Issue # 2

by Barry Reese

WHAT HAS COME BEFORE

Millenia ago, the Cosmos came into being. Nebulae swirled aimlessly,
stars were born and died, and the galaxy was an altogether boring place.
Now, on the tiny mudball known as Earth, a conglomeration of unimagined
destiny begins to come together in the pinnacle of refinement in all the
known galaxy. Only one city could host this collection of champions,
only one city could call these heroes home...

DETROIT, MICHIGAN

"So...what do you guys think?" Dale Gunn was a handsome man, his ebony
features set in a perpetual scowl. He'd spent years as the right hand of
Hank Hankwood Sr., the Golden Age Commander Steel, and they had helped
forge an indomitable will.

Ted Kord and Michael Carter looked about the reinforced bunker for a few
moments in silence. Ted rested his hand on his chin, appraising the
setting. "I like it...it would definitely be a nice little base for us
-- what do you think, Booster?"

Michael nodded. "It'll do. But this is still a little premature if you
ask me -- I mean, there's just the two of us! We don't need to go buying
up old JLA headquarters..."

"We do if we want to make this a serious group. We've gotta have a nice
HQ and we need one of our very own, in a new city. That way we can make
a fresh start..."

The handsome blond smiled. Born in the 26th Century, he had seen and
heard lots of amazing things. But his best friend, the Blue Beetle, was
still able to blow him away. "Okay, okay. I like it."

Ted held out a hand to Dale. "You've got a deal, Mr. Gunn. The Blue and
the Gold want to purchase the bunker lock, stock, and barrel."

Gunn grunted. "Sounds good to me. This place has just been collecting
dust since old man Heywood kicked out the old League*..."

Ted grinned. "Well, it's going to be getting a lot of use now...as the
home of the all-new, all-different Extreme Justice!"

Booster groaned at his friend's overdramatic speech. He hoped he wasn't
making a big mistake here...He was still trying to recover from that
Kooeykooeykooey casino fiasco...

---

ONE WEEK LATER

"This is everybody who showed up?!" Beetle shook his head in
disappointment. He and Booster were standing in costume in the Bunker's
main meeting area, staring at four other costumed people. "I sent out
invitations to Firestorm, Black Canary, Captain Atom, the Wonder Twins
-- I even sent out an invitation to Dolphin!"

Booster shrugged. "Well, keep in mind that Firestorm is still feeling
down since that whole JLE thing* and Maxima is in jail right now after
joining the Superman Revenge Squad.I think we did pretty well,
actually."

(see Starman # 38)

Beetle stared at Booster. "We did pretty well?!" He looked at Ralph
Dibny, the amazing Elongated Man.

Ralph's neck was extended all the way across the meeting room, where his
face was pressed close against a monitor showing a rerun of Columbo.
Ralph's nose twitched. "I smell a mystery here...and it smells pretty
rank, my friends."

Seated beside the Elongated Man was his wife Sue. Sue looked to be much
more professional than her husband and she was patiently waiting for
Beetle to begin.

To Sue's left sat G'nort. G'nort was scratching behind his ear with a
paw, making little mewling noises as he did so. He was a Green Lantern
-- well, sort of. He had a Green Lantern ring and they always say that
clothes makes the man. Or dog, in this case. Beetle hoped that G'nort
didn't have fleas again...

Beetle's eyes moved over to at least one person whom he was actually
glad to see. Fire. Beatrice DeCosta, former secret agent, former model,
and now professional superhero. Ted was glad she had made it.She was
gorgeous -- that was one reason for his pleasure in seeing her -- but
she was also extremely capable.

Ted then frowned. Seated next to Bea was a guy in a red leotard, bright
yellow trunks and a yellow cape embroidered with stars and moons. Ted
looked over Booster. "Who's that guy there?"

"That's Signal Man, a supervillain."

"I didn't send him an invitation."

"He's reformed. Wants to join up."

Ted looked over at the Signal Man, who was quietly watching Bea out of
the corner of his eye. "What's your real name?"

The Signal Man glanced back at Beetle. "I'd rather not say."

"What? What do you mean, 'I'd rather not say'? You're a felon. I could
look up your record if I wanted to."


"Do it, then."

Ted marched over to the Signal Man and leaned in close. "Why are you
being difficult? That's not the way to get on the team."

"I'm being mysterious."

Ted rolled his eyes. "Well, quit it! We don't need any mysterious
members."

"Sure you do. You're revamping a previously existing, failed superhero
team. One of the best ways of spicing up interest in the group is by
including an unfamiliar, mysterious face. That's me."

Ted considered that. "Okay. But what can you do?"

"I flash lights at people."

"And that does what? Hurts their eyes?"

"It can. But I also hypnotize people and force them to do my bidding.
Oh, and I have some lasers built into my gloves now."

Ted looked over at Booster, seeking help. Booster shrugged. "I like him.
He's kind of intriguing."

"Mysterious," pointed out the Signal Man.

Beetle gave up. "Okay, okay. You're in." He moved back to the head of
the table. "Here it is, folks. Me and Booster--"

"It should be Booster and I." Signal Man interrupted.

