His world exploded before his birth. Propelled by a futuristic craft powered by a science beyond mans comprehension he arrived on a our world as a baby. Raised as a human by loving, caring parents who instilled in him the difference between right and wrong, he derives his powers from our yellow sun that give him enormous and unheard of abilities ! His massive strength and incomprehensible powers are matched only by the great and true heart that beats within his chest ! He is one of the most powerful champions for truth, justice , and the American way that has ever lived ! A man from the stars ever seeking to make the Earth his home, and to protect that home from evils no one else would have a glimmer of hope against ! He is the man of steel, the man of tomorrow...he is..

Superman #4

"Downtime"

By Ralph L. Angelo Jr.

Splash Page: Superman flying across the Metropolis skyline carrying a new "Daily Planet" globe.

What has gone before: Last ish Superman, along with the SCU and Professor Emil Hamilton saved all of Metropolis from spending the rest of its days as a suburb of Apokolips. Casualties were heavy on both sides, but two were particularly painful. One was the man monster known as "Erg" who seemingly gave his life to save the city, the other was more painful, more personal to Superman and many others. It was Maggie Sawyer, the SCU chief, who was the first casualty in the war.

Page 2

Supes: ( It will be months , possibly years before Metropolis is back on its feet. There was so much damage and devastation here in such a short amount of time that Metropolis is now akin to Sarajevo or any other war torn city or country.)

Superman lowers the huge globe gently atop the planets roof, where construction workers using cranes secure it. With a jaunty wave, Superman is gone, arcing across the Metropolis skyline , holding his cape in each hand behind him as he flies.

Supes: (So much damage. I owe you Darkseid. Your constant meddling in the affairs of others cost this city plenty, including a friends life.)

Superman descends , to a verdant cemetery, where a small gathering of friends stare solemnly as a priest reads from the bible. Nearby two young children cry as a man, Sawyers ex-husband, fights back tears himself. Nearby Dan Turpin, the SCU's recently promoted chief stands stock still as his fellow officer is laid to her final rest. Clark Kent appears, making his way to his wifes, Lois Lane-Kents side.

Page 3

Lois (In a whisper): " Glad you could make it."

Clark: "You know why I'm late Lois. I have....responsibilities that need to be taken care of."

Lois: "Yeah, but for once maybe you could've let others handle those responsibilities. This is important."

Clark: "If I did as you ask, we'd all be speaking Apokoliptian right about now."

Lois : "Sometimes you're not always right you know. Sometimes you could put yourself first, and let others bare the burdens you always do, at least for a little while."

Clark: "Power and responsibility go hand in hand. One can not be taken without a debt to the other Lois."

Lois: "Sometimes you are so infuriating."

Page 4

Slowly the mourners make their way past the coffin holding Maggie Sawyers body, they each lay a rose across the coffins side, then leave, filing back to their cars.

Clark and Lois walk silently back to her red Ferrari.

Lois turns and stares at her friends coffin, then slowly shakes her head.

Lois:" This is so annoying, I feel totally helpless here. If The Mayor had installed more safeguards for officers in the SCU, Maggie might still be here."

Clark: " You can't keep going back over things with could've beens and maybes Lois. What happened , happened. Period. Nothing can change that, nothing."

Lois: " I have the power of the fourth estate Clark, as do you, though sometimes you seem to forget that with all your other abilities."

The two enter the car and slowly, silently leave the cemetery .

Page 5

Across Metropolis the sounds of construction obscure all else, as crews from all over the east coast work 'round the clock to restore power, phones and all other basic services back to the great cities denizens. In Luthor Tower , Lex Luthor regards the city he likes to think of his own, as behind him a voluptuous redhead shimmers in to view.

Woman: " I tire of this Luthor. I came to you because your hatred of the Kryptonian almost outstrips my own. Why are we dallying with this Luthor? We should be destroying him , atom by atom.!"

Luthor: "Don't presume to tell Lex Luthor how to take care of business woman, no matter what your powers are."

She stares at Luthor , furrowing her brow, as suddenly Luthor is frozen stock still and solid.

Woman: "NEVER forget who is in power here in truth Luthor. I could stop your heart from beating within your chest with but a thought."

Luthors anger is apparent all over his face, but he hides the emotion well.

Page 6

Luthor: "I'll never forget that my.....dear. But this matter requires my touch, a subtle touch. Not a bull in a china shop approach . We do this my way , or you will fail yet again, as you have in the past so many times."

Woman: "Y-you know who I am?"

Suddenly Luthor slips free, as her concentration slips.

Luthor : "That's better. Now......Max....as I was saying. We will do this my way, and my way only. Even as we speak my dear, there are various....machinations being played out."

Her resolve returned, the redhead once more glowers haughtily at Luthor.

Max: "So , you have begun our destruction of the Kryptonian. Good. Keep me apprized Luthor."

She shimmers and disappears from view , as Luthor smiles to himself.

