The story starts with an
alien craft crashing on Earth and the rescued occupant turning out to be an evolutionary
offshoot of a Kryptonian ancestor species. We find out that this Kryptonian
Mark II(Kryptian) who is called Lenn Lann is in fact from a world on which the
Kryptonians originated and that Krypton was actually a colony world. The aliens
who shot Lenn Lann’s craft down are insectlike conquerors with a hive mind (the
Hive) who have conquered the Kryptians homeworld which has been subjugated by
them for the last thousand years. Lenn
Lann is a resistance fighter who escaped from his world in one of the Hive’s
ships and went in search of a legendary artifact that he believed could give
his people the power to defeat the Hive. The area of space the Kryptians live
in is extremely old and all it’s suns are red. Krypton was the only world
successfully colonised by the Kryptians billenia ago. In an earlier age they
sent out a fleet of primitive ships to the nearest stars to colonise the worlds
but the colonists were never heard from and it was believed that they were
destroyed. Unbeknownst to the the characters one of those colony ships fell
through a wormhole and crashed on Krypton. This ship was the lead ship in the
colony fleet and was carrying the artifact that Lenn Lann has been seeking. All
Kryptians have low-level psychic abilities and the artifact Lenn Lann is
seeking is a mental amplifier that would not only amplify the mental powers of
any psychic a thousandfold but also enables them to join their psychic
abilities with others amplifying their powers even further. Lenn Lann believes
with this artifact his people can defeat the Hive and take back his world. The
Hive mind feeds of psychic energy and when they have drained the Kryptians of
their energy the insect drones consume the mindless bodies of the Kryptian
slaves. Lenn Lann believes with the artifact his people can overload the Hive
mind with a wave of psychic energy leaving the insect drones as mindless prey
to be exterminated by the Kryptians. He had a tracking device that led him
straight to the ruins of Krypton and there he picked up the trail of Kal-El’s
rocket and followed it to Earth. Lenn Lann has been in space for over a decade
but Earth is the first planet with a yellow sun he has visited. The Hive ships
are extremely advanced and travelling from one end of the galaxy to the other
is merely a short hop. The Kryptian homeworld is very far away.
While Superman is getting
acquainted with Lenn Lann, Lex Luthor is plotting and scheming some new
villainy. Superman knows Lex is up to something but has been unable to find out
what. Lex Luthor has secreted a bug in the JL headquarters and finds out about
Lenn Lann.
Lenn Lann asks Superman to
come with him and help him free his world. Superman feels kinship with Lenn
Lann and after discussing it with his parents and Lois agrees. He is still
worried about whatever Lex is up to and asks Batman to investigate. He also
asks J’onn J’onnz to pose as Superman in order to prevent the criminal element
getting out of line while he is away.
Lex discovers Superman’s
plans and gloats knowing that Superman will be away and unable to interfere
with his schemes.
In his short time on Earth
Lenn Lann develops super-powers similar too but different from Superman’s. He
can move at super-speeds, fly, and has telescopic vision. He does not have
X-Ray or heat vision. He is only partially invulnerable and can sustain
considerable impacts but is vulnerable to sharp edges. He is not vulnerable to
Kryptonite. He is nearly four times as strong as Superman. He can fire massive
beams of energy from his hands but cannot control the intensity. He has grown
up on a harsh world without super-powers and is skilled in the ways of
hand-to-hand combat as well as various mental disciplines and techniques. After
a slight learning curve he masters his new abilties with more effectiveness than
Superman due to his previous training.
As the artifact that Lenn
Lann is searching for is discussed Superman realises that it bears a striking
similarity to the Eradicator but when Lenn Lann asks to use the Eradicator in
their struggle Superman refuses saying that it cannot be controlled and would
turn against them.
