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The Kryptonian Cybernet Issue 32
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T H E K R Y P T O N I A N C Y B E R N E T
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http://www.ms.uky.edu/~sykes/kc
Issue #32 - Late October 1996
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CONTENTS
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Section 1: Superscripts: Notes from the Editor
As Long As You Both Shall Live
News and Notes
The Mouse Speaks!
By Michael Etten
Into The Archives Fun And Games (Part 1)
Can you crack Superman's secret code!?
Section 2: Just The FAQs
"What Events Led to Lois and Clark's Romance?"
by David T. Chappell
The Mailbag
Section 3: New Comic Reviews
The Superman Titles
Superman #118, by Shane Furlong
Superman: The Wedding Album, by Rene' Gobeyn
Super-Family Titles
Showcase '96 #11, by Rene' Gobeyn
Section 4: New Comic Reviews
Super-Family Titles (cont)
Steel #33, by Dick Sidbury
Supergirl #4, by Patrick Stout
Superman Adventures #2, by Cory Strode
Miniseries
DC/Marvel: All Access #1, by Rene' Gobeyn
Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy #1, by Rene' Gobeyn
Section 5: Lois and Clark
Guilty of Innocence, by Zoomway
Episode Reviews:
#4-03: "Swear To God, This Time We're Not Kidding",
by Diane Levitan
Section 6: Lois and Clark
Episode Reviews (cont):
#4-04: "Soul Mates", by Marta Olson
The Phantom Zone: Super Friends
DC Comics Presents #27-29, by Joe Crowe
Into The Archives Fun And Games (Part 2)
Solutions!
STAFF:
------
Jeffery D. Sykes, Editor-in-Chief
Arthur E. LaMarche, Executive Coordinator of Reviews
Nancy Jones, Executive Coordinator: Lois and Clark, S:TAS sections
Editors:
Chip Chandler Curtis Herink William O'Hara
Joe Crowe Bill Meeks Shane Travis
Steve Hanes Steven Younis
LEGAL DISCLAIMERS:
-----------------
Superman and all related characters, locations, and events are copyright and
trademark DC Comics. Use of the aforementioned is not intended to challenge
said ownership. We strongly suggest that each reader look to the media sources
mentioned within for further information.
All original material published in The Kryptonian Cybernet, including but not
limited to reviews, articles, and editorials, are copyright 1996 by The
Kryptonian Cybernet and the respective authors. Reprinting in any format is
expressly forbidden without the permission of The Kryptonian Cybernet and the
contributing author.
Opinions presented within this issue belong to the authors of the articles
which contain them. They should in no way be construed as those of any other
particular member of the editorial or contributing staff, unless otherwise
indicated.
This magazine can be distributed, in whole, freely via e-mail. Should you
desire to share this publication with other on-line services, please contact me
at sykes@ms.uky.edu for permission. Feel free to advertise subscription
information on other on-line services which have internet mail availability.
THE KRYPTONIAN CYBERNET is available by e-mail -- to subscribe, send the
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subscribe kc
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in the body of an e-mail message to "majordomo@novia.net" (without the
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Back issues are available via ftp at oasis.novia.net. These archives can also
be reached via the Kryptonian Cybernet Homepage:
http://www.ms.uky.edu/~sykes/kc
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SUPERSCRIPTS: Notes from the Editor
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AS LONG AS YOU BOTH SHALL LIVE
We've got some fantastic pieces for you this month (the writers have outdone
themselves this month!), so I won't take up too much of your time here. Let
the *good* writers tell you all about the weddings! :)
For my quick opinions, let's first turn to LOIS AND CLARK. I have no idea
what the "Wedding Destroyer" plot was all about, nor do I care. I have no
idea what the Mike thing was all about, nor do I care. The wedding itself was
beautiful -- Lois and Clark's vows managed to sum up exactly the point of this
episode. What really matters was that we *finally* got the long-overdue
wedding. Lois and Clark are finally married -- who cares how they got there.
Now let's plow ahead and get to the *really* new ground.
The comics pulled off a better event, in my opinion. SUPERMAN: THE WEDDING
ALBUM, though maybe a little under-hyped, was a phenomenal book with
incredible writing. There were so many wonderful points to this story, but
it's not my job to recount them -- Rene' does a fabulous job in his review of
the wedding.
"Those whom God has joined together, LET NO MAN PUT ASUNDER!"
These words closed THE WEDDING ALBUM, and I hope they serve as a reminder for
future Superman writers. DC has taken a mighty step with this wedding, and I
think the writers are absolutely chomping at the bit to write Lois and Clark's
wedded life. But a few years down the road, when the story well may have
seemed to dry up, I hope that the staff can resist the urge to break up the
wedding as a marketing ploy.
In this day and age, the business end of comics seems to be as responsible for
the decisions as the creative end -- a dangerous trend for any artistic form.
Should the sales of the Superman titles falter in the future, let's hope that
drastic measures aren't taken for a quick boost to the sales numbers.
Dan Jurgens mentioned in a recent WIZARD interview that he couldn't see a
divorce fitting with Clark's personality: "The one thing Clark Kent never,
ever does is admit defeat or give in to failure in anything, even his
marriage. According to my understanding of the characters, a divorce is
impossible." I agree a hundred and ten percent. But I also think there's a
bit more to the reasoning.
Superman is the icon among icons. He's a hero to children and adults alike.
In this day and age when marriages fail more often that automobile engines,
the world needs such an icon to show people that marriage *is* an important
step, and a lifelong commitment. When the going gets tough, or when you don't
get your way, you don't bail on a marriage -- that's just not what it's about.
Along these lines, I hope that somewhere down the road we'll see a magnificent
story about Lois and Clark having some kind of emotional trouble in their
marriage, but a story in which love serves as a more powerful force than any
of Superman's powers. A story in which Lois and Clark simply refuse to give
in to their problems and show exactly the kind of commitment that is marriage.
For better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health,
forsaking all others, so long as you both shall live.
We've got some wonderful tales ahead of us as DC steers the Man of Steel into
uncharted waters. He can handle it.
Long life and happiness to the bride and groom, and to us all!
Jeff Sykes
Editor
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NEWS AND NOTES
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A HERO FOR ALL THE WORLD
WASHINGTON, D.C.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Oct. 21, 1996--After decades of
fighting menaces here and across the galaxy, Superman faces one of his
most difficult problems: how to teach the children of Bosnia-Herzegovina
about land mine safety.
Today, he teams up with UNICEF, the United Nations, IFOR (Implementation
Forces in Bosnia), the Department of Defense, Time Warner, U.N. Ambassador
Madeleine Albright and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to show young
people how to protect themselves.
DC Comics has published a comic book, Superman: Deadly Legacy, in three
languages, using the Cyrillic and Latinic alphabets, which will be
distributed at no charge to children through the Mine Action Center in
Sarajevo. Participating organizations assisted writer Louise Simonson and
artists Kieron Dwyer and Dick Giordano, providing research and reference
materials to make the comic as useful to the children as it is emotionally
gripping.
There are currently three million land mines buried in Bosnian soil, and
as many as three million unexploded rounds of ordnance. There are 16,000
registered fields containing land mines, and thousands more unidentified.
Worldwide, there may be as many as 110 million unexploded land mines, and
as many as 25,000 people die each year as a result, many of them children.
In Superman: Deadly Legacy, the Man of Steel teaches young people the
first steps in protecting themselves against these dangers.
DC Comics President and Editor-in-Chief, Jenette Kahn, said, "When Judy
Collins told me about the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina, it sounded like
a problem where we could be of help. We chose Superman to carry the
message because he is uniquely renowned not only for his humanity and
compassion, but also as a citizen of the world. Because he cannot be
everywhere at once, Superman shares his knowledge of land mine peril with
Bosnian children, confident they will spread the word when he's gone.
We're proud to be part of this remarkable alliance of government agencies,
non-profit advocacy groups and private industry."
THAT TIME OF YEAR AGAIN
The comics dated 1996 come to a close this week, so it's once again time
for the Kaycees! The 1996 Kryptonian Cybernet Readers' Choice Awards
will begin taking votes with the next issue of the magazine. And this
year, one of our voters will be selected at random to win absolutely the
coolest prize we've ever given away! I'm not gonna tell you now, but
for a vague hint, think automobile (chew on that one for a while :) ).
So put on your thinking caps about what's been good and bad in the world
of Superman during the past year!
IT'S ABOUT FRAGGIN TIME
S:TAS debuts the first of its many planned guest appearances by other DC
superstars next weekend when they debut "The Main Man: Part 1," which is
undoubtedly the first part of the reported two-part Lobo appearance! Sit
back Superman fans and get ready to rock, because regardless of whether
the show sticks with the comics' current anti-hero incarnation of Lobo or
returns him to his decidedly villainous origins, Lobo's sure to test the
Man of Steel on a *very* physical level! "The Main Man: Part 1" is set
to air the weekend of November 9. (Look for a new episode featuring
Brainiac this weekend!)
