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    A “Crisis on Infinite Earths” crossover! Zapped by an alien ray, Superman hops dimensions and teams up with Superboy-Prime to battle Polarians on Earth-Prime in the 24-page story, "Year of the Comet." Continued in ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN (1939) #414.

    1. Cover by Eduardo Barreto.
    2. "Year of the Comet" written by Elliot S. Maggin, penciled by Curt Swan, inked by Al Williamson, colored by Gene D'Angelo and lettered by Ed King.
    3. "The Origin of Superboy-Prime!" written by Elliot S. Maggin, penciled by Curt Swan, inked by Al Williamson, colored by Gene D'Angelo and lettered by Ed King.

    Year of the Comet

    A crisis of infinite proportions threatens the entire multiverse. Insane and unpredictable phenomena plague every planet. On Earth's moon, Superman, grieving over the death of Supergirl, rages at the stars. Spotted by members of the Superman Revenge Squad, the Man of Steel is fired upon by an extra-dimensional weapon, that shunts him into a parallel universe. Recognizing the surrounding geography as that of Earth-Prime, a parallel world without any super-heroes, Superman is quick to maintain a low profile. Scanning the coast line with his telescopic vision, Superman spies the impossible. A boy that looks just like he did when he was younger. Even more incredibly, the boy is both Kryptonian and in possession of the same powers as Superman. As this Superboy takes to the sky, Superman greets him. The two Kryptonians share a brief conversation, but after offering a few words of advice, Superman departs. A group of beach goers are threatened by a tidal wave, including Superboy's girlfriend, Laurie Lemmon. After a few seconds of trial and error, Superboy learns how to activate his heat vision. He begins to vaporize the wave, but it's size is too vast for Superboy to dissipate it quickly enough in this fashion. Suddenly, the wave is drawn up into a powerful vortex, created by Superman. Once the column of water has been drawn up high enough, Superman flies out of the vortex.

    Joining his heat vision to Superboy's, they evaporate the falling tower of water into rain clouds. Superman and Superboy race each other to Haley's Comet. In space, Superman reveals that he is unable to return to his universe. Returning to Earth, the two Kryptonians spy an Arcturan tourist bus. With his eyes now attuned to see invisible aliens upon the Earth, Superboy encounters another race, from Polaris-Six, in the mountains. Fearful of discovery, the Polarians fire on Superboy, momentarily stunning him. Superboy recovers quickly and throws his would-be captors off him. A firing squad surrounds him, but Superman uses his super-breath to repel them. Joining forces, Superman and Superboy repel the Polarian invasion of Earth. During the course of their adventure, Superman learns that Superboy doesn't share his extreme vulnerability to red sun radiation. To keep his family from worrying, Superboy, along with Superman, puts in an appearance at home. After reassuring his parents and girlfriend, that everything is all right, Superboy assists Superman in using the Polarians's technology to return Superman to his proper Earth. Superboy accompanies Superman to his universe. Arriving at the Daily Planet building, they are immediately attacked by the Superman Revenge Squad. Superboy is spirited away within a cosmic vortex, while the Superman Revenge Squad leaves the unconscious body of Superman behind.

    The Origin of Superboy-Prime!

    Jor-El addresses the Science Council on Krypton, with news that their planet is doomed. While the Science Council deliberates Jor-El's findings, Jor-El returns home, to his wife and son, Lara Lor-Van and Kal-El. The Science Council is slow to act, until Krypton begins to suffer multiple cataclysms, each one increasingly worse than the last. Approaching Jor-El for salvation, the Kryptonian scientist reveals a teleporter, with co-ordinates set for Earth. The teleporter is only calibrated to transport objects weighing no more than 50 pounds. Large scale devices will need to go into production to transport Krypton's cities. Jor-El, however, keeps the truth from the Science Council. They have waited too late to put Jor-El's plan into motion. There is no longer time to build the machines to save Krypton's populace. With the Science Council hurrying to assemble work forces, Jor-El returns to his family. His son, Kal-El, is the first to be sent to Earth. Before Jor-El can recalibrate the device for his and Lara's weight, Councilman Durkin bursts in, and forces his way into the teleporter. Not calibrated for Durkin's mass, the teleporter is destroyed, scants moments before Krypton. Kal-El is found in the woods, on Earth, by Jerome and Naomi Kent, who rename him "Clark". Unlike his comic book namesake, young Clark Kent grows up a completely normal boy. Until one fateful night when Clark, dressed in a Superman costume, is escorting his girlfriend, Laurie Lemmon, to a costume party, on the beach. Somehow, inexplicably, the cosmic crisis, that threatens the whole of the multiverse, alters the very nature of "Superboy's" universe, allowing the young Kent to develop super-human abilities. Discovering the ability to fly, Superboy soars up into the clouds, where he encounters Superman.

    Notes

    • Double-sized issue.
    • First appearance of Superboy of Earth-Prime.
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