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= Matthew K. Manning

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 Batman sits alone in the Justice League's
monitor room aboard the Watchtower.

As usual, the large chamber is dark. The only

light comes from a few dozen monitors in front
of the hero. The screens glow as they switch
from live 24-hour news to city security cameras,
then to satellite images of peaceful countryside.

Batman studies the screens carefully.

He’s one of the only Justice League members
without superpowers, but the Dark Knight is
more than capable of watching every monitor.
Unlike some of the Justice League's younger
members, Batman realizes just how serious
his job is.

‘Hello, Clark,” Batman says, breaking the

shadowy silence.

“Didn't think you heard me come in,” replies

Superman as he steps farther into the room.

Turn the page.

 “You know me better than that,” says Batman.

Indeed, Superman does know his teammate

better than that. He knows him better than
anyone else in the Justice League.

Years ago, Batman used his detective skills to

figure out that Superman is newspaper reporter
Clark Kent. Meanwhile, Superman only had to
use his X-ray vision to discover that Batman was
billionaire Bruce Wayne.

Not many people are aware of Batman's secret

identity, so Superman considers the knowledge
an honor. When it comes to Batman, knowing
any of his secrets is an achievement.

“I guess I do, Bruce,” says Superman. “Is it

just us on monitor duty tonight?”

“Cyborg should be here soon,” says Batman.

His eyes stay focused on the monitors. “He just
finished stopping a global group of computer
hackers. It took him less than an hour.”

“For the new guy, Cyborg is doing pretty

well,” says Superman.
 “He wouldn't still be here if he couldn't keep
up, says Batman.
1)

“You're all heart, Bruce,” jokes Superman.

Batman smiles. Just slightly. Superman

certainly does know him.

Batman stands up from the chair. He

stretches his back, and then finally turns away
from the monitors.

He says, “I’ve got a case I need to get back to

in Gotham City if—”

“Wait,” says Superman.

Batman stops. If Superman is cutting him off

mid-sentence, there’s a good reason for it.

The Man of Steel frowns. “Did you hear that?”

“No,” replies Batman. “You're the only one

here with super-hearing.”

‘It... ,” Superman starts to say. His eyebrows

lower. “It sounded like . . . laughter.”

Turn the page.

10

KABOOOM!II!
Something tears through the outside wall of
the Watchtower.

Superman barely has time to turn around

when he’s hit in the gut. A red blur plows into the
hero with the speed and power of a semitruck on
the highway. Superman crashes into the opposite
wall. He misses Batman by less than a foot.

It doesn’t take Superman long to realize who

this blur is.

Batman recognizes him too. “Bizarro,” he says

under his breath.

Bizarro is a powerhouse in a cape and

Superman’s imperfect clone. The villain has
nearly the same powers as the hero. It had been
nothing for Bizarro to burst through the armored
hull of the Watchtower satellite.

Now the gaping hole is causing chaos. Batman

holds on tight to a desk as the vacuum of space
tugs and pulls at his body.
 11

As Superman wrestles with Bizarro, Batman

knows the hole needs to be fixed—and fast.
All the breathable air is being sucked out of the
satellite. He looks over at the destroyed wall.

Just then a huge, toy-like robot flies into the

wrecked room. Rockets on its metal body boost
it inside.

Clunk!

The robot lands heavily on the floor. It appears

Bizarro isn’t working alone.

The giant robot fires a beam at the hole in the

wall. Batman’s legs hit the ground. The gravity is
back to normal. The robot has sealed the opening
with some sort of high-tech force field.

A panel opens on the robot's chest. Batman's

eyes narrow. Now everything makes sense.

Out of the robot walks the deadliest enemy the

Dark Knight has ever faced. He could recognize
that pale face and green hair anywhere.

“The Joker,” Batman grumbles.

Turn the page.

 “Last stop,” yells the Joker in his best
conductor voice. “End of the line, League of
Laughs.”

As Superman and Bizarro tumble through the

room, Batman’s hand goes to his Utility Belt. But
he crouches behind the desk and waits. He needs
to know who he’s up against before he acts.

Batman watches the Joker's girlfriend, Harley

Quinn, somersault out of the robot. Behind her
is Trickster, a gimmick-crazed enemy of the
super-speeding hero known as The Flash.

The last villain is Toyman, but he comes as

no surprise to Batman. Like Bizarro, Toyman is
another of Superman’s foes. The mask-wearing
criminal is obsessed with making deadly versions
of everyday children’s toys. The toy-like robot
ship is obviously one of his creations.

“Don't tell me,” says the Joker as the villains

walk around the destroyed room. “Did we take
the wrong turn at Albuquerque?”

The Joker turns and looks right at the Dark

Knight. But the clown is the only one smiling.
 13

One hour later, the Watchtower’s teleporter

buzzes to life.

Cyborg steps out of the machine and cracks

his metal knuckles. It’s an old habit from before
the accident. To save his life, he had been given
mechanical parts. The parts had also changed
him into half man, half machine super hero.

“Hey, Batman,” he says as he walks into the

monitor room. “I’m here, reporting g for—”

Then Cyborg notices the giant patched hole in

the wall. And the room is completely wrecked.

Cyborg’s electronic pulse quickens. His

teammates were supposed to be here, but there’s
no Dark Knight. No Man of Steel.

But he finds something else. A purple smile

is spray-painted on the wall. Below it, someone's
written the words LEAGUE OF LAUGHS.

Cyborg exhales. This isn’t how he saw the

night going.

If Cyborg searches for Batman, turn to page 14.

If Cyborg looks for Superman, turn to page 18.
If Cyborg leaves the Watchtower, turn to page i7.
14

There’s no time to panic. Cyborg needs to find

Batman. The Dark Knight is one of the smartest
heroes around. He’s sure to have a plan for
fighting off this super-villain invasion.

But in order to find Batman, first Cyborg has

to figure out what happened.

He types on a keyboard near the monitors.

The room is heavily damaged, but at least the
computers are still working. Cyborg plays back
the security video from the monitor room.

Images flash by. Bizarro attacks Superman.

Toyman’s robot enters the Watchtower, and
the Joker and his teammates exit the toy-like
ship. Then Superman knocks Bizarro out of the
monitor room and flies into the hall. He leaves
the sight of the security camera.

Cyborg rewinds the video to watch it again.

He can see Batman in a dark corner of the room.
The Joker and the Dark Knight even seem to
exchange a few words. But then Batman throws
down a smoke bomb.
 15

Just like that, he disappears.

“OK, Batman. So where did you go?” Cyborg

says to himself.

He begins to type more commands. He needs

to pull up the security videos from the hallway
cameras to learn more. But before Cyborg
finishes, a jolt of electricity pulses through
his body.

ZZZ22AAAAPPPPPPIY

“See, I told you he was a real live boy,”

says the high-pitched voice of Harley Quinn.

Cyborg looks up from his new position on

the ground. Harley and Trickster stand over
him. The joy buzzer in Trickster’s hand is still
smoking.

“Huh,” says Trickster. “And here I thought he

was just some sort of robot butler.”

Cyborg grits his teeth. The time for gathering

info is over. It’s time to act.

If Cyborg attacks Trickster and Harley, turn to page 21.

If Cyborg tries to talk to the criminals, turn to page 27.
 17

Cyborg thinks it over. Superman and Batman

have to be down for the count. A group of
super-villains must’ve taken over the Watchtower.
There's no other explanation.

That leaves Cyborg with only one choice.

He needs to get out of the satellite and find help.
Sending more power to his legs, he runs down
the hallway, back to the teleportation room.

In the room stand several teleporters.

They’ve all been newly remodeled and should
be working perfectly.

Cyborg steps onto a teleporter and focuses.

His robotic mind can talk with almost any type
of computer. With a simple thought, he powers
up the machine.

But then he realizes something. If he can

still connect to the teleporters, that means he
can probably still link up with the rest of the
Watchtower's systems.

Maybe leaving the Watchtower isn’t the best

course of action after all.

If Cyborg stays on the Watchtower, turn to page 23.

If Cyborg teleports to Earth, turn to page 29.
18

There’s no doubt in Cyborg’s mind. If he wants

to know what happened, he has to find the heart
of the Justice League. He has to track down
Superman.

Cyborg walks over to one of the computer

consoles. The tip of his finger flips open to reveal
a USB stick. Cyborg presses it into a port on the
main console.

Nothing appears on the screen. But it doesn't

have to. Cyborg sees everything inside his mind.

The security videos flash through his brain in

half a second. The Joker and a group of villains
break into the Watchtower. Bizarro knocks
Superman into another room, and the others
gang up on Batman. Cyborg watches as Harley
Quinn whacks the hero with her oversized mallet.
Then Trickster tosses a bomb. It explodes with
foam that covers Batman. The material hardens,
completely trapping him.

It’s clear that the Dark Knight has become

the Joker's prisoner, but what about the Man of
Steel? Cyborg scrolls through the images.
 19

“Booyah,” he says under his breath.

He’s found more security camera video.

The camera in the Watchtower’s gym recorded a
bit of Superman’s fight with his imperfect clone.
And from the looks of the Watchtower’s sensor
records, there was also some kind of activity in
the storage area on the satellite’s lowest level.
But the camera was destroyed before anyone
entered its frame.

