Warning: contains spoilers for Justice League: Last Ride #6!
In the DC Universe, no name inspires more fear than Darkseid, the Lord of Apokolips. Time and again he was waged war on Earth and its heroes, in pursuit of the Anti-Life Equation, through which he will enslave all sentient life. Darkseid towers large over the universe, possessing no true equal, but in Justice League: Last Ride #6, on sale now in print and digital, readers learn he actually has a modicum of respect for the chaotic bounty hunter Lobo.
Initially intended to be a parody of characters like Wolverine, Lobo first appeared in 1983’s Omega Men #3. Hailing from the planet Czarnia, Lobo is one of the most feared bounty hunters in the universe, thanks to his super strength and endurance, as well as a regenerative ability that makes him practically immortal. Lobo has tangled with Earth’s heroes on many occasions, particularly Superman. In Justice League: Last Ride, a story set in a future where the Justice League has disbanded, Lobo has been imprisoned, and it falls to the former League members to reunite, hiding him on Apokolips so he can stand trial rather than be executed by his former victims and clients. In issue six, the League learns Lobo was part of a trap, set by Darkseid to help gain the power of the Green Lantern Corps. The issue is written by Chip Zdarsky, with art by Miguel Mendonca, colors by Enrica Angiolini and letters by Andworld Design.
As Darkseid reawakens Apokolips, Batman deduces that there is more to Lobo’s imprisonment than meets the eye; he realizes that Lobo was a lure for the Justice League to entice them to come to Apokolips and walk right into Darkseid’s trap. Lobo tells them “business is business,” and Batman then produces a dufflebag filled with two million Thanagarian credits and asks Lobo to leave Darkseid and join them - an offer he accepts. That both the Dark Knight and Darkseid see Lobo as an asset is perhaps the greatest compliment that can be paid in the DC Universe, especially as Darkseid didn't trick Lobo into obedience, but actually let him in on the true purpose of his mission.
Darkseid is a master manipulator, moving people around like pieces on a chess board. He created a trap, using Lobo as bait, to ensnare the Justice League - and it worked perfectly. Darkseid would normally not give a pawn as much information as he does to Lobo in this issue, nor trust one of his thralls to see a plan with so many variables through to completion. Darkseid’s appreciation for Lobo may stem from the fact Lobo wiped out every Czarnian, leaving himself the sole survivor of his species. Darskeid has seen many bloody conflicts in his day, driving whole planets and species to extinction, and it's possible he sees a kindred soul in Lobo.
Darkseid may also see Lobo as something of an equal in power; both possess strength and endurance levels far beyond normal beings, and both are practically unkillable. At the end, however, Darkseid may have trusted Lobo as a bounty hunter, but he clearly doesn't see him as an equal. The fact that Darkseid clued Lobo in on his plans at all is a rare sign of respect from the Lord of Apokolips, but it won't stop the Main Man from turning on his former boss for the right price.