This is, no lie, one of my favorite comic books ever.
The story itself is sort of dull and the art no doubt seems dated to the modern eye, but this story…
Basically, in this issue, Superman dreams that the U.S. and the (then-still-extant) Soviet Union go to war. Nukes fly, and the planet is devastated, leaving Superman as the sole survivor of yet another world.
Consequently, the Man of Steel decides that maybe it’s time just to gather up all of those nukes and chuck them into the sun (as was fashionable at the time; see the dreadful Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.)
But then something happens… Something small and instructive, and Superman realizes that while he possesses the power to disarm the world, he does not possess the moral authority. That there is a higher purpose at work here — that Humanity must learn how to deal with its own incredible power, just as Superman himself did.
It’s a nice bit of storytelling, and tackles some serious subject matter in a far superior way than that nightmarish fourth Superman movie.
(From Superman #408, June 1985. Cover by Ed Hannigan and Al Williamson.)
This particular issue holds a very special place in my heart.
This was the first comic book I owned. My father bought it for me when I was just 3 years old. This story was was my bedtime story every night for a couple of years. And this issue was responsible in many ways in shaping my future since then…. From imparting a simple yet amazing moral lesson to turning me into a lifelong Superman fan to helping me learn to draw and thus in choosing a career as a game character artist, I owe it all to this one issue.
Exposure to good things at a young age can make one a better person.
Praveen,
Thanks for commenting on this. I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who was touched by this issue! 🙂