Comic Title: Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 4 HC
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2022
On Sale Date: March 1, 2022 Direct Market Date March 2, 2022
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, March 2, 2022

Direct Market Date March 1, 2022
Source: DC Connect, #18

Direct Market Date October 19, 2021
Source: DC Connect, #13, 14

Direct Market Date October 19, 2021
Source: Panels, August 2021

Cover Price: $49.99
Page Count: 520
Editor: Reza Lokman

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "Parallel Lives Meet at Infinity..."
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Superman (Post-Crisis)

Writer: John L. Byrne
Plotter/Penciller: Jerry Ordway
Inker: Dennis Janke
Letterer: Albert Tobias De Guzman
Colorist: Petra Scotese (Goldberg)

Reprinted From:
Adventures of Superman #444 (1988)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Superman #21; next appearance in Superman #22)

Supporting Character(s)

• Supergirl (last appearance in Superman #21; next appearance in Superman #22)

Villain(s)

• General Zod (from the Pocket Universe; in flashback; next appearance in Superman #22)
• Quex-Ul (from the Pocket Universe; in flashback; next appearance in Superman #22)
• Zaora (from the Pocket Universe; in flashback; next appearance in Superman #22)

Other Character(s)

• Lex Luthor (from the Pocket Universe; last appearance in Superman #21; next appearance in Superman #22)
• Pete Ross (from the Pocket Universe; last appearance in Superman #21; next appearance in Superman #22)
• Bruce Wayne (from the Pocket Universe; next appearance in Superman #22)
• Hal Jordan (from the Pocket Universe; next appearance in Superman #22)
• Oliver Queen (from the Pocket Universe; next appearance in Superman #22)
• Lana Lang (from the Pocket Universe; in flashback; last appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38; no further appearances)

Flashback Appearance(s)

• Lex Luthor (from the Pocket Universe; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Superman #21)
• Pete Ross (from the Pocket Universe; last appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38; next appearance in Superman #21)
• Supergirl (prior to being sent to Earth; earliest chronological appearance; next appearance in Superman #16)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Time Trapper (in flashback to the creation of the Pocket Universe)
• Legion of Substitute Heroes (in flashback)
• Cosmic Boy (in flashback)
• Lightning Lad (in flashback)
• Saturn Girl (in flashback)
• Adolf Hitler (depicted in Luthor's history of the Pocket Universe)
• Batman (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Wonder Woman (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Captain Marvel (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Captain Atom (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Flash (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Green Lantern (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Firestorm (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Jade (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Green Arrow (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Robin (depicted as a hero of Earth)
• Superboy (from the Pocket Universe)

Comments:
This story is continued from Superman #21 and continues in Superman #22.

Synopsis:
Superman arrives in the universe created by the Time Trapper where he is introduced to Lex Luthor and Pete Ross. They tell Superman the story of their world following the death of Superboy.

Shortly after Superboy disappeared the Kents died. Lex Luthor came to Smallville looking for Superboy and met Pete. They found Superboy's lab under the Kent home and Luthor used a time viewer to try to look into the future. He made contact with General Zod who told Lex that he was Von-El, the brother of Jor-El. With help from Zod, Lex released three prisoners from the Phantom Zone: Zod, Quex-Ul, and Zaora. Once they were released, Lex realized his mistake.

The Phantom Zone criminals proceeds to destroy Superboy's lab and make themselves rulers of Earth. Lex helped the resistance oppose them. He established a base in Smallville, but after ten years, Earth was in ruin. The finishing blow came when the three Kryptonians burrowed into Earth's core and burned off Earth's atmosphere. Earth became a charred planet.

The few survivors of the Earth were protected inside Lex's force shield. Lex used his science to give Lana powers to oppose the Kryptonians. He now sent her to Earth to contact Superman. Now Superman has arrived, and he promises to make Zod pay for his actions.