"Action Comics" and "Superman" Comics Index
2012
ACTION COMICS
Action Comics #3Cover date: January 2012
"World Against Superman"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Rags Morales and Gene Ha
Inker: Rick Bryant and Gene Ha
On Krypton Jor-El warns Lara to get herself and their son Kal-El out of Kandor. An alien consciousness has infiltrated Krypton's systems. In his apartment Clark awakens to find his landlady at his door with the police wanting to search his apartment. His articles in the Daily Star make them think he's connected to Superman. Their search finds nothing. Clark's landlady has assisted Clark by hiding his Superman costume. Clark meets up with Jimmy Olsen, seems Perry has sent Lois out to get Clark to come over to work for the Daily Planet. Glen Glenmorgan is turning the people of Metropolis against Superman, scaring them with talk of his alien background. Clark's anonymous source feeds him new information. He meets with the boss of the Factory for Tomorrow and finds Lois and Jimmy are also there. The machinery starts to come alive with an alien consciousness. The same thing happens at the government facility where John Corben is suiting up in newly finished battle armor. Lex Luthor steps forward to introduce himself to the alien consciousness who he has been dealing with for some time now.
Action Comics #4
Cover date: February 2012
"Superman and the Men of Steel"/"Hearts of Steel"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Rags Morales/Brad Walker
Inker: Rick Bryant and Sean Parsons/Brad Walker
As technology all over the city forms itself into robots, Lex begins to panic. Corben, in the Metal-Zero battle suit, is also under the alien's control, looking for Superman. John Henry Irons turns off the TV and walks over to a metal suit he's built. Superman fights of the metal robots who seem to be focused on him and nothing else. As the police come to arrest Superman he tells them to step aside and let him do his job. Lois and Jimmy are in the thick of things when Corben confronts them. Lois tries to reach out to him, but the technology has control of him. Superman steps in to confront Corben as more robots attack him. Trying to escape the mayhem, Lex Luthor realizes something is happening... as giant robotic spiders crawl around Metropolis. As Corben is about to fire on Superman, Doctor Irons (in his Steel suit) comes to aid Superman. However Metropolis is gone... it has been bottled and is aboard the alien's craft. Sam Lane approaches Superman as they realize Lois was also taken. Superman has an idea.../John Henry Irons recalls how he's been inspired by heroes all his life, but Lex Luthor turned his efforts sour. So he built his own steel battle suit and now, with large hammer in hand, he's taken on John Corben to help Superman, using his knowledge of the Metal-Zero technology to corrupt it with a virus.
Action Comics #5
Cover date: March 2012
"Rocket Songs"/"Baby Steps"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Rags Morales/ChrisCross
Inker: Jesse Delperdang/ChrisCross
On Krypton Jor-El bemoans the fact that his people wouldn't believe him regarding their planet's destruction. As he, Lara and baby Kal-El contemplate escaping into the Phantom Zone the villains within threaten them if they do. Krypto attacks the phantom spectres and enters into the Phantom Zone. Lara suggests they send Kal-El in the prototype rocket Jor-El built. The Brainiac system onboard flies the craft away from Krypton as it's destroyed and brings it to Earth... where Martha and Jonathan Kent, destraught from the miscarriage Martha has just been through, approach the crashed craft and wonder at the baby within. Military arrive to take away the craft. Jonathan approaches a military roadblock in his truck telling them he thinks he found the space alien they're looking for... he shows them the six-legged mutated ram born on his farm. Years later, villains known as the Anti-Superman Army break into Superman's Fortress of Solitude and steel Green Kryptonite and disappear before the future/present Superman arrives with three members of the Legion of Super Heroes./Newly married, Jonathan and Martha Kent want to start a family. Year after year they continue to be unsuccessful, even after expensive IVF treatments the only thing they have to show for their efforts is a miscarriage and disappointing news regarding the possibility of adoption. On their way home a rocketship heads towards Earth...
