We're not-- communicating, Thul-Kar. There's a planet out there-- Where I grew up-- That could be reduced to so much space dust if I don't get back. Therefore... I am going to get back...! The only question is whether you'll help voluntarily... Or whether I'll have to rattle you 'til the answers fall out! 
- — Superman
The Phantom Zone #3 is an issue of the series The Phantom Zone (Volume 1) with a cover date of March, 1982.
Synopsis for "The Terror Beyond Twilight!"
General Zod and his allies toss Supergirl into the disintegration pit and leave, but Supergirl barely saves herself by reviving in time and digging her fingers into the side of the pit's wall. She drags herself out of the pit and collapses.
Superman and Charlie Kweskill penetrate various lower (or higher) levels of the Phantom Zone, encountering an alternating yellow-and-red Vortex Sun which Superman had once seen while racing with The Flash, battling monsters, and encountering weird "Priestesses of the Crimson Sun." Finally, they meet Thul-Kar, a Kryptonian wizard. Thul-Kar tells them he believed Jor-El's prophecy of Krypton's doom and entered the Phantom Zone by magic. While there, he discovered the truth: that the Zone and all its levels are manifested as the interface between the Earth-One dimension and that of a sentient universe called Aethyr. Only by entering Aethyr's realm can they escape back to Earth, and that is dangerous indeed. Charlie and Superman bid farewell to Thul-Kar and enter the portal between the last Zone level and Aethyr, who strikes back with an energy-burst that knocks out the two invaders.
On Earth, while Supergirl recovers, Zod and his three chosen allies are building a giant Phantom Zone Projector, powered by Green Lantern's power battery power battery, to project the Earth itself into the Phantom Zone.
Appearing in "The Terror Beyond Twilight!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Jer-Em
- Batman
- Jimmy Olsen
- Lois Lane
- Leather-Winged Demi-Demons
- Priestesses of the Crimson Sun (First appearance)
- The Grim Reaper (Construct)
- Thul-Kar (First appearance)
- Aethyr
- Metropolis Police Department
Locations:
- Earth-One
- Metropolis
- Phantom Zone
- Temple of the Crimson Sun (First appearance)
- Fortress of Solitude
- Atomic Cauldron (Disintegration Pit)
- Krypton (Mentioned only)
- Valley of Juru (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Disintegration Ray
- Phantom Zone Projector
- Green Lantern Power Battery
- Vortex Sun
Notes
- This four issue limited series takes place in the Pre-Crisis continuity.
- This issue is reprinted in Superman: Phantom Zone.
Trivia
- Superman last saw the Vortex Sun in World's Finest #198.