Comic Title: Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 9 TPB
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2017
On Sale Date: November 2, 2016 Direct Market Date November 2, 2016
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Direct Market Date October 26, 2016
Source: Previews, #334

Cover Price: $19.99
Page Count: 280
Editor: Paul Santos

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "The Price"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Superman (Post-Crisis)

Writer/Artist: John L. Byrne
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Petra Scotese (Goldberg)

Reprinted From:
Superman #22 (1988)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; next appearance in World of Metropolis #2)

Supporting Character(s)

• Supergirl (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #448)
• Jonathan Kent (last appearance in Superman #21; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #445)
• Martha Kent (last appearance in Superman #21; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #445)
• Lana Lang (last appearance in Superman #21; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #448)

Villain(s)

• General Zod (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)
• Quex-Ul (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)
• Zaora (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)

Other Character(s)

• Lex Luthor (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)
• Pete Ross (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)
• Bruce Wayne (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)
• Oliver Queen (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)
• Hal Jordan (from the Pocket Universe; dies in this story; last appearance in Adventures of Superman #444; no further appearances)

Comments:
This story is continued from Adventures of Superman #444.

Supergirl is revealed to be a protomatter being created by Lex Luthor of the Pocket Universe. She is not the Pocket Universe Lana Lang as previously thought.

Synopsis:
Superman and the remaining survivors of the universe created by the Time Trapper battle three Kryptonian criminals in the skies above the ruins of Earth. General Zod and the others kill Pete Ross, Bruce Wayne, Oliver Queen, and Hal Jordan. Supergirl is then incinerated by Zod and Zaora.

Luthor is the only one left besides Superman. He tells Superman where to find Gold Kryptonite in the demolished lab of Superboy. Superman uses it to permanently remove the super powers of the criminals. He then returns to find Lex dying.

Lex explains that Supergirl is not really Lana Lang. The real Lana died early in the war with the Kryptonians. Supergirl is actually a protomatter matrix that he created and imprinted with Lana's memories. He tells Superman that she will regenerate.

Once Lex dies, Superman must decide what to do with the captured Kryptonians. Zod boasts that they will find a way to regain their powers and destroy Superman's world when they do. Superman, as the last representative of law left on Earth, is forced to act as judge and jury for the criminals. He chooses to execute them by exposing them to Green Kryptonite. Zod begs for his life, blaming his actions on the others. Quex-Ul chokes Zod to death as he falls dead with Zaora to Kryptonite poisoning.

Superman then brings Supergirl back to Earth. She remains in a protoplasm state. He leaves her with Lana and the Kents while he deals with the consequences of his decision to kill.