The Superman books are setting up the pieces for Action Comics #600, as well as major story lines that will develop over the next six months.
Superman #16
The Prankster makes his post-Crisis debut. Upset with the direction of children's television programming, TV star Oswald Loomis terrorizes Metropolis with pranks ranging from soap in the streets to popcorn in the subways. He takes Lois Lane hostage hoping to have his story publicized, then surrenders to Superman as soon as he shows up to rescue her. Network executive Morgan Edge appears again for the first time, broadcasting a scathing anti-Superman editorial and hosting a shadowy figure resembling Darkseid in his office. This plot will lead in to next month's Action Comics #600.
The Prankster is another one of Superman's sillier adversaries from the Golden Age. It's a little strange that characters like Mxzyptlk, the Toyman, and the Prankster are all appearing before more serious villains. This character and plot aren't very different from the Toyman issue a few months ago, and there doesn't seem to be any effort to modernize the Prankster in any way; this version is drawn more cartoony than any previous appearance.
Continuity is becoming noticeably tighter, with Superman summarizing the recent happenings going on in all the books for the past few months. The last page, however, is what had everybody talking about this issue: a mysterious blonde girl in a Supergirl costume is discovered unconscious in the Arctic! This plot, strangely, does not lead into Action Comics #600.
Adventures of Superman #439
Jimmy Olsen and Cat Grant (these two seem to be spending more time together) are stranded with car trouble in the middle of nowhere and signal for Superman when they discover some off-panel trouble. Later, Superman crashes into a building, giving further ammunition to Morgan Edge's anti-Superman campaign. Superman goes to the hospital with no recollection of what happened, and he's also missing a hand that's now been turned into a robotic arm. Lois Lane is also at the hospital visiting the now-paralyzed Jose Delgado, with whom she seems to be getting more affectionate. This Superman flies Lois Lane and Clark Kent(?) to the scene where he lost his memory. It turns out Jimmy and Cat were taken prisoner at a secret paramilitary compound and the "Superman" who answered the call was really a robot built by the real Man of Steel in case he was ever too far to answer the signal. Building Superman robots is something Superman used to do a lot in the Silver Age, but this story serves more to explain why he doesn't do that anymore. Although he vows never to do it again, there will be another big story featuring more Superman robots ten years from now.
Action Comics #599
The Metal Men guest star again, in what would end up being the end of the Action Comics team-up period. When Dr. Magnus refuses to re-build Tin, his fellow Metal Men seek out another scientist. Unfortunately, this scientist also needs help from his boss, who happens to be Lex Luthor. Luthor transforms the remains of Tin into the Kryptonoid Man and lures Superman into a trap. But it turns out while this Kryptonoid Man can hurt Superman, it doesn't actually affect his powers. Luthor murders the scientist to tie up all loose ends, and unfortunately Superman can't prove any of it because the Metal Men aren't really human so they can't testify in court. He takes the Metal Men back to Dr. Magnus and persuades him to re-build Tin after all. Nothing in this story has anything to do with Action Comics #600.
This issue features a "bonus book" awkwardly positioned in the middle of the book even though the first page says it takes place after the Metal Men story. Jimmy Olsen takes a vacation, dresses like he's on Miami Vice, joins a cult, and ultimately doesn't get credit for breaking the story that follows.
The World of Smallville #1
The second "world of" series, following World of Krypton. Clark goes back to Smallville to visit Ma and Pa Kent. As in Man of Steel, the story goes to elaborate lengths to show Clark flying to Smallville but then pretending to arrive at the bus station. Visiting the parents was something that never happened in pre-Crisis continuity being that the Kents were dead, but this charade seems more like something pre-Crisis Superman would have done, and later writers didn't put much thought into how Clark explained his travels. Most of the story is a flashback detailing the bombshell revelation of Martha Kent's first marriage, as spoiled on the cover.
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