M D Approximate Words Count 700

Four Oh Six Gr. Road A Three _2012 M

M W 162012 Disposable Copy

Work Phone # 32

ASTRO CITY VERSUS SUPERMAN VS.

SPIDERMAN; CHAPTER TWO, SUPERMAN VS. THE SAMARITAN

by

Kurt Busiek

A. Ross

B. Anderson

and M. W. Meredith

Mr. Kent El and Samaritan Mr. Martin suddenly appeared ... "...blinking" into existence again next to side of the AstroBank Tower up in the sky. Kent/Superman and Samaritan levitated in thin air and paused to look at each other. After a second Kent said, "Vesper's universe's cousins are fighting Diana Wonder Woman's universe".

"Samaritan" glanced backward at the AstroBank Tower as if thinking of his city and the people "Samaritan" protected. Samaritan asked, " Are you, Kent planning to sacrifice your Earth for the lives of Winged Victory's universe merely due to the fact...there's less people with powers? ... Merely because Vesper's universe has more helpless persons"?

Kent answered calmly, "Ever since I first looked into the eyes ...in public ...of Lane... my wife I've known she is the true purpose I am put on JLA's Earth, … is for saving her. I can't let my Earth die if Lane's one of their numbers. It's that simple for 'Kent'. Sometimes all a 'human' can do is go with your gut instinct. My heart says, 'No'."

"Martin" replied, "Maybe I would have said the same answer if our positions were reversed. YahHHHhH"! Samaritan swung over handedly Martin's outstretched hand... energy of blue Empyrean fire/time energies surged out of "Martin's" fingers flowing outward quickly, electrically across Superman's "steel muscles" as Kent flinched ... arching El's back in preparation.

Kent was at the ready for an attack as the fingers of "electricity transgressed" across Superman's super-dense skin. Surprised... Kent looked up from the net of LIGHTNING-s "dancing about" "'Superman's' tough muscles". Kent simply stated, "It doesn't even tickle. What kind of energy even is it.."..?

Martin simply stated, "It's Empyrean time energy. It's not supposed to hurt you. The time energy is supposed to grab hold of you". The arm that had the bolt of lightning channeling down it was pulled up by Martin suddenly, Kent was "slingshot" backward behind Martin, smashed into the side of the AstroBank Tower and Martin quickly drew back in to Samaritan, the Empyrean energy. "Martin" turned slowly around to look at the results of his handiwork. AstroBank's Tower's outer wall was shattered on a spot but there was no hole so where was Kent? "Martin" looked up knowing that Kent had a flying power and that most likely it seemed that was a direction Kent would've flown. "Martin" couldn't see Kent as Martin looked up. Samaritan allowed "Samaritan's" self to get lost in thought, thinking that Kent couldn't have had super speed because that just would be too much of a coincidence.

A voice came from behind Martin, "Martin: let's try that over." "Martin" spun around right into a haymaker punch across the side of Martin's skull.

The punch sounded like thunder, "Thoom!"! That being the split second Martin thought UNDIGNIFIED-ly "Yes ... yes Kent did have super speed"!

Martin levitated Martin's self back up "into upright position" and turned Samaritan's head back to look straight at El angrily. Kent swung again trying this time "a little bit" harder and "Martin" simply held Martin's hands opened "and fingers" of blue electricity spread outward right before Samaritan. Superman's punch deflected off the web of Empyrean electricity that was spreading out in front of Samaritan. Samaritan looked through the "web" at Kent as Kent paused. Martin stated the fact, "… Empyrean energy net could be used as a force field, Kent. Sorry about that buddy". ….

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