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The Kryptonian Cybernet Issue 02
THE KRYPTONIAN CYBERNET - ISSUE #2 - JUNE 1994
AN ELECTRONIC MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO THE FAMILY OF SUPERMAN CHARACTERS
All characters and locales are copyright and/or trademark DC Comics
CONTENTS
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Section 1: From the Editor
News on the Dan Jurgens interview and musings on
Lois & ClarkÕs comic book intimacy, by Jeff Sykes
THE DEATH AND LIFE OF SUPERMAN
A review of Roger SternÕs novel, by Ken McKee
The S.C.U. Files
A look at Brainiac, by Chris Jarocha-Ernst
Section 2: A Matter of FAQ
Nailing down the chronal location of Hunter/Prey within
current continuity, by David Thomas Chappell
Coming Attractions
August brings Zero Month - each issue is #0! What lies
in store for the Man of Steel?
Section 3: Reviews
The Triangle Titles
Action Comics #700, by Jose R. Galan
Superman: The Man of Steel #35, by Anatole Wilson
Superman #91, by Brian Petro
Adventures of Superman #514, by Arthur LaMarche
Worlds Collide
Hardware #17, by ReneÕ Gobeyn
Superboy #6, by Victor Chan
Icon #15, by ReneÕ Gobeyn
Steel #6, by Mauri Casano
Section 4: Reviews (cont)
Specials and Guest Appearances
Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey Book 2, by ReneÕ Gobeyn
Superman Annual #6, by Brian Petro
Green Lantern #53, by Jeff Sykes
Guest Art
An ascii logo/picture, by Ronald Evry
Contests
Contest #1 results
Contest #2!
Section 5: Looking Back
Post-Byrne
Superman #11, by Mark Lamutt
Pre-Byrne
Superman #135, by Patrick Stout
Superman #416, by Ken McKee
Death Before, by J. D. Rummel
Section 6: Other-Media
And Who Disguised As...
Revisiting the Christopher Reeve movies,
by J. D. Rummel
The Fleischer Cartoons
Episode #15, ÒJungle DrumsÓ, by Neil A. Ottenstein
Letters
Resources
EDITORIAL STAFF:
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Jeffery D. Sykes, Editor-in-chief
Arthur E. LaMarche, Reviews
Mauri Casano, Reviews
Victor Chan
Patricia Gonzales
Ken McKee
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FROM THE EDITOR
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A Chat with Dan Jurgens:
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Dan has agreed to submit to an interview for the magazine. Here are the
groundrules. If you have a question, send it to the magazine address,
KryptonCN@aol.com. Please use the subject line to indicate that the
message is a question for Mr. Jurgens.
If there are too many questions, I will choose the best ones. I will then
mail him the list of questions. Naturally, he is not obliged to reply
to any question whose answer is either too personal or would be giving
away too much of a spoiler for upcoming stories. ANYTHING ELSE GOES!!
I also told him that he could take his time with the questions, so the
interview may not be in next monthÕs issue. Try to keep in mind hom much
work he has on his table right now!
Get me those questions!
Super-Sex in the Comics:
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Recently, IÕve been pondering some of the myriad internet discussions on
the topic of whether or not Lois and Clark could and/or are having sex.
I donÕt want to get into a discussion of Larry NivenÕs exposition on the
subject, but rather on the topic of the comic books indicating that the
deed is occurring.
IÕve been reading the Superman titles since John ByrneÕs MAN OF STEEL revamp,
which I fondly like to refer to as the Byrne-ing. And to be honest, the idea
that Lois and Clark have engaged in intercourse had never entered my mind
until someone claimed that the comics had hinted at it. Granted, my being
a conservative Christian has a lot to do with this, but a discussion on the
virtues of Christianity is not what IÕm after here. IÕm not naive Ñ I
realize there are many more non-marital relationships which include sex than
donÕt. But that doesnÕt change the fact that there are people who donÕt
believe in extra-marital sex, and who would probably be offended if DC chose
to indicate that it was going on between Lois and Clark.
First of all, this is not a vertigo book. The stories are code approved and
available to anyone with $1.50 to blow. As a future parent (WAAAYYY in the
future), I know that I would not like my young children reading materials
that seem to approve of this. I am more open minded than many people who
share my faith Ñ I would want my children to make their own (informed)
decisions on the subject, but not until they are old enough and mature enough
to do so.
Second, this is an issue of respect. As a publisher, DC should respect the
beliefs of all of its readers. In particular, I find it hard to believe
that anyone would be offended if the topic were simply never approached. And
if DC keeps its word that there WILL be a wedding, the point will become moot.
However, if a story was to clearly indicate that the act has occurred, it
would definitely offend some readers.
Finally, itÕs not important to the saga. Whether or not Clark and Lois sleep
together before their wedding day has little or no bearing on whether or
not we the readers are going to enjoy the stories. So why risk offending
longtime readers by addressing the topic? Personally, I hope that DC has
the sense to never indicate that such activity is happening. If others want
to read ÒhintsÓ from some of the subtext, thatÕs okay. I would prefer to
see Superman in another light.
Of course, any other opinions on the subject are invited!
Jeff Sykes
sykes@ms.uky.edu
========================================================
THE DEATH AND LIFE OF SUPERMAN
Written by Roger Stern
Published by Bantam Books, 1993
$19.95 Hardback
A review by Ken McKee (stdkrm01@shsu.edu)
When I first contemplated reviewing Roger SternÕs novel, _The Death and Life
of Superman_ for the _Kryptonian Cybernet_, I never realized what a monumental
task it would be. Even though I enjoy writing as a hobby, I still agonize
over something as simple as a 500-word English research paper. But bear with
me as I try and do justice to a classic piece of literature. I decided to
review the book from the viewpoint of a 40-year-old baby boomer. I grew up
with the Superman of the 1960s, I didnÕt even know about the Crisis situation
until just over a year ago, and I just recently jumped back on the DC band-
wagon only after finding out Superman had been terminated. I mean, Superman
was REALLY dead! NO WAY! Okay, so I was feeling guilty at leaving Superman
behind with all my other ÒchildishÓ memorabilia. Also, I am keenly aware of
the events that have transpired since the book was written. I donÕt DARE
miss an issue. With that in mind, if you can, put all the recent events on
the back burner for the time being and allow me to share my own personal
reflections.
The most striking thing about the book is the cover. The dense, black
background coldly contrasts the striking red and yellow ÒSÓ symbol dripping
with still-warm, human-like blood. You know what is going to happen between
the pages. And yet, you are compelled to buy it. You just HAVE to read it.
Also, this is no small book. Enclosed within the 400+ pages is the post-
Crisis history of Superman (in detail), his relationship with Lois,
descriptions of all the major characters (who still leave me dizzy with all
their strange identities), and of course the shocking chronicle of how
Doomsday viciously murders Superman as well as all the events that transpire
afterwards. Most of the faithful followers of Superman already know the
basic plot. A horrifying monster of unknown origin named Doomsday is found
causing death and destruction on earth; no one can stop him, not even the
Justice League of America. He is, of course, eventually brought down by
Superman, who tragically loses his own life in the massacre. Soon, four new
characters arrive on the scene claiming to be Superman resurrected. However,
one of them, the half-man, half-machine Cyborg, reveals his demented
conspiracy to take over the earth. Green LanternÕs Coast City is destroyed
and Metropolis is almost leveled; the real Superman emerges to stop the
Cyborg in the nick of time and he and Lois live happily ever after.
No doubt about it, this book is great and a blast to read! Roger Stern has
done a remarkable job of transforming the novel from the images of multi-
colored panels and frames to a theater of the mind. You get different
perspectives of the events as they unfold on the pages from those in the
comics. You meet characters that were not alive in the 1960s when Superman
was just a little too god-like. You experience the great battle scenes
firsthand and actually feel the terrible anguish of Lois realizing her fiance
has died in her arms. You are there, on the streets of Metropolis witnessing
the whole unbelievable, tragic event.
You are at the funeral march of the fallen comrade and a feeling of dread
rushes over you at the realization that Superman is NEVER coming back. (Try
to imagine this from the perspective of the citizens of Metropolis). This
time, he really is dead.
When the world is introduced to the four new Supermen, you actually hope one
of them is the reincarnation of your fallen hero. However, in the back of
your mind, you know, as does Lois and the rest of the world, that the real
Superman is gone forever. ItÕs almost like the whole universe perishes with
him. DonÕt be surprised when a tear begins to trickle down your cheek. This
was especially traumatic for me because the pre-Crisis Superman was virtually
indestructable as long as he stayed away from the pet-rock from home Ñ
Kryptonite.
Suddenly, when you think all is lost, Superman dramatically returns; you let
out a cry of joy and soar heavenward with him once again to help save the
world...just like the good old days. Believe me, even if you have read the
entire story in comicbook format you wonÕt be disappointed by the narrative.
This is an indication of a great novel. Stern takes you on a heartstopping
roller coaster ride with the initial introduction of Doomsday pounding away
in his underground cell. I found myself reading in a paradox. I wanted to
relish every event by reading slowly and yet at the same time I found myself
almost skipping words in order to see what would happen next. I had to pause
several times and chew on what I was absorbing.
To be honest, until I had read the novel, I really was not that familiar with
most of the characters. I knew about them from the weekly comics, but frankly,
they were all strangers. They certainly werenÕt in the stories I read as a
kid. And I certainly wasnÕt familiar with all the changes that occurred due
to the Crisis. Fortunately, Stern gives a detailed history of characters like
the Guardian, Professor Hamilton, Supergirl and even the new Justice League of
America; this, in my opinion, is the bookÕs strongest attribute. It is a
marvelous reference guide to the characters and the details that makes Superman
such great entertainment. I found myself writing down the page numbers of
important individuals and situations so I could refer back to the book on a
regular basis. Until last year, I always thought Lex Luthor was the squatty
little bald man with the Gene Hackman mask. Now I find out he has died in a
plane crash and has been replaced by his son who has fallen for Supergirl who
is NOT EVEN SupermanÕs cousin. (Again, I am quite aware of the recent
developments between Supergirl and Lex. But when the book was published this
is all we knew). If I had to rely strictly on the comics to solve all these
confusing problems I would still be lost. The only character that does not
appear in the book is Green Lantern. Stern gives a different ending for the
demise of the Cyborg which some readers may find a little disappointing.
I also wondered how difficult it would be to make a movie out of this book.
Someone call Steven Spielberg. This would not be an easy task to say the
least. Most people, not familiar with all the changes in the Superman story
line, still see the Man of Steel disguised as Christopher Reeves. So much has
changed since the movie premiered in the 1970s. For one thing, the Fortress
of Solitude is different and there is no large yellow key; in fact, the
Fortress is completely GONE thanks to the Eradicator (another post-Crisis
figure)! However with the success of the ÒLois and ClarkÓ television show and
the wonders of modern cinema technology, it wouldnÕt be such an impossibility.
Hmm, Arnold Schwzenegger cloning into Doomsday...Nah!
As an aside, I have had many people ask me if a trade paperback is going to be
made about the ÒCrisis on Infinite EarthsÓ series. Perhaps a hardback novel
should be written instead. This would make a great prequel to SternÕs book.
I do know that SternÕs book should be read before the upcoming ÒZero HourÓ
hits the shelves. ÒCanÕt tell the players without a program!Ó Darkseid is
even briefly mentioned! By the way, there is a smaller paperback version for
younger readers by Louise Simonson called _Superman: Doomsday and Beyond_.
