Superman/Batman #16 is an issue of the series Superman/Batman (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 2005. It was published on December 22, 2004.
Synopsis for "Absolute Power, Part 3 of 5: When Time Goes Asunder..."
Batman carries a bleeding Superman through the streets, with everything on fire, and kryptonite all around them. A voice cries out that they've found the two, and Batman turns to see a group of gorillas barreling towards them, with the leader proclaiming that he wants Superman. The leader jumps at Batman, who throws batarangs at the ape. Batman tries to take the gorilla on, but he delivers a strong blow to Batman's chest, and throws Batman behind him, to the others who begin beating on Batman. He grabs Superman by the throat, and asks who he is. Superman identifies himself, and blasts heat-vision in the gorilla's face, setting his head on fire. Superman breaks free of the animal's grip, and punches him. He turns to see three figures approaching, Kamandi, Tuftan, and Doctor Canus. Tuftan attacks the gorillas, while Kamandi knocks out the gorilla leader, Zuma, with a metal rod. Superman and Kamandi meet each other, although Kamandi seems to already know Superman. Tuftan tries to help Batman up, but Batman sprays gas in his face and stuns him. Kamandi asks why Batman attacked Tuftan, and he replies that they don't need his help. Suddenly, there is a giant flash of light, and as Batman carries Superman into it, while Kamandi pleads with them to come back, saying that this world needs a hero.
Superman and Batman are in Gotham City, standing on the steps of Gotham Central Precinct 13. Batman is on the ground behind Superman bandaging up his bullet wounds, while Superman protects him from gunfire. Superman remembers what happened, how the Human Bomb was killed, which set off an atomic explosion, and the Time Bubble was activated at that exact moment. Superman concludes that they must have ripped a hole in the time stream, and various realties are collapsing on themselves. The Tomahawk Rangers are firing at them, using police cars for cover. Superman decides to end it, catching all their bullets out of the air, and he uses his heat vision on the police cars, exploding them and killing the Rangers. Superman turns to help Batman, but he gets shot in the back four times with kryptonite shards. They turn to see Jonah Hex, who apparently loaded his guns with kryptonite instead of traditional bullets. He fires, and hits Superman again, this time in the shoulder. He walks up the steps, and shoots him in the back again. Batman kicks one gun out of Hex's hand, and punches him, knocking the other away as well. Hex puts Batman in a headlock, while the Caped Crusader reaches for one of Hex's guns. As he comes just out of reach, a knife goes through his hand. Hex gets up, and greets Scalphunter, the one who stabbed Batman's hand. Scalphunter grabs Batman's head, while Hex retrieves his guns, and trains one on Superman, explaining that the president set a billion dollar bounty on both of them. Batman asks who the president is, and Scalphunter tells him that it's Lex Luthor. With that, Scalphunter slits Batman's throat as Hex shoots Superman in the head.
Another flash of light, and Superman and Batman awaken to find themselves on what seems to be Apokolips. Batman notes the presence of earth's moon in the sky, and tells Superman that they're on Earth. They hear a voice, and turn to see Darkseid, with Metron, the other Superman, and Etrigan, whom Darkseid has on a chain. Darkseid tells them that Apokolips was destroyed, and that he took what was left of it, and made Earth his own. Superman loses it, and flies at Darkseid, but he's stopped by the other Superman, who intercepts him, and tackles him away. He tells Superman that he's told him before that he's older, stronger, in this situation, much smarter. Darkseid tells Batman that there are so many ways to kill him, and that Etrigan would make it particularly brutal. Etrigan jumps at Batman, but is stopped short when he reaches the end of his chain, and he looks Batman right in the face. Batman asks what Darkseid wants, and he tells him to get Etrigan out of his face. Darkest pulls Etrigan back, and tells him that what the Legion of Super-Villains did was admirable, and almost unthinkable. He tells him that it's reckless to alter the universe on such a grand scale, or else he'd done it ages ago. The other Superman stops fighting, and tells them that in every timeline,one or both of them die horribly. He says that they are the time aberrations, and Darkseid states that the damage done by the Legion must be undone at the point of origin. The other Superma tells them that they must stop them, or everyone and everything will die. Darkest says that he has the boom tube to a time tunnel to help them, but there will be a price. Batman blows Darkseid off, but Superman tells Darkseid that no matter what the price is they'll take the deal.
A boom tube opens in Smallville, Kansas, in a cornfield, and Superman and Batman emerge from it. The tube closes, and Batman, sick from the teleport, throws up. The Legion, who have arrived to steal Superman from the Kents, see Superman and Batman from behind corn stalks a ways away. Realizing the damage they could cause by fighting them at Superman's rocket's crash site, they leave in the time bubble. The rocket arrives, and crashes. The Kents find Clark in the rocket, and Superman remembers everything that happened to them in the other timeline. They leave through the boom tube. A young Bruce Wayne walks away from the movie theatre with his parents, and the family goes home through Crime Alley. From afar, Batman and Superman monitor them, waiting for the Legion to show up.They see Joe Chill accost the family, and rip the pearls from Martha's neck. Batman snaps, and jumps off of the fire escape they were on, and kicks Joe Chill. He picks up Chill's gun, and points it at his head. Superman tries to make it, but is too late, and Batman shoots Chill in the head. As Chill dies in front of the Waynes, Batman disappears, and fades out of existence, having saved his family from Joe Chill, therefore, erasing his life as Batman from history.
Appearing in "Absolute Power, Part 3 of 5: When Time Goes Asunder..."
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Apes (Earth-AD)
- Zuma
- Legion of Super-Villains
- Tomahawk Rangers and allies
Other Characters:
- Kamandi
- Doctor Canus
- Tuftan
- Etrigan
- Jonathan Kent
- Martha Kent
- Martha Wayne
- Thomas Wayne
- Joe Chill (Dies)
- President Lex Luthor (In picture only)
- Human Bomb (Mentioned only)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Superman/Batman: Absolute Power, Superman/Batman Vol. 2, Absolute Superman/Batman Vol. 2 and Superman/Batman Omnibus Vol. 1.
See Also