Comic Title: Superman:The Man of Steel Vol. 4 TPB
Publisher: DC
Cover Date: 2005
On Sale Date: August 24, 2005 Direct Market Date August 24, 2005
Source: Previews, Vol. 15 #6 (#198)

Direct Market Date August 24, 2005
Source: ComicList, New Comic Book Releases List for Wednesday, August 24, 2005

Direct Market Date August 24, 2005
Source: Comic Shop News, #944

Cover Price: $19.99
Page Count: 192
Editor: Robert Greenberger

See Also: The Guide to Graphic Novels and Collected Editions

Title: "Better Dying Through Chemistry"
Pages: 22

Feature(s):
Superman (Post-Crisis)
Metal Men (Post-Crisis)

Writer/Penciller: John L. Byrne
Inker: Dick Giordano
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Thomas J. Ziuko

Reprinted From:
Action Comics #590 (1987)

Feature Character(s)

• Superman (last appearance in Adventures of Superman #430; next appearance in Fury of Firestorm #63)
• Metal Men (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Action Comics #599)
• Gold (next appearance in Action Comics #599)
• Iron (next appearance in Action Comics #599)
• Mercury (next appearance in Action Comics #599)
• Tin (destroyed in this story; next appearance in Action Comics #599)
• Lead (next appearance in Action Comics #599)
• Platinum (next appearance in Action Comics #599)

Supporting Character(s)

• Lois Lane (last appearance in Superman #7; next appearance in Adventures of Superman #431)
• Doctor Will Magnus (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Action Comics #599)

Villain(s)

• Chemo (first post-Crisis appearance; next appearance in Supergirl #5)

Other Character(s)

• Mr. Lydecker (a chemical plant supervisor; no further appearances)

Cameo Appearance(s)

• Chemo (of Earth-1; in flashback)
• Negative Woman (of Earth-1; in flashback)

Comments:
Chemo's destruction during the Crisis on Infinite Earths is depicted here in flashback. His destruction in the post-Crisis universe must have come under slightly different circumstances.

Synopsis:
Clark Kent and Lois Lane take a tour of a chemical treatment plant. Clark falls into a vat of chemicals, but he seems to have suffered no ill effects. However, his dead skin cells react with the chemicals which had once composed Chemo. The giant is reformed, this time with Superman's powers.

Chemo goes after his old adversaries the Metal Men. He snatches Tina and coats her with a plastic polymer which prevents her from changing shape. Against the orders of Doc Magnus, the other Metal Men go after her.

Superman spots Chemo flying away with Tina. He forces the giant to drop her, and the Metal Men catch her. Superman and the robots then fight Chemo, but he is invulnerable. Superman eventually deduces that cutting Chemo off from sunlight will weaken him. The Metal Men create a dome, then Superman destroys Chemo. However, Tin is destroyed during the fight. To the surprise of the other robots, Doc Magnus refuses to rebuild him.