Y2K

Back in the simpler times of 1999, the whole world was concerned with what would happen to computers when the year changed to 2000.  It has to be explained to those who weren't there that until then, the dates in virtually every system were just 2 digits, so 00 would also be 1900.  Every business scrambled to become Y2K compliant before Near Year's Day and everybody with a personal computer was advised to turn theirs off before midnight on December 31st.  Though the Simpsons had an episode where the world ended, in the real world nothing actually happened  (later that year I did have an interesting incident with a woman who was born in the 1890's having trouble getting EBT benefits because the state's system thought she was under age).

In Superman comics, Y2K had an effect on Metropolis that lasted for several years, although this period is mostly forgotten now.  Coincidentally, Gotham City also got rebuilt in time for the Millennium, following a cataclysmic earthquake a year before.  Lex Luthor played an integral part in reshaping both cities.  Also starting this month, the triangle number that had characterized the previous decade is changed into a Superman "S" and one wonders why this hadn't been done a long time ago.  After all, the Legion of Super-heroes books had been using a similar system with the Legion logo for years already by this point.

Superman: Y2K

Clark's plan for a quiet New Year's at the Kent farm are changed when Lois convinces him that his parents really want to experience the new millennium in the big city.  Clark loads them up on the car and flies them all to Metropolis, but of course they get more excitement than they bargained for.  Lex Luthor breaks his promise to let his nanny have 10 minutes off to ring in the new year, but she decides to go anyway and takes his daughter Lena with her.

At the stroke of midnight, the power goes out throughout the whole city.  Brainiac 2.5 has arrived on Earth and takes over Lex Tower, and hacks computers all over the world to launch thousands of nuclear warheads.  Brainiac simultaneously takes over all of the robots on Earth and has them attack Metropolis.  While Superman and other heroes save the world from the nuclear missiles, Lex Luthor rescues his daughter from the robotic invasion.  Platinum of the Metal Men communicates to Superman with Morse code to let him know the Metal Men are really just playing along to find the villain responsible.  Brainiac's plan goes awry, however, when he unexpectedly downloads and is replaced by a future version of himself, Brainiac 13!  Lex Tower is transformed into a futuristic version of itself, and this new technology spreads through the city like a computer virus.

This was the first one-shot of this new era, a custom that will continue for a few more years as long as the books are still interconnected.  In between the main story, we get historical flashbacks to the Luthor family from 1620 to Lex's childhood.  In this pre-Smallville account, the Luthor family fortune was wiped out before Lex was born.  Throughout this story line, Brainiac 13 is a CGI rendering integrated into the artwork.  This looked impressive at the time, although by today's standards it's a little dated like the first Toy Story movie.  There was some worry at the time that CGI art would replace hand-drawn art the way computer animation has now totally replaced traditional animation, but so far that hasn't happened.

Superman #154

Y2K part 2

Superman returns to Metropolis to find the city futuristically transformed by Brainiac 13 technology.  Brainiac 13 has also upgraded Metallo, and the Man of Steel is apparently outmatched.  Fortunately, the Metal Men come to his aid, and Lead protects Superman from Metallo's Kryptonite heart so they can stop the villain together.  

Luthor tries to get back into Lex Tower with his daughter, but the building won't let him in now.  He mistakenly thinks his insubordinate nanny is speaking back him, but when he turns to look at her he realizes his infant daughter is speaking and has glowing green eyes.

Amidst the chaos, Ma and Pa Kent find themselves pushed onto a train by the rushing mob, and the train takes off with track appearing in its path almost magically.  Superman tries to cut off the energy flowing into Lex Tower, and Lois and Jimmy watch in horror as he disappears right in front of them.  A moment later, however, Superman reappears, now with his electric costume and powers.

Penciler Ed McGuinness joins writer Jeph Loeb with this issue, and it feels like the Loeb era has found its stride. 

Adventures of Superman #576

Y2K part 3

Superman tries to fight Brainiac 13 with his electric powers, but Brainiac 13 sends the train on which his parents are passengers towards a collision with a hospital.  Ron Troupe took Lucy Lane to the hospital to prevent any complications to her pregnancy, but the building starts to change around them.  Unable to stop the train from crashing, Superman pleads with Brainiac 13 to take him instead, and the villain lets the train pass through a tunnel without harm while his tendrils absorb the energy-based Superman.

Luthor's daughter Lena reveals she's now possessed by the original Brainiac, who needs Luthor's help to stop Brainiac 13 from completely destroying him.  Luthor's nanny is killed by pursuing robots, but with help from his bodyguards Hope and Mercy he's able to get inside the Tower.  Inside, they find the real Man of Steel imprisoned in a tank of liquid.  This issue pleased a lot of fans by clearly stating that the electric-costumed Superman wasn't really him and never would be.

Superman: The Man of Steel #98

Y2K part 4

The train pulls into a station and Ma and Pa Kent are greeted by a horrific scene where Brainiac 13 is converting humans into his drones.  At the Steel Works, John Henry Irons and Natasha are attacked by Steel's suits of armor, now under Brainiac 13's control. 

Though the Eradicator had just left Earth seemingly for good, he returns in this issue and takes Brainiac 13 by surprise.  The Eradicator warns Superman that the B13 virus is spreading throughout the world and will soon reach the Fortress of Solitude.  The Metal Men help Superman get out of Metropolis without being detected, and he goes with the Eradicator to the Fortress.  The Eradicator's program has turned the remains of the Fortress into a gigantic body, but when the B13 robots arrive they are absorbed into the Eradicator.  The Eradicator again decides that he's too dangerous to remain on Earth and flies into space with his new and improved body.  Superman hypothesizes that Brainiac 13 was overpowered so easily because he can't handle Kryptonian technology.  Meanwhile, Lex Luthor steps into a Kryptonian battlesuit that he stole from the Fortress of Solitude.

Action Comics #763

Y2K part 5

Returning to Metropolis, Superman sees even the Metal Men have fallen and the city's entire population has been turned into Brainiac 13's mindless drones.  Now on the run, Superman stops only to get his last hope, his Kryptonian robot Kelex.  Lex Luthor dramatically bursts through Brainiac 13's chest with his battlesuit and saves them.  Luthor already has to trust the original Brainiac and now grudgingly works with Superman.  Just before they're all nearly consumed by Brainiac 13, Kelex successfully deprograms one of the robots under his control, the Red Tornado, and the tables turn.  Superman's theory works, and with Kryptonian technology he's able to make Brainiac 13 crash, freeing Lois and everybody else from his mind control, although the futuristic city remains the same.

Before Brainiac 13 is defeated, he makes a horrific deal with Lex.  Luthor gives Brainiac 13 his own daughter, the host of the original Brainiac, and in exchange Brainiac 13 leaves Luthor in control of the city's new technology.  That evening, Superman confronts Lex outside his office window, vowing to get Lena back and make him pay.  This bargain would reach its conclusion nearly two years later in the epic crossover, Our Worlds at War.