Superman: The Man of Steel # 21 1993 VF/NM

Superman: The Man of Steel #21 is a critical, emotionally charged issue published by DC Comics on January 14, 1993 (carrying a March 1993 cover date). Titled "Ghosts," this book serves as Part 7 of the famous 8-part "Funeral for a Friend" storyline, which directly dealt with the immediate aftermath and mourning sweeping the world following the tragic death of Superman at the hands of Doomsday.

The Plot & Storyline

The narrative focuses on the profound personal grief of those closest to the fallen hero, while Metropolis faces a structural emergency:

• Lois Lane's Guilt: The issue opens with a gut-wrenching nightmare sequence where Lois Lane dreams of a drowning Superman whom she is unable to save. The dream embodies her deep-seated reporter's guilt over only writing about his final fight with Doomsday rather than actively rescuing him.
• Metropolis Floods: Lois is shocked awake by a phone call from Perry White revealing that a massive water main break has triggered catastrophic flooding in Metropolis. Down in the deep subterranean tunnels, a mutant society known as the Underworlders is forced to scramble to safety.
• The Cadmus Body Snatching: In the midst of the chaos, Superman's corpse ends up at the highly secretive genetics facility, Project Cadmus. The scientists attempt to run tests to see what biologically made him unique, but they are unnerved when their highly sophisticated tracking machinery fails to detect even a baseline trace of life.
• The Heartbreak of Pa Kent: Back in Smallville, Kansas, Jonathan and Martha Kent return to their farm to try and process their grief. Surrounded by childhood memories of Clark, the crushing emotional trauma of losing his adopted son proves to be too much for Jonathan "Pa" Kent, who suffers a severe medical emergency and collapses by the end of the issue.

Creative Team & Impact

• Creators: The emotional chapter was penned by longtime Superman writer Louise Simonson and illustrated by the fan-favorite team of penciler Jon Bogdanove and inker Dennis Janke.
• Next Chapter: As the penultimate issue of the storyline, the cliffhanger involving Pa Kent's health hands off directly into the grand finale of the arc in Superman (Vol. 2) #77.