Post by lawrenceliberty on Jun 9, 2017 17:50:27 GMT
Vsv
Crime Syndicate and JLA: Nightmare!
By lawrenceliberty
Super beings of two worlds face a deadly foe in a weird realm!
June 1988
1
A slender blond man with a rather vacant look in his eyes raced along a city street as several larger men chased after him! He glanced back over his shoulder and frantically pressed a small stud on his wristwatch! He shoved an old lady aside and turned down an alley to reach a dead end! He glanced left and right and saw no place to hide. There were a couple of battered trash cans but nothing that would really conceal him from his enemies.
“Come on!” he muttered as he held his watch with one hand and fought to catch his breath.
As the men appeared at the mouth of the alley he clinched his fists as if preparing for a fight.
“Okay, fellas! I told you guys before that I didn’t know she was married!” he stammered.
Before the rather menacing group could respond a red and blue blur swooped down and knocked them through the air without stopping! The humanoid figure caught the blond man by his faded green jacket and lifted him skyward!
“Ultra Man! Thank goodness you came!” said the relieved man as he glanced down and saw the still figures of his foes scattered across the alley.
Ultra Man, a ruggedly handsome brute of a man in a blue costume and red cape, almost snarled as he replied, “Thunder, shut off that toy of yours and shut your mouth!”
Johnny Thunder gulped and switched off the ultrasonic signal his watch had been emitting as Ultra Man carried him out of the city!
“Sorry! I figured that signal might reach you. I didn’t have any choice! Those mugs were going to rough me up! Could you take me to my cabin?” he said meekly.
Ultra Man grunted and veered off to the right and then dropped down from the sky to land near a cabin in a dense forest. He released Johnny Thunder with a rough shove that sent the smaller man reeling.
“You know I really should snap you in half. When you first came to our world from Earth 1, you worked against us with those Lawless League punks and then you tried to sell us out to the cops but I talked the others into leaving you alone since you were harmless and made me laugh! Still, you got your nerve rigging up that noisemaker to summon me!” he said.
Thunder looked up at the villain from his knees and said, “I’m sorry! I won’t do nothing like that again!”
Ultra Man grinned wickedly and jerked him to his feet.
“Okay. Forget it. Why were those goons chasing you? Was she a blonde or a redhead?” he asked.
Johnny grinned sheepishly and said, “She was a blonde!”
Ultra Man shrugged and said, “Me? I like redheads!”
As they walked to the old cabin Ultra Man felt his vision blur for a moment and he staggered as he rubbed his eyes. He glanced down to see a broken tree stump and a jagged mineral fragment embedded within it. The green mineral glows slightly and he grinned broadly as he clutched it with both hands!
“Kryptonite! This is your lucky day! I’m going to let you keep your teeth! Do you know what this means? This stuff is like a vitamin to me! It kills that wimp Superman but it gives me a new super power with every dose! Either that or it just boosts my powers. It doesn’t always work the same way!” said Ultra Man as he held the rock up and his eyes widened.
He saw a weird misty realm and a strange golden structure resting in the middle of the void. He stared into space and then he smiled once more.
“Come on, Thunder! You got a ringside seat for my latest triumph! This rock’s given me the power I need to finally take over this mud ball planet once and for all!” he said as he grabbed Thunder and flew skyward at super speed!
2
Within their hidden HQ several other members of the infamous Crime Syndicate listened as their most powerful member explained his strange new plan!
Ultra Man said, “When I ran into this stuff years ago it gave me extra vision power and helped me learn about those saps on Earth1 and Earth 2. This time it gave me some kind of vision of another dimension!”
A cocky blond man in a green costume listened and then sneered as he said, “Come on, Muscles! Aren’t you tired of getting beat up by Supermen? Every one of those crummy Earths has one!” he said.
Ultra Man was on top of the bearded man before he could even blink. He lifted the thug called Deadeye into the air and drew back one fist in a threatening gesture.
“Deadeye, you remind me of your pal Johnny Quick because you run that mouth of yours even faster than he moves his feet! Just remember that I’m a lot stronger than you and your trick arrows can’t hurt me. I’m not impressed by your money either. Back on Krypton, my family was loaded too. My father Jur-LL and his gang ran the city of Kandor like it was his personal plaything. Nothing about you impresses me! I know there are other super types on those parallel Earths but this place I saw is not an Earth! It’s some type of dimension! There’s power there just waiting to be taken!” he said as he dropped Deadeye to the ground and lowered his fist.
Deadeye said, “Sorry, I guess I should have listened more carefully!”
He thought, “That big ape is going to push me too far one day. Power Ring and I could take him if we had to!” The Archer glanced over to where his friend Power Ring sat silently watching them both. The gaunt man with the receding hairline raised one hand but did nothing to help his friend.
Power Ring said, “Ultra Man, you sound like the crazy old monk who gave me my lantern. I’m not saying that the metaphysical stuff is wrong but it’s not my cup of tea!”
Ultra Man said, “That’s the problem with you all. None of you can think like Owlman. If he was here, he’d get what I’m talking about! If we get to this dimension and take it over we can use its power against Luther and his allies. “
Superwoman said, “You have been like a maddened beast ever since we learned Alexander Luther survived our last battle. He did not die. He was merely teleported into space and has since returned to Earth. Lady Shrike told me as much before she departed for space! You must accept our old foe is back and be calm until we eventually kill him!”
The evil Amazon was beautiful with long black hair and a stunning figure that her black and gold costume did little to conceal. She was usually eager for any kind of violent battle that allowed her to display the combat skills she had mastered as the lover and pupil of the war god Mars and the beloved ally of the witch Circe but she was hard to judge. Owlman had once told Ultra Man that she was the most dangerous of all of the Crime Syndicate but Ultra Man had never been sure if his closest friend had been joking or not. Diana, the exiled Princess of Sanctuary isle, was mercurial to say the least.
A sultry black haired woman in a brief pink costume and fishnet stockings held Deadeye as he stood up and smoothed out his shirt.
“Don’t worry, doll. He didn’t hurt me!” he said as his lover the Silk Canary fussed over him.
“I’ll kill him if he ever tries to hurt you!” she said as she glared at Ultra Man from beneath an unruly lock of hair.
Ultra Man said, “Thunder here saw the whole thing. There was kryptonite on his land. It gave me this vision of another dimension….a dream dimension …. and I know we can use it for our own ends!”
Silk Canary placed one hand on her hip and posed for dramatic effect like the exotic dancer she once had been.
“And how do we get there? I’ve always been fascinated with dreams. My father used to say we can learn things while sleeping!”
Superwoman laughed and said, “The only thing you know about sleeping…!”
Ultra Man interrupted and said, “Trust me! I can prove I’m right. Come with me to the Dream Dimension! If Owlman and Raven were here, they’d believe me!”
Deadeye said, “Owlman? I can do anything he can do. The Bird Lady and I are in but just answer one little question? How are we going to get there?”
Power Ring smiled as he said, “I do believe that that’s where I come into the story. Ultra Man’s ultra strength is useless against something like this. My powers are perfect for such a problem! My ring can lock on to the exact details in his mind and take us to this realm unless it is beyond the barriers that prevent us from journeying to Earth 1 or Earth 2. I’d say, I’m the man of the hour!”
He thought, “We’d all be dead men if Ultra Man ever thought of hunting for more kryptonite. It is a good thing his buddy Owlman once placed a subtle mental block in Ultra Man’s mind that prevents him from ever thinking of gathering tons of the stuff from around the planet! If he ever gained all the power potentially available to him from exposure to all the kryptonite that might be on Earth, we’d never be able to stop him! He’d rule over all of us!”
Power Ring suddenly frowned. “I wonder if Owlman was smart enough to prepare some kind of defense against each of us? The very fact that I’ve never wondered about that before now makes me concerned! I did see him counter one of Quick’s super fast moves once. It’s weird none of us thought that was strange at the time! I may have to….! What was I thinking about?”
He frowned as he lost memory of his last train of thought. Owlman had done his work very thoroughly. None of his allies realized how much control he really had over them!
Ultra Man said, “Power Ring, Bill, I do need your help to reach the dream dimension but I know you’ll cooperate. You have nothing to gain from making me angry. If we get the power my gut tells me is waiting in that realm, we’ll be able to take over the whole cosmos!”
Johnny Thunder said, “Guys, I think he’s right. I know a bit about this kind of extra dimensional stuff since I used to spend some time in the Thunderbolt dimension and…!”
“Shut up!” said Power Ring. “You’re lucky we let you hang around at all. We all recall how you tried to get the upper hand with those Lawless League losers of yours!”
Thunder nodded and sat down abruptly. He knew when to keep quiet.
Superwoman said, “I agree with Ultra Man. My insipid sisters on Sanctuary Isle often studied things like dreams and omens and there is potent power to be found in such areas. Circe herself taught me such things when I was a mere tot!”
She smiled to herself. “Those were happy times. I remember that mer-boy I met once. He fried very nicely.”
Power Ring said, “I’ll do it. We are a team. Too bad Dr. Chaos is away. His magical prowess would be useful!”
Deadeye said, “We don’t need him. You, me, and my Pretty Bird can handle anything!”
He quickly added, “After all, we have the awesome power of Superwoman and Ultra Man at our disposal!”
Within moments, Power Ring had used his amazing ring to scan Ultra Man’s mind and to lock on to the location of the weird Dream Dimension! He concentrated and the green energy he controlled enveloped the team and transported them away along with Johnny Thunder!
It would prove to be the beginning of a very dangerous journey!
3
The Crime Syndicate members found themselves floating in a limbo-like void where thick swirling mists threatened to obscure their surroundings.
Johnny Thunder said, “This place gives me the creeps! Is it between Earth 3 and Earth 1?”
Power Ring said, “Negative! My ring says this place exists both beyond and within every separate universe! It’s a nexus of the imagination! “
Ultra Man merely glared intensely and shook his head as if in confirmation of some inner certainty only he could perceive.
“This is it! The unreality is due to the fact that so much of a dream depends upon the individual’s personal perceptions! The magic of this dimension works on that same principal. I suppose there is an internal logic to magic of that type! Just follow me!” he said in a commanding tone of voice.
He flew straight through the mists as Power Ring created a emerald tether that links the others to the speeding villain!
“Sure never knew Muscle-Face to talk like that! He sounds like Big Brain Palmer or something!”
said Deadeye.
Thunder said, “It is because of that kryptonite. It has given him real know -how about this place! Just trust him!”
Superwoman scowled. She did not like being ordered around. Although she had no respect for the sacred values her mother Queen Hippolyta embodied and had in fact cast aside the trappings of her own royal status by removing her bracelets of submission before leaving Sanctuary Isle long ago, she knew that she was a princess and she had no patience for her inferiors and she saw everyone as inferior to her!
“Hecate help me! This foolish quest may end in disaster unless Ultra Man is actually right for a change!”
she thought. She gasped as a phantasm loomed up in front of her. He was a handsome if slightly shifty looking blond man and he stared at her silently with a look of hostility on his face!
“Steve! It can not be! I killed him long ago!” she thought as she swung out at the image and it vanished into the mist.
Deadeye seemed to stare directly into a ghostly image of his own. His eyes widened behind his mask as he saw a sad looking man with salt and pepper gray hair a slight paunch.
“Deleon? He’s was the first guy I killed back when he discovered I had embezzled from his company! He asked for it! I sure ain’t going to feel any regret now. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, pal!” he thought.
Silk Canary thought she saw her late father. Dick Drake had been a small time thug who died after being gunned down by police when he tried to out draw them in a back alley in Brooklyn. Dana Drake had never forgotten his sudden demise and she had grown into a woman with a hatred for police. As an exotic dancer she had run afoul of lawmen on more than one occasion and she had used her martial arts skills to kill or injure several over the years. She blinked rapidly and tried to concentrate.
“Dad may have something to tell me! I’ve always been really sensitive to this kind of thing!”
she thought.
Ultra Man saw a vision of a handsome dark haired man in a green outfit. The man looked like a more polished version of Ultra Man but his visage and especially his eyes radiated intellect and a frighteningly quick ability to detect weakness in other people.
“Father!” said Ultra Man as he shook his head and made his way forward.
“I don’t need your approval!” he thought.
If Johnny Thunder saw any dream visions in the mist, he showed no sign of it. Was he simply too dense to have imaginative visions or was there much more to the odd man than his allies realized?
Power Ring gritted his teeth as he saw several different women flash by his eyes. He was not as much of a womanizer as his buddy Johnny Quick was; however, he was far more successful with women than Quick and he barely remembered the names of some of the female shapes that flitted in and out of view.
“My ring can shut them out! I won’t look at them! The past has no hold on Bill Baggett!” he vowed.
The ring flared brightly and Power Ring flew faster until he and his allies reached the site of a remarkable structure that seemed to rest on thin air! A golden domed citadel loomed up ahead. Bright lights flickered from every side of the oval structure and Ultra Man’s smile was almost as bright!
“This is it! “he bellowed as he flew forward at super speed!
He shook free of the energy tether that bound him to his teammates and he dived at the Citadel of Sleep
at top speed! He vibrated his body until he was able to pass directly through the building without harming it! This type of caution was not typical of the hulking Kryptonian.
He saw rows of machines and several cylinders lining each wall. He also saw a thoughtful looking man in a red and gold costume!
“That’s him! The Dream Master- the Sandman!” he thought as he slammed into the startled man before he could react. A series of super swift blows left the helpless Sandman bloodied and prone at his feet.
He ripped off a whistle that hung from the stunned man’s costume and he tore off a belt that had several compartments full of various odd items.
“I’ve done it! I have defeated the Sandman before he could react! I’ve taken his equipment! I now rule his base! The Dream Dimension is mine!” he said with a harsh laugh.
As the others caught up with him and phased into the room via Power Ring’s ring, they stared in surprise and delight at all they saw!
“He did it! Ultra Man took down the master of this place!” said Deadeye begrudgingly.
Superwoman said, “Well done! You bested him with little effort! Now, shall we plunder his citadel? What wonders await us here? You said there would be weapons we could use here.”
Ultra Man stared at her and said, “What in the name of Argo City are you talking about? Where have you brought us?”
Power Ring said, “Cut out the jokes, Big Man. I brought us here but I did it by tapping into the vision you had in mind. You said you picked it up by exposure to green K.”
Ultra Man pressed both hands to his head and said, “My head hurts. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t remember anything after taking Thunder to his cabin!”
He dropped the whistle and belt as he held his head.
Silk Canary said, “Something is wrong! I don’t think he ever had a Kryptonite- created vision! I think someone planted that whole vision to lure us here!”
Deadeye whipped out a shaft and raised his bow.
“Yeah, I hear you talking, Pretty Lady! This may not be Star City but I know a set-up even in the Twilight Zone!” he said,
Ultra Man looked down at the stunned Sandman and said, “This punk can explain it all if I wake him up!”
“That won’t be necessary! “ said Johnny Thunder as he opened a compartment on the fallen belt and hurled sand into the air!
The mystical substance struck each villain and they collapsed almost in unison!
Johnny Thunder smiled broadly and looked around the silent structure.
“It was easy to trick him into thinking he was having a Kryptonite vision when in fact the artificial kryptonite I made in my lab did nothing to him. The vision I planted in his dull brain was all it took to dupe him into coming here and securing this wonderful place for me! Now, to secure him and his idiot friends and use this base to make my own dreams a reality!” he said.
He looked at the machines with a knowing glance. The previously slow witted man in green clearly understood exactly how to work every machine!
Ultra Man groaned slightly in his magical slumber but he and his friends remained trapped in mystical sleep!
4
Earth 1
A beautiful blonde woman abruptly sat up with a start and gazed into her darkened room for a few moments as her heart raced. She glanced over to her husband and then gently touched him on the arm as he looked up at her with concern.
“Sorry, Ollie! That was one bad dream I just had!” said Dinah Queen as her husband propped himself up on one elbow and listened intently.
“I wasn’t really asleep either. My own chili recipe was keeping me awake. If Beakface hears about it, I’ll never live this one down. Want to talk about the nightmare?” he said.
Dinah nodded as she rolled her to face him more directly.
“Ollie, you remember the Sandman? Not my JSA teammate but the one in the red and gold costume? He lives in the Dream Dimension,“ she said.
Oliver Queen nodded in agreement.
“Sure! We helped him out when ole Dr. Destiny tried to muscle in on his territory. He was okay if a bit weird. Hawkman and Atom were going to try to find a way to fix it so Sandman could leave his dimension for more than an hour at a time. I don’t think they ever managed to do it”
Dinah said, “I just had a vivid nightmare in which he was attacked by what had to be the Crime Syndicate. I recognized some of them like Ultra Man, Power Ring, and Superwoman but there were a couple members who seemed to be our own counterparts!”
Ollie said, “Far freakin’ out! So, there’s another nogoodnik cashing in on my image! I thought I’d seen the last criminal archer when Bats and I took down the new Blue Bowman! I guess there’s just something appealing about a dashing Robin Hood type!”
Dinah added, “I’ve always thought so. Anyway, this dream was disturbing on several levels. I think it was a warning or at least a vision of something that has really happened!”
Ollie said, “Weirder things have happened in our line of work but how can you be sure it wasn’t just a regular nightmare?”
She replied, “We could call it woman’s intuition but it is much more. You know how Superman and I once had that adventure in the Dream Dimension? During that case… which did involve Dr. Destiny… we discovered that I’m particularly sensitive to dream vibrations. I think we need to go there and help him!”
Oliver Queen kissed her and then rolled out of bed.
“Some wives have their hubbys run down to the corner store for ice cream, mine has me swing over to a different dimension! I’m just lucky that way!” he said with a grin.
