Justice League Legends #1

[Glippernip]

LEGENDS OF THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA

#1: INVASION!

Written and Edited by Joel A. Sawyer



PRELUDE:

“There were four of us there the night my life changed. I had been having second thoughts about a life of crime anyway. I had never killed anyone and didn’t really want to.”

Four men stalk purposefully to a large building near a sign that reads ‘Property of Carlton Quality Chemical Works’. Quickly, the largest man pries open the door and the quartet enter just before a security cam swings back toward the door.

“I don’t think we really thought it all out. I mean, who robs a chemical manufacturer, anyway? Would we have known if we found something valuable? See, we weren’t even very good at crime.”

The robbers stealth across a floor of a warehouse area when the lights click on, two security guards having just entered from a different door.

“They were rent-a-cops. We should’a just ran away.”

Three of the four robbers open fire with pistols while retreating, and the guards shoot back. As the criminals back up, a tall skinny crook with black greasy hair is hit by two bullets, in the chest and shoulder. As the injured man’s ‘friends’ leave him behind, chemicals spraying from other bullet holes in two different containers soak the wounded man. He stumbles into a third container, knocking it over and splashing himself with another substance, which mixes with the first two chemicals and the man’s blood. He collapses in the puddle, his blood flowing from him.

“They called me Eel O’Brien. Right there, I really should have died, but I couldn’t even get that right!”

END OF PRELUDE.

[Glippernip]

FAWCETT CITY:

The young black haired Billy Batson was actually first to physically face the threat. In the middle of lunch-time traffic, as the news reported the monstrous rainstorm hitting Manhattan Island in New York, a monster of a different type landed at the outskirts of town. It was human-looking but huge, over 20 foot tall, wearing bluish-purple garb with boots, gauntlets, chest harness, and helmet, like armor. It held a huge metal spear in its hand. As Fawcett residents flee in terror, the being roars, “I am Devilance, the Huntsman! Bring your Captain Marvel or I will destroy this putrid community!”

After seeing this on the live news feed dominating Fawcett TV networks within 5 minutes of the giant’s arrival, Billy ducks out of sight, shouts, “SHAZAM!” Then lightning strikes.

**********************************

[Glippernip]

Moscow, Former Soviet Union:

One other felt what was coming even as Devilance approached Fawcett, a being who had only revealed himself to a handful of mortals in recent years. He had never before needed to become involved.

Zatanna Zatara sits in an old Moscow museum library inspecting ancient writings. Her most recent stage tour over, she had returned to studies. What she knows about mystic arts could fill volumes; what she didn’t know could fill libraries such as this. Big libraries.

Somewhat short with black hair and a young, pretty face, she is not as youthful as she appeared, which greatly helped her stage show. Now she wears a simple long greenish dress and a thick grey half cloak which was more for warmth than decoration. Her face wrinkles slightly and her eyes look up, though she maintains her posture, otherwise not moving. She feels him coming and quickly settles on the words she would utter to bind a would-be attacker.

With a sudden whoosh of air, a figure appears before her. He dresses in a nave blue three piece suit with an ankle length formal cape and matching hat, appearing completely human although his eyes remain in shadow at all times as if he has no eyes at all. Zatanna forces herself to stay relaxed but ready. She isn’t a warrior by any definition, but she still learned some lessons from her time spent with a certain Gotham City millionaire.

“So,” she offers, “I assume you are looking for me?”

“Zatanna Zatara, I am a Stranger to you,” the being booms in a deep, loud, baritone voice, “but we are needed. A great evil threatens to consume this world like an inferno and must be confronted!”

“If you wanted a date, you could have just asked,” Zatanna answered coyly.

[Glippernip]

“Calm down, big fella,” Captain Marvel commanded, his deep, adult voice still surprising the boy inside.

Devilance grinned a vicious, triumphant smile. “Lord Darkseid will be so pleased with me! This will be my greatest hunt yet!” With that declaration, the giant charged.

Holy Moley! Cap thought, I hope he’s not as tough as Black Adam was!