BRAAAAMP BRAAAAMP BRAAAAMP

Cyborg stops reviewing the Watchtower

data and snaps back to reality. The monitors in
front of him are flashing red as they sound a
warning signal.

Something set off another security alarm.

This one is coming from the training room.
Cyborg needs to make a decision.

Which place should he investigate?

If Cyborg heads to the gym, turn to page 25.

If Cyborg checks the lowest level, turn to page 32.
If Cyborg qoes to the training room, turn to page 48.
 21

Cyborg doesn’t hesitate. With a simple

thought, his metal wrist flips open. Inside is a
high-tech stun gun. He zaps the metal panel
upon which Trickster and Harley stand.

FZZZAAAACCCKKKK!!!
Electricity surges through the metal panel and
into the villains. Cyborg gets to his feet as Harley
Quinn and Trickster fall to the floor.

The two criminal clowns didn’t expect the

hero to fight fire with fire. Or in this case, to
fight wattage with wattage. That jolt should have
them out for at least an hour.

“It’s not going to be that easy with the others,”

says a raspy voice.

Cyborg turns to see Batman stepping out of

the shadows in the hallway.

“It’s never easy with the Joker,” the Dark

Knight says.

Turn the page.

 “Batman! Where’s Superman?” Cyborg asks.

He walks over toward his teammate. It’s hard

to see the Dark Knight clearly. He’s sulking in
the shadows like usual. Cyborg briefly thinks
about turning on his night vision just to see the
hero better.

“He took his fight with Bizarro outside,”

says Batman. “Knowing Superman, they're in
another solar system by now.”

“So that just leaves Toyman,” says Cyborg.

“And the Joker,” adds Batman.

The closer Cyborg gets, the more the

Dark Knight steps back into the darkness.
His teammate is being even more mysterious
than usual. It’s as if Batman still doesn't trust
Cyborg as a fellow Justice League member.

“But I know where they’re hiding,” says

Batman. “Follow me.”

If Cyborg goes with Batman, turn to page 34.

If Cyborg stays put, turn to page 52.
 23

Cyborg steps out of the teleporter. He made

a mistake.

Getting backup will take time, but Superman’s

and Batman’s lives are in danger now. If Cyborg
can connect to the Watchtower’s systems, he
might be able to help them.

The hero heads out into the hall. He blinks,

and his vision changes. He no longer sees
the metal walls and floors of the Watchtower.
As he walks, he now sees a digital image of the
satellite’s blueprints on top of the real world
SPEMIciunes

After a few minutes, Cyborg stops and looks

to the left. He’s found what he was searching
for—a small control panel in the wall. His metal
fingers grip the edge of the panel’s cover, and
he flips it open.

“Aw, puddin’, c’mon!” a shrill voice sounds

from around a corner. It’s Harley Quinn.

Cyborg needs to work faster.

Turn the page.

 Behind the cover is a USB port. The tip of
Cyborg’s finger flips open and reveals his own
USB drive.

He plugs into the port. Suddenly, a large panel

slides open in the wall. The entrance had been
invisible just moments before.

“That's enough, Harley,” says the Joker.

The voices are closer now. It sounds like

they’re about to turn the corner.

Cyborg slaps the panel cover closed and ducks

into the large opening. The door slides shut.
The hero looks around. He’s in a maintenance
closet. It’s one of many built to make sure the
Watchtower runs smoothly.

Cyborg presses his ear against the closed

door. It sounds like the Joker is right outside.

“If you knock off Batman and Superman,

then the joke is ruined,” says the Joker. “Humor
comes in threes, you know.”

If Cyborg leaps out to attack the Joker and Harley,

turn to page 36.
If Cyborg stays hidden in the maintenance closet,
turn to page 55.
 25

When Cyborg steps into the gym, the room is

totally dark.

“Lights,” he says.

The Watchtower’s systems are supposed to be

voice activated. But the lights don’t turn on.

Cyborg spends a second trying to remotely tap

into the Watchtower’s lighting system, but the
Wi-Fi is down. The hero scowls.

“Great,” he mutters.

He blinks his electronic eye. The room

instantly fills with an eerie green light. Cyborg
has switched his systems over to night vision.

He scans the room before going any farther.

Something doesn’t feel quite right, and he doesn't
want to walk right into a trap.

Cyborg doesn’t spot anything. He just sees

treadmills, large pressure devices that can
challenge even Superman’s strength, free weights,
and high-intensity elliptical machines.

It’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Turn the page.

 Cyborg steps toward the boxing ring at
the center of the gym. A piercing white light
suddenly fills the room. He blinks his eye to
return to normal vision, but it’s too late.
The brilliant flash has briefly blinded him.

WHACK!

A large fist smacks into Cyborg’s metal torso

and sends him flying. He hits the wall hard.
As he stands up, he gets a good look at his
opponent. It’s Toyman’s enormous robot ship.

The hero groans. “I knew it was a trap.”

Then the giant robot shudders, and Cyborg

discovers the fight is only just getting started.

Toyman’s robot is breaking apart. It splits into

five sections, like one of the toys from Cyborg’s
childhood. Each part is transforming into a large
robotic animal.

Cyborg stares at his five new foes. He's not

sure he has time to battle mechanical beasts.

If Cyborg fights the robot animals, turn to page 68.

If Cyborg runs and continues his hunt for Superman,
turn to page 86.
 27

“What ... what do you want?” asks Cyborg

weakly from the floor.

“Gee, lemme think about it,” says Harley as

Trickster kicks the hero while he’s down.

“Ah!” Trickster yells. The kick hurt his foot

more than it did Cyborg’s metal torso.

“What would a bunch of clowns and a guy

obsessed with gizmos for kids want with the
Justice League’s Watchtower?” Harley says.

She raises an oversized mallet and steadies

it at Cyborg, like a baseball player getting ready
to swing.

Cyborg tries to get to his feet, but he’s still

feeling the jolt of electricity from Trickster’s
original attack. His systems need a few more
seconds to fully reboot.

Harley grins. “We want your toys.”

And then she swings her mallet.

Turn the page.

28

When Cyborg slowly opens his eyes, the first

thing he notices is his splitting headache. Harley
‘must’ve whacked him so hard that he passed out.

The second thing Cyborg notices is that he’s

now in a Watchtower cell. The Justice League
designed the prison to hold even the most
powerful villains.

But no criminals are locked up in it today.

Only heroes.

Because the final thing Cyborg spots is both

Batman and Superman lying unconscious in
separate cells next to his. A painted green smile
glows on Superman’s chest. Cyborg’s guess is
that the green stuff is liquid Kryptonite.

The hero looks around the rest of the room.

There’s no sign of Harley, Trickster, or any of the
other League of Laughs members.

If he’s going to act, now’s the time.

If Cyborg tries to wake Batman, turn to page 70.

If Cyborg tries to break out of his cell, turn to page 89.
 29

Cyborg realizes he has to stop second-guessing

himself. The hero activates the teleporter. Within
seconds, he feels a gentle buzzing throughout
his body.

When it ends, Cyborg is back on Earth and

standing in a dirty city alley. He’s not sure exactly
where he’s been placed. He didn’t have time to
check the teleporter’s coordinates. He needed
to get out of the Watchtower as quickly as
possible.

“Cyborg,” says a familiar voice. “This is an

unexpected surprise.”

Cyborg spins around to see a raven-haired

woman standing in the shadows.

He recognizes her right away. It’s Huntress,

one of the Justice League’s best fighters and an
expert with a crossbow.

“T think you're blocking my teleporter,”

Huntress says.

Turn the page.

 “The Watchtower,” Cyborg begins. His voice
sounds more panicked than he realizes.
“Tt's) been=—=

“Taken over by the League of Laughs,” says

Huntress. “Or whatever the Joker is calling his
group of nut jobs.”

“How did you—” Cyborg starts to ask.

“Batman,” Huntress interrupts again.

Cyborg nods. That's the only explanation

he needs.

But Huntress continues anyway. “He managed

to send out a distress call to all active Justice
League members. I was on my way to the
Watchtower now.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” says Cyborg.

“Sounds like the rookie is bailing on his

team,” Huntress says with a smirk. “Come on,
we need to go.”

If Cyborg returns to the Watchtower with Huntress,

turn to page 7Z.
If Cyborg convinces Huntress to stay on Earth,
turn to page 92.
32

Cyborg carefully moves through the shadowy

halls of the Watchtower’s lowest level. He can
_ already hear voices coming from one of the
storage rooms. He crouches down into a dark
corner and listens.

“So how are you different from my puddin’?”

Harley Quinn asks Trickster as they search the
large storage room.

Trickster sighs. “What? I don’t understand

the question. Can we please just focus on the
job? The Joker wants us to look for anything
on this floor that might be worth taking. Let’s
concentrate on doing that.”

“I mean, you're kinda like the knockoff

brand, you know?” Harley continues anyway.
“A copycat, some might say.”

Trickster looks away from his flashlight’s

beam and into the eyes of this crazy woman
wearing black and red.