Lois wants to go with
Superman to the Kryptian homeworld but he won’t let her saying that it’s too
dangerous. Superman, his parents, the Kryptian, Lois, Batman and J’onn travel
to the Fortress of Solitude where Superman has a spaceship that he got a hold
of in a previous adventure. He has equipped the craft with a solar energy
generator which allows him to take solar showers and recharge his powers. It
only has a limited capacity however and must be used sparingly. As the group
walks down the Fortresses corridors they pass a giant hall full of statues of
past heroes of Earth such as the original Flash, Hal Jordan, Abraham Lincoln,
Martin Luther King etc. Lenn Lann asks about it and Superman says that it is
the Hall of Heroes. In pride of place in the centre of the hall are two statues
of Jor-El and Lara holding Krypton between them. The groups walks on and
tearful farewells are said as Superman and Lenn Lann depart for the Kryptian
homeworld. Unbeknownst to anyone Lois stows away aboard the spacecraft before
it departs.
Left behind on Earth the
Kents go back to their farm and J’onn proceeds to impersonate Superman.
Meanwhile Batman investigates Lex Luthor in an attempt to find out what he is up
to.
Enroute to the Kryptian
homeworld Lenn Lann begins to train Superman in martial arts and mental
disciplines in an attempt to help Superman maximise the effectiveness of his
powers which will only last for a short time on the Kryptian homeworld which
orbits a red sun. In a vast empty cargo hold on board the ship a fight/training
session ensues that is analagous the one in The Matrix between Neo and
Morpheus. Moving at superspeeds the two exchange blows but Superman can’t seem
to land a punch. Lenn Lann lectures him that he needs to find his inner balance
whilst constantly keeping Superman off-balance with lightning fast attacks.
Finally the two get down and dirty and Superman ends up punching Lenn Lann
through the hull of the ship and out into space.
Later on in the trip Lois
is discovered and Superman wants to turn back. Lenn Lann refuses saying that it
is too late to turn back and that they need to refuel on a nearby Hive-world.
He claims that resistance fighters on the world will help them refuel and reach
their destination. Superman reluctantly backs down realizing he has no choice
but to go along.
On Earth Batman closes in
on Lex’s trail but every lead turns into a dead end. Later in the JLHQ they
discover Lex’s listening device and realise that he’s been one step ahead of
them all along. Gambling that Lex does not realise they’ve discovered his bug
they formulate a plan to ‘leak’ misleading information.
Meanwhile Lex has been
having high-level meetings with various officials – something is in the works.
After a phone call he turns and adresses a figure in shadow – “Do it!”. The
figure backs away and vanishes into the shadows.
In the secluded Kent house
the Kent’s are having lunch when they are distracted by the sound of a large
plane flying over-head. The nearest airfield is over fifty miles away and
wondering why a plane is passing over their farm Johnathan looks out the window
to see parachuting figures land around the house and jumps back from the window
in alarm as gunshots from machine guns punch through the windows and richochet
around him. Martha screams and Johnathan grabs his shotgun and fires shots out
the window. One of the parachuted figures falls. Martha runs to the phone but
it’s dead and Johnathan tells her to activate the JL signalling device Clark
gave to them before he left in case of an emergency. She presses the button and
waits but nothing happens.
Elsewhere the JL is
distracted by a series of explosions around Metropolis and other big cities that
were caused by Lex to distract them from the Kent’s. Batman sees the signal and
alerts J’onn that the Kents are in trouble. J’onn tells Batman to teleport him
to the Kent farm. Batman’s hands fly across the control panel and in glow of
light J’onn disappears from the Metropolis skyline where he had been floating.
On the Kent farm Martha
screams and Johnathan curses as the parachuted figures burst in through the
front door and Johnathan leaps in front of his wife and falls to the ground in
a hail of machine gunfire. Martha screams and sobs uncontrollably as the
paratroops advance towards her when in a flash of light Superman – J’onn in
disguise - appears in front of her and seeing the situation launches himself at
the paratroops. They turn and run. J’onn grabs one of them and demands to know
who they are and who sent them.
