Forward

I have been a big fan of Superman my whole life; I was flipping through channels the
other day and came across Superman Returns. It rekindled one of the biggest problems I
had with the storyline written for Superman Returns - the explanation for Superman’s 5
year absence from Earth. Why did Superman travel back to Krypton when it was totally
obliterated? What did he expect to find other aside from a kryptonite debris field? No one
survived – did he think his father lied to him? Did he think his father was still living large
on Krypton? Did he think dad shoved him in spaceship and pointed it towards Earth just
to be rid of him? And why did Superman not tell someone he was leaving? And if
Superman was going on a trek back to the remnants of Krypton could he have not waited
until after Luthor’s trial? What was the big hurry all of sudden? Anyway – I have written
a more plausible storyline explaining Superman’s five year absence from Earth – at least I
think so.

A storyline similar to the one below to explain Superman’s five year absence that would
make more sense then visiting Krypton…most any other reason would. It would explain
Superman’s sudden disappearance...and besides its a lot more fun trapping Superman in a
kryptonite trap than sending him off to visit his old digs.

At the end of the story below Superman Returns would pick up when Lex gets out of
prison and uses Superman’s crystals inadvertently causing an EMP causing a power
failure freeing Superman.

Thanks – LC Moderator Superheroes Defeated

Comments to: lcross174@yahoo.com

“Superman Returns (Revision)”

Superman sets a new flag pole down atop the White House’s Oval Office and apologizes
to the president, “Sorry I’ve been away so long. I won’t let you down again.” Superman
looks up at the furling red, white and blue flag with a cornball patriotic look before he
streaks upward and does his traditional victory lap around the planet Earth. He completes
his orbit and winks for the camera and then streaks off towards Metropolis. When he
reaches Metropolis Superman hears a high pitched whine…a sort of homing signal. He
decides to investigate.

Minutes later Superman is deep below the city streets of Metropolis within the manmade
maze of long forgotten catacombs. Superman makes his way down one of the many dark
abandoned maintenance corridors following the strange signal. He strolls through the dim
brick and mortar causeway lined with thick power cables, pipes and air shafts. Suddenly
Superman has a strong sensation of déjà vu. Then it hits him. He is retracing his footsteps
to Luthor’s underground lair…the signal might be coming from his nemesis’ hideout!
He continues on; Superman’s heavy boots steps echo loudly in the enclosed tunnel; the
tight fabric of his costume rustles softly as he walks at a brisk pace following the high
pitched signal – unheard by humans but plainly heard by Superman - towards its source.
Superman’s bright crimson cape billows behind him grandly as his muscular arms
outlined in the bright blue elastic fabric of his costume swing gracefully at his sides.
Minutes later the signal has guided him through the network of buried underground
tunnels shafts to the familiar entrance to Luthor’s underground hidden sanctuary. The
signal is coming form Luthor’s old hide-out thinks Superman. He reaches the crippled
doorway and steps through the broken steel door frame crossing over the threshold into
Luthor’s old lair. The Man of Steel enters his nemesis’s ungrounded chambers with the
same air of confidence he projected the last time he came calling. His bright polished red
boots step atop the crippled steel door he pushed down long ago when he confronted
Luthor about his threat to release poison gas into Metropolis’ subway system. Superman
stops and stand atop the downed door as he looks about the dark abandoned lair.

No one has been down here in for a very long time thinks Superman as he folds his arms
across his powerful chest beneath the imprinted signature red and yellow “S” symbol. He
cranes his head left and right as he looks over Luthor’s abandoned lair. He finds the
hideout the same as it was the last time he was here...but suffering from the ravages of
time and neglect. The lair is dark now and the floors and furnishings are covered with a
thick layer of dust and the corners are covered in overgrown cobwebs. The lamp jarred
off its table when Superman pushed down the steel door still lies broken in pieces on the
dusty floor.

The expression on Superman’s handsome face suddenly turns sour when he spots a large
empty lead box in front of a dust covered sofa. Suddenly his powerful arms drop away
from his chest and then hang at his sides as he recalls the crippling….debilitating effects
he experienced when Luthor tricked him into opening the lead box…exposing himself to
a rare isotope he called kryptonite. Superman sighs and swallows hard as he recalls
Luthor cheerfully slipping a length of steel chain infused to a large chunk of green
kryptonite over his head and down around his neck. The green kryptonite stole his
superpowers leaving him weak…helpless. He suddenly had no strength - his arms and
legs felt very heavy. Powerless, Luthor triumphantly lead Superman like a helpless boy to
an underground swimming pool to drown. Superman swallows hard and then manages to
shake off the bad memory and returns to the matter at hand…the strange signal.