Action Comics #6
Cover date: April 2012
"When Superman Learned to Fly"/"Last Day"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Andy Kubert/ChrisCross
Inker: John Dell/ChrisCross
Having delivered the Kryptonite rocket engine core from Superman's rocketship, the Anti-Superman Army look on as a short, bespectacled man offers them each a splinter of the Kryptonite if they do one thing for him. In space above Earth, a Superman from five years in the future looks on as members of the Legion of Super Heroes try to get more power to Superman's rocketship, which will die without a Kryptonite power source. A shape shifter named Erik Drekken, a man Superman saved after Erik developed super powers and mutated into a monster ape, attacks. They manage to subdue him, but it's revealed that the Anti-Superman Army are actually meeting inside Superman's brain! Superman recalls his first meeting with the LSH. In the present the LSH prepare to shrink down and also enter Superman's brain to find the villains. Their presence is detected but the Kryptonite engine is shattered. The LSH manage to grab a fragment, but with the Kryptonite growing in his brain, Superman is in terrible pain. Drekken escapes and starts attacking Superman in his weakened state. But Superman has an idea and inserts his Kryptonite poisined hand into the rocketship, giving it the power it needs just before it dies. The LSH return, Superman recovers, and Superman's rocketship is repaired./With his parents dead, Clark asks the homeless Mister Fry to live and work the Kent Farm for him. As he says goodbye to the place Clark recalls many of the good times he had with his parents and with Peter Ross and Lana Lang.
Action Comics #7
Cover date: May 2012
"Doomsday Decision"/"Meanwhile..."
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Rags Morales/Brad Walker
Inker: Rick Bryant/Brad Walker
With oxygen tank backpack, Superman leaps into space to catch up to the spaceship that stole part of Metropolis. On board Superman is introduced to Brainiac, an alien collector of worlds. Via Brainiac Superman learns that he was born on the planet Krypton, now destroyed. Superman locates the shrunken city of Metropolis within a bottle. He also discovers the shrunken city of Kandor, taken from Krypton, along with some Kryptonian artefacts collected by Brainiac, including an indestructible suit. Brainiac forces Superman to choose between saving Metropolis or Kandor. Refusing to choose, Superman dons the Kryptonian suit, which changes from all-white to the familiar red/blue with yellow "S" shield./While Superman is away in space, John Henry Irons flies around trying to lessen the damage caused by Brainiac's abduction of part of Metropolis. He's impressed by how well the citizens of Metropolis come together to help one another out in a crisis.
Action Comics #8
Cover date: June 2012
"Superman Meets The Collector of Worlds"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Rags Morales & Brad Walker
Inker: Rick Bryant & Bob McLeod
Inside the bottled city of Metropolis Lex refuses to be saved by Superman. Outside the bottle Superman battles Metal-0, who is just trying to impress Lois Lane. Lex tells Lois all about Brainiac, while Mr. Glenmorgan has a mental breakdown, admitting to his crimes. Superman is racing against time to get Metropolis returned to Earth. Superman uses his miniaturized Kryptonian rocketship as a projectile to infect Brainiac and put Metropolis back on Earth. Clark's editor at the Daily Star suggests he take the job at the Daily Planet. While at his apartment Clark's landlady tells him his secret identity is safe with her. Clark's "source" ends up being Lex Luthor himself. While John Corben is back in Sam Lane's care, but he's now fused to his armor. Later, the Mayor of Metropolis gives Superman the Key to the City, and Superman confirms he is an alien from Krypton. Afterwards Clark goes to visit his parents' graves in Smallville, letting them know he's fine. He flies aboard Brainiac's spaceship and looks down upon the Earth. On Dinosaur Island Mr. Zarov takes down a T-Rex while a man approaches him about killing a bulletproof man.
