Somewhere out among the stars . . .

Superman raced through space at unbelievable speed. With no gravity to restrain him, he could move at unlimited velocity. He was in a race against time. He had a world to save.

The mysterious beings known as the Guardians of the Universe telepathically contacted Superman to inform him that an asteroid was on a collision course with an unsuspecting planet. Superman didn't know much about these guardians and wasn't sure he should trust them, but they'd said that a planet was in jeopardy and he had to check it out.

The report was true. The yellow asteroid was bearing down on a planet teaming with primitive life. Superman rocketed to stop it. Like a dark streak, in his black bodysuit, Superman rapidly caught up.

But there was a problem. This part of the galaxy was lit by a red star. Superman started to feel his powers weaken under the influence of the red giant. He had to act quickly. Passing the asteroid, he veered around and tried to ram it with enough force to deflect it. Bracing himself, he collided with the giant object.

He bounced off, wincing in pain. Drained by the red sun, he no longer had the sheer power to divert the asteroid. He had to try something else. And he had to do it before his powers faded completely. Once that happened, he and the planet would be as good as dead.

Using his X-Ray vision, he deduced that the center of the asteroid was unstable. That was his only shot! Spinning like a drill, he bored his way into the center of the asteroid. He barely made it through. With the last of his strength, he struck the volatile center of the huge asteroid. The yellow heavenly object rumbled and quaked . . . and exploded!

The once gigantic object, able to destroy the world it neared, was reduced to tiny yellow fragments. The threat was over.

But Superman's problems were just beginning. Too weak to withstand the explosion, Superman drifted into a peaceful unconscious, his body hurtling randomly through space. He would have continued to drift until his power was completely gone and he died out in space. But fate had other plans for the Man of Steel.

A green light enveloped the Kryptonian and he vanished from sight.

Oa, home of the Guardians of the Universe . . .

The unconscious Superman reappeared on the homeworld of the Guardians. The Guardians, freed of their captivity under the thumb of Terminus, resumed their plans to oversee the safety of the universe. Although their Green Lantern Corps was still being restructured - and would have been of little use here in any case - the Universe had many good candidates to use in a case of emergency.

Superman, traveling through space in a quest to find the evil and elusive Brainiac, had made a reputation for himself as a cosmic do-gooder, saving many planets on his journey. The Guardians knew he could help them, despite the Red Sun.

The weakened Superman was placed in a giant orb that contained solar light beams.

One of the Guardians, known as Ganthet, wrote the situation into an archival record. 'Kal-El, known on Earth as Superman, is now undergoing a healing process for injuries sustained during our special mission. Upon determining the yellow nature of the threat, we realized that our Green Lanterns were useless and therefore, this was a mission for Superman. He managed to successfully save the endangered world, despite the Red Sun that decreased his strength. We are currently recharging the solar storage nucleus of his atomic structure. He will soon be back to full strength.'

Superman began to regain consciousness slowly. He slowly opened his eyes and looked around but wasn't really cognizant of his surroundings or his situation. He opened his mouth and uttered the first thought that came into his head.

"Jean," he whispered, remembering the girl he left behind. The long months away had not erased the memory of the beautiful flame-haired member of the X-Men. The only woman he had ever loved.

He started to focus his thoughts and his vision. He was inside some sort of device. But it wasn't hurting him. It was making him stronger. Whoever these little blue guys were, they were helping him.

But something went wrong. Alarms blared and lights flashed. The little men started to look concerned. Superman felt a strange sensation, like nothing he'd ever experienced before. He felt like something was missing. He was losing his connection to the physical universe.

"Something has gone horribly wrong," one of the Guardians cried. "His molecular structure is reacting badly with the artificial solar energy we are imbuing him with. He is becoming incompatible with the time stream."

Superman felt the universe begin to slip away from him. Everything began to fade. He was vanishing into another dimension. The 4th dimension . . . The dimension of time!

"He is becoming unstuck in time!" a Guardian yelled. "We can't hold him."

And with that, Superman vanished into time.

