It’s been quite a year for Superman, not to mention one heck of a ride for his fans, as Frank Miller and John Romita Jr.’s Superman: Year One has gradually been unveiled. Since arriving on this planet, Clark has learned to manage his powers, joined the Navy, romanced two young women and gradually discovered what it means to be a hero. (And that’s to say nothing about his triumphant undersea battle against the King of Atlantis.) But even with his formidable array of super-powers, we suspect the young Superman is ill-prepared for what he’s about to face.

Lois Lane.

The woman who will change absolutely everything for him. Superman: Year One #3 finds Kal-El leaving the murky depths of the Atlantic for a much more familiar locale—the streets of Metropolis. There he’ll meet people who will remain a part of his life for decades to come: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, Lex Luthor, Bruce Wayne. But none will have the impact of Lois, the fearless, driven investigative reporter who despite her lack of powers will prove to be Clark’s equal in every way.

But what’s Lois doing in a submarine deep beneath the sea? Did she really think Atlantis would just welcome her with open doors? Fortunately, she’s not the only surface dweller currently beneath the waves, and a chance encounter will set them both on a path that neither could have imagined in this exclusive first look at Miller and Romita’s highly anticipated finale.

Superman: Year One #3 by Frank Miller, John Romita Jr., Danny Miki and Alex Sinclair is in stores Wednesday.