The Silver Age was a strange, but exciting time for comic books. Characters like Batman and Superman went on many wacky adventures, encountering offbeat characters like Bat-Mite and Mr. Mxyzptlk. However, the comic book landscape went through a transformation during the '80s. Stories were getting darker, with tales like The Dark Knight Returns being hailed as the new standard. As the Silver Age was coming to an end, DC felt it was the perfect time to give their characters a blank slate.
Crisis on Infinite Earths was to be the last story for many of these Silver Age characters, and a reboot was soon to follow, eliminating decades of prior stories. Julius Schwartz, who was an editor for DC at the time, went into the final issues of Superman and Action Comics under the premise that they would be the Man of Steel's final stories for that era. He tasked Paul Kupperburg with finding a writer, and the two toyed with the idea of bringing back Superman creator Jerry Siegel (although legal issues prevented this from happening). While having breakfast with Alan Moore, Kupperburg brought up the idea, and Moore jumped at the chance to write the story. Legendary Superman artist Curt Swan was brought on to pencil the story and inks were provided by the late George Perez.
The Beginning of the End for Superman
The story "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" began in Superman #423 and centered around Lois Lane (now Lois Elliot), as she recalled what caused the Man of Steel's disappearance ten years ago. Lois noted that there was a brief period of peace in which Superman had left Earth. Brainiac's body had been destroyed, Lex Luthor was missing, and other villains had been rendered inactive. The hero's return was unpleasant, however, as he found Metropolis under attack by Bizarro, who had previously been a peaceful being. Superman confronted him only for Bizarro to destroy himself using blue kryptonite.
The strange events continued, as Clark Kent was attacked by miniature Supermen on live television, exposing his secret identity after his civilian clothes were destroyed. Toyman and Prankster were revealed as the culprits, unearthing the secret after torturing and killing Clark's childhood friend Pete Ross. Superman was able to apprehend the pair using radio waves, but voiced concern about his enemies becoming more brutal. Meanwhile, Lex Luthor found the remnants of Brainiac's head in the Arctic, which then merged with him, taking control of his body. The Legion of Superheroes also visited Superman in the Fortress of Solitude, presenting him with a small statue of himself. The issue concluded with Superman in tears, as he feared his death was soon approaching.
The Surprising Climax of Alan Moore's Final Superman Story
The story concluded in Action Comics #583 with a recollection of Superman's last stand against Luthor-Brainiac and the Legion of Super-Villains in the Fortress of Solitude. The battle was rife with casualties, as Lana Lang, Jimmy Olsen, and Krypto the Superdog all died in an effort to protect the Man of Steel. After the villains were defeated, Mr. Mxyzptlk suddenly appeared, revealing that he orchestrated all the events leading to this moment, wishing to finally ruin Superman's life for good after growing bored with playing silly games.
Superman used the Phantom Zone projector to try and capture Mr. Mxyzptlk, but he attempted to flee to the Fifth Dimension. This resulted in the Man of Steel inadvertently killing Mr. Mxyzptlk, as his body was caught between the Phantom Zone and the Fifth Dimension. After accidentally breaking his no-killing rule, the Man of Steel entered a kryptonite chamber that stripped him of his powers and was never seen again. As the story concluded, Lois talked to her husband, Jordan Elliot, as they watched over their son Jonathan, who strongly resembled Clark. In the final panel, Jordan winked at the reader, implying that he was the powerless Superman.
The story has a long-lasting legacy, with many regarding it as one of the best Superman stories of all time. It even inspired a similar story titled "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader" (by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert), surrounding Batman's death following Final Crisis. Alan Moore's story provided Superman with a satisfying ending, and had several memorable moments. In doing so, Moore perfectly captured the essence of Superman, distilling the character's ability to move forward with a sense of hope regardless of his losses.