Superman streaks through the night sky, red cape trailing behind him as the city below suddenly goes dark. Sirens wail in the new silence, headlights flicker on jammed streets, and far below, he sees a city teetering on panic. His eyes sweep across the blacked-out skyline and lock on the familiar golden globe of the Daily Planet, now unlit. On the rooftop, a lone figure braves the wind, Lois Lane, phone pressed to her ear, writing in her notepad by flashlight. Superman lands quietly beside her, scanning the city and listening for the rhythms of chaos below. Lois glances up, her voice fierce.
“I hope you brought more than good intentions, Smallville. The city’s about to eat itself.”
Somewhere downtown, gunfire cracks. Superman’s jaw sets. Above them, the clouds glow with distant, unnatural lightning.