Justice League of America, Vol. 1 #174 (1979)

A Plague of Monsters
The Regulator continues his attack on the STAR Labs installation, sending dozens of mind controlled rats into a mutation chamber. Aboard the JLA satellite, Green Arrow complains about the League's lack of success in recruiting Black Lightning and he, Zatanna and Elongated Man return to Metropolis to try again. While tracking Lightning down, they hear reports of the trouble at STAR Labs and arrive to find the rats mutated into giant creatures attacking the police at the command of the Regulator. As the League deal with the mutated rats, Black Lightning attacks the Regulator atop a factory chimney. During the battle the villain slips and falls, presumably to his death. The League manage to dispose of the rats and Black Lightning agains refuses to join the League.
Release Date: 1979