Action Comics #652 is an issue of the series Action Comics (Volume 1) with a cover date of April, 1990.
Synopsis for "Wayward Son"
Jonathan and Martha Kent arrive at Metropolis to visit their son. When they get to Clark's apartment, they find him and some Kryptonian robots packing his stuff to move them to the Fortress of Solitude in the Antarctic. They question why he's been acting so indifferent lately, to which Kal-El replies that he is no longer Clark Kent or Superman, being free at last to assume his Kryptonian responsibilities. Jonathan asks why he packed some old photos of his parents and Lana Lang if earthy matters are no longer of his concern, and Kal-El is surprised by that question. Kal-El responds that they need to accept the new path he's taking, and Jonathan asks him to give them a good reason why. Kal-El commands the Kryptonian robots to take the Kents to the Fortress.
Inside the Fortress, Kal-El uses the Eradicator to show them images of Krypton's past, going through the first race of barbarians to its seventh age, a period of scientific advances in a society purged of emotional weakness. He is determined to continue expanding the Kryptonian culture. Martha argues that Jor-El sent him to a world full of "irrational" beings because they loved him and Krypton was doomed.
Kal attempts to respond to that last argument, but he is interrupted by an attack of the Kryptonian war suit, functioning automatically. The sudden danger prompts Kal to command the other robots to protect the Kents while he battles the automated war suit. But they start strangling them. Kal destroys the robots and saves the Kents. Kal starts showing concerns about his human parents again, and he realizes that the Eradicator has been controlling him all this time. Kal confronts the artifact and resists its control, while the fortress starts crumbling down. Kal realizes the Kryptonian clothes he's been wearing were a conduct that allowed the Eradicator to control him, so he rips the suit apart. Jonathan exposes the Eradicator device to some Kryptonite, disrupting the programming in Kal's mind. Using his heat vision, Kal-El destroys the Eradicator once and for all.
With the Fortress in ruins, the Kents reunite with their son, and they give him a Superman suit they packed and brought for him. Superman puts on his old suit again and takes off to throw the Kryptonian clothes to the Sun. Superman returns to Earth, determined to live his way, free from Krypton's destiny.
Appearing in "Wayward Son"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Sleez (In a vision)
- Amazing Grace (In a vision)
- Darkseid (In a vision)
- Maxima (In a vision)
- Brainiac (In a vision)
- Lana Lang (In a photograph only)
Other Characters:
Locations:
Items:
Vehicles:
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Superman: Eradication! (The Origin of the Eradicator) and in Adventures of Superman: George Pérez.
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
  The Day of the Krypton Man Crossover Issues Superman (Volume 2) #41 • Adventures of Superman #464 • Action Comics #651 • Superman (Volume 2) #42 • Adventures of Superman #465 • Action Comics #652 |