With the swiftness of Mercury, Marvel sidestepped Devilance’s downward chop and punched the huge man in the chest, the Wisdom of Solomon telling him not to hit too hard until he was sure of his opponent’s toughness. Lance stumbled backward.

“You are indeed powerful, my crimson prey,” Devilance intoned, “truly a worthy prize for the greatest hunter of Apokolips!”

“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Cap replied, “but I won’t go with you and I won’t let you hurt anyone.”

“DON’T PRESUME YOU ARE MY EQUAL!” Devilance shrieked, moving to the attack.

Over the next two minutes, they battled at each other, with Marvel increasing the power of his punches while dodging spear attacks. Devilance attempted to block occasionally, but he seemed to rely on his overall toughness to take Cap’s blows. Finally, a sideswipe of the huge spear caught Captain Marvel flush. It did not penetrate the hero’s skin but it did hurt, and he crashed to the nearby street.

Devilance nonchalantly tossed a strange round object towards his quarry, and as it reached Marvel, it popped and created a conflagration of bluish energy that tried to consume Cap!

“My information indicates you can take that amount of damage,” Devilance quipped, “but it should make you ready for transport.”

“Then you’ve been misinformed. Sorry.” Cap rose up out of the energy field. The field had been quite large and literally destroyed the nearest structures on each side of the street.

“There could have been people in these buildings,” Marvel said in a shocked tone, “You may have just killed dozens!”

“What care I the lives of mortals?” Devilance sneered.

A moment later, Captain Marvel ripped the spear from the giant’s hand, throwing it out of reach. Cap grabbed the huge man from behind, lifting the Titan off of his feet.

“Fool! Devilance can control his own weight and density!” With that, the huge man’s weight increased, which Cap noticed immediately.

Yet the hero didn’t drop him. The Hunter from Apokolips could not believe it, but Captain Marvel carried the Titan out of Fawcett! The attacker twisted and flailed though, and Marvel lost his grip.

“Such a paltry fall will do me no damage,” Lance bragged as he began to fall.

Then he flew upwards as the quick, attractive, and very feminine Mary Marvel pushed him upward.

“Where do you want him, Captain?” she said with a bright smile, her brown hair flowing in the breeze.

“I don’t ‘want’ him at all, Mary,” Marvel stated, “but I think I know what to do with him.”

At his suggestion, Mary dropped Devilance toward an abandoned parking lot. Together, Cap and Mary pushed Lance downward using their strength and speed to slam Devilance to the ground. As they watched, the giant slipped into unconsciousness.

“What was his problem?” Mary asked, her brow furrowed.

“I don’t even know,” Cap answered, “He just showed up and started calling for me!”

As they spoke a black four-door car pulled into the parking lot with two large trucks, out of which a dozen soldiers in black uniforms jumped out. They began to inspect Devilance while a man stepped out from the back seat of th car and waved for the heroes to join him. Captain and Mary landed and studied the man. He stood about 5' 7" tall, a bit short, and wore a blue three-piece suit over an average human build. His red hair was loosely styled and he wore dark shades that hid his eyes. The man revealed a large badge with a name and number.

“I am G. Gordon Godfrey, agent of the DEO. Would you mind speaking with me for a few minutes?”

“Certainly, Sir,” Cap answered, and Godfrey smiled a wide, friendly, ingratiating grin.

*****************************************

[Glippernip]

He should have known I’m not a summoner, Zatanna thought in a huff, I’ve never liked calling up creatures.

She remembers The Phantom Stranger as he called himself had stated that there was another he needed to approach and gave her a strange green piece of rubbery substance as a guide. Then, he transported her to a place apparently on the Florida coast and left.

“He’d better be right about this threat to Earth’s peace,” she whispered. Sitting on a concrete overlook with the ocean spread out before her, she began her spell.

“Secrof fo eht dniw dna eht retaw, reviled em ruoy nos ot esae siht s’dlrow lirep!”

This kind of summoning made Zatanna sick to her stomach, and she never would have succeeded without the material Stranger had provided as well as a boost of mystical energy he had granted. As she stared, a figure began to appear before her, a tall, muscular, regal figure with blonde hair, an orange scaled shirt, and green pants of the same material as provided by The Stranger. The summoned being looked around at his surroundings, then at her angrily.