“Are you saying I’m just ripping off the Joker's

shtick?” Trickster asks.

“Some were saying that,” says Harley. “Yup.”

 33

“Are you one of that ‘some’?” Trickster asks.

“IT might have brought up the subject,” says

Harley. “But it was only outta brand loyalty,
you understand.”

“T don’t understand half of what comes out

of your mouth!” says Trickster.

He would continue to yell at her, but a pulse

of sound suddenly smacks into him like a fist.

WEEEEQOOOOOOOOO!!

“Ungh!” Trickster cries as he’s knocked to

the floor.

“See,” says Harley, looking down at her

blacked-out teammate. “You can’t even do a
decent slip-and-fall. Good thing you signed up
with Mr. J. He’s got a lot to learn ya.”

Turn to page 39.

34

Cyborg follows Batman into the shadowy

hallway. “The lights are out,” he says. “Not a
good sign.”

“Watchtower electrical systems have been

spotty since the League of Laughs invaded,”
replies Batman.

The Dark Knight walks at least fifty feet in

front of Cyborg. It’s as if he doesn’t even want
to share the same hallway as the new Justice
League member.

“So, how have you avoided capture this whole

time?” asks Cyborg.

Batman ignores the question. “In here,”

he says instead, stopping at a locked door.
“The Joker and Toyman are holed up in the
Trophy Room.”

Cyborg finally catches up to the Dark Knight.

As he does, Batman steps to the side. He hides
himself in the heaviest shadows of the dark hall.

“Kind of taking this whole ‘creature of the

night’ thing a bit far, aren’t you?” Cyborg says.
 35

The Dark Knight stays silent, and Cyborg

immediately regrets the joke. Batman doesn’t
seem to like his humor.

“T need you to open the door,” continues

Batman. “My access code isn’t working.”

Cyborg looks at the shadowy figure. “Yeah,”

he says. “OK.”

The half man, half machine hero types a

few numbers into the control panel to the right
of the door.

“Access denied,” the system says.

“Huh,” Cyborg says. “My code isn’t working

either.”

“What?” says Batman. He sounds impatient.

“What do you mean it isn’t working?”

“The Joker’s crew must have locked me out,

same as they did for you,” replies Cyborg.

Batman doesn’t say anything.

Turn to page 42.

36

“Booyah!” Cyborg shouts as the closet’s

hidden door opens. He leaps in front of the Joker
and Harley Quinn.

He wishes he had time to think up a better

opening line, but he’s still new at this whole
Justice League thing. He aims his white sound
cannon at the two villains.

“Don’t move!” he adds.

“Look, Harl!” the Joker says, his smile

widening. “Now if that’s not comedic timing,
I don’t know what is!”

Cyborg stares at the Joker. He has no idea

what the madman is talking about. The Joker
doesn’t seem very concerned that Cyborg’s
cannon is pointed directly at his face.

In fact, the Joker seems happy about it.

Harley looks puzzled. “I don’t get it, Mr. J>”

The Joker shakes his head. “You have so

much to learn.”

“Hey! I said, don’t move!” Cyborg shouts.

 37

“Who?” asks the Joker. He points. “Me, or the

guy behind you?”

Cyborg doesn’t turn around. He’s new at the

super hero game, but he’s not that new. Instead,
his mind instantly switches to his external
sensors. They'll be able to pick up anything
unusual. Cyborg focuses the sensors on the area
behind him.

The Joker isn’t bluffing. Bizarro is zooming

right for him!

The half-metal hero tries to turn and attack,

but he’s not fast enough.

WHUMP!

Bizarro collides with Cyborg and sends the

hero flying down the hallway. The Joker and
Harley barely have time to step out of the way.

CRRRRRRUUUUNK!

Cyborg crashes into the wall, and everything

goes dark.

Turn to page 45.

 39

WEEEEQOOOOOOOOO!!!
Thanks to years of practice on monkey bars
and trampolines, Harley Quinn easily jumps over
the next blast of white sound from Cyborg’s arm
cannon. She lands perfectly and raises her arms
like a gymnast.

“Ta-da!” she says with a smile. But Harley

rarely does anything without a smile.

“Don’t move, Quinn,” says Cyborg as he

steps out of the shadows. He points his cannon
straight at the villain.

“Ren row ran ri ralk?” Harley says through

clenched teeth and unmoving lips.

Cyborg blinks. “What?”

“Then how can I talk?” Harley says again,

clearer this time. She’s already given up on
her joke.

“Oopsie. I moved, didn’t I? I really gotta

learn more self-control,” Harley adds, leaping
into the air. She starts to pull something out
from behind her back.

Turn the page.

40

Cyborg snaps into high alert. Harley could be

reaching for anything. A gun. A knife. Something
worse. He fires a quick blast from his white
sound cannon.

WEEEOOO!

The powerful force knocks her out of the air

like an excited puppy snatching a Frisbee. When
he’s sure she’s down for the count, Cyborg walks
over. In Harley’s hand is a raw fish. That was her
weapon of choice.

Cyborg sighs as he takes out a pair of

handcuffs stored in the side of his metal thigh.
He cuffs Trickster and Harley together and then
heads to the exit. He’s halfway there when the
heavy metal doors slam shut.

FSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Cyborg looks up at the vent near the door.

A thick green gas is pouring into the room. As if
by instinct, a mask pops out of his chest. It covers
the lower half of his face, protecting him from the
mysterious gas.
 41

“Where do you get all those wonderful toys?”

says the Joker's voice, booming through the
Watchtower’s loudspeaker.

Cyborg isn’t listening. He's trying to connect

to the Watchtower’s computer systems. But it
isn’t working. The Joker must've locked him out.
And the metal doors are too tough for even
Cyborg to break through.

“How long does the filter in one of those mask

things last?” says the Joker, laughing to himself.
“Because I’ve got all day!”

Cyborg checks the power. It’s at four percent.

He hasn’t had time to recharge since the last case.
The hero looks at Harley and Trickster. The Joker
is gassing his own people just to get to him.

Suddenly, Cyborg’s mind becomes cloudy. The

Joker Venom gas is already in his system.

He doesn’t want to, but he can’t help but let

out a chuckle. And if help doesn’t come soon,
Cyborg might never stop laughing. .. .
THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

42

“Try your code again,” Batman finally says.

“Yeah,” says Cyborg. “Maybe I just entered

it wrong.
. ”

He turns back to the control panel and begins

to type.

“Now it’s working!” Cyborg says. “Oh, wait.

It’s saying I need a ranking Justice League
member to confirm my entry code.”

“To confirm,” says Batman. His voice sounds

unsure, which is unusual for the Dark Knight.

“Yeah, the confirmation code is 1-9-8-0,” says

Cyborg. “The system just needs a different heat
signature to type it in, I guess. Probably because
tf ”
Im so new.

Batman steps in front of Cyborg. He reaches

for the panel.

But his hand never touches it. Because that’s

the exact moment that Cyborg strikes Batman in
the back of the head.
 43

The Dark Knight crumples to the ground.

But he doesn’t fall like a human being. He
collapses like a piece of broken machinery.

Because that’s exactly what he is. This isn't

the Dark Knight at all. It’s a lifelike Batman
robot, no doubt created by Toyman.

Cyborg had figured it out as soon as the two

stepped into the hallway. When his system ran a
simple scan for new threats, he hadn't picked up
his teammate’s heartbeat. Blocking that sound
from Cyborg’s sensors would be a trick even the
real Batman would find difficult to pull off.

But Cyborg followed the robot just the same.

He wanted to see what the imposter was up to.

Now Cyborg crouches next to the machine.

He scans the broken “toy” with a sensor in his
left palm. A remote-control signal is coming from
the third-floor observation deck.

Toyman must be there. That's where he’s

pulling the robot's strings. So that’s where Cyborg
needs to go.

Turn the page.

44

“I’m telling you, something is wrong,” says

Toyman to the Joker. “I’m not getting a signal
from my robot Batman.”

The Joker steps away from the impressive

view of the observation deck. He’s not interested
in staring out into space or looking at Earth.
He’s interested in what’s inside the Watchtower.

The only reason he pulled together the League

of Laughs was to rob the Justice League’s Trophy
Room. The League keeps a treasure trove of alien
weapons there. The Joker can barely imagine all
the fun he could have with that tech.

Unfortunately, things so far haven’t gone quite

as planned.

“More problems, Joker?” says Batman.

“You've already lost track of Superman and
Bizarro.

It’s hard for the hero to talk from his position

on the floor. Trickster trapped him in a thick
hardening foam right after the villains had
invaded. But Batman speaks just the same.

Turn to page 64.

 45

“Ugh ...,” Cyborg groans as he wakes up.

Bizarro must've knocked him out in the hallway.
His body hurts all over.

It takes a second for his vision to clear.

High-tech shackles on his wrists and ankles
chain him to a wall. It’s hard to see anything
else, though. His electronic eye seems to be a
bit cracked.

“How was your nap?” a voice asks.

The hero doesn’t recognize it at first. He looks

up, holding back another groan as he moves his
sore neck.

