TITLE: Superman vol. 2, issue #81
YEAR: September 1993
COMPANY: DC Comics
WRITER: Dan Jurgens
PENCILLER: Dan Jurgens
INKER: Brett Breeding
LETTERER: John Costanza
COLORIST: Glenn Whitmore
ASST. EDITOR: Frank Pittarese
EDITOR: Mike Carlin
A man with a black jumpsuit with the Superman crest in steel silver across his chest is claiming to be the original Superman.
Of course, no one believes him. Especially since this Superman can’t fly and doesn’t have much powers (as he was just awaken and is weak).
Lois Lane notices that he looks like Clark but at the same time, others who came back claimed they were Superman and knew important information about him.
So, Clark tells her one thing that may make her believe him.
Meanwhile, the villainous Cyborg Superman and Mongul prepare to take over Earth, but when Mongul’s thirst of power begins to show, Cyborg Superman blasts Mongul and reminds him that he will be the conqueror of the universe, not him.
As for the aliens on the ship who talk about who is Cyborg Superman, one worker was able to scrub the data banks and learn that Cyborg Superman is Hank Henshaw. A man who was thought dead but was able to transfer his consciousness into a computer console and became a master of technical matters and reassembled himself. He was able to take over the Kryptonian Matrix chamber which Superman was born and traveled the universe until landing in a planet which was in control by Mongul.
The Cyborg then showed Mongul true pain and because both of their hatred towards Superman, they teamed up to get revenge on Superman and since he had Sueprman’s genetic code, he could easily assume Superman’s identity.
Meanwhile, the real Superman asks Lois just for sometime to speak in private and then kisses her.
Immediately she knows that this man is the true Superman and now, Superman, along with Steel and the young Superman ala Superboy head to Coast City to take on Cyborg Superman!
Issue #81 was important to feature the return of Superman, maybe not in the red and blue outfit that we all remembered him to wear but it was interesting to see his return, with longer hair and if anything, wanting to see Lois.
Another reminder of how these two were meant to be but of course, writers would screw that up in “The 52” and then fix things again in “The New 52”.
But for this issue, it was good to see Superman and Lois Lane together once again!