Title:

Superman Vol 2 14đź‘€

Synopsis:
Synopsis for ”Last Stand!”
Powered by the life force energies of various heroes that journeyed with them to confront the Manhunter Highmaster, Superman and Hal Jordan continue onward through a minefield of energy orbs until they reach the planet where the other Guardians and Zamarons were spending their ”honeymoon” on. The two heroes find themselves separated, with Superman trapped underground plowing through it in circles and Hal with his power ring now drained of its energy and facing the Highmaster alone. Hal manages to contact the Guardians and Zamarons who were concentrating their abilities on keeping themselves unseen, but that only enables the Highmaster to blast them once they appear. As Superman finds his way out of the underground trap and zap the Highmaster with heat vision to turn him from yellow to red, the Guardians give Hal’s power ring a recharge and immediately he creates with its energy an explosive charge that destroys the Manhunter. The Guardians inform the heroes that once the Highmaster is destroyed, the rest of the Manhunters will go on ”suicide overload”.
Appearing in ”Last Stand!”
Featured Characters:
* Superman
Supporting Characters:
* Green Lantern (Hal Jordan)
* Guardians of the Universe
* Zamarons
Antagonists:
* Manhunter Highmaster (Final appearance)
Other Characters: Behind the scenes appearance for all
* Arisia
* Captain Atom
* Doctor Fate
* Driq
* Firestorm
* Harbinger
* Hawkman
* Hawkwoman
* Katma Tui
* Martian Manhunter
Locations:
* Orinda
Items:
*
Vehicles:
* 

Notes
* This issue is a ”Millennium” Week Six tie-in issue.
* Most of the other characters that are present during this issue appear as life-force energy only harnessed inside the bodies of Superman and Green Lantern.
* This issue is reprinted in Superman: The Man of Steel Vol. 3 (2021 Edition).
https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Superman_Vol_2_14
Cover Date:
Feb 1988
Publisher:
DC Comics
Barcode:
070989306752
Issue Number:
14
Volume:
2
Year:
1988
Purchase Type:
Direct
Cover Price:
$0.75
Cover Exclusive:
Superman Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster Booster Gold #6 1986 dc.fandom.com/wiki/Kal-El_(New_Earth)
Era:
Copper Age
Genre:
Superhero
Adventure
Action
Show More
Language:
English
Type of Comic:
Magazine
Characters:
Captain Atom
Firestorm
Hawkwoman (Shayera Thal)
Guardians of the Universe
Martian Manhunter (J’onn J’onzz)
Doctor Fate
Antagonist
Hal Jordan Creators John Broome & Gil Kane 1st App. Showcase #22 (October, 1959 https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Hal_Jordan_(New_Earth) developed after concep by ed. Julius Schwartz loosely modeled after Paul Newman, who was neighbor of GL artist Gil Kane
Superman Kal-El (Birth Name) Clark Joseph Kent Creators Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster 1st App. Booster Gold #6 1986 https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Kal-El_(New_Earth)
Zamarons
Manhunter Highmaster
Most of the other characters that are present during this issue appear as life-force energy only harnessed inside the bodies of Superman and Green Lantern
Show More
Date Added:
2018-07-02 23:52:34
Series:
vol 2
Story Arc:
Last Stand!”
Part of the ”Millennium” event.

Millennium
Universe
New Earth
Locations
Green Lantern Citadel, California
Heroes
Green Lantern Corps; Justice League International; New Guardians
Villains
Manhunter Cult
Others
Guardians of the Universe; Zamarons
Titles
Millennium
Collected
Millennium
Creators
Steve Englehart · Joe Staton · Ian Gibson
First Appearance Last Appearance
Millennium #1
(January, 1988) Millennium #8
(February, 1988)
Millennium was a weekly crossover event published in 1987. The core storyline was an eight-issue miniseries written by Steve Englehart, with illustrations by Joe Staton. Every ongoing series being published at the time received crossover tie-ins to the event.

The story involves a Guardian and Zamaron visiting Earth to start the next wave of human evolution. Ten humans are chosen to advance and become immortals, given special powers. They are attacked by Manhunter agents, part of an alien conspiracy posing as close friends and relatives to every single superhero. Eventually this new breed of heroes become the New Guardians.

