Superman: Y2K #1 is a one-shot with a cover date of February, 2000.
Synopsis for "The End"
December 31, 1620. Two groups of men, one Indian and the other European, come together in conflict. Before the battle can really begin, fire from the sky begins to strike the ground all around them. Afterwards the two groups unite and make amends.
December 31, 1999. Lex Luthor wields a hatchet as two Amazon women bear down on him. The three battle until Luthor's aide mentions Superman. The name breaks Lex's concentration and he concedes defeat. After dismissing Mercy and Hope, Luthor contemplates the New Years preparations he has made.
Off of the Florida Keys Superman grabs El Piton, a small time criminal, from his ship filled with brainwashed passengers. Superman crashes through the hull of the ship and water begins to flow in, bringing the passengers back to their senses. Then hoisting the ship above his head, Superman begins to fly back to their homeland.
In Smallville, Clark finds his parents and his wife working in the kitchen. Clark talks with his father for a minute about the significance of Y2K, but when he brings up the Smallville First Night Celebration the room gets very quiet. Lois suggests to her husband that the group try a change of pace for this New Year.
In a Lexcorp facility, two scientists test satellites in orbit with the "Y2Kompliance" program. They both notice a spike, but later figure it to be just a glitch. High in orbit, aboard the very same satellite, an insectoid creature crawls off of the structure and begins to fall to Earth. On top of Lexcorp Tower the creature crashes shortly later. Two men, after finding the intruder, begin to call for help but are soon stopped by a creature still cloaked in the shadows.
Lois' change of pace involved the whole family going to Metropolis for the celebration. As Clark struggles to remain in control and ever watchful, Lois and the Kents attempt to enjoy themselves as the humanoid creature wreaks havoc throughout Lexcorp Tower.
As the clock outside counts down to zero and a huge "L" ascends the side of the Newstime building the crowd begins to chant the numbers. And as the clock strikes zero the city goes completely black. Clark zooms away, transforming into Superman as the crowd begins to panic. Inside the tower Luthor demands to know what has caused the problem. He is greeted by Brainiac 2.5., who admits to having destroyed everything electronic on the planet.
As Superman stops a malfunctioning bullet train in Japan, Martian Manhunter finally contacts him. The rest of the Justice League is busy with their cities, but Superman has a bigger problem. Nuclear missiles have been launched.
Lex comes to his senses lying outside of Lexcorp. The guests at his private party suddenly pour out of the doors, pursued by silvery spiders. Luthor suddenly realizes that he doesn't know where Lena is. Across town Lena's caretaker fights her way through the crowd with the baby in tow. She runs up to anyone for help, and finds Lois Lane.
In space, over two-thousand missiles surround Superman and his newest recruit Green Lantern. They struggle to stop all of the missiles while Brainiac begins to count down to their detonation. Superman and Green Lantern combine their wills and attempt to contain the awesome power of the dozens of nuclear explosions. As the bombs erupt with energy an alien beam rushes past them and into Earth's atmosphere. The beam strikes Lexcorp Tower and suddenly Brainiac is no longer in control. He is receiving information from the future.
Out on the streets the strange beam strikes Jimmy Olsen's camera. After it has passed Jimmy's camera has changed, becoming more high-tech.
Out in orbit Superman is suddenly confronted by legions of robots, taken over by Brainiac. He fights carefully, not wishing to harm his friends when suddenly Platinum of the Metal Men contacts him with Morse code. She tells him that all robots have been overwhelmed with a signal, but that the real problem is in Metropolis.
Back in the city, Lois struggles to keep Lena safe. As one of the giant spiders closes in Lex drives a car into the beast, destroying it. He reclaims his child from Lois.
Brainiac begins to be upgraded by the beam of energy.
Suddenly Superman arrives on the site, grabbing Luthor and demanding to know what has happened. Lois tells Clark that she doesn't think it is Luthor's doing. As soon as Superman and Lois leave, Luthor composes himself. He removes a device from Lena's head that is hidden among her hair and attaches it to a floppy disc that he was carrying in his briefcase. In the tower Brainiac begins his final upgrade.
Above Metropolis a huge robot appears out of nowhere. Brainiac 13.
Appearing in "The End"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Brainiac 13 (First appearance)
- Brainiac 2.5
- Lex Luthor (Flashback and main story)
- El Piton (Single Appearance)
Other Characters:
- Amazo
- Justice League of America
- Aquaman (Cameo)
- Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner)
- Martian Manhunter
- Plastic Man
- Wonder Woman (Cameo)
- Flash (Walter West)
- Hope Taya
- Hourman (Matthew Tyler)
- Lena Luthor
- Mercy Graves
- Nightwing
- Robin
- Steel
- S.T.R.I.P.E.
- Edna Luthor (Flashback only)
- Pennington
- Wallace Luthor (Flashback only)
- Metal Men
Locations:
- Gotham City
- Japan
- California
- Illinois
- Earth's Moon
- Missouri
- Metropolis (Flashback and main story)
- Kansas
Items:
- S.T.R.I.P.E. Armor
- Steel's Armor
- Green Lantern Ring
- Gold Armor
- Arachnae War Drones
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is triangle #7/2000.
- The events from this issue take place on December 31, 1999 – January 1, 2000.
- The events from this issue continue in Superman (Volume 2) #154.
- This issue contains several flashbacks of Metropolis' past, primarily from the perspective of members of the Luthor family. The earliest flashback shows Dutch settlers and their first encounter with the Algonquin Indian tribe. A flashback from 1845 shows Edna Luthor breaking up a riot between disenfranchised workers. A flashback from 1917 shows Wallace Luthor celebrating New Year's at the Metropolis Steel works. A flashback from thirty years ago shows young Lex Luthor in the presence of his abusive father, and his broken down grandfather. Another flashback shows an eighteen-year-old Lex Luthor taking over his family tenement building, and another flashback show Lex only a few short years prior to his initial confrontation with Superman.
- The events of Metal Men (Volume 2) were declared a psychotic break in Will Magnus' head according to 52 (Volume 1). The standard origin and nature of the Metal Men is still intact on New Earth and Magnus was never Veridium.
- An unknown android appears who is clearly meant to be the Tomorrow Woman As the Tomorrow Woman was supposed to be dead at this point, she has been recolored with blue skin to avoid a continuity error.
Trivia
- The climax of this issue, which introduces the character of Brainiac 13, is digitally generated.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
Previous Adventures of Superman #575: 2000/6 |
Superman 2000 Navigation |
Next Superman: The Man of Steel #97: 2000/8 |