Written by Mark Waid, illustrated by Howard Porter. "Tower of Babel" is a great JLA story that emphasizes why Batman is deserving of a place among such superpowered company. When the other members of the League are systematically incapacitated at the command of Ra's al Ghul, it turns out that the plans to defeat each member were Batman's own contingency plans. These records of the weaknesses of his allies are devastating in the hands of Ra's, and the occurrence calls into question Batman's place in the Justice League. How will it influence Batman vs. Superman? Batman's role within the Justice League team dynamic varies only slightly from story to story, and he usually maintains the grumpy "I work alone" demeanor while silently respecting his teammates. On the surface, Bruce Wayne's obsessive contingency planning shows how his intelligence can stand in for his lack of supernatural powers. The deeper themes dealt with in this arc revolve around loyalty and trust, and those themes would have to be explored in any superhero team-up flick. But aside from emphasizing Batman's JLA role, "Tower of Babel" seems like a storyline best fit for a later film. The betrayal - as it is perceived by the compromised League members - would carry much more weight once the team has already been established. Still, it's definitely required reading for those looking for some insight into how Justice League will work on the silver screen.
