Story: "The King is Dead...Long Live the King!" (17 Pages)

Credits: Walter Simonson (plot, script, pencils, inks); John Workman (letters); Sherilyn Van Valkenburgh (colors); Joey Cavalieri (edits)

Feature Character: Orion

Supporting Characters: Lightray (next in issue #10), Takion (next in issue #12)

Villains: Kalibak, DeSaad (also in flashback preceding main story), Mortalla (also in flashback with origin), Darkseid (in flashback only), Kanto (next in issue #8), Para-Demons

Guest Appearances: Lois Lane (last in ?, next in ?), Jimmy Olsen (next in ?), Big Words II, Scrapper II, Gabby II, Flip II, Tommy II, Famous Bobbie (latter six as the Newsboy Legion)

Technology: Thunderbelt (strength-enhancing device created by the Old Gods)

Second Story: "Tales of the New Gods: The Perfect Servant" (5 Pages)

Credits: Eric Stephenson (script); Erik Larsen (pencils); Al Gordon (inks); John Workman (letters); Tatjana Wood (colors); Joey Cavalieri (edits)

Feature Character: Kalibak (last in ?, next in ?), DeSaad (last in ?, next in ?)

Supporting Characters: Metron (last in ?, next in ?)

Villains: Unnamed hellspawn (a creature of DeSaad; first appearance; dies); Darkseid (last in ?, next in ?)

Technology: Thunderbelt (strength-enhancing device created by the Old Gods)

Comment: Takes place while Darkseid still lived, which means that this story could chronologically be placed days, weeks, months, even years before the first story of this issue