Infestation

Marv Wolfman, Paco Medina and Walden Wong take over the books for a guest month, giving the regular series creators a break.  "Infestation" is a 4-part cosmic story of Superman fighting an alien, world-devouring virus, however, the conflict becomes personal for him when Lois becomes infected.  Like other guest months, this one could have been sitting in a drawer until a fill-in was needed, the story could have taken place at any time with no reference to any recent events in the books.

The colors for this story arc were outsourced to Studio F, which otherwise worked almost exclusively with Marvel Comics.  In fact, the only other DC job Studio F seems to have done was a few issues of Nightwing several years later, coincidentally during a period when Marv Wolfman was writing that book too.  The difference in colors from the regular colorists was striking, it resembled a Top Cow book of the period more than a DC book. 

Superman #169

Infestation part 1

Superman laments not being able to save Lois, and flashes back to the circumstances that him to the present situation.  On a distant world, an alien named Korsa lost his home world and his wife to a gigantic space virus known as Viroxx.  Like other cosmic threats such as the Sun Eater, Viroxx is an impersonal force of nature that devours planets in its path.  Similar to Marvel's devourer of worlds, Galactus, the virus spares select individuals to prepare each world for destruction.  Korsa comes to Earth and asks for Superman's help to stop Viroxx, and Superman willingly accompanies him to a space flotilla of refugees united in the fight.  As they battle Viroxx's mindless warrior-cells, Korsa tragically comes face to face with his wife, now an infected agent of Viroxx.  Also like Galactus, this is reminiscent of the origin of his herald, the Silver Surfer.

Lois' fate isn't revealed yet, but readers weren't expecting a major character to be killed off during a guest creator month.

Adventures of Superman #591

Infestation part 2

Superman and Korsa's methods are at odds because Superman refuses to kill the innocents possessed by the virus.  Viroxx is seemingly destroyed in the battle and everybody celebrates.  However, after they leave, the virus comes out of a hibernation state and heads toward its new target, Earth.  Back in Metropolis, Lois and Clark are enjoying a romantic night when suddenly Viroxx's brood leader attacks them and transforms Lois into Borg-like creature like itself.

Returning to the present day, Superman laments that he's realized he lost Lois forever.  Of course, readers were still skeptical that anything in this story arc would change the status quo.

Superman: The Man of Steel #113

Infestation part 3

Now that Lois is infected, Superman is more determined than ever to stop Viroxx without harming any of its warriors.  Korsa, on the other hand, is more determined to destroy Viroxx at any cost.  Korsa tells Superman that his wife wasn't the first to die, and Superman's won't be the last.  To save Lois, Superman finds himself having to fight both Korsa and Viroxx.  Korsa blames Superman for saving Viroxx from total destruction, and then Lois plots the invasion of Earth for Viroxx.

Action Comics #778

Infestation part 4

Superman saves Korsa and returns to the flotilla, but Korsa wishes Superman had just let him die.  Korsa's young son is sad that his father neglects him in his determination to destroy Viroxx.  Superman goes into Viroxx itself and infects it with a beta ray virus, forcing Viroxx to release its control on its infected brood to save itself.  Lois is restored to normal with no memories of her actions under Viroxx's influence.  Viroxx flees and Korsa chases after it, ignoring the pleas of his son to come back.

Korsa would never be seen again, but Viroxx would make a cameo appearance in next month's Superman: Our Words at War Secret Files #1.  "Infestation" was an entertaining but predictable read, it would only ever be reprinted as a DC Comics Presents 100-page Spectacular.  The regular writers and artists would be back next month, setting up the pieces for an epic 3-month crossover that would have ramifications across the entire DC Universe.