Hey, Chris, you get a haircut?
Yeah. I figured it's the only thing he'll see from up there.
Oh, yeah, the big boss is visiting today.
You have a great view from your office, Mr. Fox.
Call me Lucius. And I agree.
I never get tired of watching the process.
Everyone working together like that, all those people.
It's like a giant machine.
More like an efficient team. One Bruce hardly needs to worry about.
It's what makes the other part of his life possible.
You mean the other part of his life...
...in which he appears at museum dedications and fashion shows.
I mean fighting crime.
You mean fighting crimes of fashion?
Dick. He knows I'm the Batman.
I was a close friend of Bruce's father.
After the tragedy, I was happy to offer what little help I could.
It was more than a little. Lucius helped construct the Batcave.
And on the rare occasions he lets me...
...I get to lend a hand with some of the Bat gadgets.
I do love tinkering with the Bat's Shadow Tech.
Oh. Well, then. Yay.
So we're just throwing around words that start with bat, now.
That's fine.
Lucius, you clearly have the factory running as smoothly as ever.
I don't know why I even bother with these visits.
Maybe you just come by to see an old friend.
Hmm, doesn't sound like me.
So, who else knows? Is there a list or something?
Is it on the Internet? BruceWayneisBatman.org?
Lucius Fox is the only one you didn't already know about.
And he'll be the last.
I try not to make a habit of having to rely on other people...
...especially to keep my secrets.
What? Who are you?
Wait!
Can't ID them from here.
ID them? I can do that.
Bad guys. And pretty ordinary ones too.
We can handle this.
Ah, didn't we just get in trouble last week for freelancing?
The boss was very clear.
He said to wait while he scoped out the situation.
Okay.
We waited.
Hey--!
Well, I'm already bored. Any way to make this more interesting?
We could take them down while reciting the alphabet backwards--
Ah! Ugh!
Ugh!
Gotcha, bird-brains!
Ah!
Guess they weren't so ordinary after all.
Maybe they were those super-strong zombie thugs.
We would have had them if you waited.
I know being a costumed crime-fighter means never having to say, " I'm sorry."
But, yeah. We're sorry.
No. It's my fault.
Maybe I've been relying on you two more than I should.
This never happened when I worked alone.
Detective John Jones. I'm new to the force.
I've heard about you and your mission to protect Gotham.
Admirable.
Did you see what these guys were stealing?
The shipment belonged to your company.
My company?
Wayne Industries has had an unusually high volume of shipments...
...going in and out of the city this week.
It's no surprise that someone with sticky fingers finally took notice.
Mind if I inspect this property back at my headquarters?
Fine by me, but you'll need Bruce Wayne's permission.
I can secure it.
I'll bet you can.
It's a new project.
WayneTech research really paid off this time.
We've developed whole new metals.
Hybrids, it's pretty exciting, if you're into metallurgy.
That's the reason for the extra shipping.
I thought that project was still at the development stage.
It is.
But the development is requiring some supplies.
Really, there's nothing you need to worry about.
You should have those crates sent back here unopened.
Send them back unopened.
I see. Well, thank you.
Keep working.
Commissioner Gordon vouched for Detective Jones.
And his records from Denver check out.
Whoa!
But there's nothing before Denver. Like he didn't exist.
Hey! Ah--!
Okay. It is so my turn.
This is so cool.
I didn't know Wayne Industries made anything like this.
We don't. And if Detective Jones is right...
...my company has been shipping things like this all over the world.
Clearly, this is part of some alien conspiracy to mass produce these babies.
Ship them all over the world...
...where they await their signal to take over the human race!
Whoa! Uh! Ah!
Ah! Uh! Ugh!
New project, huh?
What's it for?
We'll keep an eye on Lucius.
But I wanna find out if Jones knows more than he's letting on...
...about whatever's going on at Wayne Industries.
Then let's pay the detective a visit.
I'll pay him a visit. Alone.
-Uh, Batman. -Don't bother.
I know you're not human.
-I suppose this changes things. - Not really.
You're coming with me. I have some questions for you, detective.
Humans.