CD-ROMICS
Inverse Ink's new CD-ROM titles featuring DC characters hit the market
late last month. Keep an eye out for the Superboy and Superman CD-ROMs
in your local computer stores. For further information and previews of
their products, visit Inverse Ink on the World Wide Web at
http://www.inverse.com
CA LITE
In the current voting over the frequency of publication, a few people have
requested that Coming Attractions be printed in each issue. While the
sheer length of that portion of the Cybernet makes this impossible, I'm
more than willing to make a compromise. Assuming for the moment that we
move to the twice a month format on a regular basis, which looks probable
at this point, then Coming Attractions will appear in its entirety in the
early issue of a given month -- this is the first issue published after
PREVIEWS is released.
In the later issue of a given month, this News and Notes column will
contain an abbreviated version of Coming Attractions, called CA Lite. It
will simply list the issues which are expected to ship in the following
two or three weeks, without any of the spoilers or creator information.
Full information will still be available via the Kryptonian Cybernet
homepage.
Scheduled to Arrive in Stores November 6:
DC/Marvel: All Access #2 (of 4) -- $1.95
JLA #1 -- $1.95
Showcase '96 #12 (of 12) -- $2.95
Steel #34 -- $1.95
Superman #119 -- $1.95
Superman Adventures #3 -- $1.75
Scheduled to Arrive in Stores November 13:
Adventures of Superman #542 -- $1.95
Superboy Plus #1 (of 1) -- $2.95
Supergirl #5 -- $1.95
Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy #2 (of 4) -- $4.95
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THE MOUSE SPEAKS!
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by Michael Etten (MMouseEsq@aol.com)
Reprinted with permission from the comic newsletter "First in the News"
I had an opportunity to meet with Dan Jurgens on Monday, the day after
Superman was married on television. Dan and I got to talking about whether
Superman should have gotten married or not. My initial reaction, and it stems
from my being a conservative traditionalist, is that Superman should have
stayed single. Lois should have come back to Metropolis, but the relationship
should have remained platonic and the status quo should have returned. Lois
loved Superman, Clark admired Lois, Lois thought Clark was a nerd.
OK, so it would be tough to retract the fact that Lois knows Clark is
Superman. But the idea of Superman getting married just seems odd to me. And
out of place. Even being married as Clark, it still presents a liability that
Superman shouldn't have to worry about -- his wife. The old tales of Superman
dreaming he was married to Lois and even having children were fun, fanciful
stories. Now those "dreams," at least the marriage portion, have come true.
Dan seemed to understand my perspective, but he made a couple of very good
points. First, he said, it remains to be seen whether it was a good thing or
not. He recognized that the initial hype, while great, did not compare to the
hype of the Death of Superman. Obviously Dan was in favor of the marriage --
he did illustrate the actual ceremony after all. The determining factor,
according to Dan, will be whether the writers can continue to add to the
story. The characters need to continue to develop and the storylines should
be better because of this story. It shouldn't just be a quick flash in the
pan, it should be a mature, developing story. And while Superman has had a
weekly issue for some time now, it will be important for _all_ of the writers
to continue the development of the relationship, not just one or two. I
always thought Dan has done a great job of writing Superman and I am sure it
will continue.
Dan also had a few comments about other DC comics, and comics in general.
Superman has had a longer history of titles and stories being continuous
cross-overs. Other titles have tried that strategy as well, primarily because
of the success of the Superman books and the huge impact of the Death of
Superman. Now DC, and the other publishers, are beginning to pull away from
the strategy because it has not been successful for them. Superman is a
legend in his own right, and he can do things others cannot, such as
supporting a new story each week, throughout five titles. Batman is not
Superman. The Batman books have promised not to do any major cross-overs, or
even long storylines, for the next year. Hopefully other title families will
make the same vow.
Superman is married, and my opinion has been changed, thanks to Dan. It is a
wonderful opportunity to introduce people to comics again. It is also a
beautiful story and a touching ceremony.
Thank you very much for your time Dan, it was a pleasure to get to speak with
you at length. Keep up the great work and we'll keep buying the books.
That's it for this week. I hope all is going well for you.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to talking with you next week.
Michael Etten
MMouseEsq@aol.com
Copyright 1996 by Michael Etten. All rights reserved. Distribution for
commercial purposes is prohibited.
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INTO THE ARCHIVES FUN AND GAMES (PART 1)
-----------------------------------------------
by Neil A. Ottenstein (otten@gluon.umd.edu)
I've mentioned in past columns that on the Supermen of America page in
SUPERMAN issues 6 through 8, there has been a secret message to readers,
written in one of nine codes available to members of Supermen of America.
While cleaning up the other day, I found my Superman's Secret Code card. In
April 1994, Mike Valerio gave all members of Capa-Alpha one of these cards. I
had forgotten about it until I just found it. Anyway, I thought it might be
fun to present you with the secret codes from these three issues so you can
try your hand at decoding them. There were nine different codes used, named
with planets in our solar system plus Krypton. Note that these appeared in
comics of 1940 and like the comics themselves are a product of their time.
SUPERMAN #6: (Code Saturn No. 5)
FQBFDX WJRJRGJW YT UQFD KFNW FSI QNAJ MTSJXYQD YMJS
YMJ WJBFWIX TK QNKJ BNQQ GJ DTZWX.
SUPERMAN #7: (Code Mercury No. 1)
CF QSPVE ZPV BSF BO BNESJDBO BOE MJWF VQ UP UIF HSFBU
IFSJUBH PG B HSFBU OBUJPO.
[Note, there are two typos here. One word has an incorrect letter and
another word is missing one letter.]
SUPERMAN #8: (Code Mercury No. 1)
CF MPZBM UP BNFSJDBO JEFBMT BOE ZPV LFFQ UIF GJSF PG
GSFFEPN BCMBAF.
Check your answers at the end of the issue!
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JUST THE FAQS
---------------------
More Details about Frequently-Asked Questions about the Man of Steel
by David T. Chappell (dtc@acpub.duke.edu)
With this month's Super-wedding, it seems only appropriate to take a look back
at the history of the relationship between Lois Lane and Clark Kent in modern
comic-book continuity. In particular, this article will concentrate on the
events leading up to Clark's initial proposal to Lois as I answer the
question,
"What Events Led to Lois and Clark's Romance?"
Introduction
Back in the less logical days before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Lois Lane
spent much of her time trying to prove that Clark Kent was Superman, and Clark
had to continually work to thwart her efforts. The 1986 revamp of the Man of
Steel resulted in a number of changes, including John Byrne's decision that
Lois would no longer be consumed with the concept of Clark being Superman. As
Lois was released from her bonds to gain greater depth as a character, so,
too, did the relationship between Lois and Clark grow. Initially, Lois hated
Clark passionately, but eventually that passion would change into a love that
has led to matrimony.
The Early Days
Lois and Clark had their first encounter during Kal-El's famous first public
heroic appearance. When the Constitution space-plane seemed destined for
disaster, a mysterious flying man brought the space-plane to a safe landing.
DAILY PLANET reporter Lois Lane was onboard the craft, and she immediately ran
to speak to the strange savior. As Clark explained to Pa Kent, "it seemed as
if something passed between us. A spark ..." Before either could react, a
mob swarmed them, and Clark flew away. Though Lois did not later make the
connection between the stranger and Clark Kent, the encounter had a lasting
impact on both of them. (MAN OF STEEL #1, 1986)
It was in her story on the space-plane near-disaster that Lois first dubbed
the new super-hero as "Superman." The name caught on quickly, and soon other
newspapers and the public at large was calling the super-hero by this new
moniker. Perhaps more importantly, the Kents embraced the new name, and Clark
and Pa Kent designed the famous "S" shield for Clark's costume to stand for
the heroic designation. Although she named the new hero, Lois was continually
thwarted in attempts to learn more about the man. Superman's speed and
efficiency left her in his wake as she constantly arrived at crime scenes too
late to interview Superman. After a week of "chasing our mystery man all over
Metropolis" (MOS #2), Lois set herself up to attract Superman by driving her
car off the end of a pier. Superman's convenient rescue led to a discussion
and brief interview. When Superman flew away, a starry-eyed Miss Lane
frantically wrote a story which she eagerly rushed to the DAILY PLANET, but
her excitement quickly fell. Perry explained how Lois had been beat to the
"story of the century" by a new reporter who had just joined the staff. Lois
immediately and intensely hated Clark Kent for scooping her, and their
relationship was thus marred from the start. (MAN OF STEEL #1-2, 1986;
ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN Annual #7, 1995).