[Trade Paperback collection: "Action Comics Vol. 1: Superman and the Men of Steel" reprints Action Comics #1-8]
Action Comics #9
Cover date: July 2012
"The Curse of Superman"/"Executive Power"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Gene Ha/Cully Hamner
Inker: Gene Ha/Cully Hamner
After defeating Lex Luthor the Superman of Earth-23, in reality President Calvin Ellis, investigates Luthor's hideout and finds a strange machine. Suddenly a portal opens and the Lois Lane, Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen from an alternate Earth step out. Clark and Jimmy are in a bad way leaving Lois to explain that they come from an Earth where the three of them created a machine that could bring their imaginations to life. They created a being known as Superman but needed funding to keep the machine running so they sold the idea to a corporation. That corporation used the machine to create a Superman that would appeal to the public but that Superman soon turned evil. Lois, Jimmy and Clark ran across worlds, but the evil Superman followed them and destroyed the various "Supermen" of those Earths. Not surprisingly the evil Superman appears on Earth-23 and engages Calvin in battle. With the help of Lex Luthor Calvin is able to trap the evil Superman. Afterwards the Justice League arrives and investigates Luthor's machine. Lois introduces herself to Calvin and states that he must be Superman done right./President Calvin Ellis calls the President-For-Life of Quarac and informs him that the dictator's nuclear program has been completely dismantled and that sanctions are in place in case Harrat believes he can restart the program. Ellis, in reality Superman, destroyed the various facilities with the help of Nubia, the Wonder Woman of Earth-23. After issuing the threat Ellis extends an offer to become part of Ellis' Alliance of Nations much to Nubia's surprise. When the conversation is over Nubia and Calvin talk about what they just did and Nubia points out that as Superman Ellis is powerful but as President he may be even more powerful. She asks a simple question; what happens when the people no longer support what Ellis believes is the right thing to do?
Action Comics #10
Cover date: August 2012
"Clark Kent is Dead" - Part 1: "Bulletproof"/"Absent Friends"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Rags Morales/Cafu
Inker: Rick Bryant/Cafu
Nimrod the hunter tracks Superman to the Kent Farm and then to Metropolis. At the same time Clark changes to Superman and leaves Metropolis to track down a child killer. Afterwards he switches from his T-shirt look to his armored suit and attends a meeting of the Justice League where he makes the suggestion that they should do something about the injustice to the common man that is going on in the world. The League shoots him down. Later he changes back to Clark and spends some time with Lois and Jimmy as Nimrod stalks him through the city. A hooded figure named Adam takes control of a truck driver. He rides with the trucker into Metropolis and tells the driver that he has come home to assume control of the planet of his birth. As Lois, Jimmy and Clark head to a meet and greet lunch with Perry White, a man with a bomb strapped to his chest heads toward the Daily Star building. The bomb goes off and Clark is supposedly killed. Nimrod arrives at Clark's apartment and is quite distressed to hear that Kent has been killed. He is confronted by Superman and tries to kill the Man of Steel. Superman uses his heat vision on Nimrod's gun, which explodes and damages Nimrod's face. Later, in the hospital, Nimrod is approached by a bespectacled man who tells the injured hunter that he can be part of an army against Superman. All Nimrod needs to do is make a deal./At Swan's Tavern the Daily Planet and Daily Star staff reminisce about the late Clark Kent.
Action Comics #11
Cover date: September 2012
"Superman's New Secret Identity"/"Clothes Encounter"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Rags Morales and Brad Walker/Cafu
Inker: Rick Bryant and Brad Walker/Cafu
After a battle with Metalek, Superman helps residents of the destroyed apartments to rebuild their home. He flies off to attend his new job (and identity) as firefighter Johnny Clark. After saving people from a fire, he goes to the hospital to look in on George Taylor. That night, as Superman, he meets up with Batman to discuss his secret identity problem. He really wants to be Clark Kent once more. Lois' neice Susie appears to have special abilities. Abilities that draw the attention of a new threat to Earth. A robed figure (who appears to be Captain Comet) creates a diversion to take Susie from Lois. Lois is hit by the runaway Fire Engine Clark is onboard. The robed man says Susie is like him, a "Nutant", and when Superman tries to intervene the man uses his powers to make people nearby attack Superman./Two men walk in to Metro Copy and Print to buy a Superman T-Shirt, and the owner of the store tells them how his prints are made from the original design given to him by Superman.
