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DC Comics Presents
Superman & the Teen Titans
Times Past, 1984
Times of the Titansby HarveyKent
"Don't forget, Clark," Lana called to her classmate and lifelong friend. "The gang is getting together at my house tonight at seven. Don't be late!"
"Don't worry, Lana, I'll be there," Clark promised. "I need help with my trigonometry, you know!" This was a fib on the part of Clark Kent, the high school junior who was secretly Superboy. His Kryptonian mind had mastered all the higher mathematical sciences when most of his peers were learning to ride two-wheelers; but it would be suspicious if Clark Kent breezed through high school with top grades. The occasional bad grade, and attending study sessions with his classmates, were all part of his cover.
As he walked the streets of Smallville, Clark's super-hearing picked up one of the many words he had trained himself to notice even in the cacophony of everyday noise. This word was "attack". Clark tuned his hearing in to the source of the word, and found himself listening to a news broadcast from a radio in Findlay's Appliances, seven blocks over.
"It is not known at this time who the two strange beings are, or where they may have come from," the broadcast went on. "They simply appeared in the sky over Nebraska and began battling each other with strange weapons, devices which would not be out of place in science fiction stories. It is possible these beings are of extraterrestrial origin, perhaps even the advance scout for some kind of attack force. The governor of Nebraska is expected to try and contact Superboy momentarily..."
Chapter 2
Superboy
But Superboy was already on his way to Nebraska. Seconds later his super-vision spotted the two men. They were garbed in strange clothing, futuristic and yet somehow unmistakably militaristic. Their skin was a deep orange; their large eyes black and without pupils. They floated in the air high above Nebraska, shouting at each other in a language Superboy did not recognize, and occasionally firing at each other with energy-projecting pistols.
"Okay, boys, break it up," Superboy said authoritatively as he flew into the scene. The two strange beings turned their heads to gape at the young intruder with expressions mingling confusion and anger. Superboy tried again in Interlac, the universal language of the known galaxies. One of the strange beings aimed his pistol at Superboy and fired. The other one barked something in their strange language, something obviously exclamatory. A sizzling bolt of blue-white energy struck Superboy squarely in the chest. It must have been a very powerful bolt indeed, for Superboy actually felt it. It stung the Boy of Steel like nothing he had felt before. He returned fire with his heat-vision, attempting to melt the pistol. Its alien metal resisted the heat, however. The two beings snarled at each other in their native tongue, and apparently came to an uneasy truce. The other being drew his pistol, and both trained them on Superboy.
The Boy of Steel was uncertain what effect a double dose of that strange energy would have on him, so he dodged the twin blasts. This proved to be a mistake. Instead of striking Superboy, the bolts met each other in mid-air. The result was an explosive backlash that threw all three participants, the two aliens and Superboy, hurtling to Earth.
Chapter 3
Superboy
Superboy was able to check his fall and come out of it, but not in time to stop the two aliens from crashing through the roof of a circus tent. The orange-skinned combatants landed in the center ring of the small circus, drawing the crowd's attentions away from the high-wire act.
"Wow!" a small four-year-old boy in the audience cheered. "Look at that, Dad!" The boy obviously thought this was part of the show. His father was unconvinced.
The high wire performers halted their act until they could figure out what was going on. The orange-skinned men were only slightly dazed by their fall; they rose to their feet and looked around them, examining their new surroundings.
The crowd cheered deafeningly when Superboy flew in through the hole in the tent ceiling. One of the aliens fired his pistol at Superboy. Instinctively the Boy of Steel dodged the bolt; it sizzled past the high wire, startling the performers on the platform, before ripping through the tent ceiling.
"Mom!" another little four-year-old boy in the circus performers' area cried, breaking away from the clown who was supposed to be watching him but was obviously paying closer attention to the spectacle. Superboy was determined that no innocent bystanders would be injured by these beings. He power-dove at the one who had shot at him, intent on taking the pistol away from him. As he flew, however, the other one got a bead on him and shot him in the side with his pistol. The blast threw Superboy off course, and he crashed right into the sawdust-covered ground of the center ring.
Chapter 4
Superboy
"Superboy's hurt!" the boy in the audience cried, and leapt over the rail. His father called to him to come back, but the boy was running right for the fallen hero. The other boy, the child of the circus performers, had reached the orange-skinned being and was hammering on his leg with his small fists. The alien kicked the boy away in contempt; he skidded across the sawdust to where Superboy lay, just as the other boy rushed in to try and revive Superboy.
The two orange-skinned beings said something to each other in their own language, and aimed their pistols at Superboy. The two small boys on either side of the colorful hero screamed in horror. The triggers clicked, and twin bolts of blue-white light stabbed forth. Suddenly Superboy's head snapped up, his face full of determination. His heat vision lanced out, and the laserlike beams met the alien energy-beams head-on. For a long, tense moment, Superboy, the two toddlers, and the aliens were bathed in the eerie purple light resulting from the meeting of the two energies. Then Superboy's heat vision won the struggle, and the blue-white beams lanced backward upon themselves, travelling back up to the pistols that had fired them. In a brilliant flash, the orange-skinned aliens vanished.