History
Having previously left to repopulate their species’, Herupa Hando Hu and Nadia Safir return to Earth. They call a meeting of the superheroes, and announce that Earth will be home to the universe’s next immortal race. These immortals will be among ten ”chosen” people whom the superheroes must protect from their enemies. The Manhunter Grandmaster calls a meeting of their secret cult, announcing that they will reveal themselves to attack the ”chosen.” These agents include Dirk Davis, Harry Hadley, Lana Lang, Marcie Cooper, Mary Frances Cassidy, Mr. Smith, Rudy West and Miss Hunter. Tom Kalmaku is caught spying on their meeting, then beaten and left for dead.[1]
The humans chosen by Herupa and Nadia include Betty Clawman, Takeo Yakata, Harbinger, Xiang Po, Nikolai Latikov, Celia Windward, Salima Baranizar, Janwillem Kroef, Gregorio de la Vega, Tom Kalmaku and the Floronic Man. It’s revealed that the Manhunters learned everyone’s secret identity through access to Harbinger’s Archives.[2]
President Reagan comes out in support of the heroes on television, a reversal of his criticism during Legends. Salima Baranizar is stoned to death by a mob. Nikolai Latikov is executed by secret police. The Outsiders protect Takeo Yakata, Infinity Inc. protects Betty Clawman, the Justice League protect Celia Windward, Wonder Woman protects Janwillem Kroef, The Flash protects Gregorio de la Vega and the Green Lanterns protect Xiang Po. Harbinger is captured on the Manhunter homeworld. Floronic Man is released from Arkham Asylum by a Manhunter agent.[3]
Herupa and Nadia take the chosen to learn their cosmic secrets. Batman traces the Manhunters back to their headquarters in a Louisiana swamp. Booster Gold infiltrates their ranks by pretending to defect. John Economos sends the Suicide Squad on a search-and-destroy mission. Madame Xanadu helps the Spectre find their location after she is attacked. Floronic Man is influenced by the Manhunters to betray his peers.[4]
Manhunter base is destroyed in Louisiana, their Sonic Temple, removing the threat from Earth. The chosen learn the secrets of the universe. Harbinger escapes with the help of Driq. The League decides to end them once and for all by attacking Orinda, the Manhunter homeworld.[5]
The heroes fight against Highmaster, the mother of all Manhunters. It escapes and swears to hunt down the Oans. Doctor Fate transports them to another dimension, but only Superman and Green Lantern can function there. Booster Gold fights Batman and Guy Gardner as a traitor. The chosen awake from their transcendental state, and Kroef refuses to continue as they conflict with his racist ideals. Floronic Man is swayed by their ideals, and turns to the side of good. Blue Beetle discovers that the Manhunters have a last secret headquarters underneath the Earth’s surface.[6]
Fate takes his team back to Earth, and Harbinger returns with them. Herupa and Nadia finish teaching their pupils. The heroes track down the Manhunter underground base, and have a final battle with the androids. It’s climactic and explosive, but they take all of them down with no casualties. Booster Gold stops them from destroying the planet with a bomb, but is still taken in for treason.[7]
Finally, the chosen receive their powers. Xiang becomes Gloss, Takeo becomes RAM, Gregorio becomes Extrano, Celia becomes Jet and Betty Clawman becomes one with the planet. Floronic Man decides to keep his own powers, taking the name Floro. Tom Kalmaku also declines, but receives his powers in a latent form for protection. Harbinger has her destiny as one of the chosen revealed to her. Kroef swears revenge back in his own country. Now that the Millennium has come, the other heroes say farewell and leave the chosen to their destiny.[8]
Crossovers
* Batman
* Blue Beetle
* Booster Gold
* Captain Atom
* Firestorm
* The Flash
* Green Lantern Corps: Hal Jordan had to convince his friend Tom Kalmaku to accept the Guardian’s request to join the Chosen, all while Hal’s Manhunter agent, Mr. Smith follows their tracks. Green Lantern defeats the Manhunter, and convinces Tom and Celia Windward, who was also had doubts about this project, to join the Chosen.[9]
* Infinity, Inc.
* Justice League International learn that Rocket Red #7 was a Manhunter traitor. He dies in a suicide attack, piloting their ship into a nuclear silo. Maxwell Lord is shot by another Manhunter agent, his secretary Mrs. Wootenhoffer.[10] The League is sent to Manhunter homeworld Orinda as a strike-force, where they team up with G’nort. They fight the Highmaster and destroy the planet.[11]
* Legion of Super-Heroes
* The Outsiders realize that Helga Jace is their traitor. Dr. Jace brainwashes Metamorpho to attack the team. Metamorpho tries to attack her instead and she fires a Manhunter weapon at him, killing them both in the explosion.[12] The Outsiders receive a distress call from Looker’s people in Abyssia. This kingdom has been taken over by Manhunters working with the evil Queen Tamira. They destroy the Manhunters and liberate the citizens, but Looker loses her powers and Halo falls into a coma. Geo-Force decides to disband the Outsiders.[13]
* The Spectre
* Suicide Squad
* Superman
* Swamp Thing
* Teen Titans
* Wonder Woman
* Young All-Stars
Characters Revealed as Manhunters
* Overthrow
* Bernard Ferguson
* Dirk Davis
* Harold Hadley
* Helga Jace
* Commissioner Gordon (android clone)
* Karin Grace
* Lana Lang (mind-controlled)
* Laurel Kent
* Mary Frances Cassidy
* Marcie Cooper
* Mr. Smith
* Ms. Wootenhoffer
* Nancy Reagan
* Pan
* Pete Ross (mind-controlled)
* Rocket Red #7
* Rudy W
Core Issues
* Millennium #1
* Millennium #2
* Millennium #3
* Millennium #4
* Millennium #5
* Millennium #6
* Millennium #7
* Millennium #8
Crossovers
* Action Comics #596
* Adventures of Superman #436–437
* Batman #415
* Blue Beetle (Volume 6) #20–21
* Booster Gold #24–25
* Captain Atom (Volume 2) #11
* Detective Comics #582
* Firestorm (Volume 2) #67–68
* The Flash (Volume 2) #8–9
* Green Lantern Corps #220–221
* Infinity Inc. #46–47
* Justice League International #9–10
* Legion of Super-Heroes (Volume 3) #42–43
* Outsiders #27–28
* Secret Origins (Volume 2) #22–23
* Spectre (Volume 2) #10–11
* Suicide Squad #9
* Superman (Volume 2) #13–14
* Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #65–66
* Teen Titans Spotlight #18–19
* Wonder Woman (Volume 2) #12–13
* Young All-Stars #8–9
https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Millennium

From notes at bottom

Death and Return of Superman
 Main article: Death and Return of Superman


One day, a monstrous alien beast called Doomsday emerged in eastern Ohio and made its way towards Metropolis.[56] The beast single-handedly defeated the Justice League when the team rallied to stop it.[57] Superman battled the creature across several states, eventually landing in Metropolis itself.[58] After a long, intense battle, Superman managed to finally put down the monster but collapsed as he did so, dying in Lois’ arms.[59]
All attempts to revive Superman failed, and he was pronounced dead. Clark Kent was presumed to have been one of the hundreds killed in Doomsday’s rampage.[60] Superman was buried with full honors, with hundreds of heads of state and several hundred thousand onlookers present, beneath a large statue in Centennial Park. The Justice League and other heroes marched behind the casket, following their leader (official or not) one last time. Lois, Lana Lang and the Kents were all devastated.[61] Cadmus, a secret science operation, stole the body from the tomb, but Supergirl retrieved it and reburied him. Lex Luthor would gloat that, even though he wasn’t the one to kill Superman, by providing funding for the tomb, he at least ”buried him.
Jonathan Kent, after suffering from a heart attack, had a near death experience where he saw Clark in the afterlife who encouraged him to keep living. Jonathan would recover and took this as a sign that his son wasn’t really dead.[62] Despite this, four new heroes arrived in Metropolis, all claiming to be Superman: ”The Man of Tomorrow,” ”The Last Son of Krypton,” ”The Man of Steel,” and ”The Metropolis Kid.” A trip to the real Superman’s tomb revealed it to be empty.[63]
Cults began to spring up in Metropolis, worshiping any one of the four new Supermen as messiahs. President Bill Clinton was saved by the Cyborg Superman and officially endorsed him as the real Superman. Lois, however, endorsed Steel, believing he was the closest to the ideal of Superman.
One impostor, the artifact known as the Eradicator that had battled Superman in the past, had actually returned and went to Superman’s tomb to try to use his body as a new vessel. Sensing Superman’s soul was still lingering inside, the artifact fashioned a new body from concrete in Superman’s image and placed Kal-El’s body in a regeneration matrix that was bombarded with sunlight, in hopes of controlling him once he was revived. Despite this plan, the Eradicator accidentally convinced itself it really was Superman.[64]


