Issue #18 – SUPERMAN LIVES
Krypton – 38 hours before destruction:
"…Are you sure it will work Jor-El? I mean it hasn't even been tested."
"It's a prototype Lara, we don't know if it will be effective, but if something should happen to Kal-El, at least it will give him a chance."
"But what if he doesn't understand the technology? Or what if it doesn't work?"
"We can't know the future Lara, Kal-El will have powers beyond belief on Earth…but he won't be invincible. If the unthinkable happens, the crystal may not activate but nobody gets a second chance at life…we must have faith that Kal-El will live again…"
Fortress of Solitude – Present Day:
Kara Zor-El had gone to the Fortress hoping to find a way to defeat Doomsday but after activating a mysterious memory crystal, the Kryptonian structure had been drained of its power. What Kara didn't know was that the crystal contained the brain patterns of her cousin Kal-El.
The Fortress was left in darkness and Kara knew it would take time to recharge the power cells and she didn't have time to wait. As Supergirl returned to Metropolis to help in the fight against Doomsday, Kal-El's brainwave patterns were being transferred through the planet's magnetic field to its destination.
Centennial Park:
Clark Kent's lifeless body lay in the tomb, unaware of the battle going on outside. His suit stored solar energy that had managed to get through the small cracks in the walls over the last six months after purging the kryptonite energy from his body. The shield on his chest began to send soft electric shocks through his body, reactivating his nervous system and restarting his heart.
The solar energy that had been stored in his suit became absorbed through his skin, restoring some of his strength as his eyes opened. Kal-El was alive. He couldn't see anything and as he struggled to raise his hands, he found that there wasn't much room to move.
He began to panic, looking left and right, not seeing anything. His body was still recovering and while it hadn't decomposed, his internal organs hadn't been used in six months. Kal-El tried to breathe, his lungs hurting as he took in the stale air. His hands clawed at the barrier between himself and the outside as his heart began to beat faster. He knew he needed to calm down.
As Clark adjusted to his surroundings and the last of the solar energy penetrated his cells, his senses began to respond to him. He heard muffled sounds, gradually becoming clearer until he could hear distinct voices. Something was happening nearby.
Kal-El tried to focus through the stone, activating his x-ray vision. It was hard for him to concentrate and he couldn't make out clear images, just a collection of lights and blurs.
"…We won't let you touch him…"
"I will not be denied my prize…"
"Then come and get it…"
He heard voices outside. Something was obviously wrong and Clark knew he needed to do something. His memories began to return and his mind was filled with images of his final moments as he held on to Doomsday while Lex Luthor fired the weapon that had killed them both.
Clark began to punch the stone walls of the tomb, summoning up what little strength he had. Soon he was kicking too, then using his entire body to escape from his stone prison until the walls began to crumble and with a final surge, the tomb blew apart in a shower of dust and concrete. He felt the sun on his face, standing up, he waited for the dust to clear.
"Superman…"
Kal-El heard Lois' voice as he stared across the park towards Doomsday. There was silence in Centennial Park as the crowd tried to comprehend what they were seeing. Superman was weak and in no condition to fight Doomsday, so, after taking a final look around, he bent his knees and took off into the sky, flying out of the planet's atmosphere and into space.
He hovered, absorbing solar energy, letting the sun's rays infiltrate his body, restoring his strength and amazing powers to full capacity. Clark took a moment to take in the situation. He was alive and the world needed him…they needed Superman and he wasn't about to let them down.
As he floated high above, Kal-El noticed something in the distance. A comet was making its regular trip around the sun and it was a piece of rock and ice he recognised. When Clark was an infant travelling through space, his ship had crossed through the tail of that very same comet, forcing the ship to split in two, sending Kal-El to Kansas while the other half of the ship crashed in the Arctic and created the Fortress of Solitude.
Now the comet had returned, setting his mind off as memories of Smallville, Jonathon and Martha Kent...the values and morals he had learned filled his thoughts.
"…Are you like an angel or something?" Lana Lang had asked him the day before he left for Metropolis. After years of secrecy and lies, Clark had finally told her the truth about his origins and powers. She asked if he was an angel looking out for the world.
