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in: Joe Orlando/Executive Editor, Neal Adams/Cover Artist, Gerry Conway/Writer,
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Superman Vol 1 307

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"Krypton -- No More!": Superman finds himself tearing apart a vinyl chloride plant when he gets pounced from behind by a flying, energy-glowing, costumed stranger. Superman tries to fight back, but the stranger -a mutant with the ability to change his molecular structure a

Quote1 Face it, Clark-- You've been ill! You created the whole Krypton fantasy to escape the reality of your life-- A reality you couldn't face! Quote2
— Supergirl

Superman #307 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 1977.

Synopsis for "Krypton -- No More!"

Superman finds himself tearing apart a vinyl chloride plant when he gets pounced from behind by a flying, energy-glowing, costumed stranger. Superman tries to fight back, but the stranger -a mutant with the ability to change his molecular structure at will who calls himself Protector- claims he'll let nobody destroy polluting industries and blasts Superman down before getting away.

A factory worker called Milton Slotvik hurries to check on Superman. Superman isn't really hurt, but he feels tired and embarassed.

Superman remembers how he got himself into that mess. Right after a news broadcast at the Galaxy Communications Building the evening before, Clark Kent was visited by Milton Slotvik, who talked about his workplace's non-existent safety measures and his coworkers dying because of cancer caused by vinyl chloride. Clark Kent suggested he'd send a neutral party as Superman to look into the matter. Before leaving the building, though, Clark Kent was approached by his co-worker Terri Cros. Terri flirted with Clark, much to jealous Lois Lane's extreme disgust, but Clark thought being an outcast alien he's doomed to be alone, so he left without a word.

After a sleepless night, Superman visited the Metro Chemical plant and met his president, Morton Kalmbach. Superman got disgusted when he learnt Kalmbach was aware his factory was unsafe but he considered sick workers an "acceptable" risk. Superman exploded, declaring he was sick of seeing people and the very planet dying in the name of greedy and profit, and set out to tear the place down until he was interrupted by the Protector.

Superman flies off and heads to a mountain to ponder over the Protector's identity...and his own feelings. When he saw that factory and those men dying he couldn't help but remember Krypton. He lost his homeworld, and he's deadly afraid of losing his adoptive world if the planet's environment gets badly damaged. Kal-El swears himself he'll not allow the Earth's destruction.

Shortly afterwards, Kal-el attacks a supertanker, intending to throw it into orbit so it can't spill oil into the sea. After dumping the whole crew into a nearby island, Superman lifts the ship off the sea. Suddenly he gets hit by a blast of extreme cold, courtesy of the Protector. The Protector calls Superman out on setting himself up as judge, jury and executioner and attacks Superman again, but runs away as soon as Superman gets the upper hand. Superman considers to chase after him before deciding against it.

Superman bursts out of the water and unexpectedly meets himself face to face with his cousin. Superman thinks Supergirl has come to help him destroy the supertanker, but Kara stops him, yelling they have no right to interfere. When Superman asks if she wants Earth to end like Krypton, Supergirl replies there never was a planet Krypton.

Superman gets stunned. Supergirl leads him back to his Fortress of Solitude, which she states he built driven by his delusions about a false planet and smashes his parents' statues into bits to wake him from his fantasy.

Superman replies his cousin has just gone crazy and the Bottle City of Kandor is proof of Krypton's existence. Upon close inspection, though, he realizes the bottle is filled with plastic buildings and dolls. Supergirl angrily destroys the bottle and declares Clark created the whole Krypton fantasy because he couldn't face the reality of their true origin: they didn't come from Krypton. Her father Fred Danvers and his father Jonathan Kent were human scientists that received huge doses of radiation as working in an atomic lab. Linda plays a video showing their fathers working in a lab and Clark's birth as stating Clark and herself are Earthborn, human mutants.

Linda Danvers' words have barely sunk in when the Protector bursts into the Fortress, intending to finish his fight with Superman. Superman is happy to oblige, but the Protector turns himself intangible to avoid Superman's blows. The Protector reveals his powers are fueled by pollution, which is because he's antagonizing Superman.

Superman isn't impressed. As Supergirl stays out of the fight, Superman scans the Protector and learns his heart glows every time he's about to make a molecular change. So Superman uses his X-Rays to force the villain into a gaseous form and then hits him with his heat vision. Protector's gas body explodes, and the villain reverts to normal and faints.

Supergirl congratulates her cousin for his victory, but Superman feels physically and emotionally worn-out. He doesn't know what to believe after what he has just learned.

Appearing in "Krypton -- No More!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Antagonists:

  • Protector (First appearance)
  • Morton Kalmbach (Single appearance)

Other Characters:

Locations:

Items:

  • Beef Bourguignon (Mentioned only)
  • Jor-El (Statue only) (Destroyed)
  • Lara Lor-Van (Statue only) (Destroyed)
  • Large Globe of Krypton (Destroyed)

Vehicles:

Notes



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