I predict _The Death and Life of Superman_ will become a classic. It has all
the ingredients of a terrific story Ñ passion, love, sorrow, action, mystery,
and a great climactic ending. For the many who have faithfully followed
Superman over the years, this book will be a wonderful addition to any
collection. For those of you just starting out, having this book will
continue to fire up your enthusiasm and make you glad you are a part of the
worldÕs greatest superhero. ÒUp, up and AWAY!!!Ó
Rating: 5 shields
Ken McKee is a 40 year old student at Sam Houston State University in
Huntsville, Texas. He plans to attend graduate school and major in library
science. As indicated in his review, KenÕs recent interest in the Superman
comics originated with DCÕs decision to kill the Man of Steel, leading him
to begin a search for as many back issues as he could find. KenÕs wife builds
doll houses and his 7 year old son is a big fan of the Mighty Morphin Power
Rangers and Batman: The Animated Series. Ken is also a collector of
Superman memorabilia. Contact him at stdkrm01@shsu.edu if you have anything
in which you believe he might be interested.
========================================================
THE SCU FILES
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by Chris Jarocha-Ernst (cje@gandalf.rutgers.edu)
File #0638-002: Braniac
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Pre-History:
Prior to the reworking of DC history as a result of the Crisis on
Infinite Earths, Brainiac was an android, a humanoid computer. He
first appeared on Earth as an alien invader, attempting to shrink the
city of Metropolis and keep it in a bottle, alongside similar trophies
from other worlds. (He had once appeared on Krypton and done the same
to the city of Kandor.) Subsequent stories revealed he was actually a
robot created by computers on the planet Colu. Lex Luthor managed to
capture him and, attempting to rewire him to be under his own control,
accidentally gave Brainiac free will. Luthor and Brainiac teamed up on
many occasions against Superman and was SupermanÕs second most
dangerous foe, after Luthor.
Biography:
The planet Colu, located over 100,000 light years away on the other
side of the Milky Way galaxy, was ruled by artificial intelligences
called the Computer Tyrants. Vril Dox, a Coluan scientist, willingly
cooperated with the Tyrants in order to do research for them. As a
reward, he was permitted to father a child, who also was named Vril
Dox. But Dox was a poor parent, more interested in his son as a
research assistant, and despite Vril Dox JrÕs obvious intelligence, he
constantly berated the child for not reacting in a logical manner.
Thus the child grew to hate his father.
Dox schemed to overthrow the Computer Tyrants and install himself as
dictator of Colu, but he was discovered. As punishment, the Tyrants
discorporated him, destroying his body and sending his disembodied
intelligence out into space. (His son continued the fight against the
Computer Tyrants and, eventually destroying them, founded the
interstellar police force known as L.E.G.I.O.N.)
DoxÕs mind reached out across the galaxy and, on Earth, stumbled across
the mind of Milton Moses Fine, who performed a mentalist act for the
Farnum and Beatty Circus under the name ÒBrainiacÓ and who was actually
a latent telepath. Telling Fine he was a benevolent scientist who fell
victim to a failed experiment in teleportation, he got Fine to lower
his defenses and slowly possessed him, bringing out FineÕs latent
powers. As ÒBrainiacÓ, he fought Superman but was defeated when Fine
reexerted control.
For several months, Fine mentally wrestled with Dox. When Dox finally
gained control of FineÕs body again, he dressed in a manner similar to
that he had used on Colu and attempted to maintain his control by
stealing spinal fluids from innocent victims, but he was again thwarted
by Superman and was taken away by Metropolis authorities.
Doctors discovered Fine had a brain tumor and, believing his story of
possession by a disembodied alien to be a delusion, thought removing
the tumor might cure the delusion. Lex Luthor, having seen BrainiacÕs
battles with Superman on TV, wanted his power for himself and offered
to have FineÕs tumor removed as a public service. His surgeons removed
the tumor but implanted a device that pained Fine, and would eventually
kill him, if he disobeyed Luthor. However, removing the tumor somehow
also enabled Dox to destroy FineÕs personality completely. Fine was no
more; only Brainiac survived.
At LuthorÕs command, he fought Superman again. In the course of
battle, Brainiac faked his death, and thus gained time to have LuthorÕs
implants removed. Brainiac returned to Luthor for access to his
facilities but now had the upper hand in the ÒpartnershipÓ. When
Superman was himself suffering from a temporary split personality and
masquerading as Gangbuster, Brainiac attacked Gangbuster but,
unprepared to face a Kryptonian mind, suffered a psychic backlash and
fell comatose.
Luthor thought he could keep Brainiac imprisoned by keeping him
sedated, but the treatment simply permitted Brainiac to turn his
thoughts inward and master FineÕs mental abilities. However, his body
was wasting away from disuse. Gaining control the minds of others, and
with the help of another Superman foe, Metallo, Brainiac reshaped a
facility of LuthorÕs and reconstructed FineÕs former body, making it
more like DoxÕs green-skinned body on Colu, but enhanced. The reborn
Brainiac fled from Superman in a skull-shaped spaceship, seeking allies
among the stars.
He found them on the Warworld, a planet-sized spaceship once controlled
by the tyrant Mongul, now subject to internecine warfare among its
leaderless inhabitants. Brainaic took control and led Warworld on to
further conquests, with an ultimate goal of conquering Colu. Holding
the planet Almerac for ransom, he forced its ruler, Maxima, to aid him
in gaining revenge on Superman. Finally, he brought the Warworld to
the Sol system and attacked Earth. It took an army of heroes,
including Superman, to beat Brainiac, and the effort left him comatose
once again. Superman turned Brainiac over to the New Genesis scientist
called Metron for imprisonment and study.
Abilities:
Vril Dox has an intelligence higher than any humanÕs, whether he turns
it to science or conquest. His knowledge of alien science aids him in
developing many kinds of weapons currently beyond our ability to
contruct.
Because he now owns Milton FineÕs body, he also has FineÕs considerable
telepathic abilities. He can become a disembodied mind, take control
of others, induce illusions, read minds, telekinetically manipulate
objects, and create a mental force field.
Selected Post-Crisis Appearances:
L.E.G.I.O.N. #26, ÒI, DurlanÓ. Background on Vril Dox Sr. and Jr.
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #438, ÒThe Amazing BrainiacÓ. Dox possesses
Milton Fine.
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #445, ÒHeadhunterÓ. Brainiac gains control of
FineÕs body
SUPERMAN #25, ÒHead TripsÓ. Luthor and Brainiac Òteam upÓ; Brainiac
fakes death.
SUPERMAN #27, ÒOf Course, You Know, This Means War!Ó Brainiac goes
comatose, captured by Luthor.
SUPERMAN #35, ÒVisions of GrandeurÓ. Brainiac begins mastering FineÕs
powers.
ACTION #647-649, ÒThe Brainiac TrilogyÓ. Brainiac takes over a Lexcorp
facility and uses it to reshape his current body.
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN ANNUAL #2 and L.E.G.I.O.N. ANNUAL #1.
Vril Dox II confronts his father.
ACTION #674-675, SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #9-10, SUPERMAN #65-67, and
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #488-489, ÒPanic in the SkyÓ. Warworld
comes to Earth.
Threat Level: 8 (out of 10). While BrainiacÕs mental powers are considerable,
they are too easily beaten by SupermanÕs strong will, and his need for
agents he can control for physical challenges provides a weak point in
his schemes.
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End of Section 1
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A MATTER OF FAQ
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by David Thomas Chappell (davidc@leland.stanford.EDU)
A Time to Hunt, and a Time to Prey
[Warning: The article below contains spoilers for the SUPERMAN/DOOMSDAY:
HUNTER/PREY mini-series.]
In recognition of our own mortality, many people wonder just when the end of
the world will come. Whether through religion, science, or personal
opinion, there are several opposing views. Some say the apocalypse will
arrive around the year 2000 A. D. Others claim that the universe will be
destroyed in millions of years, while still others claim that the cosmos
will continue indefinitely. A minority of doomsayers insist that we have
only a few days left before the coming of the end, yet they have thus far
been proven wrong. Despite the evidence from religious teachings and
scientific investigations, there is yet another strong theory: some say
that Doomsday arrived on a fateful day in 1992Ñthe day a beast killed
Superman.
As shocking as the Death of Superman was, we in the real world had been
prepared for the event for months. The news media spread the word to the
millions of people worldwide who knew and loved the Man of Steel. Fans and
distant admirers alike flocked out to see the final battle, and we all knew
just when it would occur. Right on schedule, in the last panel of
SUPERMAN #75 Ñ cover date January 93 Ñ 1993 triangle number 2 Ñ the
worldÕs greatest superhero met his demise.
A year and a half later, history seemed to repeat itself, but we were in for
much more than a time loop. Through a series of fateful coincidences,
Superman survived his ordeal with death, and his spirit returned to Earth to
inhabit a rejuvenated body. The Man of Steel once again did his best to
preserve ÒTruth, Justice, and the American Way.Ó The joy of SupermanÕs
miraculous recovery was diminished, however, by the return of the cruel
monster that had set these events into motion: Doomsday was back, and a
rematch was inevitable.
We knew the resulting fight would be bloody, we knew it would be horrible,
and we wondered how Superman could survive another fight with the one
creature capable of killing him. Yet it was this danger, this thrill, that
made us fans look forward to the rematch in eager anticipation. The recent
conclusion to the three-book mini-series has brought happiness to some,
disgust to others. While I enjoyed SUPERMAN/DOOMSDAY: HUNTER/PREY and
thought the story did an excellent job of filling in details about Doomsday
that seemed overtly missing from the first encounter, many other fans were
disappointed by the events. Whether they loved it or loathed it, however,
all fans debate the big question about HUNTER/PREY: when did it take place?
In stark contrast to the Doomsday and Death of Superman story lines, the
story of the rematch is not told in the regular Superman comics. HUNTER/PREY
is a separate mini-series with no triangle numbers to reveal its placement in
Superman chronology. Continuing events in the regular series leave no obvious
placement for the mini-series and seem to ignore it altogether. The editors
could have easily inserted a simple ÒHUNTER/PREY goes hereÓ caption in one
frame or explained the series placement in the letters page, but they remained
sternly silent.
Thus, I took it upon myself to gather what evidence I could as to the temporal
placement of the HUNTER/PREY story. Not only did I want to know for personal
satisfaction, but IÕd like to know where to place it in the Superman Comic
List IÕve been keeping on Internet. I read the mini-series, I re-read the
relevant regular comics, and I found that it was remarkably easy to place
HUNTER/PREY within a three-issue span. ThereÕs a limit to how early it could
take place and a limit to how late it could be, with little space in between.
The early limit is easy to place. In ACTION #696 (Feb 94), Doomsday is seen
passing Superman through a wormhole with neither aware of the other. Doomsday
is shown still attached to his asteroid ÒtombÓ and obviously hasnÕt reached
Apokolips yet. At the end of the comic, Superman returns to Earth from his
sojourn in outer space. HUNTER/PREY clearly takes place after this comic, and
there is no debate over this first starting mark.
While the early limit for HUNTER/PREY is not a matter of debate, the last
possible point is a hotbed for fans. Some say that it had to be before the
Battle for Metropolis, others claim it had to be long after the Fall of
Metropolis. In a major West Coast comic convention, executive editor Mike
Carlin admitted to fans that HUNTER/PREY does occur before the Battle for
Metropolis, but some fans insist on ignoring his statement.
One set of evidence from the comics is based on physical buildings on Earth.
The end of HUNTER/PREY shows the LexCorp tower standing tall over a fully
intact city of Metropolis. Recent events in the regular series (ACTION #700,
Jan 94), however, strongly imply that it will be many days before we see such
a scene again. Superman visits LoisÕ apartment in Book One, and thus the
story must occur before Luthor had her place destroyed (ADVENTURES #512, May
94). The Justice League headquarters that Superman visits in Book One appears
to be the New York office that was destroyed in recent JL comics. The
clinching evidence, however, is based on the increase in SupermanÕs powers.