"No, just a guy from another planet." Clark wasn't from Earth, but it was his home and he wasn't going to let anybody hurt the people he cared about. He knew he was going to have to fight and he knew that he couldn't afford to hold back. He was ready.
Clark descended rapidly back towards Metropolis, exploding through the atmosphere like a meteor, landing hard on the grass in Centennial Park, facing Doomsday. He looked around, seeing the shocked faces in the crowd before turning back to his opponent.
"Hello again…miss me?"
"Superman…you were dead."
"So were you…"
"I adapt…I evolve. I cannot be defeated."
"Did you go to school while you were adapting? I don't remember hearing you utter a single word the last time we met."
"I am intelligent. Brainiac forced the primal urges that exist in all species to dominate my mind. But now I am free of his control."
"Brainiac? I should have known. We don't have to fight you know."
"Oh but we do Kryptonian…oh yes, I know of your race. I was created by your kind, centuries ago. A rogue scientist wanted to create the ultimate weapon. A being with unmatched strength and endurance. He would beat and kill me over and over, before regenerating my cells and bringing me back to life. For years I would die and return by his hand until eventually it began to happen without his machines…. I evolved on my own."
"Impressive…"
"Quite…Eventually I became too powerful for him to control. He tried to destroy me…but I killed him. Your Science Council discovered me and left me on a desolate world where I remained…alone, except for the expanding cold that triggered an ice age. I don't know how long I slept…but when my eyes did open, Brainiac was there, filling my mind with images of you…your symbol, your face…creating a personal hatred in me towards you."
"But you said yourself, you're free of Brainiac's control. We don't have to be enemies." As Superman spoke, his eyes scanned the buildings around the park, his vision penetrating steel and concrete, finding the buildings deserted.
"Yes we do…you are the last son of Krypton. You will pay for the crimes of your ancestors Superman. When I have destroyed you, I will destroy the ones you love…these people will suffer as I have suffered."
"I won't let that happen."
"You don't have a choice. However I will allow you to say farewell to the people who bravely stood in my path to protect you…then I will crush you."
Superman took the opportunity to turn away from Doomsday and walk towards the crowd, which was made up of citizens of the city and some of the world's greatest heroes. He looked around, spotting Lois who hadn't stopped shaking since Superman had punched his way out of his tomb.
"Hello Lois…are you alright?"
"Yeah I'm…forget it…how are you here…how is this possible?"
"I don't have time to explain. Right now you need to get out of here…that goes for everyone. Please retreat to a safe distance."
"We'll stand with you…" Wonder Woman called back, ready to fight again.
"No you won't. You need to get these people to safety. This is my fight. I have to do this alone."
"But why?" replied Supergirl, "why can't we help you? Why do you have to fight him by yourself?"
"Because…because I'm Superman…"
Everyone remained silent for a moment, thinking back on the months they had spent without their hero. They were afraid of losing him again, but they also knew that Superman was the only being on the planet who could ever hope to defeat Doomsday. Kal-El noticed the Mayor of Metropolis standing by the rubble where his tomb once stood.
"Mr. Mayor…the buildings around the park…they're empty."
"Yes Superman…every building in the downtown area has been evacuated. When Doomsday showed up again, we didn't want to take any chances."
"Doomsday?"
"What…oh yes, that's what the papers called that monster. Anyway, downtown has been deserted, there's nobody there."
"Are you sure?"
""We're sure Supes," Flash cut in, "we did it ourselves."
"If I'm going to beat this "Doomsday" I can't hold back…there could be some collateral damage."
"It's alright Superman, do what you need to do," the Mayor replied.
"If anything gets destroyed I will help to rebuild it."
"That's good enough for me Superman…go get him."
Superman smiled before walking back towards Doomsday who was ready and waiting to destroy the Man of Steel. The beast grinned at Kal-El, clenching his fists in preparation for the battle.
"Ready?"
"Just about. You know, Doomsday…it has a ring to it…but it just doesn't seem to fit the profile. I mean…look at you, sure you're big and scary…but the term doomsday implies the end of the world and you don't look like the four horsemen of the apocalypse. But if you're Doomsday…then nothing I do can prevent you from winning."
