Injustice: Gods Among Us is an American comic book series that serves as a prequel to the fighting video game of the same name. The series takes place in an alternate reality, where Superman descends into villainy following his family's death at the Joker's hands. The Justice League is split by those who put their trust in Superman, establishing the totalitarian One Earth Regime, while Batman forms an insurgency out of the other half of the League to fight back against the Regime.
The series was written by Tom Taylor and Brian Buccellato, and illustrated by a number of artists, including Jheremy Raapack, Mike S. Miller, Bruno Redondo, Tom Derenick, and others. It was released digitally by DC Comics from January 2013 to September 2016, and was later released in physical comic book form and collected in trade paperback and hardcover editions.
Plot The story is split into the five years preceding the Injustice: Gods Among Us video game. While Year Zero takes place before Year One and tells the story of how the Joker got the idea to drive Superman to madness, Year One to Year Four sees Superman's totalitarian regime fighting against one enemy after another. Year Five concludes the struggle between Superman's regime and Batman's insurgency, as the latter attempt to summon counterparts of the Justice League from another universe for help, setting up the events of the game.
Year Zero Year Zero features the Joker escaping from Arkham Asylum and breaking into Blackgate Prison to free Andre Chavard, whom he forces into helping him find an evil mystical amulet known as the Amulet of Apophis, using his grandson Stefan as leverage.
As the amulet had been buried in the past in the deepest part of the Mariana Trench by Alan Scott following World War II, the Joker teams up with Black Manta to dive down into the trench and get the amulet. He then begins using its powers to take control of members of the Justice Society and have them kill each other, resulting in the death of Jay Garrick.
The Joker goes to Egypt where he excavates the Helmet of Chaos, becoming Doctor Chaos. Now immensely empowered by the chaos magic from both the helmet and the amulet, the Joker attacks the Hall of Justice and easily defeats the heroes. Superman is possessed, but frees himself after Batman gets through to him and he destroys the Amulet of Apophis. The Joker takes this as a challenge to corrupt Superman following his defeat, leading to the events of Lois Lane's death.
Year One Year One features the Insurgency led by Batman against the Justice League led by Superman and the establishment of the One Earth Regime.
In Metropolis, a pregnant Lois Lane is kidnapped by the Joker. While Superman searches for her, Batman and the Justice League deduce that the Joker has used Scarecrow's fear toxin and laced it with stolen kryptonite to affect Superman. Superman and the League track Lois to a submarine where the Joker and Harley Quinn are hiding, but Superman is attacked by Doomsday. He fights and defeats Doomsday, only to learn Doomsday is an illusion, and he has been fighting an unconscious Lois. Too late, he learns that Lois's heart was synced to a nuclear warhead, which detonates and destroys Metropolis when her heart stops. Blinded by grief and revenge, Superman kills the Joker despite Green Lantern's and Batman's efforts to stop him.
A grieving Superman decides that all violence must end, by force if necessary. He addresses the United Nations, with Wonder Woman beside him, revealing his secret identity and demanding an immediate cessation of all worldwide hostilities. In response, the United States government contracts Mirror Master to kidnap Jonathan and Martha Kent to use as leverage against Superman. Using increasingly draconian measures, the League locates Mirror Master, and Superman relocates his parents to the Fortress of Solitude. The global escalation continues, with Wonder Woman becoming Superman's advisor as the League stops conflicts by force. Batman and Superman grow increasingly at odds, with Batman questioning Superman's and the League's methods.
In the Pacific Ocean, the League responds to a whaling ship under attack by Aquaman at the head of an Atlantean army. Tensions boil over into a full-scale battle until Superman coerces Aquaman into backing down, but not before Atlantean armies appear on multiple coastlines as a reminder of Atlantis's power. In response, Superman lifts Atlantis and places it in the Sahara Desert. Aquaman backs down, telling Wonder Woman that he is willing to advise Superman as a fellow ruler, but she does not relay the message. In Australia, Superman and Wonder Woman violently respond to a public demonstration against the League's new tactics, crippling a fan and wannabe hero named Galaxor. The Flash, also present, begins to doubt the League's mission.
Following the destruction of Metropolis, Harley Quinn escapes police custody but is recaptured by Green Arrow. He takes her to Arkham Asylum, where Superman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg have also arrived to relocate the inmates to parts unknown. Batman and Nightwing arrive to stop them, but Robin (who believes in Superman's new crusade) switches sides to join Superman. In the ensuing fight, Robin accidentally kills Nightwing, the shock of which ends all hostilities and Batman, overcome with rage, disowns Robin as his son.
At Superman's private urging, Catwoman goes to Wayne Manor to console Bruce Wayne. She and Batman secretly meet with the President, who asks Batman to neutralize Superman. He begins building a team to oppose Superman's League—including Catwoman, Green Arrow, Aquaman, Black Canary, Black Lightning, Huntress, Captain Atom, and Batwoman. With the battle lines drawn, Superman's League continues its mission of stopping conflicts by force. Shazam forces Black Adam to give up his power but begins to doubt Superman's mission as a result.
