Lex Luthor and Brainiac had been long-standing foes of the Man of Steel for some time. But Action Comics #544 would mark a change of pace them both, upgrading them and making them even more formidable to mark Superman’s 45th anniversary.
Minor Crossover: The two separate threads – Brainiac’s transformation and Lex Luthor’s upgrade – which eventually align, but can also be read separately.
Must Reads: Story arcs marked with a ✔are must-read stories from this time period, along with any key related stories and often-forgotten tales that are worth a read.
Anthology Issues: When an issue contains multiple stories, the relevant story is denoted with square brackets. For example, [2/5] refers to the second story of the five stories in that issue, so you don’t need to read the other four.
Want to keep it simple? Here’s the chronological reading order without story descriptions, or spoilers:
- ✔ Action Comics #544 [1/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #544 [2/2]
- ✔ Action Comics #545
- ✔ Superman #385
- ✔ Superman #386
- ✔ Action Comics #546
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Action Comics #544 [1/2] (pp.1-20) Following his most crushing defeat at Superman’s hands, Lex Luthor leaves Earth and returns to his wife Ardora on the planet Lexor where he learns he has a young son. Lex tries to turn over a new leaf for Lex Luthor Jr. Days later, Lex is still fired by his hatred of Superman. On Earth, a loyal robot activates Luthor’s doomsday plan to destroy Metropolis… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #544 [2/2] In space, an introspective Superman deals with the imminent threat of Epsilon 4 about to go supernova. He passes the mechanised planet created by Brainiac, unaware that it’s using the energy of the supernova to transform the Collector of Worlds into a corporeal form. He spreads out across galaxies and absorbs information from multiple worlds, then travels through time and back to his mechanised orb. Time passes, and while Superman’s life goes through changes on Earth, Brainiac evolves into a new form. Now, Brainiac begins ravaging worlds instead of collecting them. Clark Kent’s evening with Lana Lang is interrupted when he recieves a distress signal from Systus 2 where Brainiac has turned its denizens into his own private army against their will. Superman tries to save the alien world, but Brainiac bathes him in the energy of a red sun, robbing the Man of Steel of his powers. 1st appearance: Brainiac’s Skull Ship |
| ✔ | Action Comics #545 Brainiac is now completely devoid of humanity and analyses Superman before deciding he’s served his purpose. The remaining forces of Systus 2 attack, allowing Superman to escape. Brainiac wipes out all life on Systus 2. Superman escapes Brainiac’s ship on a shuttle. When his powers return, Brainiac sends another ‘Red Sun’ missile after him and makes his escape. Superman survives but his foe has gone to form an army. On Earth, Rip Hunter gathers Dave Dorrance, Cave Carson and other ‘Forgotten Heroes’ to save the world… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #544 [1/2] (pp.20-28) Weeks after his return to Lexor, Lex Luthor completes work on the Neutrarod which keeps Lexor from planetary catastrophe, just as the world comes under attack from an armoured ‘Mystery Marauder’. Superman arrives on Lexor and Lex Luthor reveals himself to be the ‘Mystery Marauder’ when he dons the Warsuit and blasts Superman. But the beam deflects and destroys the Neutrarod, causing Lexor to explode. Lex’s Warsuit allows him to survive the explosion and he swears vengeance on Superman. 1st appearance: Lex Luthor’s Warsuit |
| Must Reads | Title, Issue Number & Synopsis |
| ✔ | Superman #385 Superman returns to Earth feeling immense guilt over the destruction of Lexor and believing Lex Luthor to be dead. A part of Lexor lands in the Atlantic and the returning Luthor clerks the rock as L-Island. Superman investigates a series of jailbreaks while also seeing visions of Luthor and questing his own sanity. |