Action Comics #12
Cover date: October 2012
"Return of the Forgotten Superman"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Penciller: Rags Morales, Cafu and Brad Walker
Inker: Rick Byrant, Bob McLeod, Cafu and Andrew Kennessy
Memories from his past, and some that appear to be from a possible future, distract Superman from reality, where Lois lies bleeding and broken from being hit by the fire engine. Captain Comet is doing this to distract Superman, while he tries to convince Lois' neice Susie that she's one of five known Neo Sapiens and needs to come with him. Susie is more concerned about Lois, and even Captain Comet's origin story can't distract her from her aunt's predicament. While Superman fights on, the fire fighters assume that Jonathan Clark is dead. Susie comes to Superman's rescue, forcing Captain Comet to be recalled to his spaceship. Superman rushes Lois to the hospital, but the doctors are unable to help her. Superman takes matters into his own hands, reading every medical text ever published, before performing surgery on Lois himself, saving her life. Later, Batman meets Superman with a USB flash drive that migt help him get his Clark Kent identity back. However Clark's landlady isn't sure bringing Clark back in such a way will work, and reveals that she's really Nyxlygsptlnz, (no doubt from the 5th dimension) and that a being from her dimension escaped the Dungeons of Zrfff, hurt Mxyzptlk, killed the King-Thing Brpxz, and now he's on Earth with a vendetta against Superman. As Susie lies asleep in bed, a small man stands in her room watching her.
Action Comics #0
Cover date: November 2012
"The Boy Who Stole Superman's Cape"/"Origin of the Species"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Ben Oliver/Cafu
Inker: Ben Oliver/Cafu
Clark Kent arrives in Metropolis and orders 200 shirts with a red S on them. Soon after he is hired by George Taylor of the Daily Star. Still later he moves out of Jimmy Olsen's apartment. Still even later he stops a gang of Glenmorgan's men from kidnapping the last witness that was supposed to testify against the CEO. One of the gang members shoots Superman with a rocket launcher, knocking him unconscious. A small boy finds him and steals his cape. The boy comes from an abusive home but the cape provides some protection when the abuser comes after him. The boy and his brother run for it and their abuser follows them to the train yard. Superman arrives and saves the boy from being hit by a train. Lois Lane gives Metropolis' new savior a name; Superman./Erik Drekken wants to continue the research Professor Emery Zackro was doing in the area of accelerated human evolution. The professor flatly refuses to help him. Drekken tracks the professors test subject to rural Kansas and is also rebuffed by the subject's father. Later Drekken finds the man, Adam Blake and asks to study him but Blake explains that he is leaving and that the Earth is doomed. Drekken becomes convinced that he has to find a way to recreate what happened to Blake in order to save the planet from destruction.
[Trade Paperback collection: Action Comics Vol. 2: Bulletproof [Paperback] reprints Action Comics #9-12, #0 and Annual #1]
Action Comics #13
Cover date: December 2012
"The Ghost in the Fortress of Solitude"/"A Boy and His Dog"
Writer: Grant Morrison/Sholly Fisch
Penciller: Travel Foreman/Brad Walker
Inker: Travel Foreman/Andrew Hennessy
On Krypton, Doctor Xa-Du is the first criminal to be banished to the Phantom Zone. He vows to get out one day. In his new arctic Fortress of Solitude, Superman looks over some of the artifacts he was able to restore from the bottled city of Kandor. As he's about to head out, he hears a voice coming from somewhere in the Fortress. He finds dog paw prints on the broken surface of the Phantom Zone screen. Xa-Du, having escaped, sends Superman in to the Phantom Zone where he's mobbed by Kryptonian villains. As Xa-Du prepares to exit the Fortress and take over the Earth, he's pulled back in. Jor-El's pet dog, Krypto helps Kal-El escape from the villains. Kal finds a phantom stranger tied up, and helps him free of his bonds. Superman is able to use the suit Xa-Du used to escape, to pull the criminal back into the Phantom Zone while escaping himself. He uses Xa-Du robotic arm to reach into the Phantom Zone and grab Krypto to freedom./On Krypton, the El pet dog Krypto and baby Kal-El were best friends. When Krypto stopped Xa-Du from escaping from the Phantom Zone he was accidentally taken in himself. However as a phantom dog Krypto remained forever watchful over his friend Kal-El, following as his rocket sped away from the dying planet, by his side as he mourned the death of the Kents, going with him when he moved to Metropolis and fought danger as Superman, and by his bedside as he slept at night.
