Race Against Crime

"**Race Against Crime**" is the forty-fifth episode of Justice League Action.

## Summary

A race between Superman and Flash is used by Luthor to charge his special suit, and the Justice League then struggles to resist his new super-abilities while he attempts to start a nuclear war.

## Story

Outside the S.T.A.R. Labs building in Metropolis, Lex Luthor, wearing a new purple battle suit, has somehow frozen the security guards in position and even their gunshots are halted in mid-air. However, the Justice League are nearby, and Wonder Woman, Hawkman and Green Lantern intervene but are also frozen in mid-flight by Luthor. Cyborg is bombarded with rays that cause him to age rapidly so that he becomes too weak to continue. The villain is now free to enter the building, threatening world domination. An hour earlier, crowds line the streets of Metropolis to witness a charity race between Flash and Superman to see who is the fastest. While sponsor Bruce Wayne looks on, reporter Lois Lane interviews both superheroes but it is obvious she has her colours pinned to Superman. She tells the audience that the two competitors are fitted with devices to track their progress. When the race starts, both of them dash through the streets and out to sea but neither is able to gain a lead.

Elsewhere, in a secret mountain hideout, Lex Luthor is told by villain Chronos that a suit that controls speed and time is building up 'Speed Force' and will be fully charged in a few seconds. Luthor compliments him but suddenly stuns him with a ray blaster. Pressing a button on the suit, it automatically transfers to fit him and he tests it by zapping a passing eagle, freezing it in mid-air. Chronos recovers but Luthor beams rays from his suit that cause Chronos to descend into extreme old age. Luthor leaves him and races out across the landscape at super-speed.

He dashes into Metropolis just after Flash and Superman have passed through again, and Bruce Wayne notices him. Luthor catches up with the speedsters at sea and overtakes them, and Flash realises that Luthor must have connected to the Speed Force. Luthor comes back and tells them he has total time control and he can both accelerate and stop time. Racing ahead to land he creates a halted time barrier at which Flash stops but Superman smashes into it. Luthor warns them that he can stop time for anyone who gets in his way, and then leaves at speed, arriving at S.T.A.R. Labs just before the earlier action with the Justice League.

Flash and Superman follow up through Metropolis and arrive at the labs to find it surrounded by a stopped time barrier and with the three League members hanging in the air. Superman cannot break through but can see inside. Everything is frozen except the computers which Luthor is using to hack into defense systems worldwide. Flash also cannot vibrate through it as he would do normally. Suddenly, the Batplane descends vertically and lands, and Batman (Bruce Wayne) tells the superheroes that their race was rigged so that their speed energy would transmit through the tracking devices to the villains' hideout, and from where he has brought the confused Chronos. Batman re-programs Superman's device to transmit to Flash's and tells him to run, which he does. Flash becomes charged up with extra Speed Force, vibrates through the barrier into the building and rushes to where Luthor is about to start a nuclear war. The two super-charged speedsters tussle until Luthor's suit burns out and Flash stops the countdown. The barrier around the building disappears and the frozen and aged superheroes all recover as well as Chronos.

Flash and Superman then have a final race - to see who can get Luthor to prison the quickest.

## Notes

* This episode is one of many of the famed "Superman vs. Flash" races that have been done throughout the history of DC Comics, which began in 1967 in Superman #199.