Justice League #34

Issue Details

Synopsis

INJUSTICE LEAGUE,  EPILOGUE: UNLIKELY ALLIES Leonard Snart wakes from a nightmare in a suite furnished to him by LexCorp. Mercy offers him some breakfast before beginning a full day of working as head of security for Lex Luthor, assessing and handling the numerous threats that Lex receives on a daily basis. As he shaves in the bathroom, Leonard receives a visit from his old friend Mirror Master, who wonders when Captain Cold will be returning to the Rogues - the job with Luthor can't really be enticing someone like Leonard. Cautiously, Leonard confides that he is at LexCorp to pull the biggest job of their lives.   Meanwhile, downtown, Lex complains to Superman that it is his fault that super-villains like Grodd come to Metropolis. He further complains that with his monetary contributions to the Justice League effectively replacing those of Bruce Wayne, it seems like Batman is no longer bringing much to the table. Superman responds that Lex's perspective hinges on the fact that he can't understand things that don't have tangible value. Lex will never be a true member of the Justice League until he can accept and believe in Einstein's famous aphorism that only a life lived for others is worth living.   In Detroit, Shazam worries that he and Cyborg should be fighting Grodd in Metropolis too. Instead, Vic is receiving repairs and upgrades from his father at S.T.A.R. Labs after he took a blast from the Crime Syndicate's Power Ring. Annoyed, Vic allows Shazam to go fight Grodd while he and his father discuss the strange vision he saw when he connected with the ring. Vic admits that Lex's warnings that something is coming to their world are correct. Silas warns him against trying to connect to the ring again for a clearer vision, lest he be trapped inside it.   At the Watchtower, the Flash examines the ring on Jessica Cruz' finger, warning that she is wearing one of the most dangerous weapons in the universe. Fortunately, she managed to force its consciousness into dormancy for a while, but she worries what she might have been forced to do if the League hadn't helped her to stop. The rings of the Green Lantern Corps, Barry explains, are designed to help their users overcome great fear by channeling willpower. This ring, though, seems to have a will of its own, that amplifies and feeds on fear. When Jessica is most afraid, it can control her. Unfortunately, Jessica is frightened by that prospect, and the ring begins speaking to her again as she realizes that she is not wearing the ring, the ring is wearing her. Barry attempts to calm her by reminding that the ring can't make her do anything she won't allow it to.   Elsewhere, Lex helps Wonder Woman in bringing supplies to a third-world country, as he challenges her to test his commitment to the League by wrapping her Lasso of Truth around him. Patiently, Diana warns him to listen to her. She tells him of how she grew upon Themyscira knowing about the evil the outside world was capable of. Since coming to the outside world, though, she learned about the good in it, and saw that there is more of it than most people think. She admits that Lex has done good - but she suspects he would not be so forthcoming about his motivations for doing so. Determinedly, he looks her in the eye and responds that ultimately, his motivation is to build money and power.   Diana directs his attention to the people they helped today, and points out that they don't care how much power Lex has. A small girl steps forward and presents a small potted flower. Diana translates that the girl grew the flower herself, and that her flowers were the only pretty things in their village until she and Lex arrived. Lex assumes she was speaking of Diana, but the girl offers him the flower. Taking it, Lex embraces the little girl, though he is confused about how he should react.   Barry tries to explain that the amount of fear that Jessica lets consume her is up to her to decide. Jessica realizes that he's right - that nobody can help her but her - and she has to put a stop to the ring herself. Using strength of will, she forces the green energy back into the ring, and Barry admits that he is proud. He offers to take her to S.T.A.R. Labs to try to remove the ring, but Jessica responds that she doesn't want it removed - she wants to learn to use it.   At Wayne Tower, Lex and Bruce Wayne seal a deal between their two companies, prompting Lex to gloat over how Bruce changed his mind about rejecting their partnership initially. Bruce responds that he won't tolerate surprises, and he suspects Lex doesn't know what it means to change the world, as he claims to want to do together. He explains that when his parents died and he chose to become batman, his life was only about himself: his pain, his anger, and his way of processing them. When he first went out as Batman, though, his life became about everyone else. Luthor, on the other hand, is no different from the people he puts away in Arkham Asylum, save that he has the luxury of being able to hide in plain sight. Sooner or later, though, he warns, he will catch Lex. Smirking, Lex excuses himself to prepare for a press conference. Once alone, Bruce reports to Superman that Lex took their bait - tomorrow, they will arrest him.   At his press conference, Lex promises to announce what he means when he says that his role in the Justice League is the beginning of a new era on the next day. Afterwards, Lex confides that something worse than Superman or the Justice League threatens all he's built today, and hard choices will have to be made. To that end, he has recruited Owlman as his ally in making those choices. Owlman agrees, in exchange for Superwoman's child.