TITLE	WORDS	PENCILS	INKS	SUMMARY
Superman 27	Stern	Gammill	Breeding	Superman flies to Australia to investigate a rocket crashed during the Invasion. Gangbuster makes an attack on Lexcorp and is repelled by Brainiac. Gangbuster battles the Guardian, who makes a startling discovery.
AOS 450	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	When the Guardian discovers that the new Gangbuster is really Superman, the Man of Steel decides he is taking too big a risk staying on Earth and decides to exile himself into deep space. Lex Luthor blackmails Jose Delgado into working for him.
Superman 28	Stern	Gammill	Breeding	Superman sends himself into exile in deep space and attempts to find a deserted planet to live on. On Earth, Amanda McCoy hires a private investigator to obtain information on Clark Kent. The PI breaks into Kent's apartment, where he is mistakenly killed by agents of Intergang.
AOS 451	Ordway	Ordway	Ordway	Superman continues to search for a habitable planet in deep space and finds instead a strange leechlike being. On Earth, Clark Kent is presumed dead despite apparently turning in stories on a regular basis to the Daily Planet. Lex Luthor sends Jose Delgado to attack Emil Hamilton, but Hamilton circumvents Luthor's technology and publically embarasses him.
Superman 29	Jurgens	Jurgens	Breeding	Superman’s self-imposed exile continues as he encounters a dead planet and a ship full of disembodied brains.
AOS 452	Jurgens	Jurgens	Janke	Superman investigates the strange ship full of brains and meets its captain, Hfuhruhurr the Word Bringer. The Word Bringer describes the purposes of his Union and sends Eon, the physical manifestation of the Union, to battle against him. Lex Luthor ponders a life without Superman.
Superman 30	Stern	Gammill	Janke	Superman continued his self-imposed exile in deep space. The Kents worry about their missing son and the problems posed by the protomatter Matrix that was Supergirl. Plus “Lex Luthor’s Hostile Takeover” Part I: Luthor makes overtures to buy out STAR Labs.
AOS 453	Ordway	Ordway	Ordway	Still on self-imposed exile, Superman deals with his inner turmoil over the execution of the Phantom Zone criminals. Matrix reshapes itself to look like Clark Kent in an effort to ease Ma and Pa Kent’s suffering. Plus “Lex Luthor’s Hostile Takeover” Part II: Luthor continues to suggest he may buy out STAR Labs.
Superman 31	Stern, Peyer	Cullins	Janke	Mr Mxyzptlk takes advantage of Superman’s exile to terrorize Metropolis, especially Lex Luthor. Plus: “Lex Luthor’s Hostile Takeover” Part III: Lex Luthor makes his final move in his bid to buy out STAR Labs.
AOS 454	Ordway	Ordway	Ordway	Superman regains consciousness aboard a freighter headed for Warworld. Plus: "Lex Luthor's Hostile Takeover" Part IV: Having driven up the price of STAR Labs stock, Lex Luthor decides not to buy out the organization, causing the stock to plummet.
Superman 32	Stern	Gammill	Janke	After defeating Warworld champion Draaga, Superman faces Mongul, only to be rescued by the mysterious Cleric. Matrix continues the attempt to pass for Clark Kent in Metropolis.
AOS 455	Ordway	Jurgens	Thibert	As civil war erupts on Warworld, the Cleric persuades Superman to use the power of the Eradicator. Clark Kent's friends worry about his mental stability as Matrix tries to fit into his life.
Superman 33	Stern	Gammill	Janke	Eager for vengeance, Draaga searches for Superman, who learns of the power of the Eradicator from its protector, the Cleric. The Cleric helps Superman conquor his inner demons and transfers control of the Eradicator to him before dying.
AOS 456	Ordway, Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	Superman heads towards Earth with the Eradicator. Darkseid sends a machine to Earth to deal with Morgan Edge, and Jose Delgado takes care of it in a new Gangbuster suit designed by Emil Hamilton.
