DC Comics Presents #62

The Freedom Fighters from Earth X arrive to help Superman battle a plot to conquer America and the world in "Born on the Fourth of July."

On Earth-Prime, a young boy ditches his class' tour, of the American History Museum, to read the latest issue of DC Comics Presents. Uncle Sam's attempt to recruit Superman meets with failure. The Man of Steel views the prevention of a natural disaster a higher priority then assisting Uncle Sam with recovering the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, both of which have been stolen. The collapse of several southern salt caverns has brought up underground repositories of oil in towering gushers. Before the nation suffers the loss of several billion gallons of oil, Superman uses his heat vision to smelt the ores of the Earth into a massive oil tank. Uncle Sam reports his failure to recruit Superman to the other Freedom Fighters. On their native Earth-X, it was the theft of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution that lead to worldwide tyranny. Uncle Sam fears the same fate will befall Earth-One, if those documents are not recovered. The documents in question have fallen into the hands of a group of Neo-Nazis, who are already plotting the overthrow of the American government. Clark Kent is reporting on the sudden death of America's wheat crops, when he is informed by the station manager, Josh Coyle, that they are off the air. Some kind of static is jamming the airwaves. Kent, as Superman, collects a sample of the dead wheat grain to analyze at his Fortress of Solitude. His tests are interrupted by an emergency signal from the White House. The Freedom Fighters encounter a quickly escalating street riot. After spending several moments attempting to suppress the violence, the Freedom Fighters abandon the job to Superman.

Using his Super-Breath, Superman draws all the oxygen out of the air, causing the rioters to pass out. Drawn by his connection to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, Uncle Sam leads the Freedom Fighters to the Neo-Nazi's headquarters. After the Human Bomb gains entry, the Freedom Fighters storm the Neo-Nazis. Meanwhile, Superman, on orders from the President of the United States of America, is en route to intercept a Russian convoy of ships, on their way to Cuba. Scanning the ships with his x-ray vision, Superman sees that the Soviet vessels are carrying nuclear missiles. Uncle Sam confronts the leader of the Neo-Nazis, just as he is about to burn the Declaration of independence and the Constitution. The Ray uses his control over fire to draw the flames to himself. Uncle Sam tackles the Neo-Nazi leader, as the two men battle it out for possession of the treasured documents. Superman sees the space shuttle on a collision course with the lead Soviet ship. While Uncle Sam battles against the Neo-Nazi leader, Superman struggles with indecision regarding a course of action to take. At the moment of Uncle Sam's triumph, Superman lifts the Soviet ship out of the sea, allowing the space shuttle to pass underneath it. Superman arrives at the Neo-Nazi headquarters in time to prevent Uncle Sam's assassination. Finally, Superman has realized that the theft of the two documents has, in some unknown way, been the cause of all the current troubles plaguing America. Superman and Uncle Sam deliver the two documents directly to the President of the United States. Uncle Sam goes on the air with a stirring speech reaffirming the country's liberty and strength of the nation. Having finished reading the comic, the young boy hurries to rejoin his class. Uncle Sam picks up the discarded magazine and begins to read it himself.

Notes:

• The letter column contains an explanation of events since the Freedom Fighter's own comic series was cancelled. Such as why the Phantom Lady and Firebrand weren't included in this story.