History ComicBook / WhateverHappenedToTheManOfTomorrow

** Bizarro, strangely enough, has never been more [[NotSoHarmlessVillain terrifying]] ''or'' more pitiable than he is here. In his desperate quest to become Superman's "perfect imperfect duplicate," Bizarro destroys his own planet on purpose (because Krypton was destroyed by accident), comes to Earth as an adult (because Superman came as a baby), kills lots and lots of people (because Superman ''never'' kills) and finally, because [[InsaneTrollLogic Superman is]] ''[[InsaneTrollLogic alive]]'', kills himself with blue kryptonite. His last words are "Hello, Superman, hello."

After Superman's life has settled into an easy groove as all the villains lie low, he spends his time helping NASA with experiments. Of course, the villains then go berserk, attacking Metropolis in increasingly grisly ways. Superman takes his friends to the Fortress of Solitude, pursued by the Kryptonite Man, the Legion of Supervillains, and creepiest of all, an enslaved ComicBook/LexLuthor, [[MindRape mind-raped]] and taken over by the remains of ComicBook/{{Brainiac}}.

Superman makes his last stand, and survives by the skin of his teeth. He defeats Brainiac, but realizes there's one last villain: [[Characters/SupermanMisterMxyzptlk Mr. Mxyzptlk]]. Bored after spending 2,000 years as [[HarmlessVillain a mischievous imp]], Mxyzptlk has decided to try being [[NotSoHarmlessVillain truly evil]]. Superman is no match for Mxyzptlk's godlike power, but thanks to a warning from the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes, he's able to kill Mxyzptlk using the Phantom Zone projector. Appalled that he's violated his code against killing, Superman exposes himself to gold kryptonite (permanently robbing himself of all powers) and apparently commits suicide by exposure to the elements.

Superman makes his last stand, and survives by the skin of his teeth. He defeats Brainiac, but realizes there's one last villain: [[TheUnpronounceable Mxyzptlk.]] Bored after spending 2,000 years as [[HarmlessVillain a mischievous imp]], Mxyzptlk has decided to try being [[NotSoHarmlessVillain truly evil]]. Superman is no match for Mxyzptlk's godlike power, but thanks to a warning from the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes, he's able to kill Mxyzptlk using the Phantom Zone projector. Appalled that he's violated his code against killing, Superman exposes himself to gold kryptonite (permanently robbing himself of all powers) and apparently commits suicide by exposure to the elements.

Then came the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', a mega-event that reset the continuity of every DC title. Thus began the modern, Creator/JohnByrne era of Superman which strove to be more "realistic". Realizing that Silver Age Superman deserved a grand finale, editor Julius Schwartz hired Creator/AlanMoore, and Superman ur-artist Creator/CurtSwan. The first issue was inked by none other than Creator/GeorgePerez and the second issue was inked by Kurt Schaffenberger (who was also best known for defining the look of ComicBook/LoisLane, and his work on ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'' and the Captain Marvel Family tales), and made the last Silver Age tale -- an "imaginary story." Published in September, 1986. For Moore, a lifelong Superman fan, specifically the Silver Age Superman, this story was the "final" Superman story. For many writers, it's one of the greatest Superman stories ever written, with Creator/NeilGaiman claiming that the opening is the greatest triple entendre in comics and a goodbye to a Superman that existed in Moore's heart.

Then came the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', a mega-event that reset the continuity of every DC title. Thus began the modern, Creator/JohnByrne era of Superman which strove to be more "realistic". Realizing that Silver Age Superman deserved a grand finale, editor Julius Schwartz hired Creator/AlanMoore, and Superman ur-artist Creator/CurtSwan. The first issue was inked by none other than Creator/GeorgePerez and the second issue was inked by Kurt Schaffenberger (who was also best known for defining the look of ComicBook/LoisLane, and his work on ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'' and the Captain Marvel Family tales), and made the last Silver Age tale -- an "imaginary story." Published in September, 1986. For Moore, a lifelong Superman fan, specifically the Silver Age Superman, this story was the "final" Superman story. For many writers, it's one of the greatest Superman stories ever written, with Neil Gaiman claiming that the opening is the greatest triple entendre in comics and a goodbye to a Superman that existed in Moore's heart.

->''"This is an Imaginary Story (which may never happen, but then again may) about a perfect man who came from the sky and did only good. It tells of his twilight, when the great battles were over and the great miracles long since performed; of how his enemies conspired against him and of that final war in the snowblind wastes beneath the Northern Lights; of the women he loved, and the choice he made between them; of how he broke his most sacred oath, and how finally all the things he had were taken from him save for one. It ends with a wink. It begins in a quiet midwestern town, one summer afternoon in the quiet midwestern future. Away in the big city, people still sometimes glance up hopefully from the sidewalks, glimpsing a distant speck in the sky... but no: It's only a bird, only a plane. Superman died ten years ago. This is an Imaginary Story...\\
\\

Franchise/{{Superman}} really hit his stride in UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks, which introduced things like multi-colored Kryptonite, ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, Bizarro, and the Fortress of Solitude. Even today, much of what the average person knows about Supes (not counting his death) comes from that period.

