Strapped into an operating chair, a still groggy Superman struggles in vain to free himself, totally unaware that the restraints around his wrists, forearms, waist and ankles are made entirely of Kryptonite. Just how did he wind up here, he asks himself.
Although his thoughts were still somewhat hazy, Superman starts to remember what happened to him in the last few moments before he passed out. He recollects receiving a ‘Trouble Alert’ from some anonymous informant claiming to have some information about his missing colleagues. So Superman went to the abandoned amusement park to find out what this mysterious caller knew. There our hero found the Boy Wonder's green glove lying on the ground and went to pick it up, not knowing that it too had been purposely coated with Kryptonite which made him vulnerable to attack. Just then, he was ambushed from behind and drugged by two unknown assailants.
Suddenly he recalls that he caught a glimpse of his attackers just before the drugs took effect. Much to his surprise, it turned out to be none other than his best buddy Batman and his young sidekick Robin, both with void expressions on their slacked faces, looking as if they were in some kind of trance. After that shock, he lost consciousness. Now that he realizes that the perpetrators were, of all people, The Dynamic Duo, Superman wonders what could have caused his fellow superheroes to turn on him like that?
As he was able to open his eyes a little wider and focus some more on his new surroundings, through the window in front of him, Superman could see a line of blurry figures, at least a dozen or so, neatly lined up in a row and sitting passively in chairs identical to his. Even from this distance, Superman could tell that they were all wearing headphones and staring blankly ahead, all with long black tubes stuck in their mouths.
Fear suddenly began to grip Superman's mind. For he finally recognized who was being held captive in the other room. Their true identities were no longer a mystery to him. It was none other than the twelve missing members of The Justice League. Superman was noticeably shaken by this revelation.
Just then, a voice came from behind, greeting his guest, "Ah, I see you're finally awake. Welcome, Superman! So at last we meet!"
Craning his neck to try and get a look at his tormentor, Superman saw what appeared to be the disfigured face of a elderly man sporting a beard to cover up some of his ugliness.
"Where am I? And what have you done to the others?", Superman demanded to know.
There was a short laugh, then the balding old man replied, "Why, you are in my secret laboratory, Superman. And, as you can see, your friends are just fine. In fact, they are quite happy to be here. I’ve been taking real good care of them, I can assure you."
"And who the Hell are you?," Superman inquires.
"Who the Hell I am, you ask? Well, allow me to introduce myself. For I am the noted scientist Dr. Jules Overlord, my dear BOY!," the semi-famous Professor announced as he now faced his patient, putting a particular emphasis on the word ‘boy’ just to make sure his prisoner knows that he is the only authority figure around here.
Despite his highly-regarded reputation within the scientific community. Superman was not familiar with the Doctor nor was he aware that the Professor was employed right here at the local medical college in Metropolis. In fact, Superman did not even know that he was only a few miles away from the place he called home. For all he knew, this villain could be holding him prisoner all the way on the other side of the world or maybe even another world altogether. The Kryptonite exposure was seriously impairing his x-ray vision so he could not see past the solid brick, lead-lined walls of the Doctor's laboratory to figure out his exact location.
Superman didn't appreciate being called a ‘boy‘, so he lets the Doctor know that he's not impressed, "Sorry to burst your bubble, Doc. But I've never heard of you."
Rather than be miffed at his response, his captor almost seems as if he is pleased that Superman did not recognize him, "Oh well. No matter. I would prefer that you not address me by my real name anyhow. For you shall soon come to know me as Master. And that is how you shall always refer to me, that is once I make you my slave."
"What...?," The Man of Steel reeled in disbelief, "Master? Slave? What the hell are you talking about, Overlord?"
"Yes indeed, my sexy Superstud. I am your Master and you are about to join the ranks of my adoring and obedient sex-slaves," the fiendish Doctor declared confidently, "just like your fellow Super Friends here."
Did you hear him correctly? Sex-slaves? Master? No, that is just crazy talk. Surely he must have misunderstood him. Either that or it had to be his idea of a sick joke. Or could it all be just a dream? Whatever it was, it just couldn't be real! Perhaps the drugs that knocked him out were also playing tricks on his mind? Or maybe they're making him hallucinate? Superman was prepared to believe anything was possible but this could not be happening.
"You are kidding, right?", Superman asks in a dismissive tone, "I mean, you can't really be serious!"
