DC Comics Presents #12

Superman and Mister Miracle battle it out for Metropolis.

Reporter Lola Barnett covers Mister Miracle's latest stunt. The World's Greatest Escape Artist has been blindfolded, handcuffed, triple locked inside a steel coffin, which is then raised 200 feet over the Las Vegas desert. Two drone planes close on Mister Miracle's position. To the horror of everyone on the ground, one of the drone planes crashes into Mister Miracle. The rescue crew races to pry the coffin open, as the second drone plane lands. Out of the cockpit pops Mister Miracle, another amazing escape pulled off with his usual panache. To Mister Miracle's chagrin, however, Barnett informs him that almost no one will be watching his performance, as a rival television station will be airing a documentary on Superman, in the same time slot. Mister Miracle takes great umbrage at the notion of Superman stealing his thunder, and storms off. Flying out across the city, Mister Miracle spies a woman he recognizes from the news, Carolyn Dole, an Intergang chieftain. Mister Miracle follows Dole to a rundown tenement building. Observing from the skylight, Mister Miracle witnesses Dole meeting with members of Intergang, as they pull out a device called "The Mentropy Machine". The device is a mind dominating weapon, intended for use on Superman. As a demonstration, an Intergang member intent on speaking with the authorities is subjected to the Mentropy Machine. Though his desire to turn state's evidence against Intergang is unchanged, after the process he finds he cannot actually give voice to his intentions. Using the Mentropy Machine, Dole and her associates teleport to Metropolis. MIster Miracle phones Clark Kent, to pass on a warning to Superman, only to find he cannot speak the words. On the periphery of the Mentropy Machine's range, Mister Miracle finds that he, too, was affected by it. Attempting to write out his warning proves equally futile. Mister Miracle decides that his only recourse is to openly challenge Superman for Metropolis.

Mister Miracle announces himself as the new hero of Metropolis. In the following days, Mister Miracle beats out Superman to every rescue and thwarts every crime committed in the city. A wave of Mister Miracle mania takes hold of the citizens of Metropolis, that begins to irritate the Man of Steel. Finally, one night over the skies of Metropolis, Superman catches up with Mister Miracle and politely asks him to choose another city to protect. Mister Miracle suggests that Superman should be the one to leave Metropolis. To settle the matter, Mister Miracle challenges Superman to a fight, with the winner taking Metropolis. In the days ahead, every media outlet in the nation reports on the upcoming battle royal. Mister Miracle chooses a stretch of Nevada desert, too irradiated by nuclear testing for reporters to be able to cover the actual fight, for their battleground. A storm begins brewing in the sky overhead, as Superman arrives to confront Mister Miracle. The World's Greatest Escape Artist wastes no time laying into the Man of Steel. The two men begin trading blows, in a battle that goes back and forth with no obvious victor emerging. Finally, Superman asserts his dominance in the conflict, and puts Mister Miracle down. The battle over, Superman takes to the sky and departs for Metropolis. Dole sets up on the most likely route for Superman to take, leaving Las Vegas. As she sets the Mentropy Machine up, Mister Miracle bursts up from the ground, destroying the Mentropy Machine, just as Superman appears in the sky overhead. The two men take down Intergang. With his mental block gone, Mister Miracle explains the situation to Superman, including how he tricked him into flying in the opposite direction, by altering the landscape. Mister Miracle strongly suggests he threw the fight, prompting Superman to offer a rematch. One Mister Miracle declines.

Notes

• Highfather flashback cameo headshot.
• Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Johnny Nevada and Howard Cosell cameos.
• WGBS Flying Newsroom appears.
• "Daily Planet" Volume 79 Issue 19 week of May 7, 1979 edited by Bob Rozakis, production by Anthony Tollin and lettered by Typeset. Featuring a reprint of the classic team-up of Swamp Thing and Batman in DC Special Series #17, and can Wonder Woman save the life of a Army General and prevent a nuclear holocaust at the same time found out in Wonder Woman #258 plus "Ask the Answer Man!" and "Direct Currents".
• "Hembeck" by Fred Hembeck.