DC Comics Presents #57

DC Comics Presents #57 from May 1983

Superman and the Atomic Knights—yes, that’s a big Dalmatian the knight is riding.

I always loved tales that told of the nuclear future. Star Trek had World War III in the 90s—that’s how Khan became a leader. But in Superman?

It is actually a well-crafted little story. Nowadays they could take this concept and craft a six-issue limited series out of it.

Superman is having some strange dreams about the future after an atomic war. He doesn’t know what’s happening and the dreams are beginning to affect him and the world’s computer systems. He goes to the perfect woman at S.T.A.R. Labs to talk to. With apparently no detective work, he remembers some strange government experiment where a man was left in a sensory deprivation tank to see how ordinary men would cope after World War III. Somehow this guy has taken over computer systems and robots and is able to manipulate them to try to achieve a real World War III to make his fantasy reality. Superman saves the missiles from launching by rapidly pressing buttons on the computer, with one second remaining.

Then it gets preachy to finish with. The guy spouts about how we have to do what we can to prevent World War III not see how we will survive after it. He says that humanity is on 1 on the countdown. Preachy.

The idea could be taken and made better.