Later, Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary had assembled aboard the satellite HQ of the famous Justice League of America where Hawkman sat on monitor duty.
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) said, “From what you’ve told us we better take Dinah’s dream seriously. My ring can transport us into this Dream Dimension. I know John Stewart was with you all when you last visited that realm but my ring can locate it too!”
Superman said, “The machine I once built for the time Dinah and I went there required far too much energy to be practical nor would it have allowed us to stay there for very long. If this is a rescue mission involving a battle against the Syndicate we can’t use that machine. We may need to stay there for a prolonged time!”
Green Arrow said, “You really should invest in some super-Duracells or something!”
Superman smiled briefly and said, “I’ll add that to my to do list!”
Black Canary said, “I want to thank you all for coming. I can’t explain it but my dream gave me the impression that we specifically were the ones needed in the Dream Dimension. I guess I may just be going along with the idea of matching up heroes with their villainous doubles!”
Hawkman said, “We all trust your instincts. Of course, if I wasn’t on monitor duty, I’d want to join you. I feel as if I let poor Sandman down by failing to solve his unique problem!”
Wonder Woman (Nubia) said, “I owe him my life and I know he has a special fondness for my sister Diana. I am eager to risk anything to help him. Being alone in that void must be hard enough for the poor man to stand!”
She frowned as she thought of her lover J’Onn J’Onzz. The two had exchanged vows in the Martian Ceremony of Unity and were still as blissfully happy as any newly married couple; however, their duties had kept them both busy ever since their return from their honeymoon. She wished he could have joined her but she knew he was working for justice as always and had his own battles to fight!
Green Lantern said, “If everyone is ready, I’ll see if I can transport us to the Dream Dimension!”
As emerald energy enveloped the heroes within their satellite HQ, another man with a power ring was playing his own role in the drama back within the misty void of the Dream Dimension!
Power Ring was struggling to find some sense of direction as he tumbled through the dim void beyond the Citadel of Sleep.
“I don’t know what happened! Thunder attacked us and the next thing I know I found myself floating out here. I can’t see or hear the others nor can I locate the Citadel!” he thought.
He tried to illuminate the void with his ring but the shadows only shifted and failed to part.
He concentrated and his emerald power extended itself in several long tendrils that spread away from him in every direction! He could not determine how long it took for someone to grasp one of the stands but suddenly he felt a pull from the end of a particular strand.
He reeled it back in and saw Superwoman grasping the end and carrying Silk Canary over one shoulder!
“Hecate help me! I managed to grab the Canary as she floated by but I was as lost as she was!”
she exclaimed.
“Good! I’ve got Deadeye!” said Ultra Man as he suddenly flew into view with the strangely silent archer in tow!
“Bird Lady, are you hurt?” cried Deadeye as he saw Silk Canary hanging over Superwoman’s shoulder.
“She is unhurt but appears to be in some trance! She did say that she was oddly attuned to the energies of dreams but I took it for idle chatter!” said Superwoman.
Deadeye said, “She was serious. She’s always had vivid dreams. Maybe this place did something to her! She’s more sensitive than the rest of us!”
Superwoman laughed and said, “Sensitive? I’ve seen her strangle a cop with her bare hands!”
Ultra Man roared, “Shut up! We’ve got to get back to Thunder! I’ll beat him senseless! He played me for a fool!”
Deadeye said, “Look, Ultra, Thunder’s an idiot. I don’t know who or what that guy was but he was not the Thunder we know! He tricked us all!”
Ultra Man said, “It doesn’t matter if it takes forever! I don’t need food or sleep! I’ll find that building and I’ll tear it down like a house of cards! I’m Ultra Man! No one messes with me and lives!”
Power Ring said, “My ring is coming up empty. I can’t find the building. I can’t even transport us home! I wager Thunder did something to cloak his base when he tossed us out here!”
Deadeye clutched at Silk Canary’s hand and tried to revive her.
“Power Ring! Snap her outta this trance! Use your magic ring to get her back!” he pleaded.
Power Ring created an energy bubble around them and gently passed his ring over Silk Canary’s face.
“I’m going to try to contact her slumbering mind!” he said.
Meanwhile within the Citadel of Sleep Johnny Thunder was using an ultra sonic whistle to control a pair of weird other-dimensional beings. As he gave them orders, they labored to construct a towering machine!
He made adjustments after only a brief glance at the rapidly assembled machine. He seemingly needed little more than a look to access their progress.
A dark haired man in a light blue costume and pushed back hood obeyed him as he barked orders in his direction.
“I freed you from captivity here. You will obey me or I will return you to your cell!” he said.
The man in blue was named Dr. John Dee a.k.a. Dr. Destiny. His once skeletal features had been restored to normal by the sustained sleep and healthy dreams he had regained while under Sandman’s control. Now, though freed from Sandman’s cell, he was facing danger from a new master!
“Sandman cured me even though I tried to use him once before! He made me normal again! I owe him something. He’s imprisoned here just as I once was but his captor is far less benevolent than Sandman himself always was to me!” he thought.
Thunder said, “You know a bit about such devices and That is the only reason I have allowed you your freedom. Assist me in constructing the device I desire and I will allow you to keep your life!”
Dr. Dee nodded and guided the dream monsters as they linked several sections of a huge device together.
“I can detect activity within the Dimension. For a brief time my mind was linked to this place without the need for a materioptikon device. I’ve lost much of that power but I can still feel the presence of two separate groups! I think both groups somehow contain a version of Black Canary. I remember how her mind was receptive to my dreams before! Perhaps I can thwart this tyrant by using my own remaining connection to enhance their shared sensitivity to the realm!” he thought.
As the former Dr. Destiny exerted his latent power with all of his might, the JLA members materialized directly over the Crime Syndicate as if drawn together by some supernatural force!
The union would not be a welcome one!
5
The JLAers shuddered from the sudden trauma as their arrival in the Dream Dimension abruptly coincided with a strange shunting out of that weird reality and a brief mental communion with people who were both like them in some ways and yet were their opposites in others!
Superman recovered first and frowned as he scanned the cityscape the loomed around them. The misty void was gone and in its place was a normal looking city. They were standing in front of a block of skyscrapers in what was clearly a busy modern city.
“Great Scott! This is Metropolis or at least it is Earth 3’s version of it. I can see there is a Daily Planet but there are enough differences between it and the one I know to make it clear that this is a parallel Earth!” he said.
Green Lantern said, “Turn around, Superman. It is natural for you to be up front but you’re missing some obvious signs that this is Earth 3. Look at your own costume!”
Superman glanced down and then back at his friends.
“We’re in the bodies of the Crime Syndicate members! My mind or mental essence is in Ultra Man’s body!” he said as he spread his arms out in front and looked around.
Wonder Woman said, “This Superwoman may look a bit like Diana but she certainly lacks my sister’s compassion nature. Her expression is one of perpetual cruelty!”
Green Lantern said, “The ring works for me but it is not my power ring. This one is more magical in nature but I can tell you that it’s not like Alan Scott’s ring either! I’m stuck in Power Ring’s body and I can only assume he has mine!”
Green Arrow said, “At least you know your double! Mine must have a thing for black and green and good taste in facial hair but his trick arrows aren’t like mine! Most of his are designed to kill!”
Black Canary said, “And my double is a natural blonde who wears a long black wig. That’s just the opposite from me. I look like Dinah Queen dressed like a slightly kinky version of Black Canary!”
Superman said, “Don’t worry, Canary. Your secret is safe here. Clearly that wig is enough to disguise the Dinah whose body you’re in and no one else here on Earth 3 knows you as Black Canary!”
Green Lantern said, “All the parallel Earths are closed to one another but I think this proves that all of them share a common nexus in that Dream Dimension. I also can tell that the C.S. ers didn’t do this do us. They were as surprised as we were! My or his ring indicates that much based on impressions recorded with we briefly united with them!”
Black Canary said, “My dream indicated that they were attacking Sandman. Could he have done this to us by accident while trying to protecting himself from the villains?”
Wonder Woman shook her head. “This fruitless speculation is a waste of time. We will have the answers we seek once we have rescued Sandman and regained our rightful bodies!”
Superman frowned as he pointed across the street.
“I’m afraid we have been spotted by what I assume are heroes of Earth 3! That certainly looks like a benign Dr. Sivana leading doubles for Killer Frost, Giganta, Solomon Grundy, the Shark, and Dr. Double X!” he said.
“Surrender to the Monster Society of Good!” shouted a small bald man. He wore a white lab coat and stood in front of a group of colorful and bizarre individuals!
Nubia nodded in approval. “Superman is a fine warrior. He is prepared for battle but he is so aware of his environment that he is able to instantly make perceptive analytic judgments! A lesser man might have merely taken these beings at face value and deemed them to be the villains they resemble!”
Superman said, “Wait! We do not want a fight. Let’s talk things over!”
A chalk-white brute in a black suit tackled him and grunted, “Goldman smash! Goldman don’t talk!”
Superman reeled backward for a moment. “This ersatz Grundy is also a magically sustained being like the one I’ve fought. He has enough magic within him to make his blows hurt me! While Ultra Man thrives on Kryptonite, magic can apparently hurt him too!”
He used his super speed to break free from the creature and then he wrapped him in his expanding cape and called out to the Sivana double.
“Doctor, we may look like your old foes but I can assure you that we’re not! We are on your side! Call off the battle and we will prove it!” he said.
Dr. Atlanta was a brilliant man but he was also nearly untested in combat. He erred on the side of caution.
“We will talk when we have subdued you all!” he said as he raised a hand weapon and waited for the best moment in which to strike!
Meanwhile, Green Lantern was all too aware of Great White’s capabilities.
“He’s like the Shark- highly evolved and deadly!” he mused as he shielded himself from the savage looking attacker.
“I suppose if the Shark I’ve battled ever evolved high enough, he would become benign as well but that’s a theory for another day!” he thought.
Wonder Woman was wrestling furiously with the powerful leopard-skin clad redhead Gargantua as she twisted the Amazon in a tight hold.
“Superwoman, you put up a good fight for a puny human!” she snarled.
Nubia elbowed her in the face and flipped the larger woman over one hip. She rammed her knee into her chest and reached for her magical lasso.
“She will submit swiftly enough when bound by its enchanted loops!” she thought.
As she draped the gleaming lasso over Gargantura’s leg and spoke the command, “Surrender!”, Nubia was kicked directly in the face!
As she rolled aside, she grimaced and remembered that the rope was not her magical one but was instead empowered by a different enchantment from a different source!
“What was her lasso called? Protean?” thought Nubia as she struggled with her enemy.
Green Lantern had caged Great White but he was almost constantly on the defensive as a flying man in red and yellow zoomed in his direction!
GL took evasion action and then shook his head ruefully.
“This ring doesn’t possess the standard weakness to yellow due to the necessary impurity found in my normal ring! I’ve got to adjust my fighting tactics and take advantage of it! Double X can’t break through just because his costume is predominantly yellow!” he mused.
Green Arrow was dodging icy blasts from the beautiful Frost Queen as she stepped regally forward in her lacy old fashioned dress and boots. In spite of her white skin and the intense cold that surrounded her lithe form, she was beautiful!
He was too agile to be caught but the ice made the ground slippery and the chill was distracting to say the least.
“Listen lady, I’m not here to fight! How about turning down that deep freeze for a minute?”
he said as he notched an arrow.
“I won’t kill so I’ve got to modify this Deadeye goon’s gear! Hopefully a bit of hear can do the trick even if I don’t strike her directly!” he thought.
He expertly directed three thermo arrows until they blocked Frost Queen’s path.
“That dress may show plenty of leg in front but it has a trail down the back. I can’t ignite it by accident!”
he mused.
He groaned as she seemed to exult in the heat and continued moving forward!
Black Canary was dodging energy bolts from a twin to the Double X flying after GL!
“This Double X must have a pal. I guess he’s Triple X or something!” she mused as she rolled acrobatically out of his path.
She caught a glimpse of a frail looking man standing off to the side.
“That’s the original human host of the energy doubles! If I take him down they will fade away if this being is like the one Batman has fought!”
She leaped and rolled and managed to come up near him. She delivered one precise martial arts blow to his neck and he collapsed in her arms.
She smiled radiantly as his energy doubles vanished!
Black Canary turned and threw back her head as she emitted her canary cry! The sonic waves smashed through the ice around Frost Queen and stunned her!
Green Arrow swiftly enveloped her with a freezing substance from an arrow and nodded in approval.
“I forgot Killer Frost hates the cold! It plays against her whole m.o.!” he said sheepishly.
Superman had dropped the defeated Goldman on Gargantua and turned in time to see Dr. Atlanta fire his gun!
The gun struck him but it did nothing but slow him down.
“Suspendium? That’s what caught the Marvels back in 1953! It can’t hold me for long!” he mused.
Nubia shattered the gun with a high kick and as the heroes within the bodies of this Earth’s most feared villains closed in on their foes, a nearby observer shrieked as he fell from a window!
“That man got a little too close!” thought GL as he cushioned the fall with a huge emerald energy pillow!
Great White started to bite him when Atlanta cried out in a high pitched voice!
“Stop! Did you see his courage? These people are not our foes! Power Ring would never have saved another life and made himself vulnerable while doing so!”
The odd team of misfits obeyed their leader and in a matter of minutes the situation had been explained.
Dr. Atlanta said, “Fascinating! Perhaps a body switch of a sustained duration might effectively rid our planet of the Crime Syndicate. I must look into the technology involved in such a manipulation!”
“Yeah, you do that little thing, Doc! In the meantime can you help us find our bodies?” said Green Arrow.
“Heh heh heh!” laughed the genius as he shrugged apologetically.
“I am so sorry! My intellectual curiosity gets the better of me at times!” he said.
Frost Queen smiled affectionately and said, “And yet, my dearest, your good heart always trumps your brilliant brain!”
Goldman laughed and said, “Doc. Atlanta good man! Good friend!”
Superman said, “I think our bodies may very well have been shunted to Earth 1. If our enemies are controlling them, all of our friends could be in peril!”
GL said, “The ring says that’s what happened! It also filled me in on our foe. Would you believe Johnny Thunder is the mastermind behind this scheme?”
Green Arrow exclaimed, “Sheesh! Next we’ll find out Sugar and Spike have taken over the world!”
6
Earth 3
Deep under the ground within the secret Fortress of Science a lovely blonde girl sat beside a glowing green skinned humanoid.
“John, talking with your holographic projection is almost like talking to you used to be before your real body was reduced in size. Still, I’ll be glad when you and my brother finally finish the duplicate body so you can transfer your brain patterns to it and be normal sized again!”
Concealed within the image was the real Brainiac (John Smith). The artificial man was trapped at a size of six inches but he retained his super intellect and he also retained his hold on Lena Luther’s young heart.
The much younger sister of Dr. Alexander Luther (the heroic Defender of Earth 3) had developed romantic feelings for the kind and thoughtful robotic being shortly after she had started teaching her brother’s creation about human emotions. Lena was gifted with psychic visions and her keen empathic made her naturally feel strongly for the soft spoken robot.
He said, “Lena, our work has progressed rapidly in the last few months. We were able to dedicate much time to it during the period eight months back when we believed two of the Synidcators were dead. With Power Ring and Johnny Quick supposedly dead at the hands of a magical menace dealt with by others, and Owlman and Ultra Man seemingly preoccupied elsewhere, we gained time to work!”
Lena said, “It’s not fair, John. You know how Power Ring killed my parents with a casual display of his power when he blew up the road upon which they were travelling. He didn’t even know who they were nor did he care. Alex raised me and has always been wonderful as has his wife Lois but I really took some satisfaction in believing Power Ring had died! Why did he somehow cheat death?”
Brainiac said, “Our data has proven inconclusive. I surmise his ring had something to do with his survival. Alex and I have yet to discover exactly how Quick survived either nor have we learned anything about the other beings with similar powers who appeared for a few weeks while those two felons were missing.”
Lena sighed. “It’s enough for me to know that they originals are back. They still give me nightmares!”
Brainiac nodded. He wished he could comfort her in some way. Perhaps when he regained his rightful size he would prove to be of some comfort to her.
He glanced down the hallway of the lab to where an inert android slept within a protective chamber.
“Poor Amazo. He was built for great things but he failed us. Perhaps when he recharges fully and we find a new power source for his delicate receptor cells, he will emerge from his electronic slumber and help us defeat our foes!” he thought.
Alarms rang out as a female figure vibrated through the roof and posed dramatically before them!
She looked exactly like Lena except she exuded confidence, power, and a sultry sensuality.
“Do not be afraid. I have not come to hurt you. I’ve also kept my promise to you. You freed me from the Survival Zone in which I had placed myself shortly before Krypton’s demise and I in turn have never directly opposed your brother. I have never told my loutish cousin Kell-LL that I know the location of this bas either! “ said announced.
“Ultra Girl!” gasped Lena as she recognized the blonde beauty in the red cape, pleated mini skirt, matching boots and bright blue blouse.
“I am here for one thing! This fine specimen of technology!” she said almost playfully as she flounced over to Amazo’ chamber and flew away with it at super speed!
She glanced back and blew a mocking kiss at the startled duo and then she was gone!
Brainiac said, “I reacted too slowly! My internal sensors detected the alarm but my diminished size had hindered my actions once more! I have failed Alex!”
Lena said, “No! I failed him! I was the stupid girl who let the Kryptonian witch dupe me into freeing her from the other dimension zone in which she had trapped herself! I let her out and she hasn’t looked back since!”
Brainiac said, “Ultra Girl hates her cousin. I managed to deduce as much from studying a bit of rare footage of them together. She loathes him and she is disdainful of him. She also has an aura of chronal energy that indicates she spends most of her time in a different era. Those factors have worked greatly in our favor since she has never allied herself with Ultra Man or his allies. If she has returned to our time with some sinister purpose I fear the worst. She is much smarter than her cousin!”