The Struggle
Despite Clark's attempts to befriend Lois, the proud female reporter refused
to forgive him for that first story. For example, a year and a half later
when a news story led Lois and Clark to attend a party together, the
conversation led Lois to nonchalantly acknowledge Clark's terrific physique
right before she asked how Clark's parents wound "up with a son who's such a
swine?" Not one to take matters lightly, Lois staunchly chided Clark for
stealing her story "seventeen months, two weeks, four days" previously.
Although Lois did express anger over Clark's apparent death later that
evening, her most enthusiastic response that night was to "Superman! You were
fantastic!" (MAN OF STEEL #4, 1986)
In subsequent months and years, the disparity between Lois's reactions to
Clark and Superman continued to grow. Clark did his best to ask Lois to
forgive him and become friends, but Lois would never consider it. Clark's
ongoing reputation of getting the best Superman stories never seemed to help
matters, either. On the other hand, Superman's occasional interactions and
rescues of Miss Lane earned her the nickname of "Superman's Girlfriend."
When an investigation led Lois Lane to Smallville, she learned "truths" that
drastically affected her relationship to Clark. When she began to wonder
enough to ask, "Superman ... are you Clark Kent?", Lois received a negative
answer but learned that Superman and Clark had been friends since even before
Superman's first public appearance. This revelation only angered Lois more as
she stormed away from the Superman whom she realized had intentionally given
news stories to his friend Clark. In her computerized diary that evening,
Lois wrote, "Tonight I understand the meaning of betrayal. I understand what
it feels like, to have known a man, looked up to him ... yes, perhaps even
loved him ... only to discover he was playing a cruel game." Clark's attempt
to apologize was a failure, but Lana Lang caught Lois before she left
Smallville and explained to her, "Clark is in love with you." Lois left town
with mixed feelings about Clark, but she demonstrated new feelings at the end
of the story when she refused Superman's offer of a flight home: "from now on
I'd much rather walk!" (ACTION COMICS #597, Feb. 88)
Despite Miss Lane's outward anger at Superman, she clearly still cared for the
hero. Her distraught reaction to the tabloid-style news of the
"super-romance" between Superman and Wonder Woman revealed her true feelings.
Lois's thoughts revealed how she had calmed down enough not to reveal what
she'd learned about Superman's Smallville origin, and her mood brightened when
Kent conveniently arrived at her apartment and flashed his "puppy dog face."
Just as Lois seemed to be warming up to Clark that evening, Jimmy Olsen's
signal watch inconveniently called Superman into duty. When Lois walked back
into her living room to talk to Kent, she found herself left alone as angry as
ever. (ACTION COMICS #600, May 87)
A Second Chance
Just when it seemed Clark could never get a break with Lois, it turned out
that getting a break FROM Lois was just what their relationship needed.
Following a period of experiencing a split personality, Superman decided his
mental state made him unsuited to continue to act as Earth's guardian. To try
to recover psychologically, Kal-El exiled himself into outer space for several
months (ADVENTURES #450, Jan. 89). During Superman's absence, an accident in
Clark's apartment led the world to temporarily believe that Mr. Kent had been
killed. When Superman eventually returned to Earth (ACTION #643, July 89), he
set out to reestablish both the hero and the man in his dual identities.
Soon after Clark's return, it was Lois who offered to bury the hatchet. In
this case, it seems that absence did make the heart grow fonder, and Lois
surprisingly offered flowers to Clark as "a little peace offering" when they
went to a fancy dinner banquet as a business date. Lois asked, "we can still
be friends can't we?" and sent the ball rolling. At the banquet, Clark asked
Lois to dance, and the two reporters behaved as old friends rather than old
rivals. (ADVENTURES #457, Aug. 89)
>From there, the relationship grew only for the better. When Clark apologized
to Lois in a touching scene--"I'm reaching out now. Please don't turn me
away, Lois"--she welcomed Clark back with their first hug (SUPERMAN #43, May
90). It became apparent that they were becoming more than friends when Lois
invited Clark over for dinner at her apartment on their first real date. A
downtown disaster caused by the DC Universe's equivalent of the Fantastic Four
seemed timed to ruin the date, but Superman rushed back to Lois's place in
time to give the appearance of Clark's having waited faithfully for her.
Superman's witnessing the horrible accident that killed a space shuttle crew
led Clark to point out, "Life is too short to sit and wait. Sometimes you
have to push life--take chances," and thus he took a chance by giving Lois
their first kiss. (ADVENTURES #466, May 90) Not long afterwards, the couple
began to develop a friendly repartee: as they left for a date together, Clark
commented to Lois, "My mother used to tell me about girls like you. ... She
told me not to let them get away." (SUPERMAN #44, Jun. 90) When the couple
went together to Luthor's Baldy Awards ceremony, Clark introduced "my date,
Lois Lane" to Bruce Wayne when the World's Finest team met publicly for the
first time out of costume. (ADVENTURES #467, Jun. 90)
A New Engagement
After their romance grew for several months, Clark became more serious about
his relationship with Lois. Martha Kent recognized her son's feelings, for
when Clark returned to Metropolis from a trip to Smallville, he found that his
mother had secretly packed a ring in his suitcase. Ma Kent explained that the
ring had been in her "family a long time, and ... it's yours now ... to give
to whomever you decide to marry!" Ma recognized that Clark's current lack of
super-powers (brought on by Mxyzptlk's Red Kryptonite) might make him
foolhardy, but Clark promised that he was "not about to rush into anything
before I've thought it through." Thus, at lunch at Dooley's sandwich shop,
Clark pulled out the ring and with proposed to Lois with a noticeable lack of
to-do. Lois asked for time to think things out, but by the end of the comic,
Clark had his answer. (SUPERMAN #50, Dec. 90)
Even Lois's answer deserves a bit of discussion. As Roger Stern explained in
the introduction to the KRISIS OF THE KRIMSON KRYPTONITE trade paperback, the
original plan was that Lois "would, despite her strong feelings for Clark,
reluctantly say no." During the plotting of the proposal story, however,
penciller Jerry Ordway was bothered by the plan and suggested that Lois's
character was such that maybe she would accept the proposal. Discussions led
to more discussions among the Super-team, and the creators decided to take the
plunge and have Lois say yes to Clark's proposal. The final result led to a
long engagement, a break-up, and finally to the big event in SUPERMAN: THE
WEDDING ALBUM (Dec. 96).
Afterward
A few weeks after the proposal, Clark decided that time had come to reveal his
secret identity to his fiancee, and the famous love triangle suddenly
collapsed into a duet (ACTION #662, Feb. 91). The couple remained happy
together for years without setting a date for the wedding. Their romance even
endured Superman's death, though Lois was hard-pressed to give up on Clark
during that time. Clark's return from the grave set things right again, but
Lois eventually decided that Superman was cramping her style. As emotions
rose, Lois broke off the engagement, and Clark fruitlessly tried to regain her
affection for several months. Not until October 1996 did Lois decide that she
truly did want to marry Clark just as he had never stopped loving her. The
resulting "event of the century" will forever change the lives of Lois, Clark,
and Superman fans everywhere.
Copyright (C) 1996 David T. Chappell. All rights reserved.
______________________________________________________
THE MAILBAG
-------------------------------------
(sykes@ms.uky.edu, KryptonCN@aol.com)
KC Responses are indented and begun with ****
======================================================
From: David Joseph Young, Jr. (dayoung@luna.cas.usf.edu)
Once again, I'm impelled to comment on remarks made in your opening comments
of the most recent KC. (As you may recall, last time I sent a message about
the annoying polybagged ads in the Superman titles.) This time it is about
all of the disparaging remarks you make about "Lois & Clark," particularly the
stories last season.
While I agree totally with you that the stories should focus on the
relationship aspect of the main characters, and that the mere "super-villain
of the week" routine does not fit the "Lois & Clark" premise well, I do not
believe the show ever got as bad last season as you say. (Of course, "good"
and "bad" quality is always very subjective.)
**** First, my editorial last issue had nothing to do with my personal
opinions of the episodes. I was coming from the point of view of the
audience in general, and basing my conclusions on the show's ratings.
When I said the show was "at its best when it sticks to as few
fantastical premises as possible," this was based on the reactions of
the fans to the various episodes, and not on my personal opinions. In
fact, I'm probably one of the three people who actually enjoyed the
so-called "non-wedding arc" last year. I thought the episodes in the
last part of the third season were good episodes, but the ratings
indicated that many of the LOIS AND CLARK fans simply did not agree with
me.
While last season's near-wedding series was long and drawn out (I definitely
think they could have cut at least one episode out of it, perhaps dropping the
"Lois-as-lounge-singer" one and going straight into her amnesia episode), I do
not consider any of these as terrible or as bad as the show got second season,
when as you remarked the creators dropped the romance angle for pure Superman
action/adventure.
