Revenge of the Krypton Man
This month starts with the first new Superman series five years into the post-Crisis reboot, Superman: The Man of Steel #1. Every book this month is 48 pages with an assortment of talent assisting the regular creative teams. This issue kicks off an ambitious publishing schedule that would have a new Superman book come out every week for the next 10 years. The Superman books have hit their stride and most of the defining moments of the post-Crises era will happen in this period.
The city of Metropolis is descending into chaos in the absence of Lex Luthor, and the weather around the world is starting to act strange. A new terrorist organization called Cerberus has been detonating bombs around Metropolis, Superman canvases the city trying to find them but he periodically gets troubling visions of Krypton.
Superman checks in on Professor Hamilton as he's experimenting on the fragments of Mr. Z's magical rock. Putting the rock back together nearly traps the professor inside it, and Superman decides it should be moved to the Fortress of Solitude for any further experiments.
Jimmy Olsen finally tells his mother he wants to get his own apartment, but while he's out signing the lease the Daily Planet lays off ten percent of its staff. Ma and Pa Kent fly into Metropolis to celebrate their anniversary with Lois and Clark. Clark's anniversary present to them are tickets to a cruise to the Bahamas, while coincidental Perry and Alice White pack for their cruise.
Superman successfully tracks down Cerberus, but just as he captures one of the terrorists, it's killed by a blast from an energy being that reveals itself to be the Eradicator, returned from the sun in humanoid form.
The regular Man of Steel creative team debuting here is writer Louise Simonson, penciler Jon Bogdanove, and inker Dennis Janke. These three would be one of the most consistent Superman creative teams in the post-Crisis period, staying on for nearly 75 issues of this series together. While commonplace today, painted covers used to be reserved for special occasions, like first issues or anniversaries. Superman: The Man of Steel #1 features the only painted cover in the entire run of this series. The twin towers of the World Trade Center are featured prominently on the cover, despite none of the story taking place in New York.
The reborn Eradicator is capable of hurting Superman, while he can also make himself intangible so Superman can't hurt him back. The Eradicator easily defeats Kal El and tells him they will meet again on a new Krypton.
The next day Superman takes Professor Hamilton and Mr. Z's rock to the Fortress of Solitude. While monitoring the world on his computer there, Superman realizes that the entire planet is in turmoil and suspects the Eradicator is behind it. Sure enough, the Eradicator is trying to transform the sun into a red dwarf and transform the composition of Earth. Seeing tenants protesting a slumlord, he also decides to start transforming Earth's primitive buildings into futuristic Kryptonian structures. Superman tries to stop him again, but the Eradicator pulls him into space and hurls him into the sun!
Meanwhile, the Kents find out they're on the same cruise as the Whites. Jimmy comes back to work only to discover he's been laid off. Lana Lang and Pete Ross are in Washington DC visiting the Lincoln Memorial, when it's suddenly destroyed by an earthquake! Lois Lane's mother is released from the hospital for the first time in the post-Crisis era.
Superman barely manages to stop himself from falling the sun, and with a limited supply of oxygen, he fights the Eradicator on the planet Mercury. The Eradicator leaves the Man of Steel there and goes back to continue his mission to transform Earth into another Krypton. He turns the Lincoln Memorial and a Big Boy sign into Kryptonian figures to fit his sensibilities.
At GBS, Cat Grant gets groped by Morgan Edge's father, but she can't seem to resist his lecherous advances to further her career, even if it means cancelling her date. Jose was out with her son Adam anyway, but they're assaulted by a gang who abducts Jose, leaving Adam alone and scared. The gang's leader is paralyzed and wants Jose's help to walk again, but Jose of course can't really do anything about that.
A new character named Ron Troupe goes to the Daily Planet looking for a job, but he's told they can't hire anybody now after their layoffs. We'll be seeing more of him in the future, though.
Superman races back to Earth before his air runs out, but crashes into the Arctic and collapses in exhaustion. Left by himself in the Fortress of Solitude, Professor Hamilton climbs into the Kryptonian battle armor and teaches the robots how to play tag. The Eradicator discovers that a human is in his Kryptonian fortress, and breaks through the ice to find him.
Action Comics debuts a new logo, all 4 titles will maintain the same trade dress for roughly the next decade.
The U.S. Navy finds Superman in the snow and rescues him. Barely recovered, he flies to Metropolis to save the city from another earthquake. Superman takes Lois to Professor Hamilton's lab and tells her about the Eradicator. Through his mental link with the device, he senses that the professor is in danger and rushes to the Fortress. Before it can defeat the Man of Steel a third time, Professor Hamilton uses Mr. Z's crystal to stop the Eradicator and both are seemingly destroyed in the process.
In their last encounter, the Eradicator nearly destroyed the Statue of Liberty. This time, the Lincoln Memorial is destroyed but Superman helps rebuild it in the end.
Cat and Jose try to find Adam, who is lost in Metropolis and winds up in Suicide Slum. Fortunately, Bibbo finds him and gets him off the dangerous streets. Searching the streets as Gangbuster, Jose eventually finds Adam has been safe at Bibbo's bar all along.
