Originally published as an Elseworlds limited series (1998) A single nail punctures the tire of Ma and Pa Kent's truck, preventing them from ever discovering and raising the baby that would come to be known as Superman. Without him the Justice League is still formed and can still function, but there are marked differences. Writer Alan Davis uses the Elseworlds format to its full potential with "The Nail", turning the public against the Justice League in ways that would be too drastic and unreconcilable within the regular DC continuity. Superman gets a lot of flak these days, between derision over Man of Steel and countless claims that he's either outdated or just not cool enough. "The Nail" doesn't necessarily argue with those specific claims, but it does show why Superman is necessary in the DC Universe. Things are a complete mess in this book - the JLA has little leadership or direction, Lex Luthor has risen unchallenged to a seat of high power in Metropolis, and as the book progresses things spiral more and more out of control. "The Nail" is not as beautifully illustrated or as tonally serious as "Kingdom Come", but the characters resonate in this story with a similar - perhaps even greater - profundity. The Man of Steel's absence is felt in every page even if you're not a Supes fan, and even if you thought he was outdated or uncool you might just start to miss him.
