Kismet
Superman continues to exist in four different realities simultaneously, but the white-haired child who interrupted every story finally reveals her true identity, and the new villain responsible for the warped reality makes himself known.
Superman #137
The future Superman teams up for the first time with the 30th century counterparts from the Justice League: Batman, Aquaman, and Green Lantern. Along with the future Supergirl (who is wearing a distinct costume from 1970), they try to stop Muto but he captures them and forces them to play a deadly game of chess just like on the cover (itself an homage to Justice League of America #1). The heroes are rescued by Luthor's descendant, Lena, and Muto is defeated.
Like last month, the same formula is repeated and the white-haired girl interrupts at the story's conclusion just as the clock tower strikes two at 2:22, and then she disappears. The publishing schedule seems a little off and it's apparent last month's issue should have come out at the end of the first month with Superman Forever.
Adventures of Superman #560
Superman is jealous to discover Lois Lane is now dating Batman. Jimmy Olsen accidentally exposes Superman to Red Kryptonite, giving the Man of Steel an oversized brain and a bald head that he has to try to cover up for the next 24 hours. Clark shows up to the Daily Planet the next day wearing a ridiculous hat for a secret society induction that evening, like the hats from the Water Buffalo lodge on the Flintstones. Lois' suspicions are put to rest when editor Perry White steps into the newsroom also wearing one of the hats.
Batman tells Superman a lengthy alternate history in which both Clark and Bruce were adopted by the Kents, and Bruce became the first Robin alongside Superboy. Professor Hamilton brings Superman a cure for the effects of the Red Kryptonite, and then reveals that he got it from Superman's birth parents who are still alive. Jor El and Lara appear and invite Superman to come with them through a vortex. The strange girl returns to stop Superman from going through the portal, and she transforms herself into Kismet, a god-like cosmic being we've seen a few times since Superman's resurrection but who has never really had any impact in any stories before. The portal closes and Superman misses his opportunity to reunite with his parents. Superman holds Lois as reality around them turns fades to white.
Action Comics #747
In a mostly silent issue, a mysterious narrator watches Superman stop the latest caper of the Prankster. Superman fights a mechanic shark that was attacking boats in Hobbs bay while the Prankster takes Lois Lane hostage in a limousine. With no dialogue, Superman crashes the limo, Lois throws the Prankster over a bridge, then apparently brainwashed, she points a bazooka at the Man of Steel. They make eye contact and she throws the weapon aside in tears.
Once again, the child interrupts at the end with the story's only spoken dialogue, and she again reveals herself as Kismet. Superman and Lois ignore her and kiss in the air as reality warps around them. On the last page, we get our first glimpse of this issue's narrator, and this story arc's villain, Dominus.
Superman: The Man of Steel #82
Superman rescues Lois from the boxcar heading to the Nazi death camps, when they kiss they're suddenly no longer in WWII Poland but in modern-day Metropolis. As soon as they stop kissing, they find themselves back in the past. Superman battles General Kommissar Zimmler, who keeps coming back in bigger and better tanks that don't appear to be from the 1940's. Superman breaks through a wall and leads the Jewish survivors through, where on the other side they all find themselves back in modern-day Metropolis. The General follows through the wall, telling Superman to imagine what could have happened if he had been around to stop Nazi Germany. As he approaches, he transforms into the new villain Dominus. Kismet warns Superman not to let him twist reality, and Dominus starts to strangle Kismet, causing reality to fade to white.
The same scenes with Kismet every issue are a little repetitive, but at least they're only a page or two so they don't really interfere with the stories. The Golden Age has definitely been my personal favorite of these four alternate realities, it really captures the wish-fulfillment optimism of Superman's 30's and 40's adventures in a way that the character wasn't permitted to do during World War II.
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