When Superman was finally revived in the Fortress, he was weak and powerless but traveled to Metropolis anyway. When he arrived, he was met by Lex Luthor II, Lois and others, who were shocked when a black-suited Superman emerged and announced he was the real Superman.[65] Upon learning that Coast City had just been destroyed by the Cyborg Superman, the real Superman joined with Superboy, Supergirl and Steel to do battle with the Cyborg. In the fight, Clark learned Cyborg Superman’s true identity - Hank Henshaw - and that Henshaw had planned to impersonate the hero and destroy the world, ruining Superman’s legacy. With all his might returning to him, Clark defeated Cyborg Superman.[66]
Superman returned to Metropolis and had to convince the city that he was the real Superman - for real this time. Unfortunately, he had to ”reacquire” the right to the name and symbol ”Superman,” but after helping the young Superboy come to terms with his origins as a clone of Clark and accept himself as ”Superboy”, the kid declared Clark once and for all the real Superman.[67]
Superman, with the help of the shapeshifting Supergirl, managed to come up with a plausible way of ”resurrecting” Clark Kent, who had not been seen since Superman’s death. Supergirl took Clark’s form, and Superman proceeded to ”find” Clark in the rubble of a destroyed building. Jimmy got a picture of Superman and Clark side-by-side, proving to the world they were different people.
After weeks of returning to business-as-usual saving Metropolis, Superman received a tip that the monster that killed him - Doomsday - was not dead and was being housed on Apokolips. Suffering from nightmares of the creature, Superman went to Apokolips for a rematch. Superman pursued Doomsday when he escaped Apokolips to the planet Calaton and fought the beast to a standstill. Luckily, Superman was able to teleport Doomsday into the distant future—just before the universe came to an end. This allowed him to find a little peace of mind, although he regretted the creature’s apparent death.[68]

Clone Wars and the Battle for Metropolis

Lex Luthor, whose cloned body was slowly decaying, attempted to clone Superman again using Dr. Teng’s procedure, resulting in a second Bizarro Superman. Thinking that he was the real Superman, this Bizarro escaped from Luthor and kidnapped Lois Lane. Lois managed to escape from ”Bizarro World,” a warehouse where Bizarro had attempted to recreate Metropolis in his own warped way. His memories fragmented, Bizarro flew to Smallville and tried kidnapping Lana Lang, not understanding why she resisted him. Superman arrived and drove Bizarro back to Metropolis[69] where Luthor reclaimed the clone and killed it.[70]
At the same time, Superman noticed his powers had begun to grow out of control; his was absorbing far too much energy from the sun, and his size and powers grew exponentially. After several failed attempts at controlling the situation, Superman was only cured after allowing the Parasite to purge him of the excess energy.[71]
Luthor, blaming Project Cadmus for his deteriorating clone body, orchestrated an all-out war between the Project and the Underworlders. The conflict spilled out onto the streets of Metropolis, and even Superman had trouble containing it. Luthor went even further, detonating bombs all over the city, prompting an evacuation. Luthor and his army of clones discovered too late that their war was in vain, and that the fallout from the missiles used to fight Cyborg-Superman in Engine City was really to blame. Using Guardian’s DNA, Cadmus was able to create a cure, saving the lives of Superboy and the Newsboy Legion. Luthor ordered his army to try to steal the cure, nearly destroying Cadmus.[72]


Luthor’s schemes are revealed to the world on live TV, thanks to the efforts of Lois Lane and Dr. Gretchen Kelly. Luthor threatened to launch missiles into the heart of Metropolis, but Superman talked him down. Another soldier, however, launched them anyway, devastating most of the city, including destroying all of the major skyscrapers. At this point, Luthor was finally taken into custody.[73]
Metropolis would lay in ruins for several weeks, having to contend with several ”safeguards” left in place by Lex Luthor (giant robots, hallucinogenic gases, etc.) as well as Luthor himself, having escaped the police, wielding Superman’s own discarded Kryptonian war suit. Luthor was captured again, and his condition worsened to the point he was left in a vegetative state.[74][75]
Thanks to Zatanna magic and Superman’s might, Metropolis was restored to its former glory.[76]
Conduit and the Mystery of the Tomb
During a fight with Conduit, a new villain who hated both Superman and Clark Kent separately, Superman’s former tomb in Centennial Park was destroyed, and it was discovered that there was a dead body inside that looked just like Superman. This caused the world to wonder if the Superman protecting their city was a fraud.[77] Superman investigates who of his villains would have pulled off such a hoax but, after interrogating them, eliminates Luthor, the Eradicator, Darkseid and Mister Mxyzptlk as suspects.
Superman’s grip on reality began to break down, causing his behavior to become more erratic. All of this was because the real culprit was Brainiac, who had recovered from his being formerly lobotomized and returned to Earth.[78] When Superman finally learned the truth, he confronted Brainiac in the streets of Metropolis before the villain fled.[79]


Weeks later, Superman’s life was turned upside down when Conduit learned that the two men he hated most - Superman and Clark Kent - were the same person. Conduit blew up the Kent’s farmhouse, kidnapped Jimmy Olsen, attacked Lana Lang, and confronted Superman himself.[80] After Conduit apparently kills Lois and the Kents, Clark, in his rage, declared that he would no longer be Superman, violently ripping his suit off and incinerating it with his heat vision.[81]
Conduit challenged Superman to a one-on-one battle in a mock-version of Smallville, but his rage during the fight resulted in Conduit ”self-destructing.”[82] After the fight, Superman learned that the Kents and Lois had not actually been killed, and that their deaths had been faked. Clark reunited with his parents and questioned whether he needed a secret identity if it put his loved ones in danger. However, after a conversation with Lois put things in perspective, he realized how much he would be giving up by not being Clark Kent.[83]
The Tribunal’s Trial of Superman
After a battle with the Parasite leaves him near death, Superman was arrested by Brute at the behest of an intergalactic group known as the Tribunal. Superman was brought into space and put on trial for the destruction of Krypton. The Tribunal argued that it was Superman’s ancestor’s fault that Krypton was destroyed and, because they believed that the sins of the father should be paid by their sons, found him guilty of the planet’s destruction.[84]
The Alpha Centurion rallied together a Superman Rescue Squad while Superman managed a jail break with some fellow prisoners.[85] After several adventures in space, Superman and the Rescue Squad all ended up on the Tribunal’s home world, each captured by the Cyborg Superman, working for the Tribunal. When the Cyborg betrayed the Tribunal, Superman saved all its members, despite their guilty verdict, because it was the right thing to do. The Tribunal decided to ”commute his sentence” and sentenced him to never give up his ”never-ending battle.” Superman and the team returned to Earth triumphant.[86]
Broken Engagement