However, I do not believe that action or "comic book" elements detract from
the show if they are done right. On the contrary, occasionally any series
based on comic book characters like Superman do need "super-villains" or some
other dire threat to remind us that these are "super-heroes." When the show
started out, the complaints I heard occasionally were that Superman wasn't
shown enough on screen. Then second season, people complained that he was
featured too much, and Lois & Clark were neglected. A balance needs to be
met. Not necessarily an even one, as I said before I believe the Lois & Clark
relationship should be the real focus, but Superman should be represented as
well with the occasional disaster or super-villain. Also, if done well a
little Superman goes a long way.
Comic book villains that I personally think the show has done well include
Metallo (who you mention) and Luthor (although I think he was more threatening
first season). I love the Tempus and H.G. Wells episodes. Tempus has
replaced Luthor as my favorite "L&C" villain. I also enjoyed the Kryptonian
invasion story arc. It was the first time I felt the characters were
genuinely in danger, and it was the first time Dean Cain had a chance to
basically play Superman (or Kal-El) the entire time, and I thought he did a
good job. I actually enjoyed the opening two-parter with the Kryptonians
better than the much ballyhooed wedding episode.
This brings me to what I think "L&C's" basic problem is. Almost from the
beginning, the creators have played the series as quirky and over-the-top,
especially in the villains department. Sometimes the results are perfect,
such as the Tempus/H.G. Wells characters. Other times, they cross the line
into the absurd or downright silly, such as the "Wedding Destroyer." It is a
fine line which is easy to cross. This season so far I think they crossed it
only once, with the wedding episode. The Kryptonian story was suspenseful,
the Tempus/H.G. Wells was humorous (once you accept the absurd reincarnation
mumbo-jumbo which was just an excuse to jump Lois & Clark around), and the
aging episode was right on the line between "quirky"/humorous and absurd.
(Plus, the Jack Larson appearance was worth it by itself!)
So I suppose that I agree and disagree with what you say. Yes, the
relationship should be the number one priority. Yes, it shouldn't emulate the
comic books by falling into a boring pattern of new super-villain every week.
But I do believe that the comic book elements are important to any incarnation
of the Superman mythos. And I also believe that the show is still on the
right track, remaining on that edge between serious romance/drama and
silly/over-the-top "comic book" stories.
**** Were I the one making the decisions about the show, I'd agree with you
completely. I very much enjoy when the show handles an adaptation of a
comic book villain well -- but they've also had some bombs, the Prankster
being the prime example. But regardless of my personal opinions on this
issue, the simple fact is that the show has always fared best when it has
distanced itself from the comics, and when it has respected the desires
of the fans. (Though I'm pretty psyched about the possibility of a
Mxyzptlk appearance this season!)
As for the ratings, they were very high all the way to the end of last season.
When the reruns started they took an immediate drop as all shows do. The
first two episodes this season did not do well in the ratings, but I would not
expect everyone to know the new season had started. I had friends who didn't
realize it. I personally don't watch any other ABC shows, so if I didn't have
other comic book-related sources, I wouldn't have known it either. Once the
wedding episode hit, however, the rating jumped again. Time will tell if it
was just the multimedia pumping up the wedding received causing a one-time
ratings surge, or if it was a sign that everyone had finally caught on that
"Lois and Clark" was back.
**** No, actually, the ratings were *not* very high all the way to the end of
the third season. The episode which began the non-wedding arc drew 21.2
million viewers and ranked in the top twenty. The episode which
concluded the non-wedding arc (just four episodes later) drew only 16.9
million viewers and ranked just out of the top thirty. The season finale
(three more episodes later) drew just 14.8 million viewers and ranked in
the mid-forties. That's a loss of 6.4 million viewers in the span of
three months.
And things got worse this season. The highest rated episode this season
was the wedding. It only drew 14.9 million viewers. Out of all of the
first three seasons, only two episodes drew fewer viewers than this, and
one of them was the aforementioned third season finale. Aside from the
third season finale, *every* second and third season episode drew more
viewers than *every* episode so far this year. This past Sunday's "The
People v. Lois Lane" drew the worst numbers *ever* for a new episode, at
only 11.1 million viewers. We've lost over ten million fans since the
non-wedding arc began last season.
In both my opinion and the opinion of many others to whom I've spoken,
LOIS AND CLARK has managed to recapture some of the spark which made it
so popular. The only question now is how to get the fans to give it
another try.
======================================================
From: Jim Lesher (JLESHER@npr.org)
I have to say that I don't much like the high prices or pre-bagged
advertisement supplements, but I have to say that they are burdens I am
willing to deal with if it means getting the comics printed on quality paper.
I recall all too well that during the mid to late 1980's, Marvel Comics put
out several series on cheap, near-worthless paper. Titles like Iron Man,
Alpha Flight, Web of Spider-Man and a whole bunch of others suffered
enormously, with colors and lines bleeding all over the place. Ten years
later, those comics still look horrible, whereas the Superman comics published
at the same time looked good then, and still look good now.
That's what I think, anyway...
**** Well, I'm not convinced that the advertising supplement was there to help
keep the cost to us down, but I'll agree with you about the paper. I
like the quality of the slick paper, and I'm fairly certain that it's
going to hold up a lot better over time than will the newsprint books.
But regardless, my main complaint about the pre-bagging is still that it
increases the risk of damage to the comic. I'd still prefer that they
just add a few pages of ads to the interiors of the books.
-- Jeff Sykes
______________________________________________________
NEW COMIC REVIEWS
-----------------
Ratings Panelists:
AL: Art LaMarche JG: Jack Grimes RG: Rene' Gobeyn
AW: Anatole Wilson JS: Jeff Sykes SF: Shane Furlong
CS: Cory Strode PS: Patrick Stout VV: Vic Vitek
DS: Dick Sidbury WN: William J Nixon
As always, the first rating given after the average is that of the reviewer.
The average rating given for each book may correspond to a larger sample
of ratings than what is printed following the average.
======================================================
THE SUPERMAN TITLES:
-------------------
46. SUPERMAN #118, "From the Heart"
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Art: Ron Frenz and Joe Rubinstein
Letters: John Costanza
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Assoc. Editor: Mike McAvennie
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover: Ron Frenz, Joe Rubinstein, and Patrick Martin
December 1996
$1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 3.25/5.0 Shields
SF: 2.0 Shields - Nice art can't redeem a terrible story.
WN: 4.0 Shields - What goes around comes around. A good jumping on point for
new readers before the wedding.
PS: 5.0 Shields - Lois' quest reveals her inner feelings, plus we get
(another) nice recap of the Superman origin. Do I hear a chorus of
voices crying, "Jump on now!" to any non-Superman reader attracted by
the wedding coverage?
VV: 2.5 Shields - Obviously rushed due to television demands. The ending was
telegraphed around page three or four, and it could have been done a
lot better.
AW: 3.0 Shields - Predictable ending, but ya know, it was a good story anyway,
and it makes Lois' return to Metropolis that much more believable.
Okay, by now everyone knows Lois and Clark are getting married in both the
comics and on television. This issue serves as the bridge to get them from
their current separation to the altar. I had thought that the crisis of THE
FINAL NIGHT would serve as the way to get them back together, but this issue
didn't mention it at all. I know some people felt that television was going
to push their reconciliation too quickly, and I can only say that they were
right.
This issue starts with Lois and is in every way her story. Tracking down a
story in Bhutran about drug smuggling, Lois is attacked in an alley. After
holding her own against the thugs, she is helped by a native she at first
mistakes for Clark. He tells her he was helped by an American as a boy who
made a great impact on his life.
Meanwhile, Wonder Woman has accompanied Clark to STAR Labs, where he is trying
to discover a way to regain his lost powers. Clark relates his origin story
again as a way to explain how he wandered the world for awhile. Wonder Woman
gives him a pep talk and makes him admit that he couldn't give up on Lois.
Lois, in the meantime, was still in Bhutran seeking the legendary man on the
mountain. He turns out to be a rock formation, but she learns that the
helpful American who made such an impression on her rescuer was none other
than Clark as he was wandering the Earth. The moment on the mountain top as
she realizes that Clark is the American causes Lois to have a life-changing
experience, and she decides to immediately return to Metropolis and marry
Clark.
Art: 4.0 Shields
Really nice art. Ron Frenz draws a nice Lois and a fantastic Wonder Woman, as
well as good mountain scenes. The coloring was also a treat.
Story: 1.0 Shields
Lois' transformation came out of left field, the retelling of the origin
seemed forced, Clark's connection to the Bhutran native was a little too
coincidental. All in all the story seemed to be written to only make the
wedding happen next week. I feel the television show pushed the comics into a
quick resolution that made no sense within the current storyline.
