The Old Man of Metropolis! is a Superman story appearing in Action Comics #270.
Plot[]
One day, when Perry White assigns Clark Kent a human interest story about the talented children living at Midvale Orphanage, Clark takes the Flying Newsroom to the orphanage. One child he doesn't write up is Linda Lee, who is really his cousin, Supergirl. She writes him a story and gives it to him for approval.
Later, in his apartment, Clark begins to read the story, titled "My Career as Superwoman". Still tired after an encounter with some Kryptonite earlier, Clark takes a nap.
He dreams that he chases a rocket out the window and through the Time-barrier. He finds himself an old man, his powers no longer working. He soon discovers that many years have passed and Supergirl has taken over his duties, now calling herself Superwoman. She works at the Daily Planet, as Linda Lee.
Superman discovers that he has long since publicly revealed his secret identity and retired from work at the Daily Planet. Jimmy Olsen is now the editor-in-chief, with Perry White long dead. Lex Luthor has long since reformed and become the mayor of Metropolis. The Fortress of Solitude is now owned by Supergirl, with Superman's trophies relegated to a dusty old room. Krypto and Bizarro also no longer have powers, due to old age.
Superman gets locked up in jail for trying to dispose of a Kryptonite meteorite, as the cop thought he was trying to use it on Supergirl. His cell-mate is Bizarro, who had come to Earth before losing his powers and getting stranded.
Finally, Lois Lane pays Superman's bail, and takes him home. She agrees to finally marry him after all of these years. Soon after, Clark wakes up from his dream.
References[]
- Metropolis
- Clark Kent
- Perry White
- Daily Planet
- Flying Newsroom
- Midvale
- Midvale Orphanage
- Kryptonite
- Superwoman
- Jimmy Olsen
- Lex Luthor
Continuity[]
- Lex Luthor's rise to Mayor of Metropolis foreshadows his career in politics in the Modern Age Continuity, in which he became the President of the United States.