"Wow, Superboy," the boy from the audience said in awe. "That was so cool!"
"Hi, Superman!" Wonder Girl said in happy surprise as she entered the meeting room of the Teen Titans. "What brings you to Titans Lair? Hi, Robin!"
"Hello, Wonder Girl," Superman said to the young Amazon. She resembled Superman's JLA comrade Wonder Woman so closely, it was hard to believe that she was only Diana's adopted sister. "I came here to see Robin on a clandestine mission of great importance, and vital secrecy."
Wonder Girl gaped in open-mouthed awe, before Robin chuckled. "He's kidding you, W.G. He came here so we could plan a birthday surprise for Batman."
"Well, that's greatly important and vitally secret," Superman smiled. "Care to give us your opinion, Wonder Girl?"
Superman stepped aside to show Wonder Girl what he and Robin had been working on. "Oh, it's beautiful!" Wonder Girl squealed as she saw a tiny model of the Batmobile, not the current Batmobile but a much earlier version. She could not tell what it had been carved of, but the material glittered with dark brightness.
"This was our first Batmobile," Robin explained. "Superman carved it out of a black gem found only on the planet Sirius IV. With his bare hands!"
"To Robin's specifications," Superman added. "With his keen detective's eye for observation, he described every nuance of the original Batmobile to me. I duplicated what he described, even down to the scuff-mark on the left fender."
"From the Spinner's giant top," Robin added.
Suddenly a loud alarm clanged into life. Robin leapt over the table and landed at the communications console. "Robin here! Come in!"
"Robin, this is Aqualad," the prince of the sea's voice came over the comm-link. "Kid Flash and I need some help, pronto! Coordinates Alpha-Niner-Seven, Delta-Fiver-Zero!"
"Roger that, Gillhead! Titans Lair out!" Robin snapped off the communicator.
"A97-D50?" Wonder Girl repeated. "That's the middle of the Atlantic Ocean!"
"Aqualad sounded urgent," Robin noted. "Anything that could give him and Kid Flash both a hard time must be a pretty heavy hitter!"
"Do you kids want some help?" Superman asked. "I mean, I know you're capable of handling any situation, but as long as I'm here..."
The three mighty champions took off immediately for the Atlantic.
Chapter 6
"1966"
"How are you doing, Twinkletoes?" Aqualad asked his friend. Kid Flash lay on the back of a sperm whale, nursing an injured leg.
"Doing fine, considering," Kid Flash answered. "My super-fast metabolism is healing my leg; I should be back in the battle in no time. I only hope that's time enough!"
"Me too," Aqualad agreed solemnly. From their perch on the whale, they watched a Navy ship training its guns on a strange craft, a ship that resembled a giant metal shark. Bullets pinged off the shark-craft ineffectively. The metal shark was slowly forcing the Navy ship off its course.
"Gillhead -- look!" Kid Flash cried, pointing at the skies. "Help has arrived! And man, what help!"
Aqualad watched in joy as Robin, Wonder Girl, and Superman descended from the skies. Superman did not need more than a casual glance to tell him where his strength was needed. He dropped the youngsters onto the whale's back near their friends, and immediately charged the shark-craft.
"What's going on?" Robin asked. "Who's piloting that shark-ship?"
"Wish I knew," Aqualad said. "The Navy ship is transporting an experimental new lightning-gun to Aberdeen Proving Ground for testing. The Navy asked Aquaman to guard the ship, but he had royal business in Atlantis today and asked me to do it."
"I was with Aqualad when he got the call," Kid Flash explained. "He was helping me with a school project, a chart of the world's oceans. I decided to tag along. Out of nowhere that big metal shark came and attacked the ship!"
"We engaged the shark-ship, and were doing fine for awhile," Aqualad explained. "But the shark-craft has some kind of ray-gun mounted in the eyes. They got in a lucky shot and got Kid Flash in the leg."
"Aqualad summoned some giant squid to take down the craft, but it can deliver an electric shock to its outer hull that hurt the squid," Kid Flash continued. "Aqualad didn't want to send the creatures to their death, so he called them off."
"Holy Jules Verne," Robin commented, smacking a fist into his glove.
Chapter 7
"1966"
The Teen Titans watched as Superman grabbed the "tail" of the shark-craft and heaved. The steel-jawed "head" of the shark rose out of the water, streaming droplets of water into the ocean. Suddenly a hatch opened in the top of the craft, and a number of small winged things flew out of it. Like birds they were, and yet somehow... wrong. They circled around Superman, and the shark's "head" began to dip back toward the water, as if Superman were losing strength. Aqualad's eyes, keen enough to penetrate the murky ocean depths, saw what was happening.
"Mumblin' mantas!" he exclaimed. "Those things are robot vultures! And they've got Kryptonite tied to their legs!"
"Vultures?" Robin exclaimed. "And a shark? Holy reunions, I know who's behind this now! Come on, Titans, Superman needs us!"