Although it looked dire, the storm passes and the Kents and the Whites enjoy the peaceful water on their cruise. This subplot was subversive misdirection for longtime fans who remembered the pre-Crisis Ma and Pa Kent had died on a cruise.
Jimmy Olsen tries to take some pictures of the chaos to sell for rent money, but he loses the film in the Earthquake and has to resort to asking Metropolis' sleaziest tabloid, the National Whisper, for a job.
Superman: The Man of Steel #1
The city of Metropolis is descending into chaos in the absence of Lex Luthor, and the weather around the world is starting to act strange. A new terrorist organization called Cerberus has been detonating bombs around Metropolis, Superman canvases the city trying to find them but he periodically gets troubling visions of Krypton.
Superman checks in on Professor Hamilton as he's experimenting on the fragments of Mr. Z's magical rock. Putting the rock back together nearly traps the professor inside it, and Superman decides it should be moved to the Fortress of Solitude for any further experiments.
Jimmy Olsen finally tells his mother he wants to get his own apartment, but while he's out signing the lease the Daily Planet lays off ten percent of its staff. Ma and Pa Kent fly into Metropolis to celebrate their anniversary with Lois and Clark. Clark's anniversary present to them are tickets to a cruise to the Bahamas, while coincidental Perry and Alice White pack for their cruise.
Superman successfully tracks down Cerberus, but just as he captures one of the terrorists, it's killed by a blast from an energy being that reveals itself to be the Eradicator, returned from the sun in humanoid form.
The regular Man of Steel creative team debuting here is writer Louise Simonson, penciler Jon Bogdanove, and inker Dennis Janke. These three would be one of the most consistent Superman creative teams in the post-Crisis period, staying on for nearly 75 issues of this series together. While commonplace today, painted covers used to be reserved for special occasions, like first issues or anniversaries. Superman: The Man of Steel #1 features the only painted cover in the entire run of this series. The twin towers of the World Trade Center are featured prominently on the cover, despite none of the story taking place in New York.
Superman #57
The next day Superman takes Professor Hamilton and Mr. Z's rock to the Fortress of Solitude. While monitoring the world on his computer there, Superman realizes that the entire planet is in turmoil and suspects the Eradicator is behind it. Sure enough, the Eradicator is trying to transform the sun into a red dwarf and transform the composition of Earth. Seeing tenants protesting a slumlord, he also decides to start transforming Earth's primitive buildings into futuristic Kryptonian structures. Superman tries to stop him again, but the Eradicator pulls him into space and hurls him into the sun!
Meanwhile, the Kents find out they're on the same cruise as the Whites. Jimmy comes back to work only to discover he's been laid off. Lana Lang and Pete Ross are in Washington DC visiting the Lincoln Memorial, when it's suddenly destroyed by an earthquake! Lois Lane's mother is released from the hospital for the first time in the post-Crisis era.
Adventures of Superman #480
At GBS, Cat Grant gets groped by Morgan Edge's father, but she can't seem to resist his lecherous advances to further her career, even if it means cancelling her date. Jose was out with her son Adam anyway, but they're assaulted by a gang who abducts Jose, leaving Adam alone and scared. The gang's leader is paralyzed and wants Jose's help to walk again, but Jose of course can't really do anything about that.
A new character named Ron Troupe goes to the Daily Planet looking for a job, but he's told they can't hire anybody now after their layoffs. We'll be seeing more of him in the future, though.
Superman races back to Earth before his air runs out, but crashes into the Arctic and collapses in exhaustion. Left by himself in the Fortress of Solitude, Professor Hamilton climbs into the Kryptonian battle armor and teaches the robots how to play tag. The Eradicator discovers that a human is in his Kryptonian fortress, and breaks through the ice to find him.
Action Comics #667
The U.S. Navy finds Superman in the snow and rescues him. Barely recovered, he flies to Metropolis to save the city from another earthquake. Superman takes Lois to Professor Hamilton's lab and tells her about the Eradicator. Through his mental link with the device, he senses that the professor is in danger and rushes to the Fortress. Before it can defeat the Man of Steel a third time, Professor Hamilton uses Mr. Z's crystal to stop the Eradicator and both are seemingly destroyed in the process.
In their last encounter, the Eradicator nearly destroyed the Statue of Liberty. This time, the Lincoln Memorial is destroyed but Superman helps rebuild it in the end.
Cat and Jose try to find Adam, who is lost in Metropolis and winds up in Suicide Slum. Fortunately, Bibbo finds him and gets him off the dangerous streets. Searching the streets as Gangbuster, Jose eventually finds Adam has been safe at Bibbo's bar all along.
Although it looked dire, the storm passes and the Kents and the Whites enjoy the peaceful water on their cruise. This subplot was subversive misdirection for longtime fans who remembered the pre-Crisis Ma and Pa Kent had died on a cruise.
Jimmy Olsen tries to take some pictures of the chaos to sell for rent money, but he loses the film in the Earthquake and has to resort to asking Metropolis' sleaziest tabloid, the National Whisper, for a job.
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