The One-Man JLA
The regular creative teams take 4 weeks off for an arc by a team of guest artists and writers. Like the last guest month for the Kandor saga, it starts with writer Ron Marz and artist Tom Grindberg. However, this time Tom Peyer finishes writing the story, and Bill Anderson and Tom Palmer take turns inking. One-Man JLA was a tour of the major planets of the DC Universe, and it let us see some classic characters who were missing in the 90's.
Superman #147
The One-Man JLA part 1 of 4
In medias res, Kal El finds himself living as an adult on a Krypton that was never destroyed. He also possesses a Green Lantern power ring and teams up with Earth's Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, to stop Sinestro. Now at this point in DC continuity, Hal Jordan and Sinestro had been dead for several years and Oa had been destroyed.
On Earth, Superman is missing and the JLA is fighting many of his rogues, including some like Riot and Toyman who were no longer active villains as of last month. The editor tries to imply that this story took place before those events, even though it could have been explained as part of the plot. This guest creative team was probably not expecting to depict anything that would contradict the regular teams, but the editors also probably put other stories to print unexpectedly in their final months.
On the last page, we see that Superman is really being held captive unconscious on an alien space ship, where a mysterious masked captor is making him dream alternate lives to find out what makes him a hero.
Adventures of Superman #570
Steel, Flash, Martian Manhunter, and Green Lantern set off into space to search for the missing Man of Steel, when they're attacked by a giant octopus-like creature.
In his next dream, Superman has taken the place of Adam Strange on the lanet Rann, in a beautifully-drawn story that's reminiscent of Al Williamson's Flash Gordon art. The earthman Adam finds himself on Rann and falls in love with Alanna, which doesn't make her boyfriend Kal El happy. Adam bravely stands up to Superman and eventually, he comes to live on Rann permanently while Kal El travels to Earth to learn about the world that produced Adam Strange.
Lost in his dream, Superman's mind is nearly wiped clean by his alien captor. The Martian Manhunter loses the trail as it appears Superman's mind no longer exists.
Action Comics #757
The Martian Manhunter fears Superman is brain dead, but the JLA is once again attacked by a giant space octopus. The Martian Manhunter senses something is wrong, as he remembers this scene has already happened once before.
In his next dream, the infant Kal El was found on the planet Thanagar. However, after studying him the Thanagarians attach a device to the Kryptonian's neck to make him believe he is weak and handicapped so that he can never be a threat to their authoritarian police state. Katar Hol is believed to be a lunatic, but he uncovers Kal El's true origin and removes the device that inhibits his Kryptonian powers. Now able to fly among the other hawkmen, Kal El decides to stop working for law and order and fight for truth and justice instead. Hawkman Katar Hol was another casualty of the 90's, so it was nostalgic to see him again in this alternate version.
Superman's mind survives another dream, but the JLA find themselves under attack by a giant space octopus again. The armored villain reveals that the JLA are imprisoned on his ship too, and their adventure so far has also been a dream.
Superman: The Man of Steel #92
Superman on Mars is only explored visually on the cover and first pages, unlike the other stories there's no explanation for how he finds himself there and there's no attempt to explain how he has martian powers. We don't get to see any of the Martian Manhunter's dead civilization, but instead we get to see this version of Superman in the real world, not a dream.
Experiencing déjà vu again, the Martian Manhunter blocks out the illusion of the octopus attack, locates Superman's mind, and the two heroes merge together. Now in the Martian Manhunter's body, Superman breaks free from the restraints and frees the other members of the JLA. He finds his own body and awakens himself, and then the Martian Manhunter returns to his normal appearance.
They discover that their captor wanted Superman to overthrow invaders of their home planet, but their culture was too proud to ask for his help. The aliens also won't reveal their planet's location to offworlders, so Superman decides to enter another dream as their planet's champion so he can travel to their world and overthrow their oppressors. Before Superman and the JLA depart, the aliens agree to ask for help next time they need it.
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