Action Comics # 698 1994 NM-

Action Comics #698 is an important installment in the post-Death of Superman era, published by DC Comics with a cover date of April 1994. Titled "Losing It!", this issue is a central chapter in the multi-part "Battle for Metropolis" crossover storyline that heavily reshaped the city and pushed Superman to his absolute absolute limits.

The Plot & Storyline

The issue drops readers directly into a chaotic, multi-sided gang war gripping the streets of Metropolis:

• The Underworlders Strike: Convinced that Lex Luthor and Project Cadmus are responsible for the rapid, tragic deterioration of Cadmus clones, a desperate faction of mutant subterranean outcasts known as the Underworlders launch an all-out assault.
• LexCorp Under Siege: Hordes of heavily armed "D.N.Aliens" descend upon LexCorp Headquarters to exact revenge on Luthor. Superman rushes into the crossfire to defuse the violent situation, protect civilians, and maintain order in a literal war zone.
• Superman's Power Surge: Making matters significantly worse, Superman is suffering from a massive, unstable energy fluctuation. His raw power levels and physical mass continue to skyrocket uncontrollably to the point where he is becoming a danger to the people around him, setting up his temporary need to exile himself from civilization.
• Luthor's Deception: Amidst the absolute chaos, an ailing Lex Luthor (who was secretly posing as his own vibrant clone "Lex Luthor II") manipulates events behind the scenes to publicly set up Lois Lane for a massive fall right before he retreats into total isolation.

Creative Team & Narrative Continuity

• Creators: The issue was written by the legendary Roger Stern, a chief architect of the 1990s Superman mythos. The visceral action sequences were penciled by veteran artist Jackson Guice and inked by Denis Rodier.
• Reading Order: This issue is deeply serialized, picking up directly from the cliffhanger in Adventures of Superman #511 and concluding with a direct handoff into Superman: The Man of Steel #33.

Collectibility & Variations

This standard 1990s Modern Age comic is highly affordable and easy for enthusiasts to pick up:

• Direct Edition: Sold primarily in comic book shops, featuring Jackson Guice's striking cover art of Superman dealing with a terrifying energy flare.
• Newsstand Edition: The retail counterpart distributed to newsstands and grocery stores, featuring the same contents but carrying a traditional barcode on the front cover.