Smallville: Season 11 #5 is the fifth issue of the print edition of the DC Comics comic book series.[1] The issue collects the first three chapters of the Detective story arc, originally released digitally.
Summary[]
Superman comes face-to-face with high-tech weapons on the streets of Metropolis. The hunt for his parents’ killer puts a vigilante known only as “The Batman” on a collision course with The Man of Steel…
Recap[]
Lois & Clark spend an evening together in the Fortress.
Due to Lex's capability to track Superman's location anywhere on Earth, Clark and Lois have been unable to see each other for 3 weeks. However, thanks to Oliver repositioning of one of his satellites to temporarily block Lex's tracking satellites, Clark is able to travel to the Fortress of Solitude undetected, and the ability of the Fortress to shield Clark's radiographic signature allows him and Lois to rendezvous there for an evening and spend some intimate time alone. Clark also researches the information available at the fortress in an attempt to discover a way to remove the radioactive isotope Lex is using to track him from his system. While Emil is trying to figure out about the destruction of Earth-2.
Batman and Nightwing decide to leave for Metropolis.
In Gotham, Saul,a minor weapons dealer, is about to sell hi-tech weapons to members of Intergang when Nightwing shows up. Saul escapes, as everyone else is down, but is ambushed by Batman, who was watching ten stories up. After Batman interrogates and threatens him, Saul reveals that his Intergang contact is a criminal named Joe Chill. In the end, Batman tells Nightwing to go to the bat cave and make preparations because they are heading to Metropolis.
It's morning once again in Metropolis and Otis walks in on Lex sleeping in his office. Otis reminding Lex about his appointments of the day. He's meeting with a representative of Waynetech.Lex never makes it up to his penthouse anymore; he stays up all night at his office laptop watching Superman's energy signature fly all around the city fighting crime and saving lives.Lex then talks about how much he doesn't trust Superman, Superman has gotten under his skin, though he suspects that in his missing memories, Lex might have known Superman. Superman does behave like he knows Lex. Lex also points out since goosing Superman with the radioactive isotope that allows him to track the Man of Steel's movements, Superman's heroic activities have increased four hundred percent. Why, it's like Superman has nothing else to do anymore.
Lex confiding in Otis.
Back to the basement of the Daily Planet where we get to see Jeff pondering about Clark's puppy eyes and his secrets. Lois arrives and is surprised to see only Jeff there, but everyone is busy with Superman stories.
Across town, the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit headed by Dan Turpin, is dealing with a hostage situation. There's a school bus suspended high above the streets by a crane and some thugs wearing high tech teleportation vests are holding young children hostage. One child decides to get Super heroic, opens up his shirt to reveal a Superman logo underneath, and thinks he can zap one of the bad guys with heat vision.
Superman talking with Dan Turpin while taking down some criminals.
Instead of getting his head blown off, the boy is saved by real heat vision melting the gun, and the real Superman ripping through the roof and hefting the bad guy into the sky. The rest of the thugs teleport away then reappear and open fire on the police. Superman saves the kids. Ready to go to LexCorp.
After he take care of the bomb, Superman round up the teleportation thieves who apologize to the children for kidnapping them, hitching their school bus up on a crane, and then trying to blow them up with a bomb. As Superman politely soars off with one of the teleportation vests, Dan Turpin meets Bruce Wayne and Barbara Gordon visiting Metropolis who got to see Superman in action first hand.Barbara is more impressed than Bruce is, or more impressed than Bruce is letting on. Bruce however reveals that it looks like Superman is taken.Bruce Wayne is keen on getting the meeting with Lex over with and getting out of Metropolis post-haste stating that "Metropolis is... unnerving." Barbara pokes fun at him for Metropolis' lack of killer clowns "with guns in their mouths" and alligator men in the sewers chasing penguins ... that are trained to kill..Mr. Wayne explains to Barbara that he's dilly-dallying to be late on purpose to meet with Luthor to keep up appearances as an irresponsible billionaire playboy.
Bruce analyzing Clark's love life
Later, at the Ace of Clubs, Lex and Bruce have their lunch meeting on the patio while Barbara Gordon is having lunch with Otis. Bruce and Lex are discussing why billionaires have the right to order off menu and Wayne Enterprises building a Super Collider in Antarctica, but Barbara Gordon and Otis—I don't think those two have ever interacted before. Barbara tells Otis that Michael Holt and Ted Kord have joined in on the Wayne Super Collider project. Otis wonders aloud what it's like to work for a different rich guy. Barbara says they're all the same.Lex passes on participating and cites that he's still rebuilding Lexcorp from the damage Tess Mercer and Lionel Luthor did when they ran the company. Bruce makes no bones about him being real cool with not getting in business bed with Lex Luthor. Then, some revelations: Thomas Wayne opted out of joining the Veritas that Lionel Luthor help founded to find the Traveler. Lex and Bruce's lunch is prematurely ended by Superman.
Superman needs to talk with Lex.
Later, at Lexcorp R&D, Superman and Lex are all forced friendly-like as Lex analyzes the teleportation vest and admits the technology is his, but it was stolen. Stolen, in fact, during a series of robberies made on Lexcorp and other companies, one of which was foiled way back by the Green Arrow and Superman.Lex surmises that whomever created these teleportation vests using all that stolen technology would have to be very familiar with Lexcorp's patents and proprietary coding. Which leads Superman to Stryker's Island prison and The Toyman. Safely incarcerated and seemingly not a suspect, according to Warden Draper, since he's been under constant supervision in "hyper-solitary". Superman is stymied.
Batman vs. Superman. Who will win?
Meanwhile, imprisoned elsewhere at Stryker's is Bruno Mannheim, the head of Intergang, who's acting like a raving lunatic while palming the Crime Bible, which he says was given to him by G. Gordon Godfrey. Next thing we know, Manheim has escaped his cell! Well, not so much escaped as being interrogated by The Batman. The Batman has Manheim and he only wants to know where Joe Chill is. Manheim claims he's gone straight, that the Crime Bible changed his life, and a lot of nonsense, but the Batman's having none of that. Next thing we know, Superman arrives on the scene. Superman meet Batman and tries to talk to Batman. Instead, he gets Batman manifesting some sort of energy and then punching Superman in the face.
Title[]
- Detective refers to Batman, as he is often referred to as the World's Greatest Detective and the Dark Knight Detective.
Continuity[]
- The Fortess of Solitude was last seen in Finale, Part 2.
- Clark reveals to Lois that once he became Superman the A.I. program of Jor-El's presence ended giving Clark complete control of the Fortress this occurred in Finale, Part 2.
- The Batman finally appears after being mentioned by Chloe Sullivan in Fortune.
- Bruce Wayne mentions to Lex Luthor that Lionel once attempted to recruit Thomas Wayne to join The Veritas Society which was showcased during the Season Seven and in the episode Veritas.
Trivia[]
Variant Covers[]
References[]
| Previous Story: Smallville: Season 11 #4 |
Next Story: Smallville: Season 11 #6 |
| Episodes: Season 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10
Minor Characters: Season 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 Screencaps: Season 1 · 2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 · 7 · 8 · 9 · 10 | |