"So you wish to surrender?"
"Oh no you miss understand. What I mean is, how can you be Doomsday if I beat the crap out of you?"
"You mock me?"
"Just telling it like it is. Take me for example. Do you know what they say about me? I'm faster than a speeding bullet…" Kal-El became a blur, rushing at Doomsday and stopping just inches away from the beast, whispering…
"More powerful than a locomotive." Superman pulled back his arm and swung hard with a vicious punch, sending Doomsday out of the park and crashing into the street before taking off himself and dropping down on Doomsday with a crushing knee to the chest.
"And able to leap tall buildings in a single bound."
Superman picked Doomsday up, holding him by his throat with one hand, throwing heavy punches into the monster's stomach with the other. "Look, up in the sky…" Superman flew into the air, holding onto Doomsday high above the city. "It's a bird…it's a plane…no it's Doomsday falling down."
Superman tossed his enemy straight down, watching as Doomsday fell and crashed into the street below, the impact creating cracks in the road. The beast stood up and punched a telephone booth in frustration as Superman descended slowly from the sky above, then suddenly speeding up and rushing at Doomsday.
The beast reacted instinctively and turned around to face his opponent before getting knocked off his feet and sliding back along the road. As he stood, he saw his enemy smiling at him, mocking him. Superman was known as a boy scout, always doing the right thing but today he was different. Today there was no holding back.
Superman stood before him, his familiar red cape blowing in the wind, his arms crossed. Doomsday charged at the Man of Steel. Kal-El, blasted the monster with his heat vision, knocking him back. Again and again, he was hit by it, but it only served to make Doomsday angrier. Picking up an abandoned truck with ease, he hurled it at Superman, striking its mark, knocking Superman back. Clark tried to force his enemy back with a great gust of wind, but Doomsday kept coming. Finally they were face to face.
The hero of Earth and the beast came to blows. Powerful punches were exchanged between the two, both standing their ground until Doomsday, surprisingly quick for his immense size, ducked under one of the Kryptonians attacks, then swinging with his forearm, connected with Superman, sending him flying across the city, crashing into a building.
Undeterred, Superman flew at break-neck speed, charging down his opponent and finding his mark. Doomsday fell to the floor, then grabbing onto Clark's legs he forced the Kryptonian down before standing up himself and bringing his foot down hard on Kal-El's back. Doomsday picked Superman up by his cape and swung him through the Galaxy Media building and out the other side
Recovering, Superman, floated high above him, pausing to try to form a strategy that would enable him to destroy the beast, not seeing that Doomsday was making a tremendous leap into the air.
He managed to grab onto Kal-El's red boots, dragging himself up Superman's body as the Man of Steel flew higher and higher into the atmosphere. Suspended in mid-air, Doomsday, landed blow after blow on Superman's face, while using his legs to hang onto him. In an act of desperation, Superman gripped his opponent and threw him violently down toward the ground, following after him. Doomsday, crashed back to Earth with a thunderous bang, Superman flying after him at a terrifying speed, ramming into him, creating a hole in the ground, as Clark drove his enemy deep into the Earth's crust.
They battled under the city, using the hardened rock to batter each other causing the ground above to rumble and shake. Magma from the mantle crept through, creating a battleground of fire as the two alien warriors fought for supremacy. Doomsday's head connected with Clark's, forcing him backwards, stumbling as Doomsday struck again, this time smashing his elbow into Superman's face.
LexCorp:
Lex Luthor was alone. The building had been evacuated but Luthor had chosen to remain. He sat in his office, opening a communication through one of his private satellites, contacting Brainiac.
"What is it Luthor?"
"Your monster is still alive. Your kryptonite weapons no longer have any effect on him."
"This is not unexpected. The beast cannot be killed permanently. Do not concern yourself Luthor, it is a small inconvenience…I'm sure you will think of a solution."
"Hold on Brainiac. You sent that freak to Earth. This is your problem as well as mine."