Even though Lex Luthor (fully recovered from his failing clone body thanks to a deal with Neron) was on the run, Superman’s life was still troubled. After a number of factors, Lois broke off their longtime engagement.[87] One of the reasons that lead to Lois’ decision was the fact that Superman refused to kill the Joker when her own life was threatened by the clown.
Superman reluctantly accepted that their relationship was over and went to Smallville to deal with his feelings with his parents.[88]
Superman also had to contend with the return of Brainiac, who switched his mind into Superman’s and Superman’s into the body of a young mental patient, Chas Cassidy, before briefly capturing all of Metropolis. He used the citizens of the city as a vast data storage unit until Superman—in Chas’s body—was able to breach his fortress. Now in separate bodies, Superman and Chas were able to put everybody back in their right bodies and save the city.[89]
Lois, frustrated that she had become so reliant on Superman, decided to take a foreign correspondent position overseas and parted with Clark on good terms.[90] Not long after, Perry White revealed to Clark that he would be taking a leave of absence because he had been diagnosed with lung cancer. In his absence, Perry promoted Clark to his position as lead editor of the Daily Planet. On the same night, Superman encountered Obsession, who went on a rampage after Superman did not return her affection, causing him to wonder if he had been smothering Lois in the same way at the end of their relationship.[91]
Tolos, an alien wizard Superman encountered while on the run from the Tribunal, arrived on Earth and attempted to collect Superman in his bottle city of Kandor.[92] Superman managed to defeat the wizard but was unable to free the Kandorians from their prison.[93] When the field around Kandor began to destabilize, Superman took the bottled city to the Fortress of Solitude (which had been rebuilt after its destruction by a single surviving Kryptonian robot), hoping to find something to save the city.[94]
Superman’s powers were briefly lost when the Earth’s sun was threatened by the Sun-Eater, forcing Earth’s heroes to band together to reignite it.[95] He would later regain them with the help of Metron and other New Gods. [96]
The Wedding and Beyond

After the world ending threat with the sun had been resolved, Lois returned from her time abroad and reconciled with Clark; the two decided to resume their engagement and get married right away. Lucy Lane threw Lois a bridal shower and a bachelorette party, while Clark had a bachelor party thrown at the Ace O’ Clubs. Jimmy Olsen and Lucy Lane were chosen as best man and maid of honor. Perry White attended the wedding ceremony, but unfortunately didn’t feel well enough to make the reception. Batman revealed that an apartment building where Lois wanted to rent was owned by Bruce Wayne, and so, as a wedding gift, allowed for Clark and Lois to move into the building.[97]
Lois and Clark went on a honeymoon in Hawaii, where Clark was kidnapped by terrorists, and Lois had to come to his rescue.[98]
In the meantime, Superman’s old foes formed a Superman Revenge Squad and, when he returned, went after him but still did not probe a threat to Big Blue.[99]
After a menace from Know Man and an invasion by the White Martians, Superman was one of the seven charter members of the newly reformed JLA.[100]
Superman Red and Blue
Superman experienced a weird power fluctuation that rendered him in the form of pure energy. Needing a containment suit, he found that he was considerably faster, intangible, and able to interact with computers in this energy form. He also lost his vulnerability to Kryptonite. However, he found that he was weaker to energy disruption and lost his super strength. Furthermore, when he changed back into Clark Kent, he was rendered powerless.[101]
At this time, Perry White returned to the Daily Planet, his cancer now in remission, and Clark returned to his position as a reporter.[102]



Morgan Edge created a new Superman Revenge Squad and sicked them on Superman. Jimmy Olsen, meanwhile, believed he had figured out his best friend Superman’s secret identity and planned to announce it on television.[103] Jimmy chickened out though and falsely announced that Superman did not have a secret identity, which caused him to be fired.[104]
The Cyborg Superman and the Toyman joined forces in an attempt to destroy Superman’s energy form, but instead Superman was split into a second form - the aggressive Superman Red and the calmer Superman Blue.[105]
A race of monsters known as the Millennium Giants were summoned on Earth that began to march over the world, causing havoc and destruction, obliterating the city of Thiena Na Oge and most of the nation of Markovia in their path. The JLA rallied to take up the fight, and the two Supermen were finally able to destroy the giants, risking their lives in the process.[106] Not only was the Earth saved, but Superman was restored to his original singular form with all his original powers.[107]
King of the World
Superman had another rematch with Doomsday around this time. After a battle with Superman had ruined his body, Brainiac managed to retrieve Doomsday and download his mind into the brute’s body. With his new power, he easily took down the Justice League. While delivering Lana Lang’s baby to a hospital after she had given birth prematurely, Superman was ambushed by Brainiac/Doomsday, who kidnapped the baby to grow a new clone for himself. Fortunately, Superman was able to stop this plan, save the baby and eject Brainiac from Doomsday. Brainiac was forced into a new robotic body, and Doomsday was taken to the moon, broken apart into pieces, and stored away.[108]
Hard times fell on the Daily Planet, and the owners reluctantly sold the company to Lex Luthor — who promptly closed its doors and fired nearly everyone.[109] Out of work, Clark decided to resume his book-writing career but was horrified to find that the fictional situations he wrote about were actually coming true.[110] [111] Superman essentially abandoned his life as Clark Kent, patrolling the Earth 24/7, paranoid of his own prophetic thoughts. Believing even this dedication wasn’t enough, Superman built an army of Superman robots to help him with his goal.
Around this time, Superman offered Superboy, his partial clone, the genuine Kryptonian name of a distant relative of his, ”Kon-El,” believing the two were like family. Superboy gratefully accepted.[112]

