Adventures of Superman #598 is an issue of the series Adventures of Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 2002. It was published on November 14, 2001.
Synopsis for "Cult of Persuasion (prologue)"
During a quiet night in Metropolis, the citizens of the city suddenly find their primetime entertainment interrupted by a broadcast of Superman fighting the Fatal Five on Warworld. . As most of the inhabitants wonder what is happening, one man stares, enraptured at the screen. He inserts a tape into the VCR and begins to record the fight, staring at the screen as the Man of Steel battles with the axe-wielding Persuader.
The next day, Superman stands with Jimmy Olsen atop the Daily Planet, telling the young reporter what he believes happened the night before. Superman believes that Brainiac 13 must have been watching the fight, and Earth finally received the transmission via its B13 technology. After Superman departs, Jimmy heads down to Perry White's office, hearing the end of a phone call, and proceeds to tell his editor what he just learned. After Jimmy reiterates what he just learned from Superman, he asks about the phone call. Perry tells Jimmy that one of the generator plants is finally going to be fully automated, removing all of the B13 technology. Despite the disputes from downsized workers, slowing they are taking their city back. Clark Kent enters the room, and Perry calls him over. He needs someone to accompany him down to Suicide Slum to meet the S.T.A.R. Labs team. Clark agrees to come with him.
Across Metropolis, the same man who recorded the Superman fight continues to watch the tape. Suddenly he comes to a realization, as he leans in close and watches the Persuader.
As Perry and Clark walk towards the plant, they hear a group of protesters, lead by a man named Cole Parker. Parker calls out to the gathered protesters that they all adapted when Brainiac took over their city, and now 'they' want to take everything from them. Looking over the crowd, Cole suddenly spots Perry. He yells out to the crowd that Perry is one turning public opinion against them. As the crowd turns on Perry and Clark, the two newspapermen run from the mob. Watching Perry flee, Cole suddenly gets an idea.
Inside the plant, Cole tells the assembled workers that he has found something to define them, to fight back with. Holding up a video tape he tells them that he has found that defining something. Cole plays the tape, as the crowd watches the video of Persuader attacking Superman. Holding up an axe, Cole tells the crowd that the workers won't be cast out, and first they will get the man that turned the city against them.
Inside the Planet, Perry walks toward his car when a voice suddenly makes him turn. He finds half-a-dozen men clad in jumpsuits and facemasks, and each man carrying an axe.
Superman walks by a window in his apartment across town and just happens to glance toward the Planet. Doing a double take, Clark takes off toward the Planet.
Five minutes earlier, Perry sits bound to a chair in the newsroom as the 'Persuaders' destroy the room. The head of the gang torments Perry, before he raises his axe above his head, preparing to strike. Suddenly he hears a voice behind him. He turns to find Superman, with eyes smoldering, and his men all unconscious. Thinking that it will go just like the video tape, he rushes toward the Man of Steel with his weapons raised; however, the axe shatters against Superman's chest. The masked man slowly backs away as Superman turns to help Perry up. Perry stands, and tells Superman that he's not positive, but he has a good idea who the man is.
Outside the Planet, the police take the gang away, along with their leader, Cole Parker. As Parker is led to his cell inside Stryker's Island, he listens to the taunting from the other prisoners. He is lead into his cell and is met by his new cellmate. Cole tells him that he had the vision, just not the power. His cellmate tells him that he is in luck, because he just might be able to give him that power. He grins as his eyes glow with an unnatural light.
Appearing in "Cult of Persuasion (prologue)"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- CAELOSS
- Persuader (Cole Parker) (First appearance)
Other Characters:
- Fatal Five (On a TV or computer screen)
- Brainiac 13 (Mentioned only)
- Lois Lane (Mentioned only)
- J.L.A. (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Pluto, Warworld (On a TV or computer screen)
- Earth's Moon (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis
- Suicide Slum
- Steelworks (Mentioned only)
- S.T.A.R. Labs (Mentioned only)
Items:
- B13 Technology
- Jimmy Olsen's Signal Watch (Mentioned only)
Vehicles:
Notes
- The broadcast coverage of Superman's battle with the Fatal Five occurred in Superman (Volume 2) #171.
- Superman navigation number 2002/6, even though the previous one has a navigation number of 1.
- This storyline continues in Adventures of Superman #601
Trivia
- This story has been directly ret-conned by Mxy Twins in Adventures of Superman Vol 1 618.
See Also
Links and References
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Superman 2002 Navigation |
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