Lena nodded. “And now she has Amazo. If her futuristic science can fix him or turn him against us, we might all be in danger!”
Brainiac agreed.
“I hate to disturb Alex since he and Lois are away for much deserved time together away from his crusade but this situation makes such action necessary!” he said.
Lena shivered and hoped that her feeling of fear was not a premonition of worse things to come!
7
Meanwhile on Earth1 the startled Crime Syndicate members had found themselves in a similar situation as their JLA counterparts! They stood in the middle of a busy city and occupied the bodies of their enemies.
Power Ring figured out the nature of their predicament as he scanned them and the area with his new power ring.
“We’ve been put on Earth 1. Somehow we’ve acquired the JLAers bodies!” he said.
“This ring responds to my will power but it has a weakness my own ring lacks!” he thought.
Each of the altered villains had experienced a brief mental bonding with his or her double and thus, they knew a bit about their new roles. Perhaps it was because of their prior time within the Dream Dimension itself but they were better equipped to understand the change than the heroes had been.
Superwoman scowled and said, “This Nubia- as the new Wonder Woman is called- is a warrior but she lacks my savage skills!”
Ultra Man said, “Yeah, and Superman is a weakling but I’m going to take advantage of this mix up to ruin his choir boy image! I’ll tear his city down until nothing is left of it but rubble!”
He flew off with a grating laugh and headed directly for the looming skyscraper that housed the WGBS offices. He knew the Daily Planet building was another location close to Superman’s heart but the WGBS building was right in front of him and people within it had ties to Superman as well!
“Back home Perry White is my informant. He has tipped me off to useful data on more than one occasion. He hates his do-gooder boss publisher J. Wilbur Wolfingham so he’ll do anything to help himself! Of course Lois Lane married Luthor and retired from reporting. I know I’d certainly like to slap the freckles off that Olsen kid’s face too! Maybe I can do just that with their E-1 doubles but first I’ll take Superman’s favorite TV station apart!” he thought.
He smashed the WGBS rooftop logo into splinters and then stomped on the roof until a section of it came crashing down!
A pretty secretary named Laura Conway screamed as she was buried beneath the rubble! Her boss Morgan Edge hurried out of his plush private office in the WGBS Communications wing and barked orders to other staffers. They attempted to uncover the spot where the fallen secretary lay but the rubble was too heavy and the situation was growing increasingly dangerous as Ultra Man continued his rampage.
Edge said, “That’s not Superman. He may look like him but he’s clearly not the hero we know. This is some clone or energy double or Kryptonian look alike!”
Lana Lang nodded as she removed both designer heels and raced away from the collapsed roof.
“No doubt about it, Luv. That’s not Superman!” she thought as she said a prayer for the fallen Laura Conway.
Ultra Man prepared to rip apart the roof when he spotted Lana. He stopped in mid motion and dropped down to block her path.
“Lana Lang? You’re Lana Lang!” he said slowly.
Lana nodded hesitantly. Was this brute a stalker?
He said, “You’re coming with me!
He scooped her up in one arm and flew away from the damaged building as emergency crews joined police and security staffers in trying to rescue the injured and protect the employees as they fled.
Lana knew better than to struggle. She had been abducted more times than she could count. She wasn’t really afraid either. She felt as if this monster in the image of her old lover was apparently attracted to her in some way.
“Who are you?” she asked as she looked up at him.
“I’m Kel-Ll from Earth 3. Don’t ask me how but I’m trapped in Superman’s body. I’m not even sure why I’m telling you all this either!” he said slowly.
He was all too sure of what had come over him although he was not comfortable with facing the concept of his possessing any emotions softer than rage and hate.
He referred to the fact that for a time in which his memories of his true identity had been forcibly suppressed by a foe, he had grown to feel a strong attraction to the Lana Lang of Earth 3. When his memories suddenly returned, he had flown away from her in a rage and had never bothered to seek her out again!
“I met you. I met someone like you on my Earth. She was just as beautiful as you are. She was kind to me. We might have had something together if things hadn’t gone so wrong. I know you aren’t really her but I can’t let you get hurt. I won’t harm you out of respect for the Lana I almost loved!” he said.
Lana said, “Let me help you. You don’t want to destroy anything! She wouldn’t want you to do that. If she’s like me then she would hate to see you act out of such malice!”
Ultra Man gently lowered Lana to a terrace a few blocks from the WGBS building.
She called out after him, “Wait!”
He flew off with one quick glance over his shoulder and then he hovered high above the city to survey the scene of his earlier rampage.
Superwoman had hesitated for a moment as she fingered the golden lasso on her hip.
“This magical lasso is not like the Protean lasso I use. This one can command obedience. I wonder if I should use it to stop Ultra Man? He will draw all the heroes of this world to us if he doesn’t stop this childish rampage!” she thought.
She smiled suddenly and leaped into the air. “On second thought why should I care? I am still powerful enough to slay anyone who dares oppose me! I have no reason not to give myself over to the glorious berserker fury of Mars himself!”
She landed in the middle of a street and stood her ground as a car hurtled toward her. She caught it before the moment of impact and flipped it over on its side! As the battered driver scurried out and ran to safety, she tossed back her head and roared with laughter!
Deadeye glanced over at Silk Canary and Power Ring.
“Those two have gone nuts! They may look like Superman and Wonder Woman but they sure aren’t going to fool anyone into thinking they’re the real deals. I tell you, sometimes, I think you and me and the Pretty Bird here should get Rubberneck and Quick and split from those nutcases!” We could be Outsiders or something!” he said.
Silk Canary said, “I don’t like it here. We were ripped out of the Dream Dimension so quickly. What does Thunder want from that place? He could be a threat to us still!”
Power Ring nodded and said, “You are right. Maybe it’s just because Quick and I were presumed dead not all that long ago but I find myself wanting to take fewer chances these days!”
Suddenly they were confronted by two colorful costumed figures who darted out of the shadows to face them!
A beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair stood defiantly before them. She wore a bright red leotard and matching boots. Her companion was dressed in red and blue and carried a long staff The most distinctive thing about the agile man was his light blue face mask. The slightly robotic –looking mask covered his whole face.
The woman spoke flawless English although she was from France and had in fact been the country’s national heroine for many years. Her name was Fleur-de-Lis (Noelle Avril) and her companion/lover was Manhunter (Mark Shaw). The two heroes were normally based in France but a trip to the States had led to their witnessing the bizarre conduct of the American heroes. Fleur’s lip reading skills had been enough to confirm that the heroes were not what they seemed.
“Stop! I do not know who you are but you are not the heroes you appear to be!” she said.
Deadeye reached for an arrow and said, “This might be an entertaining diversion!”
He released a shaft that sailed toward Fleu-de-Lis but the acrobatic woman flipped out of its path and landed nimbly on her feet.
Manhunter spun the staff he carried and it compacted into a baton which generated a magnetic pulse that sent the archer’s quiver flying across the street. He used the suddenly elongating baton to vault over a parked car and block Deadeye from reaching his weapons.
Deadeye grinned and swung his bow at the hero who ducked under it and connected with a tightly focused pulse of energy that flattened the faux archer! He groaned but he failed to sit up.
Silk Canary swung at Fleur who blocked her attack and then caught her arm and flipped her over her shoulder. As she fell the Canary rolled and sprang to her feet. They circled each other warily and exchanged blows but neither one took the advantage until Fleur-s enhanced agility enabled her to knock the Canary to the ground.
Silk Canary opened her mouth to sing her canary cry but she gasped for air as Fleur-de-Lis expertly tossed a pellet into her open mouth. She coughed and clutched her throat before falling to a combination of spinning kicks from the French heroine.
“The mild sedative will numb her throat for a time but she will recover!” thought Fleu-de-Lis as she stood over the fallen villainess.
She gasped as Power Ring and Superwoman closed in on them from each side.
“Aren’t you a pretty little thing!” said a mocking Power Ring as he raised his ring.
Fleur dived forward and hurled a projectile at him that she had scooped up out of Green Arrow’s discarded quiver and covered with a small cloth taken from her belt.
Power Ring grunted in pain as the blunt end of a trick arrow struck his face. Fleur had covered in with a small yellow pouch! It had passed directly through the villain’s emerald aura.
Manhunter fired his own baton at the ground in front of Superwoman but she merely used Wonder Woman’s bracelets to deflect the flying rubble!
Suddenly a TV van screeched to a halt below and a blond man in a gold and green costume flew upward.
A pretty brown haired woman in designer glasses and a stylish business suit and heels climbed out with a camera crew and barked orders. “Keep those cameras trained on Ryan. This might be the best episode of Hero for Hire ever! Cannonball subdues a crazy Man of Steel!”
Cannonball shook his head in annoyance. He liked fame and fortune but he was also sincere in his desire to help people. Having a TV crew follow him around and film his heroic adventures had made him rich and famous but he still felt disturbed by his producer’s crass materialistic ways!
“I’ve told Stephanie before that I don’t want to capitalize on things like this. We both know that’s either a fake or a sick Superman. If Superman was himself he’d never act that way. I won’t let her ruin his good name for cheap publicity! Her own uncle Morgan Edge was probably in that damaged building. It looks like she would have a little sympathy!” he thought.
“Take it easy, fellow! I’m here to help!” he said as he approached Ultra Man.
Ultra Man sneered with contempt and then slammed his palms together so that the shockwaves surged outward and threatened to knock Cannonball out of the sky!
The hero managed to correct his flight path and he fired a red beam at Ultra Man! The villain grunted as the red sun ray weakened him!
Cannonball followed up with a punch that staggered him for a moment as the red energy continued to sap his power.
Before he could resume his attack Cannonball was caught in a crushing grip. Ultra Man began to break through the hero’s force field as the power required to maintain it began to drain out of his battle suit!
“I’ll break you in half!” vowed Ultra Man as he started to rip the armored suit apart. He was smiling as he saw Cannonball’s painful expression!
He drew back his fist for one final blow…. and then he and his allies found themselves back in the Dream Dimension!
Cannonball plunged to the ground with a sickening impact. As his crew rushed forward to aid him he passed out.
Stephanie Edge looked pale for once in her life.
“I think he’s dead! Superman killed him!” she shrieked.
She watched as medics surrounded Ryan Chase and then she yelled to her employees.
“You did get that on tape, right?” she asked.
Ultra Man and the others were back in their own bodies and they were still lost in the void.
They exchanged frustrated glances and Deadeye shrugged as he said, “A bad guy just can’t get a break these days!”
8
Earlier on Earth 3, the JLAers had conferred with Dr. Atlanta and after hearing their while story, the brilliant scientist had slowly wiped his glasses on his white lab coat and then looked up at the transformed heroes.
“You need the services of an expert on dreams. Since this planet seems to have reverse aligned doubles for the beings on your Earth, I think you should look for the Dr. Destiny of this Earth! If the one you know is a warped genius then perhaps he has an equally brilliant but benevolent equivalent here!”
he said.
Green Arrow grinned as he said, “It takes a super thief to catch a super thief!”
Black Canary added, “His real name is John Dee.”
Superman said, “And I just found him! I did a scan of the telephone directories for the most likely cities and the name came up!”
Green Lantern said, “Now if he’ll just help us we can get to the bottom of this case!”
He concentrated and his remarkable ring generated the illusion that each of the altered heroes looked like a normally dressed man or woman.
“We don’t want to scare him off!” he explained.
Wonder Woman said, “Good thinking Lantern. While we look like this world’s worst villains, we can’t expect to receive help from any law abiding person!”
Dr. Atlanta said, “Allow me to facilitate the meeting. I have a certain reputation in the scientific community.”
Thanks to Dr. Atlanta’s good name and GL’s power ring, the heroes soon stood within the lab of Dr. John Dee. He was a handsome brown haired man who looked much like his evil counterpart had done before dream deprivation had turned him into a monster.
Dr. Dee said, “I find your story to be utterly convincing. There are dimensions within dimensions and the dream world is a strange and perplexing place. My own studies have led me to the development of this device. I call it a matteroptikon!”
He held up a small control panel that was empowered by a ruby colored gemstone.
Superman said, “Your double on our world called his device a materioptikon. I assume your machine works in the same way?”
Dr. Dee said, “My machine allowed one to travel in the Dreamscape as I call it! I’ve seen some fascinating things during my travels!”
Green Arrow said, “Can you use it to send us to the Dream Dimension where we can rescue the Sandman?”
Dr. Dee nodded and said, “If I can’t do so then no one can!”
He said, “I can do something else too! It taps into the very fabric of reality or at least reality as it exists in the Dream Dimension! I can reverse the change you’ve suffered since it occurred within that mystical realm!”
Dr. Dee made adjustments to the machine and within seconds, the JLAers found themselves back to normal and within sight of the Citadel of Sleep! It was at that moment the villains had also been drawn back into the void.
“The Doc does good work!” muttered Green Arrow.
Superman said, “He certainly does and it is a relief to meet another version of an old enemy who actually has used his talents for positive things!”
He thought of the heroic Alexander Luthor and how that gifted man had become what he had always wished the Lex Luthor he had battled for so many years would have become.
Green Lantern nodded and said, “It makes me wonder if there could be equally benevolent versions of Sinestro and Black Hand on Earth 3 for that matter! That Great White certainly was a double for the Shark!”
Green Arrow said, “Don’t worry about it, pal. We have enough to do to keep the bad ones under wraps!”
As the heroes drew closer to the Citadel of Sleep they were followed by the Crime Syndicate!
Ultra Man had spotted the heroes and he smiled eagerly as he led his allies in silent pursuit.
“We’ll kill them and take over that place!” he said.
The heroes approached the Citadel in a flash of emerald energy and saw a strange scene.
Johnny Thunder of Earth 1 was making adjustments to a gigantic machine.
He smiled coldly as they approached. He looked beyond the heroes at what appeared to be empty space.
“You might as well drop the power ring generated illusions. I know that you are all a few feet behind those energy constructions. My mind is keen enough to detect such paltry tricks!” he said.
Green Lantern dispelled the illusions he had created and said, “Okay, so we can’t fool you. You can’t trick us either. We know you have the Sandman here and we know there’s a lot more to you than it seems!”
Superman said, “I see another figure in the shadows! Great Krypton! I didn’t expect this!”
He referred to the beautiful Ultra Girl who stepped into view and smiled defiantly.
“What’s wrong? Does my resemblance to the dearly departed Supergirl disturb you?” she said.
“Don’t worry. While I kill you I’ll smile sweetly!” she said as she blasted him with heat vision!
Green Lantern deflected the beams as Superman recovered his balance and flew forward to grapple with the struggling girl.
“You may look like Kara but you sure don’t act like her!” he said.
Ultra Girl said, “And you look a lot better than my idiot cousin!”
She kicked him and rammed one knee into his body as he shoved her backward and tried to contain her without harming her.
Nubia drew her golden lasso and began spinning it as she carefully weighed her options.
“I could help Superman tame that spoiled wildcat or I could ensnare her master!” she thought.
She hurled the lasso at Johnny Thunder who laughed as a whirlwind swept it back at her.
She frowned as Amazo stepped into view and approached the team in a menacing manner!
Thunder said, “Ultra Girl brought this remarkable android to my attention. It was simple enough to improve upon its design and make it loyal to me!”
Green Arrow said, “Far freakin’ out! Since when did any Johnny Thunder have this kind of brainpower?”
The Crime Syndicate warped through the wall and charged at the heroes before any answer could be found for the archer’s question!
Superwoman tackled Nubia and they wrestled furiously as neither woman could gain the immediate advantage!
Superwoman began to choke Wonder Woman and the Amazon Princess found herself losing consciousness!
“You are not worthy of the title Wonder Woman!” said a sneering Superwoman.
Black Canary ducked under Silk Canary’s own attack and used her canary cry to knock Superwoman off the fallen Wonder Woman!
Nubia hurled her tiara across the room and knocked Silk Canary cold with a perfectly executed toss!
She also bound the dazed Superwoman with her lasso and commanded her to remain still!
As Deadeye fired explosive arrows at Green Arrow, Green Lantern deftly funneled them back at the two Kryptonians!
Neither was harmed by the impact but the shockwaves separated them for a moment.
Superman used his super breath to turn Deadeye’s entire quiver into a solid sheet of ice that weighed him down and held him immobile!
Power Ring used his own ring to generate a huge clutching hand that closed around Green Lantern until the Emerald Gladiator broke free through a display of superior will power!
The two men seemed to be waging a silent duel of wills until Green Lantern surged forward and connected with a combination of punches that sent his opponent sprawling to the ground!
Ultra Man had problems all his own. He had charged at his pretty cousin like a maddened bull only to miss her more agile form as she darted aside and slammed both heels into his skull!
Superman stepped forward as Ultra Man reeled backward from a flurry of super swift blows from Ultra Girl. He caught the other man and wrestled him to the ground in a powerful hold.
“This ends here! You’re not Thunder. He could never have engineered this kind of invasion nor could he have improved on that machine. I can tell it is significantly different from the model I saw when I was last here!” he said.
Ultra Girl landed protectively in front of Thunder and said, “Tell there who you are! Let them know the name of their master!”
Thunder smiled and made a startling confession.
“ Very well, dear girl, I am not Johnny Thunder. His weak mind merely served as a perfect host body for my vast intellect. You see for years now I’ve existed as nothing more than a phantom of pure intellect since an accident destroyed my body and warped me back to this dimension!”
When he saw Ultra Girl’s adoring gaze when she looked at Thunder, Ultra Man suddenly realized the truth. While he was never given to intellectual flights of fancy and certainly lacked imagination, he finally recognized the power behind Thunder because of its intimate connection to him!