In Lex Luthor’s penthouse
he is watching the events at the Kent farm unfold on a screen and cursing
incompetence presses a button on a control panel in front of him.
The man J’onn is holding
suddenly catches fire. The heat is intense and J’onn dropping the figure backs
away. The rest of the fleeing paratroops catch fire and when the smoke clears
there is nothing left but ashes. J’onn reverts to his normal form and stands
head bowed sadly as Martha sobs uncontrollably over the dead body of her
husband.
On board the ship Lois and
Superman are shouting and arguing about her stowing on board the ship when
suddenly Superman pales and falls silent. “Something is wrong,” he says but he
can’t say what. Lenn Lann comes out and tells them that they’ll be landing on
the refuelling post in ten minutes. Pulling himself together Superman, Lenn
Lann and Lois head towards the cockpit an anxious frown remaining on Superman’s
face.
In Metropolis Batman
comforts Martha vowing that he’ll find out who did this and make them pay.
Martha asks if that will bring Johnathan back.
The ship lands at the
spaceport of a desolate world covered in vast deserts. The trio step out and
look around at the bustling alien figures going about there business. Lois
comments on a tentacled creature having a bad hair day. Lenn Lann looks at her
strangely and says that it doesn’t have any hair. “Never mind,” says Lois. An
official-looking humanoid approaches them and asks for their refuelling
permits. Lenn Lann wanders away with the official talking to it in a quiet
voice. The official looks back at Superman and Lois a couple of times as they
talk. Lenn Lann comes back and says that it’s all sorted but that they’ll need
to separate for decontamination. Superman protests but Lois calms him and the
three separate as they are escorted away by separate officials. After the
decontamination prcoess Superman waits for Lenn Lann nad Lois to show up.
Eventually Lenn Lann shows up and says they have to get back to the ship right
away. Superman asks where Lois is and Lenn Lann says she is safe but they need
to go. Not knowing what to do Superman follows Lenn Lann back to the ship and
once on board Lenn Lann begins the takeoff procedure. Superman protests
demanding to know what’s happened to Lois. Lenn Lann says that he knew that as
soon as they were refuelled Superman would insist on taking Lois back to Earth
so he had some of his associates escort her to another ship headed for the
Kryptian homeworld that had left fifteen minutes ago. Superman rages at Lenn
Lann and threatens to kill him. Lenn Lann remains unperturbed simply stating
that if Superman wants Lois back he’ll have to cooperate. Superman fumes
silently but knows he has no choice.
In Metropolis Batman flits
from building to building in pursuit of a limo. He watches intently as Lex
steps out and walks into a building. After a moment of concentration he turns
and vanishes into the darkness.
Lois lies unconscious on a
bed in a small room. She stirs and sit up pulling the sheets to her realising
that she is naked. At the end of her bed is folded clothing. Picking it up she
realises it is a formfitting elastic black material. She groans, “Not tights!”
Later lying back on the bed
her hands behind her head wearing the black outfit that covers her entire body
including her hands and feet leaving only her head bare Lois sits up at the
sound of the rooms door opening. A heavily muscled man wearing a similar outfit
only covered in high-tech armour and wearing heavy duty boots steps into the
room. The man looks down at her scornfully and informs her that she is their
prisoner and that it is futile to attempt to escape. She shrugs and lies back
casually on the bed saying that she’s quite comfortable where she is. This
seems to enrage the man and he raises his fist but controlling himself he
lowers it and says she’ll see how comfortable she is after being here for a
year. He leaves the room and Lois breathes a sigh of relief.
Superman and Lenn Lann are
arguing vociferously as their ship approaches a blue and green world much like
Earth. Superman sees the world through one of the ship windows and gapes. It is
not what he expected. This is the Kryptian homeworld. He says that he thought
it would be a desolate wasteland. Lenn Lann says that the Hive are destructive
and upset the natural balance of things but that it is a slow process; the Hive
are patient. In a thousand years his world will be like the last world they
visited – a victim of the Hive’s destructive nature. Superman looks out the
window at the gem of a world before him and vows that he won’t let that happen.