Shane Furlong (Shane.Furlong@evolving.com)
=========================================================
47. SUPERMAN: THE WEDDING ALBUM
Writers: Dan Jurgens, Karl Kesel, David Michelinie, Louise Simonson,
and Roger Stern
Artists: John Byrne and Terry Austin; Kerry Gammill and Murphy Anderson;
Gil Kane and Bob McLeod; Stuart Immonen and Jose Marzan, Jr.;
Paul Ryan and Brett Breeding; Jon Bogdanove and Dennis Janke;
Kieron Dwyer and Doug Hazlewood; Tom Grummett and Denis Rodier;
Dick Giordano and Art Thibert; Jim Mooney and George Perez;
Curt Swan and Jackson Guice; Nick Cardy; Al Plastino;
Barry Kitson and Ray McCarthy; Ron Frenz and Joe Rubinstein;
and Dan Jurgens and Jerry Ordway
Letterer: Bill Oakley
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Separator: Digital Chameleon
Special Thanks to Cindy Goff
Associate Editor: Mike McAvennie
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Caterer: Mike Carlin
December 1996
$4.95 US/$6.95 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 4.7/5.0 Shields
RG: 4.5 Shields
JG: 4.9 Shields - If it were stretched out over a month, it would get a 5.0.
Otherwise *perfect*!
WN: 5.0 Shields
DS: 4.0 Shields - The story was pretty good for an event of this magnitude.
The artwork was very uneven, but I think DC did the right thing in
using this many creative talents. But where was Curt Swan at the
ceremony? Surely he was more important than Jurgens' kids.
PS: 5.0 Shields - Magnificent. Jerry Siegel as the minister was a masterful
touch, and the Jurgens trifold with the full creative team (and two
or three offspring) in attendance was...well...SUPER!
JS: 4.8 Shields - Much better than I anticipated, but no less than what I
expect from these creators. Strong characterization with some great
small touches, such as Batman's arrangements and Mxyzptlk's dropping
by. The only minus was that the different art styles were a bit
jarring from page to page.
VV: 4.8 Shields - Extremely well done, with comedy in all the right places,
and seriousness in all the right places. While some reviews I've
read have come down pretty hard on the opening pages, I think they
serve to show that Lois is coming back not to be Clark's wife, but
to be his PARTNER -- an equal. I think they could have shown more
people at the wedding, though (what, no Lobo??? <g>).
AW: 4.75 Shields - There were so many nice touches to this issue, from the
other heroes filling in so Superman could have a honeymoon, to Curt
Swan's art, that it would be impossible *not* to like this issue.
Break out the champagne, let lose the doves. After almost sixty years of
on-again, off-again courtship, Lois and Clark are finally married. This is
not a dream, Elseworlds, or imaginary story. Lois is not a clone and neither
of them are robots. They really are married!
They have endured alien invasions; crisis in time; the destruction of
Metropolis; the Clone Wars; the near destruction of Earth; even Superman's
death and resurrection. With all they have endured together, they have grown
as a couple over the years. With everything they've already lived through,
they should be able to weather anything. Let's all hope so.
All it took in the end was for their TV alter-egos to tie the knot. If only
they had known. Sorry, it bothers me a little that the comics, which have
been around for 60 years, had to take a back seat to a show that has only had
three complete seasons. Luckily (according to the super-writers in various
interviews), only a few small changes on their parts were required in order to
bring things together so that the wedding could coincide with the TV show.
The fact that Lois has been out of the country for the past few months
probably made it easier to justify her fast return, and the speed at which the
wedding was put together. As hard as the breakup was, both of them needed to
come to the shared conclusion that they needed the other to really be happy.
The opening scene in THE WEDDING ALBUM shows Lois in a wedding gown, but when
you turn the page and find that the groom isn't Clark it gets confusing real
fast. That she is doing this to avoid being killed by the drug lord that she
has been chasing makes things clear. In typical Lois fashion, she turns the
tables on the drug runners and captures them. Next, we see her (still in her
now tattered wedding gown) at the Planet, where she finally learns of Perry's
cancer, Clark's promotion, and his loss of powers. The scene where we get to
see them become re-engaged, much to the surprise of the Planet staff, is near
perfect.
The next few scenes, showing the two of them trying to arrange the details of
a big wedding in a short period of time, are a dream come true for me. My
biggest complaint with the comics of late is that there is so much action
going on that we seldom get to see much of the supporting cast. It's the
supporting cast that has given the Superman books so much depth in the past,
and I have high hopes for the future. I don't see Lois staying at home baking
cookies while Clark goes off to stop trouble. If we see more of her, there is
at least a chance that more of the supporting cast will be around as well.
Watching Martha and Lucy maneuver Lois so she doesn't see them getting ready
for the surprise bridal shower is priceless. Lois' father's reaction to the
wedding wasn't what I expected, but it was very much in character. Jimmy's
disappointment at not being the wedding photographer was very well handled, as
was the way Clark broke the news that he wanted Jimmy to be the best man.
When the men go off to get fitted for the tuxes, there is one panel where
Clark is looking at a bow tie with Bat signals on it. You can tell by his
expression that he's tempted. Also, we get to see the problems developing
between Clark and Lois' dad.
Even Lori Lemaris gets to play her part in keeping the peace with Lois' mom
while they are getting ready for the shower. The shower itself (a Happy
Homemaker), and Lois' reaction to the gifts is great. The girls are all up
for more than a little teasing at Lois' expense. Lois took it far better than
I thought she would. Next up was choosing the gown. The artists had a good
time with this. Seeing Lois in a gown out of Cinderella was worth the price
of the book by itself. While all this is going on, Clark took the engagement
ring to be engraved. The inscription of: "To Lois, Love Clark"(with a
Superman S shield) is now engraved on the inside of the diamond. When the
jeweler asked him why he wanted the S shield, he replied, "My fiancee thinks
of me as HER Superman." A very nice touch.
Next, Lois was looking for an apartment. Most of what she finds would be a
challenge for Tim Allen. When she finally finds one she does like, it turns
out there is a several-year-long waiting list for it.
The next five pages of the book were special ones, indeed. Maggie Sawyer
tells Lois she might know of a place. What we get is a five page story
penciled by the late Curt Swan. It is special indeed that the man who drew
what most fans consider to the 'definitive' Superman be represented in this
book.
Even Jerry Siegel gets a plug in this one, in a short action scene involving
the now powerless Superman stopping a robbery at the 'Siegel Electronics'
store. (I've re-read the book carefully several times, I didn't see anything
for Joe Shuster.) Following this is a scene that I suspect will happen more
than once in the years to come. As Superman chases after the thief, the thief
is captured by Maxima, who has decided to give Superman another chance to
become her life-mate. She only gives up when he tells her he is now
powerless. It was fun to see the secret identity work against Superman
instead of Clark for a change.
At long last come the scenes I was waiting for. The bachelor parties! (Clark
and Lois each have one, fair is fair.) Clark's is naturally being held at the
Ace-O-Clubs, where Jimmy is still upset that Clark didn't want him to be the
wedding photographer, but he takes it well when he finds out why. When one of
Bibbo's regulars shows up, trouble starts. Not even Commissioner Henderson
stops the brawl from happening. Bill Henderson, Mr. Stern, and Jonathan just
sit back and watch the fun.
Meanwhile, the ladies are also having a good time when a drunk tries to crash
their party and pick up Lois. Of course, she handles this in her own subtle
way.
As Superman heads to Bibbo's (why he didn't change back to his civvies I don't
know), he comes across the drug runners who had somehow escaped the local
police. He decides that powerless or not, he has to stop them. He's doing OK
for himself, when one of them gets the drop on him. It looks bad until a
Bat-a-rang, followed quickly by Batman himself, shows up to help him finish
the job.
There comes a point in almost every wedding where a concerned bachelor friend
comes up to the groom to share his personal view of marriage and to question
if the groom really knows what he's doing. Batman plays this role for Clark.
Ages ago (I can't find the issue), Superman talked to Batman about his
reservations concerning marriage. It somehow seems right that it's Batman who
now comes to Clark to make sure he's thought things through.
Their timing is perfect, as they get to see Lois and company get the drunk
tossed out of the restaurant. After witnessing this, Batman turns to Superman
and says, "Congratulations. I think you and Lois will make the world's finest
team." As they continue to talk, Batman tells Superman that he has made
arrangements to protect Metropolis while he and Lois are on their honeymoon.
The arrangements turn out to be Steel, Martian Manhunter, Alpha Centurion,
Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, Flash, Robin, Black Canary,
Superboy, Guardian, and Green Arrow. Somehow, I suspect Metropolis will get
along OK while Lois and Clark are away. The others don't know Superman's
secret, but have been told he's going on a mission.
As a parting shot, Bruce gives Clark an unexpected wedding present. It turns
out that he owns the building with the apartment that Lois fell in love with.
His present to the couple is the lease. As Batman puts it, Bruce Wayne is not
above doing a favor for a friend. [Hmmm.... How will Clark slide that one
past Lois? -- Art]
All is going well for the couple until the night of the rehearsal dinner,
where Lois' father finally loses it when he's told by Lois that he won't be
giving her away. She and Clark have decided that they will walk down the
aisle together. He storms out.