SUPERMAN
Superman #3Cover date: January 2012
"A Cold Day in Hell"
Writer/Breakdowns: George Perez
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Trevor Scott
Clark visits the graves of Jonathan and Martha Kent. At the Daily Planet Bill McCoy shows Perry, Lois and others his report on the rise of Superman and what it means for Metropolis. Perry and Lois don't like it, and Perry tries to get in touch with Clark. Clark's forgotten he's supposed to be working with Heather Kelley on a story. He hangs up on Perry and flies off to meet Heather, Miko and Jimmy who get caught up in a cold snap that turns out to be another alien being. It has attached itself to Heather as it freezes everyone and everything it touches. When the Daily Planet (and Lois) are frozen solid Superman fires his heat vision at the connection between the being and Heather. Everyone is returned to normal, but Superman thinks he's killed Heather. In fact, she's all white-eyed, and has joined the other victims from previous alien attacks... with the beings apparently making the connection between Superman and Clark Kent.
Superman #4
Cover date: February 2012
"Mind For The Taking"
Writer: George Pérez
Penciller: Jesús Merino
Inker: Jesús Merino
Mike and Jimmy are questioned by the police about what happened to Heather Kelley. As is Superman, but the interview is interrupted when Heather Kelley appears safe and well on "The Real McCoy Show". Commissioner Corporon storms into the police station with orders from the Mayor to release Superman. In an alley Superman changes back into Clark Kent when his phone rings. It's Lois wondering why Clark said he was in Metropolis earlier when the GPS signal from his phone indicated he was in Smallville. He covers for himself, but it seems Clark is having memory lapses which he figures out are being caused by the alien beings who are trying to communicate with him mentally. On TV Heather deflects any blame from Superman, and Clark too, by lying that the story she was reporting on at the time of the ice creature's attack had nothing to do with Clark. The missing homeless man and security guard attack two police officers. Clark has another memory lapse and finds himself confronted by the three alien creatures... who appear to know he's Superman. As he battles the creatures a swarm of mechanical-looking flying bugs forms and attacks... blacking out everything else.
Superman #5
Cover date: March 2012
"Menace"
Writer: George Pérez
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Trevor Scott
Jimmy and Miko follow Police and rescue crews to Hob's Bay where a cyclone of fire and ice is concentrated at the location of Clark's old apartment building. Superman appears to be at the center of the cyclone, but when he emerges he doesn't act like himself. First he speaks in an alien tongue before retrieving the unconcious bodies of Heather Kelley, the homeless man and the missing security guard. Superman then goes to Warehouse 12 where he destroys the Mechanical robots originally kept their for study, injuring guards while doing so. Next he goes to STAR Labs where he kills the creatures (including Titano) being studied. He then kills a group of criminal called the Sky Raiders who are being transfered from one jail to another. William McCoy goes live on TV where they Mayor and Police Commissioner try to talk Superman down. The military put K-Squadron into action. McCoy continues his anti-Superman rant until Superman crashes in on the TV studio, grabs McCoy and flies him to the top of the Daily Planet building where he threatens to drop him to his death. Watching on Lois tries to call Clark Kent, and when Superman drops McCoy she screams out Clark's name. In orbit around Earth, the real Superman hears Lois' scream and awakens, covered in tiny mechanical bugs.
Superman #6
Cover date: April 2012
"The Measure of a Superman"
Writer: George Pérez
Penciller: Nicola Scott
Inker: Trevor Scott
Supergirl rescues McCoy and confronts the fake Superman about his actions. He attacks her and the battle is on. Lois cries out, and both the fake Superman and the real one in space hear her. Superman realizes the mental link the fake Superman has over him can go both ways, and discovers that his double is actually made up of alien nanite creatures whose planet was destroyed by the "destroyer of worlds" (aka Brainiac). Some of the nanites managed to escape and somehow hitched a ride to Earth with Superman, via his costume. General Lane warns Lois he's about to send in an air strike to take out Superman, but Lois refuses to leave. Breaking free, Superman comes to Kara's rescue, and shows everyone that he is the real Superman and takes the imposter away, refusing to let the airforce turn Metropolis into a battlefield. McCoy gets back on the air and admits he's been wrong about Superman. In the arctic Superman defeats the nanite construct, and Supergirl joins him in tossing it into the sun. Later, Clark visits Heather Kelley in hospital, and comes to an understanding that Clark doesn't feel about her the way she feels about him. Outside her door Lois listens in on the conversation. An eruption aboard a spaceship forces its occupent to evacuate and crash land in the arctic region on Earth.
