Superman: Grounded #1

In the wake of a tense congressional testimony, Superman faces a shocking moment when a woman slaps him, accusing him of failing her husband—someone he might have saved had he been present. Haunted by the encounter, he retreats into quiet reflection, sharing uneasy thoughts with Batman and Flash, while memories of his father’s wisdom surface. As he grapples with the weight of his power and presence, Superman makes a quiet but decisive choice: he begins to walk.

In "Grounded, Part One," Superman leaves the sky behind to walk across America, starting in Philadelphia. Along the way, he connects with ordinary people—helping a stranded motorist, sharing a meal with a diner waitress named Rose, stopping a drug deal, aiding a man with a medical emergency, and confronting a man on the edge of a building. With reporters like Lois Lane and Jimmy close behind, he redefines heroism not through flight, but through presence, choice, and quiet courage.

In "Grounded, Part Two," Superman walks through Detroit, connecting with the city’s people and uncovering hidden alien refugees. When the factory watchman collapses, Superman must convince the refugees to use their advanced medical knowledge to heal him—and to give back to the community that sheltered them.

In "Grounded, Part Three," Superman walks through Danville, Ohio, reflecting on his journey with Batman—Dick Grayson—while a mysterious fragment of New Krypton begins spreading a strange infection. The contagion transforms the town drunk into a temporary superpowered figure who challenges Superman, leading to a devastating clash that leaves the town in ruins. Though Superman repairs the damage, he’s blamed for the destruction, testing his resolve and connection to the people he’s trying to reach.

In "The Road Least Traveled – A Grounded Interlude," Superman's journey leads him to the town where Lois Lane once studied, but their paths diverge when she encounters her old boyfriend Brian and his son Justin. While visiting Brian’s home to meet his family—including Huong and Ahn—Lois is struck by the quiet warmth of a life lived without superpowers, prompting her to wonder what she might have missed. When Superman finally arrives, he reminds her that her presence, her choices, and her connection to humanity are what truly ground him.

In a quiet moment amid the chaos of shrinking print runs and digital disruption, Superman finds himself at the heart of a scandal brewing at the Daily Planet—where a mysterious blog accuses Lois Lane and him of a scandalous relationship, and the paper of misusing funds. With Perry White facing mounting pressure, a young staffer is sent undercover to uncover the truth, leading to a tense meeting that reveals a manipulated photo and a deeper web of misinformation.