Superman TAS/Adventures: Scavenger Hunt (Unused Plot #5) (Patreon)

Background: I'm as mystified as anyone that we pitched another plot with Lobo, a character I don't care for. But he would be a decent character to have Supergirl deal with, and I liked the goofy set-up of the story. I think this may have been a pitch for the series that was meant to be pitched to the Superman Adventures comic. I really would have liked to write this one for the comic, it's basically a romp, with a lot of visuals and gags and violence and Easter eggs baked in. There are worse ways to spend 20-22 pages.

SCAVENGER HUNT

CHARACTERS

Supergirl

Lobo

Many assorted space aliens

PLOT SUMMARY

After completing a daring rescue mission in Metropolis, a tired and worn Superman suddenly finds himself under a constant, relentless attack from a large gaggle of bizarre aliens with outlandish vehicles and devices. The aliens fight and bicker with each other as they pull, tear and flail at the bewildered Man of Steel. All of Metropolis watches the pitched mid-air battle, either from the dangerous streets or as covered on tv  by news helicopters. All are wondering why the Man of Steel has been targeted -- and whether or not he will be taken down by the alien force. After a concentrated effort the aliens weaken Superman -- who is unexpectedly saved by -- Lobo?

After sending the aliens packing, Superman thanks Lobo and asks him if he knows what's going on -- are the aliens part of some off-world vendetta, is some space tyrant seeking revenge? In response, Lobo turns on Superman and smashes him into a building, which confuses our hero almost as much as it hurts him.

After a few rounds with Lobo, the other aliens rejoin the fray, and it looks like our exhausted hero is going down for the count. But a second rescue takes place, as Supergirl, who had seen the attacks on television, spirits her comrade away from the fray. As he gets his breath, the two of them try to figure out why he's under attack. With not a clue, the super-pair evades the alien garrison, following them as they head back to their landing point by the ocean.

The area where the aliens have camped resembles nothing so much as a biker rally and temporary spaceship trailer park. Confronting his attackers, Superman finds out that he isn't the target of a bounty hunt, but an intergalactic scavenger hunt! The hunt is held every year, with the winner getting his or her own moon. The aliens turn out not to be killers but aggressive, good natured goofball competitors who were all trying to finish this years hunt by acquiring the last item on the list -- Superman's cape. (Lobo got in on the event late, acquiring his items by beating up other competitors and stealing their stash, which includes lots of items referencing the DC universe -- a Starro squid, a Thanagarian headpiece, a Proty, etc.). Superman is offered bribes for the cape, and Lobo offers Supergirl a night on the town if she swipes the boyscout's "towel" -- but both refuse. Unable to dissuade the aliens, and unwilling to cater to the rabble, the scavengers wage a last ditch melee to get the cape. Much alien butt is kicked around, but it becomes apparent that fighting will not get the dangerous outer space idiots off the planet.

Our heroes can get rid of the dumb aliens in either of two ways -- if Superman's cape is not "indestructible" or cherished as a Krypton memento (we don't have ready info on the nature of his outfit), Superman can simply spite the aliens by burning his cape before their eyes. Supergirl can cheerfully promise to make him a new one as the upset scavengers leave the planet.

If the cape cannot, or should not, be destroyed -- then another angle is that Supergirl "abandons" the fight, returning in the nick of time with an armload of identical costume shop Superman capes, which she uses to confuse the aliens, and ruin the cape's standing as a unique item in the hunt.