DC Comics Presents: Superman # 1 2004 VF/NM

DC Comics Presents: Superman #1 (2004) is a special tribute comic book published to honor the legendary DC editor Julius "Julie" Schwartz after his passing. Released on August 4, 2004, this unique anthology issue is highly celebrated for containing the first-ever Superman story written by Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee.

The Concept

Following an old creative tradition favored by Julie Schwartz, the writers were given a classic cover concept—specifically inspired by the cover of Superman #264—and told to invent an entirely new story based solely on that visual concept. The issue features stunning cover art by Adam Hughes and splits into two separate 11-page stories.

Story 1: "The Phantom Quarterback"

• Creative Team: Written by Stan Lee, with pencils by Darwyn Cooke and inks by J. Bone.
• The Plot: Professor Gorky wants to grab the attention of his assistant, Tiffany. He invents an invisible robot to disrupt a football game and defeat the star athlete. Superman happens to be serving as the guest referee for the game and must step in to solve the invisible mystery.

Story 2: "Secret of the Phantom Quarterback"

• Creative Team: Plotted and scripted by Paul Levitz, with co-plotting and layouts by Keith Giffen and inks by Al Milgrom.
• The Plot: This story serves as a companion piece utilizing the classic Legion of Super-Heroes creative team. It features Clark Kent, Steve Lombard, and Jimmy Olsen navigating another narrative spun from the same cover premise.