FIRST, A LITTLE BACKGROUND...(unless you want to skip ahead!) I've been a comic book collector and reader and fan for as long as I can remember. The first character I can remember being exposed to was SUPERMAN, and this made an impossibly grand impression. He became at that point, and remains to this day my favorite character, aside from those I've created myself. Superman has contributed directly to my sense of morality, and importantly here, to my desire to be a creator in this medium. Over the years I've submitted numerous works to publishers in the hopes of getting a chance to create stories featuring these characters that I've retained so much affection for over the years. And with no single character has this desire been more prevalent for me than with Superman.

In 1997, I came up with an idea for a Superman ELSEWORLDS story. After doing a little research, I discovered the best way to submit it to DC COMICS (the company that actually publishes SUPERMAN comics) was in the form of a "springboard". This is a short single-page plot summary, used to get an editor's attention and determine if they wish to pursue the story any further. I did so, but first made sure to get the original notarized and copied. I then mailed the original to myself to establish the date I created it, and have since kept it unopened.

After some more research and planning, I sent copies of my springboard to DC COMICS for the consideration of several editors who worked there. About a month or so later I sent out another round of springboards to the same editors. I eventually got responses from two of them. Both sent short, personal notes rejecting my submission (one of which specifically referred to it as an "ELSEWORLDS SUPERMAN story"), and thanked me for thinking of their company. I filed their letters away along with the other materials, and was content for the time being. In another year or so I could always resubmit my idea.

Flash ahead to early 2000: I was surfing around online when I happened to come across an article at a comic-book news related site that mentioned DC's plans to release a SUPERMAN ELSEWORLDS story with a premise very similar to mine. I now had to wait for the mini-series in question to be released, then finally in June of 2000 the first issue was published...with a storyline remarkably similar and a title identical to what I'd proposed.

Over the course of the following year, numerous requests were made of DC COMICS to provide adequate proof that these story elements hadn't been misappropriated. Having failed to receive this, in late September of 2001 a motion was filed with the Federal Court of Western Pennsylvania of intent to sue. And that brings us to the present

I'm sure you're wondering (if you don't already know) what the book WAS that DC COMICS released. And you're also probably wondering exactly how close was the published mini-series to what was proposed. In my opinion, EXTREMELY, but don't just take my word for it -- see for yourself.

ARE YOU READY...!?!