Elseworld "German Cinema" trilogy Series by Jean-Marc Lofficier, Randy Lofficier

Under Clarc and Lois' enlightened rule, Metropolis has begun to progress. However, some resist that progress, such as Dr. Arkham, the head of an asylum, who holds "psychomantic" seances for the entertainment of the depraved rich of Metropolis. The star of these is the "Laughing Man", a white-faced, murderous creature, a prototype cyborg built by Lutor from one of Arkham's patients. Many other patients in the asylum are also experiments of Lutor, driven mad by his work... moreUnder Clarc and Lois' enlightened rule, Metropolis has begun to progress. However, some resist that progress, such as Dr. Arkham, the head of an asylum, who holds "psychomantic" seances for the entertainment of the depraved rich of Metropolis. The star of these is the "Laughing Man", a white-faced, murderous creature, a prototype cyborg built by Lutor from one of Arkham's patients. Many other patients in the asylum are also experiments of Lutor, driven mad by his work. When Eschevin Gordon tries to close Arkham down, the doctor sends the Laughing Man to kill him. Attorney Dirk Grayson becomes suspicious of Arkham, but he, too, is killed by the Laughing Man. Dirk's friend, Bruss Wayne, and their mutual love-interest Barbera Gordon, are then drawn to investigate Arkham, after being turned down by the police and apparently ignored by the Super-Man and Lois, who have greater concerns that require his attention.Wayne discovers Arkham is in league with the new Chancellor, Henderson, and that the two are manipulating the city's aristocrats via knowledge of their secrets and the shows in the cabinet. He also hears the two plotting to kill both himself and Barbera with the Laughing Man. But, during an attempted escape by the inmates in the asylum, he is captured and thrown into a great pit, at the bottom of which lie vast, sentient computers who once built Metropolis and still sustain it and watch over humanity. They turn Wayne into the "Nosferatu" and send him back to the city above.The Nosferatu saves Barbera and kills the Laughing Man, before attacking Arkham in his asylum. As he fights the orderlies, the inmates hail him as "the Master." While confronting both Dr. Arkham and Henderson, the latter armed with a gun scavenged from Lutor's old lair and powered by the green stone taken from Lutor's chest, the Super-Man appears to investigate at Wayne-son's behest and is wounded by the weapon before the Nosferatu hurls Hender-son from the tower.He is then confronted by the Superman, who believes there is no place for creatures of shadow in his city of light, while the Nosferatu calls him naïve and claims the inmates as his responsibility. They fight, eventually falling down into the underworld. Their battle is inconclusive, with each mortally wounding the other. However, the ancient machines reveal themselves to the Superman and he realizes that there can be no light without shadows. The Nosferatu's job is to catch these shadows. The machines restore both combatants, and the Superman accepts his control over the dark. Bruss Wayne ends up in charge of the asylum where Arkham is now a prisoner, trying to convince anyone who will listen that the new director is the Nosferatu. less

Metropolis is at peace. Lois researches the history of the city with the help of Steve Trevor-son. They discover information about the three founders of Metropolis, Jon Kent, Lutor and Paula von Gunther, who crossed the "black sea" after the "time of smoke and soot" to create the city. Trevor-son, meanwhile, is in thrall to the exotic dancer Diana, known as the "Blue Amazon", who appears at Dr. Psykho's Palace of Sin, the last remnant of Lutor's criminal empire... moreMetropolis is at peace. Lois researches the history of the city with the help of Steve Trevor-son. They discover information about the three founders of Metropolis, Jon Kent, Lutor and Paula von Gunther, who crossed the "black sea" after the "time of smoke and soot" to create the city. Trevor-son, meanwhile, is in thrall to the exotic dancer Diana, known as the "Blue Amazon", who appears at Dr. Psykho's Palace of Sin, the last remnant of Lutor's criminal empire. Psykho exploits the amnesiac Diana, who was given to him by Lutor, but cannot divine her origins. When Trevor-son tries to free her, he is taken prisoner.Meanwhile, a creature, the Cheetah, has come to Metropolis looking for Diana. After a brief encounter with the Nosferatu, the Cheetah locates Diana. Psykho uses his mental power to learn the truth. Metropolis is on a terraformed Mars, where the survivors of Mankind, led by Jon Kent, Lutor and Paula Von Gunther, resettled after Earth was wrecked by pollution. Biologist Paula von Gunther later left the others and created her own artificial, flying city, known as "Heaven", where she used her knowledge of genetics and the genes of the Earth animals she saved, to create her own race of beast-like Amazons. Diana is her perfect clone.Later, needing new gene stock, Paula sent Diana to Metropolis below, where she was captured and had her memories erased by Lutor. In Heaven, the Cheetah led a rebellion and killed Paula. But now, she, too, needs Diana in order to save the Amazons. Psykho makes a deal with the Cheetah: he will give her Diana if she kills the Super-Man.The Cheetah leads her Amazons in a battle royale against the Super-Man, who is then assisted by the Nosferatu and the inmates from the Asylum. When Psykho tries to kill Trevor-Son, Diana's love is enough to restore her memories. She becomes the Wonder Woman, challenges the Cheetah to a duel and wins. Peace is restored to Metropolis; the three "worlds", above and below the city, are reunited; the truth about the past has at last been learned. less