After his return from death and battle with the Cyborg, SupermanÕs powers
increased due to an exposure to a form of Kryptonite that Professor Hamilton
termed Òkryptonium.Ó Ever since the Byrne revamp of Superman in 1986, the
Last Son of Krypton has been unable to fly through space without at least some
form of breathing apparatus. In the space-travel story that ended in ACTION
#696, Superman learned that his increased powers enabled him to travel unaided
in space: his cells absorbed enough solar energy that he did not seem to need
to breathe oxygen. Similarly, in HUNTER/PREY Book One, Superman says that ÒI
can travel in space these days.Ó Furthermore, in Book Two, Superman boasts
that ÒIÕm better than before, too! Stronger.Ó Superman goes on to prove his
claim of increased powers with a powerful blast of heat vision that blasts
through the Cyborg and the wall behind him. Therefore, HUNTER/PREY clearly
must occur while SupermanÕs powers are at increased levels.
While the build-up of SupermanÕs energy was spread over a number of comics,
the drop in power was sudden and distinct. It was in ADVENTURES #512 (May 94)
that the Parasite finished draining Superman of his extra power level. In the
following comic, ACTION #699 (May 94), Professor Hamilton says to Superman,
ÒThereÕs not a trace left of the exotic energies I detected in you the other
day. By my reckoning, youÕre back to normalÑor, should I say, super-normal?Ó
The aforementioned displays of super-super-powers show that SupermanÕs second
fight with Doomsday occurred while he was at an enhanced state. Thus,
HUNTER/PREY must have occurred before the aforementioned issue of ADVENTURES.
After narrowing down HUNTER/PREY to this span, weÕre still left with a broad
time during which it could have occurred. Examining SupermanÕs exact power
levels, however, narrows us down quite a bit more. It was during the
BizzaroÕs World story that Kal-ElÕs powers became quite strong. In SUPERMAN
#87 (Mar 94), Clark accidentally breaks a light bulb and gives the first hints
at his increasing size. ADVENTURE #510 (Mar 94) includes a scene wherein
SupermanÕs super-senses overwhelm him: ÒI canÕt fine-tune my super-senses
anymore! Those powers have increased too much!Ó Two issues later in MAN OF
STEEL #32 (Apr 94), Superman admits that ÒMy super-vision , like my super-
hearing, is now useless.Ó Soon thereafter when a blow to Bizarro causes much
damage, Superman confesses ÒMy powers are out of control.Ó Light taps to
Bizarro result in strong blows, and a casual flight with Lois almost hurts her
as SupermanÕs powers continue to grow. By the end of BizarroÕs World,
Superman can barely use his powers around normal humans without overly harming
them. A perusal of the first and last pages of each of the five chapters of
BizarroÕs World reveals that each issue takes place immediately after the
previous with only seconds in between. Since HUNTER/PREY shows a Superman who
is in complete control of his powers, it must occur before the BizarroÕs World
story begins. If HUNTER/PREY were after the return of Bizarro, Superman would
have been even stronger than shown in the mini-series fight, and he would not
have been able to safely hold Lois in Book One.
Hence, various story elements of HUNTER/PREY allow an astute reader to
determine when the events took place. The great rematch had to occur after
ACTION #696 and before SUPERMAN #87, a span that includes only one other
issue, MAN OF STEEL #31. It doesnÕt take a Linear Man to look through the
pages of history and find where the story must occur.
Issue Date Tri.# Event
ACTION #696 Feb 94 8 Doomsday last seen, Superman returns to Earth
MAN OF STEEL #31 Mar 94 9 Underworlders, clone disease
SUPERMAN #87 Mar 94 10 BizarroÕs World, Chapter 1
Despite my presentation of evidence herein, there may still be doubters who
insist that HUNTER/PREY is still a story set in the future. While Metropolis
may one day be fully rebuilt and other required elements restored to the
status quo, while Superman may one day regain the ability to travel unaided in
space and have increased power levels, one can not remove the strong role the
Linear Men played in HUNTER/PREY. After this summerÕs major Zero Hour event,
I strongly suspect that the Linear MenÕs role in history will be irrecoverably
changed, and it is even possible that the end of time Ñ at which Doomsday was
destroyed Ñ will not be the same. HUNTER/PREY is not a future story, but a
near-contemporary story set in the recent past.
SupermanÕs two battles with Òthe Armageddon CreatureÓ have brought us some
very special stories. We have seen the death of EarthÕs greatest protector,
but we have also witnessed events in the DC Universe that many people ponder
in the real world. The first battle brought us Doomsday and death, the
second showed us the destruction of the universe and the end of time.
========================================================
COMING ATTRACTIONS
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A List of Upcoming Comics Featuring The Superman Family of Characters
Assembled by Jeffery D. Sykes
This monthly section is dedicated to giving you official information
concerning which comics you should watch for in the near future in order
to keep up with Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, and all the rest of the
Superman family of characters.
The information given in this section is reprinted without permission
from Diamond Previews and is in no way meant to serve as a replacement for
that magazine. In fact, I strongly recommend that each reader find his or
her own copy for additional detailed information on the entire DC Universe!
August brings ZERO MONTH to the DC Universe! All DC Universe titles will
be an issue #0. The focus of most of these will be to inform readers of the
(possibly new) origin of the character within. In the Superman titles, we
will find a new villain whose origin ties in with Kal-ElÕs arrival on Earth.
Superboy #0 will finally address the time in between his escape from Cadmus
and the day he arrived in Metropolis. And in Steel #0, we find that John
Henry IronsÕ talents may not have as much to do with his armor as we thought!
More info below the list!
Finally, some Supergirl information. According to some net rumors, Supergirl
may be joining either The New Titans or one of the Justice League teams in
the near future, so keep your eyes on those titles!
1. List of Titles by Shipping Date:
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ-
Shipping date: Comic title and information:
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June 14: Adventures of Superman Annual #6
K. Kesel, Hor, & Shoultz
SUPER SEVEN: Part 1 (of 2)
Cover by Mike Mignola.
64 pgs, $2.95
Superboy #7
Kesel, Grummett, & Hazlewood
WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 8 (of 14)
$1.50
Hardware #18
McDuffie, Cowan, & Rollins
WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 9 (of 14)
$1.75
Superman: The Man of Steel #36
L. Simonson, Bogdanove, & Janke
WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 10 (of 14)
$1.50
June 21: Icon #16
McDuffie, Bright, & Gustovich
WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 11 (of 14)
$1.75
Superman #92
Jurgens & Rubinstein
MASSACRE IN METROPOLIS: Part 1 (of 2)
Cover by Dan Jurgens & Jerry Ordway!
$1.50
June 28: Adventures of Superman #515
Kesel, Kitson, & McCarthy
MASSACRE IN METROPOLIS: Part 2 (of 2)
$1.50
Steel #7
Bogdanove & L. Simonson, Batista, & Faber
WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 12 (of 14)
$1.50
Blood Syndicate #17
Velez Jr., Chriscross, & Quijano
WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 13 (of 14)
$1.75
July 5: Action Comics #702
Michelinie, Guice, & Rodier
$1.50
Static #14
Washington, III, Leon, Martinbrough, & Various
WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 14 (of 14)
48 pgs, $2.50
Superboy Annual #1
K. Kesel, Luzniak, & Wiacek
SUPER SEVEN: Part 2 (of 2)
64 pgs, $2.95
July 12: The Spectre #22 (Superman appearance)
Ostrander & Mandrake
$1.95
Superboy #8 (ZH)
K. Kesel, Grummett, & Hazlewood
$1.50
Superman: The Man of Steel #37 (ZH)
L. Simonson, Bogdanove, & Janke
$1.50
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #4 (to 0)
Jurgens & Ordway
$1.50
July 19: Action Comics Annual #6
John Byrne
Cover by Mike Mignola.
64 pgs, $2.95
Superman: Faster Than A Speeding Bullet Poster
Joe DeVito
22x34, $4.95
Green Lantern #55 (ZH - Superman)
Marz, Aucoin & Banks, & Tanghal
$1.50
Superman #93 (ZH)
Jurgens & Rubenstein
$1.50
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #3 (to 0)
Jurgens & Ordway
$1.50
July 26: Adventures of Superman #516 (ZH)
K. Kesel, Kitson, & McCarthy
$1.50
Steel #8 (ZH)
L. Simonson, Batista, & Faber
$1.50
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #2 (to 0)
Jurgens & Ordway
$1.50
August 2: Action Comics #703 (ZH)
Michelinie, Guice, & Rodier
$1.50
Guy Gardner: Warrior #24 (ZH - Steel, Supergirl)
Beau Smith, Byrd & Various, & D. Davis
$1.50
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #1 (to 0)
Jurgens & Ordway
$1.50
August 9: Superman: Time & Time Again Trade Paperback
Softcover, 208 pgs, $7.50
Zero Hour: Crisis in Time #0
Jurgens & Ordway
$1.50
August 16: Superboy #0
K. Kesel, Grummett, & Hazlewood
$1.50
Superman: The Man of Steel #0
L. Simonson, Bogdanove, & Janke
PEER PRESSURE: Part 1 (of 4)
$1.50
August 23: Superman #0
Jurgens & Breeding
PEER PRESSURE: Part 2 (of 4)
$1.50
August 30: Adventures of Superman #0
K. Kesel, Kitson, & McCarthy
PEER PRESSURE: Part 3 (of 4)
$1.50
Steel #0
L. Simonson, Batista, & Faber
$1.50
September 6: Action Comics #0
Michelinie, Guice, & Rodier
PEER PRESSURE: Part 4 (of 4)
$1.50
2. Spoilers:
ÑÑÑÑÑÑ
August 16:
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Superboy #0
Revealed at last Ñ the story of SuperboyÕs first three days out of
Project Cadmus, as well as his first adventure in battle against the
menace of Sidearm (first seen in Superboy #1)! Plus, a visit from
Professor Hamilton leads to the KidÕs acquiring a totally NEW super-
power.
Superman: The Man of Steel #0
This issue begins a 4-part storyline running throughout the Superman
zero issues. This issue: SupermanÕs arrival on Earth is revisited in
a story set both in the Smallville of yesterday and in present-day
Metropolis. Plus, this storyline introduces Conduit, a new villain
with a mysterious connection to SupermanÕs origins... and a LETHAL
vendetta against Clark Kent!
August 23:
ÑÑÑÑ-
Superman #0
What had been a high school rivalry years ago in Smallville becomes
a deadly conflict in present-day Metropolis when Conduit, the new
villain with a mysterious connection to SupermanÕs origin, makes a
blatant attempt on Clark KentÕs life.
August 30:
ÑÑÑÑ-
Adventures of Superman #0
A glimpse of Clark KentÕs Òlost years,Ó between his departure from
Smallville and his arrival in Metropolis, is revealed. And in the
present-day, Superman confronts Conduit face-to-face, learning the
villainÕs unsettling identity... and its connection to KentÕs early
life.
Steel #0
Dramatic changes occur in the life of Steel when his armor suddenly
appears to take on new and astonishing capabilities. But there may
be even more to this development than meets the eye when Hazard
raises the question: Is John Henry Irons a metahuman?
Cover by Bogdanove, Batista, & Janke
September 6:
ÑÑÑÑÑ-
Action Comics #0
Clark KentÕs earliest adventures as Superman are revisited, while in
present-day Metropolis, Superman goes all out to take down Conduit.
Plus, something really weird is found under the Superman Memorial...
the Man of SteelÕs dead body!
========================================================
End of Section 2
========================================================
REVIEWS
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THE ÒTRIANGLEÓ TITLES:
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24. ACTION COMICS #700, ÒSwan SongÓ
Writer: Roger Stern
Artists: Jackson Guice & Denis Rodier and Curt Swan & Murphy Anderson
$2.95 cover
In Smallville, we attend the wedding of Lana Lang and Peter Ross at Jonathan
and Martha KentÕs place. Peace and joy. In Metropolis, however, the battle is
on. Dr. Gretchen Kelley, personal physician to Lex Luthor for many years,
finally decides to betray her boss. She helps Lois, revealing the truth about
Luthor to the police and on TV, including the faking of his death. This
information helps Superman discover the place where Luthor is hiding.