The world draws nearer.
Lois in captivity befriends
some of her captors and learns of their plight. Slowly but surely the Hive is
hunting them down and exterminating them like rats. The rebel leader remains
remote and contemptuous towards Lois but allows her to roam the rebel facility
at the behest of his followers.
Superman and Lenn Lann land
on the Kryptian homeworld and are immediately surrounded by large insectlike
creatures. Superman goes to launch himself at them but falls back in pain – the
victim of a psychic attack. A voice in his mind demands to know who he is and
what he is doing here. Lenn Lann is undergoing a similar ordeal. Finally unable
to take any more the pair black out.
Superman and Lenn Lann
awake to find themselves bound and in captivity in a dark, cavelike arena. They
are surrounded by the chittering Hive drones. Both have headaches. The voice of
the Hive Queen speaks to them and demands to know what they were planning.
Superman and Lenn Lann both refuse to talk and furious the Queen begins to
drain them of energy.
In the JLHQ the JL are
gathered – Flash, Batman, J’onn, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Maxima. They are arguing
about what to do about Luthor who Batman now knows was responsible for the
Kent’s deaths but can’t prove it. Flash reckons he should zoom in and paint
horns and a mustache on Luthor and zoom out before anyone knew what had
happened. Maxima believes that they should kill him for his crimes. The group
argue until they are interrupted by Martha who has been brought to the HQ for
protection. She says that to kill Lex would be to lower themselves to his level
and that he must be brought down without violence and without breaking the law.
Batman who has been silent till now agrees and vows that he won’t rest until he
sees Lex behind bars like any common criminal. The other JLers agree and Maxima
huffs but agrees not to do anything.
Lois and her new friends
learn of Superman and Lenn Lann’s capture and Lois tries to persuade them that
a resuce effort is in their best interests as Superman and Lenn Lann may be
their only hope of defeating the Hive. Her friends agree and approach the rebel
leader – Tanin Krell – who refuses and says that it would be suicide. Lois
argues and says that they are dying a slow death anyway at least they could go
out fighting. She says if he wont go she will and asks to be equipped with
armour. Tanin looks at her with new respect and finally agrees to help. A
rescue team is formed comprised of Lois, Tanin and her friends. The head out to
the Hive lair. This is a cavaly raid says Tanin – in and out lightning fast. If
they give the Hive time to react it’ll all be over. Lois agrees and they fly
off in a stealth plane that the rebels managed to steal.
The Queen is continuing to
drain Superman and Lenn Lann of their energy and finally satisfied that they no
longer pose a threat she ceases and hands them over to her drones who move in
mandibles snapping viciously. Superman cries out in pain as a mandible tears
into his arm and blood wells to the surface. Lenn Lann is faring no better. A
sudden explosion distracts the drones and the room fills with smoke choking and
coughing Superman and Lenn Lann watch as figures emerge from the smoke and the
lead figure fires at their bonds to chop them down. Other figures rush forward
and prevent Superman and Lenn Lann from collapsing helping them walk to the
cave entrance. At the entrance a figure is laying down covering fire rushing
back and forth ducking behind a boulder as a bolt of psychic energy nearly hits
her. It’s Lois. Superman gapes in surprise. She rushes forward as he and Lenn
Lann are led out of the cave by their rescuers. What took you so long? Superman
asks trying to smile but grimacing in pain. Their rescuers lead them out of the
caves and to the waiting stealth plane. As they take off thousands of drones
come swarming out of the cave. “Suck on this,” yells Tanin and fires a rocket
into the cave entrance. The entrance collapses and boulders fall crushing
hundreds of drones. The stealth plane flies off into the sunset and Superman
collapses into Lois’ arms. “I couldn’t let you have all the fun,” she says
smiling.
