Superman 2020 | Superman 354 | The Debut of Superman 2020

Superman 354, cover dated December 1980, offered readers a glimpse 40 years into the future with the back-up feature "Superman 2020."  Superman 2020 introduces us to "Superman III," the grandson of the familiar Kal-El/Clark Kent Superman.  The story of Superman III would continue as a back-up in subsequent issues of the Superman comic.  In this blog, we'll take a look at the Superman that might have been...

Superman 354: "The Debut of Superman III!" Superman I and his half Earthling/half Kryptonian son Jorel Kent arrive in New Metropolis, a domed city floating at the edge of Earth's atmosphere for the unveiling and public debut of "Superman III."  Meanwhile, teenager Kalel Kent is in Megapolis, a 21st-century city merged from the former Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Metropolis, Gotham, and Baltimore [see NOTE].  He resigns from his position as "Theta Man" with The Foundation, in order to devote himself to full-time super-heroics.  Kalel deliberately crashes his Vexor Air-Car and fakes his own death, thinking that his secret identity has outlived its usefulness.  Unlike his grandfather and father, Kalel will use multiple identities to hide his secret life as Superman III.  As Superman I and II prepare to confer the "S" shield to Superman III, a Neo-Nazi group plots the destruction of New Metropolis and the downfall of all three Superman in an effort to keep the human race untainted from interbreeding with alien races.  As the Moon Voyager-Jules Verne spacecraft attempts re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, its gyro-relays are jammed due to the effects of a sunspot storm.  Young Kalel treats the giant key used to enter the Fortress of Solitude to de-magnetize the gyro-relays.  He moves so rapidly, he cannot be seen.  The Neo-Nazi's use an advanced surveillance scanner to project an illusion of Superman I and II flying over a "pollution prairie."  Superman III, wanting to assist them, takes the bait as "Operation Pure Blood" commences...

[NOTE: Superman 300, cover dated June 1976, told the imaginary story (aren't they all?) of the Man of Steel coming to earth as a baby today and growing up in the world of tomorrow, aka 2001.  Visions of the future include the Empire State Building reclaiming the title of world's tallest skyscraper, reaching the height of a full mile; super-sonic aircraft landing on floating sea-ports; and a domed White House occupied by a female President Wiener who is accused by the Soviet Premier of trying to prove she is "pushy as a man."  We also travel forward to 2001, where an adult Clark Kent reports on turn-of-the-millennium celebrations and the creation of the city of Metropolis, a merger of Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C.]

Look for more Superman 2020 stories in forthcoming blogs!