Lex Luthor faces Superman with an ace-in-the-hole: sonic torpedoes targetting
Metropolis. Superman talks about how the citizens of Metropolis respect
Luthor, and how they will hate him if he destroys the city. Luthor hesitates.
He realises he loves Metropolis. He wants to own the city, not to destroy it.
But then, Happersen presses the button. Who can stop the torpedoes now?
Superman, Superboy and Supergirl do their best, but there are too many
torpedoes and too many targets. Lord Satanus decides to help Metropolis,
guiding the torpedoes to make SupermanÕs job much easier. But The Daily
Planet building, Lexcorp tower, and most of the city has already been lost.
It must be rebuilt. But with Lex Luthor in jail?
Additionally, the longest-ever title in comics history celebrates its 700
issues with great work. Action, emotion, and homage. These three words
define the spirit of this anniversary.
Non-stop-action (because you demanded it). Life is a river for the Man of
Steel in comics, as it is for us in the real world. Superman tries to save
what he loves the most, but he canÕt. And that gives us a chance to approach
the character in a deeper way. Roger Stern says good-bye with this issue.
WeÕll miss him. He has contributed in the last years to make Superman one of
the best-written characters. Guice gives us an incredible lesson in the art
of movement. And Guice offers the best Supergirl I have seen in years.
Emotion. The Man of Steel is not only a Super-hero. He is not only a
cultural icon, he is something in our hearts. Somebody who has made us suffer,
thrill, and worry for more than 50 years. And this issue is full of moments to
remember, many of them with that magic touch. For example, the fall of the
Daily Planet. Perry White staring at a destroyed Metropolis. And Luthor,
showing one of the first signs of love when he hesitates, and finally decides
not to destroy the city.
Homage. More than 50 years and so many people. From the very first dream of
Jerry & Joe to our present dreams. And to be reacquainted with Curt Swan
again, as well. Although some people will say, ÒHis style is out,Ó I
completely disagree. He is, doubtlessly, one of the definitive Superman
artists. And, for sure, THE Superman artist in the last pre-crisis days.
Great artists are never out! Thank you Mr. Carlin for bringing him back. In
addition, Swan draws for Lana and Peter one of the best wedding performances
in comics.
We see a lot of Superman history and legend in this issue. That is the best
thing I can say. Thank you for #700, while I wait, anxiously, for #1000.
WE WANT MORE !!!
Rating: 5 shields
Jose R. Galan
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25. SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #35, ÒAfterburnÓ (WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 1)
Written by Louise Simonson
Pencils by Jon Bogdonave
Inks by Dennis Janke
$1.50 cover
(The triangle number on this issue was misprinted as #28)
IÕm beginning to think the reviews of Superman, Man of Steel should all be subtitled ÒSo WhereÕs the Steel?Ó
Part of the continuing saga of the Fall of Metropolis, this issue doesnÕt add
too much to the on-going storyline. Superman battles yet another robot intent
on killing the remaining inhabitants of Metropolis. More innocents get hurt.
And although this issue bills itself as the first part of the DC/Milestone
ÒWorlds CollideÓ series, thereÕs little more than a couple of teaser pages
with Static at the end of the comic.
So what can we make of the events going on in this issue and in the entire
Superman line? Perhaps itÕs best summed by the opening scene from this issue.
After scaring away some thugs who trying to steal food from children, Superman,
with bulging muscles larger than most of the childrenÕs heads, wonders, ÒAt
least I can still scare off punks like that! But IÕm beginning to ask myself...is that all IÕm good for?Ó
And thus we see a summation of the super-hero angst of the Ô90s.
Superheroes donÕt help people anymoreÑthey simply try to survive, and all us
plain folks are just caught in the middle of their super-human struggles. The
best a ÒheroÓ can do is try to minimize the death of innocents. And lately,
the greatest hero of them all hasnÕt been doing that too well, either: eight
million or so dead since Henshaw and Mongul came to Earth. The post-Byrne
Superman, lobotomized and de-supered, just isnÕt up to the task anymore.
Superman used to be the guy who could do just about anything. Now, in an age
where itÕs more important to show a heroÕs flaws than a heroÕs virtues, weÕre
constantly reminded that SupermanÕs just a big, fairly strong guy, but
otherwise pretty much like the rest of us.
So, Superman merely reacts to one threat after another, sometimes with little
effect. (He was, after all, pretty much a bystander in the Underworlder/
Cadmus/LexCorps war.) As Officer Maggie says, ÒMetropolis is a war zoneÑmore
than even *you* can handle. More than any of us can handle alone!Ó
Now, I do like the idea of a super-hero helping civilians recover from a
disaster, something Superman hasnÕt really done in the past few years. (Makes
you wonder why the Justice League hasnÕt come over to help, though.) And I
admire the Superman teams for wanting to take on an extended storyline like
this and try to focus on characterizations.
I am tired, however, of shelling out $1.50 and getting little story in return.
The robot Superman battled was just another throwaway monster used for some
obligatory fight scenes. Another civilian dies. The storyline goes nowhere.
Bogdonave does an excellent job with his layouts, though his overly-muscled
Superman seems at odds with the helplessness conveyed in the writing. A
dynamically drawn Superman paradoxically wishes he could do more. And the
feeling we get from this issue is ÒGee, Superman really canÕt do much here,
can he?Ó
So, I continue to wonder, whereÕs the Steel in the Man of Steel? When will
they put the Super back in Superman?
Rating: 3 shields, mostly for BogdonaveÕs layouts.
Anatole Wilson
========================================================
26. SUPERMAN #91, ÒMy Life!Ó
Written by Dan Jurgens
Guest Pencils by Brent Anderson
Inks by Joe Rubinstein
Cover by Jurgens & Rubinstein
$1.50 cover
THE PLOT: Superman deals with the menace of the newest threat to Metropolis,
LuthorÕs war robots. Luthor can no longer do anything by himself, not even
blink. Nothing really deep here. There was also a very human theme
throughout the whole book on how different people deal with loss differently.
THE REVIEW: I thought they had told us they were never going to kill the Man
of Steel again. THEY LIED! This plot is killing Supes in a way that Doomsday
never could. All we see is Clark running like a chicken with his head cut
off, trying to best LuthorÕs robots and harping on the fact his cityÕs
destruction is his fault. The art was poor, and there wasnÕt much story to
keep my interest. Even the ÒhumanisticÓ subplot of the greedy business man
was a yawner, not offering any surprises. All in all, nothing I would want to
read again. Ever.
RATING: 1 shield
Brian Petro
========================================================
27. THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #514, ÒDangerous VisionsÓ
Written by Karl Kesel
Guest Pencils by Pete Krause
Guest Inks by Ron McCain
Cover by Kitson & McCarthy
$1.50 cover
Just like clockwork, another of LuthorÕs fail safe devices is released on
Metropolis. Instead of a weapon of mass destruction like the sonic torpedoes
or the robots, LuthorÕs next weapon is much more terrifying. A smoky haze
shrouds Metropolis and all but one of her citizens enter an hallucinatory
state. The gas summons a personÕs deepest fear from the depths of the
subconscious, but our hero finds a cure. Face your fear and overcome it.
Luckily for Metropolis, there is a much more passive return to reality Ñ a synthetic enzyme designed by Professor Hamilton mixed with water. Professor
Hamilton gives a supply of the antidote to Superman, and the remaining
inhabitants of Metropolis are rid of the toxin. But, wait there is more!
From deep in the rubble of LexÕs ruined empire the last fail safe device is
activated Ñ the Kryptonian battle suit. Who will prevail, Superman or
supermachine?
I really enjoyed the colors of the comic. Especially the background colors
which set the mood nicely. The art work was OK, but the lines seemed too
smooth and low in detail, and Pete Krause should brush up on SupermanÕs powers
if he is to draw again. He drew SupermanÕs heat vision as if it were laser
beams coming from the eyes. Maybe he has been watching too much Lois and
Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.
The plot was OK, but I do not care for the magnitude of destruction going on.
It seems that destroying a city has become an annual event for the Superman
writing team. Last year it was Hal JordanÕs Coast City. This year it is
Metropolis. I thought the Doomsday rampage was devastating enough, and I do
not see how Metropolis can recover from LuthorÕs fall from grace any time soon.
But, concentrating on this weekÕs issue, I enjoyed seeing SupermanÕs worst
fear, and his ability to overcome it. I did not mind that it was predictable,
because it was well executed. It was very much in character. Some of the
other characterÕs fears were also interesting, but nothing spectacular. All
in all, the comic was entertaining, but not a classic.
Rating: 3 shields
Arthur LaMarche
________________________________________________________________
*************************************************************
WORLDS COLLIDE:
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ
SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #35, ÒAfterburnÓ (WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 1)
(See Above)
========================================================
HARDWARE #17, ÒNo Rest for the WearyÓ (WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 2)
DCÕs Milestone Imprint
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Pencils by Denys Cowan and J.J. Birch
$1.50 cover
Review Summary: Good story, art is Òsketchy,Ó feels unfinished
As a crossover book between the DC/Superman universe, and the Milestone/Dakota
universe this story is far better than what I was expecting. I wasnÕt sure
how a crossover between the two companies was going to work out. I was
expecting senseless brawls between the main characters of each universe tied
together with a forced and drawn-out plot. Thankfully that doesnÕt seem to be
what the writers have in mind. A lot of thought seems to have gone into this
plot line.
So far it has tied in very well with the ÒFall of MetropolisÓ storyline in the
Superman books. It has been carefully crafted so that it will bring a reader
who knows little or nothing about the Milestone universe up to speed, while
still keeping up enough action to keep them interested. I was pleasantly
surprised at the amount of characterization that is presented, and how few
expository lumps there are. ItÕs a real pleasure to read a crossover that
isnÕt just one boring fight after another.
The story opens with Fred Bentson in a nightmare. Curtis Metcalf (HARDWARE)
and Edwin Alva, his employer (Alva is to Milestone what Luthor is to DC, a
brilliant but manipulative, evil man) are watching him sleep. Fred is
beginning to think that he is going crazy and has admitted himself into a
Dakota City sleep research lab, a subsidiary of ALVA Industries. On his last
trip, Fred brought back a flier from a sleep research lab in Metropolis. This
has gotten Alva interested in FredÕs potential ability to act as a bridge
between the dimensions, and asks HARDWARE to monitor or go with Fred the next
time he falls asleep and travels to Metropolis.
After they arrive in Metropolis Hardware rescues a woman from an attempted
gang rape. When he get back, he tries to get Fred to return them to Dakota.
After a very brief dream sequence where the reader is exposed to much of what
makes the character HARDWARE, Fred wakes up and they are both back in Dakota.
This time HARDWARE has brought a copy of the Daily Planet back with him, and we
begin to get a feeling for what Alva has planned when he is able to bridge the
dimensions to Metropolis.
As crossovers go this was well done. HARDWARE does not directly meet any of
the main characters of the SUPERMAN books, but as readers we get to see
Metropolis from his perspective while also being introduced to HARDWARE and
the DAKOTA universe.
My only real complaint with this book is that I donÕt really care for the
artwork. To me itÕs rough, the inking is a little too angular. It appears a
little ÒsketchyÓ for my taste, with far too many shadowy black areas. It
feels rushed and unfinished.
Story Rating: 4 Shields
Art Rating: 3 Shields
ReneÕ Gobeyn
========================================================
SUPERBOY #6, ÒChanging RealitiesÓ (WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 3)
Written by Karl Kesel & Steve Mattsson
Pencils by Tom Grummett
Inks by Doug Hazlewood & Dennis Janke
$1.50 cover
With most of the clone-plague under control, it would almost seem that
Superboy would be heading back to Hawaii. Unfortunately, that does not seem
to be the case. The Guardian is in stable but critical condition. He had
donated much of his blood to create the cure for the clone-plague. Superboy
chose to be the guinea pig in order for them to realize the cureÕs effects.
