This is Past Was Close Behind, a feature that spotlights moments, exchanges, etc. from older comics that take on a brand new light when read in concert with later comic books or events. Basically, stuff that looks hilarious in hind

Today, based on a post by the great comic book writer Steven Grant, I thought I'd look at the time that Superman self-quarantined himself to protect the other Kryptonians on Earth from a deadly virus that Superman believed that he had contracted.

It all went down in Superman #156 (by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan and George Klein), when an object from Krypton landed on Earth (I swear, it is ridiculous how much stuff from Krypton ended up crashing on Earth later on) and Jimmy Olsen opened it as Superman realized that it said that had Virus X inside of it...

Superman quickly feels terrible and asks Jimmy Olsen to come with him to the doctor (Jimmy might have been exposed to the virus, as well)...

With the tests done, it seemed clear that Superman was now dying and so he decided to come to terms with his impending doom. Check out the amazingly dark Swan/Klein panels...

Wow, right?

Superman becomes fearful for the other Kryptonians on Earth, like Supergirl and the Kandorians in the Bottled City of Kandor, so he has his robots build him a quarantine zone. He keeps Jimmy Olsen in there, too, because he fears that Jimmy, while not symptomatic, might give the virus to Supergirl...

He then finally comes clean to Supergirl about his impending demise...

Supergirl desperately searches for a cure, but ultimately, there is none, but that's when the Legion of Super-Heroes are informed by Mon-El (who is in the Phantom Zone watching everything - which is super creepy when you think about it) saw a piece of kryptonite go into Jimmy's camera and THAT'S what has made Superman sick, not any virus!

A relived Superman then erased the message he burned into the moon (??!) revealing his secret identity...

Amazing. Superman knows how to keep people from catching a virus!

Be like Superman!

If anyone else has a suggestion for some hilarious in hindsight stuff, let me know by dropping me a line at brianc@cbr.com!