Action Comics Vol 1 688

Jonathan Kent suffers a massive heart attack and is taken to the hospital. As doctors labor to save him, Jonathan's spirit leaves his body and he experiences visions of his past. He recalls being a soldier in the Korean War, trying to save the life of a downed airman. He sees his brother Harry, dressed in military fatigues, and knows that something is wrong. Harry Kent died in a farming accident in Smallville, not in Korea. He discovers that the man he is trying to rescue, is not some mysterious downed airman, but his son - Superman. He finds Clark's soul-self, but Clark is ready to go on to the afterlife. Jonathan won't allow it. Desperately, he pleads with Clark and tells him that it is not his time. Moments later, the true archtect behind Jonathan's visions reveals herself - Blaze. Blaze is trying to sever the spiritual cord between Jonathan and Clark. She barters for Jonathan's soul, but he refuses. Kismet appears and leads Jonathan down the proper spiritual path - one that takes him to a facsimile of the planet Krypton where Clark is part of an elaborate Kryptonian funeral procession. Clark finds himself engaged in a tug of war between Jonathan and his birth-father Jor-El. Jonathan dispels the image of Jor-El and pulls Clark back to safety. Suddenly, Jonathan comes to on the hospital operating table. His wife and the attending physicians try to calm him down, but he manages to tell Martha that he has brought Clark back.

In Metropolis, Gangbuster breaks up a drug deal only to learn that he has inadvertently disrupted a sting operation. The police try to arrest him, but Gangbuster runs off. One of the officers opens fire on him, and a bullet strikes Gangbuster in the shoulder. He dives off a building into Hob's Bay and swims away. He resurfaces later and finds a man named Bibbo Bibbowski. Bibbo invites him to come to his place to rest.

Rumors and reports begin circulating that Superman has returned to Metropolis. Lois Lane is dubious, but has to learn the truth for herself. She contacts Inspector Henderson and they go to Centennial Park to inspect Superman's tomb beneath his memorial statue. When they arrive, they are shocked to discover that Superman's coffin is empty.

At the Fortress of Solitude, a team of service robots labor to reconstitute their deceased master, Superman. A consciousness emerges, but it is a being without true physicality. All at once, it experiences a flash of memories - Superman's final moments in battle against Doomsday. The energy being flies off, desperate to rejoin its corporeal self. It finds Superman's body within its tomb. Moments later, "The Last Son of Krypton" emerges. Donning Superman's cape, he flies off back towards the Fortress of Solitude. At the fortress, the Last Son enters a solar-powered regeneration chamber. He emerges from the machine with renewed vitality and a clear sense of purpose. He now has the ability to project energy blasts from his hands, but he is also sensitive to ultraviolet light and must wear a protective visor. Although he only has a few memories of life as Superman, he commits himself to serving the cause of justice.

The Last Son flies back to Metropolis and begins responding to various crimes. Unlike the Superman of old however, the Last Son employs more drastic measures towards fighting injustice. He saves the life of a woman from a mugger by smashing the man through a wall, killing him. He chases another criminal and hospitalizes him, leaving third degree burns across his body. Reports go out across the city, and people begin to speculate -- Has Superman returned?

Later, Lex Luthor discovers that Superman's body is missing. He is furious at his technicians, whom he had instructed to monitor Superman's tomb at all times. Supergirl bursts into his office, angry that he withheld news of Superman's possible return from her. Lex placates Supergirl and tells her that he didn't want to get her hopes up until rumors of Superman's return can be confirmed.

Still later, Lois Lane manages a chance encounter with the Last Son. Even though he looks like Superman and shares some of his memories, his personality is completely different. Lois fears that even if Superman has truly returned, she has still lost him.

