Absolute Superman #2 (2024)

Six years ago on Krypton, Kal-El's teacher criticises him for writing a report himself instead of generating it via the "Luminarium", the repository of all knowledge gathered by the Science League. On Earth in the present, Kal-El attempts to get free of the cuffs binding him to Agent Lane, but finds that even with his super-strength he can't break them. Lane shoots him in the face, which causes him pain but doesn't do any major damage. Sol says it will deal with the handcuffs and the armour flows over the cuffs to try and unlock them. The Peacemakers and Phenomena open fire on them with no regard for Lane's life. Kal-El shields her with his body and the armour releases a cloud of Sunstone dust to shield them. She once again shoots him and orders him to surrender peacefully. Sol tells Kal-El that it is having trouble with the cuffs and Kal-El decides to take Lane with them. He has Sol envelop her in the cloud and leaps into the air. A Lazarus "helitank" opens fire on them, using high powered munitions recommended by their "Brainiac system", again despite the risk to their own soldier. Superman and Lane are hit and fall out of the sky into a village eight miles to the east of Lajes Creek. Superman holds Lane as they fall to ensure she isn't hurt when they land, but as soon as they do she shoots him again. She tries to call for backup but Sol blocks her transmission. Superman asks Lane why she wants to arrest him when he had saved her life several times; but she replies that he had endangered her while trying to escape lawful custody, and endangers everyone around him by being so powerful. She demands to know what he is, saying people have a right to know. Superman retorts that Lazarus doesn't care about rights and says that people like her only see workers as livestock. He says that she represents everything wrong with "your planet", letting slip that he's an alien. She asks what his planet is but suddenly the helitank fires on them and barely misses. The villagers flee into a church for shelter and Superman tells Lois that the tank crew's recklessness shows what Lazarus thinks of people. He hurls a car at the helitank and brings it down, but it crashes into the church. Superman runs towards the church and Lane willingly comes with him, telling him not to worry about her and to just save the bystanders. Lane is impressed by Superman's heroism and courage in protecting the people, and sees that his powers are not derived from his suit as Lazarus had previously assumed. She also realises that he is still discovering the full limits of his abilities. While Superman is distracted struggling to control his heat vision she has the opportunity to shoot him again but decides not to. He thanks her and, as he now feels a small degree of trust for her, is about to tell her the name of his homeworld when Sol finally cracks the cuffs. Lane asks him to stay and talk to her but he leaps away. Lazarus forces enter the village and take Lane back to headquarters. She prepares a report on the events using the Brainiac system, which is supposed to generate the report based on her responses to queries, However, Brainiac appears to misinterpret her answers to depict Superman as a threat who must be eliminated, despite Lane believing the situation is more nuanced and Superman is not looking for a fight. Lane believes Brainiac is an AI tool, however it is in fact the figure in the laboratory with the bottled cities. She decides to write the report manually instead. On Krypton in the past, Lara works on an experimental combined spacesuit and rocketship she designed as a child while Jor-El continues to gather data to support his theory. The plan is to present the Klerics with proof of Krypton's destruction and a plan to escape; but Lara predicts that the Klerics will not listen to mere Labourer like them no matter what evidence they provide, and even if they do there won't be enough time to build the fleet of ships needed. Jor-El says that if the Science League refuses to listen, he will steal enough Sunstone for Lara to build a ship to carry everyone they love and they will escape to the stars. In the present Lane completes her report, detailing all her observations and nuanced judgements. She is surprised by how good it makes her feel and signs it "Written by Lois Lane". Meanwhile, Superman hikes to Venezuela and on the way passes by a road sign with graffiti reading "LAZARUS MEANS DEATH" and "JOIN THE ΩMEGA MEN". At the village, Lazarus technicians collect samples and the Peacemakers, including one named Smith who appears shaken by his encounter with Superman, round up the villagers. Smith says none of them appreciate what Lazarus has done to pull them out of the mud and they gun down the civilians.