While helping to clean up the devastation in Metropolis, Superman splits up
with Superboy in order to patrol the city. ItÕs not long after that Superboy
encounters Parasite. After a knock-down fight, Superboy takes him out with
DubbilexÕs guidance and some ingenuity.
Although this issue is part 3 of the ÒWorlds Collide,Ó the saga of the X-over
between the DC and Milestone Universe, Kesel and Co. do a good job of keeping
this a ÒSuperboyÓ comic. The primary action is between Superboy and Superman
RogueÕs Gallery inductee, Parasite; the actual crossover portion of the plot
is minor and actually continues into Icon #15.
Superboy is showing great strides as a team player. Although he is the title
character, the story revolves around his companions as well. As IÕve said
previously, the character interaction is sometimes the best part of the story.
It was also fun to see Superboy raving about his triumph over one of SupermanÕs
nemeses. The best in-joke that IÕve seen in this title has to be the one and
only scene where Krypto is flying in proper attire. It sure brings back pre-
Byrne memories. As usual, another fine effort from the Superboy creative team.
Rating: 4 shields
Victor Chan (vichan@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca)
========================================================
ICON #15, ÒLiving in a DreamlandÓ (WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 4)
DCÕs Milestone Imprint
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Pencils by M.D.Bright
$1.75 cover
As this cross-over continues, IÕm feeling better about it all the time. When
it was first announced, I wasnÕt too sure if the DC/Milestone writers would be
up to the task of merging the two very different universes into anything
coherent enough in which to write a good story. I shouldnÕt have worried. As
the storyline continues it is becoming stronger as the worlds come closer
together. The continuity between the books is tight, with very few gaps to
distract the reader from enjoying the story. Each of the books is maintaining
tight internal consistency, and as the cross-over gets more involved, tight
consistency between the books as well. This is more important with the
Superman side, because of the regular numbering and story continuity between
all of the Superman triangle titles.
Continuing the story from Worlds Collide #3 (Superboy #6), Superboy and Fred
Bentson appear in the air above the Tenth Ave. Bridge (the Paris Island side
of which was destroyed in the Big Bang) in the city of Dakota, where they are
ÒrescuedÓ by Rocket (Raquel Ervin) who believes that they have fallen from a
plane. Fred and Superboy try to explain things to Rocket, while Rocket tries
to explain to Superboy where they are. All in all, a very amusing bit of
writing that just happens to bring the reader up to speed with the storyline.
It is also beginning to look like Fred has more control over his powers than
he first thought.
After Rocket and Superboy battle the monsters that Fred creates, they team up
with ICON (Agustus Freeman, an alien disguised as a human) to destroy the
final apparition. They take Fred to Edwin Alva (MilestoneÕs answer to Luthor)
who has been working with Fred (see HARDWARE #17). Alva sedates him and sends
Fred and Superboy back to Metropolis. As the story ends we get to see the
Tenth Ave. Bridge of Dakota and the Hobsneck Bridge of Metropolis merge,
joining the two universes together for the first time.
It is interesting to note that Superboy is the FIRST character to actually
meet a character from the other universe. The writers have gone above and
beyond maintaining his personality (girl-crazy teenager with an attitude)
between the books. The humorous interplay between Rocket and Superboy alone
was worth the price of the book.
I really like the artwork in ICON, the coloring is more muted than in the
majority of the Superman titles, perhapsbecause the colorist is painting
over the inks. This allows for much more subtle shading and blending than
what you usually see.
Story Rating: 4 Shields
Art Rating: 4 Shields
ReneÕ Gobeyn
========================================================
STEEL #6, ÒCollision CourseÓ (WORLDS COLLIDE: Part 5)
Written by Louise Simonson
Pencils by Chris Batista
Inks by Rich Faber
$1.50 cover
STEEL #6 moves quickly through a lot of action-packed sequences, and the
transitions in the book become most important as we are whipped from from
scene to scene, city to city, world to world. The art is fun here, and I think
Steel becomes sharper and more impressive when drawn with other Superheroes.
The frames with him and Hardware are great to look at, and the pages where he
is flying with Superman are striking, as well. Notable: The ColonelÕs REALLY
green suit takes over the page in the worst way, and the matching green
uniform worn by Mr. Alva makes the parallel not only obvious, but garish. So
much for fashion anaysis. ;-)
The story picks up with Steel delivering Jem to the hospital, torn up from
fighting and entering Tar withdrawl. SteelÕs pumped up to get the Colonel,
and he does. Steel manages to scare some info out of him: the Colonel screams
ÒBlack Ops...MetropolisÓ as Steel drops him from several yards above the
pavement. Never fear, securing his Ògood guyÓ status, Steel catches him and
delivers him safely to Leiutenant Shauna Beryl. Steel engages in an aborted
conversation with Beryl about Black Ops, which leads us to turn the page into
Metropolis. A more complete conversation with Steel leaving Beryl wouldÕve
been a smoother transition, and wouldÕve let a little more of the relationship
between these two characters develop. But IÕm not complaining...much.
The next thing we know, Steel in is wartorn Metropolis, where Hazard plots to
both destroy him and get Fred Bentson, who is currently being tested in the
Metropolis sleep labs. HazardÕs monitoring of Bentson takes us to the sleep
labs, where Fred is solidifying (returning from his dream state). Fred has
become *hot* property: Alva, Hazard, and Mr. Cabral all want him. I love
Fred Ñ a stroke of genius making him so unremarkable, yet having his
unconscious (?) activity yank entire worlds around. (He also makes a wonderful
foil for some very successful, even subtle, humor!)
Anyway, Fred pulls Superboy, Rocket, and Hardware back into the sleeplab with
him, and then they quickly relocate to downtown Metropolis. Superboy
(Superletch?) is trying to put moves on Rocket, who is *far* from impressed.
(I wish Supergirl was more like *her*, quite honestly.) Rocket is a great
character, and she brings out an edge in Superboy that makes him even more
delightful than he already is.
The pages following are the best of the issue, where we get to see lots of
great drawing (I love the slanted frames), while Steel, Superboy, Hardware,
and Rocket all contend with various challenges. Then, Steel and Hardware, who
(recognizes Steel from a previous ÒvisionÓ), meet up and go at it until Rocket
breaks them up. Beats me why these two donÕt recognize each other as good
guys, or at least try to identify themselves as such. I imagine it can all be
excused by the chaos and confusion that has taken over both worlds, but it
seems like this battle ensues without much rhyme or reason. Of course, just
like in the old Westerns or in contemporary buddy-action films (LETHAL WEAPON
comes to mind), characters often beat the heck out of each other for no reason
except to give the viewer some fun, fast-paced action. Hardware starts it,
being unreasonably hostile toward Steel, and Steel reacts accordingly. ThatÕs
all we need.
For me, I think there mustÕve been a better way to get these two guys together
for the first time, and Rocket as the woman who breaks up the fight is a bit
cliched. But, oh well. Regardless of some choppy transitions and overly-
contrived match-ups, itÕs fun to read, and more interesting than some previous
STEEL issues. Just as Rocket breaks up the fight (Steel is getting his *^*%
kicked), Hazard is getting to Bentson and Superboy, and some of the gang
teleport away, while Fred and company apparently head back to the other side
of the line. Supes shows up to greet Steel, and is happy to see him helping
out in Metropolis, (*great* line here when Steel tells Supes, ÒFunny thing was,
the scrap seemed to be over possession of a *mailman*!Ó). Steel tells Supes
about the disappearances of the others, which throws us back to the Alva labs,
where Fred is having a hell of a time as his brain becomes contested territory
between Hazard and Alva, both thinking that they each have control of FredÕs
energies. Who knows?
Not me. Not yet. But thatÕs whatÕs fun here. Whatever Fred is going through
has had some extended effect, and the issue ends with Supes and Steel being
led toward Hobsneck Bridge (heavy symbolism here or *what*?) which has
mysteriously been restored, amid Òroiling airÓ and all. (Somehow I am hard-
pressed to imagine Steel describing the air as Òroiling...Ó) We are left with
SteelÕs ominous prediction that Òthings are gonna get bad real fast.Ó Hmmmm.
This is a good issue, but that is largely due to the opportunities afforded by
the Worlds Collide plot. There isnÕt a whole heck of a lot of Steel in this
book, but itÕs obviously set-up for stuff down the line, and thatÕs good. What
we do see of him, works. The pacing is good, and the reader, much like Fred
and the rest, feels appropriately thrown around between the pages. Not that
some of the transitions couldnÕt have been a bit more careful. But all in all,
on a good roller-coaster ride, you have to expect to be knocked around a bit!
Rating: 4 shields
Mauri Casano
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End of Section 3
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REVIEWS (CONTINUED)
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SPECIALS AND GUEST APPEARANCES:
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SUPERMAN/DOOMSDAY: HUNTER/PREY Book 2 (of 3)
Story & Layouts by Dan Jurgens
Finished Art by Brett Breeding
$4.95 cover
One Line Review: Great visuals, but story didnÕt go anywhere.
While stranded on Apokolips Superman shows his mercy and compassion for
Darkseid, one of his most dangerous enemies, by carrying him to shelter and
using the Motherbox to aid him in recovering. While Superman is waiting for
Motherbox to heal Darkseid, Waverider of the Linear Men shows up, and Superman
convinces him to give him information that will help him destroy Doomsday.
Waverider responds by showing Superman DoomsdayÕs origin.
To me this was the weakest point in the whole story. DoomsdayÕs origin
involved an ancient scientist working on an extremely hostile planet. While
attempting to develop a ÒperfectÓ life form he repeatedly exposes a baby to
the planetÕs harsh conditions and then taking the remains and cloning a new
infant. The cycle is repeated for years, eventually the clones begin to live
longer. After many more years the being Doomsday is created. Doomsday is
such a survivor that even if he is defeated and killed, he will adjust to the
new conditions and live again, never to be defeated in the same way again.
About the only saving grace of the origin is that it does explain how Doomsday
winds up on Earth.
While it usually is not my way to complain about the science used in a comic
book, this whole sequence goes against every theory of evolution and genetics
that I have ever heard. While it does explain the how and why of Doomsday,
(as well as point out why Superman will most likely not be able to stop him
again) it doesnÕt advance the story line much.
After the Motherbox has healed Darkseid, he uses SupermanÕs sense of duty to
force him to try to stop the Cyborg from completely destroying the populace of
Apokolips. Superman flies off to battle leaving Darkseid alone to more fully
recover. The contrast comes to the surface when Darkseid is predicting the
CyborgÕs actions, and dismisses the knowledge as being what he himself would
do in the same situation. He continues to use SupermanÕs compassion against
him by getting him to fight the Cyborg until he is recovered enough to destroy
it easily.
Overall I liked it, but the story wasnÕt as good as the first. I will freely
admit that it was Brett BreedingÕs strong clean art that carried the book for
me. If I have any complaint with the art, it would have to be the large number
(7) of pin-up pages and the large panel sizes that made up most of the book.
While the art and story worked well together, I canÕt help but feel that the
book might have been better with few more pages of story to move things along.