Later at the rebel base
Superman wakes in a similar room to the one Lois woke in just as she walks in
the door. She congratualtes him on getting the crap beaten out of him then asks
if he’s alright. He says yes and asks what’s happening. She says the rebels are
discussing what to do next. Lenn Lann has a plan to use the Eradicator against
the Queen. Superman’s eyes widen. Lenn Lann must have stolen it he realises. He
gets up wincing in pain. He has to stop Lenn Lann he says. He doesn’t realise
how dangerous the Eradicator is. Lois helps him up and together they walk/limp
to the rebel conference room.
In the conference room the
rebel leaders are discussing the use of the Eradicator device when Lois and
Superman walk into the room. Superman beseeches them not to use it but they
ignore him. They are desperate and will try anything. Superman collapses into a
chair in despair as the rebels walk out of the room leaving him and Lois alone.
The rebels are gathered in
a large room in the centre of which is the Eradicator device. Lenn Lann
approaches it and places his hands on it’s surface. His body stiffens then
relaxes, Slowly everyone in the room stiffens then relaxes and a wave of energy
spreads out from the room. We see the energy wave sweep out from the base and
across the ground and then from space we see the energy wave cover the entire
planet. We see Kryptians all over the world go still as the wave sweeps over
them. Finally it stops and we return to Lenn Lann who steps away from the
Eradicator and speaks in a multitude of voices at once. “I am Kryptian,” he
says, “and I am coming for you,” he says to the Queen’s mind. The Queen quakes
in fear wondering what this powerful being is.
Lenn Lann walks out of the
base and floats into the air the power of every Kryptians psychic energy
fuelling him. Superman and Lois step out of the base and watch quietly as Lenn
Lann flies off towards the Queen’s lair. They are the only two humanoids on th
planet spared by the energy wave.
Lenn Lann flies into the
Queen’s lair and begins a psychic assault. The Queen screams in pain and agony
collapsing to the ground. All around her the drones weave and crash into each
other aimlessly as their Queen’s mental control weakens. Suddenly Lenn’s attack
falters. “I am the Eradicator,” he says. He frowns. “No. I am Kryptian.” As he
struggles internally the Queen recovers and sensing his weakness laughs in
triump as she reaches out psychichally and begins to drain him of energy.
Lenn/Kryptian/The Eradicator screams as the Queen drains him of energy.
From space we see a wave
sweeping across the planet coming together in a dome of bright light around the
Queen’s lair.
The Queen continues to
drain Lenn who is surrounded by brilliant light finally the light dims and goes
out and Lenn collapses to the ground unconscious. The Queen triumphant signals
her Drones and they move in to feed on Lenn’s collapsed body.
All across the world
Kryptians are collapsed unconscious.
In the rebel base figures
stir and lift themselves of the ground clutching their heads and groaning. Lois
and Superman move among them until they come across Tanin. They ask him what
happened. He tells them. They ask him what now. “We have been drained of all
our psychic energy. The Queen can no longer feed upon us. That means only one thing.
Feeding time.”
All across the globe Drones
swarm out from the ground and begin to consume the bodies of the unconscious
Kryptians. Some of the Kryptians wake and scream only to fall into blissful
oblivion as their bodies are gnawed at.
At the rebel base an alarm
goes off and Tanin says they have been discovered. The Drones are coming.
Superman offers to help but Tanin says there is nothing he can do and that he
and Lois should leave. He gives Lois a meaningful look as he says that and she
looks away. Superman is distraught. He knows that if he leaves he will be
leaving the Kryptians to die but his concern for Lois is too strong and he
agrees to go. Tanin tells Superman to take the Eradicator with him saying that
Superman was right and they should have listened to him. Lois suggests Tanin
and the other rebels come with them but Tanin shakes his head and says this is
their world and they will fight to the last to defend it. Both crying Superman
and Lois take the Eradicator and leave.
