The Man of Steel # 4 1986 FN/VF

The Man of Steel #4, published by DC Comics on July 29, 1986 (with a November 1986 cover date), is one of the most culturally significant single issues in the modern history of Superman. Written and illustrated by John Byrne with inks by Dick Giordano, this chapter—titled "Lois and Clark"—is primarily famous for completely transforming and establishing the definitive Post-Crisis origin of Lex Luthor.

Before this miniseries, Lex Luthor was traditionally depicted as a brilliant but unhinged "mad scientist" who wore a green-and-purple jumpsuit and fought Superman with giant laser cannons. John Byrne completely scrapped that archetype, changing Luthor into a cold, calculating, corporate billionaire tycoon who treated Metropolis as his personal empire.

Core Plot & Synopsis

The story takes place roughly 18 months after Clark Kent first moved to Metropolis and beat Lois Lane to the initial Superman scoop.

• The Yacht Party: Lois Lane and Clark Kent are invited to a highly exclusive, luxurious gala aboard a massive yacht owned by Lex Luthor, the wealthiest and most powerful man in Metropolis.
• The Hijacking: Mid-gala, the yacht is violently boarded and taken hostage by heavily armed South American revolutionaries. Watching from the crowd, Luthor remains eerily calm. Clark slips away unnoticed, transforms into Superman, and systematically disarms and subdues all of the terrorists.
• The Twisted Truth: Once the threat is neutralized, Luthor introduces himself to Superman and drops a chilling confession: the entire terrorist attack was a sham orchestrate by Luthor himself. He paid the mercenaries to stage the siege simply to see Superman in action, test his physical limitations, and evaluate him for a job offer. Luthor presents Superman with a massive check and expects him to join his personal corporate payroll.
• The Arrest: Disgusted by Luthor's sociopathic disregard for human life and the trauma caused to the guests, Superman refuses the money. Conveniently, the Mayor of Metropolis is also aboard the yacht. Horrified by Lex's confession, the Mayor immediately deputizes Superman on the spot, allowing him to arrest Luthor for reckless endangerment.
• The Birth of an Arch-Enemy: Luthor's high-priced lawyers quickly secure his release, ensuring he never spends a real night in jail. However, the public humiliation of being paraded around in handcuffs completely breaks Luthor's ego. Cornering Superman later, a venomous Luthor vows that he will spend the rest of his life using his infinite wealth, political connections, and plausible deniability to systematically destroy the Man of Steel.

Why It Matters (Historical Impact)

• The Corporate Villain: This issue established the modern corporate "LexCorp" version of Luthor that has influenced almost every adaptation since, including Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Smallville, Superman: The Animated Series, and multiple live-action feature films.
• The Psychological Motive: Byrne brilliantly established that Luthor doesn't hate Superman because of a childhood accident (like losing his hair in the Silver Age). He hates Superman because Superman is the only entity in Metropolis more powerful than him—the one man Lex cannot buy, control, or intimidate.