EARTH ?

     The Justice League Watchtower that loomed on the other side of the moon was dark and red, unlike the one that had been on our Earth’s moon.  It looked evil and dark, as this was the base of the Justice Lords.  They were once the great Justice League that had fought for truth and justice.  Now they were our greatest enemies.

    Inside the Watchtower, Superman, in a black and silver version of his original costume, walked into the conference room, where the other Lords were sitting around a round table.  In the room were trophies of defeated heroes, instead of some of the League’s famous battles.  One of the trophies was Cliff Steel, the Doom Patrol member known as Robotman.  Others were just junk from when they were the League.  The Lords just didn't care of the other heroes who once worshipped them as mentors, but now they just fear them.

     Superman looked at Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern/John Stewart, Martian Manhunter, and Hawkgirl.  All dark versions of their costumes resembled Superman's.

     "I'm bored," said Superman.  "People fear us now, since we turned against them."

     "And you mind wiped all the villains," said Wonder Woman.  
 
     "They were getting on our nerves," smirked Superman.

     "It's time to find some new blood," said Batman.

     "What do you mean, Bats?"  Flash asked.

     "I've been busy," said Batman, and he walked to a portal type machine.  "I've been working on a way to take over other realities."

     "You must have been busy to build that in your spare time,” said Hawkgirl.  "What world should we conquer first?"

     Superman turned to the Lords and just frowned at them.  "I want to have a little fun, while the rest of you are thinking of world domination.  It's time to end reality, and be the number one world."

     Just then, the alarm rang, and the Lords ran towards a huge monitor screen that showed  about ten to twenty ships heading towards them.  The ships began firing at the Watchtower, as the HQ began shaking.

     "Javelins," said Batman.  "That old fool has sent his Justice League rejects to fight us."

     "Then let's kick their asses," said Flash, as they went to greet their unwanted guests, but an explosion blew up in their faces.

     "What the hell..." snapped Superman, as seven unknown strangers entered the room.  They are the new Justice League, with a familiar man wearing the original Superman costume leading the charge.  "Connor, you ungrateful little bastard!  Take off that costume at once!"

     "I deserve the true mantle of Superman, ever since you screwed everyone who loved you by becoming a complete jackass," said Connor.  "And I call myself Superman Prime."

     Wonder Woman looked at the blonde haired woman donning her old costume in rage.  "Cassie, you fucking bitch!  How dare you don the mantle of Wonder Woman!"

     "Like you did to Vanessa, Donna Troy, even killing you own mother in cold blood," hissed Cassie.  "Women worshiped you as a role model, Diana, now they don't give a crap about you anymore."

     Batman looked at the man in the red and black costume with the yellow head of a robin on the chest.  "Nice to see Bruce didn't give you the mantle of the Bat, Tim."

     "It's Red Robin now, Dick," said Red Robin.  "Think about what you did to him, by sending every inmate in Arkham at him in full force."

     "It's Knightfall all over again," smirked Batman.  "Now if you brats are done talking, we’ve got some plans to make."

     As the Lords left, the JLA tried to stop them, but the whole Watchtower vanished in front of them.  There was nothing but a silver room, as the computer stopped the simulation.  A man entered with black hair with a streak of white on the side, and walking with a cane.  This was Bruce Wayne, this was Batman of old.  For the last few years, he gave Dick Grayson the mantle of the Bat, then he turned against his mentor with the help of Superman to unleash the Arkham inmates onto the former Dark Knight.

     Bruce fought them all, but one villain broke him once and for all, his former friend known as Tommy Elliot, now called Hush led the charge at Batman by brainwashing Dick into joining the winning side of the Justice Lords.

     Tim Drake was the only one he could trust now, but he didn't want to be Batman.  He took the name Red Robin, after the original Robin.  Bruce's daughter, Cassandra Cain, left Gotham City as a hermit, training, and was never seen since.

