- Supergirl really died? Not a hoax? Not a dream? Not an imaginary story?
DC Comics Presents #87 is an issue of the series DC Comics Presents (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1985.
Synopsis for Superman and Superboy: "Year of the Comet"
Superman sits on Earth's moon mourning the recent loss of his cousin, Kara. Suddenly, a spaceship carrying members of the Superman Revenge Squad passes over the moon and picks Superman up on their monitors. Taking advantage of the Man of Steel's current vulnerability, they fire a beam of energy at him, which transports him to a parallel dimension.
Superman arrives on the Earth of an alternate reality (known as Earth-Prime). He is aware of this planet and knows that Earth-Prime, unlike his own adoptive world, does not boast a cadre of super-powered beings. He flies over a small New England coastal community where he finds a young boy dressed in a costume similar to his own. He quickly discovers that this is Clark Kent, a non-powered teenager who is likewise the sole survivor of this reality's version of Krypton. Superman introduces himself to young Clark Kent.
Immediately, Clark's Kryptonian heritage manifests itself for the first time and he begins demonstrating feats of superhuman prowess that he was previously incapable of performing. Calling himself Superboy, he flies into action with Superman, and together they save a region known as Hampton beach from the effects of a tidal wave.
After averting the near-disaster, Superboy sets out to help his older counterpart return to his native dimension. To accomplish this, they must first stop a small invasion force of alien Polarians from wreaking havoc on Earth. Following a brief scuffle, Superman and Superboy use the Polarian technology to create a vibrational tuning device that opens a vortex back into the Earth-One reality.
Superman enters the vortex, but finds the Superman Revenge Squad waiting for him. As he comes through, they zap him a second time with their space ship's weaponry.
Appearing in Superman and Superboy: "Year of the Comet"
Featured Characters:
- Superman
- Superboy-Prime (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
- Laurie Lemmon (First appearance)
Antagonists:
Other Characters:
- Jerry Kent (First appearance)
- Naomi Kent (First appearance)
- Jor-El (First appearance; dies)
- Lara (First appearance; dies)
- Durkin (First appearance; dies)
- Marya (First appearance; dies)
- Supergirl (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Earth-Prime
- Hampton Beach
- Halley's Comet
- Earth-One
Synopsis for Superboy: "The Origin of Superboy-Prime!"
On the planet known as Krypton, scientist Jor-El addresses the Kryptonian Science Council and warns them of their home world's pending destruction. Rather than take immediate action, the council members instead decide to deliberate in committee, in the vain hopes of reaching a solution. Enraged at their ineffectiveness, Jor-El leaves the council chambers to return home to his wife, Lara, and his infant son, Kal-El.
Jor-El and Lara begin construction on a teleportation device they hope might save the doomed populace of Krypton. However, without the council's ready support, the construction of the machine progresses slowly. Jor-El is only capable of transmitting volumes of matter less than fifty Kryptonian pounds. Lara and he decide to teleport baby Kal-El across the universe to a world known as Earth-Prime. One of the Science Council members, a man named Durkin, witnesses the experiment and blazes into Jor-El's home. He threatens to revoke his diploma and begins tampering with the teleporter. The machine short-circuits and explodes, killing Durkin.
Before long, Krypton's red sun erupts with intense solar flares consuming the small world destroying everyone on the planet.
On Earth-Prime, Jerry and Naomi Kent are hiking through the forests of a coastal New England when they come upon baby Kal-El. They decide to adopt him as their own and Naomi names him Clark Kent. On this planet, Clark Kent is the alter ego of a fictional comic book super-hero known as Superman. Unlike his comic book namesake however, Clark does not grow up with special superhuman traits. He grows up a happy, normal teenager, unaware of his true alien heritage.
One day, Clark and his girlfriend, Laurie Lemmon attend a costume party at Hampton Beach. Being of good humor, Clark decides to adorn himself in the familiar garb of Superboy. They meet some friends at the beach and sit around hoping to catch a glimpse of the cosmic phenomenon known as Halley's Comet. Suddenly a cosmic vortex opens up in the sky above them discharging a powerful being from a parallel dimension. This being is known as Superman.
Appearing in Superboy: "The Origin of Superboy-Prime!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Jerry Kent (Dies)
- Jor-El (Single appearance; dies)
- Lara (Single appearance; dies)
- Laurie Lemmon (Dies)
- Naomi Kent (Dies)
- Superman
Antagonists:
- Durkin (Single appearance; dies)
- Superman Revenge Squad
Other Characters:
- Marya (Single appearance; dies)
Locations:
Notes
- Both stories in this issue are reprinted in:
- This is the first appearance of Superboy-Prime, though at this point he is simply called "Superboy".
- Supergirl died in Crisis on Infinite Earths #7.
- The storyline from this issue continues from the Supergirl team-up story in DC Comics Presents #86.
- The second story in this issue chronologically takes place immediately before the first story.
- The storyline concludes in Superman #414.