Superman steps down off the crippled steel door and turns right towards Luthor’s office
desk following the signal. Rats squeal and scurry away as Superman quickly makes his
way through the long neglected darkened lair of his arch nemesis. He reaches Luthor’s
desk and moves behind it. The signal seems to emanate from behind Luthor’s massive
wall of built-in bookcases. Superman studies the tall bookcases filled with dust covered
books, artifacts, journals and magazines. Superman ignores the dust and cobwebs as he
scans the wall of built-in bookcases with his x-ray vision; he quickly discovers the entire
wall behind the bookcases is lead lined – and one section of the wooden bookcases is on
a track. Superman continues to x-ray the bookcases until he locates the release. He
reaches up and trips the hidden release. There is the dull snapping sound as the catch
releases. Then the center section of the heavy bookcase withdraws silently inwards and
then slides to the right and stops revealing the interior of a concealed room behind the
long wall of wooden bookcases.

The homing signal suddenly ceases abruptly; it is replaced by a dull thud signaling an
electrical contactor has engaged; the concealed room’s overhead lights slowly ramp up.
As the room illuminates Superman enters and then stands on the other side of the
threshold and takes stock of the stark uninviting room. It is about 20 feet wide by 20 feet
deep x 18 feet high – ceiling and walls completely lined with heavy dull gray lead panels
bolted to the walls with long rows on closely spaced one inch bolts. The floor in contrast
is made of smooth bright white concrete. Centered, embedded in the concrete floor of the
lead lined room is a huge 12 foot steel circular disk.

The concealed room is empty with the exception of a large commercial wall mounted
wench with a chain apparatus and an array of overhead lights, sensors and speakers
mounted on the lead ceiling. The array is centered directly above the steel disk embedded
in the floor. Superman spins 360 degrees as he moves craning his head upwards visually
examining the array mounted high above the concrete floor. Superman’s bright crimson
cape whirls behind him as he turns. He stops atop the massive smooth unadorned steel
disk embedded in the concrete floor; he then lowers his gaze looking downwards at the
steel disk his polished red boots stand atop. Superman’s heavy red boots creak softly and
the tight fabric of his bright blue costume rustles softly as it expands when Superman
squats down to examine the strange steel disk. His red cape drapes the steel disk behind
him as Superman squats and balances his weight on the front of his upturned his boots; he
reaches down between his muscular thighs encased in bright blue spandex and rubs the
steel disk lightly with his finger tips gauging its thickness of the embedded disk.

Superman observes the steel disk has one large single hinge that faces the rear of the
hidden lead lined room. A taunt heavy linked chain runs at a 70 degree angle from the
motorized wench down to a retaining bolt welded to the opposite edge of the large hinge;
the Man of Steel correctly deduces that when the wench is engaged the chain retracts
raising the huge bulky cover.

A door covering a vault below decides Superman as he rubs his dimpled chin. Superman
puts his big hands on either knee as he continues to squat on the steel cover; he begins to
focus his clear bright blue eyes on the steel disk to x-ray through the cover. Several
seconds later he smiles as his x-ray vision reveals a deep circular well beneath the steel
disk – some forty or so feet deep made of the same smooth poured concrete as the floor…
and at the bottom is a short steel cylinder with large black and yellow nuclear symbols.
Luthor has stockpile of nuclear material! That diseased manic! I’ll weld the empty
cylinder to his prison bars!

Superman stands quickly and searches the lead room visually for any control panel that
might be used to activate the wench. He walks the perimeter of the hidden room at a brisk
pace rubbing his fingers lightly along the dull grey surface of the cold lead panels
searching for a control panel. Superman’s heavy boots steps echo loudly in the vacant
room as his crimson cape dances behind him until he completes his orbit. Superman can
find no control to engage the big wench.

