Superman (Volume 2) with a cover date of December, 2002. It was published on October 2, 2002.
Synopsis for "After School Special"
Superman plows towards Metropolis, determined. A voice in his head, presumably Manchester Black, goads him forward. In the meanwhile, Master Jailer contemplates his coming encounter with the Man of Steel, glad to have his new-found power given by said aforementioned Manchester Black.
Superman arrives and examines the bars that now surround his city. He calls to Manchester, who doesn't answer. He is suddenly hit with a pie, and looks up to see Prankster, filming the action, hovering on a platform. Superman uses his heat vision to knock the pie off of his face. He is now more noticeably perturbed. Prankster calls in his backup: Bizarro. Bizarro begins exchanging blows with Superman until a returned and refitted Neutron drops a tanker truck on them both, taking Bizarro out of the fight. Prankster, filming it all, rejoices in the chaos. Superman, looking more and more agitated, lifts the truck and throws it at Prankster, who quickly avoids it, but falls off of his platform and is incapacitated. Superman then subdues Neutron by throwing him into geosynchronous orbit over Metropolis, where Neutron freezes.
Brambles suddenly reach out from behind Superman and ensnare him, courtesy of another newcomer, Terra-Man. He's tired of Superman infecting nature with his alien bacteria, and he wants Superman taken out. He throws a sun leaching organism at Superman, who heat blasts the creature off his face before knocking Terra-Man through a wall. Just at that lull, Mr. Mxyzptlk shows up and begins taunting him. Superman gives him a very meaningful look that stops Mr. Mxyzptlk. Seeing the bad timing he's had, Mr. Mxyzptlk says his name backwards in fear and disappears.
A white-bodied woman made out of puzzle pieces appears, explains her modus operandi, and is quickly dispatched into many pieces by Superman, knowing she will eventually pull herself back together.
Superman calls for Black, who doesn't respond. He tears through a wall and, to his horror, finds Metropolitans tied up, with their mouths covered by some sort of respirators. He tells Jailer that he can't keep him out. Jailer insists that he never wanted to keep him out, but rather, hold him in. Tentacles descend and ensnare Superman, bringing him face to face with Metallo.
Appearing in "After School Special"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Bizarro
- Master Jailer
- Metallo
- Mister Mxyzptlk
- Neutron
- Prankster
- Puzzler (First appearance)
- Terra-Man
Other Characters:
- Manchester Black (Mentioned only)
- Outsiders (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Stryker's Island Penitentiary (Mentioned only)
- Fifth Dimension (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Green Kryptonite
- Leech Moss
Vehicles:
Notes
- Chapter Five of the "Ending Battle" story-arc. Superman appears next in Adventures of Superman #609.