“Father! You’re Jur-Ll!” he said as he broke free from Superman’s hold and charged at the mocking figure.
Thunder laughed harshly and said, “My useless son finally used his weak mind! Will wonders never cease? Yes, I am Jur-Ll of Krypton 3 as some might designate it! When my criminal empire was threatened by the betrayal of my second in command I was cast into the Phantom Zone I had discovered. I had planned for it to be the perfect temporary hideout. I admit I appreciate the irony of being trapped within it at the suggestion of my disloyal lackey when he sold me out to the K.B.I..”
Superman said, “You managed to travel through the Zone into my universe and ended up on Krypton!
You tried to take over Kandor and ended up trapped in the city when Brainiac reduced it! My friend Nightwing told me that he battled you once and an exploding sunstone destroyed you!”
Jur-Ll nodded and said, “Correct! You are resourceful and have a keen mind. How I wish my own son possessed even half of your spirit and capabilities!”
Ultra Man started to grab him when Thunder’s eyes grew vacant and he slumped to the ground.
“I have no real need of that fool now. Ultra Girl found me a superior body!”
The words were devoid of emotion and came from a new figure who stepped forward and placed one hand on Ultra Girl’s shoulder.
“Amazo! That’s Dr. Ivo’s power duplicating robot!” said Black Canary.
“No, it is the temporary host body for my Uncle Jur-Ll and to be precise it is the engine of your destruction!” said a laughing Ultra Girl as the robot driven by the Kryptonian genius’s brilliant and warped mind knocked Ultra Man to his knees.
Jur-Ll said, “When I learned of this amazing realm and the power within it, I took control of Thunder’s weak mind and used him to dupe my foolish son into charging here and capturing Sandman. With his reality altering machine I was able to summon Ultra Girl from the future and improve upon the machines within this realm to empower them to do something poor Sandman never thought of doing. I can use this machine to change all of reality! Look at the monitor screen! See what my genius has wrought?”
The odd group looked at the screen where a serene looking planet orbited a red sun deep in space.
“Great Suns! You’ve restored the Krypton of the Earth 3 universe!” said Superman.
9
As Superman realized that the Krypton of the Earth 3 universe had been miraculously restored via Ju-Ll’s use of the modified Dream dimension machine, Jur-Ll said, “Exactly and what better base of operations could a Crime Lord desire?”
“You don’t imagine I would ever willingly choose to live with or even rule over primitive Earthling do you?”
he said.
As Ultra Man stood up once more, Jur swept him aside with a tightly focused energy beam generated from the duplicate of Power Ring’s ring which his Amazo form now wore.
The real Power Ring flew forward and said, “I can take control of that copy with a little extra concentration!”
Jur merely laughed as Power Ring fell beneath a super swift punch that combined Ultra Man’s strength with Superwoman’s combat skill!
“Dolt! Your puny mind cannot overwhelm my own mental powers! You might as well surrender now!” said Jur.
Ultra Girl dived forward and kicked Superwoman across the room.
“We’ll subdue these pathetic losers with ease!” said the blonde beauty as she blasted at Nubia with heat vision!
Nubia deflected the beams away from her flashing bracelets and managed to send them into a nearby machine!
Jur said, “Ultra Girl, stop them quickly. We can not allow them to interfere with our plans!”
The stubborn Ultra Man regained his feet and brought both fists crashing down to the floor!
Shockwaves rippled across the room and the clear containers that held Sandman and Dr. Destiny rocked slightly.
Green Arrow fired an arrow that sailed toward the two tubes and emitted a high pitched sonic sound!
The special material cracked slightly but failed to break until Black Canary directed her own canary cry at them.
Dr. Destiny fell to the floor and said, “He’s crazy! He forced me to help him and then locked him up when he detected my efforts to unite your two teams!”
Superman hesitated for a moment and then used his own super speed to fly over and lift the now freed Sandman up and through a narrow sliding tunnel. Ultra Man followed them out of some desire to match his counterpart’s decisive action.
Jur flew after them but Green Lantern blocked him from pursuit.
Jur cursed and then regained his composure. “No matter! He may have liberated the former master of this domain but the word former is now the operative term! They can do nothing to harm me!”
Wonder Woman tackled Ultra Girl while Ultra Man began to rip apart the machines that lined the walls of the Citadel!
Superwoman flung rubble off of her body as she erupted from beneath the metal that had fallen upon her after Ultra Girl’s kick had knocked her across the room.
She helped Nubia attack the Kryptonian girl but Ultra Girl vibrated through them and emerged behind them!
“Neither of you are as fast as I am! I suppose the fabled speed of Mercury can’t measure up to Kryptonian power!” she said.
Silk Canary had rushed over to Johnny Thunder’s side as had Black Canary. The two women exchanged glances for a moment and then worked together to revive the stricken man.
“Johnny, that creep was wearing you like a cheap suit. Can you tell us how to defeat him?” asked Silk Canary.
He blinked in surprise and then looped one arm around each woman.
“He’s a crazy alien genius! I couldn’t make any sense out of his thoughts. He’s dangerous though! He makes the Lawless League look like boy scouts!” replied Johnny.
“Watch the hands!” said Silk Canary and Black Canary in unison!
The two women crashed to the ground and remained still as a super speed whirlwind knocked them out.
Green Arrow and Deadeye rushed forward to tend to their fallen lovers but neither archer ever reached the spot where the women fell. Deadeye had abandoned his gear because it had been frozen by Superman earlier but his extra speed gave him no advantage.
Elongating arms from Jur snaked out to knock the two bowmen flat.
Jur laughed and said, “Now to attend to those with super powers!”
Ultra Girl danced aside as Nubia tried to snare her in lasso. She lashed out with an elbow and briefly stunned the older woman.
Superwoman smashed into her with a frightening fury and Ultra Girl dropped down to the ground long enough to drive her nails into the floor and uproot enough of it to crudely cage the Amazon!
Green Lantern concentrated and frowned as his efforts to create a will power generated energy construct within the robot’s body failed miserably as Amazo glowed a brilliant yellow.
“I can change shape with the Martian Murderer’s power. Anyone Amazo ever encountered is represented within his power cells!” he said.
He hurled a duplicate of Superwoman’s lasso of Proteus and the magical rope enveloped GL as a gleaming yellow python!
Power Ring tried to help his rival but Jur merely used the duplicate of Wonder Woman’s lasso to distract him before phasing through his energy force field and ramming a razor sharp fist through his chest!
Power Ring passed out and crashed to the ground
Superwoman broke free from the metallic cage Ultra Girl had formed around her only to receive a stunning blow that knocked her cold.
Green Lantern had also been knocked out by the pressure from the magical yellow python.
Ultra Girl smiled as she embraced her beloved mentor and uncle.
“We did it! Now with our home restored, we can return to our rightful positions!” she said.
Jur-Ll hugged her paternally and said, “You were always meant to be my true heir. You have the brilliance of your father. Had I only made him my second in command instead of the treacherous Zod. He betrayed me to the authorities and I may use my machine to alter his fate so that he died with our home world. It would be fitting to restore him to life in order to punish him in a more personal way!”
He said, “My son has long been a source of shame to me. The fact that he survived the destruction of our world by being sent into suspended animation orbit was nothing more than luck. He has never succeeded in anything nor do I expect him to pose any threat to my plans. Seeing him alongside of Superman only makes his failings all the more obvious!”
He looked over at Dr. Destiny who had been left helpless after the fall of the heroes.
“You are of no use to me. I will end your life now!” he said.
Suddenly a man in red and blue armor materialized in the Citadel and stepped in front of Dr. Destiny.
“The only thing ending is your reign of terror!” declared Alexander Luthor!
10
Luthor spoke more boldly than he felt. In truth the last year had been a difficult one for the scientist turned super hero. He was selfless in most ways but he resented the way this new crisis had interrupted
a precious time alone with his wife Lois. The couple had worked hard to get past the friction certain secrets had created between them. Things were better now and the couple had been blessed in some ways beyond their expectations; however, the blessing had only occurred after a painful time of grief, confusion, and deception!
“Brainiac told me that you took Amazo from me! I’m here to reclaim him!” he said.
Jur said, “You are a talented beginner compared to me. I took your toy and turned it into a killing machine. You had weakened it by making it vulnerable to the weaknesses found in those whose powers it copied. You had limited its ability to only copy a single power at a time. I’ve improved on that design in ways you might never have conceived! If you are your world’s finest mind then Earth is even more primitive than I imagined!”
Luthor ignored the insult and noted that the scanners within his armor indicated that all of the fallen heroes and villains were still alive. He wished he had time to make a more thorough examination of the wondrous equipment within the mysterious Citadel but even finding it had taken a great deal of effort.
“I was aware of the transmitter you placed in Amazo but I was equally unconcerned about your reaction!” said Jur.
Ultra Girl said, “Have some sympathy for him. He has spent most of the last few years dealing with Kel-Ll.”
Jur said, “Indeed. He deserves my pity for that if for no other reason!”
He lashed out with an enlarged fist but it passed directly through Luthor without doing him any harm!
“Ah! You’re using some type of distortion effect! It even fools enhanced sensory abilities like super hearing! Apparently, you’ve managed to cloak your mind as well!” said Jur.
“My Martian mental powers fail to detect your exact location. I suppose I might as well simply blanket the area with enough energy to destroy you no matter where you are actually standing!”
He released a barrage of energy beams from his eyes and the two rings he wore!
Ultra Girl watched in approval as her mentor calmly unleashed levels of destructive force that would boggle the minds of most men.
Dr. Destiny had thrown himself to the ground in order to avoid the deadly blasts. He tried to use his own mental link to the void but he was simply too rattled to make any prolonged contact!
Jur said, “I believe I destroyed the hero of the story!”
“You better worry more about the villain!” shouted Ultra Man as he suddenly appeared in the Citadel and charged at his father.
Sandman had also returned with Superman by his side.
Jur said, “I suppose you think you can stop me with raw brute force? How typical of you!”
He turned intangible with his Martian power and allowed his furious son to crash into the wall beyond him. As his son staggered to his feet Jur resumed solid form and turned to face him.
Superman said, “Good work, Ultra Man!”
He flew forward and held a gleaming gemstone against the now solid Jur-Ll!
Jur –within the Amazo body- scowled in surprise as the world grew dim before his eyes.
“No! I’m pure mental energy again!” he shrieked!
Seconds later Amazo stiffened into immobility as Luthor reappeared and made some rapid adjustments on his own armor.
“Excellent! I’ve secured Amazo once more! Nothing will be able to override my personal control!”
he said.
Ultra Man said, “Bah! You act like you did it all alone! It was our plan. We worked it out together after Superman and I escaped from here with Sandman!”
Superman said, “It was a team effort!”
Ultra Girl gasped in surprise and said, “What is that you used against him? Those jeweled facets look as though they came from Krypton’s Jewel Mountains!”
Superman said, “They did. You see when Jur restored the planet he also restored the landscape and most of the people. He wanted an army of his old followers. What he didn’t count on was that those same followers naturally slept and dreamed. That enabled Sandman to take Ultra Man and me directly to Krypton and retrieve a sample of the raw jewels which when subjected to a chemical process by Luthor here became this universe’s version of jeweled kryptonite!”
Ultra Girl said, “I don’t understand. Kryptonite harms you but it enhances us!”
As the fallen JLAers and the Crime Syndicate members began to revive, Superman explained.
“Green kryptonite harms Kryptonians from my universe and empowers Kryptonians of this universe. In the same way, Jeweled Kryptonite enables Phantom Zone wraiths to boost their mental powers in my universe. I wagered it would have the opposite effect on your type of Kryptonians. It would weaken their mental energies!”
Ultra Girl said, “You drove him out of Amazo and possibly dissipated him entirely!”
Ultra Man said, “ Yeah, little girl, you catch on quick! Now, I’ll catch you equally fast!”
He leaped at her but she dodged him and he smashed directly through the materioptikon!
It exploded into bursts of flame and the restored planet Krypton simply faded into limbo on the monitor screen!
Luthor said, “I tried to shield everyone but it appears my attempt was needless. My old foes have vanished!”
Superman turned to the genius and said, “Can you trace them? Did that explosion return them to Earth 3?”
Luthor said, “I think so but my sensors can’t be certain. It also detected a trace of chronal energy. I think Ultra Girl’s futuristic allies picked her up just in time!”
Nubia said, “Sandman, are you hurt?”
Sandman stepped forward and took her hand.
“No, dear Nubia. I am well. You and your friends have saved me once again. Superman, your keen mind still amazes me!”
Superman said, “Working with Luthor and Ultra Man made me wish there could be some redemption for Kel-Ll. He certainly had a rotten childhood.”
Luthor said, “I pity him at times. I pity all of them but I also know from personal experience how deadly they may be!”
Sandman gestured to where Dr. Destiny stood and said, “John Dee has redeemed himself. He tried to help me although his effort to bring you all here merely made you exchange bodies with your foes.”
Dr. Destiny said, “I owed you Sandman. You made me human again and restored my ability to dream!”
Sandman said, “As far as I am concerned you are free to depart with the heroes!”
Dr. Destiny said, “Thank you but I would like to stay and learn from you if you’ll allow it!”
Sandman smiled and said, “Done! I could use an ally in this lonely realm!”
Green Lantern said, “Sandman, perhaps, we may yet find a way to free you so that you may leave for longer than an hour at a time!”
Sandman said, “I appreciate your help. I am honored by your friendship!”
Green Arrow said, “So what happened to Jur-Ll and his reality tampering stunt? Did it all just get wiped out like a clean slate when the machine exploded?”
Sandman said, “I think much of it did although I would not put it past that willful man to eventually restore his dispersed mental energies and seek some more solid host once more!”
Luthor said, “I will secure Amazo from him. Thank you for your help!”
Green Lantern said, “We could return to Earth 3 with you. You might need our help to take down those creeps.”
Luthor said, “I appreciate the offer but your world needs you and I have allies as well. I feel as if the tide is beginning to turn at last on my Earth. I will eventually defeat them!”
Sandman said, “I will return you to your proper worlds. Nubia, I thank you and all of your loyal friends!”
Nubia smiled and said, “If you need us again just send us word in some manner!”
Sandman said, “Of course! I will see you in your dreams!”
Seconds later the Justice League members found themselves back on their satellite!
Black Canary took Green Arrow’s arm and said, “Why so pensive? I suppose we won!”
Green Arrow nodded and said, “Yeah, we did. Maybe even old John Dee will turn over a new leaf from now on but I feel sorry for Luthor. I mean the guy is alone against a whole world full of super villains!”
Superman said, “I know but I believed Luthor when he said he would eventually triumph. I think good always does win in the end!”
Back on Earth 3
The Crime Syndicate took stock of their own situation.
Ultra Man said, “What happened? I was about to wipe that smug smirk off my father’s face when I found myself here!”
Power Ring said, “My ring was scanning the whole time. We owe our sudden escape to Johnny Thunder!”
They whirled to face Thunder who shrugged and said, “Now fellows, I was not myself when I tricked you into going to that weird place. I was under Jur-Ll’s control. I think that same link we had let me tap into his fancy dream machine and I did so by wishing we were all back home again! It sort of responded to my wish and teleported us home right before it blew up!”
Ultra Man said, “Okay, Johnny. I guess we owe you one. You can live until you bug me again!”
Thunder gulped and nodded in gratitude.
Deadeye took Power Ring aside and said, “What happened to you, Bill? I thought you were a goner!”
Power Ring said, “Except for Quick, the others do not know this but I’ll tell you. After that near death experience I had several months ago, I was changed in a physical way. My body is now made of that emerald energy itself or at least it contains the stuff. It heals me given time!”
Deadeye whistled softly
“That makes me think we could take down Ultra Man and his punks if we had to do so. We could start a team all our own! We’ve got some heavy thinking to do!”
Within the Fortress of Science Lena smiled happily as Brainiac stood before her. He was now fully restored to normal size.
“It is wonderful to have you back again!” she said.
He smiled as much as his artificial features would allow and he said, “It is good to back to optimum level. I am sorry that we had to dismantle Amazo though to secure the needed components.”
He gestured to a long table where circuits and electronic materials were spread across its surface.
Lena took his hand and said, “Alex said Amazo was too dangerous. He could become more of a threat than the villains he was created to stop. Anything that brought you back to me is good news in my opinion!”
Nearby Luthor held his wife Lois and sighed heavily.
“I am sorry our vacation was interrupted. I am sorry about the way I’ve neglected you in favor of my lab of late!” he said.
Lois said, “I’m sorry for the way I treated you when you returned from space. I should never had kept those secrets from you. I mean we are a family!”
Luthor nodded toward a young dark haired boy who was playing with a frisky puppy.
“We are indeed. We are more of a family now than we’ve ever been in the past!” he said.
Epilogue
On Earth 1
Superman stood alongside a hospital bed near a softly sobbing Lois Lane. They were no longer a couple but they would always care for one another and it was good to be with Lois as they shared common grief.
Lois said, “I first met Ryan when he was calling himself the Human Cannonball. Ryan has a good heart. I know he meant well. He was always coming on to me when I taught him Klukor but it was just his way. He is a true hero in spite of the cameras and commercial deals!”
Superman said, “He saved our President and kept me from committing murder while under the influence of Metallo’s red kryptonite. I owe him a lot. I also feel as if I’m partially to blame. Ultra Man used my body to hurt Ryan. Even though he will probably come out of this coma in time, I still feel terrible about it”
Lois said, “You know better than that. The authorities and the press have both cleared you as has public opinion. Everyone knows that it wasn’t really you doing that. You and Green Lantern even repaired all the damage. No one died. Laura Conway’s going to recover too.”
Superman looked down at Ryan Chase’s still form and said, “Thank goodness for that. This world can always use another hero!”
