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"Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow": Superman takes a businessman named Glen Glenmorgan hostage and threatens to throw him down from the balcony of a tall building unless the businessman confesses to his crimes. The police surround t

Quote1 You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me. Quote2
Superman

Action Comics (Volume 2) #1 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 2) with a cover date of November, 2011. It was published on September 7, 2011.

Synopsis for "Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow"

Superman takes a businessman named Glen Glenmorgan hostage and threatens to throw him down from the balcony of a tall building unless the businessman confesses to his crimes. The police surround the building and threaten to shoot Superman, and in response, he simply throws both himself and Glenmorgan from the balcony. Superman uses his powers to land safely with Glenmorgan in hand, for whom the experience convinces him to confess to having sabotaged the train system. Despite this, a policeman shoots at Superman, who confirms the rumours the Daily Planet has been spreading about him by catching the bullet in his hand. He makes his escape, but not before telling Detective Blake - the officer in charge - about an ulcer he ought to get checked, having detected it with his x-ray vision.

Elsewhere, General Sam Lane worries that this Superman who showed up six months ago in Metropolis seems to be getting stronger. He wonders how long it will be before the super-human cannot be stopped. He has since hired Lex Luthor, at an exorbitant consultancy fee, to help him capture the Superman by 8PM this night.

Meanwhile, Superman dodges the police pursuit through Metropolis until he hears the cries of people in danger with his super-hearing. A demolition crew is scheduled to tear down Galileo Square, however, its buildings are still full of squatters. He is, however, unaware that the demolition was scheduled by Lex Luthor, who intended it as a trap. Superman manages to stop the wrecking ball, allowing the people to escape. But before long, several military tanks appear in the square to capture him with an electrified net. Fortunately, Superman breaks free and uses the wrecking ball to smash the tank's metal exterior. Another tank fires on him, but before the tank can fire again, the people Superman rescued help him get back to his feet and stand in the way of the tanks. Further, the police send remote-controlled helicopters to attack Superman, but he manages to escape by launching himself into the sky with a single bound.

Superman successfully arrives at the rooftop of his apartment building and changes into civilian clothes, though still looking a bit the worse for wear. He receives a visit from Mrs. Nyxly, his landlady, who asks about his injuries. Clark tells her that he was injured when he wrote a story about Intergang's influence on the dock unions, and they didn't take kindly to having their secrets revealed. Mrs. Nyxly is sympathetic, but all the same demands the rent, and Clark complies - unexpectedly, given that she usually has to deal with the professionally unemployed. Before taking her leave, she informs him that he had three visitors earlier - news that confuses him. Once alone, Clark calls his friend Jimmy Olsen on his cellphone.

Jimmy is with Lois Lane, following a lead on the subway. Clark tells him not to get on any train, as they were all sabotaged by Glenmorgan in collaboration with Luthor and a mysterious business partner in order to kill Gus "Guns" Grundig and silence him. Lois ignores Clark's warning, knowing that he works for a rival newspaper, and boards the train, trailing Grundig, because she knows he works for Glenmorgan, and she thinks she can get a story out of him. Unexpectedly, the train increases its speed, just as Grundig turns and pulls his guns on the young reporters. Learning from his boss that Glenmorgan's plan has already begun to take place, Superman rushes to the train, realizing that Lois and Jimmy ignored his warning. Hurriedly, he stops the train with his bare hands, and the sudden jolt allows the passengers to take Grundig down.

With two minutes left until 8PM, General Lane and Lex Luthor watch as Superman is pinned against a wall by the crashed train. Although Lane is upset that Luthor put his daughter's life at stake, Luthor justifies this by saying that he did manage to deliver the Superman, who is captured by the police in his weakened state.

Appearing in "Superman Versus the City of Tomorrow"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

  • Robocopters

Vehicles:

Notes

  • This run of Action Comics (through issue 18) is set early in Superman's career, approximately six years prior to Superman (Volume 3) #1.
  • Mrs. Nyxly mentions that three of Clark's friends stopped by. She is referring to the Legion of Super-Heroes, who have come back in time to prevent his death.
  • The man with whom Glen Glenmorgan is making deals is Vyndktvx, who uses Superman's attack on Glenmorgan as an opportunity to sow distrust about him.
Pandora Action Comics 001

Pandora appears.

  • Pandora makes a cameo appearance to witness the events of this storyline, as she does every #1 issue published as part of The New 52. She can be seen next to Jimmy and Lois on the train while it's about to crash, standing calmly. This is directly following her first appearance in the pages of Flashpoint.[1]
  • The Mechanical Monsters appear on the Jim Lee alternate cover, but they are not in the story inside.
  • Despite this being the first issue in the New 52, most of the characters in this story had already previously appeared in the Flashpoint event.
  • Reprinted in The New 52: 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition.

Trivia


See Also

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Links and References

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