JLA #5
In "Heaven's Ladder," the JLA confronts a terrifying manifestation of Metamorpho as the team grapples with the growing rift between their heroic identities and private lives. When a desperate wish from Joey Stagg awakens a monstrous version of his father, the League is drawn into a mystery tied to a sentient energy known as ID—its influence seemingly behind both the separation of hero and civilian and the strange events unfolding across the globe. Written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Bryan Hitch, with inks by Paul Neary, colors by Laura DePuy, and letters by Ken Lopez, the issue's cover by Bryan Hitch and Paul Neary captures the tension of a world where identity is slipping apart.
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As the heroes and their alter egos drift further apart, a horrific version of Metamorpho comes to life to reunite with his son Joey Stagg. While trying to protect the Stagg family, the JLA encounter The Cathexis who inform them that a sentient energy from their dimension called ID is loose in the JLA's dimension and has granted Joey's wish for his father's return. Once Joey wishes his father away, The Cathexis suggest that not only is ID responsible for many of the strange occurrences around the globe but that it is also responsible for separating their private selves from their hero selves.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).