Story Rating: 3 shields
Art Rating: 4 shields
Overall Rating: 3.5 shields
ReneÕ Gobeyn
========================================================
SUPERMAN ANNUAL #6, ÒThe Feral Man of SteelÓ
Written by Darren Vincenzo
Pencils by Frank Fosco
Inks by Stan Woch
Cover by Mike Mignola
$2.95 cover
THE PLOT: Superman is rocketed to a jungle in Africa, sometime in the late
1800Õs. He is raised by the wolves, all the while having to deal with Khan,
the lead tiger of the clan. That is his life, until a ÒgameÓ kills his
mother. KÕLÕL is forced into a leadership role of the pack when Jahd Bahlja
convinces him to fight Khan for the leadership of the pack. He kills Khan,
and cuts his skin off to wear when he goes to hunt the men who killed his
mother. He also finds the symbol he is famous for on the ÒeggÓ which brought
him to Earth. He gets involved in the affairs of humans when he falls in love
with Lois Lane, intrepid adventurer. This puts him at direct odds with Lex
Luthor, a wealhty industrialist. The feud ends when Cl ÒClarkÓ is captured,
with the help of the Star Gem Luthor found (a piece of Kryptonite). He is
taken to England where he becomes a circus act for Luthor. Luthor orders him
to kill the queen at one of his performances, but instead he goes after Luthor,
who now has a sword lined with pieces from the gem. The ensuing fight between
Clark, Luthor, and Richard Burton, a man who Luthor left in the jungle to die
after getting Clark, results in the death of Luthor, Clark saving Lois, and
everyone but Luthor living happily ever after. Clark is knighted and marries
Lois, and they produce a long line of defenders of England. All this was told
for the benefit of the young writer, Rudyard Kipling.
THE REVIEW: The Jungle Book was better done by Disney. This is what I feared
the most when Elseworlds annuals came up. Mediocre stories based on other
stories, nothing original abut them. This is what we got, a bad rewrite. It
tries to be charming, but fails very badly, portraying KÕLÕL (Kal-El. How
fresh.) as he is in the comics, not as the savage he would be if raised in the
wild. Having wildly fluctuating art (I liked some panels, but others were
lacking badly in quality.) did not help the story at all. But, to be fair, I
LOVED the cover. Mignola is a really great artist. His art on the inside
would have done the story more justice. Oh, well.
Rating: 1.5 shields (The cover won me over.)
Brian Petro
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GREEN LANTERN #53, ÒRematch!Ó
Written by Ron Marz
Pencils by Darryl Banks
Inks by Romeo Tanghal
$1.50 cover
To be honest, IÕve kind of enjoyed the new Green Lantern to now. The idea of
a fresh-faced young adult trying to learn how to be a super-hero is quite
intriguing. And on top of that, Kyle Rayner is having to learn how to use
a GL ring. However, this issue was little more than a slugfest.
It seems that our friend Mongul has escaped his prison, hell-bent on revenge
against Superman and Green Lantern for their taking him at Coast City. In
the previous issue, Mongul Ñ unaware that this is not the same GL Ñ has
taken to pounding GL. Here, as Mongul is about to finish off poor Kyle, Supes
flies in to enter the fray. After taking a moment to recover, Kyle joins in
the tussle. During the course of the fight, Kyle lets Supes in on the fact
that heÕs the new guy in the green suit. However, as he tells Superman, he
doesnÕt have much else in common with what Superman knows about the Corps.
Eventually, after discovering that KyleÕs ring doesnÕt have the usual Lantern
weakness against the color yellow, the two subdue Mongul Ñ mostly due to
Kyle. Superman flies off to deposit Mongul in a more secure prison. ThereÕs
a little bit more which sets up future GL stories, but IÕll ignore that.
The art here is not bad, and the story seemed fairly well written. But itÕs
difficult to be sure when most of the story is a fight. As far as Supes is
concerned, we actually get to see him use his head in the fight, rather than
the recent swing-first-and-think-later action weÕve seen him involved in.
ThereÕs nothing here to indicate where this story falls in Superman, but I
suspect that it might fall within the FALL OF METROPOLIS. The reason for
this is that though Superman is quite confused as to what is happening with
the GLC, he doesnÕt bother to take the time to investigate. Of course, if
Metropolis is in shambles, why would he have gone to tackle Mongul hinmself?
There are plenty of other heroes out there.
Anyway, my recommendation is that you save your money unless you already buy
Green Lantern. Though it is not a bad issue, it really does nothing to
advance the Superman stories.
Rating: 3 shields
Jeff Sykes
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GUEST ART
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The following ascii art was submitted by Ronald Evry. Your display needs to
support a full 80 columns to be able to view the logo/picture properly. I
have also found that it looks best when shown as light characters against a
dark background. If anyone else has some art to submit, please do!
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00000000000000000 00000 000000000000000000000000000000000000/ /00
===================00=======================================/ June /===
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00 / 1994 /
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| 000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000|
| 0000000 00000000000000 0000000000000000000000000|
| 00000 0000000000000000 000000000000000000000000|
| 0000000000000000000 000 0000000000000000000000000|
| 000000000000000 00000000000000000000000000000000000|
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KC CONTEST #1 RESULTS:
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First, the answers to the questions:
One of the best Eighties Superman stories is ÒFor the Man who has Everything.Ó
Answer the following questions about this story:
1,2. Name the famous writer and artist on the story, best know for their
work together on a classic reworking of the Charlton heroes.
Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
3. Who is the villain in this story?
Mongul
4-6. What three heroes, other than Superman, appear in this story?
Batman, Robin (Jason Todd), and Wonder Woman
7. Which of these heroes saves the day by defeating the villain?
Robin
8. Which of the heroes gives Superman a rose for his birthday?
Batman
We only received 15 entries, 9 of which had the correct answers. Those
answering correctly were Daniel Cruz, Tom Galloway, Joev Dubach, Tim Tjarks,
Andrew Gould, Mark Semich, Jim Murdoch, Brian Morris, and Lorrie Murphy.
Daniel Cruz responded first, so according to the rules explained last month,
he is the winner of the Limited hard copy edition of The Kryptonian Cybernet
Issue #1! Watch for it in the mail, Daniel!
KC CONTEST #2:
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To increase the number of entries, and to make it more fair for those readers
whose mail systems tend to be slower, weÕve changed the rules for selecting
the winner. For this monthÕs contest, the winner will be selected randomly
from all of the correct entries received. The winner will receive his or
her choice of a first printing of SUPERMAN: THE EARTH-STEALERS, SUPERMAN:
SPEEDING BULLETS, or SUPERMAN: UNDER A YELLOW SUN! As before, staff and
regular contributors are ineligible for prizes. (If a staff member was to
win the prize, we would be open to accusations of dishonesty.) One final
note about contests - future contests will probably not involve prizes, since
any such costs come out of my pocket - IÕm not charging for the Ôzine, after
all! However, should I get an autographed book at a show or something of
that nature, such an item might be used as a prize. For example, if I go
to the big con in Ohio in November, I might be able to get John ByrneÕs
autograph on a copy of Superman #1. You get the idea. Just donÕt be
expecting prizes to be offered in every issue.
On to the second contest!
This monthÕs topic (post-Byrne) was suggested by David Thomas Chappell.
Everyone is very familiar with the Death of the Man of Steel in Superman #75,
and with the funeral which followed. However, there was another post-Byrne
story in which Superman was believed dead and a funeral was held. Answer
the following questions about that story:
1. In what post-Byrne (i.e. after the Man of Steel miniseries) issue was
this story told?
2. Who was the writer of this issue?
3. What villain was responsible for the believed death of Superman?
4. What startling occurrance happened at the Man of SteelÕs funeral?
5. Which other superhero helped to defeat the villain?
HINT: The last page of this issue was a lead-in to a MAJOR DC event!
You may use the entry form below to enter the contest: Simply type your
responses in the appropriate blanks. Then mail the entry form along with
your name and e-mail address to
KryptonCN@aol.com
To be considered, your entry must have a subject line heading of KC:Contest!
XÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑENTRY FORM - CUT HERE ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ-X
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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End of Section 4
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LOOKING BACK
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THE POST-BYRNE REVIEW:
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by Mark Lamutt (markdl@netcom.com)
Title: Superman #11
Written by: John Byrne
Pencilled by: John Byrne
Inked by: Karl Kesel
Cover Date: November 1987
Cover Price: $0.75
Overstreet: $1.60
ÒGood afternoon, Miss Lane,Ó says the tall dark stranger as he enters
the newsroom. He is dressed in the classic ÒDon JohnsonÓ style, with
the silk suit and the five-oÕclock shadow included. Literally sweeping
Lois off her feet, the man, Ben DeRoy, takes Lois to lunch, ignoring
the fact that Clark and Lois have a lunch date. Confusion reigns
supreme in the newsroom at LoisÕ unexpected behavior.
The unlikely couple have a lovely lunch together, except for the
fact that there is a man smoking a cigar at a nearby table. When Lois
complains, the manÕs hand bursts into flames. Entranced with Mr. DeRoy,
Lois fails to notice.
As they leave the establishment, something appears to be very wrong.
Although it is raining very hard, Lois states that she would like to
walk the 40 blocks back to the Daily Planet building since it is such
a beautiful day. As they walk, a childÕs toy monkey springs to life,
mutating into a six-foot tall yellow gorilla smashing everything in
sight. Once again, Lois fails to notice.
At a nearby diner, Jimmy Olsen, young reporter extraordinaire and
SupermanÕs pal, hears the commotion caused by the gorilla and calls
for Superman using his signal watch. Superman arrives on the scene and
takes flight with the gorilla in tow. All of a sudden, the fierce monster
reverts back to its toy form. Bystanders inform the Man of Steel that the
toy sprang to life when a couple walked by - the woman being Lois Lane.
The scene shifts to Lois and Ben DeRoy sitting on a park bench.
DeRoy proposes marriage to Lois, and with no hesitation, she accepts.
But then, Ben DeRoy spots a mannequin in a store window. He comments
that it is much more beautiful than Lois and reaches out for its hand. It
springs to life, stepping through the store window. Lois stares on with
bewilderment.
Superman is still searching for Lois when he hears a scream
coming from the department store. He swoops down to the scene where
he finds that Lois has been turned into a mannequin, replacing the one
that DeRoy took with him. Outside the store window, a truck springs to
life, attacking everything in its path. Superman saves the driver and,
while looking on, Ben DeRoy comments, ÒFinally!Ó, and reverts to his true
form - a white haired imp from the 5th Dimension.
The imp confronts Superman, turning him into several forms, while
the Man of Steel tries to get the imp to reveal his identity. The
prankster claims to be the most powerful being in this dimension, and all
Superman has to do to get him to leave is to stop him. A game is
proposed - all our hero must do is to get the imp to say or spell his name
backwards. When Superman asks what his name is, a huge typewriter
appears in the sky and the imp types it out - Mr. Mxyzptlk. If Superman
can get Mxyzptlk to say or spell his name backwards, he will return to the
5th Dimension.
Of course, things start getting serious when Mxyzptlk causes the
Daily Planet building to come alive - with the mentality of a child.
Mxyzptlk taunts Superman, spelling his name backwards with smoke -
except for the last letter. Superman disappears for a moment, and returns
with the typewriter Mxyzptlk created earlier. He dares Mxyzptlk to type
in the same sequence of letters on the typewriter as he had before, and
when he does, the letters come out backwards, sending our favorite 5th
Dimensional imp back home, threatening that he will be back.
Later, Superman and Lois discuss the events that took place. All
of the things that had happened had returned to normal, and according to
the theoretical physics department at the University of Metropolis,
Mxyzptlk cannot return for at least 90 days. Superman reveals that he
had rewired the keys in the typewriter to spell the name backwards when
Mxyzptlk typed it correctly.
The issue ends with Lois going over to ClarkÕs apartment to make
dinner for him because she had skipped out on their lunch date. When she
arrives, she is greeted by Cat Grant, who is doing the same for Clark.
Lois leaves, and the issue ends.
To be perfectly honest, I was very disappointed with this issue
when I read it the first time. I was expecting Mr. Mxyzptlk to be the way
he had been before the revamp - full of fun and mischievousness. John
Byrne didnÕt write him that way at all. Mxyzptlk became a devilish little
creature, bent only on making Superman look bad. He didnÕt really appear
until well into the issue, at which point things had to be tied together
very quickly to get it all into 22 pages. The characterizations were just
barely two-dimensional, much less the required five. The issue just
wasnÕt as much fun as it should have been.