Trickster stands in front of him. Behind

the villain are even more criminals. The Joker,
Harley Quinn, Toyman, and Bizarro are all
lounging around the Watchtower’s monitor room.

Cyborg focuses on Toyman. He's the only

one who seems busy out of the entire League of
Laughs. He’s typing commands into the satellite’s
navigation system.

Turn the page.

46

“It’s worse than it looks,” says a voice to

Cyboreg’s side.

The hero turns and sees Batman. He’s covered

in some kind of hardened foam. Next to the Dark
Knight lies an unconscious Superman.

“Are we ready, Freddie?” the Joker asks,

slapping Toyman’s back.

“Why can’t you get my name correct, Joker?”

asks Toyman from behind his creepy, doll-like
mask. He presses a button. “But yes, I’m ready.”

“Then put a smile on this place!” the Joker

says. He breaks out into crazed laughter.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Cyborg quickly checks his systems. Bizarro

did a lot of damage, but he can still tap into
a few security videos outside the Watchtower.
He pulls up the footage from near where those
explosions sounded.

“He ..., Cyborg says to Batman. “He. ..”

“Fashioned the Watchtower in his own

image,” finishes Batman.
 47

Unlike Cyborg, the Dark Knight can’t see the

smile that’s just been carved into the Watchtower
by the explosions. But Batman doesn't need to
see it. He knows the Joker’s twisted mind well.

“After all these years of partnering with

bozos, I’ve finally found the right set of clowns,”
the Joker says. “And every good team needs a
hideout.”

“So you took ours,” Cyborg says.

“Oh, don’t sound so depressed,” says the

Joker. “You three stooges will get a front-row
seat for all the fun to come.”

Cyborg lowers his head in defeat. He hopes

the rest of the Justice League has better luck
beating the villains. But for now, he does his best
to ignore the Joker’s laughter.
THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

48

Cyborg knows the site of the most recent

security alarm is the best place to start. He must
investigate the training room.

Cyborg runs over to the elevator and presses

the down button. It doesn’t light up.

The Watchtower’s electrical systems seem to

be flickering in and out. Cyborg groans. This is
no doubt another one of the League of Laughs’
“jokes.”

Sending more of his body’s electrical power

to his arms with just a thought, Cyborg pulls the
elevator doors open. He looks down the dark,
empty shaft. Then he looks up and sees the
elevator car frozen in place a few floors above.
The training room is two stories below where
Cyborg is now.

“How do I get down to the training room?”

he mutters to himself.

Cyborg thinks for a moment and decides the

direct route would also be the quickest.

So he steps into the empty elevator shaft.

 49

Cyborg falls, but he’s ready.

As he hurtles downward, Cyborg points his

right hand at a nearby ledge and concentrates.
The hand rockets off his wrist. But even as the
hand shoots up and away, it’s still connected to
Cyborg by a thin, incredibly tough cord.

The hand grabs the ledge, and the cord goes

tight. Just like that, Cyborg isn’t falling any
longer. He hangs in the elevator shaft, a few
floors below the training room.

Cyborg narrows his eyes and focuses. The

cord starts to reel back into his arm. He’s pulled
up toward the floor with the training room.

As he gets closer, a sound starts to echo

through the metal chamber.

HUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMM

Cyborg looks up, but he already knows

what’s happening.

The Watchtower’s elevator has powered

back on. And the elevator car is plunging toward
him at a ferocious speed.

Turn the page.

50

Cyborg sends more of his interior power to

his arm. The cord reels in faster.

The hero doesn’t bother to look at the

elevator car speeding toward him. It'll do
nothing but distract him from what needs to
be done.

Right as he reaches the floor of the training

room, Cyborg aims a powerful kick at the
elevator door. The metal buckles and bursts
outward.

Cyborg swings himself out of the shaft just

as the elevator car rushes past.

WHOOOOOOSH!

It misses his head by inches.

Cyborg sits on the training room floor and

gives himself a moment to breathe. That was
closer than he had planned.

Turn to page 58.

52

Cyborg doesn’t move. Something is definitely

off with his teammate.

“So, where are the Joker and Toyman?”

Cyborg asks.

“They're in the Trophy Room. They’re after

the weapons and tech that’s stored there,”
says Batman.

“Oh,” says Cyborg. His mind is racing.

“How did you find all that out?”

“T’ve been biding my time,” says Batman.

“Waiting for the right opportunity.”

Cyborg frowns. That didn’t really answer his

question. “What’s the plan now?”

“We take the fight to them,” Batman replies.

“The best way to do that,” says Cyborg,

“would be to cut off the Watchtower security
systems. That'll make it easier for us to get inside
the locked Trophy Room. I can do that from here
in the monitor room.”
 53

“All right,” says Batman. He’s still hiding in

the shadows. “That should work.”

Cyborg moves toward the monitor room’s

control panels. Then a switch suddenly pops out
of the back of his hand.

“Wait, is that—” Batman starts to say. But

before he can finish, Cyborg flips the switch.

VWV/VOOOOOOOMMMN

A low hum fills the chamber. Batman collapses

to the ground.

“Yeah,” says Cyborg, walking over to the

unconscious figure. “That was an electromagnetic
pulse. It takes out all nearby electronic devices.
Except my own, of course.”

Cyborg reaches down and taps his knuckles

on the Dark Knight’s head. Sparks and smoke
fly out.

Just as the hero expected, this isn’t Batman at

all. It’s a robot, one undoubtedly built by Toyman.

Turn the page.

54

As Cyborg is about to stand and walk away, a

familiar voice fills the room. It’s being broadcast
from a radio in the robot Batman’s head.

“Well, aren’t you a spoilsport,” says the voice.

“Do you know how long Toyboy worked on that?”

“It’s Toyman,” corrects another voice through

the radio.

“You're not fooling anyone, Timmy,” says the

first voice. It doesn’t take a Dark Knight detective
to piece together who’s speaking. The Joker's
crazed voice is easy to recognize.

“My name’s not—’ the other voice continues.

FZzZzZczAAAACCkkKk
“Sorry about that, folks,” says the Joker.
“Little Timmy needed to go night-night.”

Cyborg shakes his head. The Joker has

just taken out his last teammate. Now it’s one
against one. This clown is certainly the most
unpredictable villain in the Justice League’s
database.

Turn to page 62.

 55

It takes every ounce of his self-control,

but Cyborg stays hidden inside the secret
maintenance closet.

If he’s going to beat the League of Laughs,

he'll need to use more than his fists. He'll need
to use his brains.

Cyborg waits until he can no longer hear

the Joker and Harley Quinn in the hallway.
Then he gets to work.

The closet is full of advanced, high-tech

equipment. It’s one of the reasons that it’s
hidden so well. If Cyborg hadn’t brought up the
Watchtower’s blueprints, he would never have
guessed how important the maintenance rooms
truly are.

Once again, Cyborg plugs into a USB port.

Millions of ones and zeroes flash through his
mind as he taps into the satellite's computer
systems.

Turn the page.

56

After a full three minutes, the process is

complete. Cyborg’s systems are totally connected
to those of the Watchtower.

Cyborg turns toward the closed panel in the

wall. He doesn’t have to plug into a control panel
now. He just thinks the command, and the door
opens instantly.

Cyborg steps out into the hall. He knows it’s

empty before he even looks around.

The Watchtower’s sensors are online, and

Cyborg has full access to every system in the
satellite. With a thought, he knows where his
Lareersvale:

Trickster sits with Bizarro in the cafeteria.

Cyborg can see them on the security camera.
Trickster laughs as he watches the Superman
clone chow down. The Joker and Harley are
heading toward the monitor room. Toyman is
already there, busy typing commands into the
Watchtower's navigation system.
 57

Cyborg begins to walk toward the monitor

room. It’s the only option. Because he can
also see that’s where the League of Laughs are
keeping Batman and Superman.

As he moves, Cyborg shuts off every security

camera and sensor in his path. He doesn’t want
Toyman to know he’s coming.

In his mind, the robotic hero studies the

monitor room closely. Batman is unconscious
and covered in hardened foam. Superman has
also been knocked out.

The Man of Steel’s wrists are chained by

glowing green, toy-like handcuffs. After a quick
scan using the Watchtower’s atmospheric
systems, Cyborg learns the handcuffs are made of
an artificial Kryptonite. They’re slowly bleeding
harmful radiation into the air around Superman.

Cyborg narrows his eyes and clenches his jaw.

His friends are in pain. Cyborg’s walk turns into
2) WBN

Turn to page 65.

58

As the cord finishes reeling in and his hand

pops back in, Cyborg stands up. He takes a look
at his new surroundings.

The training room is a huge chamber that

takes up most of this level. It had been worked
on recently to add more room, since League
training sessions sometimes got out of hand.
It’s just one side effect of having a team full of
mighty superpowered people.

Cyborg spots a man standing right in the

center of the large room. “Superman?” he asks.

It is the hero, but the Man of Steel is wearing

a mask. A wide smile is frozen onto the doll-like
face. The mask is exactly the same as the one
worn by the man standing behind the hero.

It’s the villain Toyman.

The small man presses a button on the video

game controller in his hands. At Toyman’s
command, Superman flies directly at Cyborg.

