Justice League: Tower of Babel

## Lead-up

This event takes place after the ending of Batman S4 - Gotham Knights, where Joker paralyzes Barbara Gordon.

The League has also been recovering after their battle with Ma'alefa'ak and the White Martians in "New World Order", where J'onn was forced to lobotomize his brother in order to prevent him from killing all sentient life on Earth.

## **Chapter One - "Corruption"**

While on monitor duty on the Watchtower, Cyborg is infected by a sentient virus called Grid, which immediately reprograms his network and accessing all databases on Earth. Grid hacks the Bat-Computer, discovering "Project Babel"; a file containing methods to neutralize all League members in case of them going rogue. Cyborg's human half of his brain sends a psychic distress call to J'onn, who alerts the Leaguers on board to the situation. However, Grid dispatches all of the heroes with ease, teleporting Aquaman to the Sahara and setting J'onn on fire. Atom shrinks and attempts to send a distress call, but Grid blocks all of the communications on Earth.

With no opposition, Grid activates Project Babel.

## **Chapter Two - "Catastrophe"**

Batman is in prison watching over the Joker with Jim Gordon. Suddenly all of the cells open, and Gordon and Batman are forced to fight off the prisoners.

In the Fortress of Solitude, two Brainiac robots are activated, flying out of the Fortress. They attack Wonder Woman and Superman. Wonder Woman dispatches her robot quickly, but Superman is sprayed by Scarecrow gas by his attacker. The gas causes him to see Wonder Woman as Mongul, whom he violently attacks.

Green Lantern flies to the Watchtower and attacks Grid, who emits a high frequency ray of light that blinds Lantern. Without the ability to see, Grid pummels the hero.

Nightwing, Flash, Robin, and the remaining heroes activate an emergency protocol alerting all the heroes to the global situation. As the heroes try to pry Superman off Wonder Woman, Supes sees the heroes as more villains and goes into a violent berserk rage.

As Batman tirelessly fights off the inmates of Arkham, he realizes what has happened.

Green Arrow teleports alone to the Watchtower, preparing to face off against the corrupted hero.

## **Chapter Three - "Cornered"**

Green Arrow and Grid fight on the Watchtower in a cat and mouse scenario. Grid explains that a "destroyer" is coming to Earth, and he must prepare the planet for his dark master's arrival by launching all of the worlds nuclear weaponry. The Atom meets up with Green Arrow, and they plan to defeat Grid. Atom jumps on Oliver's Arrow, and he fires it at Grid. Grid catches the arrow, but it is a flare that lights up in his face. Atom succeeds in getting past his defenses by going subatomic and traveling on the light particles. He enters Cyborgs CPU, where he battles the virus infection. It defeats grid, ending Babel's effects on the heroes. Cyborg goes comatose.

The League reconvenes, discovering that Grid wasn't a virus, but the sentient manifestation of Cyborg's Fatherbox that reactivated and took control of him.

The League also discusses Batman's plan to defeat the League, where they deem it as very untrustworthy. Batman defends himself, believing that if in any circumstance should the League or any hero go rogue, someone would need a plan to defeat them. The League takes a vote to see if Batman should remain on the League, but Batman quits. When Superman asks if Batman had a plan to stop himself if he were to go rogue, Batman replies that the Justice League itself is his plan. With his trust in Batman assured, Superman hands him a piece of Kryptonite, reassuring his trust in Bruce, and teleports him out of the Watchtower.

## Timeline

* This event is part of the **Silver Age**
* It is preceded by **Batman (S4)**
* It is followed by **Apokolips Now!**

## Links

* Full Reading Order
* Justice League Reading Order
* Superman Reading Order
* Batman Reading Order
* Wonder Woman Reading Order