“I don’t particularly like the surface right now,” a dripping wet Aquaman told her, “If you want a prisoner, I will make you regret choosing me!”

Zatanna stood up, obviously weakened by the spell. “I’m not trying to capture you,” she told him, “In fact, as weak as I am right now, I don’t know if I could even defend myself. My name is Zatanna, and I am a bit of a sorceress.”

“That explains how I arrived here, but not why,” Aquaman spat, “I have little patience today, sorceress.”

“A great danger has arrived on Earth. Even now, I’ve heard of attacks in New York, Fawcett City, Central City. More are coming.”

“And how does this concern me?”

Zatanna paused. “I...was told you were a hero.”

He snickered. “Below the waves, maybe. The surface world has not been my greatest ally. Ask Superman to help you.”

“He’s already involved, or will be,” Zee snapped, a little annoyed at Aquaman’s reaction, “In fact, a gathering of Earth’s defenders is taking place, including a few who haven’t been seen yet!”

“I still don’t see...”

Zatanna interrupted with a heavy sigh. “The threat comes from off world, so its not just the surface at risk. You’ve had some trouble with the ‘surface world’, right?” Aquaman nodded, and she continued, “Perhaps the surface world will treat you a little better if you’ve saved their butts?”

Aquaman regarded Zatanna coldly.

*********************************************

[Glippernip]

“We’ve seen signs of this for several weeks but didn’t know what it all meant until today.” Agent Godfrey showed pictures of strange beings. The first two showed a huge blue man floating in a storm cloud and a flaming giant with a skull-like head. “These two attacked New York today.” Next a picture of a muscular green humanoid, “This one attacked Moscow.” A picture of a grey skinned beast-man, “This one, called Kalibak, fought a National Hero in Beijing, China. The worst picture we have right now is this, though.”

Godfrey revealed a pic of a familiar blue costumed individual with a red cape. In the picture, he stood over the bloodied form of The Flash.

“But this is Superman,” Mary said haltingly.

“Yes,” G. Godfrey mimicked, “he’s fooled us all for months. As an attack began on Metropolis this morning, Flash and Superman were running a race for charity. Once the attacks started, they returned to Metropolis where Superman turned on Flash and put him in the hospital. Superman has killed several Federal agents since then. That’s why we need you, Captain Marvel. Superman is extremely powerful. We think you may be the only one strong enough on Earth to counter him.”

It was like a waltz to The Glorious Godfrey, a son of Apokolips. Give mostly truth to make the lies believable. In the car, his sister Amazing Grace gently nudged the Marvel’s with her ability to manipulate minds, pushing Cap’s mind from confusion towards anger.

“If Superman has turned against Earth, you can count on me to bring him down,” Cap said angrily.

“I knew we could count on you,” Godfrey said without smiling. Though he wanted to.

************************************

[Glippernip]

INTERLUDE: ‘Eel’ O’Brien

“So I survived being shot and doused in chemicals. The security guards must have thought I was already dead, so I tried to catch my partners, but they were already gone. I felt numb all over.”

Patrick ‘Eel’ O’Brien stumbles away from the chemical plant, his clothes eaten away by corrosive substances. He grabs a shirt off an outdoor clothesline to look more presentable, then he catches a news report on a television about the attacks on New York, Fawcett City, Metropolis, and other locations.

“Yeah. Monsters! Real Japanese giant monsters, Godzilla kind of stuff! It made my problems seem small. Still, I had been shot and needed a doctor. I hadn’t even noticed yet that I had stopped bleeding.”

Eel stumbles down the street and pedestrians begin to point. One woman screams and flees, and O’Brien looks up suddenly, expecting to see flying monkeys or something. He realizes that everyone is retreating from HIM, and he looks at himself in a near window.

In horror, Patrick O’Brien sees that the skin on his face is literally slipping from his skull as if he were melting! In fact, his entire head was now malformed, misshapen, drooping.

“And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, was the moment where I almost went completely, certifiably insane.”

To Be Continued...