On the other hand, the artwork was excellent - as it usually is with
John Byrne. Karl KeselÕs inking was also very well done, especially in
the frames where it was raining hard. The story is not anything to write
home about but the art makes this issue worth reading.
Out of a possible 5 shields, this issue rates 1.5 shields. Stay tuned
next time for my review of Superman #21, introducing the all-new
Supergirl.
One last note - I am not forgetting the other two Super-books from
the time period. In upcoming reviews, I will look at books from both
The Adventures of Superman and from Action Comics as well as books from
the Superman series.
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THE POST-BYRNE REVIEWS:
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SUPERMAN #135
DATE: February, 1960
TITLE: ÒSupermanÕs Mermaid SweetheartÓ
EDITOR: Mort Weisinger
REVIEW BY: Patrick Stout
PLOT SYNOPSIS: Passing through a fishing village on the way back to
Metropolis, Clark Kent hears the locals talking about a mermaid
sighting. His mind flashes back to when he was a student at Metropolis
University and met the wheelchair-bound Lori Lemaris; later, as Superman,
he rescued her from an underwater mishap though he felt she was
communicating with the sea creatures. After several dates, Clark
proposed to Lori but she turned him down, later revealing that she was a
mermaid.
Superman and Lori rescued flood victims, and she later told him of her
peopleÕs life in Atlantis, their mastery of telepathy, and of her need to
spend eight hours a day in salt water in order to be able to function on
the surface. ClarkÕs final memory of Lori was her goodbye kiss when she
returned to Atlantis.
Though most of the crowd laughs off the mermaid story, Clark asks the
seaman to describe the mermaid. The description matches that of Lori.
At dusk, Clark stands out on the rocks projecting his thoughts, begging
Lori to return to him. He switches to Superman, diving after a tailfin
that turns out to belong to a dolphin, and finds Lori waiting for him
when he surfaces. Reading his mind, she gives him permission to kiss
her; he proposes again and, though she once again refuses, he begins to
court her. They take in a Broadway show and later dine at a nightclub;
he proposes again, swearing to leave the surface world and dwell in
Atlantis forever if thatÕs what it takes.
Lori says she needs permission from the elders of Atlantis to accept
the proposal, and tells Superman sheÕll return the next night with an
answer. Unknown to them, the seaman who described Lori to Clark is
watching in the shadows. When Lori returns to tell Superman that sheÕll
marry him, the seaman emerges to throw a harpoon at her pet dolphin; Lori
intercepts the weapon and falls onto a jagged rock. Superman flies her
back to Atlantis for treatment but must abandon her when he encounters a
radioactive sea monster; he lures the monster into an active volcano,
where it perishes.
Returning to Atlantis, Superman is told that Lori will be permanently
paralyzed from her injuries. He searches the universe for a surgeon who
can restore her to normal; on a water world, he meets a merman who offers
to help. After Lori recovers, Superman uses his X-ray vision to discover
that she and the merman have fallen in love. Angered by this turn of
events, Superman suffers in silence as Lori tells him his feelings for
her are motivated by pity and not love. She gives him a final kiss goodbye.
Days pass and Clark Kent, finally accepting the situation, asks Lois
Lane if sheÕll go out with him.
REVIEW: This was the second Lori Lemaris story to appear in the
Weisinger books. The first appeared as an Òuntold tale of SupermanÓ and
was set entirely during ClarkÕs college days. This story allowed
Superman to encounter Lori again in the ÒpresentÓ and to attempt to
rekindle their romance. Any sense of duty to the surface world is
apparently not given a single thought by Superman, as he offers to throw
his life aside to become a citizen of Atlantis if Lori will only marry
him. He dispatches the sea monster in four panels, a battle that would
take half a book the way stories are written today. His search through
the universe occupies the equivalent of three panels - writing is tight
when the book has to include two other stories!
This story is early to mid-Weisinger before Lois, Jimmy, Luthor and
all the other characters and kryptonite types started to influence the
title. SupermanÕs power plays second fiddle to his emotions in these
early stories.
========================================================
SUPERMAN #416, ÒThe Ghost of Superman FutureÓ
February, 1986
Written by Elliot S. Maggin
Illustrated by Curt Swan and Al Williamson
Edited by Julius Schwartz
Colored by Gene DÕAngelo
Lettered by Ed King
This was one of the most bizarre and intriguing stories I have ever read
in a comic book. It took several readings to comprehend the plot, and IÕm
still not sure I completely understand it. Actually, the book is composed
of two stories tied together.
The cover has Superman standing in front of his Fortress of Solitude (the
pre- Crisis model). Though he has long gray hair and a flowing gray beard,
physically he is in the prime of health.
On the surface the first story (ÒThe Einstein ConnectionÓ) reads like any
other Superman story. Lex Luthor (Mr. Baldy himself) is trying to outsmart
Superman, but gets caught anyway. The date March 14 plays an important
part of the story, but the significance is unknown until the end.
There are confusing symbolic scenes throughout the book, like an archway
of water hanging in the air with a boat on it. Luthor created this as a
diversion for a crime he is committing, as well as a realistic flying
hologram of himself in an attempt to distract Superman long enough to make
his escape. Suddenly, a man is knocked into the water by a speeding boat.
Luthor sees this and exclaims, ÒI...I canÕt let someone drown because of
me Ñ not today...not on HIS birthday!Ó Luther saves the man but is
captured by Superman in the process.
Superman figures out the riddle of March 14 and flies Luther to the feet
of a statue of Albert Einstein, LuthorÕs idol (whose birthday is on that
date). The villain tearfully wishes the scientist a happy birthday. The
first story wraps up with many loose ends.
The second story, which is the actual title of the comic, shows a
130-year-old Superman talking to a group of intergalactic news reporters.
Superman has apparently been doing the Howard Hughes routine and keeping
himself out of the public eye for several years. In fact, this story takes
place about 100 years after ÒThe Einstein Connection.Ó Luthor mysteriously
disappeared at the same time as Superman and one of the reporters speculates
aloud that Luthor was SupermanÕs secret identity.
After the elderly Superman shows the reporters a holographic machine
invented by Luthor, the story switches back to ÒThe Einstein Connection.Ó
Superman is taking us back in time, and we see some of the same scenes
from the first story repeated. Then, just as suddenly, the modern-day
Superman meets his elderly counterpart at the Fortress of Solitude. The
young Superman thinks this is just another trick of LuthorÕs. The elderly
Man of Steel declares that this is no trick and warns the younger Superman,
ÒYou must let Luthor go, then catch him again later...Ó Then he tells him,
ÒIÕll see you in a mirror in a hundred years or so.Ó
We go back to the scene where Luther created the suspended water archway.
As before, a man is knocked into the water by a speeding boat. Luther
saves him. He is captured by Superman.
The last scene of the second story shows the elderly Superman explaining
what happened to the reporters. The man saved from drowning was Calvin
Anderson, the criminal rehabilitation genius who cured Luthor of his
criminal obsession.
Superman #416 is filled with many twists and turns. It is not a simple
story to read, and I have left out so many details that make this comic
really fun. The presentation of a past, present, and future Superman,
the paradoxical plot of two interconnected stories, the cunning genius
of Lex Luther (bald and all), and the old familiar Fortress of Solitude
makes this book a real gem.
Rating: 4 shields
Ken McKee
stdkrm01@shsu.edu
========================================================
DEATH BEFORE
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by J. D. Rummel
My mother used to read comic books to me. She had two things she preferred
to avoid. She was not fond of long narrative blocks, nor was she entertained
by that Òlittle guy that goes through the phone line.Ó (the Silver Age Atom)
One story she read to me was in a twenty-five cent Òeighty page giant.Ó I
canÕt remember the cover anymore, but I remember the first reprint was a
three-parter called, ÒThe Death of Superman.Ó
You see, DC has killed Superman before. God knows how many times during the
course of an imaginary or alternate reality story they have killed Big Blue
(One of the quaint aspects of stories from this period is that the grief-
stricken invariably had a word or thought balloon punctuated with the word
ÒchokeÓ). Anyway, the most recent death, the long, drawn-out one, got a lot
of publicity as the real end of Superman (yeah, and McDonaldÕs is gonna stop
selling hamburgers), and was definitely aimed at the wallet of fans.
Written in 1961 by Jerry Siegel and drawn by the classic Swan and Klein
team, the earlier ÒDeathÓ admitted from the beginning to be one of the
clever Òimaginary talesÓ invented to give the series some creative room.
It told of Lex LuthorÕs apparent desire to reform and the incredible
demonstration of human faith Superman gives to his most lethal foe.
Luthor wins the trust of the world, and then lures Superman to kryptonite
doom. No multi-issue Marvel-age-inspired endless fight scene here.
Superman is murdered, not by a galactic maniac unaccountable for his own
actions, but cruelly and willfully by a criminal who, for all his
brilliance, chooses to do wrong.
The story reflects the difference in the times. For instance, when Luthor
is brought to justice he is tried in a Kandorian court but smugly believes
he can cut a deal. When he attempts this he is told before the sentence is
executed, ÒWe donÕt make deals with murderers.Ó Talk about an imaginary tale.
Make no mistake, it has many of the story problems of its period, including
fast, simplistic solutions to complicated issues, and shameful female
characterization Ñ wherein women are simply window dressing for male
figures (although Supergirl comes out of hiding to take over for the
deceased Action Ace). But ÒDeathÓ is still a tale essential to understanding
the heart of SupermanÕs character. ÒDeathÓ showcases the inner goodness of
Superman that was so much a part of the pre-Bryne stories. Unlike many
comics today, it has a message to impart: If you are going to try and do
right and take a chance on trusting someone, you may lose. As near as I
could tell, the only moral that the most recent death hinted at was: You
canÕt really die if you are a cash cow.
When my mother finished reading the story I was crying. I remember she
assured me that it was just a story, that it didnÕt really happen as the
final narrative box explained. But that day, I was young enough to believe
in stories, and that my friend could die, and I missed him.
Today, I am older and wiser. For reasons both corporate and ideal, I know
that Superman can never die.
Away.
========================================================
End of Section 5
========================================================
OTHER-MEDIA
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AND WHO DISGUISED AS...:
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ-
by J. D. Rummel
SupermanÑThe Movies
Almost everybody has seen the Christopher Reeve Superman. Movies I and II
are still in the top 100 of the highest grossing films of all time. Great
sums of money were spent, and seriously talented folks were engaged to bring
their gifts to the Man of Steel. I would, in fact, offer my own opinion
that Reeve provides the best Superman portrayal to date in any medium
requiring an actor, but more on that later.
Why then, with these factors considered, do I believe the movies are all
failures when it comes to honoring the last son of Krypton?
Because the creators do not respect the source material, nor the audience,
thatÕs why. The producers were the epitome of businessmen working in an art
form, never interested in anything other than a fast buck. LetÕs look at
each of the four Reeve vehicles.
I. It is painfully easy to see the touch of multiple writers with vastly
different perspectives in this film. From Mario PuzoÕs earnest, epic
American myth rendering with its loooooong hour before our hero shows
up, and BrandoÕs soporific wandering with the inexplicable ÒSÓ on his
chest, to David and Leslie NewmanÕs demeaning and puerile efforts to
convince us that their clownish Lex Luthor is anything other than
insulting, this is a desperately confused movie.
What redeems this mess? Christopher Reeve, pure and simple. Without
him, there would have been no reason other than curiosity to see this
movie, and in all likelihood it would be on MST3K today. Watching him
is the only time I have ever believed that Kent and Superman are not
the same guy. He makes me recognize the nerdy Clark as the guy we all
are, and when he says he is here to fight for truth, justice and the
American way I believe in him. Furthermore, I believe in ideals and
my cynicism melts.