WOOOOOSH!
 59

Cyborg barely has time to jump to the side.

Superman’s attack misses, but he was close
enough that Cyborg feels a gush of wind against
his face.

If Superman had been moving at full speed,

Cyborg would've been flattened into the wall!

Cyborg knows the Man of Steel must be

holding back. The mask is obviously some type
of mind control device, and Superman is fighting
against Toyman’s commands. But it’s not enough.
Cyborg needs to free his teammate completely.

Superman turns back. Through the Toyman

mask, he fires a blast of heat vision. Cyborg
somersaults out of the way.

The hero’s heart is racing, but so is his mind.

If Toyman is controlling Superman by remote

control, that means there’s a radio signal in the
air sending the orders to the mask.

A signal Cyborg can hack.

Turn the page.

60

Cyborg focuses on his work even as Superman

tackles into him. The mind-controlled hero
pummels Cyborg’s chest. Although the Man of
Steel isn’t hitting with full strength, Cyborg hears
the crunch of his metal torso bending inward.

But he can’t deal with that now.

Inside his mind, Cyborg scans the air. Finally,

he locks onto the signal he’s been looking for.
Cyborg concentrates as Superman raises his fist
once More.

Just as the Man of Steel is about to strike,

he freezes.

Cyborg grins. His hack worked! He's taken

over Toyman’s remote control signal.

The hero steps away from Superman and

faces Toyman. The villain stares at him for a
second. Then he runs.

But he doesn’t get far. A Batarang suddenly

strikes his head, and Toyman falls to the ground.

Batman steps out of the shadows.

 61

“The Joker and the others are in the holding

cells,’ Batman says casually. “They didn’t prove
to be a problem.”

“Seriously?” Cyborg asks as he helps

Superman remove the mask. Could Batman have
really taken out the entire League of Laughs?

The smile on Superman’s face confirms it.

He knows his friend well.

“Nice job here,” Batman says to Cyborg.

Then he leaves the room without another word.

Cyborg gives Superman a puzzled look.

“Hey, that’s more than he ever says to me,”

Superman says.

The Man of Steel flies up the elevator shaft to

help with the locked-up villains. Cyborg is glad
he’s alone, because he can’t stop smiling. Batman
actually gave him a compliment.

This has been a good day.

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

62

Cyborg scans the Batman robot with his palm

as the Joker continues to rant through its radio.

“I know what you're thinking, Sparky—can I

call you Sparky?” the Joker says, laughing now
and then. “You're thinking, it’s just the Joker and
me. This fight was over before it started!”

Cyborg’s electronic eye glows red. His mind

is working overtime as it scans the Watchtower
systems. The villain can talk all he wants. It’s
just giving Cyborg time to trace the source of the
Joker’s broadcast.

“Tm going to agree with you on that point,

Tin Man,” says the Joker. “No. No, I like Sparky
better. Sorry.”

But there’s something wrong with Cyborg’s

scan. It’s the signal of the broadcast. It’s not
coming from the Watchtower.

“The fight is over, but it’s not gonna go the

way you're thinking,” continues the Joker. “To be
honest, I only told Toyman and the others about
the Trophy Room because I needed a couple of
stooges to distract you and your buddies.”
 63

Cyborg continues the trace. But it can’t be

right. His systems are saying that the Joker is
broadcasting from Earth. From Gotham City.

“You see, I was in need of a smile,” says the

Joker. “I thought, what would make me happier
than a good ol’ firework show? So I visited your
little space clubhouse and planted a few bombs.
You have about twenty seconds before you're
part of the display, Sparky.”

Cyborg doesn’t waste any time. He scoops

up the unconscious Harley Quinn and Trickster
and rushes out of the room. He barely makes it
to the Justice League teleporter room before the
Watchtower explodes.

The mechanical hero only hopes Batman and

Superman were as lucky as he was.

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

64

The Joker spins and faces the trapped hero.

“Quiet, Bats!” he yells.

But when he turns back around, Toyman isn't

there.

“You're right,” says Batman. He smiles a rare

smile. “I'll be quiet. This isn’t my moment.”

Before the Joker can reply, a metal fist strikes

his nose. The Clown Prince of Crime smacks into
the observation window. The force of the impact
nearly cracks the thick glass.

“Nah, that’s OK, Batman,” says Cyborg,

stepping out from the shadows. “I don’t need
the spotlight.”

The Joker looks over and spots Toyman

slumped on the floor. He manages a single laugh
before he too blacks out.

As Cyborg focuses on freeing his teammate,

Batman keeps the smile on his face. To Cyborg,
that’s all the thanks he'll ever need.

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

 65

As he runs, Cyborg’s mind is fast at work. He’s

connecting to the Watchtower’s security system.

Click
“Did you hear that?” Trickster says in the
cafeteria. He looks away from Bizarro, who is
busy trying to shove an entire cooked chicken
into his mouth.

“Bizarro no hear anything,” says the pale

Superman clone.

“Wait, so does that mean you do hear

something, or you don’t?” Trickster asks.
He shakes his head. “Your backward Bizarro
speak makes absolutely no sense to me.”

FSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

“Bizarro no hear that either,” says the

hulking villain.

“Uh-oh,” Trickster says, as he spots the

green-tinted gas filling the room.

Two thuds echo in the cafeteria as the villains

slump over.

Turn the page.

66

Cyborg smiles as he watches Trickster and

Bizarro pass out on the security video playing
inside his mind. It looks like his link with the
Watchtower security system is working perfectly.

But he has no time to celebrate the small

victory. He’s reached the monitor room.

Harley Quinn notices Cyborg standing in

the doorway. She turns away from Batman
and Superman, who are both still tied up and
unconscious.

“Hey!” she says. “Who invited Tin Man?”

“Not me,” says the Joker. He pulls a comically

large pistol from his pocket. “I’m more of a
Dorothy fan myself. I mean, her shoes were to
die for
2

BLAM!

The Joker fires his gun, but Cyborg has already

raced across the room on his superpowered legs.
With one punch, the clown flies across the room.
He smashes into Harley. The two exchange a
polite smile before passing out.
 67

“Not another step,” Toyman says. He stands in

front of the main console’s controls. “I’ve got the
Watchtower heading straight toward Earth. You
need me to change the coordinates, unless you
want to see this satellite crash into Gotham City.”

“Nah,” says Cyborg as his arm transforms into

his white sound cannon. “I’ve already reset those
coordinates. In fact, I did it before I even came
into the room. I’ve also logged you out of the
Watchtower’s systems. For good.”

Although Cyborg can’t tell, he’s pretty sure

Toyman isn’t smiling behind his mask. But it
doesn't matter.

Because one sound blast later the villain is

out cold. And as Cyborg works on freeing his
friends, he knows he’s the only person in the
Watchtower with a grin on his face.

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

 “So that’s what we’re doing now?” Cyborg says,
watching the robotic tiger that’s slowly walking
toward him. “We're transforming?”

The hero raises his right arm. “Good to know,”

he says.

His arm clicks and whirs. As quickly as he can

think it, Cyborg’s arm transforms into a large,
cylinder-like gun. It’s a favorite weapon of his—
the white sound cannon.

YOOOOOOOMMMN!

The powerful burst of sound smacks straight

into the robotic cat. It tumbles backward into
a row of elliptical machines. The massive
equipment crashes onto the tiger. Sparks spit
up from the robot's metal body.

Cyborg gets to his feet. His hand transforms

back to normal.

“All right,” he says. He flexes his fingers.

“What else we got?”

THUNK!
 69

A robotic wolf slams Cyborg into a treadmill.

The mechanical parts that were once

the robot's left leg are now a fearsome wolf.
It snaps at Cyborg. The hero struggles with the
creature, trying to keep its metal fangs away.

“You ruined my tiger,” says a voice. It’s much

creepier than Cyborg remembers.

Toyman steps out of the shadows at the far

end of the room. “He was my favorite.”

The villain’s doll-like mask doesn’t move when

he speaks. Its bizarre, child-like smile is frozen
in place.

“lve always been more of a... ugh... dog

person myself,” Cyborg says.

The hero sends nearly all his body’s electrical

energy into his arms. He uses the extra power to
clamp the robotic wolf's jaws shut.

“Well, not this particular dog,” Cyborg adds

with a smile.

Turn to page 74.

70

“Batman,” whispers Cyborg. “I need you to

wake up.”

The Dark Knight doesn’t respond. Instead, his

body begins to tremble. Something seems wrong.

“Batman?” asks Cyborg. “Batman!”

“Stop saying that name already,” says Harley

Quinn as she enters the room. “How would you
like it if I said the same thing over and over?”

Cyborg points. “It’s Batman, he’s—”

“What did I just tell ya?” says Harley.

“Halibut! Halibut!”

The robotic hero blinks. “What?”

“Halibut!” says Harley. “See how annoying

that is?”

“You gotta help him!” Cyborg yells as his

teammate continues to shake.

“I don't gotta do anything,” Harley replies.

She looks down at Batman. The Dark Knight’s

body twitches again.
 71

“Ah, halibut,” she says. “Mr. J will never

forgive me if I let Batman kick the bucket
before he’s done redecorating. Half the fun of
winning is lording our victory over dark and
Siicsame merc.