[Trade Paperback collection: Superman Vol. 1: What Price Tomorrow? (The New 52) reprints Superman #1-6]
Superman #7
Cover date: May 2012
"To Hel and Back"
Writer: Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Jesus Merino
Superman protects a mother and her son as a robotic creature attacks. Superman unleashes his powers on the creature, knocking it out, and STAR Labs scientists collect the creature to study it. In the Himalayas the master of the creature, Helspont, decides he wants Superman working for him, and sends out a command. At the Daily Planet Clark is ambushed by Jimmy into allowing him to stay in his apartment while Jimmy's is being fumigated, while Lois wants him to pick up her sister Lucy from the train station, and Perry berates him for going light on the Superman angle in his latest story. At STAR Labs the creature receives Helspont's latest command and vanishes, appearing in the Daily Planet. Clark rushes into a vacant conference room to change into Superman, and confronts the creature. They're immediately transported to the Himalayas where Helspont introduces himself and wonders why Superman hasn't taken over the Earth. Helspont is angered by Superman's disrespect and attacks him. Meanwhile, in Metropolis, Lucy Lane is left waiting at the station for Clark to pick her up.
Superman #8
Cover date: June 2012
"The Outsider Option"
Writer: Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Jesus Merino
At Lois' apartment Lucy isn't impressed that Clark never showed up to pick her up from the station. Helspont gives Superman a mental picture of how antagonistic his future could be if he doesn't join him. Superman refuses once more as Helspont reveals how he was betrayed by his own kind, the Daemonites. Helspont attacks Superman in disgust, but Superman just responds in kind. Helspont disappears leaving Superman to fly back to Metropolis. At his apartment, Clark finds Jimmy waiting for him so that he can move in while his apartment is being sprayed for bugs.
Superman #9
Cover date: July 2012
"Secrets & Lies"
Writer: Keith Giffen and Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Jesus Merino
Superman dives into the depths of the ocean to save a sinking Russian submarine. The men inside are concerned however, as they don't want Superman to discover the cargo they're carrying onboard. While thankful for the save, they request Superman leave immediately. Blogger Victor Barnes tries to convince Lois that he has the scoop of Superman's secret identity. Lois brushes him off and Barnes storms off angrily. At the Metropolis National Bank a young woman calling herself Anguish breaks into the bank to take a necklace she claims belongs to her. When police shoot at her the bullets just pass right through her body. Barnes snaps a photo of the man he believes to be Superman's alter-ego and goes to see Morgan Edge about the scoop. Clark returns to the Daily Planet and is ambushed by Lois who is angry about him failing to pick up her sister Lucy from the station. Clark knew nothing about it, and Lois says he has to take her and Lucy to dinner to make up for it. Clark hears of the bank robbery and flies over as Superman. He tries to stop Anguish but is unable to grab or harm her, even though she can lay punches on him. As they fight Mr Edge goes live with Barnes' story, revealing software designer Spence Becker as Superman's secret identity.
