His world exploded before his birth. Propelled by a futuristic craft powered by a science beyond mans comprehension he arrived on a our world as a baby. Raised as a human by loving, caring parents who instilled in him the difference between right and wrong, he derives his powers from our yellow sun that give him enormous and unheard of abilities ! His massive strength and incomprehensible powers are matched only by the great and true heart that beats within his chest ! He is one of the most powerful champions for truth, justice , and the American way that has ever lived ! A man from the stars ever seeking to make the Earth his home, and to protect that home from evils no one else would have a glimmer of hope against ! He is the man of steel, the man of tomorrow...he is..

Superman #11

A Cold Armageddon Crossover issue

"Like Francis Scott Key do I wait..."

By Ralph Angelo

Lois Lane-Kents foot jams the accelerator pedal to the floor, as it has been for the better part of a day. It's now 2 AM , but the sky is lit up like morning, as she speeds her Ferrari east, ever east towards her city, and the last place her husband was seen. Her husband Clark Kent, Superman! Above her alien vessels fire against darting fighter jets, as casualties mount on both sides of the horrific battle, but this is not what's on Lois' mind. What is, is the filmed footage she saw little over 12 hours ago of her husband being beaten by the evil Cyborg, and taken in a transporter beam God only knows where.

Since then she's been driving. Avoiding alien ships when she can , and speeding ever onward towards home. Praying that her luck will hold out, and she'll make it back to Metropolis. But her luck just ran out....

Suddenly a dark green energy beam slices across her cars hood, splitting the vehicle in two! The front wheels skitter off one way , carrying the roaring engine, while everything behind, including Lane, fly off in the other direction. Miraculously she avoids any serious injury. Dazed, Lois Lane slowly extricates herself from the wreckage, as a deep hum fills the air, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up. The sound is deafening, as Lois looks up and sees the huge alien ship floating in place above her. Terrified , but still defiant to the end , Lane stands her ground.

"Go ahead you bastards, finish it off. I just wish I was around when Superman cleans your clocks."

She stands, staring at the alien ship , knowing she's done for, that this is the end. All she can think about is how much she wants to tell Clark that she loves him, and will never get the chance again.

When suddenly a light blue energy bolt pierces the side of the alien craft, , cutting through one side, and out the other, the ship immediately begins to list to one side , as a streaking silver form is suddenly seen, rocketing towards the ship to slam it mightily, with a powerful right uppercut!

Pow~!

"Get away from her you alien scum!"

"Captain Atom!" Shouts Lois , enthusiastically.

The ship turns slowly trying to train its weapons on Captain Atoms shining form, but The quantum warrior is to fast, to powerful as he tears the ship apart with blast after blast.

Suddenly he dives down towards Lois, scooping her up in his right arm and rocketing away.

"Hang on Miss, this is going to be close."

As they blaze away from the ship it suddenly shudders, convulsing spastically, before exploding spectacularly in a blaze of glory!

BA-Da Baroom!!

"That's for Leesburg." States Captain Atom, almost under his breath

Moments later....on the desert floor.

"Captain, I'm Lois Lane, and I have to get back to Metropolis as soon as possible."

"Look Miss Lane, I know who you are, I recognized you after the ship exploded, but I'm bringing you to a shelter in the next town. The whole world is a war zone right now. It's no place for civilians."

"I know what's going on Atom, why do you think I'm heading back east? To find my husband. He's gone missing since all this started. And what was that comment about Leesburg? "

"Miss Lane, Leesburg was one of the first towns anywhere on the planet to fall. It's gone. Wiped off the map completely."

"My God ." Lois Invokes, "Captain , Please, you have to take me back to Metropolis."

Atom strokes his chin in thought.

"Okay Miss Lane, I'll take you. I have to pass Metropolis on the way to New York anyway."

"Why are you going to New York?"

"To find a few more heroes I know of there to establish an organized force on the planet to repel the invaders."*

*To see what he's talking about, pick up Firestorm, the nuclear man #1, available next week at a cyber stand near you!

"What about the Justice League? They should be doing that."

"Haven't you heard Miss Lane? Haven't you been listening to the reports?"

"What reports? What are you talking about?"

"Miss Lane, the League has fallen. Since this began no one's heard from them. We have to assume the very worst."

"Oh God, no." "Clark" she thinks as she stares up at the battle scarred night sky, staring at the stars themselves, wondering where her husband, Superman really is, if he's even alive....

Monguls command craft......

Superman is led in chains before the tyrant himself.

"Ah Superman, I see you're enjoying our hospitality."

Nearby, Hybrid smiles at this, as Superman stares daggers at Mongul.

"Why are you doing this Mongul? Why couldn't you just disappear into space and never return here?"

"Because Kryptonian, that would leave unfinished business."

"How did you even survive you monster? I was sure you were dead."

"I was Superman, but not even Nerons realm could hold me. I became to much of a ....nuisance for Neron. So he offered me ac choice. Return to the world of the living and deliver him the greatest amount of souls he's ever had at one time, or be shredded limb from limb for all eternity. Of course I chose the former."

"And this is how you intend to honor your part of the bargain? Delivering the souls of an entire world?"

"Yes Superman, your world in particular. Yours and that damned Green Lantern."

"You're insane."