John Henry Irons (using the name Henry Johnson) tells some neighborhood kids the folk tale of John Henry - a working class steel driver who made history by drilling a hole in the side of a mountain faster than a competing steam engine. As the tale concludes, the children turn to leave. Suddenly, a car screams around the corner as rival gang members trade shots with one another. One of the gangsters belonging to the Mustangs fires a Toastmaster handgun and accidentally kills one of the children, Zoid. John Henry Irons recognizes the ordnance and gives chase. He dives onto the car, but they manage to shake him off. Later, Myra and Keith Parks visit John in the hospital. John tells Keith the story of how Superman one saved his life. He also tells him how he witnessed Superman's final battle against Doomsday. After being discharged, John walks home. He remembers the promise he once made to Superman to make his life count for something. However, he also recalls that he is the one who invented the Toastmaster weaponry to begin with. To honor Superman's memory, John Henry forges a suit of armor for himself and commits himself to getting the Toastmasters off the streets. Accenting the armor is an S-shaped shield reminiscent of Superman's emblem. John Henry Irons is now the "Man of Steel". He tracks down the Mustangs responsible for Zoid's death and disarms them. He pins one of them against a brick wall using steel spikes fired from his gauntlets. Before he can question him however, the gang member's supplier, the White Rabbit, observes the spectacle from a nearby rooftop and kills him with a Toastmaster sniper rifle. Meanwhile, Lois Lane runs into union leader Jeb Friedman. Jeb knows that Clark Kent is legally dead, so he begins to make his moves on Lois. Lois knows that Jeb is an opportunist, but in this moment of weakness, she lets him provide her comfort while she continues to come to terms with the loss of Superman. At Lexcorp Tower, Lex Luthor and Sydney Happersen monitor television broadcasts of John Henry's actions. Lex is confident that he will finally be able to get a "Man of Steel" on his payroll.

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A group of thugs in a taxicab drive by the Superman memorial statue in Centennial Park and begin shooting at it with their guns. Soon after, they attempt to run down an attractive jogger, but a young boy claiming to be the man of steel intercepts them. Crushing the car, he steals a pair of trendy sunglasses from one of the goons and kisses the would-be victim before flying off. In Suicide Slum, a homeless woman throws a satchel containing three puppies into the harbor. She cannot afford to feed them and would prefer to save them the pain of hunger by drowning them. Fortunately, Bibbo Bibbowski is nearby and dives into the water to save the puppies. He only manages to rescue one before they drown and decides to adopt it. He names it Krypton after the birth planet of his favorite hero, "Sooperman". Meanwhile, the young Superman arrives at the Daily Planet announcing his triumphant return. Lois Lane meets him and is hardly convinced that this is in fact the one, true Superman. This Super-boy begins to flirt with her until he sees a younger reporter, Tana Moon, leaving the Daily Planet building. He introduces himself to Tana and learns that she works for Vincent Edge at WGBS. Tana convinces Superboy to give her a talk-show exclusive interview and he finally broadcasts to the world that he is not the true Superman, but rather his clone. Lex Luthor discovers the news broadcast and summons Project Cadmus administrator, Carl Packard, to his office. At Galaxy Communications, Vincent Edge develops a scheme to maintain exclusive rights to report on the new Superboy. He convinces Tana to stay close to the kid and keep abreast of all of his activities. Superboy learns of a hostage situation taking place on Easy Street in the Suicide Slum district of Metropolis. The Intergang leader known as Steel Hand is laying siege to the city and Superboy is the only hero powerful enough to stop him. Superboy zooms in, destroys all of Steel Hand's weapons and easily knocks him out with a swift blow to the jaw. After the dust settles, the Metropolis Kid flies to a nearby rooftop where he finds Guardian of Project Cadmus waiting for him. Guardian does not approve of Superboy's reckless behavior, but admits that the kid is handling things far better than he had predicted.

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Superboy saves a car filled with teenagers from crashing off the side of Metropolis Bridge. Tana Moon is present and records the event from passenger seat of a WGBS news helicopter. Supergirl arrives and introduces herself to Superboy. Despite having to endure a few lewd comments, she invites Superboy to a dinner date with her employer Lex Luthor. Superboy agrees, but also arranges for a dinner date with Tana Moon.

