Action Comics #791 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 2002. It was published on May 22, 2002.
Synopsis for "The Invitation"
At the Daily Planet, Clark Kent uses heat vision to open an envelope. Lois snatches it, revealing an invitation to be Master of Ceremonies at the Smallville Homecoming.
Superman puts it off, while working on problems around the globe, until the only problem left is beating Plastic Man at checkers. Superman begs Lois to let Smallville's Homecoming just pass by.
In Smallville, soon later, Martha Kent and Lois chide Clark for failing to avoid the situation amongst themselves. Lois wants to be clued in about what made Clark anxious.
In the past, kids make fun of a obese girl named Margaret Zabusky for not having a date to homecoming. A young Clark says that it isn't right, a little off from the action, and Lana Lang says it's natural to make fun of some people. Clark says that it doesn't make it right. Pete Ross figures out Clark's going to ask the girl out to Homecoming, and Clark takes off.
At home, Clark suggests his idea. Pa Kent suggests that Lana is a looker, but Ma insists he asks Margaret out.
Clark asks Margaret, who says no, because the kids will laugh at this and treats this as a joke. Margaret also vaguely states that she will be long gone by the dance. Clark looks concerned.
The next day, Lana gets mad at Clark, because now she has to go stag. Clark says he did it to be nice, but Margaret overhears. She takes off, gets in her car, and drives away. Clark follows in the air and finds her standing on a bridge, looking over the edge. Clark tells her not to jump. Turning to see him, startled, she falls into the river. Clark jumps in and saves her. She tells him she was just looking at the view. What she said when she mentioned that she'll be long gone by dance time, she meant that she was going to an early admissions program at a college. She takes him up on his invitation after he apologizes.
At the dance, Clark and Margaret have a good time, and later are elected the king and queen. Afterwards, they have a quiet moment together, and Clark flies off, while Margaret goes to check out the view again. But tragedy struck when people who thought that they would be the prom king and queen are driving erratically, and they strike and kill Margaret, who dies in Clark's arms.
As Clark finish his reasons for not going to the prom, Lois consoles him on the same bridge. They go to the dance and have an enjoyable time, because telling Lois has taken the pain away from him.
Appearing in "The Invitation"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Lois Lane
- Jonathan Kent (Flashback and main story)
- Martha Kent (Flashback and main story)
- Margaret Zabusky (Dies in flashback)
- Lana Lang (Flashback only)
- Pete Ross (Flashback only)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Coach Walt Andrews
- Justin Masters (Flashback only)
- Britney Jorgensen (Flashback only)
- Martian Manhunter (Cameo)
- Plastic Man (Cameo)
- Batman (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Smallville
- Granville (Mentioned only)
- Earth's Moon
Items:
Vehicles:
See Also