You act like you've never seen a shape-shifter before.
Tell that to Clayface.
He flies too. Great.
Huh? Let's see if you can keep up.
Ugh!
I can dance all night.
So can I.
So it would seem.
But why waste time? Who are you?
My name is J'onn J'onzz. I'm a detective.
Just like you, Bruce.
I'm one of the good guys.
Thanks.
So, alien.
All my life.
Telekinesis. Neat party trick.
How heavy can the object be?
I could lift you and your best friend. That is, if you have one.
You miss being back home on Mars?
I never said I was Martian.
Never had to. Martians hate fire.
How do you know anything about Martians?
I've dedicated my life to studying all fields of knowledge...
...no matter how obscure, including thousands of years...
...of recorded human encounters with extraterrestrials.
The Mayans, ancient Egyptians, crop circles.
I could teach a college course on Martians.
Except I always filed them away under urban legends.
Like alligators in the sewers.
I've fought them too. Why'd you run?
You might have exposed me, turned me over to the authorities.
I can't allow that. Not now.
Guess we both guard our secrets fiercely.
-Coffee? - We're fine, thanks.
So how'd you figure out Batman was Bruce Wayne?
Read your mind.
-Hmm.... -Something wrong?
No, it's just-- That's cheating.
-Read my mind now. -What?
You heard me.
You're thinking of a dog you owned as a boy.
Location of the Batcave.
I distinctly saw--
A mental image I conjured up to block my real thoughts.
Trick I picked up from some Tibetan monks.
Anyone ever tell you you're a little paranoid?
My partners. All the time.
I'm stunned. You have partners?
I do.
Though sometimes I wonder if things might be easier without them.
You may need all the help you can get with what's coming.
And I've done my homework, Bruce. It is coming.
Make no mistake.
-What is? -Something big.
Maybe too big for the Batman to handle alone.
Why don't you tell me what you know and let me decide what the Batman can handle?
I'm not the only thing from outer space that's come to Gotham.
But right now I'm the only thing that can stop it.
Stop what?
Invasion. Alien lnvasion.
The end of your world.
Can I get you anything else?
Hmm....
They're called The Joining.
A synthetic alien race that's ravaged over half the galaxy...
...Iike some plague of locusts devouring and incorporating...
...the technologies of every world they encounter.
And they leave nothing in their wake but empty husks of planets.
Synthetic race. The Joining are robots.
Mm-hm. Built by a long-forgotten race who became their first victims.
And they feed off technology.
Anything industrial, mechanical, they simply take it and use it.
It becomes a part of them. It's how they evolve.
That's why they were targeting Wayne Industries.
You're responsible for developing...
...some of the most advanced technologies on this world.
By the way, nice car.
Rang it with my mind.
Batman. What--?
Is something wrong?
I need to ask you some questions about those shipments.
-Who's this? -This is Detective Jones.
-He's here to-- -Ha!
I knew it was a replicant, because I didn't get a reading off him.
-No emotions. - So you kicked his head off.
Yes.
Perhaps I should've mentioned I was going to do that.
Perhaps?
This is part of the standard m.o. of The Joining.
-Seems pretty complicated. -Not for them.
They're a linked system. A network.
Parts of one big machine, really. Like one huge robot as big as a city.
You know, Batman, most humans would be pretty thrown by this.
I'm not most humans.
If there's any chance that Lucius is still alive, we have to find him.
Then let's ask someone who knows.
Great danger.
-I can't believe this. -Really?
Because robot heads--
Oh, that's totally what I'm expecting on a Wednesday.
And this guy, just some guy, waltzing into the Batcave.
Didn't have a blindfold on or anything.
Robin, I think we should be focused on the robot head.
Lucius is still alive. You're certain?
If you're trying to nod, you need a neck.
He's alive.
The real Lucius is being held at the Wayne Industries factory.
We are using him for information, but soon he will no longer be helpful.
Ready?
Find Lucius, stop alien invasion, save world.
Sounds easy enough.
Lucius.
Follow me.
How about first one to Lucius wins?
Fine time for him to leave us out of things.
