Camelot Falls

For over a decade, the Superman titles had been characterized by an editorial consistency, with four or more books coming out on a weekly basis.  Post-Infinite Crisis, the Superman lineup shrank down to two ongoing series and a team-up series with Batman.  Unfortunately, what would really characterize this final Act were regular delays.  Writers were now plotting their stories for the inevitable trade paperback collections, and the focus on weekly or monthly scheduling became secondary.  So much so that after frequent delays, stories starting now would have to be concluded later in the annuals, which hadn't been published since the 90's.

While the weekly 52 series continued to reveal what had happened during the missing year after Infinite Crisis, fans were still in the dark about what had changed in continuity.  In the recent Justice League of America #0, fans saw an adult Clark Kent sealing up the tunnel he had used to discretely leave the Kent farm in Smallville, something that hadn't been referenced since before the first Crisis.  It still wasn't really clear if Superman had had a prior career as Superboy.  Over the years the original Legion of Superheroes would be reintroduced, but a definitive retelling of DC's origins wouldn't hit the stands until years later, right before the next reboot.

Superman #655

In the 17th Century, Arion, Lord of Atlantis wakes up uttering the words "Camelot Falls", and glimpses a future where he sees Clark Kent in the present day.  Clark is on a passenger airline on his way to to reunite with his old scientist friend who requested him, "Callie" Llewellyn.  On the plane, Clark recalls his recent interview with new LexCorp CEO, Lana Lang.  Pete Ross has moved back to Smallville with their son and Lana makes it clear that she's never going back, not necessarily because of bad memories, but good memories she can never recapture.

Clark hears a distressing call for him from Callie on the ground, and then we're reminded why Clark never flies by commercial because Superman has to find a way out of the plane.  In Kazakhstan, Superman learns from Callie that a Cold War-era experiment called Subjekt 17 has escaped after years of imprisonment in a nutrient bath.  Arion watches Superman and Subjekt 17 fight in his crystal ball and decides to travel to the future.

Action Comics #842

The Auctioneer scans the Earth and is delighted to find not just two, but a third Kryptonian on the planet who Superman was unaware of.  Superman and most of the Earth's heroes and villains are abducted and trapped aboard the Auctioneer's ship while he plunders the Earth of treasures like the Eiffel Tower.  

Superman and a small group of prisoners escape, including the new Aquaman and Livewire.  All of them have lost their powers except for Livewire, and without his powers the others still doubt if Superman is the real Man of Steel.  While the others argue over who should lead them, the powerless Superman risks his life to help them escape, convincing the world that he is the real thing even without his powers again.

Superman/Batman #29

At S.T.A.R. Labs, Green Lantern John Stewart discovers there's something corrupting his power ring.  Superman has another encounter with the shape shifter, first as a 60's version of Lois Lane and then as the Caveman of Krypton (from World's Finest Comics #102).  Green Lantern Hal Jordan helps Superman and takes the shape shifter into custody, then directs Superman to a meeting with Batman at an empty Air Force base.  When Batman realizes he was tricked into being there by Hal Jordan, he understands the Green Lanterns are the real enemies.  They fight Hal Jordan and succeed at removing his power ring, but then they're attacked by another Green Lantern, Kilowog.

Fresh off his runs on Green Lantern: Rebirth and Green Lantern, Ethan Van Sciver gets to showcase many of the characters that  had defined his career so far.