When Superman believed that Lex Luthor had been attempting to create synthetic Kryptonite, the Man of Steel sliced LexCorp Tower in half, casting the top half into outer space. The SCU tried to arrest him, but Superman refused to allow them to. The JLA intervened and agreed that Superman crossed a line.[113] The JLA were unable to defeat his army of Superman robots to apprehend him and, during the battle, the truth of Superman’s recent behavior were made clear — he has been manipulated the villain Dominus![114]
While the U.N. declared war on Superman, Lois Lane managed to break into the Fortress of Solitude and free Superman from the spell Dominus had on him.[115] Dominus regained control though, and, while a horde of Superman robots attacked the U.N. Building, Luthor caused the orbiting half of his old tower (laced with synthetic Kryptonite) to crash down on the Fortress, shattering its defenses and reducing it to ruins.[116] Superman broke his hold from Dominus and banished the supervillain to the Phantom Zone once and for all.[117]
Superman was back to normal, but the world was still uneasy. Many people no longer trusted him, some questioning if he was indeed the real Superman while others feared that he could lose control again. Superman realized that he would have to win back people’s trust one day at a time.[118] When Brainiac 2.5 returned to Earth, planning on destroying the planet, Superman saved the day once again and firmly regained the public’s trust.[119]
The New Millennium and Y2K
Near the end of the millennium, Lex Luthor sold the Daily Planet to Bruce Wayne for $1, but did not publicly disclose the reason for doing so. The real reason was that Lois Lane made a deal with him, promising to bury one story — no matter what it was — in exchange for him allowing the Planet to return. Lois kept this secret even from Clark. Everyone was hired back: Jimmy came back on as a photographer, Lois had her city beat back, and Clark was assigned as a foreign correspondent.
That same day, Mongul arrived on Earth seeking help from Superman to deal with a threat facing the entire galaxy — the threat of Imperiex. Superman began special training with Mongul. Concurrently, Jimmy discovered a photograph of Superman wearing a wedding band. Superman confided in Jimmy that he was actually married (though he did not say to whom) before going off into space with Mongul to battle Imperiex near Jupiter. The two succeeded in destroying the construct Imperiex was building to destroy the solar system. Predictably, Mongul then double-crossed Superman, but Superman had anticipated this and turned him over to Lobo. Unknown to Clark, the being defeated near Jupiter was not the true Imperiex but merely one of his thousands of drones.[120]

On New Year’s Eve 1999, Lex Luthor planned a spectacular party in Metropolis to usher in the New Year. Clark, Lois and the Kents all attended. Unfortunately, Y2K actually occurred — all because of the arrival of Brainiac 2.5, who unleashed a computer virus that crippled the world’s computers, leading all the world’s heroes to desperately try to keep the peace as a worldwide blackout ensued. Superman and Green Lantern had to go into orbit to stop thousands of nuclear missiles launched when the blackout hit.[121]
Even though Earth’s heroes managed to defeat Brain 2.5, a future version of Brainiac called Brainiac 13 came back in time to continue its earlier version’s mission and forcefully ”upgrade” the Earth. Brainiac 2.5, on the verge of death, downloaded its consciousness into Lex Luthor’s daughter Lena Luthor.
Superman was only able to stop B13 by utilizing a Kryptonian battlesuit. However, while his plan had been to trap B13 in the suit, Lex Luthor made a deal with the supervillain to hand over his daughter (still housing Brainiac 2.5’s essence) and allowed B13 to escape into space, in exchange for keeping Metropolis upgraded as the very real City of Tomorrow. Superman vowed to find Lena and rescue her — and to make Luthor pay.[122]
After the crisis, Superman worked with Steel to rebuild a brand new Fortress of Solitude in a pocket dimension.[123]
Superman briefly became deathly ill with a Kryptonite-cancer but the Atom, Steel, Superboy and Supergirl shrank down and removed the tumor.[124] Sometime later, the Kryptonite-tumor would get stolen from S.T.A.R. Labs and return as a villain named Kancer.[125]
Emperor Joker
Mister Mxyzptlk made his return shortly, thereafter, causing his greatest disaster ever when he decided to visit the Joker at the Slab and was tricked into giving Joker 99.9 percent of his power. The Joker used the awesome power of Mister Mxyzptlk to remake the entire universe in his own twisted image.[126] Superman tried to rally the JLA and his other allies in a desperate struggle against the Joker, who was committed to first torturing all of creation and then hoping to destroy it. He brutally killed Superman’s friends and loved ones before his eyes.
A surreal battle ensued before Superman managed to discover the ”rule” that allowed him to finally defeat the Joker — the Joker could not exist without Batman. Everything was put back as it was, with no one remembering what had happened except for Superman. Batman, who had been horribly tortured by Joker over and over, also still remembered every minute of it, but Superman asked the Spectre to transfer the memories ... into the Joker.[127]
President Luthor and Krypto the Super-Dog

Lex Luthor, regarded as a national hero for his perceived role in the past several world-threatening crises, was elected President of the United States, with Pete Ross as his Vice President. With his arch-nemesis in the White House, Superman was understandably very upset.[128]
Superman encountered a rocket ship from his father Jor-El in the field near his parents’ house in Smallville. The rocket contained a message detailing a different history of Krypton than the one he had learned when he was younger. Jor-El admitted in his message that he had lied about Krypton’s history before so that he could more easily embrace his heritage growing up. Superman had trouble reconciling this new information, and, learning he could use the Phantom Zone to go back in time to Krypton, embarked on a journey to learn the truth.
Superman encountered a very different Krypton than the one he ever imagined but got along wonderfully with his parents and their pet, Krypto, until they were attacked by the fanatical General Zod. Superman and Lois fled back to Earth, accompanied by Krypto, who developed superpowers under Earth’s sun.[129] Krypto proved a little too much for life in Metropolis however, and after a fight with Mongul in which the dog almost killed the villain, Superman decided to take Krypto to the Fortress and have a Super-Robot look after him.[130]
Our Worlds at War
Signs began to appear of an impending intergalactic war with Imperiex in which Earth was bound to get dragged into. The Justice League rallied in space, taking on Imperiex’s scout drones, but were taken out one by one. Superman watched several of his friends fall and the apparent destruction of Atlantis.[131]
Every major superhero team on Earth began taking up arms against Imperiex. Even Superman fought side-by-side with Doomsday, the monster having been revived by Steel and the Suicide Squad on orders from President Luthor, with each destroying dozens of probes before the real Imperiex Prime arrived.[132] With battles against Impreiex drones taking place worldwide, Superman was distracted and missed his wife’s call when her father General Sam Lane had been attacked at the White House. With Superman too busy protecting the Earth, Lois’ father died.[133]
President Luthor suggested a desperate plan to stop the invasion: Superman would merge with the Strange Visitor and assault Imperiex Prime himself. Following through, the plan was successful, and Imperiex was seemingly destroyed.

