Superman: The Man of Steel #125 is an issue of the series Superman: The Man of Steel (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 2002. It was published on April 17, 2002.
Synopsis for "Gangs of Metropolis, Part Three: The Big Compromise"
Superman, in the grip of Overmind, struggles to overcome the solar inhibitor ray and defeat his captor.
At Lexcorp, Talia ponders the battle with her advisors. They note that Metallo is still down, that Steel must be using the Aegis. They postulate that if the battle goes too far, they will have to use psionics to vaporize the brain underneath Metropolis and hope that the tech will build a new one.
Steel, in the Aegis, sends an automated Steel armor to return Shrew Face and Bloat to Stryker's Island. He thank them and believes that they deserve better. The fellow CAELOSS members helping Steel cobble together bikes that can fly and shoot and take off with Steel.
At the brain, they realize that the flying machines are approximately three generations behind the brain. Steel attacks, to no avail. Then they burst through. Talia tells her technicians to throw their machines in before it repairs.
Natasha informs the Overmind that Steel is coming. Overmind holds a very pummeled Superman in his arms. Steel bursts in, but Overmind uses the B13 tech in Steel's helmet to knock out the Aegis.
Superman recovers and prepares to attack Overmind while he chides Steel, when Earthquake bashes him. Although agitated by Earthquake's absence, Overmind orders commands him to kill Luna along with Superman and Steel. He proceeds to Natasha, notes her expendability now that they have the Aegis, and prepares to kill her.
Earthquake gets a bit out with Steel and Superman, then releases them abruptly, telling them to remember that he could have killed them and that he let them live. He releases the solar inhibiting field. He says that the fight wasn't personal, he'll just always be there for Mother Earth before he departs. Steel gives Superman a plan to destroy the Overmind's constructs, and he flies off, putting the plan in motion. Superman flies off to the Overmind, who then puts the helmet of the Aegis into the tech and begins to reboot Brainiac 13.
But the heroes' plans comes into motion as Luna frees Natasha and Steel rips the Overmind apart with his bare hands. Superman destroys the nerve central from the inside out. Superman has to stop Steel from killing the Overmind. Steel has realized that the Overmind is who killed him before, on the moon, while he used the B13 override, and that he was going to kill Natasha. Fortunately Steel calms down. Superman rips the Overmind's mask off, thinking that he's known who the Overmind was for a time now. He reveals to be Emil Hamilton, who pleads that his artifical arm made him do it. Superman promptly destroys Hamilton's arm.
Talia arrives with Lexcorp personnel in red armor and she beleaguers Superman for destroying Lexcorp property. Superman retorts to her that he's actually given Lexcorp the power beneath the streets, much as he might not like it. He tells her that there are no laws down underneath the city, and that CAELOSS is now his gang, and he will use them to watch underneath the city for anything Lexcorp might do in the future down there. They will also keep the tech they got from the nerve. They will also be given control of the B13 infrastructure directly affecting Suicide Slum.
In the aftermath, Earthquake is revealed to be in partnership with Talia, who is celebrating because her goal has been achieved. The B13 tech threat is gone, Lexcorp has been delivered a crippling blow, and the nerve central is temporarily destroyed.
Superman angrily confronts Ella Lane about her accusation, with Clark in the room, telling her that he owes the Kents, nothing more. Lois resents lying to her mother, but Clark points out that it wasn't really lying, after Martian Manhunter, again playing Superman, flies off.
Appearing in "Gangs of Metropolis, Part Three: The Big Compromise"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- CAELOSS
- Mr Clemente
- Steel
- Martian Manhunter
- Lois Lane
- Natasha Irons
Antagonists:
- Overmind
- Cybermoths
- Talia al Ghul
Other Characters:
- Luna
- Mr. Bloat
- Shrew Face
- Ella Lane
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Lexcorp (Mentioned only)
Items:
Vehicles:
See Also
- Cover gallery for the Superman: The Man of Steel series
- Images from Superman: The Man of Steel Vol 1 125