I don’t have time to be tidy. He moves with determination to rear of the concealed room
towards the wench. Superman follows the chain and locates the wench’s chain reel. He
grabs a section of the thick chain with one big hand and yanks down hard. The thick
chain snaps like a piece of uncooked spaghetti with a loud crack. The powerful wench
jars and shifts violently nearly dislodging from its thick steel wall mounts. Bright sparks
from a severed electrical connection hiss as they shower the floor. Several large metal
gears snap and then shear off falling from the wench clattering nosily as they hit the floor.
Superman passes through a cloud of light smoke and a shower of sparks as he moves off
the large steel disk holding the end of the heavy chain he snapped like a pretzel. He
stands under the crippled wench at the rear of the large disk and then pulls the thick chain
taunt using both hands. As the last spark burns out Superman’s biceps begin to bulge
impressively within the bright tight fitting blue spandex. His calf high polished red boots
twist and turn on the smooth concrete floor as he tugs the chain. The Man of Steel’s large
calf muscles contract as Superman lowers his stance for more leverage. There is a sudden
loud hiss of compressed air releasing from the well below as the disk begins to move on
its hinge. Seconds later the massive steel disk pulls out of the well’s circular steel frame
as Superman continues to pull the heavy chain hand over hand. Seconds later the steel
well cover is elevated to a position perpendicular to the floor - the disk shifts heavily and
drops slightly locking the cover in an open position. There is a loud rattle and clatter of
metal as Superman casually casts the bulky chain down on the concrete floor of Luthor’s
secret room.

Superman smiles and rubs his big hands together several times in anticipation as he
quickly rounds the 12 foot tall well cover. Superman’s crimson cape flutters lightly
behind him as he walks enthusiastically to the edge of the well and looks downwards.
The 6 foot 4 inch tall Man of Steel puts his clenched fists on his hips and as he continues
to look keenly down into the deep well. The bright overhead lighting clearly illuminates
the deep well shaft. The circular shaft of the well is made of the same smooth bright
white poured concrete; the concrete well has a 12 foot diameter matching its cover and
drops forty feet to the bottom; oddly the well’s floor appears to be made of a polished
opaque white glass of some sort. Embedded below the surface of the circular wells are
four cables running perpendicular to the well floor stationed at each 90 degree mark of
the circular shaft.

Superman’s studies the shaft’s construction and decides the four cables at the 90 degree
mark of the compass raise and lower the well bottom granting access or denial to the
cylinder below. The glass bottom must be a radiation sensor if case of a breach. There
must have been a snafu in the control system that caused Luthor’s homing beacon to
activate. “What a lucky break for me,” exclaims the Man of Steel out loud!

Superman smiles as he considers his recent run of good luck; he has defeated Zod and his
stooges as well as put Luthor back in prison. Now he has nipped a potential disaster in the
bud. Superman focuses his attention on the cylinder far below him marked with nuclear
warning symbols. Superman cranes his head up and around as he looks around the large
lead lined room; he then lowers his gaze out through the hidden door into Luthor’s dark
abandoned lair. Superman takes a moment to savor his latest triumph over his foe. I
outwitted Luthor again. He’s back in jail – and I’ll see to it that it is for good this time!
I’ll enjoy testifying against that maniac. Now I’ll grab this cylinder and turn it over to
the proper authorities. Greatest criminal mind of all time…I think not!

The control to raise the well’s floor is hidden too thinks Superman. “I guess I’ll have to
go down there and get it,” decides Superman; he then brashly jumps down the well shaft
to retrieve the cylinder. Forty feet later his bright red boots lightly touchdown with a thud
on the well bottom followed by his furling bright crimson cape. Superman rights himself
as his bright cape drops behind his muscular backside and quickly settles in behind his
powerful frame brushing lightly against his large calf muscles just above the tops of
Superman’s boots. He smiles as he looks at the stainless steel cylinder containing nuclear
material. I can’t risk opening the container here to verify its contents thinks Superman as
he studies Luthor’s cylinder. And the cylinder’s interior is probably lined with lead!

Superman reaches down to grab the cylinder’s hand grip. To his amazement his hand
passes through the cylinder’s hand grip. The cylinder hisses static and goes out of focus
for several seconds – like a TV using a satellite provider during bad weather – and then
becomes crystal clear again. Superman’s eyes grow wide as he instinctively kneels down
on one knee and passes his hand through the cylinder again. Again his hand passes
through the cylinder encountering only air. The cylinder hisses static and then slowly
fades away completely into thin air! “A holograph,” shouts Superman in an alarmed tone!

Too late; suddenly there is another dull mechanical thud from high above as an electrical
contactor disengages. The lights extinguish leaving the well pitch black. Superman stands
and listens in darkness to the sound of air compressing emanating from the lead room
high above him. Forty feet above the large bookcase door that conceals Luthor’s hidden
room silently slides to the left and retreats inwards. Seconds later the door to the lead
lined room is once again closed concealing its existence!

