Story: "Revelations One: Strange Visitors" (22 Pages)

Credits:

John Ostrander (plot, script)
Tom Mandrake (pencils, inks)
Bill Oakley (letters)
Carla Feeny (colors)
Jamison (color separations)
Peter Tomasi (edits)

Feature Character:

Martian Manhunter (also appears as Bronze Wraith, Josh Johnstone, John Jones, Mrs Klingman and Jor-El)

Guest Stars:

Superman

Villains:

Dr Larry Trapp

Supporting Characters:

Diane Meade
Jonathan and Martha Kent
Jimmy Olsen
Lois Lane

Guest Appearances:

Green Lantern (Alan Scott)
Dr Mid-Nite I, Starman I; Acro-Bat
Manx
Mr Action, Songbird

Other Characters:

Buddy Reid
Luther Reid
Clay Exmore
Claude Bellwether (inhabitants of Smallville)

Comment: This story takes place over the course of two decades, from Superman's arrival on Earth to his debut as a hero.

Synopsis:

Sometime a little less than 35 years ago, just after J'onn began to truly accept Earth as his new home, he encountered a space craft which had entered the atmosphere, and the people who had adopted the child who had been aboard the craft. Concerned for his adopted planet, he decides to watch the child as he grows, knowing from his contact with the craft that the child will develop amazing powers, perhaps to rival J'onn's own abilities.

Eight years later, he poses as a labourer on Jonathan Kent's farm and gets to know both him and 'his' child a little better, an he likes what he sees, 'a burning desire to make things right', but is concerned about how this plan might manifest itself.

Soon afterwards, J'onn has an encounter with Dr Trapp, enemy of the Justice Experience, of which he was an occassional member, an encounter which leaves him with an amnesia - he doesn't recover from this amnesia until it is too late to help the rest of the Justice Experience. From this time he saw less of the growing child, Clark Kent, and finally lost track of him until the child (now a man) took on the public identity of Superman. J'onn tempts this 'Superman' with the dream of remaking Earth as a New Krypton, a dream which Superman rejects, allowing J'onn to reveal himself as a friend.