Harley presses a few buttons on the control

panel outside Batman’s cell. The door opens.

“Look at me!” Harley squeals. “I remembered

Toyman’s password in one try! What do I win?”

Suddenly, the Dark Knight spins around.

His leg sweeps underneath the villain, and she
falls down hard. She groans from the floor.

“I would say you win a trip,’ Batman says as

he gets to his feet. “But there have been enough
bad jokes for one night.”

Cyborg grins. He should’ve known his friend

had a plan. Batman is always prepared.

The Dark Knight stands over Harley. “Now,”

he says, “I’m going to need the passcodes to the
other cells.”

Turn to page 79.

 It goes against every instinct Cyborg has,
but he teleports back up to the Watchtower with
Huntress.

After all, Cyborg is new to the Justice League,

and Huntress has years of experience. She has to
know what's best. Right?

But when the two teleport to inside a prison

cell, Cyborg begins to think there is something
to that whole “trusting your gut” thing after all.

“Where are we?” Cyborg asks. He doesn't

recognize the dark brick walls. “This is most
definitely not the Watchtower.”

“We're in Arkham Asylum,” says Huntress.

Her voice is grim. “Arkham Asylum for the
Criminally Insane.”

“Ding! Ding! Ding!” says a voice through the

loudspeakers. “We have a winner.”

Cyborg’s frown deepens. He knows that voice.

It’s the Joker.
 73

“You see,” the Joker explains, “I wasn’t keen

on having my shiny new Watchtower infested
with you super hero types—”

“Yuck!” Harley Quinn’s voice interrupts.

“Not now, Harley!” snaps the Joker. He returns

to his usual happy voice and adds, “So I tied up ol’
Supes and Bats. Then my friend Toyman reset the
coordinates on your teleporters. Hope you've tidied
up, because you're about to have a full house!”

Cyborg has heard enough. He transforms

his robotic arm into his white sound cannon.
He points it at the cell’s door. Then he fires.

WEEEEOOOOO!

But the powerful sound waves bounce off

the door and right back at the heroes. The force
knocks Cyborg and Huntress off their feet.

Huntress groans as she stands back up.

“Could you not do that again?” she says to
Cyborg.

Turn to page 102.

 Cyborg smacks the robot wolf against the
hard gym floor. Sparks fly up from it.

Toyman lets out something like a high-pitched

scream. The noise is unlike anything Cyborg has
ever heard.

But before the hero can respond, a giant

robotic hawk and bat dive toward him. Cyborg
doesn’t move. He stays put as the two flying
beasts swoop down.

“Wait for it,” Cyborg mumbles to himself.

Walton itsenaes

At the last second, Cyborg leaps out of the

way using all the strength in his artificial legs.

SMASH!

The robot bat and the robot hawk crash

straight into the ground. They explode in a burst
of flames.

Turn to page 76.

 Cyborg turns toward Toyman. He can’t see the
villain’s expression under that doll-like mask, but
it can’t be a happy one. Four of his mechanical
toys are busted.

However, Toyman doesn’t run. Instead,

he casually walks over to the last and largest
of his robots—the bear.

“You heroes. Always breaking things that

don’t belong to you,” Toyman says as the bear’s
chest opens. A platform lowers to the floor. “But
Joker respects my ideas. That’s why he asked me
to join the League of Laughs.”

“That name really needs work,” says Cyborg.

He runs toward the villain, but he’s too late.

Toyman stepped onto the platform and has been
raised into his robot. Cyborg punches at the
bear’s closed chest, but his metal fists don’t even
make a dent.

“You bullies always think with your fists,”

says Toyman. His voice booms through the robot
bear’s speaker system.
 77

“We're the bullies?” Cyborg says. He readies

his white sound cannon again. “You attacked us!”

“Oh,” says Toyman. The robot bear seems

to pause for a moment, as if deep in thought.
“I guess we did, didn't we?”

A massive metal paw slams down on Cyborg's

shoulder. Then another. Cyborg can’t move. He's
pinned under the machine. His knees buckle, and
he drops to the floor.

“But either way, there’s always someone with

bigger fists,” adds Toyman.

As Cyborg feels the weight of the robot

pressing hard against him, he tries to connect to
the Watchtower’s system again. The Wi-Fi is up,
so he quickly sends out an emergency distress
signal. He hopes someone notices it.

Before Cyborg blacks out completely, he hears

Toyman say, “Goodnight, little toy soldier.”

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

 79

Ten minutes later, Cyborg finds himself hiding

in a shadowy corner of the Justice League’s
monitor room. After Batman freed him, the two
locked Harley in a cell and did their best to clean
the liquid Kryptonite off Superman. But they
couldn't wait for their teammate to recover.

They need to put a stop to the League of

Laughs’ plans—whatever they are.

Cyborg peeks around the corner. The Joker is

looking up at the monitors, laughing at what he
sees. Trickster and Toyman are also watching.

Cyborg can’t see all of the monitor, but he’s

certainly curious to know what’s captured the
villains’ attention. The mystery is killing him.

“Look at that!” says the Joker, pointing to

122

the monitor. “That’s what I call positive change.

Take notes, boys.”

“Mm-hmm,” says Trickster. He sounds bored.

“And how long until he’s finished?”

The Joker turns to Trickster. The smile

disappears from the clown’s face.

Turn the page.

80

“Ugh, you kids of the smartphone generation,”

snaps the Joker. “Always wanting everything now,
now, now!”

Trickster takes a step back in fear.

“Say, that reminds me. I’ve been meaning to

update my status... .” The Joker bursts into his
trademark laughter.

Trickster breathes a sigh of relief. He’s still

alive. For the moment.

“As founding father of the League of Laughs,”

continues the Joker, “I promised you all a
hideout. Now we have one. So let’s get to League
business, shall—”

TUNK!

A Batarang suddenly smacks into the

Joker’s head. A second Batarang strikes Trickster.
The villains both drop to the floor.

Cyborg barely has time to catch up. He fires

his white sound cannon at Toyman.

As soon as the crook slumps over, Cyborg and

Batman step out of the shadows.
 81

“Well, that takes care of those guys.

But Bizarro’s still out there,” Cyborg says.

Batman doesn’t answer. Instead, he moves to

the control panel and starts typing.

Cyborg watches the monitors. Bizarro is

hovering outside the Watchtower. The Dark
Knight finishes punching in commands.
The satellite’s hull comes alive with electricity,
and the bolts zap the Superman clone. Bizarro's
eyes close like a tired toddler before naptime.

“So, new recruit,” Batman says to Cyborg.

“How are you at buffing out dents?”

Cyborg looks at the monitors again. He finally

notices what the Joker had been laughing at.
Bizarro has carved a single word into the side of
the Watchtower: “Ha.”

“Oh man,” Cyborg mutters.

Batman smiles. “Welcome to the Justice

League.”

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

 YOOOOOOOMMMM!
Cyborg’s white sound cannon is as effective as
ever. Chunks of concrete shower down from what
used to be the ceiling. Cyborg doesn't bother to
move. The pieces just bounce off his metal shell.

The hero increases power to his legs and

jumps straight up. He lands in the Trophy Room.

“Knock knock,” says Cyborg.

Harley Quinn rushes over. She raises a

massive mallet, but Cyborg fires his arm cannon
before she can strike. The powerful sound pulse
knocks Harley off her feet. She smacks into a
trophy case and is out cold.

Cyborg quickly looks around. Trickster lies

next to the gaping hole, unconscious. The villain
must have been near the white sound blast.

Toyman is also knocked out. He’s slumped

against the wall, and a large boxing glove arrow
lies on top of his head. That’s what target practice
must look like to a crazed clown like the Joker.
 83

The hero readies his sound cannon. He has to

focus. The biggest physical threat is still to come.
He hasn't dealt with Bizarro yet.

As if on cue, the Superman clone smashes

into Cyborg. The hero is sent flying through the
room and crashes into a wall.

“Oof,” says the Joker from across the large

chamber. “That’s gonna leave a mark. Or three.”

As Cyborg struggles with Bizarro, he catches a

glimpse of the Clown Prince of Crime. The villain
is picking up the Yellow Lantern Ring from a
shattered display case. Cyborg wasn’t part of the
mission where the League collected that trophy.
But he knows it’s too dangerous to fall into the
Joker’s hands.

Unfortunately the hero has other things to

worry about. Bizarro has pinned Cyborg against
the wall. He slowly starts to crush the hero’s
metal shell.

“Does this ring make my fingers look fat?”

the Joker says as he slips it-on. “I’m not—"

Turn the page.

84

The clown doesn't get to finish his gag.

Using every bit of power he can send to his arms,
Cyborg whacks Bizarro’s jaw. The villain crashes
across the room and topples right into the Joker.

“T get it,” the Joker says as he drifts into

unconsciousness. “Yellow’s not... my color...
. “ , ”

Bizarro isn't defeated as easily. The massive

villain gets to his feet and lets out a low growl.

The Superman clones rushes toward Cyborg.

But a red beam suddenly blasts into the villain
and sends him flying backward.