Page 7

Luthor: (Idiotic cow. You are my pawn in this woman, not the other way around.)

Luthor touches his desktop, and instantly it flips over , revealing a control panel . Touching several controls , Luthor causes a holographic image to appear , an image of several gang bangers receiving weapons from out of a beat up van, as a masked man hands out exotic weaponry.

Masked man: "Yo! Step right up ! Get your candy here, hehehe."

A kid approaches the man.

Kid: "Hey! Why you doin' this? Wha fo' you givin' out the juice? "

M M : "Boy I'm doin' this from the goodness of my heart."

Kid: "Yeah right. Jus' gimme a big gun, somthin' with some punch."

MM : "Ah gotsn just the thing fo' you blood."

Page 8

The Masked Man hands the boy a huge cannon-like gun, that's almost as big as the boy.

Kid: "Wha fo you kiddin' me? Ah can't carry this , it's freakin' huge!"

MM: "And light as a feather son."

He tosses the gun to the boy who catches it, and is surprised by the reality of his catch.

Kid: "Man this be Real ! This gun is smokin'"

MM :"And there's more where that came from. Go out, use these toys. Cause some anarchy. Let the peoples will be known, Then come back and we'll have many,many more toys for you all."

He turns and enters his van , as the driver pulls away from the curb.

Luthor smiles to himself as the hologram winks out.

Page 9

Later that evening.....Clark and Lois sit uncomfortably at their apartment. Lois staring at a computer screen, while Clark reads.

Clark: " Lois, are we going to talk about this? You've been angry at me all day. You know full well that there are times when my other .....responsibilities MUST take precedent. "

Lois turns from the screen, but not angrily as Clark expected, this time with a tear in her eye.

Lois: "I'm sorry Clark..It's just sometimes I feel like I have to share with the whole world. I wasn't particularly close with Maggie Sawyer, but we were friends. That's the part that hurts. We were friends, and because of the cities lack of preparedness, she's dead."

Clark: "I can't agree with you there Lois. The city has no way of being prepared for someone like Kalibak. It's just not possible. His strength practically rivals my own. There's only so much the mayors dept. Can do with their funding."

Lois: "Well I intend to find out just WHAT they can do, to make sure the SCU is never taken unawares again by something like this."

Clark: "What are you talking about Lois?"

Lois: "I'm going to do what I do best, investigate, I'll find out what the REAL limits of city spending for the Police are, and find out who has the contracts for defense for the city as well."

Clark: "Be careful my love, you could be treading on dangerous ground here."

Page 10

Lois: "I know , and I will be. But I still think more could've been done to protect Maggie ."

Clark suddenly turns his head, listening to something in the distance.

Lois: "Trouble?"

Clark: "Yes, I have to go. We'll continue our discussion when I return."

He kisses her on the cheek , and then in a blur is gone!

Across Metropolis' night time skyline, the Man of Steel soars towards the sounds of battle below.

Supes: ( Sounds like a major firefight. I better--) "What the?"

Before Supermans eyes he sees half a dozen gangbangers firing powerful weaponry at several cops and SCU troops, led by Dan Turpin. Superman drops to Turpins side.

Page 11

Supes: "What's the situation inspector?"

Turpin turns to Superman

Turpin: "Still not used to that "Inspector" thing. Any ways, there're a buncha perps usin' some

Kinda hi-tech weaponry that's chewin' us ta pieces. That's the story."

Supes: "Okay Dan, I'm on it."

Superman streaks skywards, then down towards the punks, getting their attention.

Supes: "Okay boys. Drop your weapons, and you won't be hurt."

The young punk we saw earlier comes forward.

Kid: "The only one bein' hurt here hommes is your sorry butt!"

He swings the weapon around and fires a massive plasma charge at Superman, knocking him from his feet, and into and through a building!

Shra-KOOOM!

Page 12

Supes pulls himself from the wreckage.

Supes: "Great Scott! That blast was more then I prepared myself for. If that cannon can do that to me..."

He lets the thought trail off as he rockets back to the battle, as he arrives several SCU members are down and the punks are advancing.

Supes: "No more! Drop those weapons now!"

He fires his heat ray vision, slagging several weapons , but three of the punks turn on him and fire as one, while a fourth pins him from behind.

FRROOOOMMM!

Page 13

Suddenly he plunges earthwards, impacting the ground with devastating effect, causing a miniature earthquake that knocks both friend and foe from their feet!

Ba-KAAMM!

The gang pulls themselves upwards as the SCU advances, guns blasting, while regular Police pull up the rear.

Kid: "Yo where he go? "

Suddenly Superman rockets upwards from below, right in their midst! Shredding concrete and tar, sending the Gang flying in all directions.

Ta-Krrooom!

Supes: "Right here son. And this time I'm not playing around." (Especially since those weapons actually hurt when they were fired in unison.)