"Okay, Booster and I...want to reform Extreme Justice. It didn't work
out too well the last time, but with how elitist the JLA is these days,
maybe the world needs a smaller group to counterbalance them."

Fire leaned back in her chair. "Where are we getting funding? I don't
suppose you two have some scheme in mind, do you?"

Ted shook his head innocently. "Oh, no. No schemes this time. Scout's
Honor."

Booster leaned in and whispered, "Were you a Scout?"

"No, but they don't need to know that."

Ralph raised his hand high in the air. "I'm in."

Booster looked shocked. "Really?! I figured it'd be harder to convince
you..."

Ralph smiled. "Nah, I like this. I was a member of the League when they
moved into the bunker, remember? Besides, it's not like Sue and I have
anything else to do until the baby arrives..."

Booster grinned. "Well, that's great. We could really use --" He paused.

Bea placed a hand on Sue's shoulder. "You're pregnant? That's
wonderful!"

Booster and Beetle glanced at one another. Ralph as a father was a hard
image to accept. Ted murmured, "Can you imagine having Ralph as a dad?"

Booster shrugged. "I just wonder if the baby will ooze out like rubber."

Ted stuck his tongue out in mock horror. "Gah, that's disgusting."

G'nort stood up. "I think it's swell you two are having a litter. Bet
the little pup'll be cute, too. I'm in too, by the way. I've just been
kind of a stray lately -- was even locked up in a pound! But the Legion
of Super Pets freed me..."

Ted blinked. The Legion of...No, he wasn't going to ask. "That's great,
then. Congratulations and welcome aboard. There's plenty of extra room
here in the bunker, Sue. Just let us know what you'll need to be more
comfortable."

Sue looked over at her husband. "He makes it sound like I've got some
sort of disease..."

"What about you, Bea?"

She shrugged. "I suppose so. Since the old JLA broke up, I've been
modeling...but I guess I might miss you guys...sometimes. Late at night.
When I'm drunk." She laughed.

Ted laughed as well. "That's great, then. We're a group again..."

Booster stood beside Fire as the new chairs they'd ordered were set
around the circular meeting table. Each was adorned with a certain
symbol on the back -- a blue scarab on Beetle's, green flame on Fire's,
a star on the back of Booster's, a stylized "EM" on Elongated Man's, a
starburst on the back of Signal Man's, and a large dog bone on the back
of G'nort's.

Bea shook her head. "Where are you guys getting the money for this...?"

Booster shrugged. "I don't know, it's all Ted's doing."

"That," Bea said, "does NOT make me feel better."

---

SOMEWHERE, IN A HIDDEN LOCATION

"Where the hell are the lights?!"

"Right here, you moron. Hold on while I flip the switch." The large
warehouse lights flared, flooding the seedy building with illumination.
The man known as Fastball blinked. The building was filled with
second-hand computer equipment -- mostly old Apples -- and a series of
dingy chairs surrounded an oval table. A symbol adorned the back of
each.

Beside Fastball, the teleporting villain Bolt blinked. "This is our
secret hideout?! I'm not getting paid enough for this..."

"You're not getting paid anything yet, fool. Not until we've made our
mark and begun our plan of criminal domination!" The strong voice rang
out through the building. A man wearing a dark blood red bodysuit, a
black cloak, and a mask that resembled a cow's skull stepped from behind
two large crates.

Fastball hefted his weapon -- a metal spheroid that resembled a baseball
but exploded upon impact. "Who the heck are you?"

The villain smiled. "I am Dr. Fear. Your leader."

Bolt smirked. "Never heard of you. Listen, the next time you send out
word that you're looking for hired hands, make sure you mention that you
work out of a dump and that you're a no-name. It'll save a lot of people
from wasting their time."

Fear raised his hand. "An exhibition is called for, I see. Here, witness
my power."

Bolt watched in smug silence for a moment before his world turned
inside-out. The floor beneath his feet began undulating. Large,
bat-winged creatures swooped from the air to assault him. "No! Get
away!" He batted the air, too frightened to even use his powers to
teleport away. "No!"

Fear lowered his hand and the images faded. Bolt was shaking, not caring
that Fastball was laughing at him. "I control the fear centers in ones'
brain. I have the power to bring anyone to their knees."

Fastball nodded. "Okay, you've got my attention. What's your plan?"

"Well, I had hoped that more would have answered my call...but you two
will do. The three of us are going to commit a crime of epic proportions
-- we are going to steal the Detroit Silverdome, home of the Detroit
Lions!"

Signal Man sat on his bed, staring up at the poster of Samuel Morse that
adorned his ceiling. G'nort sat on the floor next to him, also staring
at the image.

G'nort casually scratched his own belly. "Who's that?" He said, pointing
at the poster.

"Samuel Morse, inventor of the telegraph of Morse code."

"Oh." G'nort began noisily biting an area of exposed fur on his wrist.

Signal Man watched him in silence. "You have fleas, don't you?"

G'nort looked around quickly. "Who? Me? No way." He leaned in closer.
"Don't tell anyone, okay. They'll give me another flea and tick dip and
I HATED that!"

Signal Man nodded. "Good," he thought, "Already I am learning their
secrets...very, very good." He laughed mysteriously to himself.

---

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