Crime Syndicate and JLA: Nightmare!
By lawrenceliberty
Super beings of two worlds face a deadly foe in a weird realm!
June 1988
1
A slender blond man with a rather vacant look in his eyes raced along a city street as several larger men chased after him! He glanced back over his shoulder and frantically pressed a small stud on his wristwatch! He shoved an old lady aside and turned down an alley to reach a dead end! He glanced left and right and saw no place to hide. There were a couple of battered trash cans but nothing that would really conceal him from his enemies.
“Come on!” he muttered as he held his watch with one hand and fought to catch his breath.
As the men appeared at the mouth of the alley he clinched his fists as if preparing for a fight.
“Okay, fellas! I told you guys before that I didn’t know she was married!” he stammered.
Before the rather menacing group could respond a red and blue blur swooped down and knocked them through the air without stopping! The humanoid figure caught the blond man by his faded green jacket and lifted him skyward!
“Ultra Man! Thank goodness you came!” said the relieved man as he glanced down and saw the still figures of his foes scattered across the alley.
Ultra Man, a ruggedly handsome brute of a man in a blue costume and red cape, almost snarled as he replied, “Thunder, shut off that toy of yours and shut your mouth!”
Johnny Thunder gulped and switched off the ultrasonic signal his watch had been emitting as Ultra Man carried him out of the city!
“Sorry! I figured that signal might reach you. I didn’t have any choice! Those mugs were going to rough me up! Could you take me to my cabin?” he said meekly.
Ultra Man grunted and veered off to the right and then dropped down from the sky to land near a cabin in a dense forest. He released Johnny Thunder with a rough shove that sent the smaller man reeling.
“You know I really should snap you in half. When you first came to our world from Earth 1, you worked against us with those Lawless League punks and then you tried to sell us out to the cops but I talked the others into leaving you alone since you were harmless and made me laugh! Still, you got your nerve rigging up that noisemaker to summon me!” he said.
Thunder looked up at the villain from his knees and said, “I’m sorry! I won’t do nothing like that again!”
Ultra Man grinned wickedly and jerked him to his feet.
“Okay. Forget it. Why were those goons chasing you? Was she a blonde or a redhead?” he asked.
Johnny grinned sheepishly and said, “She was a blonde!”
Ultra Man shrugged and said, “Me? I like redheads!”
As they walked to the old cabin Ultra Man felt his vision blur for a moment and he staggered as he rubbed his eyes. He glanced down to see a broken tree stump and a jagged mineral fragment embedded within it. The green mineral glows slightly and he grinned broadly as he clutched it with both hands!
“Kryptonite! This is your lucky day! I’m going to let you keep your teeth! Do you know what this means? This stuff is like a vitamin to me! It kills that wimp Superman but it gives me a new super power with every dose! Either that or it just boosts my powers. It doesn’t always work the same way!” said Ultra Man as he held the rock up and his eyes widened.
He saw a weird misty realm and a strange golden structure resting in the middle of the void. He stared into space and then he smiled once more.
“Come on, Thunder! You got a ringside seat for my latest triumph! This rock’s given me the power I need to finally take over this mud ball planet once and for all!” he said as he grabbed Thunder and flew skyward at super speed!
2
Within their hidden HQ several other members of the infamous Crime Syndicate listened as their most powerful member explained his strange new plan!
Ultra Man said, “When I ran into this stuff years ago it gave me extra vision power and helped me learn about those saps on Earth1 and Earth 2. This time it gave me some kind of vision of another dimension!”
A cocky blond man in a green costume listened and then sneered as he said, “Come on, Muscles! Aren’t you tired of getting beat up by Supermen? Every one of those crummy Earths has one!” he said.
Ultra Man was on top of the bearded man before he could even blink. He lifted the thug called Deadeye into the air and drew back one fist in a threatening gesture.
“Deadeye, you remind me of your pal Johnny Quick because you run that mouth of yours even faster than he moves his feet! Just remember that I’m a lot stronger than you and your trick arrows can’t hurt me. I’m not impressed by your money either. Back on Krypton, my family was loaded too. My father Jur-LL and his gang ran the city of Kandor like it was his personal plaything. Nothing about you impresses me! I know there are other super types on those parallel Earths but this place I saw is not an Earth! It’s some type of dimension! There’s power there just waiting to be taken!” he said as he dropped Deadeye to the ground and lowered his fist.
Deadeye said, “Sorry, I guess I should have listened more carefully!”
He thought, “That big ape is going to push me too far one day. Power Ring and I could take him if we had to!” The Archer glanced over to where his friend Power Ring sat silently watching them both. The gaunt man with the receding hairline raised one hand but did nothing to help his friend.
Power Ring said, “Ultra Man, you sound like the crazy old monk who gave me my lantern. I’m not saying that the metaphysical stuff is wrong but it’s not my cup of tea!”
Ultra Man said, “That’s the problem with you all. None of you can think like Owlman. If he was here, he’d get what I’m talking about! If we get to this dimension and take it over we can use its power against Luther and his allies. “
Superwoman said, “You have been like a maddened beast ever since we learned Alexander Luther survived our last battle. He did not die. He was merely teleported into space and has since returned to Earth. Lady Shrike told me as much before she departed for space! You must accept our old foe is back and be calm until we eventually kill him!”
The evil Amazon was beautiful with long black hair and a stunning figure that her black and gold costume did little to conceal. She was usually eager for any kind of violent battle that allowed her to display the combat skills she had mastered as the lover and pupil of the war god Mars and the beloved ally of the witch Circe but she was hard to judge. Owlman had once told Ultra Man that she was the most dangerous of all of the Crime Syndicate but Ultra Man had never been sure if his closest friend had been joking or not. Diana, the exiled Princess of Sanctuary isle, was mercurial to say the least.
A sultry black haired woman in a brief pink costume and fishnet stockings held Deadeye as he stood up and smoothed out his shirt.
“Don’t worry, doll. He didn’t hurt me!” he said as his lover the Silk Canary fussed over him.
“I’ll kill him if he ever tries to hurt you!” she said as she glared at Ultra Man from beneath an unruly lock of hair.
Ultra Man said, “Thunder here saw the whole thing. There was kryptonite on his land. It gave me this vision of another dimension….a dream dimension …. and I know we can use it for our own ends!”
Silk Canary placed one hand on her hip and posed for dramatic effect like the exotic dancer she once had been.
“And how do we get there? I’ve always been fascinated with dreams. My father used to say we can learn things while sleeping!”
Superwoman laughed and said, “The only thing you know about sleeping…!”
Ultra Man interrupted and said, “Trust me! I can prove I’m right. Come with me to the Dream Dimension! If Owlman and Raven were here, they’d believe me!”
Deadeye said, “Owlman? I can do anything he can do. The Bird Lady and I are in but just answer one little question? How are we going to get there?”
Power Ring smiled as he said, “I do believe that that’s where I come into the story. Ultra Man’s ultra strength is useless against something like this. My powers are perfect for such a problem! My ring can lock on to the exact details in his mind and take us to this realm unless it is beyond the barriers that prevent us from journeying to Earth 1 or Earth 2. I’d say, I’m the man of the hour!”
He thought, “We’d all be dead men if Ultra Man ever thought of hunting for more kryptonite. It is a good thing his buddy Owlman once placed a subtle mental block in Ultra Man’s mind that prevents him from ever thinking of gathering tons of the stuff from around the planet! If he ever gained all the power potentially available to him from exposure to all the kryptonite that might be on Earth, we’d never be able to stop him! He’d rule over all of us!”
Power Ring suddenly frowned. “I wonder if Owlman was smart enough to prepare some kind of defense against each of us? The very fact that I’ve never wondered about that before now makes me concerned! I did see him counter one of Quick’s super fast moves once. It’s weird none of us thought that was strange at the time! I may have to….! What was I thinking about?”
He frowned as he lost memory of his last train of thought. Owlman had done his work very thoroughly. None of his allies realized how much control he really had over them!
Ultra Man said, “Power Ring, Bill, I do need your help to reach the dream dimension but I know you’ll cooperate. You have nothing to gain from making me angry. If we get the power my gut tells me is waiting in that realm, we’ll be able to take over the whole cosmos!”
Johnny Thunder said, “Guys, I think he’s right. I know a bit about this kind of extra dimensional stuff since I used to spend some time in the Thunderbolt dimension and…!”
“Shut up!” said Power Ring. “You’re lucky we let you hang around at all. We all recall how you tried to get the upper hand with those Lawless League losers of yours!”
Thunder nodded and sat down abruptly. He knew when to keep quiet.
Superwoman said, “I agree with Ultra Man. My insipid sisters on Sanctuary Isle often studied things like dreams and omens and there is potent power to be found in such areas. Circe herself taught me such things when I was a mere tot!”
She smiled to herself. “Those were happy times. I remember that mer-boy I met once. He fried very nicely.”
Power Ring said, “I’ll do it. We are a team. Too bad Dr. Chaos is away. His magical prowess would be useful!”
Deadeye said, “We don’t need him. You, me, and my Pretty Bird can handle anything!”
He quickly added, “After all, we have the awesome power of Superwoman and Ultra Man at our disposal!”
Within moments, Power Ring had used his amazing ring to scan Ultra Man’s mind and to lock on to the location of the weird Dream Dimension! He concentrated and the green energy he controlled enveloped the team and transported them away along with Johnny Thunder!
It would prove to be the beginning of a very dangerous journey!
3
The Crime Syndicate members found themselves floating in a limbo-like void where thick swirling mists threatened to obscure their surroundings.
Johnny Thunder said, “This place gives me the creeps! Is it between Earth 3 and Earth 1?”
Power Ring said, “Negative! My ring says this place exists both beyond and within every separate universe! It’s a nexus of the imagination! “
Ultra Man merely glared intensely and shook his head as if in confirmation of some inner certainty only he could perceive.
“This is it! The unreality is due to the fact that so much of a dream depends upon the individual’s personal perceptions! The magic of this dimension works on that same principal. I suppose there is an internal logic to magic of that type! Just follow me!” he said in a commanding tone of voice.
He flew straight through the mists as Power Ring created a emerald tether that links the others to the speeding villain!
“Sure never knew Muscle-Face to talk like that! He sounds like Big Brain Palmer or something!”
said Deadeye.
Thunder said, “It is because of that kryptonite. It has given him real know -how about this place! Just trust him!”
Superwoman scowled. She did not like being ordered around. Although she had no respect for the sacred values her mother Queen Hippolyta embodied and had in fact cast aside the trappings of her own royal status by removing her bracelets of submission before leaving Sanctuary Isle long ago, she knew that she was a princess and she had no patience for her inferiors and she saw everyone as inferior to her!
“Hecate help me! This foolish quest may end in disaster unless Ultra Man is actually right for a change!”
she thought. She gasped as a phantasm loomed up in front of her. He was a handsome if slightly shifty looking blond man and he stared at her silently with a look of hostility on his face!
“Steve! It can not be! I killed him long ago!” she thought as she swung out at the image and it vanished into the mist.
Deadeye seemed to stare directly into a ghostly image of his own. His eyes widened behind his mask as he saw a sad looking man with salt and pepper gray hair a slight paunch.
“Deleon? He’s was the first guy I killed back when he discovered I had embezzled from his company! He asked for it! I sure ain’t going to feel any regret now. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, pal!” he thought.
Silk Canary thought she saw her late father. Dick Drake had been a small time thug who died after being gunned down by police when he tried to out draw them in a back alley in Brooklyn. Dana Drake had never forgotten his sudden demise and she had grown into a woman with a hatred for police. As an exotic dancer she had run afoul of lawmen on more than one occasion and she had used her martial arts skills to kill or injure several over the years. She blinked rapidly and tried to concentrate.
“Dad may have something to tell me! I’ve always been really sensitive to this kind of thing!”
she thought.
Ultra Man saw a vision of a handsome dark haired man in a green outfit. The man looked like a more polished version of Ultra Man but his visage and especially his eyes radiated intellect and a frighteningly quick ability to detect weakness in other people.
“Father!” said Ultra Man as he shook his head and made his way forward.
“I don’t need your approval!” he thought.
If Johnny Thunder saw any dream visions in the mist, he showed no sign of it. Was he simply too dense to have imaginative visions or was there much more to the odd man than his allies realized?
Power Ring gritted his teeth as he saw several different women flash by his eyes. He was not as much of a womanizer as his buddy Johnny Quick was; however, he was far more successful with women than Quick and he barely remembered the names of some of the female shapes that flitted in and out of view.
“My ring can shut them out! I won’t look at them! The past has no hold on Bill Baggett!” he vowed.
The ring flared brightly and Power Ring flew faster until he and his allies reached the site of a remarkable structure that seemed to rest on thin air! A golden domed citadel loomed up ahead. Bright lights flickered from every side of the oval structure and Ultra Man’s smile was almost as bright!
“This is it! “he bellowed as he flew forward at super speed!
He shook free of the energy tether that bound him to his teammates and he dived at the Citadel of Sleep
at top speed! He vibrated his body until he was able to pass directly through the building without harming it! This type of caution was not typical of the hulking Kryptonian.
He saw rows of machines and several cylinders lining each wall. He also saw a thoughtful looking man in a red and gold costume!
“That’s him! The Dream Master- the Sandman!” he thought as he slammed into the startled man before he could react. A series of super swift blows left the helpless Sandman bloodied and prone at his feet.
He ripped off a whistle that hung from the stunned man’s costume and he tore off a belt that had several compartments full of various odd items.
“I’ve done it! I have defeated the Sandman before he could react! I’ve taken his equipment! I now rule his base! The Dream Dimension is mine!” he said with a harsh laugh.
As the others caught up with him and phased into the room via Power Ring’s ring, they stared in surprise and delight at all they saw!
“He did it! Ultra Man took down the master of this place!” said Deadeye begrudgingly.
Superwoman said, “Well done! You bested him with little effort! Now, shall we plunder his citadel? What wonders await us here? You said there would be weapons we could use here.”
Ultra Man stared at her and said, “What in the name of Argo City are you talking about? Where have you brought us?”
Power Ring said, “Cut out the jokes, Big Man. I brought us here but I did it by tapping into the vision you had in mind. You said you picked it up by exposure to green K.”
Ultra Man pressed both hands to his head and said, “My head hurts. I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t remember anything after taking Thunder to his cabin!”
He dropped the whistle and belt as he held his head.
Silk Canary said, “Something is wrong! I don’t think he ever had a Kryptonite- created vision! I think someone planted that whole vision to lure us here!”
Deadeye whipped out a shaft and raised his bow.
“Yeah, I hear you talking, Pretty Lady! This may not be Star City but I know a set-up even in the Twilight Zone!” he said,
Ultra Man looked down at the stunned Sandman and said, “This punk can explain it all if I wake him up!”
“That won’t be necessary! “ said Johnny Thunder as he opened a compartment on the fallen belt and hurled sand into the air!
The mystical substance struck each villain and they collapsed almost in unison!
Johnny Thunder smiled broadly and looked around the silent structure.
“It was easy to trick him into thinking he was having a Kryptonite vision when in fact the artificial kryptonite I made in my lab did nothing to him. The vision I planted in his dull brain was all it took to dupe him into coming here and securing this wonderful place for me! Now, to secure him and his idiot friends and use this base to make my own dreams a reality!” he said.
He looked at the machines with a knowing glance. The previously slow witted man in green clearly understood exactly how to work every machine!
Ultra Man groaned slightly in his magical slumber but he and his friends remained trapped in mystical sleep!
4
Earth 1
A beautiful blonde woman abruptly sat up with a start and gazed into her darkened room for a few moments as her heart raced. She glanced over to her husband and then gently touched him on the arm as he looked up at her with concern.
“Sorry, Ollie! That was one bad dream I just had!” said Dinah Queen as her husband propped himself up on one elbow and listened intently.
“I wasn’t really asleep either. My own chili recipe was keeping me awake. If Beakface hears about it, I’ll never live this one down. Want to talk about the nightmare?” he said.
Dinah nodded as she rolled her to face him more directly.
“Ollie, you remember the Sandman? Not my JSA teammate but the one in the red and gold costume? He lives in the Dream Dimension,“ she said.
Oliver Queen nodded in agreement.
“Sure! We helped him out when ole Dr. Destiny tried to muscle in on his territory. He was okay if a bit weird. Hawkman and Atom were going to try to find a way to fix it so Sandman could leave his dimension for more than an hour at a time. I don’t think they ever managed to do it”
Dinah said, “I just had a vivid nightmare in which he was attacked by what had to be the Crime Syndicate. I recognized some of them like Ultra Man, Power Ring, and Superwoman but there were a couple members who seemed to be our own counterparts!”
Ollie said, “Far freakin’ out! So, there’s another nogoodnik cashing in on my image! I thought I’d seen the last criminal archer when Bats and I took down the new Blue Bowman! I guess there’s just something appealing about a dashing Robin Hood type!”
Dinah added, “I’ve always thought so. Anyway, this dream was disturbing on several levels. I think it was a warning or at least a vision of something that has really happened!”
Ollie said, “Weirder things have happened in our line of work but how can you be sure it wasn’t just a regular nightmare?”
She replied, “We could call it woman’s intuition but it is much more. You know how Superman and I once had that adventure in the Dream Dimension? During that case… which did involve Dr. Destiny… we discovered that I’m particularly sensitive to dream vibrations. I think we need to go there and help him!”
Oliver Queen kissed her and then rolled out of bed.
“Some wives have their hubbys run down to the corner store for ice cream, mine has me swing over to a different dimension! I’m just lucky that way!” he said with a grin.
Later, Superman, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary had assembled aboard the satellite HQ of the famous Justice League of America where Hawkman sat on monitor duty.
Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) said, “From what you’ve told us we better take Dinah’s dream seriously. My ring can transport us into this Dream Dimension. I know John Stewart was with you all when you last visited that realm but my ring can locate it too!”
Superman said, “The machine I once built for the time Dinah and I went there required far too much energy to be practical nor would it have allowed us to stay there for very long. If this is a rescue mission involving a battle against the Syndicate we can’t use that machine. We may need to stay there for a prolonged time!”
Green Arrow said, “You really should invest in some super-Duracells or something!”
Superman smiled briefly and said, “I’ll add that to my to do list!”
Black Canary said, “I want to thank you all for coming. I can’t explain it but my dream gave me the impression that we specifically were the ones needed in the Dream Dimension. I guess I may just be going along with the idea of matching up heroes with their villainous doubles!”
Hawkman said, “We all trust your instincts. Of course, if I wasn’t on monitor duty, I’d want to join you. I feel as if I let poor Sandman down by failing to solve his unique problem!”
Wonder Woman (Nubia) said, “I owe him my life and I know he has a special fondness for my sister Diana. I am eager to risk anything to help him. Being alone in that void must be hard enough for the poor man to stand!”
She frowned as she thought of her lover J’Onn J’Onzz. The two had exchanged vows in the Martian Ceremony of Unity and were still as blissfully happy as any newly married couple; however, their duties had kept them both busy ever since their return from their honeymoon. She wished he could have joined her but she knew he was working for justice as always and had his own battles to fight!
Green Lantern said, “If everyone is ready, I’ll see if I can transport us to the Dream Dimension!”
As emerald energy enveloped the heroes within their satellite HQ, another man with a power ring was playing his own role in the drama back within the misty void of the Dream Dimension!
Power Ring was struggling to find some sense of direction as he tumbled through the dim void beyond the Citadel of Sleep.
“I don’t know what happened! Thunder attacked us and the next thing I know I found myself floating out here. I can’t see or hear the others nor can I locate the Citadel!” he thought.
He tried to illuminate the void with his ring but the shadows only shifted and failed to part.
He concentrated and his emerald power extended itself in several long tendrils that spread away from him in every direction! He could not determine how long it took for someone to grasp one of the stands but suddenly he felt a pull from the end of a particular strand.
He reeled it back in and saw Superwoman grasping the end and carrying Silk Canary over one shoulder!
“Hecate help me! I managed to grab the Canary as she floated by but I was as lost as she was!”
she exclaimed.
“Good! I’ve got Deadeye!” said Ultra Man as he suddenly flew into view with the strangely silent archer in tow!
“Bird Lady, are you hurt?” cried Deadeye as he saw Silk Canary hanging over Superwoman’s shoulder.
“She is unhurt but appears to be in some trance! She did say that she was oddly attuned to the energies of dreams but I took it for idle chatter!” said Superwoman.
Deadeye said, “She was serious. She’s always had vivid dreams. Maybe this place did something to her! She’s more sensitive than the rest of us!”
Superwoman laughed and said, “Sensitive? I’ve seen her strangle a cop with her bare hands!”
Ultra Man roared, “Shut up! We’ve got to get back to Thunder! I’ll beat him senseless! He played me for a fool!”
Deadeye said, “Look, Ultra, Thunder’s an idiot. I don’t know who or what that guy was but he was not the Thunder we know! He tricked us all!”
Ultra Man said, “It doesn’t matter if it takes forever! I don’t need food or sleep! I’ll find that building and I’ll tear it down like a house of cards! I’m Ultra Man! No one messes with me and lives!”
Power Ring said, “My ring is coming up empty. I can’t find the building. I can’t even transport us home! I wager Thunder did something to cloak his base when he tossed us out here!”
Deadeye clutched at Silk Canary’s hand and tried to revive her.
“Power Ring! Snap her outta this trance! Use your magic ring to get her back!” he pleaded.
Power Ring created an energy bubble around them and gently passed his ring over Silk Canary’s face.
“I’m going to try to contact her slumbering mind!” he said.
Meanwhile within the Citadel of Sleep Johnny Thunder was using an ultra sonic whistle to control a pair of weird other-dimensional beings. As he gave them orders, they labored to construct a towering machine!
He made adjustments after only a brief glance at the rapidly assembled machine. He seemingly needed little more than a look to access their progress.
A dark haired man in a light blue costume and pushed back hood obeyed him as he barked orders in his direction.
“I freed you from captivity here. You will obey me or I will return you to your cell!” he said.
The man in blue was named Dr. John Dee a.k.a. Dr. Destiny. His once skeletal features had been restored to normal by the sustained sleep and healthy dreams he had regained while under Sandman’s control. Now, though freed from Sandman’s cell, he was facing danger from a new master!
“Sandman cured me even though I tried to use him once before! He made me normal again! I owe him something. He’s imprisoned here just as I once was but his captor is far less benevolent than Sandman himself always was to me!” he thought.
Thunder said, “You know a bit about such devices and That is the only reason I have allowed you your freedom. Assist me in constructing the device I desire and I will allow you to keep your life!”
Dr. Dee nodded and guided the dream monsters as they linked several sections of a huge device together.
“I can detect activity within the Dimension. For a brief time my mind was linked to this place without the need for a materioptikon device. I’ve lost much of that power but I can still feel the presence of two separate groups! I think both groups somehow contain a version of Black Canary. I remember how her mind was receptive to my dreams before! Perhaps I can thwart this tyrant by using my own remaining connection to enhance their shared sensitivity to the realm!” he thought.
As the former Dr. Destiny exerted his latent power with all of his might, the JLA members materialized directly over the Crime Syndicate as if drawn together by some supernatural force!
The union would not be a welcome one!
5
The JLAers shuddered from the sudden trauma as their arrival in the Dream Dimension abruptly coincided with a strange shunting out of that weird reality and a brief mental communion with people who were both like them in some ways and yet were their opposites in others!
Superman recovered first and frowned as he scanned the cityscape the loomed around them. The misty void was gone and in its place was a normal looking city. They were standing in front of a block of skyscrapers in what was clearly a busy modern city.
“Great Scott! This is Metropolis or at least it is Earth 3’s version of it. I can see there is a Daily Planet but there are enough differences between it and the one I know to make it clear that this is a parallel Earth!” he said.
Green Lantern said, “Turn around, Superman. It is natural for you to be up front but you’re missing some obvious signs that this is Earth 3. Look at your own costume!”
Superman glanced down and then back at his friends.
“We’re in the bodies of the Crime Syndicate members! My mind or mental essence is in Ultra Man’s body!” he said as he spread his arms out in front and looked around.
Wonder Woman said, “This Superwoman may look a bit like Diana but she certainly lacks my sister’s compassion nature. Her expression is one of perpetual cruelty!”
Green Lantern said, “The ring works for me but it is not my power ring. This one is more magical in nature but I can tell you that it’s not like Alan Scott’s ring either! I’m stuck in Power Ring’s body and I can only assume he has mine!”
Green Arrow said, “At least you know your double! Mine must have a thing for black and green and good taste in facial hair but his trick arrows aren’t like mine! Most of his are designed to kill!”
Black Canary said, “And my double is a natural blonde who wears a long black wig. That’s just the opposite from me. I look like Dinah Queen dressed like a slightly kinky version of Black Canary!”
Superman said, “Don’t worry, Canary. Your secret is safe here. Clearly that wig is enough to disguise the Dinah whose body you’re in and no one else here on Earth 3 knows you as Black Canary!”
Green Lantern said, “All the parallel Earths are closed to one another but I think this proves that all of them share a common nexus in that Dream Dimension. I also can tell that the C.S. ers didn’t do this do us. They were as surprised as we were! My or his ring indicates that much based on impressions recorded with we briefly united with them!”
Black Canary said, “My dream indicated that they were attacking Sandman. Could he have done this to us by accident while trying to protecting himself from the villains?”
Wonder Woman shook her head. “This fruitless speculation is a waste of time. We will have the answers we seek once we have rescued Sandman and regained our rightful bodies!”
Superman frowned as he pointed across the street.
“I’m afraid we have been spotted by what I assume are heroes of Earth 3! That certainly looks like a benign Dr. Sivana leading doubles for Killer Frost, Giganta, Solomon Grundy, the Shark, and Dr. Double X!” he said.
“Surrender to the Monster Society of Good!” shouted a small bald man. He wore a white lab coat and stood in front of a group of colorful and bizarre individuals!
Nubia nodded in approval. “Superman is a fine warrior. He is prepared for battle but he is so aware of his environment that he is able to instantly make perceptive analytic judgments! A lesser man might have merely taken these beings at face value and deemed them to be the villains they resemble!”
Superman said, “Wait! We do not want a fight. Let’s talk things over!”
A chalk-white brute in a black suit tackled him and grunted, “Goldman smash! Goldman don’t talk!”
Superman reeled backward for a moment. “This ersatz Grundy is also a magically sustained being like the one I’ve fought. He has enough magic within him to make his blows hurt me! While Ultra Man thrives on Kryptonite, magic can apparently hurt him too!”
He used his super speed to break free from the creature and then he wrapped him in his expanding cape and called out to the Sivana double.
“Doctor, we may look like your old foes but I can assure you that we’re not! We are on your side! Call off the battle and we will prove it!” he said.
Dr. Atlanta was a brilliant man but he was also nearly untested in combat. He erred on the side of caution.
“We will talk when we have subdued you all!” he said as he raised a hand weapon and waited for the best moment in which to strike!
Meanwhile, Green Lantern was all too aware of Great White’s capabilities.
“He’s like the Shark- highly evolved and deadly!” he mused as he shielded himself from the savage looking attacker.
“I suppose if the Shark I’ve battled ever evolved high enough, he would become benign as well but that’s a theory for another day!” he thought.
Wonder Woman was wrestling furiously with the powerful leopard-skin clad redhead Gargantua as she twisted the Amazon in a tight hold.
“Superwoman, you put up a good fight for a puny human!” she snarled.
Nubia elbowed her in the face and flipped the larger woman over one hip. She rammed her knee into her chest and reached for her magical lasso.
“She will submit swiftly enough when bound by its enchanted loops!” she thought.
As she draped the gleaming lasso over Gargantura’s leg and spoke the command, “Surrender!”, Nubia was kicked directly in the face!
As she rolled aside, she grimaced and remembered that the rope was not her magical one but was instead empowered by a different enchantment from a different source!
“What was her lasso called? Protean?” thought Nubia as she struggled with her enemy.
Green Lantern had caged Great White but he was almost constantly on the defensive as a flying man in red and yellow zoomed in his direction!
GL took evasion action and then shook his head ruefully.
“This ring doesn’t possess the standard weakness to yellow due to the necessary impurity found in my normal ring! I’ve got to adjust my fighting tactics and take advantage of it! Double X can’t break through just because his costume is predominantly yellow!” he mused.
Green Arrow was dodging icy blasts from the beautiful Frost Queen as she stepped regally forward in her lacy old fashioned dress and boots. In spite of her white skin and the intense cold that surrounded her lithe form, she was beautiful!
He was too agile to be caught but the ice made the ground slippery and the chill was distracting to say the least.
“Listen lady, I’m not here to fight! How about turning down that deep freeze for a minute?”
he said as he notched an arrow.
“I won’t kill so I’ve got to modify this Deadeye goon’s gear! Hopefully a bit of hear can do the trick even if I don’t strike her directly!” he thought.
He expertly directed three thermo arrows until they blocked Frost Queen’s path.
“That dress may show plenty of leg in front but it has a trail down the back. I can’t ignite it by accident!”
he mused.
He groaned as she seemed to exult in the heat and continued moving forward!
Black Canary was dodging energy bolts from a twin to the Double X flying after GL!
“This Double X must have a pal. I guess he’s Triple X or something!” she mused as she rolled acrobatically out of his path.
She caught a glimpse of a frail looking man standing off to the side.
“That’s the original human host of the energy doubles! If I take him down they will fade away if this being is like the one Batman has fought!”
She leaped and rolled and managed to come up near him. She delivered one precise martial arts blow to his neck and he collapsed in her arms.
She smiled radiantly as his energy doubles vanished!
Black Canary turned and threw back her head as she emitted her canary cry! The sonic waves smashed through the ice around Frost Queen and stunned her!
Green Arrow swiftly enveloped her with a freezing substance from an arrow and nodded in approval.
“I forgot Killer Frost hates the cold! It plays against her whole m.o.!” he said sheepishly.
Superman had dropped the defeated Goldman on Gargantua and turned in time to see Dr. Atlanta fire his gun!
The gun struck him but it did nothing but slow him down.
“Suspendium? That’s what caught the Marvels back in 1953! It can’t hold me for long!” he mused.
Nubia shattered the gun with a high kick and as the heroes within the bodies of this Earth’s most feared villains closed in on their foes, a nearby observer shrieked as he fell from a window!
“That man got a little too close!” thought GL as he cushioned the fall with a huge emerald energy pillow!
Great White started to bite him when Atlanta cried out in a high pitched voice!
“Stop! Did you see his courage? These people are not our foes! Power Ring would never have saved another life and made himself vulnerable while doing so!”
The odd team of misfits obeyed their leader and in a matter of minutes the situation had been explained.
Dr. Atlanta said, “Fascinating! Perhaps a body switch of a sustained duration might effectively rid our planet of the Crime Syndicate. I must look into the technology involved in such a manipulation!”
“Yeah, you do that little thing, Doc! In the meantime can you help us find our bodies?” said Green Arrow.
“Heh heh heh!” laughed the genius as he shrugged apologetically.
“I am so sorry! My intellectual curiosity gets the better of me at times!” he said.
Frost Queen smiled affectionately and said, “And yet, my dearest, your good heart always trumps your brilliant brain!”
Goldman laughed and said, “Doc. Atlanta good man! Good friend!”
Superman said, “I think our bodies may very well have been shunted to Earth 1. If our enemies are controlling them, all of our friends could be in peril!”
GL said, “The ring says that’s what happened! It also filled me in on our foe. Would you believe Johnny Thunder is the mastermind behind this scheme?”
Green Arrow exclaimed, “Sheesh! Next we’ll find out Sugar and Spike have taken over the world!”
6
Earth 3
Deep under the ground within the secret Fortress of Science a lovely blonde girl sat beside a glowing green skinned humanoid.
“John, talking with your holographic projection is almost like talking to you used to be before your real body was reduced in size. Still, I’ll be glad when you and my brother finally finish the duplicate body so you can transfer your brain patterns to it and be normal sized again!”
Concealed within the image was the real Brainiac (John Smith). The artificial man was trapped at a size of six inches but he retained his super intellect and he also retained his hold on Lena Luther’s young heart.
The much younger sister of Dr. Alexander Luther (the heroic Defender of Earth 3) had developed romantic feelings for the kind and thoughtful robotic being shortly after she had started teaching her brother’s creation about human emotions. Lena was gifted with psychic visions and her keen empathic made her naturally feel strongly for the soft spoken robot.
He said, “Lena, our work has progressed rapidly in the last few months. We were able to dedicate much time to it during the period eight months back when we believed two of the Synidcators were dead. With Power Ring and Johnny Quick supposedly dead at the hands of a magical menace dealt with by others, and Owlman and Ultra Man seemingly preoccupied elsewhere, we gained time to work!”
Lena said, “It’s not fair, John. You know how Power Ring killed my parents with a casual display of his power when he blew up the road upon which they were travelling. He didn’t even know who they were nor did he care. Alex raised me and has always been wonderful as has his wife Lois but I really took some satisfaction in believing Power Ring had died! Why did he somehow cheat death?”
Brainiac said, “Our data has proven inconclusive. I surmise his ring had something to do with his survival. Alex and I have yet to discover exactly how Quick survived either nor have we learned anything about the other beings with similar powers who appeared for a few weeks while those two felons were missing.”
Lena sighed. “It’s enough for me to know that they originals are back. They still give me nightmares!”
Brainiac nodded. He wished he could comfort her in some way. Perhaps when he regained his rightful size he would prove to be of some comfort to her.
He glanced down the hallway of the lab to where an inert android slept within a protective chamber.
“Poor Amazo. He was built for great things but he failed us. Perhaps when he recharges fully and we find a new power source for his delicate receptor cells, he will emerge from his electronic slumber and help us defeat our foes!” he thought.
Alarms rang out as a female figure vibrated through the roof and posed dramatically before them!
She looked exactly like Lena except she exuded confidence, power, and a sultry sensuality.
“Do not be afraid. I have not come to hurt you. I’ve also kept my promise to you. You freed me from the Survival Zone in which I had placed myself shortly before Krypton’s demise and I in turn have never directly opposed your brother. I have never told my loutish cousin Kell-LL that I know the location of this bas either! “ said announced.
“Ultra Girl!” gasped Lena as she recognized the blonde beauty in the red cape, pleated mini skirt, matching boots and bright blue blouse.
“I am here for one thing! This fine specimen of technology!” she said almost playfully as she flounced over to Amazo’ chamber and flew away with it at super speed!
She glanced back and blew a mocking kiss at the startled duo and then she was gone!
Brainiac said, “I reacted too slowly! My internal sensors detected the alarm but my diminished size had hindered my actions once more! I have failed Alex!”
Lena said, “No! I failed him! I was the stupid girl who let the Kryptonian witch dupe me into freeing her from the other dimension zone in which she had trapped herself! I let her out and she hasn’t looked back since!”
Brainiac said, “Ultra Girl hates her cousin. I managed to deduce as much from studying a bit of rare footage of them together. She loathes him and she is disdainful of him. She also has an aura of chronal energy that indicates she spends most of her time in a different era. Those factors have worked greatly in our favor since she has never allied herself with Ultra Man or his allies. If she has returned to our time with some sinister purpose I fear the worst. She is much smarter than her cousin!”