However, the Warworld — under the command of Brainiac 13 — arrived and absorbed the energy of Imperiex, continuing the invasion. Brainiac 13 also convinced Apokolips that Earth had betrayed their peace treaty, causing Darkseid to start a second invasion of Earth as well.[134] Superman, distraught over all the death and destruction, flew into the sun and became super-charged. Using a plan that Superman himself came up with, Superman and Earth’s allies boom tubed Warworld to the beginning of time, ending the war.[135]
Superman attempted to be sensitive to his wife, who was in a great amount of pain over the loss of her father but was commonly distracted by the never-ending call of justice.[136]
Superman would have to fight Jokerized versions of his enemies in a worldwide endgame plot organized by the Joker.[137]
Lois and her mother traveled extensively throughout Europe, including Rome and Venice. This prompted more than one person back home to wonder if there was trouble between Lois and Clark. Clark told Perry that Lois had asked for space following her father’s death and that he was trying to honor that, though he grew anxious during their time apart.[138]
As Lois and her mother prepared to head back home, Lois stated that she didn’t want to and wondered if she and Clark hated each other. Ella stated that she stuck by Sam because they could solve any problem together, and real marriages could last through any difficulty. Upon returning, Lois admitted to Clark that she held him responsible for her father’s death but that she wanted to work through it with him and needed him, promising to not leave again.[139]
Never Ending Battle
Around this time, Superman helped his parents open up a new general store in downtown Smallville, and President Luthor deduced that Clark Kent was Superman.[140]
Lois Lane uncovered proof that Luthor knew about the Imperiex invasion long before it actually happened (meaning he could have called for evacuations and saved more lives) but Luthor, per their prior deal for the Daily Planet, ordered her to bury the story. Double crossing Luthor, Lois gave the story to Clark to write, thereby subverting their agreement. When the story came out, Luthor denied the allegations, and a mind scan by Martian Manhunter seemed to prove his innocence. Clark was publicly fired over the incident, but Perry secretly kept him on staff in order to further investigate Luthor.[141]
Manchester Black returned and used his vast mind powers to orchestrate an all-out attack on Superman. Black mind-controlled an entire legion of super-villains to attack all of Superman’s loved ones. Superman was forced to face all of his rogues to protect his family. Manchester Black apparently murdered Lois in an attempt to force Superman to kill him (and thereby prove Superman was no better than he was). However, for even in his grief, Superman refused. Black’s ruse fell apart, and he revealed that Lois was still alive. Having given up on his fight against the Man of Steel, Black used his mind powers to remove the knowledge that Clark Kent was Superman from Luthor’s mind, and then Black killed himself.[142]
Months after the incident, Lois discovered that Clark was still working for the Daily Planet in secret without telling her. Perry openly hired Clark back, but Lois used the opportunity to announce she was quitting to work for Channel 3 News.[143]
The Return of General Zod

Tracing a lead to a supervillain who had been organizing a plot against him for months, Superman confronted a man calling himself ’The General’ before realizing this man was General Zod. Superman, having flashbacks to when he executed Zod years earlier, refused to believe that this man was actually him.
On the advice of the Martian Manhunter, Superman began to have therapy sessions with Dr. Claire Foster. With his therapist, he explored his fear of Zod and the danger he posed to his loved ones. Though he avoided confronting his enemy, nevertheless, he was called to action when he discovered Zod using Bizarro as a punching bag.[144]
General Zod finally initiated his ultimate plan against Superman - revealing that he somehow looked just like Clark. Zod transformed Earth’s yellow sun into a red sun and specifically depowered the rest of Earth’s heroes as well. Zod took over the US government, deposing President Luthor. With a common enemy, depowered Superman and President Luthor, as well as a slew of other depowered super villains, teamed up to defeat Zod.
While Superman battled Zod, Luthor and Metallo managed to return the sun to its proper color. Zod tried to get Superman to kill him again, but Superman refused. Zod was reckless in the fight and, as the sun turned yellow, accidentally killed himself in the fight, leaving Superman the victor.[145]
Superman later went to the future and battled a woman who pretended to be his daughter named Cir-El, who was actually an agent of Brainiac 12. When Superman returned to the present, he had realized he had landed in an altered timeline.[146]
The Vanishing


Superman and his supporting cast had their origins revised in the Superman: Birthright series written by Mark Waid in 2003. This rewrote the previous definitive origin story, John Byrne’s 1986 mini-series The Man of Steel, to include more elements from the Silver Age character. It would remain in continuity until Infinite Crisis in 2006 established Geoff Johns’ Superman: Secret Origin.
One day, after being called out into space to help Green Lantern, Superman returned to find one million people missing from Earth — including Lois. Superman referred to this event as the ”Vanishing”. Tracing the catalyst to the Middle East, Superman found a city in the midst of a civil war, antagonized by a man named General Nox. Nox owned the machine responsible for the Vanishing and activated it again, causing himself and 3,000 more people to vanish.
A man claiming to work for the government, Mr. Orr, demanded that Superman turn over the device, but Superman refused. The Man of Steel had realized that the Vanishing was caused by a device he originally created should anything ever happen to Earth — it created a ”perfect” city inside a pocket of the Phantom Zone and would teleport a portion of Earth’s population there (including Lois). Superman discovered Earth’s missing people safe and sound, besides the entire plot being a trap set by General Zod. Superman escaped Zod’s attack and returned everyone back to Earth.
After this, Superman built a new Fortress of Solitude in the Amazon Jungle.[147]
Clark resumed his normal job at the Daily Planet — but suffered a demotion, with Jack Ryder as his replacement. Clark was angry at Lois, for she had known about it beforehand and did not tell him. Clark’s new position involved him tracking Metropolis’ special crimes unit, and Lois was assigned to do international reporting overseas.

Ruin

While abroad covering the dangerous war in Umec, Lois and the squad she was with took fire from enemy combatants. In the crossfire, Lois was shot in the chest by an enemy sniper. Superman was there a moment later—to catch her as she fell and immediately flew her to the nearest medical encampment, where he waited while she underwent hours of surgery. Once Lois was stabilized, the JLA teleported her to the Watchtower where Doctor Mid-Nite worked on her further. Clark stayed at his wife’s side the entire duration. Lois survived and recovered at home for a couple of months, surrounded by friends and family.
The villain Ruin, in a grand scheme against Clark, transformed a brother and sister into new versions of the Parasite. The twins attacked Lois at home, and Superman borrowed a suit of armor from Steel to confront the pair. Once the Parasites were dealt with, Superman learned Ruin’s location and flew off alone to face him. Ruin managed to best Superman using red sunlight lamps to weaken him and escaped for a meeting with Lex Luthor, who told him to move to the next step of their plan.[148]
Relationship drama developed between Clark and Lois and Lana Lang, when Lana admitted to Clark that she had decided to divorce their childhood friend Pete Ross. Lana used the opportunity and tried to make Clark reconsider his own marriage because she was jealous of Lois. A feud between the two women broke out in the Kent residence in Smallville, and Ma Kent settled it by telling Lois not to take Clark for granted, and for Lana to back off.[149]
While simultaneously investigating who Ruin was with Batman and Wonder Woman, Superman was contacted by his friend and Vice President of the United States Pete Ross, unaware that his wife wanted to divorce him. Pete requested Clark to speak to Lana due to her strange behavior. In the same series of messages, Lois contacted Clark and said they should consider having a baby.
Clark talked to Lana again about stopping her divorce, but she had made up her mind. When Superman finally captured Ruin, he unmasked the villain to discover it was none other than - Pete Ross! Pete was taken to prison and beat up by other prisoners.
Clark went to talk to his friend alone and learned that Pete knew he was Superman (having learned the secret from Lex before it was wiped from his mind). Pete swore he was not the real Ruin and that he had been set up. Superman vowed to prove Pete’s innocence, but, when the prison suddenly suffered a power outage, Pete Ross disappeared.[150]
The Supergirl From Krypton