"Please…don't insult me Luthor. Your world no longer concerns me. I have given you technology…use it."
"Well there is something that does concern you Brainiac…Superman lives."
"What? You assured me he was dead. You have failed me again."
"This was your failure not mine Brainiac…I suggest you fix it."
"Oh I will Luthor. I am tired of dealing with you. This will be our last communication. I suggest you look skywards…I will go to your planet and personally destroy Superman…and your pathetic world."
"You dare double-cross me? I'm Lex Luth…"
Lex didn't get a chance to finish as Brainiac severed the communications link. There had always been a risk in dealing with the alien intelligence and now Lex suddenly found himself hoping that Superman would defeat Doomsday.
"You better win Superfreak…otherwise we're all as good as dead…"
Downtown:
The ground shook ferociously; it was obvious that these titans were engaged in a fierce battle deep underground. Suddenly the shaking stopped, a figure emerged… Superman. Battered and bruised, his cape torn to shreds, his body drenched in blood. He looked around, surveying the damage created by Doomsday, staggering at first, barely able to stand, but the suns yellow rays served to rebuild his strength slowly. The ground shook again…
Before Superman could react, Doomsday struck an enormous blow, knocking the hero backwards, hundreds of meters through the air. Kal-El picked himself up, taking hold of a burnt-out car he launched it at Doomsday who merely extended his arm and swatted it away. Superman flew at him…but the destroyer caught him in mid flight and forced him to the ground.
He began pummelling Superman, landing unanswered blows to the head and stomach. He took Superman's head in his hands, crushing it, causing the Man of Steel to cry out in horror as unbearable pain spreads through his body. Doomsday slammed his head against the hard ground, cracking his skull open. Again and again, Superman's head was driven into the ground, blood streaming down his face.
The pain was gone now…he couldn't feel anything, his body in shock. Everything was like a dream; Superman's vision was blurred. He couldn't see Doomsdays satisfied face as he exacted his torment upon Kal-El. All he could see was misty images of the clouds in the sky and the blinding light of the sun.
The sun…source of his great powers…Clark's mind drifted, bringing up old memories to block the pain of the beating he was receiving at the hands of Doomsday. He remembered the teachings of his father. The messages in the crystals that taught him about his great powers.
"…As your body matures, so does your ability to process and convert solar energy. Millions of years ago, there was a planet-wide drought on Krypton. Plant-life shrivelled up, entire species of animals were wiped out. But some evolved to take in energy from our red sun…we evolved from those creatures and that same ability exists in us, though it remains dormant under a red sun. We eat food on Krypton and we do not need the sun to survive. But on Earth…the rays of a yellow sun penetrate our cells, reactivating that ability. This will manifest in many ways such as focussed heat energy released through your eyes…"
Kal-El opened his eyes and looked straight at Doomsday who was still punching him as he lay on the ground. Clark's eyes began to grow hot as he focussed, his body converting energy, preparing to release it in an intense blast. Superman's eyes turned from blue to red as his heat vision ignited burning through the bones on Doomsday's skin, causing the beast to cry out in agony as Clark continued to fire blasts of heat at him.
Doomsday was forced backwards, trying to avoid the intense fire that burned from Clark's eyes. When Superman eventually stopped, smoke was rising from Doomsday, many of the bones on his body now nothing more than ash, being blown away by the wind.
"Does it hurt? You have fought well…but you won't win Doomsday…I won't let you…"
Superman charged at the beast, knocking him through the air and sending him crashing through the LexCorp building. When he emerged on the other side, Superman was there, delivering another devastating blow that sent him through another building. This time, Superman followed him through the building, catching his legs and slamming him against the Daily Planet globe before punching him again and watching as Doomsday fell and landed heavily on his back in the street below.
Superman touched down softly and waited for Doomsday to stand. They circled each other for a moment before engaging in another round of intense fighting. Clark sped around Doomsday, catching him from behind before the beast turned and retaliated with an awesome display of brute force, his fist connecting with Superman's chest, cracking a few ribs and making him cough, forcing blood out of his mouth.
