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I'm worried about the future. About what forever means.
Superman (Volume 6) #21 is an issue of the series Superman (Volume 6) with a cover date of February, 2025. It was published on December 26, 2024.
Synopsis for "Super Date Night"
Clark takes Lois on a "super" date night, starting with playing "darts" on the moon with boulders, then other superhero-related activities such as a private show from Zatanna, visiting Dinosaur Island, mid-air fetch with Krypto and a picnic on Gemworld. Lois notices that Clark is distracted and he admits that he is thinking about Doomsday, but was hoping they could have a nice night away from that. Superman is still experiencing the effects of the synthetic Red Kryptonite he was exposed to by the Lex Luthor Revenge Squad, and can potentially fly into a murderous rage if he becomes too stressed, and Doomsday's presence on Earth is pushing him closer to breaking point. Lois admits that she is scared too, as the day Doomsday killed Clark was the worst day of her life and still haunts her. Superman tells her that the Time Trapper warned him Doomsday's return was a harbinger of terrible things to come; and that if he does not kill the Time Trapper and give him the final death he needs to evolve to godhood, the Time Trapper has threatened to destroy everything he loves.
Before they can talk any more about it, Amethyst runs in and asks for their help, as House Onyx has invaded. Superman tries to fight the Onyx army, but Lois goes to their leader and is able to broker a peace deal between her and Amethyst. She tells Superman that she was able to speak to Lady Aikira and learned that Onyx needed gems from Amethyst's lands to make medicine, and he tells her that her true superpower has always been getting people to talk. He asks her if she wants to keep the date going and go somewhere for breakfast, but she says that something has felt off about the whole date; and Clark tells her that he has an idea.
Meanwhile on Earth Mercy Graves is searching Supercorp's databases for any trace of Brainiac in the hopes of restoring Lex's memories. Lex comes into her office and tells her that he hasn't been able to stop thinking about her since, from his perspective, they first met. To her amazement he has brought her her favourite coffee, something he never did even when he had his memories.
Lois and Clark end their date in Smallville with a simple breakfast burrito in civilian garb. Clark apologises for messing up, saying he just wanted them to have a night where they didn't have to worry about Doomsday or any of their other problems. Lois tells him he was trying too hard and that she just needs him to be with her in that moment. They kiss but then suddenly hear Supergirl calling for help from Metropolis. They fly back to Metropolis at top speed and see that a fleet of alien ships has appeared in the sky. The fleet announce that they are "The Aftermath", the last survivors of worlds destroyed by Doomsday. They tell the people of Earth that they have one hour to hand over Doomsday, or they will kill everyone on the planet.
Appearing in "Super Date Night"
Featured Characters:
- Superman (Clark Kent) (Flashback and main story)
- Superwoman (Lois Lane)
Supporting Characters:
- Amethyst
- House Amethyst
- Supercorp
- Super-Family
- Krypto (Cameo)
- Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
Antagonists:
- The Aftermath (Real name revealed) (Cameo)
- Radiant (First appearance; unnamed) (Cameo)
- Doomsday (Flashback and main story) (Also in a dream sequence)
- House Onyx
- Lady Akikra (Cameo)
Other Characters:
- Dinosaurs (Cameo)
- Jimmy Olsen (Cameo)
- Siobhan Smythe (Cameo)
- Zatanna (Cameo)
- Batman (Bruce Wayne) (Mentioned only)
- Brainiac (Mentioned only)
- LL-01 (Mentioned only)
- The Daily Planet (Mentioned only)
- Erica Edge (Mentioned only)
- Graft (Mentioned only)
- Jonathan Kent (Mentioned only)
- Lena Luthor II (Mentioned only)
- Martha Kent (Mentioned only)
- Mister Terrific (Michael Holt) (Mentioned only)
- Dr. Pharm (Mentioned only)
- Time Trapper/Doomsday (Unknown Future) (Mentioned only)
Locations:
- Multiverse (Behind the scenes)
- Earth 0
- Earth
- Dinosaur Island (Cameo)
- United States of America
- Metropolis (Flashback and main story)
- Jimmy Olsen and Siobhan Smythe's Apartment
- Supercorp Tower
- Smallville
- Kent Farm (Mentioned only)
- Metropolis (Flashback and main story)
- Gorilla City (Mentioned only)
- Earth's Moon
- Justice League Watchtower (Cameo)
- Mars (Mentioned only)
- Earth
- Sphere of the Gods
- The Dreaming
- Gemworld
- Kingdom of Amethyst
- Nightmare Realm (Cameo)
- "Shadowlands" (See Notes) (Mentioned only)
- Gemworld
- The Dreaming
- Shadowlands (Mentioned only)
- Earth 0
- Hypertime
- Timestream (Mentioned only)
- Unknown Earth 0 Future (Doomsday becomes Time Trapper) (Unnamed) (Mentioned only)
Items:
- Amethyst's Sword
- Black Mercy venom (Behind the scenes)
- Oxygen stabiliser (Mentioned only)
- Red Kryptonite (Mentioned only)
Vehicles:
- The Aftermath's warships (First appearance) (Cameo)
Events:
- Death of Superman (Flashback only)
- House of Brainiac (Mentioned only)
Concepts:
Notes
- This issue carries the legacy numbering Superman #864.
- This issue was delayed by one day as Wednesday of that week was Christmas Day.
- This issue reveals that Superman is still experiencing the effects of the synthetic Red Kryptonite he was exposed to by the Lex Luthor Revenge Squad in Superman (Volume 6) #12, explaining his violent rage in the previous issue.
- The Shadowlands mentioned by Amethyst in this story is actually the Nightshade Dimension/Land of the Nightshades, not the real Shadowlands that is a whole different realm in the Multiverse.
- Similarly to Amethyst, whose story has been changed by both the Rebirth[1] and the destruction and rebirth of Creation,[2] the history of Lady Akikra of House Onyx was also slightly changed by one of the various reboots.
See Also