Despero escapes his prison and ages half the JLA and dispatches the other half to alternate worlds!
On a date with his girlfriend, Snapper Carr emerges from the Tunnel of Love a haggard old man. Unbeknownst to Carr, his dilemma is the opening salvo of Despero's latest scheme to destroy the Justice League of America. At the Secret Sanctuary, Carr is joined by the Green Arrow, the Atom, and Wonder Woman, all of whom have been aged into feebleness. When the Green Lantern fails to restore their youth with his power ring, the remaining members of the team split up, to investigate the situation. The Batman finds an hourglass of chronal energy forming about him. As the Batplane crashes to the ground, it draws J'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter From Mars to the Batman's dilemma.
The moment the Martian Manhunter attempts to use his powers to aid the Batman, an hourglass forms around him, too. The Flash, too, is trapped within an hourglass, as soon as he tries to use his super-human speed to free his teammates. Despero reveals that the hourglasses are activated by the heroes' own powers. In short order, Aquaman and the Green Lantern also fall prey to Despero's hourglasses. The heroes dissolve down into chronal sand, and are transported to one, of three, parallel Earths. The Flash materializes in a tar pit on Earth-R. The Flash is rescued by a hyper-intelligent Tyrannosaurus Rex. En route back to the dinosaur's city, a sudden blizzard immobilizes the dinosaur's car.
Flash, and the Tyrannosaurus Rex, proceed on foot. Though the Flash is no longer in possession of his super-human speed, he finds that, inexplicably, he can transfer his powers to the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Working in concert together, the Flash mentors the Tyrannosaurus Rex in using the Flash's super-human speed, in order to thwart Despero's plan. Though the Flash defeats Despero, he is still marooned on Earth-R, with no way to return to his own Earth. The Batman and the Green Lantern materialize high in the sky over Earth-I. The Batman and the Green Lantern are rescued by butterfly people. The butterfly people are attacked by dragonfly people.
Though the Green Lantern is incapable of operating his power ring, he finds that, inexplicably, the butterfly people can. Using the power ring, the butterfly people repel the dragonfly people. The butterfly people place the power ring in one of their museums, where it is promptly stolen by Despero. The Green Lantern commandeers a flying craft, one which he has painted yellow. Unbeknownst to Despero, the power ring is powerless against the color yellow. The Green Lantern confronts Despero, and battles him until the power ring's charge is spent. A butterfly man, inexplicably, possessing the Batman's acrobatic prowess defeats Despero.
The Batman and the Green Lantern, however, are still marooned on Earth-I, with no means of returning to their own Earth. Aquaman, and J'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter From Mars, materialize under the sea on Earth-M. Intelligent fish bring the two heroes breathing helmets to prevent them from drowning. Despero attacks, with a weapon that neutralizes the telekinetic powers of the fish. Though Aquaman is no longer in possession of his telepathic abilities, the super-smart shark he is riding, inexplicably, gains them. Aquaman leads the fish army, through the shark, but Despero's defenses prove too formidable.
Coming in contact with the Martian Manhunter, the shark gains all of the super powers lost to J'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter From Mars. The now nigh-indestructable shark storms Despero's command chamber, where Aquaman takes down the alien despot. The threat ended, Aquaman and J'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter From Mars are still marooned on Earth-M, with no possible way of returning to their own Earth. An aged Superman arrives at the Secret Sanctuary, supposedly aged by electro-magnetic energy. Realizing that such a discharge would not get through Superman's invulnerability, Wonder Woman binds him with the Lasso of Truth. "Superman" is revealed to be Despero.
Wonder Woman orders Despero to restore the youth to the aged members of the Justice League of America. Wonder Woman then commands Despero to return the missing members of the Justice League of America. Before the team can decide what to do with Despero, Carr departs, desperate to return to his date.
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