Superman and Deadman encounter a man whose heart is linked to the Earth itself.
Deadman rails against Rama Kushna, demanding the eternal peace of the grave. A recent intervention in the life of Abraham Gold, ended with Gold's murder. Deadman holds himself accountable for the death, and wearies of his mission to bring balance between good and evil. Surprisingly, Rama Kushna seems willing to grant Deadman's wish, on one condition. With that, Deadman suddenly finds himself transported to Metropolis, in the middle of an earthquake. Deadman leaps into the body of an elderly man, and dodges a crumbling cornice coming down upon him. Superman arrives and generates a super-speed vortex to help steady the Galaxy Broadcasting building. Alex Atley cries out for Superman's assistance, before collapsing on the pavement. On the verge of unconsciousness, Atley asks Superman to take him to S.T.A.R. Labs. There, Atley reveals the cardialink grafted to his chest, a device also responsible for the tremors in Metropolis. Atley was in charge of a government project to bore a hole down into the Earth's core. Diagnosed with a weak heart, Atley was given only a few short months left to live. Atley invented the cardilink to save his life. One half of the device was implanted in his chest, while the other was buried in the Earth's core. Atley hoped the planetary rhythm would regulate his erratic heartbeat, instead Atley, in effect, gave the world heart trouble. Atley is fitted with a pace maker to regulate his heartbeat. The immediate danger passed, Superman takes off to assist in the rebuilding of Metropolis. Deeming Atley's daughter, Carol's boyfriend, Dennis, to be on the shady side, Deadman follows the young man to a penthouse apartment. There, Dennis offers up the cardialink to a dying crime lord. With little time left to him, the old criminal boss has his men escort Dennis back to S.T.A.R Labs.
The thugs storm S.T.A.R. Labs, and tear the cardialink from Atley's chest. Fearing a bloodbath, Deadman hesitates to act, wishing only to find Superman. Rama Kushna obliges, teleporting Deadman to the Daily Planet, where Superman is giving an interview to Lois Lane. Deadman takes possession of Superman's body, and flies for S.T.A.R. Labs. The cardialink violently removed, Atley goes into cardiac arrest, initiating another earthquake in Metropolis. As Superman, Deadman smashes a falling cornice to keep it from landing on bystanders. His blow, however, shatters the cornice into dozens of pieces, that rain down upon the populace. Deadman leaps out of Superman's body, to allows the Man of Steel to deal with Deadman's mess. Superman uses his heat vision to vaporize the cornice debris. Deadman influences Superman enough to get the Man of Steel to head for S.T.A.R. Labs. As soon as he arrives, the thugs open fire on him. Superman smacks the bullets back into the guns, destroying them. In all the excitement, the old crime boss dies. His men, no longer having anything to fight for, surrender to Superman. The earthquakes intensify with every spasm of Atley's heart. Superman burrows down to the Earth's core to collect the other half of the cardialink. Bringing it back to S.T.A.R. Labs, Atley instructs the Man of Steel in how to turn the device off. Atley is on the verge of death. Deadman possess Atley and battles to keep the Grim Reaper at bay. Deadman triumphs in his metaphysical battle with Death, keeping Atley alive. With the cardialink disabled, the earthquakes subside. Superman performs open heart surgery to repair Atley's damaged heart. Having triumphed over Death itself, Deadman reconsiders his desire to go to his own eternal rest, instead opting to walk the world a little while longer, as Deadman.
Notes:
- Flashback from Adventure Comics #466.
- This issue contains the Hostess Superhero Ad, Green Lantern in "The Bobsled Run".
- "The DC Feature Page" one page featuring:
- "Ask the Answer Man!" questions answered by Bob Rozakis.
- "DC Profiles Number 61" featuring Milt Snapinn.
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