Superman Vol 2 1

"You talk a good death scene, Metallo - but so far, its still just talk!"

- Superman

Heart of Stone" is the title to the first issue of the second Superman ongoing comic book series published by DC Comics. The story was written and illustrated by John Byrne with inks by Terry Austin. It was colored by Tom Ziuko and lettered by John Costanza. The story was edited by Andrew Helfer. This issue shipped with a January, 1987 cover date and carries a cover price of .75 cents per copy.

Synopsis
Three months ago, Superman learned that he was an alien from the planet known as Krypton. His foster father, Jonathan Kent, had hidden Superman's birth-matrix/rocket ship in a secret area of the farm, but it has since been stolen. Superman has been searching for the ship ever since.

His trail leads him to a laboratory complex where he finds the body of a dead scientist. Inside the complex are comprehensive computer schematics of Superman. Although Superman doesn't yet realize it, this lab is where the cyborg Metallo was created. Metallo's body had been ruined in a car accident, and the scientist transplanted his brain into a powerful robot body powered by an element he calls kryptonite. Superman picks up the entire lab and flings it into a safe orbit in outer space.

Later, he joins with Lois Lane in his secret identity as Clark Kent. The two go jogging together until Lois hears a disturbance coming from a nearby bank. Investigating the incident, they find that a large white-haired man calling himself Metallo is wreaking havoc. Clark dashes off to change into Superman and faces Metallo. Metallo overpowers Superman and nearly kills him thanks to the kryptonite heart in his chest.

Miles away, Lex Luthor is monitoring the event and notices that Metallo may actually succeed in killing Superman – a feat reserved only for Lex Luthor. Luthor sends out a hovercraft, which abducts Metallo just as he is ready to finish off Superman.

Appearances

 * Superman, Kal-El/Clark Kent


 * Lois Lane


 * Emmett Vale
 * Lex Luthor
 * Metallo, John Corben


 * Pearl


 * Metropolis Police Department


 * Cyborgs
 * Humans
 * Kryptonians


 * Metropolis
 * New Troy
 * Centennial Avenue
 * Commerce Bank


 * LexCorp Tower
 * Metropolis Park
 * Outer space


 * Kryptonian birthing matrix
 * Kryptonite
 * Green kryptonite


 * Machine gun


 * Truck


 * Enhanced vision
 * Microscopic vision
 * X-ray vision


 * Flight
 * Invulnerability
 * Super-speed
 * Bodily rotation


 * Superhuman durability
 * Superhuman strength


 * Bank robbery
 * Corpse
 * Flashback

Notes & Trivia

 * This issue is reprinted in the Superman: The Man of Steel, Volume 2 trade paperback collection.


 * All characters made their last chronological appearances in the Man of Steel limited series.


 * The events of this issue take place in between Action Comics #584 and Adventures of Superman #424.


 * The events from this issue lead directly into Superman, Volume 2 #2.


 * This is the first Post-Crisis appearance of Green Kryptonite. It is important to note that the scientist who created Metallo is responsible for coining the phrase, "Kryptonite".


 * This issue establishes that Superman is twenty-eight years old as of this publishing date.


 * This issue establishes that it has been three months since Superman first learned of his Kryptonian heritage.


 * This is the first appearance of Pearl, who is Lex Luthor's secretary. She appears next in Action Comics #595.