They attacked each other again, blocking and countering blows. Doomsday swung violently, smashing his forearm into Kal-El's jaw. Clark replied by throwing a vicious uppercut to Doomsday's chin. They began matching each other, their fists connecting, sending shockwaves across the city, causing buildings to shake and glass to shatter. Superman ducked under a heavy swing, then spun through the air, hitting Doomsday with a hard roundhouse kick.
"I have lived for centuries Superman…I had never met an opponent who could match my power. You are indeed a worthy foe. I shall remember your destruction…"
"My power doesn't match yours Doomsday…it exceeds it…"
"Don't be so sure Kryptonian…you will die…just like everyone else who has opposed me."
"Let's find out…let's finish this."
"As you wish…"
They charged at each other, Doomsday swinging only for Superman to block and throw his own punch. The beast dodged however and delivered an uppercut, knocking Superman up into the air. Doomsday caught him by his torn cape and pulled him down, bringing his own knee up into Kal-El's back. Superman felt the pain but ignored it as he flipped upside down, catching Doomsday in the face before landing upright and striking with a two-handed punch, sending Doomsday through the air.
As Doomsday fell backwards, time seemed to slow down as Clark took off at speed, following Doomsday and even passing him, before turning and dropping his elbow onto the approaching beast.
Doomsday regained his composure and soon, both aliens were standing face to face, locked in a battle of strength, pushing back and forth as their hands wrapped around each other's throats. Doomsday brought his knee up, hoping to force Superman to release his grip, but the Kryptonian, pushed his own body up, his legs floating in the air for a moment before coming around and kicking with both feet, forcing both of them to release their grips.
Superman forced Doomsday backwards then unleashed a mini-blizzard as he blew freezing cold wind at the beast through his lips, trapping him in a prison of ice. He knew it wouldn't last long, so he used the time to look upwards, his eyes focussing like a telescope zooming through the clouds and into space, looking for something.
When Doomsday broke free of the ice, he ran at Superman, swinging with wild lunges, however in an impressive show of speed, Superman avoided each blow and waited for his chance. Finally, the beast swung high, allowing Superman to duck under the punch and grab Doomsday, gripping him tightly.
Superman took off, holding on to Doomsday who punched and kicked trying to break free but Superman wouldn't let go. They went higher and higher through the Earth's atmosphere and into space like a rocket until eventually, Superman let go and pushed Doomsday into the comet, crashing through the icy tail and slamming onto the surface.
Superman circled the comet and flew back to Earth, but he knew it wasn't over yet. He needed to make sure Doomsday would not be able to return, Clark just hoped he had gotten his trajectories right, otherwise he could find himself floating through space for eternity, cold and lifeless. He began taking deep breaths, preparing himself as he began to fly around the Earth, building up speed before taking one final deep breath, holding it and shooting across space towards the moon.
Doomsday had evolved to survive in space for a short time following one of his creators experiments centuries ago and now he was using that time to move across the surface of the comet, hoping to find a jump off point to get back to Earth and destroy Kal-El.
What he didn't know was that Superman was slingshotting around the moon and approaching the comet, flying though part of the tail. Clark didn't bother trying to avoid the chunks of ice and rock, he just crashed straight through them as he approached the bulk mass of the comet, stretching out with his hands and using his immense strength to change the comet's path.
He pushed the comet away from the Earth, through space, further and further from the sun before eventually reaching his destination and letting go. The comet sailed through the Martian atmosphere as Superman circled the planet, ready to return to Earth.
Doomsday was helpless and could only stand on the comet and watch as the red planet, Mars, got nearer and nearer. The comet flew closer and closer to the ground before crashing heavily and as Superman flew around the planet and headed for home, he looked back to see the comet collide with the Martian surface with the force of a million nuclear weapons. The explosion sent dust into the atmosphere and created a massive crater as a blinding light filled the sky and somewhere in the carnage was the body of Doomsday.
As Superman neared Earth, his lungs began to burn as the need for oxygen sent pain throughout his body, but he kept going even as he became weaker, momentum pushing him forward. Finally he began to descend through the atmosphere, his mouth opening as he gasped, trying to take in as much air as possible while he fell towards the ground.