Come the day of the wedding, Jimmy has decided that even if he can't be the
photographer, because he's too busy being the best man, he can still make the
couple a special gift. He pulls a few strings at WGBS, and manages to get a
film crew and professional editing team to make Lois and Clark a tape of the
wedding.
A few of Superman's villains even show up, though thankfully not for mischief.
Why should they? Most have no idea that Clark is Superman. Luthor shows up
in cameo (for some reason he wasn't invited) as one of Lois' rejected suitors,
and the scene with Mr. Mxyzptlk (who knows Clark's secret) is too good for
words.
And then, the wedding itself. Roger Stern outdoes himself, accompanied by
some of the most beautiful artwork I've seen. Of course he has had practice,
this being the fourth comic book wedding he's done (Johnny Storm/Alicia
Masters from FANTASTIC FOUR, Pete Ross/Lana Lang, and recently Lex Luthor and
the Contessa). Things go smoothly, and Lois' father even manages to forgive
them and shows up for the ceremony.
In the audience we get cameos of Mayor Berkowitz, Colin Thornton, and Alpha
Centurion. In keeping what appears to be a tradition in the comics industry,
the entire Superman creative team were drawn into the wedding scene as guests.
If you've ever wondered what these people look like, here's your chance to
find out. Just in case you don't recognize a few, the DC page in the
following week's books have a listing of who's who.
What will the future bring? I'm sure their lives will never be easy, and I
suspect they will soon be wishing for a little boredom. Who knows, maybe Lois
will even learn how to use some of those appliances she got for her shower,
but I wouldn't count on it.
Rene' Gobeyn (gobeyn@kodak.com)
======================================================
SUPER-FAMILY TITLES:
-------------------
SHOWCASE '96 #11, "Brain in Vain"
Featuring Brainiac and the Legion of Super-Heroes
Writer: 20th Century Tom Peyer
Penciller: Displaced Derec Aucoin
Inker: Jaunty Jason Martin
Colorist: Dauntless Dave Grafe
Letterer: Klepto-Ken Bruzenak
Assoc. Editor: Catatonic Chris Duffy
Editor: Cranky Frank Pittarese
Cover: Steve Lightle
December 1996
$2.95 US/$4.25 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 3.6/5.0 Shields
RG: Story: 3.5 Shields - Not a bad beginning, too much exposition.
Art: 2.5 Shields - Light on details, nicely inked, good expressions.
JG: 3.7 Shields - Nice start, but didn't the Legion muck around with Brainiac
a little too casually?
JS: 3.5 Shields - Tom Peyer is bulling his way to the upper echelons of my
favorite writers list. You should pick up this and the next issue if
for nothing else than to find out how Brainiac found 30th Century
technology to construct his head ship!
VV: 4.0 Shields - I love the Legion, so I enjoyed this story a lot. I want to
know when Brainiac 5 is going to start thinking about the side-effects
of his actions, rather than just the main outcome.
As this series draws to a close, it makes sense to finish up with a
two-parter. I just wish it had involved Superman, or one of the front line
20th Century heroes. Don't get me wrong, I love the Legion. One of the first
comics I bought with my own money was a LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES. I just don't
care for the current angst ridden crew that is lost in our time.
With that said, I do love the plot of this story. I hope it will resolve a
few questions about the 'Brainiac' family tree. I've often wondered how our
Brainiac ever produced a family that had heroes in it. Here he is (one of)
Superman's worst enemy, yet father of Vril Dox, former head of LEGION. How
and when did this happen? I hope to have a better idea after the three
Brainiacs get together next issue.
The story this month however suffered a bit from the amount of exposition the
writer felt we needed to fully understand the story. It slowed things down
much more than it was worth (IMHO).
As always, my biggest complaint is with the artwork. The lack of background
detail seriously detracted from the story. While the white or solid color
backgrounds just made the story appear rushed, the detail of the characters
was pretty good, and there was some effort made to get the perspectives
correct. Overall, it was about average. I know they can do better.
Brainiac 5 decides to do a bit of scrounging for components at a different
S.T.A.R. Labs complex. He discovers a stash of components from 30th Century
Colu and his ancestor, the original Brainiac. Without taking time to think
things through, he tries to rouse and free the comatose Brainiac. He promptly
takes the Legionnaires captive and leaves for Colu with them aboard his space
craft.
"On The Road"
Starring Scare Tactics
Words: Len Kaminski
Pencils: Anthony Williams
Inks: Andy Lanning
Letters: Pat Prentice
Colors: Lee Loughridge
Asst. Ed.: Ali Morales
Editor: Dan Thorsland
No "Super" content - not rated
A lead in to the new SCARE TACTICS series. Looks like it will be a DC
universe-based, Vertigo-style book.
"The Scarred Path to Justice"
Starring Wildcat of the Justice Society of America
Written by: Daniel Murray and Beau Smith
Pencilled by: Gary Kwapisz
Inked by: Keith Champagne and Chip Wallace
Lettered by: John Costanza
Colored by: Carla Feeny
Edited by: Jason Hernandez-Roseblatt
Dedicated to: Irwin Hasen and Bill Finger
No "Super" content - not rated
A retelling of the origin of Wildcat.
Rene' Gobeyn (gobeyn@kodak.com)
______________________________________________________
SUPER-FAMILY TITLES (cont):
--------------------------
STEEL #33, "Withdrawal Symptoms"
Story and Words: Peter J. Tomasi
Penciller: Jim Aparo
Inker: Dick Giordano
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Computer Colorist: Stu Chaifetz
Associate Editor: Chris Duffy
Editor: Frank Pittarese
Cover: Jon Bogdanove and Dennis Janke (?)
December 1996
$1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 3.0/5.0 Shields
DS: 3.0 Shields - Steel remembers Bess, and Natasha suffers withdrawal from
Tar.
JS: 3.0 Shields - Not bad for a fill-in, and I enjoyed seeing Aparo's art for
the first time in a while. However, I hope Denys Cowan does a better
job of making Nat *look* like a teenager.
Story:
John Henry returns to his home. Some of the neighbors express their
condolences about Bess. Others openly castigate John for bringing trouble to
the neighborhood. Inside the house, John reminisces about his Grandmother.
She used to make him eat his vegetables, but he would throw them out the
window when she wasn't looking. She always caught him. His reverie is
interrupted by her warning him that Nat is in trouble. He takes the ghostly
comment seriously and rushes upstairs, but Nat has disappeared. He searches
her room and finds a paper with a tracing of the name "Bess Irons." Nat had
traced it from the gravestone.
John Henry changes identity and flies to the cemetery, where he finds Natasha
sleeping in a sleeping bag at the grave side. The grave digger, who is blind,
shows up. He has the ability to understand the spirits of the dead. When the
dead talk too loud, his ear bleeds. He tells Steel that Bess cannot rest
because her wedding ring is missing.
When Natasha awakens, she is in the throws of a Tar attack. She tries to make
John Henry give her some, and they fight for a few pages while the Tar courses
through her body. Eventually, the attack subsides and John Henry takes Nat
and the grave digger back to the house for a hot meal and a bath. To convince
John Henry that he can talk to Bess, the grave digger describes how John used
to throw his veggies out the window and hit the clothes line or the mop.
The next scene shows Jane Wallace, investigative TV reporter, making out with
some guy on the couch in her apartment when there is a knock at the window.
"How dare you intrude at my home!" "Not much fun, is it?" Steel asks for
and, somewhat surprisingly, receives her help. They go to the TV studio to
study the tape that shows Bess' death. Ms. Wallace is surprisingly sensitive
while John relives the death of his grandmother. But by running the film in
slow motion, they discover that when Plasmus killed Bess, he knocked her
wedding ring off, and it was picked up by someone at the scene who absconded
with it.
The next scene has Steel bashing down the door of the fence who stole the
ring, and threatening to beat him to within an inch of his life. The fence
admits to having sold the ring, and Steel is off to try to get it back. He
finds out who currently has the ring, and goes to her house to talk to her.
She is upset to find out that her husband had purchased the ring from a fence.
After John Henry convinces her that it is Bess' ring and offers to pay her
for it, so she can buy a new one, she gives it to him as a gift, because he
has done so much for the city. He flies her to work as appreciation for her
kindness.
The grave digger, Nat, and John Henry dig up Bess' grave. The grave digger
opens the coffin and puts the ring back on her hand.
The episode ends with Nat and John Henry painting an apartment (their new
one?) and putting up a wall plaque that says "Grandma Bess Country Kitchen".
Art:
Wow! This issue certainly didn't look much like Steel. Aparo and Giordano
are from the old school, and the book had a much more traditional look than
when Gosier and Faber did the art work. But with John Henry's remembering
Bess as an important part of this month's story, the old style seemed right.
Chaifetz continues on as colorist and continues to do one of the best jobs in
all of comics on this book.
