Year of the Villain: The Infected #[nn]

In "Growing Pains," Billy Batson—now corrupted as King Shazam—wields godlike power in a twisted quest to find a new family among the pantheon, challenging deities like Thor, Ares, and Rao. As Mary Bromfield races to stop him, the line between hero and villain blurs in a battle that tests not just strength, but what it truly means to be a champion.

In "Metamorphosis," Jaime Reyes battles a terrifying transformation after being infected by The Batman Who Laughs, slipping into the malevolent form of Scarab. As Brenda Del Vecchio and Paco Testas struggle to reach him, the arrival of Ghostfire pushes Jaime’s dark alter ego to the surface, testing their resolve and the fragile line between hero and villain.

In the quiet town of Serenity Point, the Titans are trying to broker peace between warring meta-human factions when Donna Troy—once Wonder Girl, now Deathbringer—succumbs to an infection from The Batman Who Laughs, turning her against her teammates. As trust fractures and old wounds resurface, the line between ally and enemy blurs in a crisis that tests loyalty, identity, and the cost of survival.

In the wake of the Batman Who Laughs’ corruption, Commissioner James Gordon—fractured by unseen horrors—believes Gotham must be cleansed. With the city’s prisons emptied and its homeless forcibly removed, Batgirl steps in to stop him, unaware that the man she once trusted is no longer himself. As chaos unfolds and old enemies rise, the line between protector and threat blurs in a city already teetering on the edge.

In "Tyrant Reborn: Dual," the sinister Sky Tyrant—Earth 3’s twisted echo of Hawkman—has seized control of Carter Hall’s body, forcing the hero to confront a horrifying truth: one of his past lives has become a monstrous force bent on destruction. With the weight of his own legacy turned against him, Carter must battle not only the tyrant within but also the chilling possibility that even his noblest incarnations may harbor darkness.

In "Who's Laughing Now?", Supergirl joins forces with Superman and Batman to battle a wave of infected heroes, but as the fight escalates, she succumbs to the corruption herself—turning her against even her closest allies. With the line between hero and villain blurring, the infected Supergirl faces off against Brainiac-1 in a clash that tests the limits of power and identity.