Story: "Black Baptism, Book One: Magicide" (22 Pages)

Credits: Ruben Diaz and Sean Smith (plot, script); Jesus Saiz (pencils); Keith Champagne (inks); Bill Oakley (letters); Greg Wright (colors); Heroic Age (color separations); Dan Raspler (edits)

Feature Character: Aquaman, Batman, Flash III, Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner), Martian Manhunter, Plastic Man, Superman, Wonder Woman (all eight as the JLA)

Guest Stars: Faust, Zatanna, Bloodwynd, Blue Devil, Deadman, Rose Psychic, Madame Xanadu, Ragman; Tempest

Villains: Enchantress (as Anita Soulfeeda, a succubus; last in flashback in #2, following her 'death' in Day of Judgement #4), Nicky the Fork, Big Luci, Deuce, Scratch (a shapechanger), Samhein Diablo (first appearance of all five; as the Diablos; all five last in flashback in #2); Felix Faust (last in Flash Vol. 2 #162), Hermes Trismegistus (both behind the scenes)

Guest Appearances: Scare Tactics

Synopsis:

Zatanna is held by a demonic family called The Diablos, led by a succubus, who locks on to Zatanna to steal her soul energy. She is interrupted by the arrival of Superman and Plastic Man, who chase the demons off, though not before one of them injures Superman with a magical dart. The heroes take Zatanna to the JLA watchtower, where their team-mates are caring for various other magical heroes who have come under attack from the same demons. The Martian Manhunter tries to help Zatanna from within her mind, but the encounter with the demons has driven her to the edge of madness. Wonder Woman suggests that the League contact Faust, who specialises in soul magic.

At the Scrap Bar, she and Plastic Man find Faust, accompanied by Blue Devil, one of the few people who will trust him. They are trying (and failing) to extract information from a junior Diablo - Wonder Woman's lassoo of truth simply destroys the demon. They all then make their way to Greenland, and the conclave of B'miria, where Tempest learnt all he knows of his magical abilities. Here they try to help Aquaman and Tempest save the magicians of B'miria from the Diablos, but fail, as the demons steal the ancient Fountain of Lessing, leaving behind a whirlpool that takes away all that is left of the conclave. Tempest is angered with Faust for not doing enough to stop it, whereupon Faust lets the souls of the ancient magicians of the place into Tempest's head. He then reveals that he has possession of a small piece of the Fountain of Lessing, with which they can track the rest.