The Fourth Dimension:

Superman found himself in a strange place. A nearly empty void composed of time itself. Nothing was familiar to him. He was floating in a peaceful silence. Scanning the empty nothingness, his incredible vision spotted something stationary hovering in the middle of nowhere.

It was a giant pyramid. His X-ray vision couldn't see inside it. There was a small opening in the side, possibly an entrance. He flew to it, because it seemed the best place to find the answer to his strange situation.

As he neared the pyramid, he spied a large rock hidden behind it. It jutted out of nowhere and stood like a proud monument. Superman didn't have time to study it further. He needed to go into the pyramid and talk to the inhabitants, if there were any, and if he could communicate with them.

Once inside, he walked down a long corridor following the sounds of activity and voices. Exiting the corridor at the far end, he found himself in some sort of large terminal, crowded with people-and other peculiar beings-hustling along, all apparently en route to somewhere. Strange voices spoke over some sort of public address system, but he didn't understand any of the languages he heard.

There was a large monitor above displaying writing he had never seen before. And then, before his eyes, the language suddenly became a form of Kryptonian that he had learned during his telepathic encounter with Death, an agent of Rao, the Kryptonian Sun-God. The monitor apparently had the power to allow the reader to see the words in his own language.

It said . . . WELCOME TO THE TIME TERMINUS. DEPARTURES ON THIS LEVEL, ARRIVALS DOWNSTAIRS.

It seemed to be some sort of airport in time. Superman was amazed that such a thing could exist. He tried to ask questions of a few of the hustling travelers, but he was having trouble finding one that spoke English or Kryptonian. Some of the people that he spoke to seemed excited to see him but he had no idea why. A great many travelers stared at him. He began to feel uncomfortable. For some reason, he was an object of interest.

He finally found some English speaking Earthmen. One of them was known as Dr. Sam Beckett, inventor of the Project Quantum Leap time-travel project of the early 21st century. The other two were called Newman and Phillips, time travelers from an earlier age. They directed Superman to the information desk on the lower level.

Superman passed many people, time travelers all, including H. G. Wells, Marty McFly, and Jack Death. He didn't know them and didn't really care. He just wanted to find a way out of this place. He reached the information desk. The desk was manned by a little man in baggy, checkered trousers and a frock coat. All Superman could pick up about his identity was the title "Doctor." Superman waited patiently on line.

"Kal-El of Krypton," an authoritative voice said.

Superman was shocked that anyone here would know him, let alone by his Kryptonian name. He looked around. Coming towards him was a slim man dressed a dark costume. The man drifted along on a floating chair known as the Mobius Chair.

"Who are you?" Superman asked.

"I am Metron of New Genesis," the man in the chair said. "We have never met and we have met before. You do not know me and you know me well."

Superman had no idea what this strange man was talking about. "Are trying to confuse me? We haven't met and if you know where I am, I would appreciate your explaining it to me very much."

"You are in the Time Terminus," Metron said. "A construct of brilliant minds that stands in the center of all time. Hovering above the Rock of Eternity, it is a crossroads for time travelers. A port in the storm of time. All time travel is regulated from here by the Time-Variance Authority. Here, the laws of time are made."

"I see," Superman said, although he still wasn't too clear on all this. "And you said your name is Metron?"

"Yes," the mysterious man said. "I am one of the New Gods. I ride the winds of time in my Mobius chair, seeking answers to the riddles of time, the universe and everything."

Superman noticed more passers by staring at him. "Can you tell me why so many of these . . . Um, people find me so fascinating."

"They recognize you as one of the house of El," Metron said, pointing to Superman's 'S' emblem. "Perhaps some of them realize that you are the first of El. The father of the legacy."

Superman assumed that by 'El' Metron was referring to his Kryptonian surname. But what did all this talk about 'Houses' and 'Legacies' mean? Was it tied in to his present predicament?

"I'm confused," Superman said. "Can you please explain this to me as if I were an idiot."