     When the other League members couldn't take what happened to the heroes who wanted to be like them turned rogue, they went into hiding.  Bruce recruited the former members of Young Justice to be the new Justice League.

     "Why did you stop the simulation, Bruce?"  Red Robin asked him.  "We need..."

     "I know, Tim, but the Lords left our world an hour ago, when I showed you the sim," said Bruce.  "From the info from one of my agents within the Lords, Superman and his so-called Justice Lords are going to various realities and worlds to take them over."

     "So, where did they go to?"  Superman Prime asked.  "They could be anywhere in the Multiverse."

     "Larry," said Bruce, as a small, plump version of Robin appeared out of nowhere.
 
     "Yes, Boss?" replied the imp.

     "Do you know where the Justice Lords are?"  Bruce asked him.

     "Mr. Wayne, I've been in various realities, and I too don't know where the Lords are," replied Larry.  "But, I think I sense reality particles in the Time Stream."

     "Do it," said Bruce.

     Larry went into a strange trance, as Bruce and the new Justice League watched on, and they saw various realities speed past them.  Until, Larry found what he was looking for.  "Found them."

     Bruce looked on in shock, as he saw where the Lords went to.  He remembered that this was the night it happened all those years ago in Gotham.  Bruce clenched his fists, and gritted his teeth in anger.  Why this night?  Why on the day of his parents' murder the Lords had to attack?

     "Go and deal with the Lords...NOW!!!" snapped Bruce, as the JLA with Larry teleported to that reality.  

     Bruce looked on as why this night of all nights the Lords chose tonight?  "Dick, we're going to help you," Bruce said, as he walked off.

     I was done.  Leslie looked on at me as I rose up from praying.  She looked at me, as she smiled and cried at the same time.  I hugged her like the boy who hugged the woman who took him in when his parents died all those years ago.  I cried, as a tear came down from my eye.

     "Superheroes don't cry, Bruce."

I turned to see Superman and the other Justice League members come out of a Boom Tube type gateway.  Their costumes were different and dark looking.  It wasn't them.

     "You're not Superman," I said.

     "I am Superman, you piece of shit," he growled in an evil voice.  The Superman I know is a boy scout who doesn't curse like a character from South Park.  "I knew you come here to mourn your parents, and we're here to pay our respects."

     I took out a Batarang just in case they would attack, but I saw my evil self do the same.  I glared at him, but I saw something familiar about the face that wasn't me.  It was Dick in the Batman costume on their side.  I turned to Leslie, as I nodded for her to leave.  As she tried to run off, their Flash caught up to her, and smiled evilly.

     "Where do you think you're going, Granny Clampet?" said Flash.  "Stay and watch the fun."

     Flash grabbed Leslie, as the so-called Justice League surrounded me for the attack.  I knew I was going to need some help with this, as they glared on at me.  I could see Superman's eyes turn red for his Heat Vision attack.  Too bad I forgot the Kryptonite, and this wasn't going to be pretty.

     I knew I could get it done faster than Bruce, as I flew down with the gunmen to the GCP for them to arrest.  I could see Commissioner Jim Gordon walk towards me in puzzlement.  I’ve helped Batman in the past here in Gotham many times when I visit.  Gordon just deadpanned at me.

     "Superman, where's Batman?" he said to me.

     "He had some special business to take care of, so he told me to help here," I replied.

     Jim just smirked.  "Tell Batman that you're welcome here in Gotham anytime, but don't press your luck."

     I smirked as well, as I flew off.  As I flew back to where Batman and Dr. Tompkins were, I sensed  something wrong when I got back.  The flowers that Bruce laid on the spot where his parents were shot by Joe Chill were crushed into dust.  Something must have happened to them, as I landed at the spot.  I could hear a groan of pain, as I turned to see in my shock Batman, hurt and bleeding in the alleyway.

     "Batman!" I shouted, as I ran to him.  I could see that someone beat the living hell out of him.  But, who could have done this to him?

