Comic Title: Adventures of Superman #436
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: January 1988
On Sale Date: September 29, 1987 Shipping Date September 29, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #44

Shipping Date September 29, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #126
Misnumbered #434

Newsstand Date October 20, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #126
Misnumbered #434

Copyright Date September 29, 1987
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1987

Cover Price: $0.75
Page Count: 32
Editor: Mike Carlin

Title: "Junk"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Superman (Post-Crisis)

Crossover Event:
Millennium

Writer: John L. Byrne
Plotter/Penciller: Jerry Ordway
Inker: John R. Beatty
Letterer: Albert Tobias De Guzman
Colorist: Anthony Tollin

Reprinted In:
Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 7 TPB (2013)
Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 3 HC (2021)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Swamp Thing #68; next appearance in Action Comics #596)

Supporting Character(s)

• Jonathan Kent (behind-the-scenes; a captive of the Manhunters; last appearance in Superman #12; next appearance in Action Comics #596)
• Martha Kent (behind-the-scenes; a captive of the Manhunters; last appearance in Superman #12; next appearance in Action Comics #596)

Villain(s)

• Lana Lang (last appearance in Swamp Thing #68; next appearance in Action Comics #596)
• Pete Ross (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Superman #45)
• Manhunters (in flashback to Kal-El's arrival on Earth; last appearance in Secret Origins #22; next appearance in World of Smallville #3)
• The Manhunter replacement of Dr. Whitney (destroyed in this story; last appearance in World of Smallville #4; next appearance in Action Comics #596)
• The young residents of Smallville (revealed to be under Manhunter control; next appearance in Action Comics #596)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Guardians of the Universe (in flashback to Kal-El's arrival on Earth; last appearance in Green Lantern Corps #217; next appearance in Green Lantern Corps #222)
• Green Lantern Corps (in flashback to Kal-El's arrival on Earth; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Green Lantern:Emerald Dawn #4)

Other Character(s)

• Residents of Smallville (next appearance in Action Comics #596)
• Dr. G.I. Whitney (dies in flashback; last appearance in World of Smallville #2; no further appearances)
• Whitney's wife (dies in flashback; no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Jor-El (in flashback)
• Lara (in flashback)

Comments:
This issue is labeled:"Millennium Week 3".

This story is continued from Superman #13 and continues in Action Comics #596.

Synopsis:
Superman follows Lana Lang back to Smallville. She vanishes, so he assumes his Clark Kent identity and enters town. He meets Pete Ross who is acting strangely. When Doctor Whitney arrives at Pete's office, he and Pete attack Clark with a Manhunter weapon. Superman is then taken to a Manhunter ship buried outside of town.

Superman is held by a machine that prevents him from using his super strength. Whitney explains that the Manhunters tried to divert Kal-El's ship when he was sent to Earth from Krypton. The Green Lantern Corps interfered and prevented them from getting to the ship.

After Kal-El landed on Earth, a Manhunter killed the real Doctor Whitney and replaced him. He then planted microscopic inducers in every child born in Smallville, turning them into sleeper agents. Superman finds all the young people in Smallville are working for the Manhunters, while the other residents are being held captive.

Although his strength is inhibited, Superman discovers that his vision powers still function. He is unable to use them to escape, but he is able to fly. Using this power he lifts the ship from the ground and stuns the Manhunter agents. The Man of Steel then breaks loose. Whitney activates a self-destruct mechanism which causing him to explode before Superman can reach him.