You are my helpless prisoner-- --trapped inside the most advanced example of anti-Superman high-technology ever conceived! You shall be my captive for as long as I deign to be your captor! For once Superman-- --I've got you exactly where I want you! 
Superman #401 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 1) with a cover date of November, 1984.
Synopsis for "Operation: False Front!"
Lex Luthor traps Superman in his Warsuit, whose automatic defense mechanisms cancel out his attempts to damage or escape it, and whose monitors relay back his location to Luthor, watching on a viewscreen. Moreover, the warsuit casts an illusion that makes it appear to be Lex Luthor in the suit, rather than Superman. But Superman writes a message in Kryptonese on Jimmy Olsen's wall, using his heat vision.
Jimmy deciphers the message (which Luthor cannot understand) and summons Supergirl, who disguises herself as an alien warrior come to Earth for a grudge match with Superman. Superman appears, claims to be Lex Luthor (and appears to be such, to the crowds that watch him), and "defeats" the alien, saying he has come on Superman's behalf, and giving testimonials to Superman all the while. Luthor, watching and hearing this, cannot stand the thought of "himself" saying nice things about Superman, and frees his foe from the warsuit by remote control. Supergirl emerges from her disguise.
Later, Luthor muses to himself that the warsuit analyzed Superman's physical being and transmitted the information to him, which he intends to use against the Man of Steel in their next encounter.
Appearing in "Operation: False Front!"
Featured Characters:
- Superman (Flashback and main story)
Supporting Characters:
- Lana Lang
- Josh Coyle
- Perry White (Cameo)
- Jimmy Olsen
- Lois Lane
- Justin Moore
- Supergirl also (Disguised as Trogar) (Flashback and main story)
Antagonists:
- Luthor (Flashback and main story)
- Pluto Statler
- Plato Statler
- Wanda Nordo
Other Characters:
- WGBS Employees (Unnamed)
- Citizens of Metropolis (Unnamed)
- Brainiac (Mentioned only)
- Jack (Jimmy Olsen's Neighbor) (Single appearance)
- Elaine (Jimmy Olsen's Neighbor) (Single appearance)
- Rao (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Space
- Lexor (Mentioned only)
- Krypton (Mentioned only)
- Earth
- Metropolis
- Galaxy Communications Building
- WGBS Studios
- Control Room
- Perry White's Office
- Jimmy Olsen's Apartment
- Galaxy Communications Building
- Luthor's Lair (Mentioned only)
- Atlantic Ocean
- Black Island (Name changed from L-Island see Superman #386)
- Fortress of Solitude (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis
Items:
- Plato and Pluto Statler (Hologram)
- Lex Luthor's Warsuit (Flashback and main story)
- Kryptonese
- Jimmy Olsen's Signal Watch
Concepts:
Notes
- Contains a 16 page free preview of Matchbox's Flash Force 2000.
See Also