There havn't been many Elseworld stories that didn't feature Superman or Batman, and Justice League: The Nail, cannot make that claim either. But there is a great difference that must be noted with this Elseworlds tale, yes Batman is here, but he's not the primary caracter, and Superman is not the focus. The lack of a Superman is the focus.
With incredible detail, and subtle innuendo, The Nail tells the tale of how America in the DC Universe would have developed had Superman's cryopod landed but not be found by Jon and Martha Kent (thanks to one nail causing a flat tire, hence "the Nail"). In this America (and world) the JLA are trying to be peacekeepers, but Lex Luthor, amongst others, have not been very accepting of these mystery men. As Luthor controls the media, he controls and manipulates information his own way, smearing the names and reputations of the costumed heroes. He does everything in his power to outlaw super-heroes from Metropolis, and eventually the entire US. But, behind closed doors, there's a much more sinister threat, one that may be looming over the entire Earth. As a government witch hunt forces most heroes to hide, the JLA stand strong and continue to protect and serve even if it's not wanted, even if they must die.
Alan Davis and Mark Farmer have done a tremendous job on Justice League: the Nail, both artistically and story wise. I have to compliment them on such a comprehensive take on an alternate DCU, throwing in many more superheroes than I'd ever have expected (considering most of their time has been spent working for Marvel). The best thing about Elseworlds tales is that a writer and artist can go completely crazy with the caracters they use, they can kill them, torture them, tweak them, or leave them completely the same, and Davis writing so many characters does all of the above and more... numerous times. There's no limits in an Elseworlds tale, and I'm taking a big chance here, but I think I liked this story better than Kingdome Come.
Okay, no I don't, and here's why: Superman. This story would have worked and been most effective if they had not included Superman at all. The character of Kal-El, sure, but not Superman, the super-hero. Why? We all know how important Superman is the the creation of the super-hero genre, but must it always be thrown in our faces. I liked James Robinson's ending to the Golden Age, where the hero, while it could easily have been the big red S, was instead Captain Comet, a little know, even less liked hero. Perfect.
Here, it would have been just as good if the Kal character had turned his back on super-heroics, and maintained his simple, hidden lifestyle. But other than that, there's nothing to complain about. Easily the best mini-series of 1998, and third on the Elseworlds' Best list (behind the above two mentioned series').