"Up for our old one-two, W.G.?" Aqualad asked?
"Thought you'd never ask, Plankton-Breath!" Wonder Girl announced. Aqualad tensed his mighty muscles, making his body rigid. With one arm Wonder Girl gripped the back of Aqualad's costume, and hurled him like a missile. Aqualad's super-dense body, toughened by the pressures of the ocean depths, smashed into the group of robot vultures like a catapult boulder. Fragments of shattered robot dropped into the ocean and sank, along with the deadly Kryptonite.
"Time for me to get back in the game," Kid Flash announced, hopping to his feet.
"Sure you're up to it, Flasheroo?" Robin asked.
"Just watch me, Bird Boy," Kid Flash said. And in a blur of scarlet and gold, he was gone, racing across the water's surface toward the shark-craft. He dashed past the shark's "eyes", and beams of crimson light lanced out of them and barely missed him.
Chapter 8
"1966"
"Wonder Doll, we've got to take out those laser-cannons!" Robin announced. "Come on, let's hit them!"
Wonder Girl picked up the leader of the Teen Titans and took to the air. Together they flew past the shark-craft's "eyes". When the scarlet bolts lanced out at them, Robin somersaulted over the beams and landed on top of the craft. Wonder Girl caught the laser-bolts on her indestructible bracelets and reflected them back at the shark-craft, destroying both "eyes". Robin, meanwhile, pried open the hatch from which the robot vultures had emerged, and tossed in a handful of smoke pellets. Superman's super-hearing picked up the sound of frenzied coughing from within.
"Good work, kids," Superman said. "I've shaken off the effects of the Kryptonite now; let's finish this!"
"Stop, Superman!" a voice from within the shark-craft called. "We give up! We've had enough!" The shark's "mouth" opened wide, and two men in bizarre masks stood in the opening, hands over their heads.
"The Shark and the Vulture," Robin said. "I figured it was you guys. Where's the other member of the Terrible Trio?"
"Right here!" The Fox snarled, popping up from the hatch at the top of the craft. He fired a bizarre-looking rifle at Robin; a beam of green energy lanced out toward the Boy Wonder.
"Look out!" Kid Flash cried, racing in at super-speed to whisk Robin out of the beam's path. He needn't have bothered, for Superman's heat vision lanced out and struck the beam, stopping it in a brilliant blaze of red and green light.
"I'll take that, fur-face," Wonder Girl growled, snaring the rifle in her lasso. Aqualad shook his head as the blaze of light faded. For just a moment, he could have sworn he saw two weird figures in the light. The image faded when the lightshow stopped, and Aqualad dismissed it as an illusion. He waved to the Navy ship to take the Terrible Trio into custody.
A palpable air of depression hung over Teen Titans headquarters. Robin, the team's leader, closed the Titans casebook and silently replaced it on the shelf. Wonder Girl, Speedy, and the others said not a word as they moved from room to room, going about the grim business of closing down the headquarters.
Suddenly the silence was broken by a shrill beeping noise.
"The intruder alarm?" Speedy asked, jumping into readiness, but a little unsure. The alarm sounded different.
"No," Robin said. "That's the perimeter alarm, all right, but it's not the intruder alarm. That's the alert that someone recognized as a friend has breached our perimeters."
"I should hope so," boomed a basso voice known to the Titans.
"Superman!" Wonder Girl exclaimed, as the familiar blue and red form sailed into the meeting room.
"You picked a weird time for a visit, Superman," Mal Duncan said sadly. "You're just in time to help us lock up."
"Lock up?" Superman asked, confused. "What do you mean?"
"He means the Titans are disbanding," Robin explained. "It's a long story, and a sad one; but, with one thing and another, we decided this isn't worth doing anymore."
"I'm sorry to hear it," Superman said grimly. "But I need to ask you to keep the team together, at least for one more adventure. I need your help; in fact, the world needs it!"
Chapter 10
"1977"
"Our help?" Kid Flash asked. "We'll do whatever we can, Superman, but why come to us and not the Justice League of America?"
"That's the heart of the problem," Superman explained. "The Injustice Gang has cut off the JLA from the world! You don't know it, but the entire planet Earth has been shifted out of this dimensional plane and into another!"
"What?" Wonder Girl gasped. "That's incredible!"
"Indeed it is," Superman agreed. "The Injustice Gang was very clever. They managed to spy on the JLA satellite and struck when the entire team was on board for a meeting. I should have been at the meeting, too; luckily I was late, due to an attack by the Toyman that I had to break up. But the whole rest of the JLA is cut off from Earth! I investigated, and found that the Injustice Gang accomplished this using three special 'vibratory engines'. I could wreck them one by one, but if they are not turned off simultaneously, the result could be disastrous. Earth could be shifted into yet another vibratory plane, one already occupied by a planet!"
"So you need the Teen Titans to help you shut down all three engines at once?" Robin summarized. "You've got it, Superman! We can pull it together one more time! Where are these engines?"