Summary:
We have now finished the transition from the old creative team. Next month
the new creative team (Priest and Cowan) takes over on STEEL. Even though
this issue was mostly filler, it was good filler and made an appropriate
ending to this phase of John Henry's career. A very satisfying story giving
closure.
Dick Sidbury (sidbury@cs.uofs.edu)
=========================================================
SUPERGIRL #4, "Belly of the Beast"
Writer: Peter David
Pencils: Gary Frank
Inks: Cam Smith
Letters: Pat Prentice
Colors: Gene D'Angelo
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Editor: Chris Duffy
Cover: Gary Frank, Cam Smith, and Patrick Martin
December 1996
$1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 3.4/5.0 Shields
PS: 5.0 Shields
JS: 3.0 Shields - As usual, gorgeous art by Frank and Smith, though I hope
this was enough of a cheesecake "fix" that we won't have to see it as
much in the future. As for the story, can we *please* move on from
all the demonic crap -- at least for a little while?
DS: 2.0 Shields - The worst Peter David I've read in a year or more.
VV: 3.5 Shields - This continues to be an interesting read. Even though Grodd
"dies", the body is taken so you know he'll be back (especially since
he was probably just "on loan" from Mark Waid). I hope PAD does some
background stories about how people reacted to and what they did
during the darkness, and that he doesn't let Hal's "green light" solve
a lot of the problems.
I liked this a lot, but the story leaves me with a lot of questions. First,
how did Supergirl's outfit change into the tube-top and leather combination we
see in this issue? Gary Frank has a reputation as a cheesecake artist, and
this "super-slut" costume will probably draw the ire of those who are already
on DC's case about Catwoman [count me as part --Art].
Second, why is Buzz being nice? He saves Mrs. Danvers in this issue, and
mentally alerts Supergirl when her father is injured. In the previous issue,
the readers got the idea that Buzz and Grodd were in league; now we're not so
sure.
Third, who's the little guy with the glasses, bow-tie, and baseball bat? I'm
sure Mr. David will reveal this in a subsequent issue.
As in the review of #3, I can't compliment enough the work of David and Frank
in really working the FINAL NIGHT theme into their story plot and
illustrations. It is only because of FINAL NIGHT that Grodd's "Heart of
Darkness" talisman has the power to devolve humans into beasts, as it is the
darkness that effectively covers the evil that men (and women) do.
Some masterful transitions in this issue. The love of her parents turns
Linda/Supergirl from Grodd's thrall into Leesburg's protector once again; with
this change, Supergirl suddenly becomes aware of Grodd's repulsive physical
characteristics; with the end of Final Night and the reappearance of the Sun,
the demons are banished, but the horror of what they'd become hangs on their
soul. Frank and David's portrayal of animal lust gone wild reminds me of the
recent TV movie where drunken college party boys tore the clothes off Candace
Cameron's character -- regretting everything and pretending to remember
nothing in the sobering dawn of morning.
Also, give David credit for a neat demise for Gorilla Grodd. Or was it?
Dialogue on the final page indicates that someone (Buzz? The little man with
the bat?) stole the gorilla's body from the morgue.
As stated a couple of months ago, regarding the David/Frank Supergirl, we are
compelled to stay with this book to find out what happens next.
Patrick Stout (mfpms@uxa.ecn.bgu.edu)
=========================================================
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #2, "Be Careful What You Wish For..."
Writer: Scott McCloud
Penciller: Rick Burchett
Inker: Terry Austin
Colorist: Marie Severin
Letters: Lois Buhalis
Editor: Mike McAvennie
Cover: Rick Burchett, Terry Austin, Marie Severin, and WB Animation
December 1996
$1.75 US/$2.50 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 3.9/5.0 Shields
CS: 4.0 Shields - For those looking for Superman stories without the
soap-opera trappings, run, don't walk to the comic shop, and pick
this book up.
WN: 3.5 Shields - Fun, cartoony and a wonderful contrast to the now-married
Lois and Clark.
JS: 4.0 Shields - Man, this is gonna be a fun ride -- McCloud has a great
handle on these characters! Just wish I'd seen the Metallo episode
on TV so I could get a little more background on the villain...
DS: 4.0 Shields - It's great to read how good Superman was in the old days.
I think Scott McCloud was a great choice to write this book.
When this series was first announced, I was very excited that Scott McCloud
was going to be the writer. McCloud was the writer/artist of ZOT! and
UNDERSTANDING COMICS. ZOT! was a fun comic that dealt with serious issues
without becoming "grim 'n gritty." UNDERSTANDING COMICS is a book which tries
to give a history lesson, teach about the form, and give direction to people
who want to create comics, all while being entertaining to read. It's easy to
tell that Scott is someone who loves comics as an art form as well as an
entertainment medium.
I also like the idea of a Superman book that isn't tied into the normal soap
opera continuity, much like BATMAN ADVENTURES is not tied into the Batman
continuity. The good news is that Scott McCloud and Rich Burchett make a
great team, and SUPERMAN ADVENTURES is my favorite Superman book after reading
their first issue together.
The story starts with a woman, Kelly, shouting for help just to get Superman's
attention because she has a huge crush on him (shades of the Mort Weisinger
Lois Lane). He leaves, grumbling that this sort of thing is happening all the
time. When one of Kelly's neighbors asks what Superman was doing flying out
of her apartment, she tells him that she's Superman's girlfriend. Of course,
the news spreads rapidly. Metallo finds out, and wants to use the information
to his advantage. He kidnaps her, and is going to use her to draw Superman
into battle, which he will win because he's (let's all say it together) "The
Man With The Kryptonite Heart!" Because it is a Super-Hero comic, battle
ensues. In the aftermath, Kelly learns the error of her ways.
While the plot is fairly standard, it's the little things that make this book
so much fun to read. The interplay between Lois and Clark is far different
than in the comic, more like rival siblings than future romantic partners.
The series is set when Superman is still new in Metropolis and people are
still in awe of him -- that adds to the story. McCloud takes great pains to
make the appearances of Superman seem new and exciting, even using a page to
show public reaction on the news.
The art by Burchett is clean and follows the same design of the cartoon
series, while still being very powerful. A lot of people feel that "cartoony"
art is easier to draw than the more "realistic" art in other super-hero books.
I don't feel that this is that case. When fewer lines are used to convey
figure and motion, there's less room for error. Burchett gives a feeling of
power to the action sequences, making them fun to read. He conveys the action
of a Jack Kirby page without drawing like Jack Kirby.
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES has the "Kids WB" logo on it. Kids would love to read it
(my own 8 year old son read through it in the car and said it was fun), but
it's not just for them. While the first issue of this series felt like a
cartoon adaptation book like the ones Dell or Charlton cranked out in the
70's, with the second issue, SA comes into its own. If you want a good story,
told well (and who doesn't), SA #2 fits the bill.
Cory Strode (c.strode@genie.com)
======================================================
MINISERIES:
----------
DC/MARVEL: ALL ACCESS #1 (of 4), "The Crossing!"
Story: Ron Marz
Layouts: Jackson Guice
Finishes: Josef Rubinstein
Letters: Bill Oakley
Color: Lee Loughridge
Separators: Digital Chameleon
Assoc. Editor: Chris Duffy
Editor: Mike Carlin
Cover: Jackson Guice and Josef Rubinstein
Dedicate to the Memory of Mark Gruenwald
December 1996
$2.95 US/$4.25 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 3.4/5.0 Shields
RG: Story: 4.0 Shields - Nice lead in, could have been a stand alone.
Art: 4.5 Shields - Wonderful stuff, nice perspectives, well detailed.
JS: 2.5 Shields - Rubinstein inks Guice *so* much better than Rodier did...
Not a bad book save two writing points: Access whines too much, and
there's no *way* Superman should have had any problem with Venom.
Hope Marz wises up about the Man of Steel by the JLA/X-Men meeting
in issue four.
Last year the DC and Marvel Universes merged briefly in a four-issue limited
series that pitted the heroes of the two universes against each other. Many
of the matches were rigged (i.e. determined by agreement between the two
companies), while the rest were determined by fan voting. While this works on
paper, it turns what could have been interesting match-ups into a popularity
contest. Not at all what I was looking for, but I held out hope that it would
lead to better stories at a later point. It seems that I may have been right.
This leads us to this year's miniseries ALL ACCESS. In the first issue we get
a full-issue story that has Superman and Spider-Man fighting against Venom.
Not my favorite villain, but he was strong enough to give Superman a
challenge. Seeing the two of them working well together was a real pleasure.
The art was just about fantastic, at least as good as last year's series and
more consistent. The detail and perspectives were excellent, and the
backgrounds worked well.
The story is being told from the standpoint of Axel Asher (Access), a person
whose only power seems to be the ability to transport himself between points
in the two universes. He sees his job as being to keep the two universes
separate and avoid the creation of the Amalgam Universe. It happened last
winter when the two universes were merged for a week. Both DC and Marvel put
out books under the Amalgam imprint. Some of them were pretty lame, but
others would make great limited series if the companies could work out the
details.
