It'll Take a Miracle

"**It'll Take a Miracle**" is the forty-third episode of Justice League Action.

## Summary

Darkseid holds Big Barda hostage and Batman agrees to deliver Mister Miracle in exchange, but only to discover Darkseid's true motives.

## Story

At a magic stage show in a casino, a man in a superhero-like costume is lowered towards a glass tank full of water and electric eels. Providing his own narration, he demands that the audience consider if he could ever survive the ordeal. Jumping down onto the stage and knee-sliding forwards under a neon sign giving the name of the act as Mister Miracle, he demands rapturous applause but is greeted by a lone clapper in an otherwise empty hall. Dejected, he walks off the stage. A deep voice calls to him, backstage, asking to talk - it is Batman. Mister Miracle tries to ignore him but Batman insists that he accompany him to Apokolips and when the superhero makes various attempts to stop him (lasso with a rope, headlock) Miracle shows his skill as an escapologist and breaks free. The latter uses a small electrical sphere to produce magic show laser lights and music, under cover of which he vanishes.

Making his way to another venue where he is the supporting act for Zatanna, Miracle is again accosted backstage by Batman and again breaks free. Then, another voice calls out - it is Granny Goodness (from Apokolips) with two evil-looking companions (a girl with a whip and another with a sword - the Female Furies). Batman, knowing she has come for Mister Miracle, insists he will handle him, but Granny disagrees and a fight ensues. This lasts some time and spills over on to the stage but eventually Miracle's abilities as illusionist and escapologist overcome the opposition. Then, the audience of a packed house breaks into applause for the performance and Miracle receives the adulation he craves.

As the antagonists recover, Miracle again uses the sphere and escapes to a dressing room under cover of a smokescreen. Batman still insists that Mister Miracle go to Apokolips because Darkseid holds Big Barda (Mister Miracle's girlfriend) hostage there, and Miracle admits that he holds the last part of the Anti-Life Equation in his sphere. Darkseid needs it to complete his Life Void machine which will reduce beings across the universe to mindless shells controlled by him alone.

On Apokolips, Darkseid knows that Batman has Miracle and opens a 'Boom Tube' (travel portal) to bring them both. When they arrive, they see Barda chained up above the throne with Granny Goodness nearby. It transpires that Miracle is Darkseid's adopted son and has fled, stealing part of the Anti-Life Equation. As Miracle shows Darkseid the sphere, by sleight of hand, he takes the latter's 'Mother Box' and opens a 'Boom Tube' that sucks Darkseid away. Barda is released and Batman insists on destroying the Life Void machine but this only allows Granny and her two cohorts to attempt to get the sphere. There follows a battle royal with the sphere changing hands several times but the three superheroes come out on top. Then Darkseid suddenly returns with a crash, which knocks the sphere up in the air and he catches it. With parademons closing in, Mister Miracle opens a 'Boom Tube' to take the three superheroes back to Earth. Darkseid lets them go.

Batman, in the Watchtower, is not worried and holds up the real sphere which, by his own sleight of hand, he had replaced with another on Apokolips. Back there, Darkseid uses his sphere to try to complete the Life Void machine but only triggers magic show effects with laser lights and music.

## Notes

* Scott Free; being a New God, has no need for money and usually donates the revenue from his daredevil stunt showings to charity. His looking to split profits for which with Batman was out of character.