Cyborg spins around. Behind him stand

Superman and Batman. The Man of Steel’s eyes
glow red with heat-vision. He flies past Cyborg
and knocks out Bizarro with a well-timed punch.

The fight is finally over.

“How did you escape . . . ?” Cyborg starts to

ask Batman. Then he stops. He already knows
the answer. There’s a reason they call them the
World’s Finest Heroes.

The End

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

 Tass
4 or
eo

a \B
q BB
9 ESE
omen ~
86

Five robot animals now face Cyborg from

~across the gymnasium. Five against one. Cyborg
is one of the toughest members of the Justice
League, but even he doesn’t like those odds.

He came here for Superman, and he’s going to

find him.

The robotic wolf charges forward. But Cyborg

quickly steps out of the gym. He flips the tip of
his finger open and shoves his USB drive into the
port on the wall panel. He taps into the doors’
digital controls.

With a thought, the doors shut tight.

CLANK

The doors close just in time, and the wolf

crashes into heavy metal. The doors hold. And so
will the doors on the opposite side of the gym.
Toyman and his robots won't be going anywhere
for a while.

Cyborg lets out a frustrated sigh. Heading

to the gym hasn’t exactly been a dead end, but it
hasn't gotten him any closer to finding Superman
either.
 87

Still plugged into the control panel, Cyborg

concentrates. He quickly searches through all the
Watchtower’s cameras and sensors. Maybe there's
a new Clue to where he should go next.

Nothing. Everything is off-line now.

Usually, the Watchtower is Cyborg’s personal

playground. It’s a high-tech battle station, and
the mechanical hero can access its every digital
nook and cranny. But if Cyborg is going to find
the Man of Steel, he’s going to have to do it
off-line.

Cyborg unplugs his USB drive from the panel.

He increases his voice’s speaker and his hearing
sensors. This move is dangerous. The extreme
focus it takes leaves him open to an attack.

But today, he has no choice.

“Superman?” Cyborg asks. His voice booms

like a loudspeaker at a rock concert.

Then he just listens.

Turn the page.

88

Even if Cyborg hadn’t pumped up his volume,

Superman should be able to hear him. The Man
of Steel has super-hearing, after all. But Cyborg
wants to make sure he notices the call.

A moment later, Cyborg’s increased hearing

sensors pick up a weak whisper.

Cie nere seSUpctinanisa ys:

Cyborg quickly traces Superman’s voice.

It’s coming from the hangar. That’s where the
Justice League stores their plane, the Javelin 7.

After he puts his hearing and voice back to

regular settings, Cyborg takes off down the hall.
Soon he comes to a stop. He double-checks the
Watchtower blueprints stored in his mind. This is
the right spot. The hangar is directly below him,
one level down.

His hand transforms to his white sound

cannon. Cyborg points it at the floor.

Turn to page 96.

 89

Cyborg knows what he must do. He must try

to escape.

The hero concentrates, and a series of ones

and zeroes appear in his vision. The numbers
scroll past in his digital eye. Only he can see the
computer code.

With his mind running as fast as the most

powerful supercomputer, Cyborg begins his
work. The cell is strong enough to hold threats as
dangerous as Bizarro, or even Superman. It's so
secure that even the most trained escape artists
like Batman or Mr. Miracle would have trouble
picking the advanced locks.

But Cyborg still has access to his own mind.

And his mind is his most dangerous weapon.

Click
He’s remotely hacked the security system.
And now, just like that, his cell door is wide open.

Turn the page.

90

BWEEEP! BWEEEP! BWEEEP!

An alarm blares over the loudspeaker.

Cyborg instantly realizes his mistake. He

hacked the security system, but Toyman must
have already been plugged into it. The villain
is almost as skilled as Cyborg with tech. He’s
probably been watching the hero’s every move.

That means Cyborg can’t stay in the jail cell

holding room. The League of Laughs will be
here any second. He can’t try to free Batman or
Superman. He just doesn’t have time.

For now, Cyborg is on his own.

So the hero sends more power to his legs and

sprints into the hallway. But as Cyborg races
through the Watchtower, the alarm suddenly cuts
off. A new sound comes over the loudspeaker.

“You know, I’m trying to have fun here,”

says a voice. Cyborg instantly recognizes it—the
Joker. “But some spoilsport is making it rather
difficult.”
 91

“You tell ’em, Mr. J!” Harley Quinn’s voice

chimes in.

“I'd blame Toyman for causing all this

trouble. But Harley has already used him for
target practice,” Joker says.

“Hey, those trick arrows weren't gonna shoot

themselves!” Harley adds.

Cyborg stops. Trick arrows? Those weapons

are stored in the Trophy Room. The Joker and
Harley must be there. It’s located one floor above
where Cyborg now stands.

“Don’t worry, Sparky. She didn’t skewer

him. Although he will wake up with a splitting
headache,” says the Joker with a laugh.

The League of Laughs is already turning on

each other. How long will it be before they turn
their attention to Superman and Batman in the
holding cells?

Cyborg looks up at the ceiling. He takes a

deep breath.

Turn to page 82.

92

“Hold on a second,” says Cyborg to his

teammate. “None of this feels right. Let me check
something first.”

To Huntress, it looks like Cyborg is staring

off into space. But in reality, his mind is racing.
At a speed faster than any supercomputer on the
planet, his brain pages through Justice League
files and security videos.

Suddenly Cyborg’s eyes widen. “It’s a trap.”

“What’s a trap?” Huntress asks.

“That distress call,” explains Cyborg.

“It wasn’t from Batman. The Justice League’s
communication systems are down, and Batman
has been unconscious this entire time. Ever since
Trickster took him out.”

“Trickster?” repeats Huntress. “You're telling

me that washed-up crook took down Batman?”

“That fake message went out to the rest of the

Justice League,” Cyborg says, as if he didn’t hear
Huntress. “T don’t know why, but the Joker wants
us all on the Watchtower.”
 93

“So we don’t do that then,” says Huntress.

The way she talks reminds Cyborg of Batman.

He briefly wonders if Huntress is trying to be
like the Dark Knight. Cyborg thinks she’s not
quite there yet.

“Got another plan?” Huntress adds.

Cyborg focuses up and looks around the dark

alley. “Where are we?”

“Gotham City,” says Huntress. She does her

best to not roll her eyes.

“OK, so... the Gotham Broadcasting

Company is nearby,” Cyborg says. “It has the
most powerful broadcasting system in the city?”

“Well, it probably has the most money,” says

Huntress. “So, sure.”

“Then that’s where we need to go,” decides

Cyborg. He starts walking out toward the street.

“Hey, big guy,” says Huntress. “My bike will

be quicker.”

Turn to page 95.

 95

The motorcycle is just like Huntress—sharp

and a little frightening. But Cyborg doesn't have
time to admire Huntress’ bike. He’s busy hanging
on for dear life.

“AH!” he exclaims as Huntress whips around

another corner.

Huntress shoots back a look. “For a super

hero,” she says, “youre not that great at keeping
your cool.”

“For a super hero,” Cyborg says through

gritted teeth, “you're not that great at obeying
traffic laws.”

Huntress doesn’t respond. Instead she

swerves through traffic at eighty miles per hour.
She takes a sharp left turn and narrowly avoids
crashing into a city bus. When she finally stops,
it takes Cyborg a full minute to catch his breath.

“We're here,” Huntress says.

Turn to page 103.

 WEEEEOOOOOOOO!!!
The cannon’s sound blast punches through
the metal and concrete floor.

Cyborg drops through the hole and into

a corner of the enormous hangar. He dashes
behind some stacked crates and readies his
cannon for an attack. But no one comes.

Cyborg carefully looks around the crates and

out at his new surroundings.

The Javelin 7 is parked at the end of the

hangar. The Joker and Harley Quinn stand
nearby. Harley laughs as the Joker spray-paints
a large green smile onto the ship.

Behind them Cyborg spots Batman.

His teammate is unconscious and trapped in
hardened foam. Trickster leans against him,
poking at the tough material and giggling.

But the main thing Cyborg notices is the

two men fighting in the center of the hangar.
 97

Bizarro has an arm wrapped around the Man

of Steel’s neck. And the two are tumbling and
crashing through the room. No wonder none of
the villains noticed Cyborg’s entrance.

“Would you keep it down?” the Joker yells at

the battling foes. “I’m trying to create art here!”

“Aw, puddin’,” Harley chimes in. “You're

misunderstood in your own time.”

“It’s tragic, really,” the Joker says.

The situation is as crazy as the Joker himself.

Cyborg can’t believe the League of Laughs
members aren’t concerned about the brutal
fight happening right in front of them. Judging
by the damage done to the room, Bizarro and
Superman have been battling for a while.

The brawl is going to end now, if Cyborg has

anything to say about it.

He searches through his memory banks,

looking for any and all info on Bizarro.

Turn the page.

 “Bizarro!” Cyborg yells across the room.

“Oh, great,” says the Joker. “Another

distraction. Could someone silence that Tin Man?”

Trickster and Harley start running toward

Cyborg. The hero ignores them.

“Bizarro!” Cyborg yells again.

The pale-faced Superman clone looks up.

