Action Comics #845 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of January, 2007.
Synopsis for "Last Son (Part II)"
Superman brings the Kryptonian child to his Fortress of Solitude in the hopes of finding answers to explain his sudden arrival on Earth. He consults with the disembodied Jor-El, who knows nothing of the boy's true origins. Afterwards, he flies him back to Smallville, and talks with Lois about adoption. Lois is uncomfortable with the idea, and is concerned whether Clark and she could really be ideal parents, especially she.
Meanwhile, Lex Luthor secretly monitors broadcasts of the Department of Metahuman Affairs and learns about the Kryptonian's existence. Having somewhat domesticated the backwards being known as Bizarro, he sends him out to retrieve this "Super-Boy".
Later, Superman attends a full press conference on the steps of the Daily Planet, and publicly announces that he is leaving the child in the care of Clark Kent and Lois Lane. Sarge Steel is present and asks Superman why he created such a media circus around the affair, to which Superman replies, "It'll keep you and your scientists honest, Steel".
Suddenly, Bizarro arrives and pummels Superman through the pavement. They fight briefly underground, and just as abruptly burst upwards to continue their fight in the sky. Bizarro swoops down and snatches up a child, whom he mistakenly believes is the Kryptonian. He quickly realizes his error when the boy's arm snaps in his grasp. Discarding him like a broken toy, Bizarro continues tearing up the city street in the hopes of finding the Kryptonian. Superman catches the child, and brings him safely to the ground before resuming his fight with the mad, backwards creature. During the carnage, Bizarro hurls a school bus which plummets down, landing directly on top of the Kryptonian's head. Fortunately, his invulnerability proves to be just as strong as Superman's and he emerges without a scratch. Superman finally defeats Bizarro with several strong gusts of Arctic Breath.
Later, after everything has settled down, Clark and Lois walk the boy through the park and discuss their future. Lois decides that they should give the child a proper Earth name, and chooses Christopher.
In the Arctic North near the Fortress of Solitude, three meteor pods land on Earth. Emerging from them are former Phantom Zone criminals, General Zod, Ursa and Non. Zod embraces his newfound freedom and tells Ursa that it is now time to locate their son.
Appearing in "Last Son (Part II)"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Bizarro
- Lex Luthor
- Phantom Zoners
- General Zod (First appearance)
- Non (First appearance)
- Ursa (First appearance)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
- None
Vehicles:
- None
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in:
- This is the first canonical appearance of General Zod, Ursa and Non. There have been two previous incarnations of General Zod to exist in Post-Crisis continuity. The first General Zod was indigenous to a pocket-universe dimension, and was killed in Superman (Volume 2) #22. The second Zod was actually an Earth human from the nation of Pokolistan. He appeared last in Action Comics #790. Admiral Zod, a possible ancestor of the the current Zod was referenced in flashback by Lex Luthor during the "Up, Up, and Away" storyline. Ursa and Non however, are characters who were originally germane to the continuity of the Superman movies. Played (respectively) by Sarah Douglas and Jack O'Halloran, they made a brief appearance in the 1978 film, Superman, and became feature villains in the sequel, Superman II. An alternate reality version of Ursa made a cameo appearance in JSA Classified #3. This issue is the first appearance of the mute, Non, in any incarnation.
- Jor-El appears in this issue as a Sunstone-generated simulacrum only.
- Christopher Kent's Kryptonian name, Lor-Zod, will be revealed in issue #846.
- This issue ties in with "The Criminals of Krypton" story from this year's Annual.
Trivia
- Lois Lane provides the Kryptonian child with the first name, Christopher. This is likely an homage to Christopher Reeve, who played the role of Superman in four feature films, and made guest appearances on Smallville playing the part of Professor Virgil Swan.
- Christopher Kent is an analog to Jason White, the son of Superman and Lois Lane as seen in the 2006 Bryan Singer film, Superman Returns.
- The fight between Superman and Bizarro in this issue is reminiscent of the fight between Superman and Non in Superman II.