Origins & Omens

Origins & Omens was a month-long theme that mostly consisted of back-up stories featuring the rogue Guardian, Scar.  The stories were designed to set into motion the stories for the coming year, and also lead into the upcoming Blackest Night crossover.  Unfortunately for Superman, this marked the start of a year-long story in which Superman would be absent from his own books.  Despite declining sales, DC was committed to this story to the end.  Superman would still be missing in Action Comics for another year after that, not fully returning until issue #900, just in time for one more story before the series' end.

Action Comics #874

Superman is furious that Alura has made General Zod the leader of New Krypton's army.  But Alura reasons that if Krypton had listend to Zod, more of them would be alive today.  She explains that she's pardoned Zod, and Superman is the one in the wrong for attacking him.  Alura hopes Superman will decide to live among his own people, but he needs to go home to Earth to think about it.  

After Superman leaves, Alura and Zod discuss the mystery of what happened to Brainiac's ship, which it turns out is in the possession of Lex Luthor, General Lane, and Superwoman.  At the Daily Planet, Jimmy Olsen ponders the mystery of Project 7734, when Steve Lombard passes by and explains that it's "hell" spelled upside down.  Suddenly, news breaks that the United Nations banning all Kryptonians except Superman from Earth.  In Coast City, the new Nightwing and Flamebird see the news.

At the Fortress of Solitude, Superman hears a cry for help coming from the Phantom Zone.  Some sort of void is consuming the Phantom Zone, already killing the remaining Kryptonian criminals who were trapped inside, now only Mon El remains.  Mon El begs Superman to let him out, knowing that on Earth he will die from lead poisoning.  But Mon El tells Superman he would rather die that way than in the Phantom Zone, so Superman frees him before the Phantom Zone is consumed by the void.

In a back-up story, Scar reads about the Guardian in the Book of the Black.

Supergirl #38

Who is Superman? part 2

Though continuing the triangle numbering, the story continues directly from the previous issue.  Superwoman tells Supergirl to stay on New Krypton.  Supergirl refuses to listen, but after a brief fight Superwoman drops her in the ocean and flies off to answer a mysterious caller.  Supergirl recovers and makes it to Lana Lang's apartment, where she collapses.

At a Metropolitan hospital, the body of Agent Liberty is being being investigated when the autopsy is interrupted by Major Lucy Lane, who takes the body with her under orders from the President.  At the Daily Planet, Cat Grant receives a mysterious package with a doll of Supergirl inside; despite her previous history with the Toyman, she thinks nothing of it.

Superwoman continues the mission that Supergirl was sent to do, and she finds Reactron.  The villain blasts Superwoman with Gold Kryptonite, but it has no effect on her.  He wonders how that can be if she's Kryptonian, but she answers, "Whoever said I was Kryptonian?"

In a back-up story, Scar observes Supergirl after she wakes up at Lana's.  While they talk, Lana has a painful convulsion that she can't conceal, but she also hides that she's coughing up blood from Supergirl

Superman #685

Superman struggles to find a way to save Mon El who is dying from lead poisoning.  He considers everything from time travel to trying to invent a cure himself.  But in his lab, he finds a mysterious bottle that says "Mon El, drink me" with a Legion emblem on it.  With no other alternative, he has Mon El drink the liquid and he miraculously recovers.

Superman leaves Mon El to recover at the Fortress, and leaves to have a talk with Lois in Metropolis and Ma in Smallville.  He tells them how Alura invited him to live on New Krypton, but only if he appears to renounce Earth, including them.  Superman says he doesn't know what to do, but they both tell him he already knows what do.  Superman says goodbye to his friends and leaves Mon El in charge of Metropolis while he goes to New Krypton to keep a closer eye on General Zod.

In the back-up story, Mon El goes back to Smallville and Ma Kent helps him create a secret identity, Jonathan Kent.

This issue doesn't have a triangle number, but the next issue resumes the numbering as if this is 15.