"One is in San Francisco, one in Australia, and one in Hong Kong," Superman explained.
"Okay, Titans, here's the game plan," Robin said, shifting easily into leader mode. "Kid Flash, you and I will go with Superman to Australia. Wonder Girl, Speedy, and Mal will head for Hong Kong. I'll call some of our West Coast-based friends to deal with San Francisco."
"The Injustice Gang has members guarding each engine," Superman explained.
"No trouble," Robin said. "Everyone will call in when they've overcome the guard, and we'll shut down the engines together. Okay, Titans?"
"Okay!" the other young heroes shouted simultaneously.
Chapter 11
"1977"
"What a beautiful city," Wonder Girl remarked as her invisible plane banked over the horizon and the pagodas of Hong Kong came into view. "I've never been here before."
"Let's hope we'll all get to come again, on friendlier terms," Mal said anxiously. He had changed into the Guardian costume, with the exo-skeleton beneath. "To do that we've got to find the vibratory engine and put the clobber on the Injustice Goon guarding it."
"Finding it won't be a problem," Speedy commented. "Not with these portable vibro-detectors Superman jury-rigged." Speedy examined the device, roughly the size of a hand-held calculator, in his palm." About twenty points due east, Donna."
Wonder Girl flew the plane in the direction Speedy indicated. They did not need to look far to find the vibratory engine; large and glittering, it stood out in a clearing in a small grove of trees.
"Looks like H.R. Giger's idea of a water cooler," Mal commented. "I don't see any guard, though."
"The villain isn't going to jump out and say 'here I am, come get me'," Wonder Girl commented.
"Um, Donna? I think you may be wrong about that after all," Speedy gulped. "Look at that!"
The three Titans watched as the branches of the trees began to move, reaching for them like the fingers of some many-armed giant.
"Great Hera!" Wonder Girl exclaimed. "Everybody bail out!"
As one, the heroes leapt from the plane. Wonder Girl caught Mal on the way down; Speedy made his own landing with a hastily-drawn net arrow. They gathered in the clearing, before the humming vibratory engine.
"Well, well, so the JLA's junior auxiliary is pinch-hitting for them, eh?" came a honeyed voice from the trees. "How cute."
The three heroes looked up to see a beautiful young woman in sylvan garb perched on a tree limb.
"Poison Ivy!" Speedy gasped.
"In person, young arrowcaster," Poison Ivy cooed. "How nice of you to come see me. Ah, but I'm being a terrible hostess. Sit down, let me take your things..."
Thick vines suddenly burst from the ground, ensnaring the three Titans. Speedy's bow, Mal's shield, and Wonder Girl's lasso were wrenched away from them.
"That's better," Poison Ivy grinned, swinging down from the tree. "Now you can die comfortably."
Chapter 12
"1977"
"You sure this is the right place, Lilith?" the young man in blue and white asked. "I mean, this is the Golden Gate Bridge! Not exactly a hiding place."
"I sense... great evil here, Dove," the red-headed girl said. "Great evil, and malicious purpose. It can only be the villain we seek."
"You never know; this is an election year," Hawk quipped.
"Enough talk!" the huge brute with them snarled. "Gnarrk will find machine!"
"Gnarrk, wait!" Dove called. "We don't know who we're dealing with yet! Better that we--"
"Gnarrk doesn't take orders from you, Dove!" the caveman growled. "I will find the villain myself! You stand here talking if you want to!"
"No need to quibble among yourselves," a smooth, oily voice came from nowhere. "I'm right here."
The young heroes looked around, but saw nobody. "Where are you?" Hawk demanded. "Show yourself!"
"Oh dear me, I'm being rude," the voice said apologetically. "I told you I was right here, but I never said when I was. Hold on, I'll phase into your time-stream." In an eyeblink, a man in a garish costume and cloak appeared, grinning. "That's better. Welcome, youngsters."
"Gang, I recognize him from the papers!" Dove declared. "That's Chronos!"
"Ha! He'll be Crushed-Nose when Gnarrk through with him!" the young Cro-Magnon declared, charging forward. Chronos simply turned his wrist so that the face of his wristwatch faced the young caveman. Something launched itself from the watch, and struck Gnarrk full in the chest. With a rumbling grunt of pain, the caveman went down.
"Gnarrk!" Lilith cried, rushing to his side.
"That's one whose time has come," Chronos declared. "Who's next?"
Chapter 13
"1977"
Kid Flash raced across the surface of the ocean, Robin riding atop his shoulders. Superman flew alongside them, keeping perfect time with the young speedster. The Man of Steel smiled at Wally's speed; even carrying a passenger, he was nearly as fast as his uncle, Barry.
"Australia dead ahead," Superman announced. "How's the vibro-detector working, Robin?"
The teen wonder stared at the device. "I'm not sure. If I'm reading this right, the vibratory engine is in the middle of the Sydney Opera House!"
Superman's computer-like memory consulted its file on the Sydney Opera House. "They're between performances now. It wouldn't be that hard for someone to sneak inside. They could even get the vibratory engine inside, in a crate marked 'scenery'. Let's check it out!"
