The Batman/Superman Story (1) - Recap

One year after the alien invasion which devastated Gotham City, Superman arrives with a giant-sized check representing sister city Metropolis’s donations to the rebuilding. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are in the audience covering the event, as are Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson. Jimmy and Dick spar over which of their cities’ protectors are better, while Clark calls Lois to report his press pass is stolen and he needs help getting in to the event. Lois hangs up on him and Clark uses it as his excuse to account for his absence then flies in as Superman. However, a green-eyed man leaps the stage and shoves Superman aside with greater-than-human strength.

Superman comes up against the newcomer who reveals himself as... Metallo, the cyborg with a kryptonite heart. The radiation weakens Superman and Metallo grabs him and leaps into a nearby junkyard to finish him off. Batman and Robin arrive in time to distract him, ramming him into a nearby building with the Batmobile. That only tears off his synthetic flesh-covering, but Batman uses an explosive batarang to blast the kryptonite heart free and Robin drives off with it. Superman revives and at full strength is able to defeat Metallo with ease.

Superman demands the kryptonite back but Batman says he wants to hold onto it for 24 hours. Piqued, Superman uses his x-ray vision and announces that Batman is really Bruce Wayne, then flies off.

In Metropolis, industrialist Lex Luthor gets word that Metallo has been defeated and the kryptonite that Luthor loaned him has disappeared. Frustrated with the lack of villains in Metropolis, Luthor decides to go to Gotham City and recruit some of the local talent.

Batman and Robin go to the new tech lab beneath Wayne Industries where they meet with Lucius Fox. Lucius is testing the new prototype Batman exo-skeleton suits in anticipation of any future alien invasions. Batman goes over satellite maps of Metropolis and notes that the path of Superman’s flight disturbances focus on the Daily Planet... and Clark Kent’s apartment.

In Metropolis, Clark and Lois arrive at their apartment building and Lois turns down Clark’s offer of a date. Clark goes into his apartment and finds Bruce Wayne waiting for him. Bruce gives him back the (lead-sealed) kryptonite and notes that the new Justice League is having their first meeting. Clark isn’t interested, preferring to work solo.

Later, Superman tosses the kryptonite into the sun while Lois works on a story at the Daily Planet. She’s interrupted by Clark, who quickly reveals that he’s actually a disguised Clayface. He kidnaps her and takes her down to a limo where another Gotham villain is waiting: Black Mask.

Robin and Batman are out on patrol and Robin is testing his new jetpack. They spot Superman flying overhead and follow him. The Man of Steel goes to a warehouse where Black Mask is holding Lois hostage. The villain shoots Superman with a red-sun radiation gun that weakens the Kryptonian, then has Clayface attack along with Bane and Mr. Freeze. Superman is nearly overwhelmed but Batman and Robin arrive, knock out Mr. Freeze, and hold off Bane and Clayface long enough for Superman to recover. A furious Superman flies off to Luthor’s Gotham City headquarters, and Lex reveals that he has Poison Ivy captured, and has modified her mind-control plant spores with kryptonite. He exposes Superman to them and forces the Man of Steel to bow down before him.

(to be continued)

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