Superman: The Man of Steel #123 is an issue of the series Superman: The Man of Steel (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 2002. It was published on February 20, 2002.
Synopsis for "Gangs of Metropolis, Part One: Everyone Wants the Aegis"
Superman wars with a rogue piece of B13 technology that has risen from the city to challenge him. He subdues the electronics, then returns to the Steelworks. The S.C.U. and Dan Turpin are present with Steel to deal with the missing Natasha Irons. Turpin tells Superman that he doesn't usually have any use for meta-types, then asks him to look around the place for evidence. Superman finds nothing. Turpin tells Superman about the Overmind, something they've found in the ransom note frustrating Steel on his computer system.
John Henry laments that his Aegis is drawing so much negative attention. Superman consoles him. As he does, Talia Head appears on a psionic projection that only Steel can see. Superman asks him who he's talking to, and Steel asks to be alone. Talia tells him that they have a mutual enemy, despite their company rivalry. Talia demands the Aegis for Natasha back.
Superman wakes Steel up after he collapses. Steel says that he is fine, but has to follow a hunch about Natasha. He goes to CAELOSS and demands some results from the environmental scanning equipment he's been funneling them.
The Overmind, holding Natasha hostage, tells her that he has brought her there for her computer and aptitude acumen, high above that of an average human. He has hard-wired her to the B13 network and is forcing her to be an amplifier, seeking to take control of the great weapon beneath Luthor's LexCorp Tower.
Talia pulls herself from the experimental brain splicer, exhausted. A tech tries to convince her to take it easy, and not to use the experimental brain splicer again until it's further tested. Talia tells her to prepare Cybernetics for an attack.
Superman, feeling estranged from John Henry, uses the Clark Kent persona to find out through a witness about the Cybermoth's input in this situation. Soon after, Superman plows underground, attacking the mutated tech. Superman sees Cybermoths nearby, and pulls off a recognizable one's mask, revealing to be Luna, the former queen of the Cybermoths.
In a far off, ritzy country, Lois and her mother talk about how she is definitely not having an affair with Superman. Ella Lane points out that she saw them together, twice, and one of those times, they were kissing. Ella attempts to relate, telling Lois that she is sure that in the past Lois must have been aware of her own illicit affair. Lois spits out her drink.
Luna tells Superman about how she and 10 were not fit to be the queen anymore, according to the Overmind, and were thus deposed. She also tells him about how the Overmind recruits young people to play the soldiers of the Cybermoths.
Steel arrives on the scene with CAELOSS, only to find Earthquake ready to dish it out. Earthquake buries Steel in the ground. Superman arrives, and attacks Earthquake, who pounds him into the ground.
Appearing in "Gangs of Metropolis, Part One: Everyone Wants the Aegis"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Overmind
- Earthquake
- Cybermoths
- Luna
Other Characters:
- CAELOSS
- Metropolis Special Crimes Unit
- Natasha Irons
- Ella Lane
- Lois Lane
- Talia al Ghul
- Mr. Clemente
Locations:
- Phantom Zone (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis
Items:
- Shining Armor
- Entropy Aegis (Mentioned only)
- B13 Technology
- Brain Splicer
Vehicles:
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Superman: The Man of Steel series
- Images from Superman: The Man of Steel Vol 1 123