Meanwhile, one of Vincent Edge's contacts, an unscrupulous talent scout named Rex Leech, hires a mercenary called Stinger to put a hit out on Superboy. After Stinger leaves to track down the Boy of Steel, Rex contacts Edge.

Bibbo Bibbowski meanwhile, gets an engraved dog tag for his new puppy Krypton. The engraver has a six-letter maximum however, and the tag actually reads "Krypto".

That evening, Superboy meets with Lex and Supergirl in Lex's penthouse. Lex asks him to join "Team Luthor" exclusively. Supergirl sweetens the offer, by reminding Superboy that they will be able to work together as partners. Without really considering what he's getting into, Superboy agrees. Superboy suddenly remembers his dinner date with Tana and flies off.

He meets Tana and Vincent Edge at 344 Clinton Street. Edge gives Superboy the apartment formerly occupied by the missing (presumed dead) Clark Kent. Rex Leech enters the room and introduces himself to Superboy. Also present is Rex's vivacious daughter Roxy. Roxy Leech is overly smitten with Superboy and gives him a huge hug. Vincent wants Superboy to sign an exclusive contract with WGBS. Distracted by Roxy pawing at him, Superboy agrees and signs the contract. Tana grows uncomfortable with the meeting and feels that Vincent Edge is manipulating Superboy.

Later, the Stinger attacks Superboy near Hob's River. The two trade blows, and Stinger briefly gives Superboy pause when he fires an electrified grappling line at him. Supergirl arrives to lend a hand, but Stinger wasn't paid to deal with two power houses. He fires explosive rounds at the bridge then makes his escape. The charges go off, and neither Superboy nor Supergirl are fast enough to stop the bridge from collapsing.

Meanwhile in outer space, a mysterious cosmic menace pilots his space craft. The ship will reach Earth in three days.

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In Engine City, Mongul and the Cyborg Superman stage their next plan of attack. With the heavy smoke and fog surrounding the city, nobody knows that they are the true architects of Coast City's destruction. They plan on striking Metropolis next and transforming it into a second Engine City. Superboy meanwhile, finally breaks free of his shackles by way of a strange form of telekinesis - a power that not even Superman possessed. Weak and tired, he starts flying off to warn the people of Metropolis. Back in Metropolis, Jeb Friedman continues to console Lois Lane, but Lois' thoughts are elsewhere. She keeps thinking about the Cyborg Superman. There is something about him that doesn't sit right with her, and she begins to suspect that he may not be the real Superman. She goes to Perry's office and tells him that she is going to Coast City. Perry forbids it, but Lois is undeterred. At the Lexcorp Tower, Supergirl flies into Lex's office and tells him that she is going to Coast City. Lex wants to keep her in Metropolis and finds the perfect excuse when he receives word of a giant robot approaching Metropolis. He tells her that this robot poses an immediate threat and that it might even be another "Doomsday". Supergirl flies off to find the robot. Lois arrives at O'Hara Airport in Oaktown and finds the Man of Steel waiting for her. The two talk about their shared misgivings of the Cyborg Superman. Steel doesn't believe that the Last Son of Krypton is responsible for destroying Coast City as the Cyborg claims. The two look up and see Supergirl soaring past them. Steel follows her to see what she is up to and they encounter the giant robot rising up out of the bay. Supergirl wastes no time and takes the offensive. Steel lends a hand and propels himself straight towards the robot's face plate. Superboy finally arrives in Metropolis as Steel continues to pound at the enemy with his hammer. The robot staggers and ceases to move. Following the fight, Superboy tells the others that the Cyborg Superman and Mongul are the true villains in this debacle and that they plan on striking Metropolis next. Suddenly, a chamber at the bottom of the robot opens and discharges its operator - a being who bears a striking resemblance to Superman. Upon overhearing Mongul's plans to strike the city he barks, "Metropolis --? Over my dead body!"

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