"Ha," Metron laughed. "You are not far from the truth. You come from a primitive culture. You have a noble soul but your pathetic knowledge is practically non-existent next to my compendious omniscience."

Superman tried to manipulate Metron into explaining things. He hoped to take advantage of Metron's vanity. "So could you enlighten a poor primitive and tell me about the myself and this legacy?"

"Very well, I shall do so," Metron said, always eager to show off his knowledge. "Listen well, Kryptonian, and I will tell you of the House of El, a story that bridges the centuries and the infinite gulfs of space!"

Metron related the story: "It was during the second great age of superheroes, in the early 21st Century on Earth, that the greatest of all heroes first appeared. He is known today throughout the universe as Superman Prime. He is said to have begun as an outcast but would slowly grow in stature, outshining even his idol Captain America to become the most respected and admired hero of his or any other era. He would face unimaginable dangers and unlimited challenges. Many were the amazing battles waged by the first of the El Dynasty. His legend would be well deserved.

"But one day, there came a time for the man to slip into the pages of history and become a legend for the ages. Like all stories, there one day came an ending. Once all the magnificent victories were won and the miracles performed, the end of the Prime Superman would come sadly and suddenly. I will not bore you with the details because I may inadvertently alter time. I shall not tell whether the end comes from death or from decision. I will say that the universe mourned along with you the day Superman Prime was lost to history.

"But the Son of Krypton did not leave the Earth undefended. He delivered unto his adopted world an heir, one of similar and equally astounding powers as his own. A Superman for the next century, known as Superman Secundus. Secundus was equal to the challenges of his legacy, again and again, as were his descendants, generation after generation. The Centuries would pass but there would always be a member of the House of El present to defend the Universe. In a future far beyond your time, your legacy would be proudly upheld and a wearer of the 'S' shield would always stand guard against universal Armageddon.

"There were other heroes, but as always, they would take a back seat to those of the House of El. Your ancestors do you proud, heroes all, leading the charge, millennium after millennium. Untarnished deeds of bravery, unmatched throughout time. An entire planet would one day be turned into a monument to the grandeur of the legacy of El. Thousands years from now, people from across the cosmos would come to monument world to pay tribute to those who wore the 'S' Shield. Not because of the families great power, but because its sons and daughters were good and noble and self-sacrificing. The dynasty, although alien in origin, always represented the best in human nature. The best of the best. The greatest of all time."

Superman listened to this in muted wonder. Should he believe this Metron or was it some kind of trick? And if it were true, it was a daunting thought. Could anyone live up to such a legend? Was he worthy? He had left Earth in disgrace. How could he end up being even greater than Captain America?

"If any of this is true - and I'm not saying I believe it - it means I have to get back to Earth and become a great hero," Superman said. "I'm not sure that's possible. I left Earth under a cloud."

"Human allegiances change quickly and the past is soon forgotten," Metron said. "It is so easy to sway mortals by impressing them with great deeds."

"If I go back to Earth, the Fantastic Four will want to charge me with violations of the Fantastic Act," Superman said. "Will I get around that?"

Metron's chair drifted closer to Superman. He looked the Kryptonian in the eye. "I should not be showing you this, but I feel moved to generosity. Behold!"

Metron pressed a button on his Mobius chair and Superman's brain reeled with disorientation. He felt himself vanishing again. He slipped the bonds of time once more. Again, he was unstuck in time. Time was no longer a constant for him and he traveled to a new day.

His future!

Earth, in the very near future . . . A Federal Courthouse.

Superman sat in a chair . . . The defendant's chair. The room was jammed full of reporters, security and curious superheroes. The Fantastic Four stood nearby, deeply involved in the case. The judge tried to keep control of the excitable crowd. A team of prosecutors was assembled against him. He had a single lawyer to defend him, named Matt Murdock.

Superman was being charged with violations of the Fantastic Act, stemming from the time he was turned evil by a chunk of Red Kryptonite and he almost killed a group of miners. He was stopped by Captain Marvel, who also appeared as a witness at the trial. Marvel was surprisingly supportive of the Man of Steel.