The Doctor flashes his evil grin, "Oh, on the contrary, Superman, I kid you not. For, as you will soon learn, I always mean what I say. Just take a good look at your fellow superheroes. At first, they didn't take me all that seriously either. But they all came around to my way of thinking. And in time so shall you."
"Don't count on it, Doc! Superman is no one's slave! And once I get out of this chair, I'm going to make you pay for what you have done to the other Super Friends, you twisted freak!," Superman threatens with his fists clinched, mustering all his strength to break his Kryptonite bonds. Much to his surprise, they do not give. In fact, his efforts only leave him feeling even weaker.
As Superman tries desperately to free himself from the chair’s unbreakable hold, the Doctor taunts his helpless patient, "Boy, this Kryptonite sure is powerful stuff, isn’t it, Super-fool?"
"No!!!… Not Kryptonite!!!", Superman exclaims, just realizing that is the real reason he cannot get out of these restraints. His valiant attempts to bust loose from his shackles only served to intensify the detrimental effects that the Green Kryptonite has over this big powerful superhero.
The doctor continues, "Yes, my super patient, for that is what's holding you in place. I really must thank your buddy Batman again for bringing this very useful substance to my attention. After all, he was the one who let me know just how vulnerable you become whenever you are exposed to this extremely rare mineral, otherwise I never would have known. Of course, it took a little persuading until he finally divulged your little secret. I must say, you superheroes are a loyal bunch, aren't you? But, after I wore him down a bit, your fellow Super Friend was all too willing to talk. When Batman finally told me what your Achilles Heel was, I just had to get my hands on some. So I ordered the Caped Crusader and your other dear Super Friend Green Lantern to retrieve all the Kryptonite that you kept locked away in your private vault. You know, the one located within that Fortress of Solitude of yours that no one other than your closest allies could possibly know about."
"So that's who broke into my private sanctum? Now it's all starting to make sense. Only the Super Friends would have known how to sneak past my security system. You put them up to this, you quack!", an exhausted Superman concludes, even in his weakened state. Dazed and confused, our hero is becoming increasingly susceptible to the doctor’s mental manipulations.
The Doctor loves seeing the mighty Superman squirm, "Well, I figured that you wouldn't mind if your friends gave me all of that Kryptonite that you've been hoarding over the years, Super-schmuck. After all, it's not as if you had any use for it. Beside, it would have been a shame to let such a precious commodity go to waste, especially when you had so much of it just lying around. Now, no need to thank me. I was glad to take it off your hands," he sarcastically says with a chuckle.
Never relenting in his efforts to escape the restraints that bind him, Superman does not give up, "But I kept it stored there to prevent the Kryptonite from falling into the hands of evildoers like you, Overlord!"
"Tisk tisk, Super-sap, let's not be greedy. Now I thought that you sanctimonious superheroes were always so willing to give all that you can to a worthwhile cause. So just think of this as your contribution to medical science. Don't worry, I have put all of your old unwanted Kryptonite to good use. Why, your very generous donation has not only made it possible for me to complete my research but to achieve my greatest scientific advancement. For you have already seen what I have done to your fellow superheroes. And now, with an endless supply of this invaluable element completely at my disposal, I, Professor Overlord, and my amazing procedure shall soon turn you, the mightiest superhero of all, into a mindless zombie as well. Yes, Superman, you are about to become nothing more than a living breathing robot programmed to obey my every command and to perform any task I give you to my total satisfaction. Your only thoughts will be to serve me… your new Master!," The Doctor boldly asserts.
Still somewhat in control of his mental faculties, Superman is outraged by the mere suggestion, "Never! There's no way that I will ever serve you, you disgusting pervert!"
"Oh but you will. Once your enslavement is complete, you and the other Justice League members shall spend the remainder of your young lives serving your beloved Master. In fact, you superheroes will love being my sex-slaves so much, you'll never want to leave. Yes, you super slaves shall gladly stay here with me locked inside my forbidden dungeon forever. Then no one will ever find you and your disappearances shall always remain a mystery. Of course, it is unfortunate that I will not to be able to share my accomplishments with the rest of the scientific community. But it's important that nobody learns of my plans for you heroes otherwise they might try to interfere. And I can’t allow that to happen, now can I? Therefore I must take this secret with me to my very grave. That way I will have you gorgeous creatures all to myself for all eternity!," The Doctor proudly proclaims, wringing his hands in anticipation.
To be continued…
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