Lois and Superman rush to
the ship and climb on board. Superman rushes to the cockpit and starts the
take-off sequence. Outside millions of Drones swarm across the planet consuming
all organic life. Lois watches on anxiously and finally the ship takes off was
thousands of Drones come swarming towards it. She breathes a sigh of relief.
Tanin stands at the head of
the rebels outside the base as millions of Drones appear and cursing the Queen
he and the rebels charge into the Drones firing their weapons before being swept
under by the swarm.
In orbit Superman and Lois
watch as a dark patch spreads out over the planet’s surface totally covering
it. They collapse into each others arms and cry for the millions of people
being killed. For the genocide of a race. Suddenly the ship rocks and the
Queen’s mind worms into Superman’s head. He screams and slowly the ship begins
to be dragged back to the planet’s surface by the Queen’s psychic power.
Superman screams in rage, “I won’t let you get away with this,” he yells. She laughs,
“You can’t stop me.” Furious Superman drags himself to the Eradicator and
places his hands on it. The Queen asks what he’s doing but he doesn’t answer.
He body tenses then relaxes. “I am Superman he says, I can and I will.” With a
mighty effort he breaks the Queen’s hold on the ship and it speeds away from
the dying planet. Fighting with all his will Superman blocks the Queen’s
psychic attacks and she screams in frustration. Then the Eradicator programming
begins to take control of his mind. He is the Eradicator. NO. He is Superman.
Eradicator. Superman. The Queen laughs in triumph and seizes control of the
ship once more. Superman realizing he is losing gives into the Eradicator
programming and allows it to take control. He is the Eradicator. The Eradicator
breaks the Queen’s psychic hold and and sends back a wave of psychic energy
invading the Queen’s mind. The Queen screams in agony under the onslaught.
Mercilessly the Eradicator tears apart the Queen’s mind until she is left a
quivering mindless wreck. In the Queen’s cavern the Drones see their Queen
collapse and movie in to consume her flesh she screams in agony.
Back on the ship the
Eradicator turns to Lois and she backs away. She begs Superman to come back to
her and from somewhere deep insisde Superman hears her and a battle of wills
begins for control of Superman’s body. In a desolate landscape in the minds-eye
two titans face off in a battle from which one will not walk away. Played out
in a hellish landscape the two identical in appearance fight hand to hand for
the advantage. Finally one wins and the other fails fading into nothing. Which
one won? This is the question she asks herself as Superman/The Eradicator?
Painfully sits up. He looks up at her and smiles and she rushes to him. She
helps him up and to a seat. She thought he wasn’t coming back, she tells him.
She knows him better than that he says. Didn’t Doomsday teach her anything? Her
grins and she smiles tearfully and they both look out the window into the black
depths of space. They’re going home.
A month later the ship
lands on Earth and Superman and Lois step out to be greeted by the JL with
Batman at their head and Martha. Superman asks where his Dad is and Martha
breaks down in tears. Batman steps forward and quietly explains what happened
to Superman and Lois. Superman roars in fury and his eyes glisten with tears.
Lois rushes over to Martha and takes her in her arms. Superman demands to know
who did it but Batman says he won’t tell him till he’s calmed down. Superman
lifts Batman off the ground by his neck and demands Batman tell him who did it.
Batman remains silent but Flash lets slip that Luthor did it and Batman glares
at him. Batman tells Superman not to do something he’ll regret later but
Superman is gone in a flash of red.
Luthor is sitting behind
his desk watching the news on a large screen in the wall of his penthouse when
Superman bursts through another wall and in a flash of red is at Lex’s desk
which he tosses aside in rage. He reaches out and grabs Lex by the neck lifting
him off the floor. His eyes blazing red he is on the verge of killing Lex when
Lex brings his hand from behind his back and lifts it to Superman’s face. He is
wearing a ring with Kryptonite embedded in it. Superman collapses to the floor
in pain as Lex waves the ring in front of his face and taunts him. Lex says
that he’s known ever since he met Clark as a teenager in Smallville that Clark
was different and when Superman showed up he knew all along that Clark and
Superman were one and the same. It was just never the right time to act. But
now Clark’s father was dead and there was nothing Superman could do about it.
