The Alien That Represents The Best of All That Is Human
This is the stuff of stories and fairy tales, the stuff born from hope and imagination...
To defeat Vandal Savage, Superman & Rip Hunter travel back in time to the creation of the universe, and though they are victorious, they accidentally spring an alien trap leaving the Earth vulnerable to conquest.
In some ways, 'If Superman Didn't Exist...' is the counterpoint to the classic story ' Must There Be A Superman?', and the two stories nicely bookend the Bronze Age career of the Man of Steel.
This story is dedicated to the memory of Superman's creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, who are cast as humanity's true saviors.
But it's more than just a loving tribute to the founders of the superhero genre; it reminds us that Superman is more than just ink on paper, he represents the best that we are as a species and it reminds us all why we read comics in the first place.