Comic Title: Action Comics #591
Publisher: DC (DC Comics Inc.)
Address: 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY
Cover Date: August 1987
On Sale Date: May 26, 1987 Newsstand Date May 26, 1987
Source: DC Releases, #39

Newsstand Date May 28, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #117

Shipping Date May 5, 1987
Source: Amazing Heroes, #117

Newsstand Date May 28, 1987
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #702, #704

Copyright Date May 5, 1987
Source: Library of Congress, Copyright Office 1987
DC publication dates beyond April 1981 listed by the LoC
represent shipping dates NOT newsstand sale dates

Shipping Date May 5, 1987
Source: Comics Buyers Guide, #702, #704

Frequency: Monthly
Cover Price: $0.75
Page Count: 32
Editor: Andrew Helfer

Title: "Past Imperfect"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Superman (Post-Crisis)

Writer/Penciller: John L. Byrne
Inker: Keith Williams
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Thomas J. Ziuko

Reprinted In:
Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 4 TPB (2005)
Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 2 HC (2021)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Superman #8; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #431)
• Superboy (last appearance in Superman #8; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)

Villain(s)

• Time Trapper (last appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #37; no further appearances)

Guest Appearance(s)

• Legion of Super-Heroes (last appearance in Superman #8; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)
• Brainiac 5 (last appearance in Superman #8; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)
• Blok (last appearance in Superman #8; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)
• Invisible Kid (last appearance in Superman #8; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)
• Sun Boy (last appearance in Superman #8; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)

Other Character(s)

• Jonathan Kent (of the Pocket Universe; last appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #37; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)
• Martha Kent (of the Pocket Universe; last appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #37; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)
• Pete Ross (of the Pocket Universe; last appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #37; next appearance in Legion of Super-Heroes #38)
• Krypto (of the Pocket Universe; no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Saturn Girl (in flashback)
• Cosmic Boy (in flashback)
• Lightning Lad (in flashback)

Comments:
This story is continued from Superman #8 and continues in Legion of Super-Heroes #38.

The Pocket Universe is named for the first time in this story.

Synopsis:
The Pocket Universe Superboy has frozen Superman and the Legion with a statis beam. He then puts the Legion back in the time bubble, intending to take them back to the Time Trapper, whom he secretly serves. The statis beam wears off of Superman. He grabs Superboy's boot as he is entering the time stream and is transported to the Smallville of the Pocket Universe.

Pete Ross finds Superman and believes that it is Superboy under the influence of Red Kryptonite. He takes him to the Kent home where Superboy is waiting. A fight ensues between Superman and Superboy, but the Man of Steel senses that Superboy is holding back.

Krypto enters the fight and assumes that Superman is an escapee from the Phantom Zone. He retrieves Gold Kryptonite from Superboy's workshop, intending to expose Superman to it. Instead, Krypto is turned into an ordinary dog without super-intelligence.

Jonathan Kent finds the Gold K and deduces Krypto's plan. He then exposes Superman to several forms of Kryptonite, but they have no effect. Superboy then gives up the fight. Superman then deduces that Superboy intended to lose and intentionally brought him to Smallville. Superboy then frees the Legion. After dropping off Superman in his own time and space, the Boy of Steel and the Legion leave to confront the Time Trapper.