- Superman and I have an ongoing debate about what would happen if we were to use the same tactics as our enemies. It always ends the same. I tell him my concerns and he smiles and says I worry too much. But the thing that always scared me was this: if heroes ever started to act like our enemies...we'd be better villains than they ever were.
- — Batman
Batman/Superman (Volume 2) #1 is an issue of the series Batman/Superman (Volume 2) with a cover date of October, 2019. It was published on August 28, 2019.
Synopsis for "Who Are the Secret Six?, Part One"
Clark Kent is working in his cubicle at the Daily Planet when he gets a message from Batman requesting him to report to the Justice League Watchtower immediately. Superman arrives and finds that all the Justice League members have been killed. Superman then pukes a green substance as Batman reveals that the air is filled with Kryptonite. Batman explains that he's killing Superman because he knows their story always ends with them fighting to their death, so he decided to plan ahead. Batman is revealed to be The Batman Who Laughs.
Back on Earth-0, Batman is talking to Commissioner Gordon at the rooftops of Gotham City when Superman arrives. Gordon tells them about a boy who's been kidnapped by a "Laughing Superman". Gordon gives them the clues he has and Batman and Superman rush to find the boy. Batman asks Superman what would he do if Batman ever went out of control, hearing this Superman accuses Batman of interrogating him. When they reach the location, it's revealed to be The Batman Who Laughs' Batcave. They find traces of Nth-Metal and The Joker Serum in the batarang molds. Superman moves a chess piece which activates a projector which shows Who Laughs' plan for infecting everyone with the serum. A robin attacks the pair of them and is revealed to be Billy Batson, who transforms into Shazam.
Appearing in "Who Are the Secret Six?, Part One"
Featured Characters:
- Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Also in a vision)
- Superman (Clark Kent)
Supporting Characters:
- Cat Grant (Earth -22) (First appearance) (Flashback only)
- Jimmy Olsen (Earth -22) (First appearance) (Flashback only)
- Perry White (Earth -22) (First appearance) (Flashback only)
- Superman (Earth -22) (Dies in flashback)
Antagonists:
- Batman/The Batman Who Laughs (Earth -22) (Flashback only)
- Batman Robots (Destroyed)
- Commissioner Gordon
- Robins (Earth -22) (Statue only)
- Robin/King Shazam (Billy Batson) (Jokerized) (First appearance as Robin) (First appearance as King Shazam)
- Killer Croc (Cameo)
Other Characters:
- Bat-Family (Hologram)
- Alfred Pennyworth (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Batgirl (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Batwing (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Batwoman (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Robin (Tim Drake) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- The Signal (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Impulse (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Jimmy Olsen (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Jinny Hex (Hologram) (Cameo)
- John Constantine (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Justice League (Hologram)
- Cyborg (Hologram) (Cameo)
- The Flash (Barry Allen) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Green Arrow (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) (Hologram)
- Green Lantern (John Stewart) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Hawkgirl (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Hawkman (Carter Hall) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Martian Manhunter (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Mera (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Mister Terrific (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Swamp Thing (Alec Holland) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Wonder Woman (Diana of Themyscira) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Zatanna (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Justice League (Earth -22) (Flashback only)
- The Flash (Barry Allen) (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse) (Cameo)
- Hawkman (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse) (Cameo)
- Martian Manhunter (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse) (Cameo)
- Plastic Man (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse) (Cameo)
- Red Tornado (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse) (Cameo)
- Wonder Woman (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse) (Cameo)
- Lois Lane (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Martha Wayne (In a vision) (Cameo)
- Martha Wayne (Earth -22) (Behind the scenes) (Flashback only)
- Robotman (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Starfire (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Superboy (Conner Kent) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Supergirl (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Teen Titans (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Robin (Damian Wayne) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Titans (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Donna Troy (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Miss Martian (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark) (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Thomas Wayne (In a vision) (Cameo)
- Bruce Waynes of the Dark Multiverse (Mentioned only)
- Danny Mills (Mentioned only)
- The Joker (Earth -22) (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
- Jonathan Kent (Mentioned only)
- Kryptonians (Mentioned only)
- Martha Kent (Mentioned only)
- Perry White (Mentioned only)
- Shazam Family (Mentioned only)
- Thomas Wayne (Earth -22) (Deceased) (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Dark Multiverse
- Earth -22 (Flashback only)
- Earth
- Gotham City
- Crime Alley (Flashback only)
- Metropolis
- Gotham City
- Justice League Watchtower
- Krypton (Destroyed) (Flashback only)
- Earth
- Earth -22 (Flashback only)
- Multiverse
- Earth 0
- Gotham City
- GCPD Headquarters
- Crime Alley
- Arkham Asylum (Mentioned only)
- Batman's Batcave (Mentioned only)
- Blackgate Penitentiary (Mentioned only)
- Chicago (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis (Mentioned only)
- Daily Planet (Mentioned only)
- Smallville (Mentioned only)
- Kent Farm (Mentioned only)
- Gotham City
- Earth 0
Items:
- Batarangs
- Superman Batarang (First appearance)
- Shazam Batarang (Mentioned only)
- Batman's T-Rex (Mentioned only)
- The Batman Who Laughs' Visor (Flashback only)
- Batrope (Flashback and main story)
- Bat-Signal
- Blue Beetle's Scarab (Hologram) (Cameo)
- Bracelets of Submission (Flashback and main story)
- Giant Penny (Mentioned only)
- Green Kryptonite (Flashback only)
- Lasso of Truth (Flashback only)
- Martha Wayne's Pearl Necklace (Flashback only)
- Nth Metal (Flashback and main story)
- Wonder Woman's Tiara (Flashback and main story)
Vehicles:
- Batmobile (Mentioned only)
- Kryptonian Rocket (Flashback only) (Cameo)
Concepts:
- Dark Multiverse Invasion (Mentioned only)
- Magic
Notes
- The Midtown Comics Exclusive Variant cover is a homage of the cover of Batman: The Dark Knight #4.
See Also
Recommended Reading