Superman and Batman wrap up their journey through alternate yet familiar timelines. References to pre-Crisis events were unusual at the time, although that was about to change in a big way starting next month. The next few years of comics were going to be amazing in ways only those who read them at the time they came out can truly appreciate.
Superman/Batman #18
Absolute Power part 5
Although the Bruce Wayne in this alternate reality has never actually been Batman, he succeeds at slashing Ra's Al Ghul's throat with his own sword. Batman and Superman take the Legion of Super-villains back to their own time in the 31st century where they meet an adult Legion of Super-heroes that hasn't been seen since Zero Hour. On the way back to their own time, Batman and Superman see the timeline correct itself, which includes anomalies like Wonder Woman fighting alongside the Justice Society and Kara's death from Crisis on Infinite Earths. After the two heroes leave, this future ceases to exist and we learn that the villains' plan had been not only to conquer the world, but to ensure their own existence. Though the actual events never happened, Superman and Batman still cope with the memories they retain from their alternate worlds, including killing their friends Wonder Woman and Green Arrow. Elsewhen, the Kingdom Come superman finds his own timeline restored to the ending of
Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow? Though not related to the upcoming event, this story could be the beginning of the end of the post-Crisis era.
Superman #214
For Tomorrow part 11
We finally learn the secret of the Vanishing and how Metropia came to be. Superman had created the Vanishing machine himself, designed after the concept of the Phantom Zone as a way to save the people of Earth if it ever became necessary. For some reason, he made robots of his Kryptonian parents and Clark Kent to protect the place, but then he decided it was too dangerous for anybody to know about so he wiped the memory of it from his own mind. General Zod, who had been banished to the Phantom Zone, eventually found his way into this paradise and caused the Vanishing. There are lots of parallels to the Garden of Eden to be found in this story.
Back on Earth, Mr. Orr "cures" Father Leone's cancer by turning him into a living weapon like Equus. Mr. Orr refers to his new creation as a One Man Army Corps, but like this version of Zod it has no similarities or connection to any earlier version of OMAC, or the one that would soon appear in Infinite Crisis. Their forms were so unrecognizable that this never really felt like a Superman story, more like an Image Comics story with a character resembling Superman in it.
Adventures of Superman #637
Several months ago, President Luthor had called Vice President Pete Ross to the Oval Office to show him a top secret file with proof that Clark Kent was Superman. Lex also points out that Clark told Lana his secret but not his best friend. In the present, Jimmy Olsen goes to the Shack to give Clark some archival photos of Ruin, but then Ruin attacks and severely injures Jimmy before Superman arrives. Superman grabs Ruin's hand, causing Ruin audible pain, but before Superman can unmask him he teleports away again. After the fight, Pete Ross shows up to talk to Clark about his divorce with Lana, and Clark notices Pete has a bandage on his hand.
Meanwhile, Lois and Perry discuss who could have shot her just to manipulate Superman. Then when he gets home, out of nowhere Lois tells Clark she thinks they need to have a baby.
Action Comics #824
Superman goes to Preus' white supremacist city in the desert to save the Martian Manhunter and Jimmy Olsen. A woman rushes out of the crowd begging Superman to help her and telling him about the women who go into Preus' tent and never come back. Superman tells her he'll take her someplace safe, but she opens up her vest to reveal a suicide bomb and detonates it. Still suffering from Gog's Kryptonite poisoning, Preus realizes that Superman is close to having a heart attack while they fight. The Martian Manhunter telepathically instructs Superman to remove the "S" armor on Preus' chest, and the villain's heart stops.
Always the noble hero, Superman rushes Preus to S.T.A.R. Labs to try to save his adversary's life. In Metropolis, Hawkman and Green Lantern John Stewart search the city for the missing Doomsday. On the way there, Superman crashes into street from exhaustion, where a beat up Hawkman finds him and tells him to run. The entire Justice League reserve has been defeated by Gog.
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