In less time than it takes to tell, the three champions arrived at the Opera House. Robin consulted the vibro-detector. "It's going batty, pardon the pun! This has to be it!"
"Indeed it is," a sibilant voice hissed. All three heroes looked around and saw no one. Then Robin, looking down on the ground, noticed something. "Guys... we're casting four shadows!"
Before anyone could react to Robin's words, the fourth shadow reached up and struck Kid Flash along the side of the head. With a groan, the young speedster collapsed.
"Shadow Thief!" Superman exclaimed. "Hang on, Robin, I'll handle him!"
"Oh no you won't," a voice from above called. Instinctively, Superman looked up, directly into a stream of silvery liquid. In an instant, Superman was covered from head to toe in a metallic substance that glittered so brightly in the sunlight, Robin had to shield his eyes.
"My special liquid mirror compound," Mirror Master called from the roof of the opera house. "Superman is covered with it, and it reflects all of the sun's rays away from him. Not just the visible light portions, but all the different rays of solar energy, including those that give him his powers!"
"So it's just you against two powerful super-villains, Boy Wonder-bread," Shadow Thief smirked. "What will you do now?"
Chapter 14
"1977"
Poison Ivy landed on her dainty feet and not so much walked as flowed liquidly across the grass to her three captives. "My, such prizes I have netted," she purred sensually. "I like the young ones, you know." She ran a green-lacquered fingernail across Speedy's biceps. "My, such muscles. I always admired Green Arrow's arms; using a bow does such wonderful things for a man's muscles. I see you're no exception." The villainess turned to Mal Duncan, who scowled at her in impotent rage. "You're cute too, honey. I've always wondered if what they say about your race is true."
"Tell your triffids to let me go, and you'll find out," Mal grumbled.
"Would I, now?" Poison Ivy asked, fluttering her eyelids. "Or would you simply try to overpower me, make me submit to arrest?" The honey went out of her voice as she turned to Wonder Girl. "You, on the other hand, are a disappointment. Far too tall for your age, and that muscle tone! Who wants a girl that can bench-press him? But, I suppose some guys get off on that. I'll see if Chronos or the Mirror Master wants you."
"Don't count on it," Wonder Girl scowled. With a flex of her mighty muscles, she snapped the vine like a twig. Poison Ivy gasped in horror. "My plants! My beautiful plants!" She was quick to react, and hurled a handful of pollen dust into Wonder Girl's face. Through eyes stinging and streaming tears, Wonder Girl tried to land a punch, but Poison Ivy dodged it easily. As she did so, however, she stepped back into Mal's waiting hands.
"My exoskeleton took a little longer with your creepers than W.G., but I still got loose," he chuckled as he held the thrashing villain by her wrists.
"How very clever of you," Poison Ivy spat. "Here's your reward!" She kicked backward with her small foot, the thorn-spines on the back of her boot plunging through Mal's costume and exoskeleton, to sink into the skin of his calf. He cried out in pain, and the villain wrenched free from his grip. Before she could make a move, however, something exploded at her feet. Clouds of sweet-smelling vapor rose around her, and she sank to the grass unconscious.
"Ollie designed that insecticide-arrow for use against giant bugs," Speedy commented. "I'll have to tell him it works on monster plants, too. Good thing P.I. was close to me; she's still got my bow, and my knockout gas-arrow won't go off if just hand-thrown unless it's point blank. How you feeling, Mal?"
"Kinda... queasy," Mal commented, holding his forehead. "Some kinda drug...."
"We'll get you to a hospital," Wonder Girl promised, wiping her eyes, "as soon as we take care of the vibratory engine!"
Chapter 15
"1977"
Lilith knelt on the ground, cradling Gnarrk's head in her lap and silently weeping. Gnarrk was still and unmoving. Hawk and Dove stood tensed like coiled springs, ready to strike at Chronos, who stood there smirking.
"Superman should know better than to send children to do grown-up jobs," he chided. "Who else wants to challenge me? Time, after all, is the slayer of us all; and Chronos is time."
"Shut up!" Lilith suddenly screamed, looking up at Chronos with pure hatred in her eyes. Chronos reeled as if struck, and his hands flew to his head. He screamed in pain.
Hawk and Dove did not understand what had just happened, but instantly went into action. Hawk grabbed Chronos' right arm and forced it behind his back and up, in a painful lock. Dove ripped Chronos' belt from his waist, depriving him of his weapons.
"Ohhh, my head," Chronos complained. "Feels like... someone shoved... a red-hot knife blade... right through my brain!"
Dove glanced at Lilith, who was staring at Chronos with undisguised hatred, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Lilith... did you do that?" Dove stammered. Lilith nodded once.
"I didn't know you could do that, Lil," Hawk said in awe.
"Neither did I," Lilith sniffled, wiping tears from her face. "I suppose my emotions transferred to my mental powers in my moment of anguish." She paused for a moment, then added, "Gnarrk's dead."