Lena nodded. “And now she has Amazo. If her futuristic science can fix him or turn him against us, we might all be in danger!”
Brainiac agreed.
“I hate to disturb Alex since he and Lois are away for much deserved time together away from his crusade but this situation makes such action necessary!” he said.
Lena shivered and hoped that her feeling of fear was not a premonition of worse things to come!
7
Meanwhile on Earth1 the startled Crime Syndicate members had found themselves in a similar situation as their JLA counterparts! They stood in the middle of a busy city and occupied the bodies of their enemies.
Power Ring figured out the nature of their predicament as he scanned them and the area with his new power ring.
“We’ve been put on Earth 1. Somehow we’ve acquired the JLAers bodies!” he said.
“This ring responds to my will power but it has a weakness my own ring lacks!” he thought.
Each of the altered villains had experienced a brief mental bonding with his or her double and thus, they knew a bit about their new roles. Perhaps it was because of their prior time within the Dream Dimension itself but they were better equipped to understand the change than the heroes had been.
Superwoman scowled and said, “This Nubia- as the new Wonder Woman is called- is a warrior but she lacks my savage skills!”
Ultra Man said, “Yeah, and Superman is a weakling but I’m going to take advantage of this mix up to ruin his choir boy image! I’ll tear his city down until nothing is left of it but rubble!”
He flew off with a grating laugh and headed directly for the looming skyscraper that housed the WGBS offices. He knew the Daily Planet building was another location close to Superman’s heart but the WGBS building was right in front of him and people within it had ties to Superman as well!
“Back home Perry White is my informant. He has tipped me off to useful data on more than one occasion. He hates his do-gooder boss publisher J. Wilbur Wolfingham so he’ll do anything to help himself! Of course Lois Lane married Luthor and retired from reporting. I know I’d certainly like to slap the freckles off that Olsen kid’s face too! Maybe I can do just that with their E-1 doubles but first I’ll take Superman’s favorite TV station apart!” he thought.
He smashed the WGBS rooftop logo into splinters and then stomped on the roof until a section of it came crashing down!
A pretty secretary named Laura Conway screamed as she was buried beneath the rubble! Her boss Morgan Edge hurried out of his plush private office in the WGBS Communications wing and barked orders to other staffers. They attempted to uncover the spot where the fallen secretary lay but the rubble was too heavy and the situation was growing increasingly dangerous as Ultra Man continued his rampage.
Edge said, “That’s not Superman. He may look like him but he’s clearly not the hero we know. This is some clone or energy double or Kryptonian look alike!”
Lana Lang nodded as she removed both designer heels and raced away from the collapsed roof.
“No doubt about it, Luv. That’s not Superman!” she thought as she said a prayer for the fallen Laura Conway.
Ultra Man prepared to rip apart the roof when he spotted Lana. He stopped in mid motion and dropped down to block her path.
“Lana Lang? You’re Lana Lang!” he said slowly.
Lana nodded hesitantly. Was this brute a stalker?
He said, “You’re coming with me!
He scooped her up in one arm and flew away from the damaged building as emergency crews joined police and security staffers in trying to rescue the injured and protect the employees as they fled.
Lana knew better than to struggle. She had been abducted more times than she could count. She wasn’t really afraid either. She felt as if this monster in the image of her old lover was apparently attracted to her in some way.
“Who are you?” she asked as she looked up at him.
“I’m Kel-Ll from Earth 3. Don’t ask me how but I’m trapped in Superman’s body. I’m not even sure why I’m telling you all this either!” he said slowly.
He was all too sure of what had come over him although he was not comfortable with facing the concept of his possessing any emotions softer than rage and hate.
He referred to the fact that for a time in which his memories of his true identity had been forcibly suppressed by a foe, he had grown to feel a strong attraction to the Lana Lang of Earth 3. When his memories suddenly returned, he had flown away from her in a rage and had never bothered to seek her out again!
“I met you. I met someone like you on my Earth. She was just as beautiful as you are. She was kind to me. We might have had something together if things hadn’t gone so wrong. I know you aren’t really her but I can’t let you get hurt. I won’t harm you out of respect for the Lana I almost loved!” he said.
Lana said, “Let me help you. You don’t want to destroy anything! She wouldn’t want you to do that. If she’s like me then she would hate to see you act out of such malice!”
Ultra Man gently lowered Lana to a terrace a few blocks from the WGBS building.
She called out after him, “Wait!”
He flew off with one quick glance over his shoulder and then he hovered high above the city to survey the scene of his earlier rampage.
Superwoman had hesitated for a moment as she fingered the golden lasso on her hip.
“This magical lasso is not like the Protean lasso I use. This one can command obedience. I wonder if I should use it to stop Ultra Man? He will draw all the heroes of this world to us if he doesn’t stop this childish rampage!” she thought.
She smiled suddenly and leaped into the air. “On second thought why should I care? I am still powerful enough to slay anyone who dares oppose me! I have no reason not to give myself over to the glorious berserker fury of Mars himself!”
She landed in the middle of a street and stood her ground as a car hurtled toward her. She caught it before the moment of impact and flipped it over on its side! As the battered driver scurried out and ran to safety, she tossed back her head and roared with laughter!
Deadeye glanced over at Silk Canary and Power Ring.
“Those two have gone nuts! They may look like Superman and Wonder Woman but they sure aren’t going to fool anyone into thinking they’re the real deals. I tell you, sometimes, I think you and me and the Pretty Bird here should get Rubberneck and Quick and split from those nutcases!” We could be Outsiders or something!” he said.
Silk Canary said, “I don’t like it here. We were ripped out of the Dream Dimension so quickly. What does Thunder want from that place? He could be a threat to us still!”
Power Ring nodded and said, “You are right. Maybe it’s just because Quick and I were presumed dead not all that long ago but I find myself wanting to take fewer chances these days!”
Suddenly they were confronted by two colorful costumed figures who darted out of the shadows to face them!
A beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair stood defiantly before them. She wore a bright red leotard and matching boots. Her companion was dressed in red and blue and carried a long staff The most distinctive thing about the agile man was his light blue face mask. The slightly robotic –looking mask covered his whole face.
The woman spoke flawless English although she was from France and had in fact been the country’s national heroine for many years. Her name was Fleur-de-Lis (Noelle Avril) and her companion/lover was Manhunter (Mark Shaw). The two heroes were normally based in France but a trip to the States had led to their witnessing the bizarre conduct of the American heroes. Fleur’s lip reading skills had been enough to confirm that the heroes were not what they seemed.
“Stop! I do not know who you are but you are not the heroes you appear to be!” she said.
Deadeye reached for an arrow and said, “This might be an entertaining diversion!”
He released a shaft that sailed toward Fleu-de-Lis but the acrobatic woman flipped out of its path and landed nimbly on her feet.
Manhunter spun the staff he carried and it compacted into a baton which generated a magnetic pulse that sent the archer’s quiver flying across the street. He used the suddenly elongating baton to vault over a parked car and block Deadeye from reaching his weapons.
Deadeye grinned and swung his bow at the hero who ducked under it and connected with a tightly focused pulse of energy that flattened the faux archer! He groaned but he failed to sit up.
Silk Canary swung at Fleur who blocked her attack and then caught her arm and flipped her over her shoulder. As she fell the Canary rolled and sprang to her feet. They circled each other warily and exchanged blows but neither one took the advantage until Fleur-s enhanced agility enabled her to knock the Canary to the ground.
Silk Canary opened her mouth to sing her canary cry but she gasped for air as Fleur-de-Lis expertly tossed a pellet into her open mouth. She coughed and clutched her throat before falling to a combination of spinning kicks from the French heroine.
“The mild sedative will numb her throat for a time but she will recover!” thought Fleu-de-Lis as she stood over the fallen villainess.
She gasped as Power Ring and Superwoman closed in on them from each side.
“Aren’t you a pretty little thing!” said a mocking Power Ring as he raised his ring.
Fleur dived forward and hurled a projectile at him that she had scooped up out of Green Arrow’s discarded quiver and covered with a small cloth taken from her belt.
Power Ring grunted in pain as the blunt end of a trick arrow struck his face. Fleur had covered in with a small yellow pouch! It had passed directly through the villain’s emerald aura.
Manhunter fired his own baton at the ground in front of Superwoman but she merely used Wonder Woman’s bracelets to deflect the flying rubble!
Suddenly a TV van screeched to a halt below and a blond man in a gold and green costume flew upward.
A pretty brown haired woman in designer glasses and a stylish business suit and heels climbed out with a camera crew and barked orders. “Keep those cameras trained on Ryan. This might be the best episode of Hero for Hire ever! Cannonball subdues a crazy Man of Steel!”
Cannonball shook his head in annoyance. He liked fame and fortune but he was also sincere in his desire to help people. Having a TV crew follow him around and film his heroic adventures had made him rich and famous but he still felt disturbed by his producer’s crass materialistic ways!
“I’ve told Stephanie before that I don’t want to capitalize on things like this. We both know that’s either a fake or a sick Superman. If Superman was himself he’d never act that way. I won’t let her ruin his good name for cheap publicity! Her own uncle Morgan Edge was probably in that damaged building. It looks like she would have a little sympathy!” he thought.
“Take it easy, fellow! I’m here to help!” he said as he approached Ultra Man.
Ultra Man sneered with contempt and then slammed his palms together so that the shockwaves surged outward and threatened to knock Cannonball out of the sky!
The hero managed to correct his flight path and he fired a red beam at Ultra Man! The villain grunted as the red sun ray weakened him!
Cannonball followed up with a punch that staggered him for a moment as the red energy continued to sap his power.
Before he could resume his attack Cannonball was caught in a crushing grip. Ultra Man began to break through the hero’s force field as the power required to maintain it began to drain out of his battle suit!
“I’ll break you in half!” vowed Ultra Man as he started to rip the armored suit apart. He was smiling as he saw Cannonball’s painful expression!
He drew back his fist for one final blow…. and then he and his allies found themselves back in the Dream Dimension!
Cannonball plunged to the ground with a sickening impact. As his crew rushed forward to aid him he passed out.
Stephanie Edge looked pale for once in her life.
“I think he’s dead! Superman killed him!” she shrieked.
She watched as medics surrounded Ryan Chase and then she yelled to her employees.
“You did get that on tape, right?” she asked.
Ultra Man and the others were back in their own bodies and they were still lost in the void.
They exchanged frustrated glances and Deadeye shrugged as he said, “A bad guy just can’t get a break these days!”
8
Earlier on Earth 3, the JLAers had conferred with Dr. Atlanta and after hearing their while story, the brilliant scientist had slowly wiped his glasses on his white lab coat and then looked up at the transformed heroes.
“You need the services of an expert on dreams. Since this planet seems to have reverse aligned doubles for the beings on your Earth, I think you should look for the Dr. Destiny of this Earth! If the one you know is a warped genius then perhaps he has an equally brilliant but benevolent equivalent here!”
he said.
Green Arrow grinned as he said, “It takes a super thief to catch a super thief!”
Black Canary added, “His real name is John Dee.”
Superman said, “And I just found him! I did a scan of the telephone directories for the most likely cities and the name came up!”
Green Lantern said, “Now if he’ll just help us we can get to the bottom of this case!”
He concentrated and his remarkable ring generated the illusion that each of the altered heroes looked like a normally dressed man or woman.
“We don’t want to scare him off!” he explained.
Wonder Woman said, “Good thinking Lantern. While we look like this world’s worst villains, we can’t expect to receive help from any law abiding person!”
Dr. Atlanta said, “Allow me to facilitate the meeting. I have a certain reputation in the scientific community.”
Thanks to Dr. Atlanta’s good name and GL’s power ring, the heroes soon stood within the lab of Dr. John Dee. He was a handsome brown haired man who looked much like his evil counterpart had done before dream deprivation had turned him into a monster.
Dr. Dee said, “I find your story to be utterly convincing. There are dimensions within dimensions and the dream world is a strange and perplexing place. My own studies have led me to the development of this device. I call it a matteroptikon!”
He held up a small control panel that was empowered by a ruby colored gemstone.
Superman said, “Your double on our world called his device a materioptikon. I assume your machine works in the same way?”
Dr. Dee said, “My machine allowed one to travel in the Dreamscape as I call it! I’ve seen some fascinating things during my travels!”
Green Arrow said, “Can you use it to send us to the Dream Dimension where we can rescue the Sandman?”
Dr. Dee nodded and said, “If I can’t do so then no one can!”
He said, “I can do something else too! It taps into the very fabric of reality or at least reality as it exists in the Dream Dimension! I can reverse the change you’ve suffered since it occurred within that mystical realm!”
Dr. Dee made adjustments to the machine and within seconds, the JLAers found themselves back to normal and within sight of the Citadel of Sleep! It was at that moment the villains had also been drawn back into the void.
“The Doc does good work!” muttered Green Arrow.
Superman said, “He certainly does and it is a relief to meet another version of an old enemy who actually has used his talents for positive things!”
He thought of the heroic Alexander Luthor and how that gifted man had become what he had always wished the Lex Luthor he had battled for so many years would have become.
Green Lantern nodded and said, “It makes me wonder if there could be equally benevolent versions of Sinestro and Black Hand on Earth 3 for that matter! That Great White certainly was a double for the Shark!”
Green Arrow said, “Don’t worry about it, pal. We have enough to do to keep the bad ones under wraps!”
As the heroes drew closer to the Citadel of Sleep they were followed by the Crime Syndicate!
Ultra Man had spotted the heroes and he smiled eagerly as he led his allies in silent pursuit.
“We’ll kill them and take over that place!” he said.
The heroes approached the Citadel in a flash of emerald energy and saw a strange scene.
Johnny Thunder of Earth 1 was making adjustments to a gigantic machine.
He smiled coldly as they approached. He looked beyond the heroes at what appeared to be empty space.
“You might as well drop the power ring generated illusions. I know that you are all a few feet behind those energy constructions. My mind is keen enough to detect such paltry tricks!” he said.
Green Lantern dispelled the illusions he had created and said, “Okay, so we can’t fool you. You can’t trick us either. We know you have the Sandman here and we know there’s a lot more to you than it seems!”
Superman said, “I see another figure in the shadows! Great Krypton! I didn’t expect this!”
He referred to the beautiful Ultra Girl who stepped into view and smiled defiantly.
“What’s wrong? Does my resemblance to the dearly departed Supergirl disturb you?” she said.
“Don’t worry. While I kill you I’ll smile sweetly!” she said as she blasted him with heat vision!
Green Lantern deflected the beams as Superman recovered his balance and flew forward to grapple with the struggling girl.
“You may look like Kara but you sure don’t act like her!” he said.
Ultra Girl said, “And you look a lot better than my idiot cousin!”
She kicked him and rammed one knee into his body as he shoved her backward and tried to contain her without harming her.
Nubia drew her golden lasso and began spinning it as she carefully weighed her options.
“I could help Superman tame that spoiled wildcat or I could ensnare her master!” she thought.
She hurled the lasso at Johnny Thunder who laughed as a whirlwind swept it back at her.
She frowned as Amazo stepped into view and approached the team in a menacing manner!
Thunder said, “Ultra Girl brought this remarkable android to my attention. It was simple enough to improve upon its design and make it loyal to me!”
Green Arrow said, “Far freakin’ out! Since when did any Johnny Thunder have this kind of brainpower?”
The Crime Syndicate warped through the wall and charged at the heroes before any answer could be found for the archer’s question!
Superwoman tackled Nubia and they wrestled furiously as neither woman could gain the immediate advantage!
Superwoman began to choke Wonder Woman and the Amazon Princess found herself losing consciousness!
“You are not worthy of the title Wonder Woman!” said a sneering Superwoman.
Black Canary ducked under Silk Canary’s own attack and used her canary cry to knock Superwoman off the fallen Wonder Woman!
Nubia hurled her tiara across the room and knocked Silk Canary cold with a perfectly executed toss!
She also bound the dazed Superwoman with her lasso and commanded her to remain still!
As Deadeye fired explosive arrows at Green Arrow, Green Lantern deftly funneled them back at the two Kryptonians!
Neither was harmed by the impact but the shockwaves separated them for a moment.
Superman used his super breath to turn Deadeye’s entire quiver into a solid sheet of ice that weighed him down and held him immobile!
Power Ring used his own ring to generate a huge clutching hand that closed around Green Lantern until the Emerald Gladiator broke free through a display of superior will power!
The two men seemed to be waging a silent duel of wills until Green Lantern surged forward and connected with a combination of punches that sent his opponent sprawling to the ground!
Ultra Man had problems all his own. He had charged at his pretty cousin like a maddened bull only to miss her more agile form as she darted aside and slammed both heels into his skull!
Superman stepped forward as Ultra Man reeled backward from a flurry of super swift blows from Ultra Girl. He caught the other man and wrestled him to the ground in a powerful hold.
“This ends here! You’re not Thunder. He could never have engineered this kind of invasion nor could he have improved on that machine. I can tell it is significantly different from the model I saw when I was last here!” he said.
Ultra Girl landed protectively in front of Thunder and said, “Tell there who you are! Let them know the name of their master!”
Thunder smiled and made a startling confession.
“ Very well, dear girl, I am not Johnny Thunder. His weak mind merely served as a perfect host body for my vast intellect. You see for years now I’ve existed as nothing more than a phantom of pure intellect since an accident destroyed my body and warped me back to this dimension!”
When he saw Ultra Girl’s adoring gaze when she looked at Thunder, Ultra Man suddenly realized the truth. While he was never given to intellectual flights of fancy and certainly lacked imagination, he finally recognized the power behind Thunder because of its intimate connection to him!