Action 643	Perez	Perez	Breeding	Superman arrives back in Metropolis. Darkseid’s machine destroys the Edgewater district and Lois Lane and Gangbuster are in danger until Superman arrives. When confronted on his role in Intergang, Morgan Edge suffers a heart attack.
Superman 34	Ordway	Gammill	Janke	Superman has returned from deep space in time to deal with the reemergence of Skyhook, whose devilish origins are revealed.
AOS 457	Perez, Stern	Jurgens	Templeton	Superman confronts attackers at a benefit for the Wonder Woman Foundation. Matrix shows an unusual connection with Superman by mimicing his actions from across the nation.
Action 644	Stern, Perez	Perez	Breeding	In Smallville, Superman confronts Matrix, who believes thanks to a mental link that he is truly Superman. Superman persuades Matrix otherwise, and Matrix leaves Earth, perhaps never to return.
Superman 35	Ordway	Gammill, Swan	Janke	Brainiac and Morgan Edge, both in deep comas, deal with visions of death, represented by Lex Luthor and the Black Racer, respectively.
AOS 458	Perez, Jurgens	Jurgens	Janson	Jimmy Olsen begins to manifest strange elastic powers similar to those of Ralph Dibney, the Elongated Man. Superman brings Jimmy to Emil Hamilton, who discovers the cause--an alien virus.
Action 645	Stern, Perez	Perez	Breeding	The mysterious Maxima comes to Metropolis and begins hypnotizing the citizens, even going so far as to stage an attack on the Mayor’s office. Her only goal seems to be to meet Superman. She vanishes as mysteriously as she arrived.
Superman 36	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	The Prankster attackes Morgan Edge in the hospital. Superman visits Project Cadmus to explore his actions as Gangbuster. Cat Grant comes dangerously close to a relapse.
AOS 459	Perez, Jurgens	Jurgens	Gula	Superman and Emil Hamilton continue to investigate Jimmy Olsen’s strange condition. When the cause is revealed to be the Eradicator, Superman decides to bury it deep in the arctic north.
Action 646	Stern, Giffen	Giffen	Janke	Superman confronts a giant alien deep in the artic north near where he deposited the Eradicator. Brainiac uses his tremendous mind to investigate the lab where he is being held.
Superman 37	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	Superman takes Jimmy Olsen to the Cadmus Project for recuperation, but Jimmy busts out with the Newsboy Legion, bearing a huge grudge against Superman.
AOS 460	Jurgens	Jurgens	Kubert	Superman flies to the Arctic north to discover the Eradicator has begun fulfilling its terrible purpose, to recreate Krypton on Earth. Collin Thornton speaks with Lois Lane and Perry White about hiring Clark Kent for Newstime.
Superman 38	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	Jimmy Olsen is reuinted with the Exiles while Superman deals with a catastrophic storm threatening Metropolis.
AOS 461	Jurgens	Jurgens	Perez	Superman continues to deal with the storm, as well as Colin Thornton, publisher of Newstime. Superman travels to the arctic north to find that the Eradicator has manufactured a huge Fortress of Solitude. Superman learns more of the Eradicator’s nature from a manifestation of his ancestor, Kem-L.
Action 647	Stern	Perez	Gammill, Breeding	“The Brainiac Trilogy” Part I. Brainiac takes control of the lab where Lex Luthor is holding him and releases Metallo.
Action 648	Stern	Perez	Gammill, Breeding	“The Brainiac Trilogy” Part II. With Brainiac’s help, Metallo unleashes an army to attack Metropolis, including the Cadmus Project. Lex Luthor learns of Brainiac’s takeover.
Action 649	Stern	Perez	Gammill, Breeding	“The Brainiac Trilogy” Part III. Clark Kent accepts a job at Newstime Magazine. Superman meets Brainiac in his new form and frees Lex Luthor and his associates from Brainiac’s control.
Superman 39	Ordway	Gammill	McLeod	The Exiles try to communicate with Superman about Jimmy Olsen’s location. Jimmy uncovers a connection between the Exiles, his missing father, and Symian and Mokkari, creations of ex-Cadmus Project designer Dabney Donovan.