Superman roars in fury but collapses to the floor again in pain as Lex brings
the ring closer. Lex tells him to look at the TV screen. Superman refuses but
when he hears Lex’s name mentioned he looks up unable to stop himself. He
watches in horror as a newsreader says that Lex has entered the political arena
in a shock debut and is running for President. Superman can’t believe it. Lex
taunts Superman and says there is nothing he can do. He can’t prove that Lex
was behind the death of his father. He can’t kill Lex because of the Kryptonite
ring and he can’t prevent Lex from becoming President. Superman is too weak too
protest but simply glares at Lex in impotent frustration before wincing in
pain. His triumph complete Lex lifts Superman who is now barely conscious and
carries/walks him to the hole in the wall of his penthouse. “Au revoir,” says
Lex and shoves Superman out the hole. Superman falls and crashes to the ground
unconscious smashing a newstand. A minute later a JL plane appears in the sky
and lands beside Superman’s unconscious body. Lois and the JLers rush out and
picking up Superman’s body walk back to the plane and climb aboard. Batman
wonders where they should take him and Lois says home. Martha and Lois hug as
they look down at Superman lying unconscious on the floor of the plane.
Later Superman wakes on the
bed in his and Lois’ apartment. He stumbles in his boxers out into the living
room. Lois rushes to him and guides him to the couch. She tells him he should
be resting. Martha comes into the room and sits on the couch beside her son
trying to comfort him. Superman is despondent he feels he has failed everyone –
the Kryptians, his father, Martha because he couldn’t save her husband. He
doesn’t know if it’s worth struggling anymore. Lois and Martha try to persuade
him that his life is worthwhile but he doesn’t even know if it’s worth living.
Finally Lois bursts out that if he wants something in life that’s worth
struggling for then what about the life of their son? Superman and Martha look
up in surprise and Lois confesses that she’s pregnant. Superman looks at her
stomach with his X-ray vision and gasps in surprise at the sight of his growing
infant son. He’s going to be a father. Martha hugs Lois and Superman smiles for
the first time since he got back to Earth.
The next day still feeling
smug Lex is sitting in his office talking on his phone while workers repair the
hole in his wall when one of them slips and falls out the hole. Lex jumps up
cursing incompetent workers and hefty legal bills when the man floats back up
and lands back in the office. Lex’s draw drops then he sees Superman step in
behind the worker. His mouth closes. Superman is back to his traditional
costume with one slight difference. His S-shield now has a black background
instead of a yellow one. Superman points to the black and tells Lex that her
wears it in mourning and wont stop wearing it until Lex is brought to justice.
With that said Superman is gone in a streak of red and blue. Lex’s face
contorts in fury and he screams in rage and anger smashing his fist into his
desk. Gradually he composed himself. His triumph would have to wait for another
day.
Superman flies in the skies
above Metropolis enjoying the gentle breeze on his face and the freedom of no
longer being bound to the ground. He sees a small child being bullied and
cowering from a group of kids and lands beside him and asks if he’d like to go
for a fly. The boy looks up at Superman and says yes please. Superman picks the
boy up and grinning launches into the bright summer sky. The other boys look on
enviously. As Superman flies around with the small boyin his arms he wonders if
it will be like this with his son. He grins to himself and takes the boy home.
Later that day Superman,
Lois, Martha, Batman and J’onn gather at the Fortress of Solitude. Batman asks
Superman why he brought them here and Superman leads them through the fortress
to the Hall of Heroes. In pride of place is a statue of Johnathan Kent cradling
a baby Clark in his arms a broad smile on his face. A plaque at the statues
feet reads “The Greatest Hero of All”.
THE END.