DC Comics Presents #22 is an issue of the series DC Comics Presents (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1980. It was published on March 13, 1980.
Synopsis for Superman and Captain Comet: "Plight of the Human Comet"
A mysterious man bursts into the Daily Planet offices looking for Clark Kent. When Lois Lane tells him that he's off covering an oil slick out in Metropolis Bay, the man rushes out, ignoring Lois's attempts to out-scoop Clark. However, Clark has passed on the story to Jimmy Olsen on a lame excuse so that he can deal with the oil slick as Superman, blowing the slick farther out to see so that it can be more easily cleaned. As the mystery man approaches the Metropolis pier he suddenly transforms into a giant comet and begins flying about the city. Witnessing the menace, Superman catches it in his indestructible cape until it stops whipping it around. Opening his cape he is shocked to find the hero Captain Comet inside. Comet asks Superman for help, otherwise he will die.
Captain Comet explains his origins, the when he was born a comet passed by his parents how hyper-evolving him into a human mutant from 1,000,000 years in the future. He now fears that unless he gets another exposure from the same comet his powers are now fading, and that the transformations into a literal comet will spell his doom. Superman agrees to help and brings Captain Comet to the Fortress of Solitude to go over his records on comets. Reading his entire library on the subject in under five seconds, Superman learns that the comet will be passing over Chicago the next morning at 2 am. Superman has to leave briefly to perform his nightly newscast as Clark Kent, but offers to join Captain Comet in intercepting the comet with him after.
However, Captain Comet is not he only man interested in the comet. A man calling himself Starstriker is also in Chicago, seeking to intercept the comet so that he too can have his latent mutant abilities awakened. When Superman and Captain Comet arrive, he attacks, them keeping the two heroes busy long enough to get exposure to the comet and gain super-human powers. As this is happening, Captain Comet is once more transforming into a literal comet. With time running out, Superman tosses Captain Comet at the comet that first gave him his powers. The resulting impact destroys the other comet, but restores Captain Comet back to human form and restoring his powers to their full potential. When they attempt to stop Starstriker, he teleports away. With Superman having duties to perform as Clark Kent, he has to return to Metropolis while Captain Comet continues to search for their foe.
Later, Clark receives a telepathic summons from Captain Comet and rushes into the Daily Planet storage closet to change into Superman. However, Clark soon finds that his powers have failed him when he attempts to fly and instead thumps loudly on the floor. The noise rouses Lois Lane, and Clark has to quickly change back into his civilian clothing before she can discover his double identity. Realizing Starstalker has placed some mental block on him, Superman contacts Wonder Woman on the JLA satellite and has her teleport him to the location of Starstriker's hideout.
Starstriker meanwhile has captured Captain Comet and is using the hero to amplify his own powers. Creating three mental duplicates of himself, Starstriker sends them out to attack Superman and seemingly defeat them. However, Superman, determining that Starstriker couldn't force Superman to not become invulnerable, fakes being knocked out until he is taken prisoner. He then breaks himself and Captain Comet free. Although Comet breaks the mental block preventing Superman from using his other super-powers, the Man of Steel is forced to fly into space when Starstriker uses a device to bring three comets crashing down on Earth. As Superman is dealing with the threat, Captain Comet and Starstriker lock in mental combat. Ultimately, it is Captain Comet who wins overpowering Starstriker into transforming into a comet and restructuring his brain so that if he were to use his powers again he would once more turn into a comet. With Starstriker defeated for good, Captain Comet thanks Superman for all his help.
Appearing in Superman and Captain Comet: "Plight of the Human Comet"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Starstriker (Single appearance)
Other Characters:
- Wonder Woman (Cameo)
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Superman Recommended Reading
- Action Comics (Volume 1)
- Action Comics (Volume 2)
- Adventures of Superman (Volume 1)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 1)
- Batman/Superman (Volume 2)
- Batman/Superman: World's Finest (Volume 1)
- DC Comics Presents (Volume 1)
- Superman (Volume 1)
- Superman (Volume 2)
- Superman (Volume 3)
- Superman (Volume 4)
- Superman (Volume 5)
- Superman (Volume 6)
- Superman/Batman (Volume 1)
- Superman Confidential (Volume 1)
- Superman: Son of Kal-El (Volume 1)
- Superman: The Man of Steel (Volume 1)
- Superman: The Man of Tomorrow (Volume 1)
- Superman/Wonder Woman (Volume 1)
- World's Finest (Volume 1)