AOS 462	Stern	Jurgens	Thibert	It’s Christmas in Metropolis, and at his going-away party at the Daily Planet, Clark Kent discovers that office girl Alice has lost her home.
Superman 40	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	Superman fights one of the Evil Factory’s creations.
AOS 463	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	Mr Mxyzptlk forces the Flash and Superman to race around the world.
Action 650	Stern	Ordway, Swan, Perez, Gammill, Jurgens	McLeod, Thibert, Janke	Draaga arranges transport to Earth. Superman rescues a downed subarine. Separately, Lois Lane, Flash, Power Girl, Fire, Ice, J'onn J'onzz, Maxima, Jimmy Olsen, and others reflect on the impact Superman has had on the world and their own lives.
Superman 41	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	“Day of the Krypton Man” Part I. After depositing kryptonite in his arctic fortress, Superman travels to Smallville to celebrate Lana’s birthday, although his behavior is very strange. Meanwhile, Draaga begins to fly towards Earth, and Lobo arrives on Earth looking for Superman himself.
AOS 464	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	"Day of the Krypton Man" Part II. Lobo brings Bibbo Bibbowski to the Arctic north where he battles Superman. Draaga continues to fly towards Earth, with a slight detour at the Cleric's grave.
Action 651	Stern	Perez, Gammill	Breeding	“Day of the Krypton Man” Part III. Maxima arrives on Earth, seeking out Superman for her mate. During their battle, the Eradicator’s influence over Superman increases.
Superman 42	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	“Day of the Krypton Man” Part IV. While Colin Thornton and Ma and Pa Kent separately worry about Clark’s behavior, Draaga arrives. As the Krypton Man, Superman battles Draaga both on Earth and, thanks to Emil Hamilton, the moon.
AOS 465	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	"Day of the Krypton Man" Part V. Clark Kent's and Superman's behavior grow more and more bizarre as the Eradicator continues its influence. A NASA shuttle which witnessed some of the fight between Kal-El and Draaga encounters difficulty.
Action 652	Stern	Perez, Gammill	Breeding	"Day of the Krypton Man" Part VI. Ma and Pa Kent arrive in Metropolis to talk sense into their son. With their help he shakes off the Eradicator's influence and plunges the device into the sun.
AOS 466	Jurgens	Jurgens	Giordano	Superman encounters a NASA shuttle crew which endured strange radiation, changing the crew in unusual ways.
Superman 43	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	Symian and Mokkari of the Evil Factory send another creation after Superman, a faux Kryptonite powered replica, as Jimmy Olsen and the Guardian draw close to the Factory's location in search of Jimmy's mother.
Action 653	Stern	McLeod	Breeding	Amanda McCoy, who has confirmed Superman’s secret identity, confronts him with it and nearly kills him with stolen kryptonite. Intergang resurfaces and begins an agenda against Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Cat Grant.
Superman 44	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	"Dark Knight Over Metropolis" Part I. Batman comes into posession of the kryptonite ring and travels to Metropolis seeking information. Lex Luthor discovers the ring is missing. Intergang attacks Cat Grant, who is saved by her bodyguard Jose Delgado and private detective Slam Bradley.
AOS 467	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	"Dark Knight Over Metropolis" Part II. Batman discovers a link between the dead man thought to be Clark Kent and Amanda McCoy. Superman and Batman investigate Lexcorp. Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent attend a gala event and Lex Luthor saves Kent's life when Intergang attacks. Intergang captures Cat Grant.
Action 654	Stern	McLeod	Breeding	“Dark Knight Over Metropolis” Part III. Superman and Batman rescue Cat Grant from Intergang and investigate Amanda McCoy’s death. Superman presents Batman with the kryptonite ring fashioned by Lex Luthor.
Superman 45	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	Superman visits Smallville and deals with a band of American Indians upset with government action on their land. Jerry White starts working at Blaze’s, a hot new Metropolis nightclub.
AOS 468	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	Superman tries to aid Hank Henshaw, one of the NASA astronauts who had encountered the strange radiation whose consciousness now resides in a robotic body that can incorporate any technology, including Kryptonian.