Robots. This is like the biggest case we've ever faced.
Good robots too. That thing looks just like a real person.
I know. Anyone we know could be a robot.
Oh, it wouldn't fool us if we knew the person, would it?
Maybe not. They'd probably be a little robot-y.
Detached, unemotional, mechanical.
-Kick his head off. -You kick his head off.
Attempt to do any such thing, and I assure you.
There will be no hot-buttered raisin scones for either of you for a year.
Only Alfred sounds that much like Alfred.
Yup.
It knows we're here.
Let's call it a tie.
Lucius.
I knew you'd come. What?
He's with me, Lucius. We're getting you out of here.
No, forget me. I'm not important.
You don't have much time, they--
We're too late.
Told you I could float you and your best friend.
Faster. We don't know how much longer these things are just gonna sit here.
It's begun.
-Where are they going? -Anywhere.
Everywhere that's vulnerable.
Everywhere on Earth.
-What do we do? -We fight.
Unfortunately, Batman, this is not a fight anyone, any planet, has ever survived.
Don't they look angry.
Not they. It.
The Joining has many bodies but only one mind.
A mind focused on harvesting your planet's technology...
...and destroying what's left.
Now might be a good time for you to float us out of here.
Not with them up there.
Well, if you can't go up, you go down.
Oh, my.
There's an emergency exit tunnel right behind this wall.
Well, I'd say this qualifies as an emergency.
Go. I'll deal with them.
It's not that Batman doesn't want our help.
It's just that he doesn't need our help. Big difference.
Great. So, you're saying that, to the big guy, we're basically useless.
I wouldn't go that far. We proved Alfred's not a robot.
And I'm so relieved.
Lucius, you're hurt.
You know what to do, Alfred.
What's going on?
Alien invasion.
Alien invasion, huh? Excuse me.
-Alien invasion? - Aliens?
What happened to robots?
Ah! Alien!
Got an alien here!
Different kind of alien.
Hi. J'onn J'onzz.
How are you so calm, Alfred? Aliens.
I'd think that would warrant at least one of your signature cocked eyebrows.
I keep house for a man who dresses like a bat and works in a cave.
At this point in my life, there's little that fazes me.
Ah, what's that?
Robot head. So five minutes ago.
No, it can't be.
More than your city is in danger now, Batman.
This is about Earth.
It's the end of the world.
It can't be. It just looks a whole lot like it.
We can stop it, right?
If I may, sir, how?
Shut it off. Please.
I'm sorry, Batman. I had hoped to prevent this.
I'm not ready give up just yet. The saucer.
It's our one physical link to The Joining.
Earlier analysis revealed it was made up of a bonded metallic hybrid.
Different metals, bonded together to form a single alloy.
Like The Joining itself. Many elements, one purpose.
They created a metal stronger than almost any compound on Earth...
...but they used Wayne Industries technology to do it.
-Ah, then that would mean.... -Exactly.
The Joining's just made their first mistake.
We do not make mistakes. We are The Joining.
-Unplug it. -It is unplugged.
I am drawing power from The Joining. We have taken your technology.
We have improved it. We use it now to destroy your world.
We are unstoppable.
For such a good looking guy, he talks too much.
We have work to do now. Gotham is depending on us.
Gotham City has literally been overrun by--
-Ah! -Oh, come on!
Hurry! Hurry!
On my command. Fire!
Commissioner? What else can we do?
I've already done the best thing I can think of.
Time to test it. Robin, go for a ride.
Take it up, but not too high.
Why not?
Molecular instability. Impressive.
And funny.
Bruce made sure I built a fail-safe into all our tech.
Just in case it ever fell into the wrong hands.
I get it. Like a shutoff switch.
And, by the way, ow.
And since The Joining used our technology to build their fleet.
We can use it to take their fleet apart.
Looks like they came halfway across a galaxy just to get their butts kicked.
We still have one problem.
A signal strong enough to affect all the ships would have to be sent...
...from a satellite relay.
Which means, we need to send the signal from inside Wayne Industries.
This wouldn't be the same Wayne Industries that's guarded by giant robots, would it?