The Fantastic Four also gave Superman the benefit of the doubt, and their word was taken very seriously, since they brought him in. Or rather, he agreed to surrender himself to them. Between the FF, Captain Marvel, Murdock's eloquent defense and Superman's earnest humility, things turned slowly in his favor. The jury was warming up to him.

During a recess, Superman was allowed to leave the courthouse, albeit in the company of the Fantastic Four. Superman walked along with Sue Richards - a.k.a. the Invisible Woman - Who had begun to sympathize with him and like him. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder. "Keep your spirits up, Superman."

"I appreciate your support," he said. "How do you think its going?"

"It's going pretty well," Sue said. "As part of the Fantastic Four, I've been through a number of these trials, and I've got a good feeling about this one. And about you, Superman. I think you're meant for greater things than cooling your heels in the Gulag. I think you have a destiny."

"So I've been told," Superman said. "I hope its true."

The trial continued, and the jury was charmed by the last survivor of Krypton. Especially the women. Unexpectedly, Wonder Woman showed up to speak in Superman's defense. She'd met Superman before. She won over the male members of the jury. Everything went Superman's way.

Reed Richards, brilliant scientist that he was, examined the Red Kryptonite and decided that Superman could have no way of knowing what it would do to him and would have no way to defend himself against it. He was, essentially, blameless.

Finally, the verdict came in. Superman was innocent - provisionally. He was not responsible for the evil he did under the influence of Red Kryptonite, but a being as powerful as he should have provided his friends a way to counter him. If Captain Marvel hadn't come along, those mysterious X-Men - Who Superman refused to give any information about - would not have been able to stop him. This was careless and Superman needed to be held responsible for that.

As a result . . . Reed Richards got to keep the Red Kryptonite and use it to develop a way to defeat Superman should it ever become necessary again. Also, Superman would have to continue to check in periodically with the FF, sort of like parole officers.

Superman was set free in a media circus. Strangely, the public was behind him and glad to see that he exonerated. As someone who used to associate with mutants, he was surprised at this well wishing. He expected more hostility and mistrust. Perhaps it was the FF, Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman who won him the hearts of the public. But whatever it was, he was glad for it. It made him think that perhaps Metron had told him the truth about his future as a hero.

He thought about Jean Grey and wondered what she was doing. He wished she were there. But it was better that he stay away from her. He had brought her enough grief. He tended to endanger the people around him. It was better if Jean was far away. He missed her but this was for her own good. She had to remain part of his past.

Superman spent some time in the company of the Fantastic Four over the next few weeks. He helped them battle several dangerous villains. They worked well together and started to become friends. Reed even helped Superman redesign his costume, using his molecular scrambler to make the indestructible uniform more colorful. They even added a cape.

Superman flew proudly over New York, wearing his new Red-Yellow-Blue costume and cape. He was content with the way things wee going, but he knew it was time to make a break with the FF. He sensed that his future was not with Reed, Sue and the others, any more than it was with Jean and the X-Men. He had to forge his own destiny. He planned to leave New York. He wanted to find another big city to settle in. One that needed a champion and didn't have one.

Later, Superman had a meeting with Reed Richards about resuming his old secret identity. He never told Reed or anyone else that his alter ego was called Clark Kent. But Sue convinced Reed to be supportive of Superman's decision to have a secret life where he wasn't Superman.

"Still, someone would have to know who you are and where to find you," Reed said. "Your secret identity can't be a place to hide if you are affected again and go rogue."

"I understand," Superman said. "But the fewer people who know, the better."

"Agreed," Reed said. "One person is fine, aside from the President. A member of the Fantastic Four will suffice. You can chose."

Superman chose Sue to be the only one beside President Scott who knew his secret. If he were to go bad, she would spill the beans and expose his alter ego. Otherwise, she vowed to keep his secret. The next thing Superman needed was a job.

Sue had read some writing that Superman had done to keep himself sane and occupied throughout his ordeal. It was very good. And since he had recently had some experience with reporters, she suggested that he enter the field of journalism. Superman liked that idea, because it would allow him to know where trouble was brewing and be there to stop it.

