The lava contained traces of Kryptonite which I couldn't see... And they somehow combined with the lava to disintegrate Nam-Ek! I... I killed him! I've broken a vow never to take a life... And doomed God knows how many others! My career as Superman is over-- Finished!
- — Superman
Superman #312 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of June, 1977.
Synopsis for "Today the City... Tomorrow the World"
Supergirl joins Superman in their quest to find a cure for the "journalist's disease" and to help the dying Flash. Superman discovers that Nam-Ek, whom he thought he had accidentally killed, is alive and now is an ally of their enemy Amalak.
Superman battles Nam-Ek, hoping to use the healing energies of his Rondor horn to save the disease victims. Supergirl fights an "electro-surrogate" force-being controlled by Amalak and defeats it, but is temporarily blinded by the flash of its destruction and is rendered unconscious by Amalak. Threatening Supergirl's life with a "star-cannon", Amalak allows Superman to take Nam-Ek to Earth while he holds Supergirl prisoner. Minutes later, Amalak tells Supergirl that he created "journalist's disease", and he is now going to kill her.
Appearing in "Today the City... Tomorrow the World"
Featured Characters:
- Superman (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Flash (Flashback and main story)
- Green Lantern
- Supergirl
- Lois Lane (Cameo)
- Morgan Edge
- Steve Lombard (Mentioned only)
- Lola Barnett (Mentioned only)
Antagonists:
- Amalak (Flashback and main story)
- Electro-Surrogate Warrior (Made of charged particles which behaves like a human)
- Nam-Ek (Flashback and main story) (Origin)
Other Characters:
- Samuel Tanner (Cameo)
- Dan Reed (Clark Kent's substitute on WGBS News) (On a TV or computer screen)
- Norman Lewis (GBS affiliate WCCR-TV in Central City) (Single appearance)
- Rondor (Dies in flashback)
- Justice League of America (Mentioned only)
- Doctor (Unnamed)
Locations:
- Space
- Krypton (Flashback only) and (Destroyed)
- Inter-Galactic Penal Colony (Mentioned only)
- Justice League Satellite
- The Sun
- Earth
- Metropolis
- Galaxy Communications Building
- Morgan Edge's Office
- United Broadcasting Company (UBC)
- Samuel Tanner's Office
- Galaxy Communications Building
- Central City
- Sheridan Central Hotel
- Emergency Treatment Center
- Georgia
- Atlanta (Mentioned only)
- Federal Center for Disease Control (Mentioned only)
- Atlanta (Mentioned only)
- S.T.A.R. Labs (Mentioned only)
- California
- San Francisco (Mentioned only)
- Florida
- Santa Augusta
- New Athens Experimental School (Mentioned only)
- Santa Augusta
- West Indies (Flashback only)
- Volcano (Flashback only)
- Fortress of Solitude (Mentioned only)
- Bottle City of Kandor (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis
Items:
- Kryptonite (Mentioned only)
- Green Lantern Ring
- Journalist's Disease
- Teleportation Beam
- Star Cannon
Vehicles:
- Amalak's Spacecraft disguised as an Asteroid (Flashback and main story)
Notes
- 300 journalists were affected by the plague and 3 were killed by the plague that hit the World News Confernce in Central City. The plague became known as "Journalists' Disease."
- The first .35 cent issue.
Trivia
Mork (Robin Williams) can be seen reading a copy of this issue in an early episode of the TV show Mork and Mindy (1978-82).