Everyone was silent for a long moment. Dove finally broke the silence.
"I think we'd better contact Robin, to coordinate the engine shutdown," he said. Lilith nodded.
Chapter 16
"1977"
Robin stood tensely as the Shadow Thief approached him. He knew that his physical weapons were useless against the villain's shadow form.
"Just hold still, little birdie, and it'll all be over in a minute," Shadow Thief mocked.
"I know," Robin smiled. Quick as a striking cobra, the teen wonder tossed something from his utility belt at Superman's paralyzed form, then ducked. Instinctively, Shadow Thief looked in Superman's direction. The magnesium flare exploded in a bright flash, which Mirror Master's liquid mirror reflected in a brilliant bolt that struck Shadow Thief full in the face. With a scream, Shadow Thief reverted to his human form. No sooner did he have a solid chin than it was met by Robin's gloved fist.
"Very clever, Robin," Mirror Master shouted from the opera house roof. "But let's see you evade my mirror-laser!" The cowled villain aimed a pistol with a mirror mounted on the barrel.
"He won't have to," Kid Flash announced. He had recovered from the Shadow Thief's cowardly attack. At blinding speed he used his hands to scour the liquid mirror compound away from Superman. The Man of Steel's powers returned even as the Mirror Master's laser-beam lanced down toward them. Superman's heat vision blazed forth and met the laser in mid-air, stopping it in a brilliant display of energy.
Kid Flash ran up the side of the building while Mirror Master was distracted, and relieved him of his weapon.
"Kid Flash!" Mirror Master gasped. "You -- did you see that? What was that?"
"What are you talking about?" Kid Flash asked the startled villain.
"That energy-flash -- when Superman stopped my laser with his heat vision!" Mirror Master stammered. "I -- I could swear -- I saw... faces in the light!"
"Faces?" Kid Flash repeated incredulously. "Scudder, I think you'd better lay off Poison Ivy's homemade wine."
"I think you're right," Mirror Master whispered. He was still gaping when Superman arrived on the roof.
Chapter 17
1984
"...And so, it is with great pride that I declare this Teen Titans Day!" the middle-aged politician said to the crowd of spectators. He stood at a lectern on a wooden stage. Behind him stood nearly the full membership of the Teen Titans: Nightwing, Wonder Girl, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, Changeling, and Kid Flash.
"Glad you could make it today, Wally," Nightwing whispered to his longtime friend. "How's your... condition?"
"No better," Kid Flash whispered back. "But I still wouldn't miss this. It's a shame Garth couldn't make it."
"I know. Can you believe it's been eight years since the three of us met here in Hatton Corners?"
"Time runs faster than I do... or than I did," Kid Flash observed.
"And now we have the leader of the Teen Titans to say a few words. I give you... Nightwing!" Mayor Corliss turned the lectern over to Nightwing, amid thunderous applause. Nightwing felt slight amusement at the knot in his stomach. He'd faced dangerous villains like the Joker, Doctor Light, and Brother Blood without blanching, but public speaking still terrified him.
"Eight years ago, three young heroes met here to stop a menace to freedom. What they didn't know was that, as they did so, they stood on the edge of history. They were setting a trend, were starting something wonderful that would continue, would be perpetuated by other young heroes to follow. They--"
"--talk too much," a voice from the crowd shouted. All eyes turned in the direction of the voice, and saw a man whipping off his hat and coat to reveal a green and purple costume, a bald head, a sinister gleam in his eyes.
"Lex Luthor!" Nightwing gasped. "Everyone please, disperse! Give this man a wide berth! He is one of the most dangerous--"
"Look!" Starfire cried, pointing into the sky. Everyone did, and saw something flying down toward them. Something with human form.
Chapter 18
1984
"Who is that?" Raven asked, as the flying form came into view.
"Beats me," Cyborg said. "It looks like Superman, but -- dang!"
The group echoed Cyborg's sentiments. The flying figure did resemble Superman, but something was terribly wrong. Where Superman's costume was brilliant blue, this one's was a flat and lifeless black. Where Superman's was bright candy-apple red, this one's was the deep crimson of blood. The familiar S-symbol was enclosed in a red prohibit. And the face... well, Superman's face never looked like that.
"Teen Titans, let me introduce you to Supremo," Luthor crowed. "He's like a son to me. Mostly because I created him. Supremo, say hello."
Wordlessly, the one called Supremo puffed out his cheeks and blew. A gale-force wind struck the Titans, bowling them over.
"X'hal!" Starfire cried. "This must cease!" With that, the alien warrior fired twin star-bolts at the one called Supremo. To everyone's surprise, the bolts were stopped in mid-air by a glowing green shield.
"What the heck was that?" Changeling gasped. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear that shield was made by a... power ring?"
"The cigar goes to lettuce-head," Luthor chuckled. "Supremo, you see, has all the powers of the Justice League of America!"
As if on cue, Supremo conjured a green bow and arrows with his power-ring energy, and proceeded to fire them with surgical accuracy. The Titans narrowly avoided them.