Another Kryptonian rocket fell to Earth similar to Clark’s and was discovered by Batman and Superman. The pod’s passenger was none other than Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin.[151] Despite Batman’s suspicions, Clark was thrilled to meet Kara and was determined to take her in. Nonetheless, Wonder Woman, after listening to Harbinger’s troubling prophecies, took Kara to Themyscira to keep her safe and train her.[152]
Diana’s fears proved to be justified when Darkseid’s troops invaded Paradise Island and kidnapped Kara.[153] Outraged, the trinity traveled to Apokolips where Darkseid has brainwashed Kara into becoming his newest Female Fury.[154] Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman forced Darkseid to give Kara back.[155] After a tough battle, Superman pinned Darkseid to the Source Wall to protect his cousin, and Kara officially took on the mantle of Supergirl.[2]
Infinite Crisis
 Main article: Infinite Crisis
Superman discovered that Brainiac was mind controlling Lois — or so he thought. After a battle with Brainiac in the Fortress of Solitude, Superman was surprised to find human blood on his hands. The JLA and the JSA turned up, ordering Superman to surrender himself for what he had done.[156] Something was obviously wrong, because Superman tried to remember what happened but misremembered his battle with Brainiac as being with Darkseid. The JLA concluded that Superman was being manipulated by someone, because the person he had actually beaten in the Fortress of Solitude was Batman, now clinging to life.[157]
The League determined that Maxwell Lord was responsible for manipulating Superman using mind control. Just then, Lord controlled Superman to attack Wonder Woman, forcing Diana to fight for her life. Wonder Woman held her own, even stunning Superman at certain points, but even if she managed to win, Max Lord swore he would control Superman again, never stopping. In a quick decision, Diana snapped Max’s neck — an event recorded by the Brother Eye satellite and broadcasted around the world. Superman was freed — but at a terrible price.[158]
In Metropolis, the world was unsure of how to react to the tape of Wonder Woman killing Lord; even Superman had mixed emotions, becoming cold towards Diana. Lois supported Wonder Woman’s decision, having deduced that when she was accidentally shot in Umec was probably actually an intentional hit placed on her by Lord.[159]
Superman discovered that the Justice League Watchtower had been destroyed, and the Justice League was in disarray. The League was on edge with each other after the events with Lord, with Batman saying the last time Superman inspired anything was when he died. With hurt feelings all around, the heroes parted ways indefinitely.
When Superman returned to Metropolis, he found Mister Mxyzptlk in the form of an old man lying in the gutter. Mxyzptlk’s magic was not working right, and the two teamed up to capture the real Ruin, who had reappeared in Metropolis and whose identity was still unknown. Using all the clues, Clark finally realized that Ruin was in fact his good friend and science expert Emil Hamilton. Having solved the mystery, Superman battled Ruin once again, seemingly for the final time, as Hamilton held Pete Ross and Lana Lang captive. Though Hamilton prepared to sacrifice himself to destroy half of Metropolis with a bomb in his suit, Superman stopped him, brought him to justice, and fulfilled his promise to Pete Ross to find the man who framed him.[160]


As the ongoing crisis continued, Superman heard a scream from Earth-Two, and, flying there, found that Earth’s Kal-L, standing over the body of Earth-Two Lois Lane, who had just died. Kal-L blamed Kal-El for her death and attacked him, leading to a brutal fight across the Earth-Two Metropolis. The fight was finally stopped when Wonder Woman arrived, grabbing Kal-L in her Lasso. She and Kal-El helped him see the truth—that Alexander Luthor was really pulling the strings.[161]
Alexander Luthor, whose goal was to create the ”perfect universe”, had his plan halted because of a battle between Superboy and the evil Superboy-Prime. Superboy ultimately died from the fight before Superman could arrive, and the loss affected Clark deeply. Alexander’s universe meddling disrupted history, causing some changes to Superman’s past.
Superboy-Prime, driven totally insane by this point, decided the only solution was to destroy this universe completely by flying straight through Oa at lightspeed. In deep space, Guy Gardner and a coalition of Green Lanterns managed to stop him long enough for Kal-El and Kal-L to grab him. The two Supermen flew him to Krypton’s solar system—and straight through its red sun. Prime’s powers were failing, but he still managed to beat Kal-L, fatally injuring him. Kal-El tore the S-shield off Prime’s chest and knocked him out before collapsing. The Green Lanterns took the unconscious Superboy-Prime and arrested him. Kal-L died in Power Girl’s arms, and Kal-El was taken back to Earth, having lost his powers in the fight, at least hopeful that they had once again saved the universe.[162]

Superman’s origins were heavily revised in the Superman: Secret Origin mini-series written by Geoff Johns in 2009; this made the history established by Mark Waid in his 2003 mini-series Superman: Birthright non-canon following Infinite Crisis in 2006. It would remain the definitive origin until 2011 when Flashpoint established the DCnU and Grant Morrison’s Action Comics updated the story.
One Year Later
After living a normal human life as Clark Kent for a year, having lost his powers against Superboy-Prime, Superman’s powers suddenly came back. When he returned to action as the Man of Steel, the sorcerer Arion came to Metropolis to implore Superman to stop fighting for the benefit of mankind, saying that he was disrupting the proper course of human history by pushing back an inevitable devastating event, and in the process, causing that event to be much worse, resulting in the end of civilization. This revelation troubled the Man of Steel and caused him to consider his place in the world.[163]
After some time to think, Superman informed Arion of his choice to continue being a Superman. However, Arion cast a mind-control spell on Superman, planning to use him as a weapon against other alien heroes. But Superman managed to resist the spell and went after Arion, who began unleashing a massive disaster on the world. Phantom Stranger told Superman that Arion had unleashed the very disaster he was trying to prevent.[164] Superman found Arion’s lair in the Atlantic Ocean, and after a lengthy fight, defeated Arion and handed him to the authorities.[165]
Last Son
 Main article: Superman: Last Son
A young boy, seemingly from Krypton, landed in Metropolis in a ship. Although initially the government worked with Superman on studying him, they later moved the boy without informing the Man of Steel. Angered, Clark hijacked the truck transporting the child and took him.[166] Lois and Clark decided to take the boy in as their son, naming him Christopher.[167]
It was discovered that Christopher was the son of Superman’s enemy General Zod, and, when Zod discovered his biological son preferred the parenting of Lois and Clark, Christopher sacrificed himself into the Phantom Zone to prevent his real father from attacking the Earth.[168][169]
The True Brainiac