** This is a canonical ending to the original Superman tales before John Byrne's reboot.

** Compare this story to any other [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] Superman story. Let's just say it's made clear very quickly that this is ''final''.

* AnyoneCanDie: Since it was the swan song of UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|Of Comic Books}} Superman, Alan Moore was given a free hand on who would die. As a result , most of Superman's supporting cast and all of his antagonists perish.

** The Legion of Supervillains gloat about murdering Lana Lang '''to Superman's face(!)''', threaten to do the same to Lois, and are legit ''shocked'' when Supes lashes out with killing intent.

%%* AlmightyJanitor: In something of a literal sense.

-->'''Mxyzptlk:''' Did you ''honestly believe'' a fith-dimensional ''sorcerer'' would resemble a ''funny little man'' in a derby hat?

-->'''Mxyzptlk:''' Did you ''honestly believe'' a fith-dimensional ''sorcerer'' would resemble a ''funny little man'' in a derby hat?

** The Parasite and Terra-Man, two of Superman's most persistant Silver Age foes do not appear in the story. During Lois' exposition opening about what things were like during Superman's final days, she mentions that the two had ended up killing each other in a massive fallout.

Aren't they '''all'''?"''

->''"This is an Imaginary Story... Aren't they '''all'''?"''

* KarmaHoudini: The Legion of Super-Villains, opportunistic assholes that they are, travel back in time to take part in "the assured destruction of Superman". In the course of the conflict, Cosmic King depowers Lana Lang, rendering her helpless, and Lightning Lord fries her to a crisp. All because she tried to defend her beloved friend. Later, Lightning Lord has the sheer ''BALLS'' to not only [[KickTheDog taunt Superman about this]], but simultaneously threatens to do the same to Lois Lane. Clark understandably is not amused by this, and unleashes a beam of heat vision that burns Lightning Lord's arm. His partner, Saturn Queen, sees in Superman's mind the intent to kill, and all three choose discretion as the better part of valor, fleeing back to their own time. Despite killing the hero's childhood friend and former love interest, these three cowardly bastards escape scot free, with no comeuppance, unlike every other villain in this story.

Superman makes his last stand, and survives by the skin of his teeth. He defeats Brainiac, but realizes there's one last villain: [[TheUnpronounceable Mxyzptlk.]] Bored after spending 2,000 years as [[HarmlessVillain a mischievous imp]], Mxyzptlk has decided to try being [[NotSoHarmlessVillain truly evil]]. Superman is no match for Mxyzptlk's godlike power, but thanks to a warning from the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes, tries to capture Mxyzptlk using the Phantom Zone projector. Mxyzptlk attempts to get away by saying his name backwards, but is annihilated when his power conflicts with the Phantom Zone. Appalled that he's violated his code against killing, Superman exposes himself to gold kryptonite (permanently robbing himself of all powers) and apparently commits suicide by exposure to the elements.

Superman makes his last stand, and survives by the skin of his teeth. He defeats Brainiac, but realizes there's one last villain: [[TheUnpronounceable Mxyzptlk.]] Bored after spending 2,000 years as [[HarmlessVillain a mischievous imp]], Mxyzptlk has decided to try being [[NotSoHarmlessVillain truly evil]]. Superman is no match for Mxyzptlk's godlike power, but thanks to a warning from the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperHeroes, he's able to kill Mxyzptlk using the Phantom Zone projector. Appalled that he's violated his code against killing, Superman exposes himself to gold kryptonite (permanently robbing himself of all powers) and apparently commits suicide by exposure to the elements.

* ForgotAboutHisPowers: The Kristin Wells version of Superwoman is one of the heroes trying to break down the forcefield around the Fortress of Solitude -- even though she's capable of teleporting and walking through walls, and therefore should have no problem getting through it. For that matter, walking through walls is Martian Manhunter's power too. Of course it's later justified when it turns out Mr. Mxyzptlk was maintaining the forcefield with his own sorcery, assumingly canceling out any powers that could have breached it.

* BuffySpeak: Lightning Lord calls the Brainiac controlled Luthor the, "Luthor-Brainiac thing."

