What would have happened if I hadn't brought that computer back from the future to place in that capsule? ... What came first — the present day computer or the future computer? 
- — Superman
Action Comics #486 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of August, 1978.
Synopsis for Superman: "Superman's Time Killing Trip!"
Bored, Superman travels into the far future of Earth and finds himself stranded in a war-torn land under a red sun. The sun is being made artificially red to empower the halfling army, who oppress Superman's new allies Kampto (a Rigellian) and Tyros. Lacking the ablity to leave, they consult "The Oracle" which is a hand-held computer found in a 20th century time capsule.
Superman realizes that the computer literally is the answer, and uses it to activate the Rigellian spacecraft to destroy the satellites that make the sun red. With his powers restored and the Halflings on the way to defeat, Superman takes the Oracle computer back to 1978 — where the very same time capsule is just being buried. He peeks in with X-ray vision, notices that the computer is missing, and tosses the Oracle computer in, so that it will be there a million years in the future.
Appearing in Superman: "Superman's Time Killing Trip!"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Kampto (Rigellian)
- Tyros
- Lois Lane
Antagonists:
- Halflings
- Patrol Leader
Locations:
- 1978
- Metropolis
- Fortress of Solitude (Mentioned only)
- Sound Barrier
- Light Barrier
- Time Barrier
- The Far Future
- Rigel system
- Rigel
- Solar System
Items:
- Energy Draining Satellites
- Hot Bolt
- Time Capsule
- Flash Comics
- The Oracle (Computer)
Vehicles:
- Halfling Floaters
- Rigellian Spacecraft
Synopsis for Lex Luthor: "Hero for a Day"
Lex Luthor breaks out of prison for the sole purpose of giving a birthday gift to his nephew Val.
Appearing in Lex Luthor: "Hero for a Day"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Other Characters:
Locations:
- Metropolis
- Metropolis Prison
- Stanhope
- Luthor's Lair
- Morrissey Street
Items:
- Escape Plan 77-B
- Lex Luthor's Battle Array
- Short Range Teleportation Device
- Superman's Cape
Vehicles:
- Luthor's Escape Vehicle
- Police Car
Trivia
- "Superman's Time Killing Trip!" is an example of the classic science-fiction Bootstrap paradox, where an object has no origin outside of the causal loop that contains it. Superman brings the Oracle computer back from the future opening of a time capsule, to seal it in the time capsule in the past.
See Also