Oh, there are some good moments that work. Glen Ford on the farm, and
the wheat field cinematography are moving; Gene Hackman is superb,
brilliantly rising above the foolishness he is asked to read, but
ultimately it is a movie that belongs in the burgeoning Richard Donner
Hall of Shame.
II. The best of a lame lot. In it, the issues addressed are so powerful
that they bench press the movie above the Madison Avenue thinking
which corrupted the first, third, and fourth films. Superman must
face the awesome responsibility of his power and forsake things that
he really wants, because he has a destiny and a mission. It offers
true heroic characterization. Superman cares about everybody all
right. Once again, Reeve is magnificent, and this time, at last, he
faces a real menace in Terence Stamp. Great fight scene.
III. The people responsible for this should be caned. A more accurate
title would be: Superman three, Richard Pryor, four, because Superman
is the loser in this crap-fest, as are we. The opening Mack Sennett
sequence during the credits redefines disregard for the audience,
making true fans of Superman feel positively homicidal when forced
to watch it. The film rarely rises above this nadir.
While PryorÕs place in the pantheon of American humor cannot be denied,
the use of his then box-office clout to hedge the money making bet
degrades the value of the Superman legend and reveals the film makers
for the grubby businessmen they are. The fact that they have produced
nothing but box-office A-bombs since III (_Supergirl_, _Santa Claus_,
_Christopher Columbus_) proves to me there is justice left in the world.
May they never make a dime again.
The saddest part of it all is that the concept of Superman discovering
his dark side is vastly interesting and could have rendered an
introspective masterpiece of entertainment.
IV. This is really grim stuff. Cannibalism is never pretty. The writers
actually pirated the first two, financially successful films and
repeated what they must have deemed the Ògood parts.Ó In IV, Superman
again flys with Lois, he again loses his powers, and is again rescued
by a green, illuminated piece of wind chime. Additional slaps to the
Super fan are his talking in space, and perhaps the worst bit of film
story editing since the invention of the medium, when, near the end it
is obvious to even the numbest of skulls that a significant portion of
plot remained on the cutting room floor.
Well, IÕve harangued enough for this month. Maybe next time IÕll discuss
the earlier films with Kirk Alyn and George Reeves. The guys who made
those seemed to respect us.
Away.
===========================================================
THE FLEISCHER CARTOONS:
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ
by Neil A. Ottenstein
Episode 15: ÒJungle DrumsÓ
Released: 3-26-43
Running Time: 8 minutes
Faster than a streak of lightning
More powerful than the pounding surf
Mightier than a roaring hurricane
This 15th cartoon in the series starts with drums pounding in the jungle.
We discover that Nazi forces have hidden themselves there, with their base
as a temple and their men as priests to the natives.
They pass on news of an American convoy to their submarine fleet commander,
and shoot down a plane flying overhead. Lois Lane was on this plane, and
her companion gives her important papers. The natives converge on her, but
she manages to hide the papers before being brought onto the base. Under
interrogation, she refuses to talk about the papers, and is to be sacrificed.
But her silence is in vain, as the natives have found the papers.
We learn that LoisÕs plane was to meet the American convoy, as Clark is
getting onto a plane himself for the same purpose. As ClarkÕs plane flies
over the jungle, the sacrificial fire below is spotted, and Clark notices
the wreckage of a plane. He parachutes down, changes into Superman on a
cliff, and rescues Lois. The natives are shocked to see him come out of
the fire with her in his arms, and jungle drums stop.
The Nazis strike back. During the battle Lois puts on one of the nativesÕ
costumes and enters the base to warn the convoy. Once again she falls into
peril, but Superman saves her and she warns the U.S. forces in time to save
the convoy and cause an entire fleet of Axis submarines to be destroyed.
Though the Superman cartoons dealing directly with the war have had the
weakest plots, this one was more sophisticated. Key features in the
animation include the dancing of the natives, ClarkÕs transformation to
Superman (his shadow changing against the cliff), and his walking out of
the fire holding Lois. ClarkÕs conversation with his pilot before getting
on the plane carried a slight bit of humor. Overall, the cartoon was very
well done, but the constraints of being a war film brought it down a notch.
The two Fleischer Superman cartoon volumes are available for $19.95 each
directly from Bosko Video or from anyone who carries high quality animation.
A catalog is available from Bosko Video
3802 East Cudahy Ave.
Cudahy WI 53110-1234
========================================================
LETTERS
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HEY EVERYONE! We REALLY want to see some reactions from you! (And I think
that some of this monthÕs articles may spur you on! :) We only received a
few letters this month, so I answered most of them personally. Here are
a few:
From: David Reinen <dar@krypton.mankato.msus.edu>
Congratulations on a fabulous first issue! I really enjoyed everything
in it. The post-Byrne column (and the pre-Byrne one) are destined to be my
favorites because my collection, interest, and readings stretch from the
1960Õs thru today. Superman is THE greatest comic book character ever,
for reasons too numerous and hopefully too obvious to mention. Your
electrozine seems like a fitting vehicle for bringing that point to the
many new comic readers in this computer-oriented age.
I canÕt sign off without saying thanks to two people connected to KCN
that have been doing great work on the net, in racm and alt.superman,
providing information for those of us who read those groups: David
ChappellÑthe Superman faq and storylines, and Jeffery SykesÑL&C episode
guides.
Again, congratulations.
THANKS FOR YOUR PRAISE DAVID! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE PRE-BYRNE REVIEWS
IN THIS SECOND ISSUE. AND WE HOPE OUR MAGAZINE DOES SOME JUSTICE TO THE
GREATEST COMIC BOOK CHARACTER EVER.
*************************************************************
From: Marc Singer (marcs@wam.umd.edu)
Congratulations on the first issue of Kryptonian Cybernet! The
columns and reviews were all enjoyable, and the pre-Byrne review should
be a real treat once it gets started!
Will future issues have Òlead storiesÓ? And have you considered having
theme issues Ñ an issue devoted to Krypton, another to Smallville, another
to all of SupermanÕs classic ÒdeathsÓ (real and imaginary), etc? Or
perhaps an issue on his supernatural experiences for Halloween, and one
on his many loves for ValentineÕs Day?
Whatever course the future issues take, I hope theyÕre all as good as the
first! To borrow a little Stan-Lee-ish hype, Keep KryptonCN CominÕ!
YOU WANT LEAD STORIES? HOW DO THESE SOUND? UPCOMING WEÕLL SEE THE
PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED INTERVIEW WITH DAN JURGENS AS THE FEATURE OF ONE
ISSUE. A COUPLE OF OUR REVIEWERS ARE GOING TO WRITE A KIND OF POINT/
COUNTERPOINT ON THE PRE-BYRNE SUPERMAN VS THE POST-BYRNE SUPERMAN. AND
ANOTHER REVIEWER IS PLANNING ON AN ARTICLE ABOUT THE SUPERMAN CLASS SHE
IS TEACHING THIS SUMMER! I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF THEME ISSUES, SO WEÕLL
HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH IT!
*************************************************************
From: FERNANDO M LOPEZ <ASFML@acad2.alaska.edu>
This is just a quick note about erinÕs review of The Ray #1-2...(s)he states
that these issues probably take place between Superboy #1 and #2, but it
specifically states in Superboy #4 that he had just recently come back from
fighting Brimstone with Ray, placing The Ray #1-2 between Superboy #3 and #4.
THANKS FOR THE SHARP EYES. WEÕLL TRY TO DO BETTER NEXT TIME! :)
AND BTW, ERIN IS A HE. :)
***************
I hope to hear from some more of you. If you have a letter, send it
to KryptonCN@aol.com and IÕll make certain that it gets sent to whomever
it might be addressed to.
Jeff
========================================================
RESOURCES
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This section of the magazine supplies information concerning how to obtain
Superman files via different Internet resources such as ftp, e-mail, and WWW.
The first section lists known files available at different ftp sites and via
the WWW. In the near future, we will also include a list of relevant mailing
lists and how to subscribe to them. The second section gives a brief tutorial
in how to use ftp and, for those of you whose systems doesnÕt support ftp
(AOL and CompuServe, for example), how you may obtain ftp files via e-mail.
New: Information on additional pictures at the hyperion site.
Info added on three other ftp commands.
Needed: Could someone please send me information concerning how to subscribe
to the Lois and Clark discussion list and the Comics-L list?
Also, if you know of any other Superman-related Internet resources,
please let me know.
I would also like to find one site at which we could archive all of
the files below as well as past issues of KC. I already have a site
lined up for archiving past issues - more on that next time. But I
would like a site for EVERYTHING.
1. Files Available:
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Superman.FAQ
The latest version of David T. ChappellÕs Superman FAQ.
Site: ftp.dhhalden.no Directory: /pub/Comics/FAQ
ftp.catt.ncsu.edu /pub/misc
Superman.ComicList
The latest version of David T. ChappellÕs Superman Stories List.
Site: ftp.catt.ncsu.edu Directory: /pub/misc
LC.EpGuide.txt, LC.Summ1.txt, LC.Summ2.txt
Jeffery D. SykesÕ Lois & Clark episode guide and summaries.
Site: ftp.dhhalden.no Directory: /pub/Comics/Film_and_TV
ftp.catt.ncsu.edu /pub/misc
Superman_in_Songs_Index.txt
A list of Superman references in popular music.
Site: ftp.dhhalden.no Directory: /pub/Comics/Reference
In addition, there are the following gif and jpg files available:
Site: ftp.hyperion.com Directory: /pub/TV/Lois-and-Clark
Files: There are now more than 40 files at this site. See
the information below on using the ÒlsÓ command to get a
list of these pictures.
Site: ftp.catt.ncsu.edu Directory: /pub/graphics/images/comics
Files: Action_Comics644.gif, Adventures_of_Superman431.gif,
Super_Cyborg.gif, Superman.jpg, Superman18.gif,
Superman60.gif, Superman9.gif
Mosaic users can access the catt and dhhalden sites via the following WWW
pages: ftp://ftp.catt.ncsu.edu/pub/misc and ftp://ftp.dhhalden.no/pub/Comics.
2. Basics of ftp and ftp via e-mail:
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ
FTP
Ñ-
The following easy steps will allow you to obtain any of the files listed
above. First determine the site at which the file is located. Type into
your terminal:
ftp <site name>
This will log you into the ftp system. At the login prompt, enter
ÒanonymousÓ and for your password enter your e-mail address. Then determine
the directory in which the file is located. Type:
cd <directory>
This will place you in the correct directory. To list the files available
in the current directory, use the ÒlsÓ command. There may be more files
than can fit on the screen at once. IÕm sorry, but I really donÕt know
what to do about this. Any help?
Finally, to obtain a given file in the current directory, type
get <filename>
If you want files in another directory, start over with the ÒcdÓ command.
If you want to transfer to another site, type ÒquitÓ and then start over
from the beginning. Alternately, you may use the ÒcloseÓ command to exit
the current site. Then you can type
open <site name>
to move into a new site. The remaining steps are the same as above. The
only advantage to this is that you do not exit the ftp shell.
If you want more information about ftp, search your system manuals or
contact your sysadmin.
FTP BY E-MAIL
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If your system does not support ftp, you may still obtain these files via
e-mail. Select the files that you wish to obtain and note their directories.
You will need to repeat the following procedure for each directory in each
site.
E-Mail a message to either ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com or
ftpmail@sunsite.unc.edu with the body of the message consisting only
of the commands between the lines of dashes below.
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ-
connect <site name>
chdir <directory>
get <file1>
get <file2>
.
.
ÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑÑ-
Do not include the lines of dashes, and do not include anything else
in the body of the message. You may use as many ÒgetÓ commands as
is necessary, but all files you get must be within the directory
specified by the ÒchdirÓ command.
You will receive a message telling you that your request has been queued.
Then, about a day later, you will receive the files themselves. Each file
will be contained in its own mail message.
________________________________________________________________
*************************************************************
End of Issue #2
