“Yesterday’s” Comioc> Superman #420

Christopher Nolan, the early years.

Superman #420

DC Comics (June, 1986)

While visiting Smallville to speak at his former high school, Clark is staying with an old friend, now a teacher rethinking his career choice. The kids don’t listen to him, the principal doesn’t seem to care, and he’s getting burnt out to the point of tending his resignation. Superman also comes across a kid who has the power to bring people into others’ dreams, including his own. The boy considers his power a curse but Superman has a plan to use it to get the kids (who actually like the teacher) to behave and give Clark’s friend a second chance at being a teacher.

What they got right: There’s one scene I’ll be making the subject of tonight’s article. I like that Clark gets to visit his hometown. Chris has an interesting power that doesn’t seem useful at first long before Inception took that route, and Superman finds a way to make Chris, at least for one night because bringing all of those people into one spot appears to burn out his power, into a superhero of a sort.

What they got wrong: The cover exaggerates what’s going on as Superman has one fight with dream villains that he ends up winning and no other fighting really happens until the end, and it’s another dream fight that the teacher has to win. And it’s sad that Clark’s old home is supposed to be leveled for expanding the town by this issue, and so soon after we saw it in DC Comics Presents #50.

Recommendation: I got this in a three-pack surprisingly recently at a dollar store and it’s a good story. Not a must-have by any means but a neat little Superman tale that’s worth picking up if you come across it.