JLA: The Nail
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JLA: The Nail is a three-issue comic book limited series published by DC Comics. It is a self-contained story by Alan Davis which stands outside of the mainstream continuity. In this universe, the truck of Martha and Jonathan Kent has a tire puncture, caused by a nail. This prevents them from discovering the crash landing of the spaceship containing the baby Kal-El. And so, there is no Superman.
The theme of the story is set by its first paragraph:
For want of a nail the shoe was lost,
for want of a shoe the horse was lost,
for want of a horse the knight was lost,
for want of a knight the battle was lost.
So it was a kingdom was lost - all for want of a nail.
[edit] Plot
In this world, there is still a Justice League of America, consisting of Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Flash (Barry Allen), Hawkwoman, the Atom (Ray Palmer), Martian Manhunter and Green Lantern (Hal Jordan). There is, however, a great degree of xenophobia for the "metahumans," fueled by anti-metahuman propaganda from Perry White and the bitter rantings of former Green Arrow Oliver Queen, now a paraplegic. Queen goes on record claiming that the JLA and all metahumans are aliens secretly conspiring against humanity.
One by one, various metahumans are mysteriously eliminated or captured: first, most of the supervillains, then superteams like the Doom Patrol and the Outsiders.
A super-powered Joker liberates the inmates of Arkham Asylum. Using his new powers, the Joker traps Batman, then kills Robin and Batgirl in front of Batman's eyes (in an excruciatingly painful manner, ripping chunks of their flesh out until nothing remains, which only contributes to Batman's fury). In a fit of grief-induced madness, Batman kills the Joker on live television and flees for the Batcave with Catwoman. This murder not only further tarnishes the reputations of metahumans, but also robs Batman of his will to live, as he has sworn never to kill. Even Catwoman has a hard time consoling him, but she and Alfred are eventually successful in restoring his sense of purpose.
Gradually, the Justice League discovers a greater plot against them. Violence escalates into riots and Lex Luthor, the mayor of Metropolis, establishes a totalitarian state. Mysterious platoons of masked robots endowed with flight and incredible strength known as the Liberators become the law. One by one, the Justice League is captured by the Liberators until only Batman, the Flash, the Atom and a reformed Catwoman remain.
Lois Lane, an investigative reporter who has been covering both sides of the anti-metahuman campaign from the beginning, becomes suspicious of a cover-up. On a visit to the secret facility where metahumans are held prisoner, Lois encounters Dr. Lana Lang. Lana secretly directs Lois to Smallville, Kansas, where Jonathan and Martha Kent provide a haven for escaped metahumans. Lois decides to confront Lex Luthor about her discoveries, but is quickly captured by the true person responsible for the Liberators and the discrediting of the Justice League.
The scheme is revealed as the plan of an insane, genetically altered Jimmy Olsen, who has been using technology from a Kryptonian spaceship discovered years before. Feeling brushed aside by the Justice League over the years after his temporary infusions of superpowers, Jimmy experimented on himself, granting himself an infusion of Kryptonian genes, and also creating the Liberators from Kryptonian DNA. The whole plan of putting metahumans into prison was to extract their DNA to complete his enhancements; while simultaneously finding the means to convert Earthlings into a new Krypton society; with him as ruler.
Batman, along with Batwoman (formerly Catwoman), the Atom, and the Flash, free the captive Justice League members and destroy the Liberators. Having no experience with Kryptonian powers, the League are overwhelmed when Olsen joins the battle and are defeated. The fight spills over to an Amish community. As Olsen was about to deliver a killing blow to Batman, his wrist was grabbed by a surprisingly strong hand belonging to one of the farmers. As the farmer tries to reason with Jimmy, Olsen promply attempts to incinerate the man with heat vision.
However, this man is immune to his heat vision. It is a fully grown Kal-El, who had been picked up at birth by an Amish couple instead of the Kents. Kal-El can no longer follow the pacifistic teachings of his parents and let murder be done, so he intervenes. Olsen tried to persuade Kal-El to join him, but he refused. In rage of this rejection, he murdered Kal-El's adopted parents with his heat vision. Under the urges from the injured Batman, his grief, and his morality, the two super-powered beings fight an apocalyptic battle. It seems to be a stalemate, but suddenly Olsen's body becomes unstable. Kal-El wants to stop the fight, but Olsen refuses, preferring to die rather than be helped.
With Olsen and the Liberators defeated, the Justice League can regain the confidence of the public. They are joined on this mission by their newest member: Superman.
[edit] Another Nail
The story was followed up by a sequel in JLA: Another Nail which ties into the original story and wrapped up several loose ends such as the aftermath of the war between New Genesis, Apokalips and the Green Lanterns Corps as well as Oliver Queen's public betrayal of the Justice League.
[edit] External Links
- The Superman Database - Full list of every issue of “JLA: The Nail” ever published w/ Cover Art, Plots and more.
