Action Comics # 695 Embossed Foil Cover 1994 NM-

Action Comics #695 is an action-packed installment in the post-Return of Superman landscape, published by DC Comics with a cover date of January 1994. Titled "Cauldron!", this issue highlights the lingering tensions between the Man of Steel, the citizens of Metropolis, and the experimental machinations of Project Cadmus.

The Plot & Storyline

The narrative introduces a formidable new cybernetic force to the streets of Metropolis:

• The Rise of Cauldron: Project Cadmus and the Metropolis Police Department enter a joint venture to test a powerful, high-tech suit of experimental armor. Operated by a pilot named Kevin Crow, the armored persona Cauldron is deployed to help traditional law enforcement stand a chance against heavily armed super-criminals.
• The Dock Showdown: Cauldron makes his explosive public debut down at the city docks, successfully shutting down a massive illegal gun-smuggling operation.
• Superman's Skepticism: Superman arrives at the scene alongside local news media. Both the public and the Man of Steel express deep skepticism regarding the true corporate intentions of Project Cadmus and its cutthroat director, Dr. Paul Westfield.
• The Missing Trainer Subplot: Back in his civilian life, Clark Kent joins Lois Lane and Cat Grant to help a man named Ira Green. Green explains that his daughter—a personal trainer formerly employed by Lex Luthor—has mysteriously vanished, kicking off a fresh investigative mystery.
• The Cadmus Secret: The issue wraps up by revealing that despite what he tells the media, Dr. Westfield is secretly continuing to back the unhinged, rogue geneticist Dabney Donovan behind closed doors.

Creative Team & Style

• Creators: The issue was written by acclaimed writer Karl Kesel and dynamically illustrated by the veteran artistic team of penciler Jackson Guice and inker Denis Rodier.
• Next Chapter Setup: Beyond the immediate threats of Cadmus, the final pages of the issue tease a major looming threat—the cosmic bounty hunter Lobo is officially en route to Earth to hunt down the newly resurrected Superman.

Collectibility & Gimmick Covers

Embracing the massive collector boom of the early 1990s, this issue is famously recognized for its physical variations:

• Collector's Edition (Embossed Foil Cover): The widely distributed direct comic shop edition featuring a premium, shimmering red foil background layout with embossed, raised textures framing Superman delivering a powerful punch.
• Newsstand Edition: The standard retail version distributed to traditional grocery stores and newsstands, featuring flat matte cover art without the foil enhancements and bearing a regular barcode.