"I never claimed otherwise Kryptonian. ."

Mongul turns towards the view port, his hands clasped behind his back. He watches the explosions that are tearing the Earth apart, being seen from the distance of space they are awe inspiring, in a cold , sardonic sort of way.

"Ah beautiful is it not Superman? The end of this pathetic little world that has become so great in the grand scheme of things? How do you feel inside now? "

Superman says nothing as he stares at the chains holding his arms and legs, feels the polymer covering his limbs which blocks his absorption of solar energy, and finally of the red sun rays he's been constantly bombarded with. But in the end he doesn't care! He leaps at Mongul, smashing him with the chains, wrapping them around the conquerors throat, trying to strangle the life out of the evil warlord and send him back to Nerons fiery hell.

Mongul merely tosses the powerless man of steel aside, like an old rag doll!

"Idiot! You are beneath me now. Not even worth dirtying my hands on. Hybrid, take him below and show him our prize. He should appreciate this."

Hybrid grabs the chains and begins to drag the stunned Superman below decks to show him whatever it is Mongul is referring to.

Mongul laughs at the site of the struggling Kryptonian.

"You will enjoy this former man of steel, this fool was found on a prison world, serving time for a crime he never committed. When I destroyed the world, I found him still alive, the only sentient to survive my attack. Immediately I took him captive to act as the power source for my great weapon."

"What weapon you psychotic---" Hybrid pulls the chains tighter, cutting off Supermans words.

"The weapon that will freeze the Earths atmosphere, turning it to liquid nitrogen. Of course this will occur after every living thing on this pathetic speck is already dead. Then , like the hammer of the Gods themselves, I'll crack this frozen world asunder with the might of all eleven hundred of my ships. Leaving nothing but floating debris to forever mark the spot where Superman died. Then no one shall ever stand in my way again!"

Hybrid drags Superman below, while Mongul continues laughing from his command chair, watching them depart.

On a turbo lift , going deeper into the bowels of the ship.....

Superman runs his hand over his neck and stares at Hybrid disdainfully.

"How could you do this Hybrid? You're a part of me. You have a part of my soul somewhere inside of you. How could you watch the world of your birth be destroyed by this madman and the Cyborg?"

"You delude yourself Superman. I'm no part of you. Maybe I'm in part cloned from your DNA, as I am from Doomsday', but I'm my own self . And this may be the world I was created on, but for that reason alone it should be destroyed!"

"You're worse then they are Hybrid. A sick twisted monster."

"Perhaps I am Superman, but right now you're my helpless prisoner."

The turbo lift finally stops and Hybrid roughly shoves Superman off of the lift, in to the engineering section of the ship , where Superman sees...

"Starman? You have Starman as your captive? He's your energy source?"

"Yes Kryptonian. Starman. A living star, capable of powering this great engine of destruction that will turn this pebble below us to nothing but frozen waste."

Starman groggily stares at Superman and Hybrid. He's shackled to a great machine that seems to draw power from his half awake form.

"This is your great weapon?" Superman laughs at Hybrid, "A barely awake Meta-Human strapped to some sort of freezing machine? And you're following these idiots willingly? I'm embarrassed you came from my DNA! You're an even larger fool then I thought when I first saw you."

"What?" Roars Hybrid, his blood red scales flashing an even deeper hue of crimson.

"You're pathetic Hybrid, nothing but a second rate villain at best. Especially to be following these many time losers."

Hybrid storms after Superman, grabbing the chains that bind him, he effortlessly lifts him into the air, holding him by the throat!

"I'll kill you little man! No matter what Mongul says. I'll kill you now , instead of later."

"Don't make me laugh, you half breed pile of bacteria. You couldn't perform an independent task if your worthless life depended on it. You need to be led around by the nose, like a dog on a leash."

"Leash ?" Screams the angry monstrosity. "You're the one on the leash, and it's a leash I'll crack, like a whip!"

Hybrid heaves Superman across the room, smashing him brutally into the machine holding Starman, which shatters his restraints, releasing Starman to the floor painfully!

Then all hell break loose as clarions aboard the ship ring out.

"Intruder alert! Intruder alert!" Bellows from the ships comm system.

Agonizingly, Superman implores Starman, "Starman, I need your power, your energy . Fire all the power you can muster into me NOW!"

Suddenly Hybrid realizes what Superman has done, "You tricked me! Raaaahhhhr!"

He heaves himself at Superman, as Starman engulfs Superman in a wave of solar energy, burning through the polymer coating, disintegrating it instantly! Superman bellows in pain as the solar flare engulfs the inside of the ship, blowing out several sections to open space , as another star is borne this night, and quickly dissipates. Smoke fills the deck, as automatic force fields hold the atmosphere in from the damaged deck.

"Where is he , where are they?" Growls Hybrid as he stares into the miasma before him, when suddenly he has his answer!

Ba-KOW!

Supermans punch hurls him the length of the deck, like a toy!

"Now monster, lets try this again."

Superman walks calmly from the haze, again at the height of his powers!

"Yeah Hybrid, lets." Agrees a rejuvenated Starman , at Supermans side.

Next : More Cold Armageddon!

Supes not out of the woods yet, the worst is yet to come !

Kryptonian Komments

C/O CptMarvell@aol.com