Battle for Metropolis

{{DC Database:Storyline Template
 * Image                  = Battle for Metropolis.jpg
 * ImageText              =
 * OfficialName           = The Battle for Metropolis
 * Aliases                =


 * Universe               = New Earth
 * Locations              = Metropolis; Cadmus Labs; LexCorp Tower; Daily Planet (original printing plant)


 * Heroes                 = Superman; Guardian; Superboy
 * Villains               = Lex Luthor; Dabney Donovan; Paul Westfield; Team Luthor; Underworlders
 * Others                 = Supergirl; Lois Lane; Maggie Sawyer; Perry White; Metropolis Special Crimes Unit; Newsboy Legion; Anthony Rodriguez; Jonathan Gabrielli; Patrick MacGuire; Thomas Thompkins; Walter Johnson; Carl Packard; Dubbilex; Gretchen Kelley; Sydney Happersen; Frank Berkowitz; Myra Allen; Bibbo Bibbowski; Jimmy Olsen; Ron Troupe; Ella Lane; Emil Hamilton


 * Origin                 =
 * Titles                 = Action Comics; Adventures of Superman; Superman (Volume 2); Superman: Man of Steel
 * Collected              =
 * Creators               = Roger Stern; Barry Kitson; Karl Kesel; Dan Jurgens; Louise Simonson; Jon Bogdanove; Norman Felchle; Brent Anderson
 * First                  = {{c|Action Comics #699}}
 * Last                   = {{c|Adventures of Superman #513}}


 * HistoryText            =

Overview
The Battle for Metropolis is a four-part storyline that ran through alternating Superman titles in the summer of 1994. The story was a lead-in to the "Fall of Metropolis" story-arc, which began in . The storyline is significant in that it builds up to the point where Lex Luthor's villainous handiwork becomes public knowledge, as well as the fact that he is actually a clone. The story also includes the death of Paul Westfield the director of Project Cadmus.

Synopsis
A mysterious plague has hit the Metropolis area and seems to be affecting only clones. Most of the clones from the Project Cadmus facility including Superboy and the Newsboy Legion fall deathly ill. Moreover, Lex Luthor has likewise been stricken by the plague, and the virus causes his body to breakdown and age prematurely. Luthor publicly accuses Project Cadmus of making an attempt upon his life and declares open war upon them.

Taking advantage of the heated tension are the Underworlders. The Underworlders want revenge against Project Cadmus and anyone associated with them and are more than willing to take innocent human lives to accomplish their goals. Led by the savage Clawster, the Underworlders rise up from the sewers of Metropolis and begin attacking civilians en masse. Members of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit, Team Luthor, Cadmus security division and Superman work in tandem to bring the chaos under control. During the battle, Guardian suffers a crippling blow and is brought back to Cadmus Labs.

Cadmus' director Paul Westfield despises the Underworlders and decides to wipe them out. He launches a missile and targets the greatest concentration of them despite the fact that the explosion would also kill hundreds of innocent civilians. Superman intercepts the missile and sends it off into outer space where it explodes harmlessly.

The mad scientist, Dabney Donovan, creator of the Underworlders takes great umbrage with Westfield's attempt to exterminate them. He disguises himself as a janitor, sneaks into Westfield's office and murders him.

Soon after, the project heads of Cadmus Labs learn that Guardian's blood holds the key towards curing the affected victims. Operations manager Carl Packard (secretly a stooge for LexCorp) secretly sends a message to Luthor informing him that they have found a cure. Lex sends a team of "Lex-Men" to Project Cadmus to acquire the cure. Should they fail to capture Guardian, they are to destroy the facility entirely. While the scientists synthesize a cure, Superman engages Luthor's Lex-Men. The cure appears to be successful and the first clone to rise from his bed is Superboy. Superboy assists Superman in fighting the armored soldiers. Although the Lex-Men fail to sanction Guardian, they do succeed in causing Cadmus' power core to overload. The explosion causes the entire facility to collapse. Only Superman and Superboy emerge from the wreckage and Superman swears to bring Luthor down once and for all.


 * Issues                 =
 * Superman v.2 #90
 * Superman v.2 #90
 * Superman v.2 #90


 * Vehicles               = Various military vehicles
 * Items                  = Guardian's Shield
 * Weapons                = Toastmasters


 * Notes                  =
 * The "Battle for Metropolis" is not to be confused with the "Battle of Metropolis" which took place during Infinite Crisis.


 * Trivia                 =
 * RecommendedReading     =

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 * Links                  =