"A couple of years ago I had Amazo, the One-Man Justice League, in my possession," Luthor explained. "Before I sicced him on Superman, I did a comprehensive scan of his android body, to find out what made him tick. It took me awhile, but I managed to exactly duplicate his construction."
"So why attack us?" Nightwing asked. "Not that I don't relish the opportunity to thump your bald head, but.."
"Don't you get it?" Luthor asked. "Your deaths will only be a bonus. I came here to add the powers of the Teen Titans to those of the JLA that Supremo already possesses! With all that raw might, Supey won't stand a chance!"
Chapter 19
1984
As if to illustrate Luthor's words, Supremo launched twin star-bolts at the startled Teen Titans. Starfire had never been attacked with her own power before, and she was startled.
Cyborg pressed the attack, launching waves of white sound at the powerful android. Supremo shrugged it off and retaliated by blasting Cyborg with a miniature tornado.
"Wally, you don't have to be in this fight," Nightwing whispered to Kid Flash. "We all understand if..."
"Later for that," Kid Flash snapped, and broke into a swift run. He raced straight at Supremo, ready to pummel the android with a flurry of super-speed fists. But Supremo, endowed with the speedy of Wally's Uncle Barry as well as his own, was too quick for him and swatted him away.
"Someone needs to hold that bad boy down," Changeling announced, "and I'm just the one to do it!" With a thought, the impulsive young hero changed into a large green octopus, tentacles flailing.
"Gar, no!" Wonder Girl cried. "Supremo can--"
But before Wonder Girl could finish, both she and Raven were caught in Changeling's undulating tentacles.
"Blast Gar!" Wonder Girl cursed. "Supremo has Aquaman's command over sea creatures, and I can't break these tentacles without hurting Gar! That stupid--"
"Do not blame Garfield," Raven said calmly, struggling against the tentacles holding her. "I felt Supremo touching Garfield's mind with his own. He used the telepathic abilities he absorbed from myself, or possibly from the Martian Manhunter, to plant the suggestion of changing into an octopus in Garfield's mind."
"I had hoped you kids would put up more of a fight," Luthor smirked. "You're not giving Supremo much of a workout."
"Maybe I will, Luthor," a powerful voice boomed from above.
Chapter 20
1984
"Ah, so it's you, my old friend," Luthor said warmly, as Superman flew into view. "News travels quickly these days, and you even moreso."
"Give it up, Luthor," Superman demanded. "Before any innocent people get hurt."
"I like that," Luthor laughed mirthlessly. "Innocent people. Like, for instance, the people of Lexor? Get him, Supremo!"
With that, Luthor's android turned its full fury on Superman. Star-bolts hammered into the Man of Steel's chest, followed by a power-ring blast, and then an attack of pure white sound. Superman stood his ground, but buckled slightly under the intense assault.
"Come on, Titans!" Nightwing rallied the team. "Superman needs us!"
With Supremo's attention focused on Superman, his concentration wavered from Changeling and the young hero fought off his mental commands. Thus released, Wonder Girl and Raven joined the attack. Supremo erected a green force-shield to protect his back as he continued to pummel Superman, but Wonder Girl cracked it in two with her golden lasso. Supremo turned to the Titans and attacked them all with a two-pronged sonic assault, combining Cyborg's white sound blaster and Black Canary's sonic cry. As the Titans reeled under this, Superman drove his way through Supremo's energy-blasts to land a roundhouse right on the android's jaw.
"Give him all you have, Supremo!" Luthor encouraged. "Give it all to him at once!"
Supremo obeyed. A combined assault of star-bolts, power-ring blast, white sound blast, and heat vision lanced forth at the Man of Steel. Superman quickly countered with his own heat vision; the energies met in the air in a dazzling display of light and power.
When the spectacle faded, the battlefield had somehow gained two participants.
"Wha -- who the devil is that?" Luthor exclaimed.
Chapter 21
1984
The two orange-skinned men looked around at their surroundings, then at each other. When their eyes lit on one another, their startled expressions changed to ones of pure hatred. Instantly they drew their pistols and aimed them at each other.
"Oh no you don't!" Superman shouted. "Titans, don't let them fire their guns!" At super-speed the Man of Steel flew towards the aliens. One of them was too quick for him, and swung his pistol around at Superman. He squeezed off a blue-white bolt that clipped Superman in the shoulder. The Man of Steel grunted in pain.
"I don't know who those two are," Luthor cackled with glee, "but if they're against Superman they're on my side! Supremo -- press the advantage!"
Without giving any other sign that he had heard the command, Luthor's android blasted Superman with star-bolts.
"I don't know what the heck's going on," Cyborg said, "but if Superman says don't let them fire, I don't intend to let them fire!" With that the cybernetic teen charged the alien nearest him. Cyborg closed ranks with the alien before he could fire his gun, and grabbed the being's wrist. The alien's strength was incredible, and Cyborg tussled with him, neither giving an inch.
"Need a hand, Victor?" Wonder Girl asked as she lassoed the alien around the waist.