Superman #10
Cover date: August 2012
"Secrets & Lies" - Part 2
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Inker: Jesus Merino
Lois storms in on Morgan Edge, angry that he ran with the Superman Identity story when he knew she'd rejected it. Superman continues to fight with Anguish, unable to stop or grab her, he instead grabs the locket she took from the bank (which contains the only photo of her mother). She attacks him, breaking the locket. Hearing the Secret Identity story on the big screen, she heads off to Spence Becker's house, thinking Spence's wife and daughter are Superman's family. Spence's wife Shannon has news media outside their house. Lois and Jimmy confront Superman, and he denies the reports that he's really Spence Becker. He flies off for Spence's home, just as Spence himself approaches Lois and Jimmy. Vic Barnes barges his way into the Becker home when Anguish arrives. Superman saves Mrs. Becker and her daughter. Anguish attacks the media, before Superman hands her the locket which he repaired. She thanks him and slinks off into the rain, refusing the help he offers her. Spence arrives home, and the media (and Vic Barnes) see him and Superman are two different people. Barnes can't believe it, but Spence breaks his jaw with a punch to the face to make his point. In Russia, the cargo on the ship has been opened, and everyone has been killed by whatever was inside.
Superman #11
Cover date: September 2012
"Combat"
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Dan Jurgens, Vicente Cifuentes, Rob Hunter & Jesus Merino
Superman break in to the Russian facility, where he finds everyone dead. He checks the security footage and finds that an interdimensional capsule was located and retrieved by the submarine he saved recently. The capsule was opened and whatever was inside killed everyone before escaping. Clark thinks back on how he thought he was meeting Jimmy for dinner at Carlini's only to find himself ambushed in to a double date with Jonathan Carroll, Lois Lane and her sister Lucy. To his surprise Clark got along with both Jonathan and Lucy, with Lucy even suggesting the two of them get together the next day to go bungee jumping. Dinner is interrupted first by the arrival of Morgan Edge, and then by phone messages alerting all the reporters to the Russian situation. Leaving Lucy with the bill, Clark rushes off to change into Superman and head for Russia. Inside the facility Superman is confronted by Russian military and is informed about the Russian plan to create or find their own Superman, which lead to the discovery of the capsule in question. The creature has destroyed a nearby town, killing all the men, women, children and pets. Superman is attacked by a creature who is too fast for him, with weapons capable of not only injurying him, but also destroying his Kryptonian suit.
Superman #12
Cover date: October 2012
"Home"
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Dan Jurgens & Ray McCarthy
Fresh out of the shower Jimmy answers the door to find Lucy Lane, who is looking for Clark as they have a date to go bungee jumping. At that moment Superman awakens, hanging upside down as the creature he fought used the facilities technology to open a portal of some kind. Assuming the portal is to allow other creatures to come through, Superman breaks free of his bonds and attacks the creature anew. As they fight the Russians launch a nuclear missile to destroy the facility. Superman manages to remove the creature's mask as it removes a pellet from its arm-strap. The pellet acts as a translator and allows the creature to tell Superman that it can't breathe without the mask. It also informs Superman that it was kidnapped by the Russians from its own dimension and simply wants to return. Superman won't allow that due to the people the creature killed during its time on Earth, but he has the more pressing problem of the nuclear missile headed their way. The creature escapes through the portal while Superman speeds away from ground zero. The Russians presume him dead, but Superman arrives and informs them otherwise. Back in Metropolis Superman decides to appreciate more how good he has it. As Clark Kent he heads to Lois' apartment to apologize to Lucy and take her out bungee jumping.
Superman Annual #1
Cover date: October 2012
"Protector of the People"
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artists: Pascal Alixe, Marco Rudy, Tom Raney, Elizabeth Torque & Mico Suayan
On the planet Daem Prince Artus mourns the death of his wife during childbirth, but his mother, the Queen, sees his outburst as an act of treason and banishes him. In present time Clark heads off to work, dismayed that his roommate, Jimmy Olsen is a slob. Clark loves riding the subway and being amongst ordinary people, but his daydreaming is interrupted when a large spaceship looms over Metropolis. Helspont has returned. Clark changes into Superman and flies up into space, but he's dragged by his cape as Helspont appears out of nowhere. Superman is thrown into the moon, and appears to suffer a concussion. The Martian Manhunter notices the ship and is approached by one of Helspont's minions to join him. Superman awakens onboard Grifter's ship, they too are attacked by one of Helspont's minions. Princess Koriand'r and Hawkman are also approached to join Helspont. Helspont himself confronts Superman, showing him how he's killed sleeper Daemonite agents he'd left on Earth years ago because they got too comfortable and forgot their primary objective. Seems Daem's practice of genetically manipulating their species with other alien lifeforms had weakened their bloodline and Artus (aka Helspont) went on a search to find "genetic salvation", which he thought he'd found on Earth. As Helspont powers his ship, he reveals that he knew of Jor-El, but leaves before Superman can find out more.