| ✔ | Superman #386 (pp.1-23) Lex Luthor strides into the Galaxy Communications building and demands Clark Kent cover the story of the destruction of Lexor at Superman’s hands. He appears to grow to gargantuan size to attack the Daily Planet globe, but Superman realises this is an illusion. Lex then heads to the Lane Farm in Pittsdale to use Lois Lane as bait for Superman. But she no longer has feelings for the Man of Steel. Lex inserts a Neutrarod in the Earth. When Superman arrives, Lex blasts him with a ray that blocks the effects of Earth’s Sun. But the attack is unsuccessful, so Lex panics and flees. The Neutrarod was a ruse. |
| ✔ | Action Comics #546 (pp.1-13) Superman struggles to obtain any information on the new Brainiac. Jimmy Olsen summons Clark Kent back to his day job on Morgan Edge’s behalf. Tired of Edge’s tirades, Clark quits. Superman summons the Justice League of America and the Teen Titans to defend Earth from Brainiac and the alien army under his control. |
| ✔ | Superman #386 (pp.23) Lois Lane is horrified when Lana Lang poaches her Middle East story… |
| ✔ | Action Comics #546 (pp.14-23) The League and the Titans fight Brainiac’s forces. Superman lures Brainiac to the Sun and creates a sunspot to distort his computer systems. Brainiac escapes via hyperspace, leaving his army to recover fro their brainwashing. Superman promises to find a new planet for the aliens… |
| Must Reads | Issue & Fallout | Event / Crossover |
| ✔ | Superman #401 (1984) Lex Luthor returns; Superman becomes trapped in Luthor’s Warsuit which scans his form and collects data for Luthor’s next plot. | |
| Action Comics #552-553 (1984) The Forgotten Heroes join forces with Superman against Vandal Savage who risks unravelling the very fabric of time itself. | ||
| Action Comics #556 (1984) Superman’s ongoing enmity with Vandal Savage finally comes to a head. | ||
| DC Comics Presents #77-78 (1985) The Forgotten Heroes team-up with Superman again, this time against the Forgotten Villains. | ||
| ✔ | DC Comics Presents #80 (1985) Brainiac returns, capturing al of Metropolis; Superman and the time-travelling Legion of Super-Heroes free the city from Brainiac’s control. | |
| New Teen Titans Annual #1 (1985) A flashback suggests Superman encountered the new Brainiac before their run-in on Systus 2. | ||
| ✔ | Superman #410 (1985) Crisis on Infinite Earths #6 (1985) Superman #412-413 (1985) Crisis on Infinite Earths #9-11 (1985-1986) Lex Luthor’s armour gives him the means to alter Superman’s perceptions, causing Clark Kent to release a story about Superman that isn’t true; Luthor is saved from Superman’s wrath by an unknown force; Lex Luthor’s rescuer is revealed to be Brainiac; Luthor and Brainiac form an alliance to combat the Anti-Monitor. | CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS |
| ✔ | Superman #416 (1986) Before the Earth-One timeline is fully altered by the Crisis, Superman is warned by his future self to stop his pursuit of Lex Luthor as his life is destined to change when a boy shows him the error of his ways. | |
| ✔ | Superman Annual #12 (1986) L-Island is renamed Black Island; the energy being Sentinel-One that used to power the Warsuit armour on Lexor comes to Earth in search of Black Island and takes control of the suit; this is the final showdown between Luthor and Superman before Earth-One is erased by the effects of the Crisis. | |
| Superman #423 (1986) Action Comics #583 (1986) On Earth-423, Superman faces the combined force of Lex Luthor and Brainiac, though neither prove to the the real mastermind behind Superman’s final adventure. | WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW? |
Notable collected editions featuring the Showdown…
| Collected Edition Title | Collects… |
| Adventures of Superman: Gil Kane vol.1 | Action Comics #539-541, 544-546, 551-554 DC Comics Presents Annual #3 Superman #367, 372, 375 Superman Special #1-2 |
| Superman vs Lex Luthor | Action Comics #23, 544 Adventures of Superman #90, 164, 292, 416 Adventure Comics #271 Superboy #86 Man of Steel #4 Superman #9, 131 Superman: Lex Luthor 2000 |
Reading Order ©OmniverseComicsGuide 2023
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