"Any time, Donna!" Cyborg grunted as he attempted to force the alien back.
The second being leveled his gun at the combatants and gently squeezed the trigger.
Chapter 22
1984
The orange-skinned being blinked in amazement as his finger closed on empty air. He looked around him and saw Kid Flash, standing a hundred yards away, holding his gun.
Nightwing came up behind his longtime friend, who was gasping for breath.
"You okay, Wally?" Nightwing asked.
"I'm... fine," Kid Flash insisted. "The super-speed stuff just... takes it out of me... now. I got... his gun."
"And I figured out something!" Nightwing said. "I've seen these orange-skinned goons before!"
"Huh?" Kid Flash said, confused. "I just figured out I have, too! Where'd you see them?"
"It was -- duck!" Nightwing shouted, pushing his friend out of the way. The alien whose gun Kid Flash had stolen was attacking with another weapon, some sort of bladed throwing object. It missed the two Titans by inches.
Supremo, meanwhile, was taking advantage of the confusion. He had used the Martian Manhunter's ability to turn invisible and snuck up behind Superman. The android now had the Man of Steel in a full Nelson, using all his mighty strength to hold Superman in place. His eyes were mere inches from Superman's skull as they began to glow.
Chapter 23
1984
"Oh, man," Cyborg said, watching Superman's plight. "Take over, Donna! I've got something to do!"
"Roger, Vic," Wonder Girl said, hauling on the lasso that held the alien prisoner. Cyborg dashed across the battlefield, changing the module on his wrist as he did so. Mere moments before Supremo's super-vision would have flared forth, Cyborg's metal hand touched the side of the android's head. Superman burst free as the android went limp, like a marionette whose strings had been clipped.
Superman stared at the fallen android for a moment. "How on Earth did you do that, Victor?"
The young hero smiled at Superman, who had always been an idol to him. "Easy, S-man! I figured this bargain-basement C3P0 had a computer brain. All I did was interface with it, and shut it down."
"Wish we'd had you on hand all the times we fought Amazo," Superman remarked. "But right now we've got another problem on our hands! Namely, those two alien killers!"
Chapter 24
1984
One of the aliens was already helpless. Under the influence of Wonder Girl's magic lasso, he became subservient and submissive. The other, however, continued to press the fight.
"Time to put an end to this once and for all!" Kid Flash said to Nightwing.
"I agree," Nightwing said. He took one of his special throwing-disks and handed it to his longtime friend. Kid Flash threw the disk at super-speed; swift and accurate as a bullet, it sped to its mark and struck the alien in the temple. Kid Flash watched him sway on his feet and then go down, praying he had not misjudged the alien's strength. But he saw the orange-skinned being's chest rising and falling, and knew that his foe was only stunned.
"Good job," Superman said to them.
Chapter 25
1984
"Just who the dickens are these guys, anyway?" Changeling asked, looking at the defeated aliens.
"I -- think I may know," Starfire said. "I have only heard the legends, but they remind me of the N'rajd. A warrior race from the same stock as Tamaran, but without our appreciation for peace and beauty. They live only to kill and destroy. Many centuries ago, their race was imprisoned on a phase planet, a world drifting in and out of dimensional space, so that they could harm none but themselves."
"Seventeen years ago, when I was Superboy, these two appeared in the sky over Nebraska, trying to kill each other," Superman said. "They must have found a way out of their dimensional prison."
"But what happened to them?" Cyborg said. "And how did they show up here?"
"During our battle, we were all knocked out of the sky," Superman explained. "We crash-landed in a circus in Blue Valley. Two very small boys ended up in the field of battle with me; one child of the circus performers, and one boy from the audience." Superman smiled. "Those boys are here today."
Nightwing and Kid Flash looked at each other in astonishment. "That was you?" they said simultaneously.
Chapter 26
1984
"Anyway, both of the aliens then trained their strange weapons on me," Superman continued. "I met the energy-blast with my heat-vision, and they vanished in the resulting energy-flare. They must have somehow been hurled into some kind of 'pocket dimension', where they were trapped."
"I get it!" Nightwing said. "You, Wally, and I must have absorbed some of that weird energy. When you and Supremo made another powerful energy-blast, with all three of us present, it reopened the portal between dimensions and set them free!"
"Hey," Kid Flash said. "Two years ago, when we fought the Mirror Master in Australia, he said something about seeing faces in the blast created by your heat-vision stopping his laser!"
"Garth told me he saw faces, too," Wonder Girl said, "when we all fought the Terrible Trio all those years ago!"
"All three of us were present those times, too," Superman said. "The energy produced must have been strong enough to let us peer into their dimension, but not sufficient to free them."
"They'll go back to their prison-world now," Starfire promised. "The high council of Tamaran will see to that!"
"Hey, I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Changeling said. "But Luthor's gone!"
"Made good his escape when he saw Supremo go down," Superman mused. "Well, we can't win them all. And we saved a lot of lives today; that counts as a win in my book."
"Ours too, Superman," Nightwing agreed. "Ours, too."