edjem has formed his own super powered group:
- Aqualord (A drug-addicted version of Aquaman who believes himself to be a servant of God).
- Black Adam
- Kondor
- Thane
- Wildfire
Edjem sends his team to attack a refinery. The Justice League ambushes them. In the resulting battle, Black Adam puts the Unknown into a coma and Aqualord is captured.
The issue also introduces this world’s version of Lex Luthor, who runs a scientific institute in Switzerland dedicated to developing peaceful technology.
