World's Finest Comics #300

Availability

• 9.0VF/NMRaw, seller estimate$3.20

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Details

Publisher

DC Comics

Cover date

Feb 1984

Format

Comic

Pages

48

Variant

Direct Edition

Story arc

The Pantheon

Credits

writer

Mike W. Barr, Marv Wolfman, David Anthony Kraft

penciller

Ross Andru, Mark Texeira

inker

Klaus Janson, Bob Smith, Rick Magyar, Rodin Rodriguez, Frank McLaughlin

colorist

Carl Gafford

letterer

Duncan Andrews, Milt Snapinn, Ben Oda, Gaspar Saladino

artist

Sal Amendola, George Pérez

editor

Roger Slifer

Story

Prolog Superman returns to the Justice League and tells them about his recent adventure. He explains that there is a Cosmic Tree in Africa slowly tearing the world apart through earthquakes and timestorms. It was protected by a group of powerful extra-humans known as the Pantheon, who Superman defeated in combat. This tree is a portal to an overpopulated alien world that wants to conquer Earth. Batman was trapped on this planet when the portal sealed, and Superman cannot fly back because the planet has a red sun. The League agrees to rescue Batman, despite the fact that he recently quit. Superman takes Firestorm, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, Wonder Woman, and Zatanna to rescue Batman in Hawkman's ship. Elongated Man, Green Lantern and Hawkman stay behind to deal with the Cosmic Tree on Earth. Chapter I: Enter... the Outsiders! Batman stands alone on the alien planet, fighting their warriors. Zeta emerges from the Cosmic Tree, and announces that he will be the aliens' new god. Batman takes advantage of this diversion to disappear into a crack in the Cosmic Tree. Zeta tells the aliens that Batman is unimportant, and their education will now begin. Batman is unable to return home because the portal is sealed, and he's trapped inside the tree. Elongated Man, Green Lantern, and Hawkman save lives endangered by the Cosmic Tree in Gotham City. The Outsiders arrive and meet the Justice League for the first time. Green Lantern asks for their assistance. Geo-Force is outraged, because the Justice League turned down his country Markovia's cry for help recently.[1] Black Lightning calms Geo-Force down and they agree to work together. The heroes fly to Africa. Chapter II: Exit... the New Teen Titans In New York City, the Teen Titans rest in Titans Tower. They discuss choosing a new name for Dick Grayson, who has recently retired as Robin. Donna Troy leaves to plan her wedding, and spots an alien invasion outside. Starfire recognizes these alien ships as Gordanians belonging to the Citadel. Raven is nearly killed in an explosion, but her soul-self protects her. Chapter III: Six Against a God Firestorm, Green Arrow, Red Tornado, Superman, Wonder Woman, and Zatanna arrive on planet Olda. They are horrified to see alien soldiers pouring into the Cosmic Tree towards an unknown destination. Superman takes them to the temple where he left Batman. They easily dispatch the temple guards, and enter to see Zeta on a throne. Zeta explains that Superman inspired him to be more than he thought he could be, and he decided to become a god. Superman angrily tells him that individual lives are important, but Zeta tells Superman that this philosophy is obsolete. Zeta transports the Justice League and himself high above the temple to battle. Firestorm and Red Tornado use their elemental powers, but Zeta easily negates them with a wave of his hand. The entire League crashes to the ground, unsure of what Zeta will do to them next. Chapter IV: A Rock in Time Batman is trapped in the timestream, falling through different eras. He sees pilgrims, and the American Civil War, but remains focused on finding Superman. During World War II, Sgt. Rock is on guard duty for Easy Company when they're attacked by surprise. The Pantheon and Zeta's alien army appear through a portal to battle the soldiers. They believe this conflict hopeless, but the Justice League and the Outsiders arrive to help. It's revealed that when Green Lantern's team approached the Cosmic Tree, a timestorm brought them back to World War II. The heroes are not powerful enough to stop the Pantheon, and all of them are captured. The aliens place the heroes into devices that will nullify their powers, and take them back to Zeta. Easy Company is baffled by what they just saw, but they decide not to report it. Chapter V: The Temptation of Superman Back on Olda, the other Justice League members try to harm Zeta. Zatanna uses her magic, but even this does not affect him. Wonder Woman strikes at Zeta, but is knocked back by an invisible barrier. Firestorm transmutes the air around Zeta to stone, but Zeta easily breaks free. Zeta grows tired of the Justice League, and turns them all to stone except Superman. Zeta temporarily restores Superman's powers, and asks Superman to join him. Zeta promises that if they work together as two gods, they could live forever staging endless wars for sport and entertainment. Superman is outraged and tries to fight Zeta, but Zeta takes his powers away again. Superman crashes to the ground mid-flight, and hopes that Batman is still alive out there somewhere. Chapter VI: What Time Has Joined Together Batman continues to concentrate on Superman, hoping that he'll be drawn to Superman through the timestream. This leads him to Smallville, Kansas at the time when Superman was Superboy. Batman sees a young couple threatened by a robber, in a similar manner to the way his own parents were murdered. Batman stops the mugger from killing this couple, then realizes that they are Jonathan and Martha Kent. Batman disappears back into the timestream. Superboy arrives immediately afterward, having heard the gunshots. Jonathan and Martha remark that they did not get a good look at the man in black who saved their lives. Batman is next taken through the timestream to shortly after the Outsiders were captured. He is able to free Halo, but the Pantheon notice them before he can free any others. Halo's stasis aura allows Batman to control his movement through the timestream. Batman has Halo take him to the source of this time flux, back to the Cosmic Tree on Olda. Chapter VII: A New Genesis Superman continues trying to reason with Zeta. Zeta remarks how incredible it is that he once looked up to Superman, and now looks down on him as a god. Superman asks Zeta what his motive for causing this destruction is. Superman talks to Zeta about his history as a priest, and urges him to use his powers for the greater good instead of personal entertainment. Superman offers to give up his own life in exchange for the countless number that Zeta will kill. Batman arrives with Halo, who is drained from overusing her powers. Batman tells Zeta that despite having lost his powers, Superman is still superior to Zeta in every way. Batman insists that as long as Zeta chooses death over life, he will never be better than Superman. Zeta announces that he has made a decision. Zeta turns the Justice League back to normal, and summons the Pantheon for what appears to be a fight. Zeta explains that the Cosmic Tree is a curse on this planet, but it cannot be removed without destroying the world. He has decided to become this world's savior, and remove the tree. The Justice League and Pantheon are tasked with evacuating the planet while Zeta fixes it, so no innocent lives will be lost. Zeta turns Olda into a lush paradise, and announces that the Pantheon will stay there as Olda's protectors. The Teen Titans are transported to the year 5708 A.D. in the timestorm. They are confused to see Green Lantern battling the Gordanians.[2] Before this can be explained, they are transported back to their own time with no idea what just happened. Epilog The Justice Leaguers travel back home in Hawkman's ship. Firestorm and Green Arrow express annoyance that Batman and Superman are still acting hostile to each other after their recent argument. They return to Mount Ossa in Africa where the Cosmic Tree on Earth was, but Zeta has removed it. Wonder Woman encourages Batman and Superman to reconcile, which they finally do. The two old friends clasp hands together, and acknowledge that they're stuck with each other.

Characters

Batman (Bruce Wayne) · Superman (Kal-El / Clark Kent) · Wonder Woman (Diana Prince)