“They don’t need us anymore. The people have left us behind.”, Said The Dark Knight who stared down at the globe from the free Watch Tower satellite. Behind him were everyone, every costumed vigilante, colorful demigod, and alien amongst man that called themselves a hero. They all looked at the Caped Crusader who continued to speak with the planet Earth behind him.
“The people no longer need us. The world has changed and grown past us. We are no longer important to them; they’ve even forgotten us. We are not needed.”
“Your wrong Bruce. They still need us.”, With a bright and present voice, The Man of Steel slowly floated down and stood beside his best friend. The two couldn’t be more different, A god with the power to destroy cities with a breath but instead chose to get a job and live as a man amongst them, and a man who’s abandoned his humanity long ago to become something more significant. One inspired people and one struck fear into people, but both fought for the greater good. The two titans stared at each other with an intense amount of tension in the air; the room went so silent that you could hear the gears turning in Robotman’s head.
“You’re delusional Clark. When was the last time the world ever needed us? When was the last time someone believed in that S on your chest and the Bat on mine?”
“But they still need us, Bruce. Everyone needs a hero in their lives to help them, and we need to guide and walk alongside them and lead them to a better tomorrow.”
“A tomorrow that will never come. Face it; the world has become bleak. They don’t believe in heroes anymore. Not since we failed them. Not since they lost hope.”
“Bruce, you can never lose hope. Each of us is needed by someone out there. We can all help them.”
“Like who?”, With a loud thump on the ground, the two titans turned their heads and were met with a Bronze Robotic Man in a leather jacket, ripped jeans, and a white New World Order t-shirt. His name was Cliff Steele aka Robotman, a founding member of the Doom Patrol, former NASCAR Driver, and currently a brain trapped in a robotic body.
“How about someone who’s lost so much? Someone who’s been broken by life and needs someone to show them that they can still get back up.”
After him, a young woman with shoulder-length black hair in a black dress, torn fishnet stockings, and a red converse sneaker on her left foot and a blue one on the right walked forward. Her name was Jane aka Crazy Jane of the Doom Patrol, the girl with 64 different personalities in her head. As she stepped forward, her small and soft hand enveloped Cliff’s large and metallic hand.
“Or someone who’s different and can’t help it. Who want somewhere to belong.”
Two men also stepped forward amongst the crowd, one in black tactical gear and leather jacket with a crescent moon on his chest, and the other in a white and gold spandex suit with a golden sun on his chest. His blonde hair and glowing eyes brightened the area around him, the two held each other's hand and smiled as they looked up. Midnighter then spoke.
“How about the ones who’s society has deemed flawed and shouldn’t exist because of who they are?”, Apollo then followed, “Or whom they chose to love?”
The Flash followed suit and removed his cowl revealing his fiery red hair and green eyes, Wally West-nephew to Barry Allen and the former Kid Flash-spoke up afterward. “Someone can excel and become their person while living up to that potential that others hold him to.”
A young boy in a crimson sweater and jeans stood forward and smiled before yelling out his magic word, SHAZAM! A bolt of lightning crashed down and transformed the young child into the tall and mighty Captain Marvel who looked at the World’s Greatest Detective.
“How about a lost child looking for a family?”, With that, a young girl in a white T-shirt and jeans, and a boy with crutches and a blue sweater vest walked up from the crowd before shouting their own magic words. SHAZAM/CAPTAIN MARVEL! Like the boy before them, the two children were transformed into Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel Jr. and stood beside the Captain with bright smiles. “Who then finds them in the most unlikely of places.”
“How about someone who feels like a monster but desperately wants to be loved?”, Sprouting from the ground, the giant green goliath known as Swamp Thing looked on with his sorrow-filled red eyes at Batman. Next to him, walked forth a dapper male with red and gray hair stepped forward and buttoned up his green dress jacket as his brown eyes looked forward before glowing with crimson hellfire. He then began to chant in a deep and demonic voice,
Change! Change! O form of man!
Free the prince forever damned!
Free the might from fleshy mire!
Boil the blood in the heart of fire!
Gone! Gone! O form of man!
So rise the demon ETRIGAN.
In an explosion of hellfire, the prim and proper gentleman had transformed into a demon with yellow-skin and large horns sprouting from his heads, a flowing blue cape, a red tunic with silver shackles around his clawed hands, and blue elf-like shoes. Etrigan the Demon growled and grinned showing off his large and razor-sharp fangs.
“What about those who feel trapped inside? They too exist worldwide.”, Said the rhyming demon to the man amongst gods. It’s then that a young boy descended from the rafters above and landed behind Batman before removing his black and yellow hood revealing his crimson, black, yellow, and green uniform. Robin, the Son of Batman, looked up at his father and spoke. “Or a child robbed of his innocence by others before finding it in a family-,” landing next to him, was a young boy his age wearing a blue and red Superman jacket, a flowing red cape, blue jeans, and red sneakers. Superboy grinned as he placed his hand on the Boy Wonder’s shoulder as a sign of support. “And in friends.”
Landing before them all, Wonder Woman looked at Batman and then answered his question. “Or a boy who’s lost everything and need someone or something to help them through their darkest hour.” Batman’s eyes widened in shock and looked at the Amazonian Princess and the Last Son of Krypton whom both smiled.
“That’s who need us, Batman. Even if they forget us, or chose to ignore us, we need to always be there for them. That we can stand tall for them and lift them, that we will help them all even in their darkest hour.”, Spoke the Man of Tomorrow with his authoritative proud voice that caused all to smile. Superman’s eyes widened as he looked down on the planet Earth, his ears perked up before he turned to the other heroes and placed his hands on his waist. “We’re needed, even now. You ready Bruce?”
Batman stood in silence, he looked out at the army of heroes before him and sighed before giving a small smirk.
“Let’s go then. Let’s go be heroes.”, with that, the heroes leaped into action towards the bright future known as tomorrow.
THE END... for now.