The Death and Life of Superman

The Death and Life of Superman Read Online Free PDF Page A

Book: The Death and Life of Superman Read Online Free PDF
Author: Roger Stern
into everything from banking and brewing to robotics and sanitation. Nearly two-thirds of Metropolis’s citizens were employed by companies owned—either in whole or in part—by LexCorp.
    LexCorp had been named for its vainglorious founder, Lex Luthor. Luthor had generally been considered the most powerful man in Metropolis.
    Until Superman came along.
    That was the big problem, thought Superman, wasn’t it? Luthor couldn’t stand being second best at anything, and he hated anything he couldn’t own or control. Taken together, those two qualities had made Luthor Superman’s greatest enemy.
    During his first year and a half as Superman, the Man of Steel had been fortunate to avoid contact with the billionaire industrialist. Luthor had left the country to inspect business holdings in South America shortly after Superman’s public debut.
    At first Luthor had dismissed reports of a superstrong flying man as media hype and exploitation. But in the course of his travels abroad, Luthor had become at first bemused and then intrigued by satellite news stories of Superman’s exploits.
    Upon his return to Metropolis, Luthor received information that a terrorist cell planned to hijack his yacht, the Sea Queen, the next time he took it out of port. Where other men might have felt threatened or outraged, Luthor saw only opportunity and connived to provide an irresistible target for the terrorists. Luthor organized a lavish party aboard the ship, inviting the elite of Metropolis society. He ordered his security team to hold back in case of trouble. His hope was that Superman would show up, and that he could see for himself if all the wild stories he’d heard were true.
    The terrorists went for Luthor’s bait, just as he’d planned, and Superman indeed intervened. The billionaire was greatly impressed and attempted to hire Superman on the spot, handing him a check for twenty-five thousand dollars. “Consider that a retainer. Everyone who’s anyone in Metropolis works for me. And you’re far too valuable a resource to leave undirected.”
    He thought he could buy me. Luthor always treated people as commodities.
    But Luthor had gone too far this time. Among the partygoers was Frank Berkowitz, the mayor of Metropolis, and he was outraged that they’d all been placed in jeopardy just to satisfy Luthor’s curiosity. “Superman, as mayor I hereby appoint you a special deputy. I want you to arrest that man. The charge is reckless endangerment!”
    “Don’t be absurd, Frank!” The big, balding man hadn’t even tried to hide his contempt. “You can’t arrest me. I’m Lex Luthor. I’m the most powerful man in Metropolis.”
    “No you’re not, Lex.” Mayor Berkowitz looked at Superman. “Not anymore.”
    Luthor was photographed and fingerprinted like any common criminal. Despite the fact that he was one of the world’s wealthiest men, he was then locked up behind bars. His attorneys immediately sprang into action and arranged his release. All charges were subsequently dropped, but the public humiliation gnawed at Luthor. He again sought out Superman, confronting him privately outside Metro General Hospital.
    “You’ve made a mistake, Superman . . . a big mistake. Metropolis belongs to me. Its people are mine, to nurture or destroy as I see fit. They’ve just forgotten that. They’ve looked at you, with your costume and your flashy superhuman powers, and they’ve forgotten who their real master is. Well, I intend to remind them, Superman. I’m going to show them that you’re nothing. I’m going to destroy you, but no one will ever be able to prove me responsible. I’ll not be arrested again, Superman . . . not ever again!”
    From that day on, Lex Luthor had devoted much of his time and energy, and a considerable amount of his fortune, toward fulfilling his threat. The industrialist even went so far as to outfit an elite LexCorp security team with jet-propelled body armor, forming his so-called Team Luthor in a
Read Online Free Pdf

Similar Books

Cascadia's Fault

Jerry Thompson

Counting to D

Kate Scott

Mischief

Amanda Quick

Manhattan Dreaming

Anita Heiss

Blood Witch

Cate Tiernan

A Prologue To Love

Taylor Caldwell

EarthRise

William C. Dietz

His Captive Bride

Suzanne Steele