President Scott used government contacts to forge a fictitious journalistic resume for Clark Kent. Superman wasn't crazy about the deceit but Sue convinced him to go along with the idea. After all, his options were limited. Also, Sue and President Scott meant well. As far as the world knew, Clark Kent was an experienced reporter in the heartlands, and was making the move to the North.

Alan Scott arranged a job for him in one of the country's most respected media organizations. He was hired by Scott's gigantic empire, Scott Communications, which owned the Daily Planet and the Galaxy Broadcasting Network, among others. It was decided that he would work in the Daily Planet, in the great city of Metropolis, just the kind of city Superman had wanted to live in.

Soon, it was time to leave New York and say goodbye to his new friends in the FF. Superman said a quick farewell to Reed, Ben, and Johnny, but Sue escorted him to the roof for a special goodbye.

"I'm going to miss you, Superman," Sue said.

"I feel the same, Sue," Superman said. "Your friendship and support has meant a lot to me. I won't forget it. Anytime you need my help, just call. I owe you."

"Friends don't owe," Sue said. "They help each other because that like each other. And if you ever need anything, or if you're lonely and just need to talk, give me a call."

"I will," Superman said. "Thanks Sue. For everything."

"Goodbye . . . Clark." she said. "Your secret is safe with me."

"I know it is. You're a wonderful woman. It's too bad you're married."

"I'm flattered."

Superman smiled. "Well, goodbye Sue. And give my best to your teammates."

"I will. You take care of yourself, Clark."

She kissed him on the cheek. And with that, Superman took to the skies and headed for his new home in Metropolis.

The Time Terminus . . .

Superman returned to the Time Terminus. He looked at Metron. "So that's my future on Earth, is it?"

"In the short term," Metron said. "You will soon decide to return to Earth and that will be your welcome. You will surrender yourself to the Fantastic Four and you will be exonerated in a trial, with some help from your fellow Super Heroes. And then you will become a reporter for the Daily Planet, working for President Alan Scott, and live in Metropolis. After that, your challenges will truly begin."

"To tell the truth, I wish I could skip right to that part," he said. "I'd like to get past the trial and the missing Jean, and the paparazzi, and having to report to the Fantastic Four like a convict - All of it! I wish I could fast forward to the part where I earn my keep."

"Then why not do so?" Metron asked.

"Excuse me?" Superman asked, unsure what Metron meant.

"You are unstuck in time," Metron said. "And you are in the Time Terminus, a place with access to all times and places. What I am telling you is that when you return to your life and your reality, you can return at any point in time. You can relieve a happy moment of your past or appear in your far future to see what your ultimate fate is. It is all up to you. You will return to your place in the scheme of things at whatever point you desire."

Superman thought about all this. It was incredible. "So, your saying that I can bypass all this chaos and reappear after everything is settle. At any time I want, I can be a reporter in Metropolis, freed of any charges against the Fantastic Act?"

"That was the point I was making," Metron said.

Superman thought. "If I return to Earth, what about Brainiac? Part of the reason I left was because I didn't want him to bring his vendetta against me to Earth. If I go back, will I be endangering it?"

"Just the opposite," Metron said. "Brainac has Earth marked as a target. Sooner or later, it will suffer his vengeance. Only if you are there to protect it will your adopted world survive."

"Then it's settled!" Superman stated.

"As you say."

"Why are you being so helpful to me?" Superman asked.

"Because, despite my reputation for coldness, even I have some sense of responsibility. You are the Prime Superman. You have a destiny. It is in my interest to help you. You will one day help me. Go now, Kal-El of Krypton. Find your destiny. We will meet again."

"Thank you, Metron," Superman said. "I won't forget this. When you need my help, I'll be there for you."

"Until then."

And with that, Superman started to fade again.

