Above Central City, Catwoman and Katana parachuted toward Jardine Tower, attacking guards upon landing.
On the street below, a portly young man spray-painted "END PSIONIC EXPER" on the side of the building before being tasered and beaten by guards. The unconscious vandal was dragged inside.
An odorous gas passed through the ventilation system within Jardine Tower, solidifying into the form of Metamorpho.
In the sewers below the tower stalked Grace.
Through remote feed, Batman observed and directed his temporary strike force of outsiders. "Two highly radioactive substances with no practical industrial applications" in the possession of Jardin LTD. had raised his suspicions. Thunder, benched by the Dark Knight, looked on and groused.
In Brussels, Jardine himself was contacted by security in Central City, concerned about the vandal's use of the word "psionics." The police hadn't been contacted, and the protester was not to be released until after a thorough interrogation.
"Just another crime perpetrated on the world and the environment by your soulless global monopoly! Illegal experiments into mind manipulation through a new, corrupt media outlet!" When the protester would not reveal his sources, hot coffee was thrown in his face, and he was placed in a choke hold.
Catwoman, Katana, and Metamorpho met up inside Jardin Tower, and discovered a "big, stainless steel burrito" inside a sealed lab. The breach set off interior alarms, signaling the protester that he need not continue his ruse. Green hands passed immaterially through his handcuffs, until they were themselves covered in the blue costume worn one year after Infinite Crisis by the Martian Manhunter. "Do you have any more questions for me? Or can I go now?" The brutal interrogators were shortly thereafter tossed through a door into a hallway wall.
From out of the ruptured "burrito" came an OMAC...
"The Chrysalis" was by Chuck Dixon, Julian Lopez and Bit.
I've been wanting to read this for a while now and had forgotten about it. Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteVisit the Justice League Detroit blog for more, and there'll be two additional parts here as well.
ReplyDeleteSo much potential. So much editorial ruination. That's a pretty bitching Manhunter image though.
ReplyDeleteTo me, a shapeshifter/telepath with experience in international espionage, the UN and superpowers out the yin yang is a no brainer for Batman's black ops squad.....
Just, "Arrrgh!" you know?
I was going to give the book a shot in trade, and I guess I did, but only the one (years after the fact...)
ReplyDeleteI was so jazzed up about this team being written by Bedard, including the Manhunter, that when it all fell by the wayside, I was downright angry, let alone disappointed.
ReplyDeleteNow, the Dixon stuff which followed, and the current Tomasi issues, are really good for the most part. But this, to me, is the ultimate modern take on "What Coulda Been!"
Martian Manhunter as an Outsider is a head-slapper to me. "Why didn't I think of that?!" and such.