Crime Syndicate #2 is an issue of the series Crime Syndicate (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 2021. It was published on April 6, 2021.
Synopsis for "The New Deal, Part 2: Driven Vigilante"
Owlman attempt to make an incursion to an Starro-infested Metropolis, where he is shortly swarmed by Starro parasites and forcing him to make a hasty retreat. He returns to Old Wayne Tower (now known as the Owl's Nest) along with a dead Starro parasite, which he and Alfred studies their alien adversary. So far they have learned that the creature has more in common with an octopus than a starfish, possessed a physical adaptation to any kind of environment, it's highly intelligent, and that they secrete some sort of venom. It is only a matter of time that Owlman needs to find Starro's weakness.
In Arnold D.C., Ambassador Troy and President Queen are fighting off the parasites until they are confronted by a Starro-controlled Ultraman, who demands Troy to come with him for the "Mother Starro's" purpose. Troy gladly takes Starro's offer by tackling Ultraman in which they both crashed through the Arnold Monument and right into outer space, where they damaged a space station and dooming its astronauts into the void. During the fight, Ultraman explains to Troy that Starro's reasons for coming to Earth is to bring all of the planet's powerful metahumans under its thrall in order to amass an army to oppose some alien oppressors that threatened Starro and soon Earth. Troy is not interested to hearing Starro's reasons and she flung Ultraman down to Earth.
Back in Gotham, Owlman had figured out why Gotham isn't invaded by Starro is because the city lacks metahumans—they were ruthlessly culled by Owlman. Owlman also notes that metahumans had been known for years ever since Ultraman made his first appearance. Initially there was only a few following in Ultraman's wake, but now there are more that are just waiting to be discovered. Owlman now understands that Starro is only recruiting the metas rather than killing them, but he then notice that Starro is purposely avoiding Coast City, the home of the Emerald Knight. Curious, Owlman believes the Emerald Knight may know something about Starro and that he is fortunate enough to have a green lantern-like device on hand.
Troy and Ultraman brings their fight back to Arnold D.C., where other Starro-controlled metas have gathered and outnumbered Troy. Starro—speaking through Johnny Quick—tells Troy that she has no idea what she is up against and demands again to join Starro willingly, or die. Troy, however, remains defiant and refutes Starro, revealing that she and her Amazons had previously encountered the Starros in the past. Troy's monologue is soon interrupted by the Emerald Knight, who impales the Mother Starro with a giant sword construct and causing intense pain to the Starros and their hosts from the feedback. Stewart is then surprised to be communicated by Owlman through his ring; Owlman had hacked his ring due to his knowledge of the first Emerald Knight on Earth, and telling Stewart that he is downloading what he needs from the ring before warning him that there are more Starro-controlled metas coming for him. The Starros recognizes the Knight of Oa as their sworn enemy.
On the ground, the metas such as Ultraman and Johnny Quick are freed from Starro due to Stewart's actions. Atomica is reunited with Johnny as she had shrunken down and hid inside his pocket. Stewart is forced to land as he and the others are approach by Owlman, who has come to inform them that he have found a weakness to the Starros.
Appearing in "The New Deal, Part 2: Driven Vigilante"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Starro
- Black Siren (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Black Lightning (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Clawing (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Deathstorm (Possessed)
- Doctor Chaos (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Johnny Quick (Jonathan Chambers) (Possessed)
- Miss Martian (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Negative Woman (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Power Tower (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Red Beetle (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Savanna (First appearance) (Possessed)
- Sky Tyrant (Possessed)
- Ultraman (Possessed)
Other Characters:
- Alexander Luthor (First appearance)
- Bane (First appearance) (Appears only as a corpse)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Killer Croc (First appearance) (Appears only as a corpse)
- Mad Hatter (First appearance) (Appears only as a corpse)
- The Penguin (First appearance) (Appears only as a corpse)
- President Queen
- The Riddler (First appearance) (Appears only as a corpse)
- Solomon Grundy (First appearance) (Hologram)
- Amazons of Themyscira (Mentioned only)
- Diana (Mentioned only) (Deceased)
- Oans (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Earth 3
- Earth
- Arnold, D.C.
- Arnold Monument (Destroyed)
- White House
- Gotham City
- Metropolis
- Central City (Mentioned only)
- Coast City (Mentioned only)
- Themyscira (Mentioned only)
- Arnold, D.C.
- Oa (Mentioned only)
- Earth
Items:
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "An Owl in the Light"
Since the deaths of Thomas's parents and his brother Bruce by a mugger, he has for years trained himself to seek vengeance on the criminals who took his family. After given a sign by an encounter with an owl, he chose to become a nocturnal predator known as the Owlman. Nine years before the present day, Owlman had found his family's killer, Harvey Bullock, whose crime had sent Gotham into a downward spiral. He had Bullock hanging over a skyscraper and interrogates him. Bullock soon realizes Thomas's identity and begs for mercy by telling him that the Waynes' deaths were not his choice.
Bullock explains to Thomas that his parents were in reality crime bosses rather than outstanding philanthropists, who attempted to take over Gotham by betraying their partners. They went after Boss Gordon by trying to murder his entire family. But they were only able to murdered his son, which prompted Gordon to send Bullock to murder the Waynes in retaliation.
This revelation deeply left Thomas in silent contemplation as everything he had knew about his parents were a lie. After a moment, Thomas starts laughing as he realizes that everything he had done for was a lie. He tells a very beleaguered Bullock that he had made a "poor choice of words" before he suddenly drops Bullock to his death. Thomas has decided that his ideas for justice "doesn't matter."
Appearing in "An Owl in the Light"
Featured Characters:
- Owlman (Thomas Wayne, Jr.) (Flashback and main story) (Origin)
Antagonists:
- Harvey Bullock (Dies)
Other Characters:
- Bruce Wayne (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse)
- Martha Wayne (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse)
- Thomas Wayne, Sr. (Flashback only) (Appears only as a corpse)
- Boss Gordon (Mentioned only)
- Jimmy Gordon, Jr. (Mentioned only) (Deceased)
Locations:
- Earth 3
- 20th Century (Flashback only)
- Gotham City (Flashback only)
- 2012
- 20th Century (Flashback only)
Notes
- One of the Earth 3 superhumans under the control of Starro resembles Doctor Chaos.
Trivia
- Owlman's "it doesn't matter" line and his motivations are similar to the nihilistic Owlman from Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths.
See Also