DC Comics Presents #29

The Spectre intervenes when Superman bursts the very bonds of infinity in his search for Supergirl.

Where No Superman Has Gone Before

Supergirl is missing. Superman had been tasked, by the alien despot, Mongul, into retrieving a crystal key. The lives of Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Steve Lombard hung in the balance, were Superman to fail. Unfortunately, the crystal key was under the personal protection of J'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter from Mars. Superman battled and defeated his old friend, and won the crystal key. Mongul arrived personally to take possession of the key, giving the Martian Manhunter the opportunity to rescue Superman's friends. Mongol, however, was able to beat down Superman, and escape with the key. The crystal key allowed Mongol to bypass the automatic defenses of Warworld, a planet-sized doomsday weapon. Superman enlisted the aid of his cousin, Supergirl, to take down Mongul, and destroy Warworld. Flying faster than she ever had before, Supergirl impacted Warworld with such force that, not only did she penetrate Warworld's defenses, she drove a hole all the way through it. Superman gained access to Warworld's computer core and set Warworld for self-destruction. When the dust cleared, though, there was no trace of Supergirl. Superman realizes that Supergirl must have been knocked unconscious on impact with Warworld. With nothing to slow her velocity, she must still be traveling through space.

Determining Supergirl's trajectory, Superman follows. As Superman flies ever faster, he begins to pierce universal barrier after universal barrier, until he has burst the very bonds of infinity. Finally, he sees Supergirl, rocketing away from him. The Man of Steel pours on the speed. Just as he is about to catch up to Supergirl, he slams headlong into the Spectre. His momentum brought to a dead stop, Superman is forcibly hurled back to reality. With the Spectre barring his way, Superman lashes out at the Ghostly Guardian with all his might. The Spectre is unmoved. Superman's attempt to outrun the Spectre also fails. At this point, the Spectre decides that Superman is in need of a lesson. Superman finds himself on Krypton, shortly before it's destruction. He sees his father, Jor-El, dejectedly returning from another Science Council meeting. Many times has Superman journeyed to the past to save Krypton. Each time has met with failure. Given yet another opportunity by the Spectre to save his home world, Superman desperately tries to keep Krypton from exploding. For all his might, though, Superman cannot change the course of history. Once more, Krypton dies. Now comes Jonathan Kent, Superman's adoptive father. Following in Kent's footsteps is Death incarnate.

Superman puts himself in between Kent and Death, but Death merely walks through Superman, as if he were a ghost. Once again, Superman cannot keep Death from claiming Jonathan Kent. At the Spectre's behest, Superman is attacked by his own dark side. It is a creature that puts the "Super" before the "Man". Power without rein, restriction, conscience or remorse. A mindless beast, rampaging without thought. At last, Superman realizes that he, too, has been acting irrationally. Single-mindedly pursuing his cousin. Quickly resorting to violence at all who barred his path, regardless of the reason. As enlightenment dawns on Superman's mind, he hears a voice that fills the heavens. It is the voice of the one the Spectre serves. Superman learns that he came dangerously close to breaching the walls of Heaven, and thus the Spectre intervened. As Supergirl was unconscious when she passed through, no harm came of her actions, nor to her. Superman begs the Spectre to help him retrieve Supergirl. At that, Supergirl appears in the Spectre's arms. All Superman ever had to do was ask. Having learned a valuable lesson on the nature of power, Superman bids the Spectre farewell. Once Supergirl regains consciousness, Superman fills her in on the adventure, as they make their way back towards Earth.

Whatever Happened to Dr. Mid-Nite?

With his eyesight failing, Dr. Mid-Nite has difficulty subduing Alvin Miller, a narcotics dealer robbing Memorial Hospital's medical supply room. Dr. Mid-Nite plunges the room into darkness, via his blackout bomb, only to discover that he has lost his ability to see in the dark. Targeting Miller by the sound of his voice, Dr. Mid-Nite punches Miller into unconsciousness, then turns him over to building security. Familiarity with the hospital's layout allows Dr. Mid-Nite to make his way back to his office, without revealing that he's blind. At that moment, Doctor Gordon Ogilvy is testing a new pair of glasses that allows the blind to see shapes. When Ogilvy refuses to allow his patient to keep the prototype, the young man murders Ogilvy, while he is on the phone with Dr. Charles McNider, otherwise known as Dr. Mid-Nite. Investigating the scene of the crime, Dr. Mid-Nite ascertains that the murder weapon was a blind man's cane. Disguised as a blind panhandler, Dr. Mid-Nite trolls through known underworld hangouts. Eavesdropping on the conversation of two lowlifes, Dr. Mid-Nite learns that a blind man bet a thousand dollars that he could steal the priceless sculptures of Senator B.J. Potter. Dr. Mid-Nite discovers Ogilvy's murderer prowling about Potter's estate. Dr. Mid-Nite confronts the man, only to be punched to the floor. Once again, Dr. Mid-Nite's night vision fails him. Groping his way along the wall, Dr. Mid-Nite quickly lays his cape over one of Potter's statues. As Ogilvy's glasses only let the blind killer make out general shapes, the murderer punches the statue, breaking his hand. Dr. Mid-Nite turns Ogilvy's killer over to the police, then takes possession of the glasses. With his ability to see restored by Ogilvy's glasses, Dr. MId-Nite is able to prolong his career as a costumed crime fighter.

Notes:

• "Where No Superman has Gone Before" written by Len Wein, penciled by Jim Starlin, inked by Romeo Tanghal, colored by Jerry Serpe and lettered by John Costanza.
• Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lombard, Martian Manhunter and Mongul cameo flashback appearances.
• "Whatever Happened to Dr. Mid-Nite?" written by Bob Rozakis, penciled by Alex Saviuk, inked by Joe Giella, colored by Jerry Serpe and lettered by Shelly Leferman.
• This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Aquaman, Aqualad and Mera and "The Space Capsule".