 Main article: Superman: Brainiac
One day, having discovered a Brainiac drone outside of the Daily Planet, Superman learned from the robot that he had never truly fought Brainiac before, and all the earlier encounters Superman had ever had with the villain had been with one of his probes.[170]
Superman flew all through the galaxy in an attempt to track down the real Brainiac, but, during in his search, he was captured by the villain and brought about Brainiac’s ship.[171]
When Superman recovered, he finally was face to face with the true Brainiac, who had been studying, shrinking, bottling and collecting civilizations throughout the galaxy in his quest for knowledge.[172] Brainiac planned to bottle the Earth, but his invasion was stopped by Superman and Supergirl. Superman restored Metropolis and the stolen bottled city of Kandor to their normal sizes, with the latter being placed in the arctic away from civilization.
However, Brainiac, though defeated, had one final trick left. After reading Superman’s mind while he was kidnapped, he learned where Superman’s parents live and fired a missile that exploded on the Kent farm. Although no one was hurt by the explosion itself, Jonathan Kent suffered a fatal heart attack and died, just as Clark arrived.[173] The loss was heavy, and a funeral was held soon after.[174]
Final Crisis
 Main article: Final Crisis

Beginning another major crisis in the universe, Clayface, disguised as Jimmy Olsen, bombed the Daily Planet, severely injuring and killing several staff members and leaving Lois in critical condition.[175] As Lois was taken to the hospital, Clark managed to keep her heart beating with his heat vision.
Clark whispered that he would do anything to save his wife and was suddenly confronted by Monitor Zillo Valla, who insisted that Superman had to depart Earth immediately if he was to save his wife’s life.[176] Zillo stopped time around Lois, allowing Superman to leave her side for a while, but warned him that while they should have all the time they would need, after time returned to normal Lois’ heart would beat only once without Superman’s help. Zillo promised a drop of Bleed, the extradimensional substance in which the Multiverse used to grow, to heal Lois should their mission succeed.
Exiting reality, Superman was introduced to his allies, fellow Supermen Captain Marvel of Earth-5, the ”Quantum Superman” of Earth-4 Captain Allen Adam, guilt-ridden Overman of the Nazi-dominated Earth-10, and his antimatter twin Ultraman. The group of supermen visited Limbo, where Merryman took them to the Library of Limbo - its sole book containing infinite pages. Together, Superman and Captain Marvel were able to lift the infinite weight, allowing them to learn of the story of the Overmonitor, the all-encompassing megabeing in which the Multiverse grew, into which it sent the Monitors; its initial incursion into reality left a mark on creation in the form of a silent, titanic sentinel in the shape of Superman himself. In a backstabbing move, Ultraman stole the Infinite Book and its power for himself.[177]
As the drugs designed to dampen Captain Adam’s quantum senses wore off, he realized what had to be done and combined the essences of positive Superman and negative Ultraman - the energy generated enough to ’broadcast’ the resultant being to the higher dimension of Nil, home of the Monitors. In this heightened state, Superman discovered that the Monitors were a race of cosmic vampires feeding on the Bleed to sustain themselves and fought to defeat the Dark Monitor. Upon the villain’s defeat, Superman found out that he had been tricked; it was impossible to contain or bottle Bleed to save his wife. Despite this, after splitting from Ultraman and returning to his Earth, Superman managed to distill a single drop of The Bleed anyway and administered it through a kiss to Lois, restoring her to full health.[178]
Afterwards, Superman was transported to the 31st century by the Legion of Super-Heroes and informed that Superboy-Prime had returned to reality and was wreaking havoc in the future. After much deliberation, Superman and the Legion tried and failed to contain Superboy-Prime before realizing that everything been a plot orchestrated by the Time Trapper to destroy Superman. The teams then fought the Time Trapper, only to discover the Time Trapper was actually secretly a time-displaced Superboy-Prime.[179] Upon seeing what he would become, Superboy Prime panicked and punched his future self, erasing them both, and ending the conflict. Superman then returned back to his original time.[180]


When Superman returned to the present, he found the world had been attacked by Darkseid in his absence, and, in a rage, attacked Darkseid’s bunker. There, he found Batman’s charred corpse.[181] Darkseid mocked Superman, saying he planned to take over all of existence, causing Superman to snap and almost kill him. Though he relented, Superman watched as Barry Allen - having been brought back from the dead - and Wally West lead the Black Racer to Darkseid to finally defeat him. As reality crumbled around him and the universe slowly died from the crisis, Superman, with the help of the rest of the remaining superheroes and humanity, constructed the Miracle Machine to undo all the damage. Darkseid’s essence, unbound from his body, attempted to claim the Miracle Machine in a last-ditch effort, but Superman sang a note at a frequency that countered Darkseid’s own vibrational frequency and shattered his essence.
At this point, Mandrakk, now in the form of Monitor Rox Ogama, arrived alongside a now vampiric Ultraman to consume Superman, the last and greatest Protector of Life, at his weakest, explaining that Darkseid’s fall, return and ultimate demise had worn the fabric of creation enough for him to invade it. To fight back, Superman used the remaining solar energy in his body to power the Miracle Machine, making a single wish. The Supermen of the Multiverse appeared and fought back against Mandrakk and Ultraman, weakening Mandrakk enough for the Green Lanterns to break through and kill Mandrakk with a spike created from their rings.
With the crisis over and the multiverse rebuilding, Nix Uotan revealed that Superman’s wish was for a happy ending.[182]
Date Added:
2018-07-02 23:52:34
Created By:
Superman- Kal-El (Earth-One) Mainstream Universe‎, 1950s-1986 Creators Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster. 1st App. More Fun Comics #101 (January, 1945) https://dc.fandom.com/wiki/Kal-El_(Earth-One)
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Writer:
John Bryne
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Penciller:
John Bryne
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Inker:
Karl Kesel
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Colorist:
Tom Ziuko
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Cover Artist:
John Bryne
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Letterer:
John Costanza
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Editor:
Mike Carlin
Dick Giordano [Executive Editor]
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