Add to favoritesAction Comics #1000 featured 10 stories in the regular comic version of the issue. Here is a guide to the various stories in the issue with some commentary about how those stories could be placed in bound volumes. Occasionally we might refer to an issue such as Action Comics #1000.05, which is a quick reference to the fifth story of the issue.
01 – From the City That Has Everything by Jurgens
02 – Never-Ending Battle by Tomasi
These are the final stories of the Rebirth run of Superman, prior to Bendis taking over both series. These stories share pages, but would only be a concern if you’re trying to bind the Jurgens or Tomasi runs separately.
03 – An Enemy Within by Wolfman
The first four pages of this story repurpose art from an inventory story drawn by Curt Swan and Butch Guice. Other pages of the story were previously retrofitted for Superman: The Wedding Album.
04 – The Car by Johns and Donner
05 – The Fifth Season by Snyder
“The Car” is a tale set in the 1930s, about what happens to the car from the cover of Action Comics #1, so it would have to go in an anthology or alternate universe project. These stories share pages.
06 – Of Tomorrow by King
07 – Five Minutes by Simonson
“Of Tomorrow” shows Superman billions of years in the future. These stories share pages. Otherwise, “Five Minutes” could fit in somewhere around the other present day stories, or possibly with stories circa 1992 when these creators worked on Superman (and he had short hair).
08 – Actionland by Dini
A story about Mr. Mxyzptlk, which can go almost anywhere. I chose to place it at the end of the last Rebirth volume because of the theme of endings.
09 – Faster Than a Speeding Bullet by Meltzer
The only clue to placement of this story are Superman’s red trunks, which returned in this issue. Therefore, the story has to take place at some point after Action Comics #999 and Superman #45 (811). I placed it in the final Rebirth volume.
10 – The Truth by Bendis
The prologue to the Bendis run, this story takes place during his Man of Steel mini-series. It’s best to be placed at the beginning of the run as flashforward as it can’t be neatly spliced into the corresponding scene in the mini-series.