Like the episode "The Winning Edge", the episode is a commentary on addiction.
Spellbinder's virtual reality booth is similar to the Black Mercy, which was used by Mongul in the Justice League Unlimited episode "For the Man Who Has Everything". Both make someone feel that they are in a world made up of their own personal desires, and once they come back to reality, the feeling is too much to bear.
Bruce reports that Jessie, and Spellbinder's other victims, have turned up comatose, with excess levels of serotonin (a neurotransmitter) in their brains. Serotonin is often released from the brain's neurons by the action of certain psychedelic drugs, including Ecstasy. Also, serotonin syndrome, frequently caused by an overdose on recreational drugs, has a range of symptoms which can include coma.