“You've chosen some really good teammates,”

says Cyborg. “Just look at your pal Joker. He likes
you so much, he’s smiling.”

“Now you're mocking my moneymaker?”

says the Joker. “You need better manners, pal.”

Bizarro looks from the Joker to Cyborg and

back again.

“What a good group of friends,” Cyborg says.

“Joker am good guy?” says Bizarro under

his breath.

The villain loosens his grip on Superman,

but the Man of Steel doesn’t act. He waits to see
where this goes.
 99

“The best guy,” adds Cyborg.

Harley Quinn and Trickster are almost on him

now. Harley raises her large, cartoonish mallet.
Trickster readies his boxing-glove gun.

But the hero isn’t paying any attention to the

two villains. He’s watching the red blur hurtling
straight toward them.

Harley and Trickster are suddenly swept

off their feet and sent flying into a nearby wall.
They barely have time to groan before they
black out.

Bizarro stands over his knocked-out

teammates. He turns toward the Clown Prince
of Crime.

“Joker and friends am good guys!” Bizarro

says with a scowl on his face. “Me crush good
guys!”

Cyborg has completely confused the imperfect

clone’s backward mind. Bizarro flies straight at
the League of Laughs leader with his fists raised.

“Uh-oh,” says the Joker.

Turn the page.

100

THUMP!

Superman zooms over and grabs Bizarro’s

powerful fist just inches in front of Joker’s face.

“That'll do,” Superman says. He gives Bizarro

a polite smile. “I can take it from here.”

The Joker lets out a chuckle as he passes out

and drops to the floor. The close call was too
much for the clown to handle.

By the time the Joker wakes up, Superman

and Cyborg have put him in one of the
Watchtower's holding cells. The Joker peers
through the thick Plexiglas wall. The rest of the
League of Laughs is locked up too.

Out of the entire team, only Bizarro seems

happy as he scribbles in a ratty old coloring book.

“Oh, so he gets artistic license,” mutters

the Joker.

It's a joke, but not a very good one. Not even

the Joker is laughing now.

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

102

“Oh,” says the Joker over the loudspeaker.

“T should mention you're in a high security wing
of the Asylum. Those cells can hold the toughest
thugs. You won't be leaving anytime soon.”

“And the place is empty on account of the

repairs it’s going through,” Harley adds. “That
means no guards to find ya and set ya free
fez

“Let them figure out the joke!” Joker snaps

again. “Anyhoo, back to world domination!”

The speaker clicks off.

Huntress looks at Cyborg. They both know

this isn’t good. Then they hear a buzzing noise.
It’s the sound of teleporters.

One by one, the cells around them fill with

confused members of the Justice League.

“Uh .. . could somebody tell me what’s going

on?” The Flash asks from a neighboring cell.

But Cyborg and Huntress are too stunned

to speak.

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

 103

Cyborg looks up at the Gotham Broadcasting

Company building. With a blink he turns on his
infrared vision. He scans the rooftop for body
heat signatures. There aren't any.

Cyborg can carry out his plan without

interruptions. But first they need to get up there.

The hero steps off the motorcycle and points

to his back. “Mind if I take the lead?” he asks.

At first Huntress gives him a curious look,

but she then puts her arms around his neck.

POOOOOMMNN
Luckily, Huntress’ grip is tight enough when
Cyborg’s rocket boots activate. The heroes shoot
to the top of the building in record time.

“How about a better warning?” Huntress says

as she steps onto the rooftop.

Cyborg doesn’t apologize. He can’t spare

another second. Instead he runs over to the
Gotham Broadcasting Company’s enormous
satellite dish. It’ll be powerful enough to send
a warning message to the League.

Turn the page.

104

Cyborg rips off the cover on the dish’s control

panel. The tip of his metal finger flips open to
reveal a USB drive. He plugs into the panel.

“Cyborg to Justice League,” he says.

“Do not use the teleporters. I repeat, do not
use the teleporters.”

While Cyborg sends out his message,

Huntress wanders to the edge of the rooftop.
She looks up. A tiny red dot is moving across
the nighttime sky. Maybe it’s a meteorite?

“The Joker has taken over the Watchtower,”

Cyborg continues. “Gather forces, but attack
from outside. Do not use the teleporters.”

Huntress keeps watching the dot. It’s getting

bigger. “Hey, rookie ... We may have a problem.’ ,

Bizarro suddenly rockets down from the sky

straight into the satellite dish.

Cyborg rolls out of the way. He didn’t think

the League of Laughs would notice his warning
this quickly! Bizarro’s super-hearing must be just
as good as Superman's.
 105

The robotic hero transforms his arm to his

white noise cannon. He aims and fires. The
imperfect Superman clone yelps as the powerful
sound wave smacks into him.

Huntress adds to racket. She readies her

crossbow and fires a sonic bolt. It boosts
Cyborg’s sound blast to extreme levels. Within a
second, Bizarro lies on the rooftop, unconscious.

When Cyborg’s hearing returns, he notices a

beeping in his ear. It’s an incoming message.

“Cyborg,” says Batman over the comm

system. “We're back online up here. Green
Lantern and Captain Atom got your warning.
They were more than enough to take out Joker
and his gang. Nice work.”

The mechanical hero turns to Huntress to tell

her the good news. But she’s already gone.

Cyborg smiles. It looks as if she’s more like

the Dark Knight than he originally thought.

THE END

To follow another path, turn to page 13.

The author of the Amazon best-selling hardcover Batman:
A Visual History, Matthew K. Manning has contributed to
many comic books, including Beware the Batman,
Spider-Man Unlimited, Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Adventures, Justice League Adventures, Looney Tunes, and
Scooby Doo, Where Are You? When not writing comics
themselves, Manning often authors books about them, as
well as a series of young reader books starring Superman,
Batman, and The Flash for Capstone. He currently lives in
Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife, Dorothy, and their
two daughters, Lillian and Gwendolyn. Visit him online at
www.matthewkmanning.com.

Erik Doescher is a concept artist for Gearbox Software and

a professional illustrator. He attended the School of Visual
Arts in New York City and has freelanced for DC Comics
for almost twenty years, in addition to many other licensed
properties. He lives in Texas with his wife, five kids,
two cats, and two fish.
blueprint (BLOO-print)—a diagram that shows how to
make something

clone (KLOHN)—an exact copy of a person or thing

console (KOHN-sohl)—a panel that has controls for a

machine or electronic equipment

coordinates (koh-AWR-duh-nits)—measurements used to

mark an exact spot on Earth or in space

electromagnetic pulse (i-lek-troh-mag-NET-ik PUHLS)—

a burst of energy that damages electronic equipment

hack (HAK)—to break into and use a computer network

without permission

hangar (HANG-ur)—an area where aircraft are stored

infrared vision (in-fruh-RED VIZH-uhn)—being able to

see things by the heat they give off

navigation (NAV-uh-gay-shun)—having to do with the

process that moves a vessel from one place to another

satellite (SAT-uh-lite)—a spacecraft that circles Earth

sensor (SEN-sur)—a device that can notice changes in

heat, light, sound, or motion

teleport (TEL-uh-pawrt)—to move from one place to

another instantly

unconscious (uhn-KON-shuhss)—not awake; being

unconscious is often because of an injury or drug
Unknown

Professional
Criminal

Gotham City

6 feet 5 inches

192 pounds

Red
The Clown Prince of Crime. The Ace of Knaves. Batman’s
most dangerous enemy is known by many names, but he
answers to no one. After falling into a vat of toxic waste,
this once lowly criminal was transformed into an evil
madman. The chemical bath bleached his skin, dyed his
hair green, and peeled back his lips into a permanent
grin. Since then, the Joker has had only one purpose in
life . . . to destroy Batman. In the meantime, however,
he’s happy tormenting the good people of Gotham City.

¢ The Joker always wants the last laugh. To get it,

he’s planned dozens of deadly clown tricks. He has
even gone as far as faking his own death!

Always the trickster, the Joker designs all of his

weapons to look comical in order to hide their
true danger. This trickery usually gets a chuckle or
two from his foes, giving the Joker an opportunity
to strike first.

The Clown Prince of Crime has

spent more time in Arkham Asylum
than any Gotham criminal. But
that doesn’t mean he’s comfortable
behind bars. He has also escaped
more times than anyone.

While at Arkham, the Joker met

Dr. Harleen Quinzel. She fell madly
in love and helped the crazy clown
in his many escapes. Soon, she
turned to a life of crime herself,
as the evil jester Harley Quinn.
DISCOVER MORE AT...
 The Joker™ has teamed up with the zaniest villains to take over
the Justice Leaque™ Watchtower! When the crooks knock out
Batman™ and Superman”, it'll be up to Cyborg™ to reclaim the
headquarters.

- Should Cyborg try a solo rescue mission or teleport to Earth

for backup?

- Does he investigate the Watchtower’s gym or lowest level?

- Will the mechanical hero run away from Toyman’s robot animals
or stay and fight?
YOU CHOOSE the path the Justice Leaque should take. With your
help, can they defeat The League of Laughs?

$6.95 US / $8.95 CAN

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Copyright © 2018 DC Comics

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