Before Superman can react the well’s darkness is breached. The shaft’s opaque glass floor
begins to flicker an eerie green accompanied by a piecing high pitched electrical whine.
Superman instinctively looks down at the well floor. His is watching his red boots flicker
in and out of view when an all too familiar wave of nausea and weakness washes over
him.

“NO! It…can’t… be,” belches and gasps Superman as he doubles over and clenches his
well defined six-pack abs with both big hands. The well floor beneath Superman red
boots begins to flicker less and glow a more steady bright green as the piercing whine
becomes louder! Superman sucks it up and tries to shake off the spell of nausea and
weakness.

But the crippling effects only grow stronger; fear sets in and Superman panics; his boots
pound loudly on the smooth floor as the strapping man staggers and weaves in circles
dizzily about the well floor like a drunken man. He regains his composure and
instinctively backs up and leans back against the smooth circular concrete shaft of the
deep well. Another crippling wave of dizziness washes over him leaving his head
spinning. His crimson cape rustles loudly as it rubs against the smooth circular concrete
shaft as he desperately tries to keep his balance and remain standing but his strength
continues to wane. Superman’s knees buckle slightly and his boots twist on the smooth
glass floor while the green brightness of the floor continues to intensify. The
accompanying sound is no longer a whine but has increased to what can only be
described as a high pitched roar.

Superman musters his composure and focuses what strength he can gather on one
objective – escape from the well. Superman weakly raises and extends his right arm and
tries to will himself to fly upwards out of the deep shaft but finds his power of flight has
vanished along with his strength! Instead of flying upwards to safety the exertion leaves
Superman even weaker; his strength fails completely and Superman folds like a bad
poker hand. He falls hard to his knees while the well’s illumination and sound continue to
ramp higher and higher.

Seconds later the well floor is a blinding bright green; the whining roar has become
deafening. Superman begins to rock back and forth on his knees with his eyes shut tight
and his hands cupped tightly over both ears. Superman’s body is now crippled with
excruciating pain. Tears begin to stream from his closed eyes as he gnashes and grits his
bright white teeth. Bushwhacked – sapped of his superpowers – Superman quickly
succumbs; he is exhausted and stops fighting - his powerful chest slowly compresses
tightly onto his upper thighs with his head between his knees. The mighty Man of Steel,
Superman cringes at the bottom of the deep shaft draped in his crimson cape - his eyes
shut tight, teeth gritted and his hands covering his ears.

The Man of Steel continues to be pounded mercilessly for what seems like an eternity;
his head is spinning and pounding – he is beginning to lose consciousness until suddenly
the floor’s green brightness and sound decuple ramp down immediately to 3%. Moments
later at the bottom of the deep shaft, in relative silence, a thoroughly trounced Superman
sighs with great relief; he finally dares to open his blue eyes and take his hands away
from the sides of his head positioned between his knees. Suddenly the welcome silence is
broken. The contactor engages and the shaft is illuminated brightly once again. From high
above a prerecorded message bellows down into the deep well from powerful speakers
mounted on a ceiling array 58 feet above the well’s floor.

“Attention Superman - Attention Superman!” The voice is that of none other than Lex
Luthor! A dazed Superman slowly raises his powerful chest off his muscular upper
thighs. Superman looks dazed and stupefied as he looks up from his knees squinting
through sweat soaked eyes towards the direction of the taunting voice booming from high
above. The voice that thunders and echoes down from high above is like the voice of a
god speaking down from the heavens above to a lowly earthbound peasant. Superman
gulps sullenly as he weakly sits back on the heals of his red boots and waits to hear what
Luthor has to say; Superman sighs in desperation as he weakly wipes the sweat from his
face with his big hand and then brushes back his sweat drenched wavy hair using his big
forearm as Luthor begins his rant.

“Hello Superman. If you are hearing this you have blundered into my trap and are tightly
snared! Didn’t your dad ever teach you to look before you leap? Amplified kryptonite
Superman! I saved some for a rainy day. And it’s raining cats and dogs today Superman. I
constructed the well you find yourself at the bottom of especially for you! It is a
doomsday device should you ever get the upper hand…he who laughs last laughs best,
hey Superman. The meager amount of kryptonite I held in reserve is amplified and
projected upwards at you from the glass disk you most likely are kneeling down at this
very moment as you are too weak to even stand….brains over brawn….mind over muscle
Superman.”

Superman hangs his head sullenly and gulps hard as he listens to his nemesis gloat at his
predicament.