Centennial Park:
A huge crowd waited, hoping to catch a glimpse of their hero. It had been over an hour since NASA had spotted Superman falling through the sky and Lois Lane was getting worried. She couldn't comprehend losing him again. He had been dead for six months…now he was alive again. She didn't understand how it happened and she didn't care. All that mattered was that he was back.
In the distance, Lois spotted an approaching figure, flying through the air. Soon everyone was looking and cheering as Superman touched down gently, his suit torn, his body bruised. Everyone wanted to shake his hand and welcome him back. The news of his resurrection had spread across the world and apart from a few saddened voices in the criminal underworld, six billion people rejoiced. By the time Lois got a chance to speak to him, he had shaken the hand of pretty much everyone in Metropolis.
"Hi Lois…"
"Are you alright? What happened to Doomsday?"
"He's gone, there's no need to worry. I know people are going to have a lot of questions, but now really isn't the best time for an interview. Later?"
"Actually I uh...I quit…"
"Well I'm sure your boss will give you your job back."
"Only if I get an exclusive…"
"Alright deal…"
"How will I find you?"
"I'll find you Lois…"
Superman smiled at Lois for a moment but as he prepared to take off, Lois remembered one of the reasons she had been depressed for six months, the reason she had quit her job at the Daily Planet.
"Superman, wait…Clark Kent, my partner at the Planet…he's been missing for…well almost as long as you have…find him…please?"
Superman wasn't sure what to say. He hadn't really thought about how to explain the absence of Clark Kent and he was surprised that Lois hadn't figured out the truth. He turned to Lois briefly, nodding his head and giving her a familiar reassuring smile before ascending into the sky.
"Welcome back Superman…"
The crowd applauded and cheered as Kal-El flew away from Metropolis, being joined by his cousin Kara, while in LexCorp, Lex Luthor watched on from his office window, knowing that his bitter enemy may be his only hope.
Fortress of Solitude:
"…Hold on a minute…the technology is built into the suit? Mine too?"
"Yes Kara. The suit acts as a conduit for brainwaves to pass through, as well as storing solar energy. Given the limited power source in the crystal, it would usually take at least a year to charge up but when you put it in the control panel it sped up the process."
"So what you're saying is that we can die and die and die and we'll come back to life?"
"Unfortunately no. My father, Jor-El was only able to create one prototype memory crystal which has been burned out and so far I haven't been able to replicate the technology…so don't even think about doing anything reckless."
"Well that sucks…so what are you gonna do now?"
"First I'm gonna go back to Smallville and give Mom a big hug…after that…well Clark Kent's been missing for six months and apparently nobody has put two and two together,"
"Well they're only human Kal-El…"
They laughed together as Clark synthesised a new suit to replace the torn suit he had worn for six months in the tomb. If felt a little strange to be back in the Fortress. Before he woke up in the tomb, his last memory was of Lois telling him she loved him. To him it was a blink of an eye, but for the rest of the world, a long time had gone by.
"One thing that bothers me though, is that I've done exactly the same thing our ancestors did to Doomsday centuries ago. I've left him alone on a desolate world. What does that mean? Am I as bad as them?"
"Kal-El…our ancestors on Krypton fought the tribal wars over nothing…they were cruel…you aren't. It was the only thing you could do. What makes you think he's still alive?"
"Just a feeling…he says he can't be killed…"
"I'd be more worried about yourself after the Martian Manhunter gets his hands on you…I'm not sure he would be too pleased to learn you crashed a comet into his home world."
"Oh…" Clark couldn't help but laugh at the look his cousin was giving him. She knew that he would end up making it his personal mission to find and apologise to the Manhunter.
"Boy Scout…"
"Come on Kara, let's go save the world."
Metropolis:
Superman hovered above the city, his eyes and ears focussed on every sight and sound. Alarm bells were ringing, fires were burning, criminals waited in the shadows and the world's greatest hero was there, his cape flowing behind him in the wind, ready to resume his role as protector. As he took off into the city, evening edition newspapers all carried the same headline…Superman Lives.