Action 655	Stern	McLeod	Breeding	Lois Lane investigates army munitions thieves and discovers the tree-city Habitat. In Metropolis, Blaze’s is the hottest club around.
Superman 46	Ordway	Jurgens	Ordway, Janke	Clark Kent and Lois Lane visit a future city display which is attacked by ecoterrorists. Fortunately, Superman is aided in the battle by Jade and Obsidian of Infinity Inc. Action at Blaze’s continues to escalate.
AOS 469	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	Clark Kent and Lois Lane spend a quiet Fourth of July together, interrupted by an alien invasion and the return of Dreadnaught and Psi-phon.
Action 656	Stern	McLeod	Breeding	“Soul Search” Part I. Jimmy Olsen and Jerry White, victims of a gang shooting, are rushed to the hospital while their souls are taken to hell by Blaze. Superman follows the Black Racer into hell to search for the boys.
Superman 47	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	“Soul Search” Part II. Superman continues to fight in hell for the souls of Jerry White and Jimmy Olsen. The truth about Jerry White’s parentage is revealed.
AOS 470	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	“Soul Search” Part III. Superman manages to liberate Jimmy Olsen’s soul from hell, but Jerry White is lost. The Black Racer takes Jerry White’s soul to his ultimate reward.
Action 657	Stern	Gammill	Breeding	Children of Lexcorp workers are being kidnapped by the Toyman, who is in league with Intergang.
Superman 48	Messner-Loebs	Swan	Janke	“The Sinbad Contract” Part I. One Quraci boy living in Metropolis’ Suicide Slum uses his latent metahuman powers to fight for justice for his people amidst racial intolerance. The theft of a Lexcorp project brings Superman face to face with the boy. (2)
AOS 471	Messner-Loebs	Swan	Janke	“The Sinbad Contract” Part II. Lex Luthor tries to get the force-shield belt back and sends reports to the papers of a terrorist known as Sinbad. Superman investigates Luthor’s actions to exacerbate the conflict.
Action 658	Messner-Loebs	Swan	Janke	“The Sinbad Contract” Part III. Sinbad’s force shield belt is revealed to be of alien origin. Lex Luthor makes a last desperate attempt to destroy the belt, endangering much of the Quraci sector of Suicide Slum. Sinbad manages to stop the threat but at the cost of his force belt.
Superman 49	Ordway	Ordway	Janke	"Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite" Part I. Mr Mxyzptlk gives Lex Luthor red kryptonite, which he claims will make him and Superman physical equals. As Superman deals with an attack by Barrage, Luthor uses the red K and Superman's powers disappear. Pete Ross asks Clark Kent about Lana Lang. Lois Lane reveals her mother is dying.
AOS 472	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	“Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite” Part II. Superman battles against Mammoth while trying to cope with the mysterious loss of his powers. Emil Hamilton searches for an explanation and cure for Superman’s condition.
Action 659	Stern	McLeod	Breeding	"Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite" Part III. Starman, pretending to be Superman, confronts Lex Luthor and deals with Thaddeus Killgrave. Superman, using a suit devised by Emil Hamilton, almost stops Killgrave's breakout attempt.
Superman 50	Ordway	Byrne, Swan, Gammill, Jurgens, Ordway	Breeding, Byrne, Janke, Ordway	Superman confronts Lex Luthor about the red kryptonite created by Mr Mxyzptlk. After dealing with the 5th dimensional imp, Superman visits Lois Lane, whose mother is in the hospital, and pops the question. Lois accepts.
AOS 473	Jurgens	Jurgens	Thibert	Guy Gardner approaches Superman for help in liberating fellow Green Lantern Hal Jordan from the clutches of an alien machine which is itself controlled by Dreadnaught and Psi-phon.
Action 660	Stern	McLeod	Breeding	Lex Luthor, knowing he is about to die, arranges for a test flight of the LexWing X-27 and crashes in the Andes of Peru. In Metropolis, the Daily Planet throws a celebratory party for Clark Kent and Lois Lane.