Metropolis . . . Present day

Clark Kent found himself standing on a busy street corner of Midtown Metropolis. He looked around at the bustle of busy people and traffic. It took him a moment to reorient himself. He was stunned by the time-shift. The noise of the city echoed in his super-acute ears. His memories hadn't caught up with his physical self yet. He focused through the disorientation.

He was in his civilian clothes, not his Superman outfit. Taking out his wallet, he checked his address. He lived at 200 North Park Drive, Apt. 8-A, Metropolis, Michigan. Finding that he had money in his wallet, he hailed a cab and was taken to the front door of his apartment building.

Running up the stairs easily and quickly, he unlocked the door to his apartment. He stepped inside and looked around. The apartment had a lived-in look. He seemed to have lived there for a while. Was it months? Years? His memories were still muddled. It was a nice place, with a good view. He found a letter on his coffee table. It was from Jean.

It read . . . "It was hard to find out where you live, Clark. I know that we promised not to contact each other for the time being but I just wanted to wish you luck in your new life. I miss you and I'll always love you. Goodbye and have a good life. Jean."

Clark felt a wave of sadness. He deeply missed Jean but he was determined to protect her by staying away from her. He put the letter aside and looked over his desk. He found a pay stub from the Daily Planet.

"So, I really do work for the Planet," Clark said, still unable to remember.

Newspaper offices were open at all hours. It was getting late but he could still pay a visit. He looked up the address in the phone book. It wasn't far. In fact, from the window, he could see the famous globe atop the Daily Planet building.

Later that evening . . .

Clark Kent arrived at the Planet. He wandered around for a while, trying to find his workstation. He finally found it. He was near a window. He looked out at the setting sun and thought about the mysteries of the universe.

"Standing around in a daze again, huh Kent?" a hoarse voice snapped.

Clark turned around and saw a middle aged man approaching. He was a grizzled veteran of the news industry. Smart and savvy, he was respected by his peers. He came out of the office that said. "Perry White, Managing Editor."

Perry White, Clark thought. The name resonated. It was starting to come back to him. Perry was his boss. He could be a taskmaster sometimes but he was always fair and honest. All in all, a good man.

"Excuse me, Mr. White," Clark said. "I was rather a long way away."

"So what's new?" Perry said. "And if your back to calling me 'Mr. White', you either screwed up or your going to surprise me with something impressive. Either way, I expect it on my desk my noon tomorrow."

Clark had no idea what his assignment was but he needed to bluff the boss until he had time to research it. "Right, Mister . . . Perry."

Perry nodded and turned to go. An attractive brunette crossed the room with energy and enthusiasm. "Perry!" she yelled, in a loud voice.

"Are you still here?" Perry said. "Don't you ever sleep? Maybe we should get you a bed here."

"You should talk," she woman said. "Here's my story on President Scott's foreign agenda. I'll have that story on the Justice League on your desk by noon tomorrow."

Perry took the story. "Whatever kind of medication you're on, I wish I could give it to all my reporters. You too, Kent. You can learn a thing or two from her. She's a dynamo."

The woman glanced over at Clark with an expression that Clark couldn't decipher. She then looked at Perry.

"He's too much of a Mayberry boy," she said and rushed off to her desk.

Perry chuckled and went back into his office. The woman sat at her desk. Clark looked at the nameplate next to her blotter.

Lois Lane. Clark was attracted immediately. "Maybe working here won't be too bad."

Clark tried to focus but felt his eyes returning to her, watching her work. He wasn't sure if she noticed but her self-satisfied grin indicated that she knew and enjoyed it. She soon left, without saying goodbye, but she did glance back at him with that same strange look again. Clark forced himself not to think about her.

Later, after he had finished for the day, he resumed his Superman identity. In his blue and red outfit, he cruised over the city on the lookout for trouble. He would protect his new home and live up to his destiny.

Just then, he heard an alarm and a commotion. He changed direction to check it out.

"Look out, bad guys," he said aloud. "This is a job for Superman!"

THE END . . . AND A NEW BEGINNING . . .
Next: The Crisis has come and passed, and it's time for Action Comics #1!