     Of all the times Bruce sacrificed his body to fight crime in Gotham, he could heal.  But it was like something superhuman attacked him.  I began looking for Leslie, but she was nowhere to be found.  I had to get Bruce to a doctor.

     "They....took....her," I heard Batman say.  "It...wasn't...them."

     "Who took who, Bruce?"  I asked back.

     "The Justice Lords… took Leslie," he replied.  "They aren't the Justice League.  I know you too well, Smallville."

     "Where did these Justice Lords take her?"  I continued, but Batman went into a deep sleep.

     I couldn't take him to a hospital, but I could go to the Cave to have Alfred tend to him, while I found these so-called Justice Lords that took Leslie.  As I finished thinking, I knew I had to do the right thing to help Bruce.  I took Batman into my arms, and we flew off into the darkness.

---

     Alfred Pennyworth, loyal butler and friend to Bruce Wayne/Batman, carried a tray of hot soup and a ham sandwich to a table, so Bruce could have something to eat when he returned.

     The butler looked at the picture of Thomas and Martha Wayne that was next to the Batman's hi-tech computer, as he dusted it off with a feather duster.

     "You would be proud of your son, Mr. and Mrs. Wayne," smirked the butler.  "He does this every year, but he still can't forget what happened."

     As Alfred continued cleaning up the Cave, he could see Batman with seven other people enter the Cave.  Alfred was in shock when he saw Leslie Tompkins bound and gagged as the Green Lantern carried her with his Power Ring.  Alfred knew that this wasn't the Justice League and Batman that entered the Cave.

     "Alfred, get me the files on every villain in Arkham," commanded Batman.  

     "I know you're not Batman," said Alfred, as he took out a rifle to point at the Justice Lords.  "What have you fiends done to Doctor Tompkins?"

     "The same thing we did to your Batman, if you don't do as we say," snapped Justice Lord Superman.

     "The one thing I learned from Master Bruce is to trust no one," said Alfred.  "But you're not Superman, my friend."

     "Look here, Mr. French, just do as we say, and neither one of you won't get hurt...much," replied Justice Lord Flash.

     Alfred sighed, as he lowered down the rifle to surrender.  Justice Lord Superman just smirked, as Justice Lord Batman headed to the huge computer.  The faces of all of Batman's villains were soon on the screen, as all the Lords stood there looking at the large monitor.

     "Found him," said Justice Lord Batman.

     "He'll do," smirked Justice Lord Superman.

     "Let's break him out," said Justice Lord Flash.

     "You idiot jackass," sneered Justice Lord Hawkgirl.  "We look like this world's heroes, and we need to blend in with these fucking losers."

     "Hawkgirl's right," replied Justice Lord Wonder Woman.  "We're going to have to be the good guys here, before we can use our true vendettas.  GL, can your ring create us our old costumes?"

     "Of course," replied  Justice Lord Green Lantern.

     "What about the old people?"  Justice Lord Flash pointed to Alfred and Leslie.

     "I'll deal with that problem." Justice Lord Superman's eyes glowed red, as Alfred and Leslie screamed...

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NEXT ISSUE: The Justice Lords begin their plan, as Superman with Batman head to the Batcave to discover a major shock.  Plus, the New Justice League with Larry the Titan get help from a certain hero from the future.  As Pt. 2 of "New World Order" continues.

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WORLD'S FINEST


     Hello, and welcome to the first issue of  Superman/Batman's ongoing series.  After reading Dino Pollard's short lived run on the mini, I talked to Curt about  taking over the title, like with Birds of Prey.  I like to use stuff from the DCAU to add to my stories, with the Justice Lords, Larry the Titan, and a certain Bat from the future. 

     I like the team-up of the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight when I read Loeb's story "Public Enemies" not the DTV animated film.  I also liked the late great Michael Turner's artwork on the "Supergirl" arc.

     I’d like to say before I go is that we all need heroes, both in the real and fictional worlds.

- Patrick Moore

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