Justice League: Futures End #1

Issue Details

Synopsis

HOME WORLD,  PART 2 OF 2 A breakout has occurred in the prison for super-humans that the Justice League built on the planet Mars. That breakout was engineered by Captain Atom, who blames the league for his shift from good to evil. The League holds him responsible for millions of deaths, warning that he deserves worse than to be locked up on Mars. Captain Atom responds that they cannot kill him - and that the sacrifices he made saved billions of lives. Now, though, he intends to escape at any cost.   Decisively, Equinox stands in his way, demanding that he release his hostage, the Martian Manhunter. Unfortunately, her ice blasts are nothing against him, and he grows to a gigantic size, destroying the prison, as he explains that nothing can hold him. They will set him free today, or everyone on the planet will die.   Outside, The Flash and Cyborg are unsure of what to do other than keep fighting. Unfortunately, their efforts have little effect, and Captain Atom can counter their every move. They receive help, though, from Wildfire, having heard Manhunter's telepathic call to all the former members of the Justice League United.   In the rubble of the prison, thanks to Equinox's ice, the others have survived, along with Grodd, who is not deterred from his desire to see them all killed. Equinox freezes his head in a block of ice, buying them time to search out Manhunter in the debris.   Above, the other Leaguers attempt to hold back the criminals Captain Atom released as a distraction to allow his own escape. Fortunately, though it is difficult, they succeed to face Captain Atom undistracted. Seeing no alternative, he decides that he should destroy himself. The energy dispersal will surely shut down the force-field around the planet, and eventually his body will reconstitute itself. His death would be temporary. His opposition's would not.   Determined, Equinox shoots up out of the rubble, insisting that there will be no more death. Captain Atom is unmoved by her, but she explains that he has been distracted enough to lower his guard - allowing Martian Manhunter to enter his mind. Instantly, he finds himself in his own memories, at his old house in Clyde, Maine. His blocked out memories flood back as he is allowed to finally be himself - the human Nathaniel Adam - again. Tearfully, he thanks Martian Manhunter for his help, unaware that he has collapsed on Mars, unconscious and under the Manhunter's control.   Glad to have him back, Equinox apologizes for failing to convince the others to come to his aid. He explains that what matters is that she came. As for the prison, it can be rebuilt - and he intends to do that, despite invitations to return to Earth with the others. Even the prisoners of this planet need him.