Kid: "No way hommes, you ain't takin' us in."

Page 14

The Kid fires the cannon at the ground at Supermans feet, spraying him with a blast of tar and concrete, trying to blind the Man of Steel.

Supes: "It's not that easy boy."

He reaches through and grabs the gun from the punk, crushing it in his hands.

Supes: ( This appears to be Apokoliptian in design. My God, that means there are weapons left here from Darkseids troops, and they're in the wrong hands!)

Turpin: "We got it from here Superman, thanks for the assist."

Supes: "I have a bad feeling about this Dan. I think this is just the tip of the ice berg."

Turpin: "What do you mean? "

Page 15

Supes: "These are manufactured in Apokolips. They must've been left here after the invasion."

Turpin: "You think there's more?"

Supes: "If I was a betting man , I'd have to say I'd have a sure thing here Dan."

Turpin: "Ya got me worried Big Blue. "

Supes: " You and I both my friend."

Superman rockets skyward as Dan Turpin stares at the weapon in his hands.

Supes: ( This is not good. If Apokolips manufactured weapons are in street thugs hands , things in Metropolis could go from bad to worse.)

Below the streaking Man of Steel two evil eyes watch his flight from beneath a sewer grate. Angrily the huge figure growls as Superman flies overhead, scratching its claws against the sewer wall as it walks , gouging deep furrows as it lumbers off.

Page 16

Emil Hamilton rolls over in deep sleep, as mysteriously his prosthetic arm detaches itself from his slumbering form, and like some large mechanical spider crawls over to his computer terminal, several fingers reform and then plug themselves into the terminal via the Cd-rom drive. Slowly an image begins to form on the monitor, it's hazy , but the resemblance to Superman is uncanny. Then the image begins to laugh a very un-Superman like laugh.

The Kent farm . In Smallville, Kansas. Superman descends from the clouds, holding the edges of his cape in each hand. Two people await him as he touches down.

Supes: "Mom, dad."

Mrs Kent: "Son, when we got your call we were a bit surprised, what's wrong?"

Supes: "A little bit of trouble back home Ma. I just needed your input on this, both of you."

Pa : " What's this about son? "

Page 17

They walk inside the farmhouse

Supes: "Lately, Lois has done a few things that have ...gotten under my skin a bit. Maybe I'm a bit more old fashioned then I care to admit, but she's so darn strong willed about things. And it's not like I didn't know what I was getting into when I married her either. I knew what to expect. I knew she wasn't taking my name as her own. At the time it didn't bother me."

Pa: "And now it does? Son, you love Lois, we all know that. These are just things that newlyweds have to work their way through sometimes."

Ma: "You just need a good nights sleep to clear your head, and a belly full of my special chicken soup."

Superman smiles.

Supes: " You always know the way to get to my heart Ma. I'll take that bowl of soup Ma, and any advice you two can give your son."

Page 18

Ma : "My poor boy. You can lift a freight train and fly away with it, but in matters of the heart, you're just like any of us poor Earth bound mortals."

Pa: "Talk to us son. That's what we're here for. To help you and Lois both."

Cut to : The Wild zone, the area surrounding project Cadmus, where Guardian leads a full scale hunt for someone....or something.

Guardian: "Move it men, if this thing gets into the city, we'll have more trouble on our hands then any of us will know what to do with. Comb this area men, but be ready for anything!"

Suddenly the woods explode as a fiery blast of energy rips outwards, shredding the Cadmus guards like paper. Guardian barely gets behind his shield , as he rides out the blast.

Guardian: ( My God! It's more powerful then ever ! We need Superman , but dammit we don't need him or anyone to know what we lost control of here!)

Page 19

Guardian back flips out of the way, as another flame blast incinerates the ground he was standing on.

Guardian: (It's getting closer I may not have much time left.)

The creature laughs, and it's an evil , horrific sound.

Creature: "Foolish man, do you truly think you can stop me? I am so much more powerful then you, then any of you. I am the most powerful creature on this pathetic mudball, I am HYBRID!"

Cut to Clark and Lois' apartment, as Lois sits up at her computer screen typing an editorial for tomorrows Planet. An editorial that speaks of misuse of funds for defense and Police unpreparedness . She works hard. Using words such as "ignorance", "incompetence", and "lack of foresight". This will be a scathing editorial, one that will turn the Mayors and the city councils heads. What she doesn't know, is that it will. But it will turn their eyes towards her. And they will be watching her, under a magnifying glass.

Next: Superman Vs. Hybrid ! To the death!

C/O CptMarvell@aol.com

Superman #3 - More great work from the master of high power. Superman's

fight with Darkseid was truly epic in it's scope. Seeing Professor Hamilton

recreate technology of the New Gods was fantastic as well. Nice to know

that they aren't that much beyond us. Anyway, keep up the great work buddy!

Thanks TJ! As always buddy, you make all this worthwhile. Thanks again!