It's Superman
Tom De Haven
 Smallville, Kansas in 1935; Clark Kent is interviewed by the local Sheriff over the death of a wanted man who Clark confronted at a movie theatre. He died from, what everyone agrees to be, his handgun firing backwards. Clark and his father, Jonathan Kent, know the real story: he shot Clark, and the bullet bounced off Clark's forehead, and killed the wanted man instead. Clark is scared over what he is becoming. Matters worsen when Clark's beloved mother, Martha Kent, dies of a terminal illness. In Manhattan; Willi Berg storms out from Lois Lane's, his girlfriend's, apartment because she could not help him buy back his camera, so he intends to steal it. Arriving at the pawn shop, he discovers several men dead, and gets wounded trying to escape when he sees the ringleader of the gang: Lex Luthor. Because he is an alderman, Lex frames Willi for the murders and a henchwoman attempts to murder him at the hospital days later until she is stopped by federal agents, led by Meyer Lansky. With their help, and Lois', Willi goes on the run, finding himself in Smallville as a member of the WPA. There, he meets Clark, who is now a reporter for the Smallville Herald Progress, and befriends him after he shows off his superspeed. After solving the crime of a kidnapped child that ends unhappily; Clark quits the paper and Willi discusses with him the idea of leaving Smallville to travel. Because he wants to see what else is out there, Clark agrees. Hollywood of 1937; Clark has a job as a stuntman and has a girlfriend named Diana Dewey, a costume designer. Willi meets with a former roommate of Lois', a voluptuous nurse who goes by the nickname Skinny, where he is found by police and gets arrested. Clark tries out a costume that was made for a science fiction film that is now cancelled: a blue leotard with a red cape and a red "S". Upon trying it on, he is taken by it. After he discovers his ability of flight; Clark puts on the costume to free Willi from the police. Clark and Willi then head back to New York where they meet back up with Lois, now a reporter for the Daily Planet. Clark falls instantly in love with Lois. There at Clark and Willi's new apartment, they describe to an unbelieving Lois the person who freed Willi who is a "friend" of him and Clark's: Superman. The conversation turns from good to bad when Lois reports the sad news: the case that had been building against Lex Luthor has been dropped over the death of the head agent of the case and the missing, presumed destroyed, evidence. In a shocking turn of events, Lex announces his resignation from his position as an alderman. Inside the offices of his company, LUTHOR Corp., he initiates the construction of robots - seemingly benign, but equipped with surveillance and weapons capabilities - dubbed "Lexbots". On Halloween Night; Clark tries to cheer up a depressed Willi as they walk throughout the city. At the same time, Lois tries to help her former boyfriend, an ex-cop who believes Lex murdered his partner. When Ceil Stickowski, widow of one of Lex' old henchman, calls to reveal secret information on what Luthor is planning, the two head out only to get into a gun fight with Paulie Scaffa, another henchman who just now murdered Ceil and Mrs. O'Shea, Luthor's partner. Paulie takes off - not before shooting Ben, Lois' police officer boyfriend - and takes off only to be stopped by Clark, wearing his Superman costume, as he damages the car to get Paulie out. However, inside the trunk is one of the Lexbots and it soon activates and attacks Superman. After a horrifying attack that leaves a few sections of the city street on fire, a bruised and exhausted Superman finally destroys the Lexbot and escapes before police can arrest him. The next morning, thanks to his article and the revelation that the evidence against Lex was not destroyed, as well as new evidence found by Lois of the LUTHOR Corp. logo on the robot; Lex Luthor is called to be arrested and Clark gets a job at the Daily Planet. Before he is arrested, Superman meets with Lex at his home; as Lex talks about how similar the two are, making them "perfect rivals"; Lex forces his assistant to jump from the window to which Superman saves. Returning, he learns that not only is the assistant dead of a heart attack, but that Lex used that time to escape. In the closing chapter; our central characters watch the play Our Town in February 1938. During the play, Clark thinks at what has happen to him and Superman since: he has saved countless lives from accidents and disasters, Lex (still on the run) had given Superman (through Clark) a new more powerful costume with a red on yellow "S" crest, FDR has called for Superman to have a "chat" (to which Clark is reluctant to attend), and sometimes Clark hates his Superman persona because of the pressures put upon him and also because Lois dislikes Clark but loves Superman. Finally, as the play ends, he thinks of what his father said to him on his deathbed, to use his powers for good. Lois notices Clark sobbing in his theater box and, surprised by her own concern, calls out to him. She finally gains his attention by throwing a shoe at him. When Clark takes off his glasses to wipe his eyes, a thrill goes through Lois as, immediately spotting his resemblance to the Man of Steel, she first develops the classic suspicion that Clark is Superman. At the same time, Clark looks into Lois' eyes and realizes that he will love her for the rest of his life and that this love will fuel him to do his best to do good in the world. He has struggled through the entire book to feel "like everyone else;" and now, he is, "like everyone else."