Superman #30

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Synopsis

SUPERMAN ALIAS SUPERMAN Lois Lane and Clark Kent encounter an angry man after Lois hits his car without a scratch. Lois is ashamed and frustrated with Clark's weak demeanor and chastise Clark about it. Overhearing the lounge lashing, Jimmy Olson pulls Clark aside and tells him of a plan to win Lois over. Jimmy's plan is that Superman should dress up as Clark and pull off his strength in order to impress Lois and that Clark should dress up as Superman and show how much weaker he is compared to Clark. Unbeknownst to the guys, Lois overhears this conversation and refuses to be fooled by their plan.   Later that evening, Clark and Lois are sent to the Cloud Club where Silver Foxx and his gang are holding the place up. Clark goes into an empty room and changes into Superman thinking that Lois has already left. However, peaking through the keyhole, Lois see Clark changing and figures that Clark has enacted the plan discussed with Jimmy. Superman uses his X-ray vision and sees Lois spying on him and chooses to let Lois believe that he is following Jimmy's plan.   At the Cloud Club, Lois sneaks into an opening to see the action of the gangsters as Superman comes down to stop them. As Lois is watching, believing Clark to be dressed as Superman, Superman pretends to get beat up by the gangsters and ends up jumping off the building and into the window on a lower floor. Here, Superman changes into Clark Kent while also creating a dummy Superman to fool Lois. Jumping back to the club, Clark fights off the gangsters. Tripping, Lois falls off the building and Clark rushes over to save her while the crooks are about to make their escape. Saving Lois and seeing the dummy Superman caught below, Lois lets Clark believe that his plan worked. As Superman leaves, Lois finds a piece of paper from the gangsters that something will go down at 3 pm in the Financial District.   The next day, Lois heads off to the financial district to see what will occur. Clark follows her believing she's on to something. Suddenly, a work truck drives into the bank as robbers from below also infiltrate it getting ready to rob it. Clark and Lois climb a window to observe what's happening, but Clark falls through and Lois figures she's with the real Clark Kent. Captured, Clark and Lois follow the robbers in an underground tunnel that leads to the old city jail as the new hideout for Silver Foxx and his gang. As Clark pleas with Lois to stop talking to the gang, the guys shoot Clark and lock him up in a cell. Being away from everyone, Clark changes into Superman and captures Silver Foxx and his gang. Lois then tells Superman to check on Clark. Soon, Clark comes out saying that whoever shot him missed and he fainted and that Superman left as soon as Clark came to. Lois then chastises Clark about the plan she heard from Jimmy and tells him that she is smarter than he thinks. Later, Jimmy presents Clark with a wrapped package from Lois. It contains smelling salts. THE ARCH-SWINDLER Lois Lane is going to testify against Jack Dover and his mob. Clark teases Lois that she can't get story without the help from Superman. Lois answers the phone and receives word that she can get more evidence against Jack Dover and agrees to meet this unnamed person at West-End Bridge. As she arrives at the bridge, a man is claiming that he now owns the bridge and is requiring a fee. He claims that Jack Dover sold him the bridge but Lois tells him that he has been deceived and will help him get his money back. The man, named "Mr. Parsons", gives Lois a ride. But as Lois looks at the car and the character she is interacting with, she becomes suspicious. Immediately, two men come from the back and tie Lois up. The three men trap Lois in the car and let it drive off the bridge to her death. Once the car hits the water, the men leave. By chance, the roped tied around Lois catches on the bridge and she dangles above the water. Soon, a police boat comes by and Lois dives onto the boat unharmed. Lois leads the police to a Barge where "Parsons" and his crew are drinking. Lois pulls off the disguise of Parsons and outs him as Jack Dover himself. THE KING'S SUBSTITUTES In 1160 A.D., Poltus VI is a King of Poltavia and is fighting off an uprising of his palace. As he fights, he becomes wounded and chooses to die in the presence of his friend Andronicus the Seer. Lying in bed accompanied by Andronicus, Andronicus pleas with Poltus VI that his injury isn't that serious and that he must continue to live. Andronicus shows Poltus VI his crystal ball about a future descendant that will encounter Clark Kent/Superman.   Clark Kent runs into Johnny Poly and asks how he's doing. Johnny Poly is in love with a girl named Emily but is worried that her father would not approve of their marriage because he isn't rich. Johnny's trucking business isn't going as successful as he'd like in order to make more money. Stressed, Johnny leaves. Clark thinks he owes Johnny for a past story he covered and turns to Superman to help him out.   Superman helps deliver a truck a day ahead of schedule and picks oranges in Florida quickly for a truck to move ahead of schedule and receive bonuses and favorable prices for these deliveries. After great success, Johnny asks his future father-in-law to consent to his marriage now that his has acquired some wealth. However, the father isn't concerned about the money, but rather, his background as a nobody.   The next day, an employee of Johnny finds a magazine cover that shows a portrait of Poltus VI that looks exactly like Johnny. The portrait is being sold via auction and Johnny is determined to buy it so that he can at least claim he has some resemblance of a king. Johnny gets on a ship and runs into Clark about his plan of going to Poltavia to get this painting. Clark becomes curious and also makes the trip to Poltavia.   Superman breaks up a fight in Poltavia between outraged people against the current regime and the king's guards. At the auction, Johnny wins the auction of the painting for 50,000 piastros. As Johnny claims the painting, two ministers for the king are intrigued the the uncanny resemblance Johnny has and Poltus VI. The two ministers summon Johnny and convince him that he should become the next king of Poltavia and that the current king will step down. This will please the people and the ministers can start fresh on their ultimate plant of taking all the money from the treasury and pin the blame on Johnny. Johnny agrees to temporarily become the next king of Poltavis as Poltus VII. The people are happy and believe positive change will happen. As Poltus VII begins to sign orders to help out the country, the minsters tear up the decrees and tell him that Poltus VII works for them and that he's a mere puppet. Unbeknown to the minsters, Superman has overheard their plot and goes on builds a new building, a decree that was rejected by the ministers.   Causing even more positive press for the new king, the ministers are told about Superman and go and try to stop him. Getting the best of them, Superman demands that they tell the people that they planned to steal from the treasury and frame the king. However, the ministers say that King Poltus VII is an imposter and not really royal blood. However, the people's delegate doesn't care that he's not of royal blood and the people want him to still be king because for the first time, a ruler has acted like a proper king. Superman also share that Johnny Poly is a descendant and this news was locked away by the minsters. Johnny states that he doesn't want to be king, but the delegate says that if he were to refuse the crown, he would be elected as President of Poltavia. Johnny decides that will become king and orders that the minsters be jailed and that he is getting married.   As the crystal ball and the present scene fades, Poltus VI is rejuvenated to live and thanks Andronicus for the vision. THE MYSTERIOUS MR. MXYZTPLK! Mr. Mxyztplk, a former court jester from Fifth Dimension reaches Metropolis and begins a thrill of pranks with its inhabitants.