“Don’t worry Superman…I don’t plan to kill you…oh no! That would be too kind…I
want you to languish down there alone in darkness! When this message ends you will be
ladled out a lavish dish of amplified kryptonite. I won’t lie…its going to fucking hurt…
real bad…be afraid Superman…be very afraid. ! It’s the symbolic kick in the balls I
always wanted to give you Superman! After that you’ll be pulsed with kryptonite once
every minute… not enough to be lethal… just enough to keep you very weak – quite
helpless as a matter of fact – powerless to fly out of that deep dark hole you put yourself
in! I’m your judge and jury today Superman. I sentence you to life in prison without
parole. Oh…what did you think of my holograph? Ha! Ha! Ha! Are your ready? Here it
comes! Enjoy!”

Immediately after the prerecorded message ends the lights overhead lights go dark the
opaque glass floor Superman kneels on intensifies in brightness and sound exponentially
to a level far surpassing any previous level. The entire shaft is quickly deafening again
and the well glows so bright a green that it illuminates the hidden lead room 40 feet
above! Superman covers his eyes with his arms as his face twists and contorts in pain. He
screams in agony bucking and convulses as he twists and turns in place on his knees.
Superman grits his teeth as his crimson cape swings left then right following Superman’s
torso as he pivots on his knees. Sweat sprays from Superman’s hair as his head shakes
violently left and right. Luthor’s symbolic “kick in balls” is intended to kayo the mighty
Man of Steel like a wrestler’s pile driver…to put him down fast and very hard…and it
works! Luthor’s kryptonite kayo clobbers Superman. In seconds he crumples up and
collapses like a big rag doll onto the well floor rolling over onto his back atop his
crimson cape.

Seconds after the big superhero hits the deck hard the green floor ramps down quickly
and goes completely dark. There a flash and slight explosion from the top of the well
when an explosive bolt within the well’s hinge blows. The 12 foot tall cover begins to
teeter; it wavers and then falls forward. There is a tremendously loud crash as the heavy
steel cover falls back into its frame sealing the shaft with Superman out cold at the
bottom.

Silence returns and Superman lays stretched out unconscious on the floor of the sealed
well for exactly one minute. Then the well floor pulses bright green once and then goes
dark again. One minute passes again and the floor pulses bright green again and
continues to pulse every minute thereafter without respite. The brutal kryptonite pulse
cycle is designed to keep the mighty Man of Steel completely helpless – weak - unable to
even stand erect – just barely conscious so that he is aware of his imprisonment and
hopeless situation – and his arch-nemesis’ total and absolute victory over him. Luthor has
his revenge! Superman will remain powerless – his prisoner hidden away deep below the
streets of his beloved city of Metropolis; no one, except Lex, will ever know what
became of their mighty champion of truth and justice. Luthor has doomed Superman to
spend the rest of his days alone in darkness and misery contemplating his
underestimation of the greatest criminal mind of all time…Lex Luthor! Notably too, an
completely indisposed Superman will be unable to make his court appearance as a star
witness at his nemesis’ upcoming trial!

Thus Lex has had the last laugh this round; he has finally defeated his nemesis’
Superman! The crippling kryptonite pulse will repeat once a minute every minute without
holiday or respite. Every minute the deep well illuminates with an eerie green flicker
giving anyone looking into the abyss a glimpse of Luthor’s absolute victory over the Man
of Steel. A brief glance at a strapping caped figure clad in bright red and blue spandex
that was once….omnipotent. An immortal pulled down from the heavens; an all-powerful
guardian adorned with a signature red and yellow “S” imprinted on the chest of his
colorful costume has been laid low and lies atop a scarlet cape. An immortal made
mortal! Forced to lie and wallow in the stinking stench of his sweat-drenched costume. At
the bottom of the chasm the sopping wet fabric adheres tightly to Superman’s muscular
frame clearly revealing the sculpted muscles of the fallen god’s perfectly proportioned
body. His blue eyes were once clear and bright - now they are dull and lustrous less -
fixed open – completely vacant. The fallen champion’s dark wavy hair is wet, matted
down and disheveled - his distinctive trademark split curl pasted flat sweat against his
forehead. His handsome… almost angelic face is craned hard to the left with his mouth
agape oozing drool.

Such is the hopeless scene that transpired yet remained hidden from the citizenry of
Metropolis and the rest of the world for five years. Until Luthor inadvertently causes an
EMP that shuts down the power grid ending the kryptonite cycle freeing Superman from
his prison.