[Trade Paperback collection: Superman Vol. 2: Secrets & Lies [Paperback] reprints Superman #7-12, Superman Annual #1]
Superman #0
Cover date: November 2012
"Every End Has a Beginning..."
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
Jor-El conducts experiments within Krypton's core. As he rushes to return back to his wife Lara, he comes across a lifeform he's never seen before. The creatures attach themselves to his lifesuit, eating their way through its protective layer. He manages to make it back to the surface just in time. However to do so he had to leave all his research data behind, and the Council will not allow him to return to the planet's core. Lara tells her husband she's pregnant. While happy, Jor-El worries, as he hasn't yet told Lara about his belief that Krypton is doomed. An explosion destroys the Core Research Center, and all Jor-El's colleagues are dead. A woman named Arana and three men grab Lara, threatening Jor-El. However Lara, who is military trained, is able to give as good as she gets, and the two manage to escape to his personal lab. It seems this Doomsday Cult don't want Jor-El to let the Council know about his discovery that the planet will explode. Jor-El uses a Phantom Zone projector to send the criminals away. Lara stops Arana as the woman informs her of Jor-El's findings. Jor-El confirms to his wife that Krypton is doomed. Somehow on Krypton, a grown Kal-El watches his parents from a distance.
Superman #13
Cover date: December 2012
"They Will Join You in the Sun..."
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
The Block is Dr. Shay Veritas' research facility at the centre of the Earth. Veritas reveals that Superman has been bench pressing the wait of the planet for five days. Superman wonders at the limit of his powers as he sweats... and then realizes he's been away too long. Clark races to his apartment, only to walk in on Jimmy and a female companion naked in the shower together. At the Daily Planet Clark has a run in with Perry White and Lois Lane about not having filed any reports on Superman all week. Clark is angry that they seemingly want him to make up news rather than report responsibly. As Lois texts her boyfriend, Clark discovers she's planning they're planning to move in together. Morgan Edge storms in and also confronts Clark about his performance and what's expected of him. Clark snaps and walks out, quitting his job. Inspired, Cat Grant also resigns and as the two discuss what they do now, a giant two headed dragon-like creature has Clark changing into Superman. The zombie-like creature knocks Superman to Ireland. He gets civillians to safety before the creature attacks again. But he's able to destroy it. Supergirl arrives and wants to know what a Kryptonian creature was doing on Earth. Superman is puzzled and has no idea why she's angry at him, as a man (invisible to them both) hovers above them, watching silently.
NOTABLE ISSUES
Stormwatch #12
Cover date: October 2012
Writer: Peter Milligan
Artist: Ignacio Calero & Sean Parsons
Red Hood and the Outlaws #12
Cover date: October 2012
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Kenneth Rocafort
The Savage Hawkman #12
Cover date: October 2012
Writer: Rob Liefeld & Mark Poulton
Artist: Joe Bennett & Art Thibert
Hawkman vs St. Bastion.
Grifter #12
Cover date: October 2012
Writer: Rob Liefeld & Frank Tieri
Artist: Scott Clark & Dave Beaty
Face-off with Helspont!
Action Comics & Superman Comics Index
Introduction
Here is a listing of the regular Superman titles (Action Comics and Superman) since the 2011 Flashpoint saga that relaunched the DC Universe of comic books. For accuracy almost every entry is based upon actually looking in the issue, and not memory or another source.This listing is done in the order for when a comic book issue was published.
Note: Remember, the month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.
The Writer, Penciller and Inker for each issue is listed under the Comic's Title and Date.
CONTENTS:
2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016Trade Paperbacks
Back to Comic Index Contents Page.
You can read reviews of all the Superman related comics (from October 1999 onwards) in the Mild Mannered Reviews section of this website.