We're going with you.
I know the Wayne Industries layout better than anyone.
A group is only gonna slow me down.
You have to learn to trust your partners, Batman.
And, no, this isn't your conscience speaking.
Haven't you been watching The Joining? They're linked, coordinated, strong.
If we want to beat them, we have to be like them.
No way I can shake you?
None on earth.
Then do me one favor.
Fasten the belt.
Planning repairs, are we?
No point. End of the world, remember?
Besides, you heard Batman, we'd only get in the way.
There are times when, I, too, disagree with Master Bruce's decisions.
And, when that happens...
...there's something I do that never fails to lift my spirits.
I disobey him.
I think I saw a welding torch around here.
-You ready? -Not even Martians live forever.
You go around the south side. I'll take the north entrance.
Strangely beautiful, isn't it?
I found a phonograph record that seems fitting.
Good choice. Wagner would have been too....
And I found this.
I'd forgotten this. We took him to the air show.
Long time ago.
I think that was the first day where he forgot, just a little.
I just counseled two young people to disobey orders.
To help if they could.
Perhaps we should take the same advice?
I don't think I'm up for any fisticuffs.
There are other skills.
It's probably useless, you know.
Oh, absolutely.
Forgive my inhospitality, but terrorizing Gotham is my job!
Commish, it's Freeze. What do we do with him?
We back him up.
This town's gone mad!
Yes!
No time to celebrate. We need to get to Wayne Industries.
Broadcast ready. Activate now.
Signal block? No!
We can tap into the Wayne Industries security camera system.
Be another set of eyes for Bruce.
Humans. Defiant even in the face of certain defeat.
Certain defeat? We shall see about that.
If you're referring to the fail-safe signal, you hope to transmit...
...then know your friend was unsuccessful.
The Joining has blocked it. Like everything else on this planet...
...The Joining now control the satellite feeds.
- Sir? -The signal is being blocked, Alfred.
Lucius believes he can hack into the system...
...and override The Joining's control.
But you will need to manually override it from your end, as well.
That's going to take time.
I'm not sure I can override the system and keep these guys at bay.
Then it sounds like someone needs backup.
I told you two not to come here.
That's why we had to quit as your partners.
Yeah, that's right. We quit.
You can't order us around anymore.
We're freelancers and can be wherever we wanna be.
I hear there's work in Metropolis.
You picked us, Batman, because you knew we were strong.
And sometimes that's about being strong enough to help you.
Even when you think you don't need us.
It's never been about not needing you, it's about not losing you.
It was a long way around from the south entrance.
Am I interrupting something?
No, I was just consulting with my team.
If I don't get this done, this will be a very dangerous place.
We'll secure the room, Batman. You just get that signal ready.
They seem to be rising above the center of each major city...
...and forming into giant rings.
The Joining has what it came for. Now it is time for the end.
Within minutes, your world will be destroyed.
Sir, we have a new problem.
The Alien ships are forming into super-weapons.
And I fear we haven 't much time before they activate.
Just keep working, Alfred.
Ah! Ugh.
We're ready on our end, sir.
Let's do it.
Bruce's signal is spreading across the planet. It's looking good.
This has never happened before.
-It worked. -Yes!
We did it!
How unusual.
Humans....
What? Martians don't knock?
How are things, Bruce?
Good. Gotham's rebuilding.
Not just Gotham.
The entire world rebuilds towards a new tomorrow.
A tomorrow that would never have come...
...if not for one man who wanted to make a difference.
You saved your planet, Bruce.
I didn't. We did.
In the end, you did work well with partners.
Perhaps, you would be open to expanding your circle.
Sorry, J'onn, I already have two partners. Don't need a third.
Actually, we were hoping you would join us.
Let me show you.
I've found others. Like me. Like you.
The world's changing, Batman. You can go it alone if you want.
Or step into the larger world and be a part of a greater good.
I've been monitoring your construction here for months.
Hacking your systems since they came online.
I wondered, J'onn, when you were gonna tell me about your space station.
You've put together quite a league.
Let's get to work.