Lex Luthor is found as the lone survivor in the ruins of Metropolis. He meets with Superman's League and wishes to join them, promising to recruit more members to Superman's side. Meanwhile, Batman's League kidnaps Hawkgirl and replaces her with Martian Manhunter, thereby gaining a spy in Superman's League.
On Apokolips, Kalibak hears of Superman's new role as Earth's protector and wishes to test him. He leads a Parademon invasion of Earth, coincidentally during a public relations event at which Superman and Lex Luthor hope to spread their message of public safety. Enraged, Superman kills Kalibak, who taunts him over his failure to save many innocent lives. Batman and Superman's teams band together to fend off the invasion, but all appears lost until Superman vaporizes the Parademons. Though the invasion is stopped at the cost of thousands of lives, Superman, nevertheless, is more popular than ever.
In the wake of the invasion, Superman and Luthor conceive plans to create an enhanced security force, loyal only to Superman, using drugs created with Kryptonian technology. Robin teleports to Wayne Manor, having secretly taken one of the prototype drugs. He confronts Batman, with Martian Manhunter having followed him. In the ensuing fight, in which Alfred is accidentally injured, Robin deduces Manhunter's identity. In response, Superman reveals Batman's identity as Bruce Wayne despite Batman's efforts to stop him. Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash journey to the Batcave, where Wonder Woman delivers an ultimatum to Batman: stand down, or the League will respond with force. Martian Manhunter confronts Wonder Woman, but Superman kills him with his heat vision.
Learning that Superman's enhancement drug is being manufactured at the Fortress of Solitude, Batman's team raids the Fortress to steal it. As a distraction, military forces engage in a build-up in the Pacific, but Superman is not long fooled by the ruse. Too late, Batman discovers Jonathan and Martha Kent at the Fortress and realizes that, if Superman discovers his team here, he will assume they have come for his parents and will respond with lethal force. Superman arrives, but Captain Atom fights him both on the orders of the Pentagon but also to give Batman's team time to get away—with the exception of Green Arrow, who is separated and trapped inside the Fortress. Wonder Woman slashes Captain Atom's suit with her sword, not realizing that this will render him unable to contain his energy.
Both Superman and Wonder Woman are injured in the ensuing blast, but Superman recovers quickly, now realizing that the US military tried to kill him and believing that Batman's team is trying to do the same. Returning to the Fortress, he confronts Green Arrow, who is with the Kents. After Green Arrow injures Jonathan with an arrow, Superman beats him to death, but not before Green Arrow delivers the prototype pill to Batman. The remaining members of Batman's team escape in a costly victory. An enraged Superman confronts Batman at the Batcave, where the Batcomputer is analyzing the pill. The two argue and fight, ending with Superman breaking Batman's back, but not before the analysis is completed, enabling Batman's Resistance to synthesize the drug. Finally, Alfred, who has taken the drug to gain temporary superpowers, intervenes and injures Superman, allowing him to rescue Batman. In the closing, Superman's League, including Luthor, addresses the United Nations, pledging an end to violence, "Whatever the cost."
Year Two Year Two features Superman's fight against the Green Lantern Corps and Harley Quinn joining the Insurgency.
Green Arrow's funeral briefly brings together the rifted Justice League, but in its wake the League is more divided than ever. An injured Batman has been relocated to Doctor Fate's tower, which is located outside of space and thus safe from Superman. Oracle has taken charge of his resistance movement, recruiting other heroes (including Harley Quinn) to fight Superman and his supporters. Harley and Black Canary begin an odd friendship, with Harley becoming an unofficial aunt to Connor, son of Black Canary and Green Arrow.
Meanwhile, Superman's League continues its global crackdown under the guise of enforcing order, sending the Flash and Hal Jordan to intimidate Congress into averting a government shutdown. Wonder Woman remains incapacitated on Themyscira. The formation and brutal methods of Superman's security forces, created with the help of Lex Luthor, convinces James Gordon and many members of the Gotham City Police Department to join with Batman's resistance, thanks to Batman's reverse-engineered superpower pills.
En route to Earth, Green Lantern Kyle Rayner is ambushed and killed by Yellow Lanterns led by Sinestro, who joins Superman's regime as his advisor. The Guardians of the Universe dispatch Ganthet and Guy Gardner to investigate the situation on Earth.
At the Fortress of Solitude, Ganthet urges Superman to step down, but negotiations fail when Ganthet admits the Guardians could have prevented Krypton's destruction. Ganthet returns to Oa, convinced Superman must be captured and brought to Oa for trial. Hal Jordan and John Stewart side with Superman and fly to Earth to warn him.
A squadron of Green Lanterns journey to Earth to arrest Superman but are defeated by Sinestro and Yellow Lantern reinforcements. The Green Lanterns yield and, over Sinestro's objections, are taken prisoner. Gardner, covertly observing, confirms Superman's alliance with the Sinestro Corps and warns the Guardians. In response, the Guardians dispatch all available Green Lanterns, including the sentient planet Mogo, to Earth in a final attempt to defeat Superman.