“Father! You’re Jur-Ll!” he said as he broke free from Superman’s hold and charged at the mocking figure.
Thunder laughed harshly and said, “My useless son finally used his weak mind! Will wonders never cease? Yes, I am Jur-Ll of Krypton 3 as some might designate it! When my criminal empire was threatened by the betrayal of my second in command I was cast into the Phantom Zone I had discovered. I had planned for it to be the perfect temporary hideout. I admit I appreciate the irony of being trapped within it at the suggestion of my disloyal lackey when he sold me out to the K.B.I..”
Superman said, “You managed to travel through the Zone into my universe and ended up on Krypton!
You tried to take over Kandor and ended up trapped in the city when Brainiac reduced it! My friend Nightwing told me that he battled you once and an exploding sunstone destroyed you!”
Jur-Ll nodded and said, “Correct! You are resourceful and have a keen mind. How I wish my own son possessed even half of your spirit and capabilities!”
Ultra Man started to grab him when Thunder’s eyes grew vacant and he slumped to the ground.
“I have no real need of that fool now. Ultra Girl found me a superior body!”
The words were devoid of emotion and came from a new figure who stepped forward and placed one hand on Ultra Girl’s shoulder.
“Amazo! That’s Dr. Ivo’s power duplicating robot!” said Black Canary.
“No, it is the temporary host body for my Uncle Jur-Ll and to be precise it is the engine of your destruction!” said a laughing Ultra Girl as the robot driven by the Kryptonian genius’s brilliant and warped mind knocked Ultra Man to his knees.
Jur-Ll said, “When I learned of this amazing realm and the power within it, I took control of Thunder’s weak mind and used him to dupe my foolish son into charging here and capturing Sandman. With his reality altering machine I was able to summon Ultra Girl from the future and improve upon the machines within this realm to empower them to do something poor Sandman never thought of doing. I can use this machine to change all of reality! Look at the monitor screen! See what my genius has wrought?”
The odd group looked at the screen where a serene looking planet orbited a red sun deep in space.
“Great Suns! You’ve restored the Krypton of the Earth 3 universe!” said Superman.
9
As Superman realized that the Krypton of the Earth 3 universe had been miraculously restored via Ju-Ll’s use of the modified Dream dimension machine, Jur-Ll said, “Exactly and what better base of operations could a Crime Lord desire?”
“You don’t imagine I would ever willingly choose to live with or even rule over primitive Earthling do you?”
he said.
As Ultra Man stood up once more, Jur swept him aside with a tightly focused energy beam generated from the duplicate of Power Ring’s ring which his Amazo form now wore.
The real Power Ring flew forward and said, “I can take control of that copy with a little extra concentration!”
Jur merely laughed as Power Ring fell beneath a super swift punch that combined Ultra Man’s strength with Superwoman’s combat skill!
“Dolt! Your puny mind cannot overwhelm my own mental powers! You might as well surrender now!” said Jur.
Ultra Girl dived forward and kicked Superwoman across the room.
“We’ll subdue these pathetic losers with ease!” said the blonde beauty as she blasted at Nubia with heat vision!
Nubia deflected the beams away from her flashing bracelets and managed to send them into a nearby machine!
Jur said, “Ultra Girl, stop them quickly. We can not allow them to interfere with our plans!”
The stubborn Ultra Man regained his feet and brought both fists crashing down to the floor!
Shockwaves rippled across the room and the clear containers that held Sandman and Dr. Destiny rocked slightly.
Green Arrow fired an arrow that sailed toward the two tubes and emitted a high pitched sonic sound!
The special material cracked slightly but failed to break until Black Canary directed her own canary cry at them.
Dr. Destiny fell to the floor and said, “He’s crazy! He forced me to help him and then locked him up when he detected my efforts to unite your two teams!”
Superman hesitated for a moment and then used his own super speed to fly over and lift the now freed Sandman up and through a narrow sliding tunnel. Ultra Man followed them out of some desire to match his counterpart’s decisive action.
Jur flew after them but Green Lantern blocked him from pursuit.
Jur cursed and then regained his composure. “No matter! He may have liberated the former master of this domain but the word former is now the operative term! They can do nothing to harm me!”
Wonder Woman tackled Ultra Girl while Ultra Man began to rip apart the machines that lined the walls of the Citadel!
Superwoman flung rubble off of her body as she erupted from beneath the metal that had fallen upon her after Ultra Girl’s kick had knocked her across the room.
She helped Nubia attack the Kryptonian girl but Ultra Girl vibrated through them and emerged behind them!
“Neither of you are as fast as I am! I suppose the fabled speed of Mercury can’t measure up to Kryptonian power!” she said.
Silk Canary had rushed over to Johnny Thunder’s side as had Black Canary. The two women exchanged glances for a moment and then worked together to revive the stricken man.
“Johnny, that creep was wearing you like a cheap suit. Can you tell us how to defeat him?” asked Silk Canary.
He blinked in surprise and then looped one arm around each woman.
“He’s a crazy alien genius! I couldn’t make any sense out of his thoughts. He’s dangerous though! He makes the Lawless League look like boy scouts!” replied Johnny.
“Watch the hands!” said Silk Canary and Black Canary in unison!
The two women crashed to the ground and remained still as a super speed whirlwind knocked them out.
Green Arrow and Deadeye rushed forward to tend to their fallen lovers but neither archer ever reached the spot where the women fell. Deadeye had abandoned his gear because it had been frozen by Superman earlier but his extra speed gave him no advantage.
Elongating arms from Jur snaked out to knock the two bowmen flat.
Jur laughed and said, “Now to attend to those with super powers!”
Ultra Girl danced aside as Nubia tried to snare her in lasso. She lashed out with an elbow and briefly stunned the older woman.
Superwoman smashed into her with a frightening fury and Ultra Girl dropped down to the ground long enough to drive her nails into the floor and uproot enough of it to crudely cage the Amazon!
Green Lantern concentrated and frowned as his efforts to create a will power generated energy construct within the robot’s body failed miserably as Amazo glowed a brilliant yellow.
“I can change shape with the Martian Murderer’s power. Anyone Amazo ever encountered is represented within his power cells!” he said.
He hurled a duplicate of Superwoman’s lasso of Proteus and the magical rope enveloped GL as a gleaming yellow python!
Power Ring tried to help his rival but Jur merely used the duplicate of Wonder Woman’s lasso to distract him before phasing through his energy force field and ramming a razor sharp fist through his chest!
Power Ring passed out and crashed to the ground
Superwoman broke free from the metallic cage Ultra Girl had formed around her only to receive a stunning blow that knocked her cold.
Green Lantern had also been knocked out by the pressure from the magical yellow python.
Ultra Girl smiled as she embraced her beloved mentor and uncle.
“We did it! Now with our home restored, we can return to our rightful positions!” she said.
Jur-Ll hugged her paternally and said, “You were always meant to be my true heir. You have the brilliance of your father. Had I only made him my second in command instead of the treacherous Zod. He betrayed me to the authorities and I may use my machine to alter his fate so that he died with our home world. It would be fitting to restore him to life in order to punish him in a more personal way!”
He said, “My son has long been a source of shame to me. The fact that he survived the destruction of our world by being sent into suspended animation orbit was nothing more than luck. He has never succeeded in anything nor do I expect him to pose any threat to my plans. Seeing him alongside of Superman only makes his failings all the more obvious!”
He looked over at Dr. Destiny who had been left helpless after the fall of the heroes.
“You are of no use to me. I will end your life now!” he said.
Suddenly a man in red and blue armor materialized in the Citadel and stepped in front of Dr. Destiny.
“The only thing ending is your reign of terror!” declared Alexander Luthor!
10
Luthor spoke more boldly than he felt. In truth the last year had been a difficult one for the scientist turned super hero. He was selfless in most ways but he resented the way this new crisis had interrupted
a precious time alone with his wife Lois. The couple had worked hard to get past the friction certain secrets had created between them. Things were better now and the couple had been blessed in some ways beyond their expectations; however, the blessing had only occurred after a painful time of grief, confusion, and deception!
“Brainiac told me that you took Amazo from me! I’m here to reclaim him!” he said.
Jur said, “You are a talented beginner compared to me. I took your toy and turned it into a killing machine. You had weakened it by making it vulnerable to the weaknesses found in those whose powers it copied. You had limited its ability to only copy a single power at a time. I’ve improved on that design in ways you might never have conceived! If you are your world’s finest mind then Earth is even more primitive than I imagined!”
Luthor ignored the insult and noted that the scanners within his armor indicated that all of the fallen heroes and villains were still alive. He wished he had time to make a more thorough examination of the wondrous equipment within the mysterious Citadel but even finding it had taken a great deal of effort.
“I was aware of the transmitter you placed in Amazo but I was equally unconcerned about your reaction!” said Jur.
Ultra Girl said, “Have some sympathy for him. He has spent most of the last few years dealing with Kel-Ll.”
Jur said, “Indeed. He deserves my pity for that if for no other reason!”
He lashed out with an enlarged fist but it passed directly through Luthor without doing him any harm!
“Ah! You’re using some type of distortion effect! It even fools enhanced sensory abilities like super hearing! Apparently, you’ve managed to cloak your mind as well!” said Jur.
“My Martian mental powers fail to detect your exact location. I suppose I might as well simply blanket the area with enough energy to destroy you no matter where you are actually standing!”
He released a barrage of energy beams from his eyes and the two rings he wore!
Ultra Girl watched in approval as her mentor calmly unleashed levels of destructive force that would boggle the minds of most men.
Dr. Destiny had thrown himself to the ground in order to avoid the deadly blasts. He tried to use his own mental link to the void but he was simply too rattled to make any prolonged contact!
Jur said, “I believe I destroyed the hero of the story!”
“You better worry more about the villain!” shouted Ultra Man as he suddenly appeared in the Citadel and charged at his father.
Sandman had also returned with Superman by his side.
Jur said, “I suppose you think you can stop me with raw brute force? How typical of you!”
He turned intangible with his Martian power and allowed his furious son to crash into the wall beyond him. As his son staggered to his feet Jur resumed solid form and turned to face him.
Superman said, “Good work, Ultra Man!”
He flew forward and held a gleaming gemstone against the now solid Jur-Ll!
Jur –within the Amazo body- scowled in surprise as the world grew dim before his eyes.
“No! I’m pure mental energy again!” he shrieked!
Seconds later Amazo stiffened into immobility as Luthor reappeared and made some rapid adjustments on his own armor.
“Excellent! I’ve secured Amazo once more! Nothing will be able to override my personal control!”
he said.
Ultra Man said, “Bah! You act like you did it all alone! It was our plan. We worked it out together after Superman and I escaped from here with Sandman!”
Superman said, “It was a team effort!”
Ultra Girl gasped in surprise and said, “What is that you used against him? Those jeweled facets look as though they came from Krypton’s Jewel Mountains!”
Superman said, “They did. You see when Jur restored the planet he also restored the landscape and most of the people. He wanted an army of his old followers. What he didn’t count on was that those same followers naturally slept and dreamed. That enabled Sandman to take Ultra Man and me directly to Krypton and retrieve a sample of the raw jewels which when subjected to a chemical process by Luthor here became this universe’s version of jeweled kryptonite!”
Ultra Girl said, “I don’t understand. Kryptonite harms you but it enhances us!”
As the fallen JLAers and the Crime Syndicate members began to revive, Superman explained.
“Green kryptonite harms Kryptonians from my universe and empowers Kryptonians of this universe. In the same way, Jeweled Kryptonite enables Phantom Zone wraiths to boost their mental powers in my universe. I wagered it would have the opposite effect on your type of Kryptonians. It would weaken their mental energies!”
Ultra Girl said, “You drove him out of Amazo and possibly dissipated him entirely!”
Ultra Man said, “ Yeah, little girl, you catch on quick! Now, I’ll catch you equally fast!”
He leaped at her but she dodged him and he smashed directly through the materioptikon!
It exploded into bursts of flame and the restored planet Krypton simply faded into limbo on the monitor screen!
Luthor said, “I tried to shield everyone but it appears my attempt was needless. My old foes have vanished!”
Superman turned to the genius and said, “Can you trace them? Did that explosion return them to Earth 3?”
Luthor said, “I think so but my sensors can’t be certain. It also detected a trace of chronal energy. I think Ultra Girl’s futuristic allies picked her up just in time!”
Nubia said, “Sandman, are you hurt?”
Sandman stepped forward and took her hand.
“No, dear Nubia. I am well. You and your friends have saved me once again. Superman, your keen mind still amazes me!”
Superman said, “Working with Luthor and Ultra Man made me wish there could be some redemption for Kel-Ll. He certainly had a rotten childhood.”
Luthor said, “I pity him at times. I pity all of them but I also know from personal experience how deadly they may be!”
Sandman gestured to where Dr. Destiny stood and said, “John Dee has redeemed himself. He tried to help me although his effort to bring you all here merely made you exchange bodies with your foes.”
Dr. Destiny said, “I owed you Sandman. You made me human again and restored my ability to dream!”
Sandman said, “As far as I am concerned you are free to depart with the heroes!”
Dr. Destiny said, “Thank you but I would like to stay and learn from you if you’ll allow it!”
Sandman smiled and said, “Done! I could use an ally in this lonely realm!”
Green Lantern said, “Sandman, perhaps, we may yet find a way to free you so that you may leave for longer than an hour at a time!”
Sandman said, “I appreciate your help. I am honored by your friendship!”
Green Arrow said, “So what happened to Jur-Ll and his reality tampering stunt? Did it all just get wiped out like a clean slate when the machine exploded?”
Sandman said, “I think much of it did although I would not put it past that willful man to eventually restore his dispersed mental energies and seek some more solid host once more!”
Luthor said, “I will secure Amazo from him. Thank you for your help!”
Green Lantern said, “We could return to Earth 3 with you. You might need our help to take down those creeps.”
Luthor said, “I appreciate the offer but your world needs you and I have allies as well. I feel as if the tide is beginning to turn at last on my Earth. I will eventually defeat them!”
Sandman said, “I will return you to your proper worlds. Nubia, I thank you and all of your loyal friends!”
Nubia smiled and said, “If you need us again just send us word in some manner!”
Sandman said, “Of course! I will see you in your dreams!”
Seconds later the Justice League members found themselves back on their satellite!
Black Canary took Green Arrow’s arm and said, “Why so pensive? I suppose we won!”
Green Arrow nodded and said, “Yeah, we did. Maybe even old John Dee will turn over a new leaf from now on but I feel sorry for Luthor. I mean the guy is alone against a whole world full of super villains!”
Superman said, “I know but I believed Luthor when he said he would eventually triumph. I think good always does win in the end!”
Back on Earth 3
The Crime Syndicate took stock of their own situation.
Ultra Man said, “What happened? I was about to wipe that smug smirk off my father’s face when I found myself here!”
Power Ring said, “My ring was scanning the whole time. We owe our sudden escape to Johnny Thunder!”
They whirled to face Thunder who shrugged and said, “Now fellows, I was not myself when I tricked you into going to that weird place. I was under Jur-Ll’s control. I think that same link we had let me tap into his fancy dream machine and I did so by wishing we were all back home again! It sort of responded to my wish and teleported us home right before it blew up!”
Ultra Man said, “Okay, Johnny. I guess we owe you one. You can live until you bug me again!”
Thunder gulped and nodded in gratitude.
Deadeye took Power Ring aside and said, “What happened to you, Bill? I thought you were a goner!”
Power Ring said, “Except for Quick, the others do not know this but I’ll tell you. After that near death experience I had several months ago, I was changed in a physical way. My body is now made of that emerald energy itself or at least it contains the stuff. It heals me given time!”
Deadeye whistled softly
“That makes me think we could take down Ultra Man and his punks if we had to do so. We could start a team all our own! We’ve got some heavy thinking to do!”
Within the Fortress of Science Lena smiled happily as Brainiac stood before her. He was now fully restored to normal size.
“It is wonderful to have you back again!” she said.
He smiled as much as his artificial features would allow and he said, “It is good to back to optimum level. I am sorry that we had to dismantle Amazo though to secure the needed components.”
He gestured to a long table where circuits and electronic materials were spread across its surface.
Lena took his hand and said, “Alex said Amazo was too dangerous. He could become more of a threat than the villains he was created to stop. Anything that brought you back to me is good news in my opinion!”
Nearby Luthor held his wife Lois and sighed heavily.
“I am sorry our vacation was interrupted. I am sorry about the way I’ve neglected you in favor of my lab of late!” he said.
Lois said, “I’m sorry for the way I treated you when you returned from space. I should never had kept those secrets from you. I mean we are a family!”
Luthor nodded toward a young dark haired boy who was playing with a frisky puppy.
“We are indeed. We are more of a family now than we’ve ever been in the past!” he said.
Epilogue
On Earth 1
Superman stood alongside a hospital bed near a softly sobbing Lois Lane. They were no longer a couple but they would always care for one another and it was good to be with Lois as they shared common grief.
Lois said, “I first met Ryan when he was calling himself the Human Cannonball. Ryan has a good heart. I know he meant well. He was always coming on to me when I taught him Klukor but it was just his way. He is a true hero in spite of the cameras and commercial deals!”
Superman said, “He saved our President and kept me from committing murder while under the influence of Metallo’s red kryptonite. I owe him a lot. I also feel as if I’m partially to blame. Ultra Man used my body to hurt Ryan. Even though he will probably come out of this coma in time, I still feel terrible about it”
Lois said, “You know better than that. The authorities and the press have both cleared you as has public opinion. Everyone knows that it wasn’t really you doing that. You and Green Lantern even repaired all the damage. No one died. Laura Conway’s going to recover too.”
Superman looked down at Ryan Chase’s still form and said, “Thank goodness for that. This world can always use another hero!”