Superman/Batman: Public Enemies

WOMAN 1 [ON TVd : --crime rate soaring to an all-time high.

--virtual gridlock on capital-- --tax and spend, big government--

--fear mongering, deregulation-- --filing for bankruptcy protection--

-stock market takes a beating--

-announced a new round of layoffs--

--unprecedented deficit is crippling the economy.

We all need to tighten our belts.

-riots breaking out in major cities.

Our civil liberties are being trampled.

Housing market continues its decline.

-rabid inflation--

-affecting global markets.

Severe economic downturn may be, quote, ''irreversible. ''

--declare a state of emergency. --mobilizing armed troops.

--today imposed martial law. Death toll now stands at 87.

Lex Luthor's attempt...

...to win the presidency the old-fashioned way...

...by buying it, seems to be picking up steam.

[A UDlENCE LAUGHSd

New polls show that 22 percent of Americans...

...now support his third-party bid.

ln a completely unrelated story...

...twenty-two percent of Americans indicate a preference...

...for getting * * * * * * in the * * * with a red-hot poker.

[A UDlENCE LAUGHSd

Tough times require a tough man.

And the tougher times get...

...the more the voters will realize they need me in the Oval Office.

And not the least of the problems we face...

...is that of aliens and so-called superheroes...

...who act on their own as judge, jury, and often, executioner.

No one is above the law.

l learned that for myself many years ago.

And now this principle will be the driving force...

...of my presidency.

l have already taken steps to bring some of these superhumans...

...into the service of our government...

...where their unique powers will be utilized...

...for the benefit of all Americans.

They are Captain Atom...

...Black Lightning...

...Power Girl...

...Katana, and Major Force.

[CROWD CHEERlNGd

l hope that in the months to come...

...many more will voluntarily make the choice they've made.

And if they don't, they will find...

...that they are not as far above the law as they think.

[SlREN WAlLlNGd

MAN [ON TVd : This started with a routine traffic stop an hour ago.

The driver brandished a gun at police, and--

Whoa! That was close.

This man's car has close to 600 horsepower...

...and can go almost 200 miles an hour.

That's faster than any police car.

And even the helicopters are having a hard time keeping up w--

Wait a minute.

[Y ELLSd

So this is what you've been up to these last few months.

Chasing cars.

l help wherever l'm needed.

But you haven't been needed much lately, have you?

-What do you want? -We want you to admit something.

l'll shoot myself, l swear!

Just a minute.

l'm gonna-- Ah!

-Come on, you. -Out of the car.

Now, what am l supposed to admit?

That Luthor hasn't done a bad job.

Told you this would be a waste of time.

POWER GlRL: Luthor did the one thing nobody was expecting.

He made things boring again.

And boring is good, isn't it?

The economy is back to normal. Crime is down.

There are no wars or anything.

He's up to something. Can't anybody see that?

That's what l thought at first.

Eventually, l realized all he's trying to do...

...is put that formidable intellect to work doing such a good job...

...no one will have a choice but to respect him.

lt's all about ego now.

l'll never respect him. He's a sick man.

He's not the first to sit in the Oval Office.

He's right. There have been womanizers, drunks, crooks...

...but Nixon helped turn our worst enemy into our best trading partner.

And Johnson gave us the Voting Rights Act.

Thanks for the history lesson, but l'm not buying it.

POWER GlRL: Come on, work with us. Please?

We need you.

Sorry.

l guess Luthor's not the only one with an ego.

ls the spectrographic analysis complete yet?

Yes, sir. And the new data confirms our original analysis.

The meteor is pure kryptonite.

A chunk of Krypton the size of a small country.

That planet's been an endless source of grief for me.

The new numbers also indicate our original estimate...

...of time of impact was right.

Seven days.

Correction. There's not going to be any impact.

What's the plan?

Missiles.

We've never shot down anything that big before.

The missiles will work.

When l first heard about this, l started doing the calculations myself.

You're brooding, Amanda.

l'm just thinking we have all sorts of other firepower.

You mean those so-called superheroes?

They do work for you now. Most of them, anyway.

That's to keep them from working against me.

l'm not going to put the fate of this planet in the hands of....

Of freaks and monsters.

-That's not why you won't use them. No?

You want all the credit for yourself.

Careful.

Try thinking of it this way:

lf you don't reach out to some of those freaks and monsters...

...there might not be a planet left to feed that massive ego of yours.

Now, if you have nothing else for me....

Ms. Waller.

Thank you for your honesty.

And I want to assure all Americans and all the citizens of the world...

...that l intend to handle this meteor with the efficiency...

...that characterized my previous endeavors.

But, as a precaution, I'd like to meet with Superman...

...as soon as possible.

It's time to bury our rivalry once and for all...

...and work together for the good of mankind.

This is one time he's not lying.

About burying the rivalry?

-l don't think so. No. About the meteor.

l've been following it the last few days with my own instruments.

l could go up there in a lead suit and smash the thing.

There's no amount of lead that could keep out so much radiation.

And it wouldn't stand up to all that smashing either.

Got anything better?

l'm working on something with one of my contacts.

You're going to go and meet with him, aren't you?

You know me too well.

l can't just stand back and do nothing.

Well, when it all goes south, don't count on me to save you.

l won't.

l know you pretty well too.

Well?

Somehow, l knew that would be the first word out of your mouth.

When the meteor gets close enough, l'm sending up a dozen missiles.

Each one is going to have a 50-megaton warhead.

What do you want from me?

Some of my people don't have as much confidence in this plan as l do.

They think l need a backup.

With the whole world at stake, that's not a bad idea.

Does that mean you're willing to work for me?

-For you? -Yes. You'll be working for me.

But only insofar as l represent the country that adopted you.

And that you love.

What's wrong? Was l getting too sentimental?

Luthor.

You think l'd be crazy enough...

...to meet you without some kind of protection?

-Metallo. -Who else could stand up to you?

[GRO ANlNGd

Shouldn't have done that. He's the president.

[GRUNTlNGd

-That's not gonna hold him for long. -l know.

That's why you have to get out of here.

Superman.

From me to you.

[BEEPlNGd

What was that explosion? Plastique?

-Something like that. -lt won't stop him.

-He's going to reconfigure. -Don't worry about that now.

The kryptonite is near your heart.

l don't know if l'll get it before the wound closes.

Where's The Flash when you need him?

Do me a favor and lose the sense of humor.

Do us both a favor and buy one.

We can't go back up. He might still be there.

Neither of us is in any shape to take him on.

Then what are we supposed to do?

The cemetery was built over the old sewer system.

But how can we--?

-Are you up to it? -We'll find out, won't we?

Oh, it's you.

Bruce.

lt's not ending here.

l won't let it.

l thought...

...l was supposed to rescue you.

There might still be time for that.

[GRO ANSd

Can we get to your cave from here?

Eventually.

Time for you to see my side of the world.

Some company you keep.

[GRO ANlNGd

Come on, Bruce. Stay with me.

You know who l was thinking about the other day?

Who? -Magpie.

The criminal? -Do we know another Magpie?

Whatever happened to her?