Action Comics #591 (August 1987)
Action Comics #591 (August 1987)
Superman vs. Superboy! And Krypto the Superdog! And the concept of comic book continuity! I’ve read this issue like five times and I’m still not entirely sure who won.
Back in Superman #8, Superman learned of a parallel reality where he got his powers as a kid and became Superboy, then traveled to the future and joined the Legion of Super-Heroes. It turns out this was all part of an extremely roundabout ruse by a villain named The Time Trapper. He’s a guy who lives at the end of time and spends all day watching costumed teenagers through his time portals, apparently. TTT is so obsessed with those crazy kids at the Legion of Super-Heroes that he created an entire universe where Superboy exists and then had the Boy of Steel infiltrate the team. There was probably a less complicated way to get a spy in there, but you have to admire the guy’s insanity/dedication.
Anyway, Superman ends up in Superboy’s universe and meets alternate versions of his friends and family in Smallville, then gets into a fight with Superboy (who is under the control of The Time Trapper) and his intelligent flying dog Krypto. However, Superman then realizes Superboy is intentionally throwing the fight because he doesn’t want to obey the Traper’s orders anymore. So, Superboy turns good again and he and the Legion of Super-Heroes go off to fight The Time Trapper at the end of time, but they don’t let Superman come with them because he’s old and lame. (And to protect the sanctity of the timestream I guess.)
Character-Watch:
I guess these issues are technically the first appearance of Superman’s childhood friend Pete Ross, but it’s actually an alternate version where Pete was basically Superboy’s sidekick. Eventually we’ll meet the real Pete Ross as an adult, and he’ll become Vice-President of the United States. Under President Lex Luthor.
Plotline-Watch:
This story continued in an issue of Legion of Super-Heroes where Superboy dies fighting The Time Trapper. The whole thing was an excuse to explain why the character existed, and then quickly get rid of him. However, the “pocket universe” where Superboy lived will continue to be around after his death and cause some serious troubles for Superman in the future, not the least of which will be the introduction of Supergirl (the gooey shape-shifting version).
WTF-Watch:
There’s a scene Krypto tries to help Superboy in his fight against Superman by going to his basement lab (Superboy has a basement lab) and taking out Superboy’s secret stash of kryptonite (Superboy has a secret stash of kryptonite). Of course, just being around the kryptonite makes Krypto turn into a regular, dumb dog. His sacrifice is supposed to be touching, but Krypto’s thoughts are so articulate and dramatic that it just comes off as hilarious.
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