* SpiritualSuccessor:
** Many often see this as Superman's own ''[[ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns The Dark Knight Returns]]'', it has a DarkerAndEdgier tone, CharacterDeath, light-hearted villains becoming DarkerAndEdgier, and even Superman breaking his no-kill rule, the hero's identity is exposed to the public, it also ends with both supers FakingTheDead while going underground, and yet where Miller's Batman is a character who age has made harsher and colder, Superman still remains the same albeit circumstances drive him to the point of making a decision, making his turn more tragic in the classical sense. Unlike Miller who brought a distinctly modern and contemporary take on Batman with a radically new art style and character design, Moore is traditional in approach working with the classic Superman theme in all appearances but telling a very non-traditional story.
** Obviously, ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader'' by Creator/NeilGaiman is one, albeit one that has a different style and was a general summation to Batman a whole, not specifically or directly connected to the two events it tied into (the "Batman R.I.P." arc from ''ComicBook/GrantMorrisonsBatman'' and ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis''), it was essentially Gaiman's attempt to define and celebrate Batman in all his iterations up to that point.
** "To Have and to Hold", Creator/MattFraction's tribute to the Pre-OMD ''Franchise/SpiderMan'' status quo and especially his marriage is also one - it was written with the foreknowledge of a continuity reboot [[note]] Marvel officially didn't call it a reboot even if for all practical concerns it is [[/note]] and it was in the writer's mind a tribute and a goodbye to the Spider-Man that he had known, filled with references to major moments while also giving the OfficialCouple an affirmative coda, similar to Creator/AlanMoore who jumped at the chance for writing this "Imaginary Story" which in his mind, and that of many other fans of the Pre-Crisis Superman, is the GrandFinale and closure to the Superman that an entire generation had grown to love and care for.
** "The Last Adventure" a short comic published in Issue 16 of Creator/AlanMoore and Kevin O'Neill's "ComicBook/CinemaPurgatorio" series which retells the life of Creator/GeorgeReeves who played Superman on TV, features a lot of call-backs and references to this story. Such as one panel describing Reeves' roles in Pre-Superman movies as "Imaginary Stories" that may or may not happen, and the penultimate panel showing a giant Superman impression alludes to the opening image of this comic with the giant Superman statue.
** "The Lone and Level Sands," the final issue of Creator/PeterDavid's run on ''ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk'' uses the same structure as this story, down to it purporting to tell the final adventure of the Hulk and the framing device of Rick Jones being interviewed 10 years after the Hulk's last appearance.

* AlienGeometries: Lois described the true form of Mxyzptlk as having "length, width, breadth, and a couple other things," reflecting the long-established fact that Mxyzptlk is from the fifth dimension.

-->'''Lois:''' It had height, length, breadth, and a couple of other things. [...] Looking at it made my head hurt.

-->'''Brainiac''': Greetings, Lex Luthor. Your body, mind, and vocal cords all now belong to me. [[IronicEcho I welcome you to the new Brainiac-Luthor team]].

-->'''Mxyzptlk''': Did you honestly believe a fifth-dimensional sorcerer would resemble a funny little man in a derby hat?

-->'''Mr. Mxyzptlk:''' "Now, two thousand years later, I'm bored again. I need a change. Starting with your death, I shall spend the next two millennia being evil! After that, who knows? Perhaps I'll try being guilty for a while. Did you honestly believe a fifth-dimensional sorcerer would resemble a funny little man in a derby hat? Would you like to see how I really look?"

-->'''Mxyzptlk:''' You didn't think a 5th-dimensional sorcerer ''really'' looked like a funny little man in a bowler hat, did you?

* OneWingedAngel: Mxy assumes his true form in the FinalBattle ("Did you honestly believe that a 5th Dimensional sorcerer would resemble a funny little man in a derby hat?" laughs the villain.) and being five dimensional, [[YouCannotGraspTheTrueForm cannot be fully comprehended by earthlings]]; as Lois puts it, “I can’t describe what Mxyzptlk then became. He had height, width, depth, and a couple of other things, too.”

* NotQuiteDead: Apparently, Brainaic survived the loss of his body, so long as he could take over someone else's. In particular, Luthor's.

Then came the ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', a mega-event that reset the continuity of every DC title. Thus began the modern, Creator/JohnByrne era of Superman which strove to be more "realistic". Realizing that Silver Age Superman deserved a grand finale, editor Julius Schwartz hired Creator/AlanMoore, and Superman ur-artist Curt Swan. The first issue was inked by none other than Creator/GeorgePerez and the second issue was inked by Kurt Schaffenberger (who was also best known for defining the look of ComicBook/LoisLane, and his work on ''ComicBook/{{Shazam}}'' and the Captain Marvel Family tales), and made the last Silver Age tale -- an "imaginary story." Published in September, 1986. For Moore, a lifelong Superman fan, specifically the Silver Age Superman, this story was the "final" Superman story. For many writers, it's one of the greatest Superman stories ever written, with Neil Gaiman claiming that the opening is the greatest triple entendre in comics and a goodbye to a Superman that existed in Moore's heart.