First Thunder

As the current age of magic comes to a close, we flash back to the first meeting of Superman and Captain Marvel.  In the present, Luthor's Society is recruiting seemingly any available villain, and the destruction of the JLA headquarters officially kicks off the next Crisis.

Superman/Shazam: First Thunder #1 

In a prequel to Lightning Strikes Twice, Judd Winick pens the first team up between Superman and Captain Marvel.  In Metropolis, Superman tries to stop a museum robbery but is nearly defeated by magic.  Meanwhile in Fawcett City, Captain Marvel battles giant robots.  Dr. Sivana decides to contact his business rival Lex Luthor to see if they can join forces against their mutual caped opponents.  Living on the streets, Billy Batson says the magic words to turn back into Captain Marvel to try to stop a museum robbery, but like Superman he's knocked out by the burglars' magic.  Superman arrives on the scene and offers to lend a hand.

The art and tone of the story have a nostalgic Golden Age feel to them, although this would be the last classic Captain Marvel story for a while.  Following the events of Day of Vengeance, the Marvel Family would be altered and Judd Winick's next take on the hero would be less recognizable.  This same month in the closing chapter of Day of Vengeance, the Marvel Family and Shazam's base of operations, the Rock of Eternity, would be destroyed over Gotham City.

Superman #221

Villains United tie-in

An OMAC attacks Bizarro in Metropolis and Superman defends his backwards clone from the OMAC.  Clark Kent arrives coincidentally after the fight is over and Superman is gone.  Although Jimmy Olsen can't figure it out, however, Bizarro realizes Clark and Superman are really the same person.  

While wearing a burglar mask that doesn't hide his identity at all, Bizarro sticks up a bank but all he wants to steal is garbage.  Jimmy Olsen arrives on the scene and in backwards way, Bizarro tries to give the cub reporter the story of the century but the message is lost.  Later, Cheetah from Luthor's Society of Super Villains tries to recruit Bizarro, but he turns down the offer.  Of course, in Bizarro-speak his "no" really means yes, and he challenges Zoom to a race that will decide if he joins.

Action Comics #831

Villains United tie-in

While Superman confronts Black Adam and Dr. Psycho, Bizarro races Zoom aimlessly around the planet reminiscent of the races between Superman and the Flash.  Superman reluctantly lets Black Adam take Dr. Psycho in exchange for Dr. Psycho releasing his victims from irreparable mind-control.  As they fly away, Black Adam isn't any happier with the arrangement, and threatens Dr. Psycho to drop him over Metropolis and spare the world untold misery.  Black Adam tells Dr. Psycho that he'll harm no more innocents under his watch, but the doctor tells him, "We'll see."

Meanwhile, Lois goes to see former First Lady Lana Lang who reveals a secret the government has been hiding from the American people, which of course isn't revealed to the reader yet.  World of this disclosure reaches Congressman Mike Shephard, who decides Lois Lane needs to disappear.

Adventures of Superman #644

Lois Lane packs to go back to Min-Hara to find out the truth behind who shot her and why.  Clark struggles with the possibility that Pete Ross may have been the villain Ruin, the memories of the things Max Lord made him do when he controlled his mind, and also with the way Diana effortlessly killed Max.  Concerned that Max may still have some deep programmed control over him, Superman goes to see Zatanna.  Though losing her powers because of the Spectre's war on magic in Day of Vengeance, Zatanna agrees to help Superman locate another possible suspect for the identity of Ruin, the Toyman.  They find the Toyman in a hideout holding abducted children in a cage, but he's delusional and believes he's volunteering at a children's hospital.  Zatanna casts a spell and makes Toyman see the reality of what he's really doing, but the Toyman escapes capture.  In the sewers below the city, Lex Luthor and Mercy recruit the new Parasite to his Society.

When he visits Zatanna, Superman references another incident in JLA #119 where she uses her powers to stop mind-controlled villains who attacked the Justice League.  At the close of that story, the Martian Manhunter is alone on monitor duty when somebody who registers as Superman teleports into the Watchtower.  The Martian Manhunter turns and realizes that it's not Superman, but it's too late and the Watchtower explodes, which leads directly into Infinite Crisis #1.

Superman/Batman #23

While Batman is transformed into a Kryptonite Batman and fights Superman, Bizarro and Batzarro continue their odyssey through alternate worlds.  Before the Maximums can get any answers out of Superman and Batman, they're taken away by Bizarro and Batzarro.  Bizarro also appears on Themyscira looking for Supergirl, but she punches him away.  Batman finds himself on a Gotham rooftop and tries to put together the pieces of the puzzle, when he's suddenly confronted by a Superwoman and Batwoman.  Superman finds himself on Apokolips, where Metron tells him Darkseid wants to be freed from his prison on the Source Wall.  Both of them wonder who's really controlling all these events, and on the last page the reader sees the Joker and Mr. Mxyzptlk in a chess match with all these characters as the pieces.