Superman #690

Part of DC's "World Without Superman" arc, this 2009 issue finds a gray-skinned, grimacing figure in a red cape struggling to push himself up from crumbled rubble, while a glowing, long-haired figure hovers above with fists raised and a roar on their face — a cover image by Andrew Robinson that radiates raw tension and physical stakes. Writer James Robinson and artist Pere Pérez deliver "The Setup," a title that promises the kind of carefully laid groundwork that makes payoffs hit harder. It's a compelling snapshot of a Metropolis navigating life in the Man of Steel's absence.