I may not be the biggest Man of Steel fan or collector (I give that nod to Brandon Shepherd and others), and I definitely haven't read every adventure of the Caped Wonder, but I am a big fan nonetheless.

When I was a child, Superman was the one superhero I wanted to be.

What Superman stands for: purity, morality, strength, and order, which symbolically stands defiant in our often troubled, turbulent, and chaotic world.

Superman never bends to the will of evil, nor does he sacrifice his morals or convictions.

Superman is self-sacrificing and gives everything freely to serve man.

He is also very compassionate and merciful.

If we study Superman's origins and make-up further, we can devine they are deeply rooted in Judeo-Christian beliefs, and one could arguably see parallels of what he represents and the Christ-figure.

Even if Superman were somehow stripped of his powers, his devine, pious and rightous nature, makes him a God among Men!

Superman is undoubtedly DC's Messiah.

Some may condemn him and caustically call him a Big Blue Boyscout, but in my eyes, he will always remain Superman!

I've recently got back one of my favorite adventures of Superman, first appearing in Action Comics 552, and recently reprinted in the hardcover book: Adventures of Superman Gil Kane. I bought this newsstand copy, back in early 1984 (publication date February 1984). I can't believe it's been 29 years since I first read that issue. The cover is what really grabbed me. Gil Kane's rendition of Superman is one of my favorite's, up there with Neal Adam's take. Why? Probably because Gil makes him look like he's sculpted in the style of the ancient Greeks. He gives the Man of Steel a chiseled and natural look, not like some disproportioned bodybuilder on steroids, but reminiscent of Michelangelo's famous masterpiece, a 17 foot sculpture of the bibilical hero David (the guy who slew Goliath).

The story, written by Marv Wolfman, is most intriguing, and involves a mysterious pryamid-shaped temple harkening back to the beginning of time, Vandal Savage (the immortal villain), and several guest appearances of DC's Golden and Silver Age heroes. It actually spans over two issues: Action Comics 552 and 553, and a slight connection to 554.

Well, without furter ado... I give you my transciption of the entire issue of Action Comics 552:

Action Comics 552: Another Time! Another Death!

Written by Marv Wolfman

Faithfully transcribed by SW3D (not for commercial use; please do not reprint).

Immediately we discover the Man of Steel, like the ancient Greek Titan Atlas, with his mighty arms and shoulders, lifts several tons of concrete and steel, debris from a collapsed building in the inner city neighborhood known as Suicide Slum. Several survivors, the poor and unfortunate souls who called this derelict and abandoned building home, stagger forth and hobble for safety.

Superman (Thought Balloons): "I've flown by this building a dozen times and never considered people might be living in such squalid surroundings... while less than three blocks away stand some of the city's most exclusive luxury apartments. Inequities are so unfair. Those who have, keep on acquiring more... while those who never have only continue to suffer. Well, they won't have to suffer in this rat-trap any longer... though what may have been hell to these poor souls... may prove a heaven-sent boon to a Philippine village about to be deluged by an overflowing river... simply by turning a decomposing junk-pile into a very useful dam!"

Like a pitcher tossing a baseball into the air, Superman hurls the collected debris into the sky at impossible speeds.

Remarkably, with a blast of his heat vision, he turns the debris into a ball of slag, where, thousands of miles away, it lands between an overflowing river and a small village in the Philippine's, saving the village and its people from certain destruction!

Superman soon discovers the source of the building's collapse... several gigantic roots.

Superman (Thought Balloons): "These roots are what hastened the building's collapse... by cutting through the foundation. Trouble is, this is a complete anomaly... these roots are definitely prehistoric. There's no way the seeds which germinated them could possibly be surviving today. Well, I don't mind admitting I'm stumped. Maybe I can figure it out at the Fortress of Solitude."

As the Caped Wonder takes to the skies, he is unaware an ancient villain has been secretly watching with baited interest.

Vandal Savage: "He doesn't suspect. But then how could he? I've provided nothing he can possibly connect with Vandal Savage!"

Dr. Cruise: "Sir, I've completed the tests."

Vandal Savage: "And the results?"

Dr. Cruise: "Everything is in position. Superman is almost a full carrier. The disease we've infected him with will soon take him over completely."

Vandal Savage: "And once it does, Dr. Cruise... he will be mine! He and his world will belong to me!"

Meanwhile, in a secret facility resting on the apex of a rocky plateau somewhere on the West Coast, a vintage collection of DC's Golden and Silver Age heroes have gathered together under mysterious circumstances. They will soon discover they are facing a crisis eons in the making:

Congo Bill: "I certainly don't mind a free vacation, but I'd like to know why I've been invited."

Rip Hunter: "I agree. And I'd say it's about time we all learned the truth."

Dolphin: "Feel so... strange here. So... far from the... water. Will... Dolphin... be here.... long?"

Cave Carson: "Afraid so, lady. Y'see, the fate of the world rests in our hands! A world I wanted to forsake!"

Rip Hunter: "We've all accepted our tragedies in different ways, Cave. But I agree. It's about time to level with our newfound friends."

Animal Man: "What I wanna know is... How'd you know about me bein' Animal Man? I thought nobody knew. I mean, I recognize a couple of you... Cave Carson, America's Numero Uno Geologist. Even Rip Hunter, the famous Time-Master... although I thought you were younger. But some of you... sorry if I offend ya... but you mean nothin' to me."

Rip Hunter: "You're right about me being younger Animal Man. I am! Which is part of the reason you're all here. But, frankly, I don't know all of you either. Only one man does... the one who brought us all here. But he's asked that you meet him later for reasons which shall then become clear. When Cave's done you'll see a connection."

Cave Carson: "You done Hunter? Let me get on with it. Animal Man's right... I'm a Geologist. And to make my work easier, I created a little machine I called The Mighty Mole."

Flashback: The Mighty Mole: a midnight-blue, cylindrical shaped vehicle, with two turbine-like engines on either side, and a giant drill on its nose, digs through several miles of earth and rock... piloted by Cave Carson dressed in miner's gear:

Cave Carson: "It eats through rock like a fat man through pizza."

An ancient golden pyramid-like temple with ascending stairs majestically stands before C

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