Axel is having problems with his girlfriend when he is hit with a vision that
shows him that Venom has somehow been transported to the DC universe, where he
is fighting with Superman. He goes there to try to help, first by rescuing
the woman that Venom has taken, then by bringing Spider-Man to the DC universe
to help Superman capture Venom, and lastly by transporting both Venom and
Spider-Man home. An excellent story even if it was mostly just a fight. The
real characterization is in developing Access into a real character. We
barely got to meet him last year.
Access still has to solve the mystery of how and why Venom got to the DC
universe. It seems that Dr. Strange may know more about this than Axel does.
All in all a well-done book. It could easily have been a stand alone in
either the Superman or Spider-Man titles. Next month we get to see a bit more
of the romance that started last summer between Robin and Jubilee as they go
up against Two-Face.
Rene' Gobeyn (gobeyn@kodak.com)
=========================================================
SUPERMAN/WONDER WOMAN: WHOM GODS DESTROY, "Book One: The Dream"
Written by Chris Claremont
Pencils by Dusty Abell
Inks by Drew Geraci
Coloring by Gloria Vasquez
Lettering by Tom Orzechowski
Color Separations by Digital Chameleon
Associate Editor Chris Duffy
Executive Editor Mike Carlin
Cover by Dusty Abell, Drew Geraci, with Gloria Vasquez
December 1996
$4.95 US/$6.95 CAN
RATINGS:
Average: 4.1/5.0 Shields
RG: Story: 4.0 Shields - Nice lead in, builds tension well.
Art: 4.5 Shields - Nicely detailed, decent perspectives.
JG: 4.0 Shields - Interesting premise.
DS: 4.0 Shields - Is LL gonna be WW? This mini is off to a good start. I
hope it holds up. Given that it's competing with the Wedding Album
for your five bucks, I hope lots of you splurge and get both.
JS: 4.5 Shields - Wow. Great plot and characterization by Chris Claremont,
and nice art by Abell and Geraci (though the cover was weak). A bit
of bad timing for this to hit the stands in the same week as THE
WEDDING ALBUM (each at $4.95), but if you missed this one, you owe
it to yourself to check it out next time you hit the store...
VV: 3.8 Shields - Nice setup, giving just enough background to set the stage
for what promises to be a very interesting Elseworlds, which I
normally do not pick up. The dream sequences seemed a bit confusing
to me, but very good storytelling overall.
You all know the premise the DC Elseworlds books. Take the characters we
know, change something in their background or origin, and see what happens.
In this story, DC has changed several things at one time. It looks like it's
going to be a terrific story.
What would happen if Superman had come to Earth in the late 1930's and fallen
in love with Lois and Lana just as he had in our continuity, but with the
added effect of not aging much past his early twenties while everyone he knows
and loves grows older before his eyes? A slightly different perspective and a
story that many of us have wanted to see for years. A story that may have
some very real effect on the life of our own Superman. We'll have to wait and
see.
The art in this book is just short of wonderful. Clean detailed figures,
excellent perspectives, marred only by a lack of background and defining
elements. I know some of them were done for the effect, such as the panels
showing Superman on the moon. They were beautiful. It's just that there was
no reason for the large number of them. Where backgrounds were used, they
were spectacular, and added a feeling of depth to the images.
In this story, Lois and Lana have grown old, and Lois is retiring from the
Planet -- and not taking it at all well (are you surprised?). Superman in
this incarnation has retreated a bit from humanity. I imagine that watching
everyone you know and love age while you remain the same would cause anyone to
pull back, so as not to have to feel the pain.
When Superman is attacked and injured by harpies, it seems to surprise him
that he is vulnerable to magic (it may be his first meeting with it). Lois
dreams of a city in flames and Lana held captive by a vicious Superman. She
wakes to find both herself and Superman in the hospital, and Lana missing.
There is an excellent bit where Superman is describing how, after he was
injured by the harpy, the doctors were unable to help him. He was still
invulnerable to their efforts. I have to admit, it's not an aspect of his
invulnerability that I had considered before.
It turns out that Lana has been drawn to Nazi Germany (still around in this
world) and has found a storehouse of ancient statues in the catacombs. One of
them bears a strong resemblance to Lois.
We also find out that Superman is banned from entering any nation of the Third
Reich by a directive of the Geneva Protocols. Meanwhile, Lois and Clark (not
Superman) are on their way to Germany to find Lana when the plane is attacked
by the harpies, forcing Superman to take an active role to save Lois and the
other people on the plane.
The story ends when Superman has safely landed the plane, and is being taken
captive by the soldiers of the Reich.
Rene' Gobeyn (gobeyn@kodak.com)
______________________________________________________
LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN
------------------------------------------------------
GUILTY OF INNOCENCE
---------------------------------
by Zoomway (Zoomway@aol.com)
The longest unrequited love story finally ended on October 6, 1996, when Lois
Lane and Clark Kent (a.k.a. Superman) tied the knot and became husband and
wife. The episode, "Swear to God, This Time We're Not Kidding", opted for the
choice of a fantasy location wedding and a mysterious "angelic" character
performing the ceremony. This episode had an instant "I love it!" "I hate
it!" response. I myself did not care much for the way the wedding episode was
executed and it had a less romantic feel than the fake wedding from 3rd
season, though I felt the vows exchanged by Lois and Clark were perfect. That
said, I think I fit into the category of many fans in that I was just relieved
they finally got married for real. Shortly after the wedding episode aired,
one fan commented that Lois and Clark just seemed too sweet and innocent after
the wedding, and should have been tearing each other's clothes off. This fan
further stated that if LOIS AND CLARK ever hoped to compete with 3RD ROCK FROM
THE SUN, it would have to get a little bit raunchier.
I remember an amusing line from an episode of the old series KOLCHAK: THE
NIGHT STALKER. Carl Kolchak, who investigated the paranormal long before
Scully and Mulder left the sandbox, had arrived at the scene of a murder. One
odd clue was a telephone that had been destroyed, but it had been destroyed
apparently by having an intense amount of pressure applied to it. This
fascinated Kolchak. He asked a butler on the scene why anyone would destroy a
telephone like that, and the butler coolly replied, "It's the '70s, sir, the
age of senseless violence." That line was delivered in an era when gang
violence was unheard of, drive-by shootings happened only in old gangster
movies, and car-jacking meant changing a flat tire. In light of '90s
bloodlust, that throwaway line from Kolchak of 22 years ago seems quaintly
anachronistic, and so too does THE NIGHT STALKER itself. That show, thought of
as rather intense at the time, is so mild by today's standards that it likely
wouldn't be intense enough for the children's program GOOSEBUMPS.
Today, we live in the age of the *gross-out*. A term used to describe a scene
that is extremely repulsive, and sometimes nauseating in its graphic depiction
of violence. A recent episode of THE X-FILES involved inbreeding, burying an
infant alive, a sheriff and his wife beaten to death, the deputy murdered and
one of the bad guys center punched with a stake. This all took place within
one hour. I have always been a fan of THE X-FILES, but this episode made me
wonder if there were any boundaries anymore as to what could or should be
considered *entertainment*. This is not just a question of THE X-FILES and the
imitators the show has spawned, where it now seems these programs are trying
to outdo each other in a game of macabre one-upmanship, but whether the term
*taboo* itself has any place in the Hollywood lexicon anymore.
Believe me, I am not a paradigm of prudish propriety. I have seen just about
every slasher horror film ever made, and even rather obscure junk like
MICROWAVE MASSACRE, however, when "shock schlock" seeps its way onto network
television, the mind numbing, empty brain calories of this form of film-making
seem to be amplified. In a film, there is expedience, a streamlined formulaic
hook that starts the events in motion; a curse at Crystal Lake, a madman who
invades your dreams on Elm Street, evoking a bogey man by chanting his name
thrice, etc. The difference here is that in these films the *monster* is the
known identifier to horror audiences. They know Jason, Michael Myers, Freddy
Kruger, and the Candy Man. On television, the *monster hunter* is the
identifier. This is why television has to be a lot more careful.
If Scully and Mulder don't feel their flesh crawl at the very thought of a
limbless woman strapped to a board being impregnated by her own sons, then the
line between monster and monster hunter becomes hopelessly blurred. This is
regardless of all the scary, ugly and twisted things that Scully and Mulder
have encountered to this point. There are just some things that cut right to
the core of what it means to be human, and to live in a society with rules and
boundaries. There are just times when the monster hunters should feel as
grossed out as the audience or they themselves are in danger of becoming the
monsters.
You may be asking where Lois and Clark fit into all of this, but that's the
point, they don't. LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN may be one
of the few anachronisms left on television. Is there a place, or even an
audience, for a show in which the romantic couple waits for their wedding
night to consummate their love, where the groom is a virgin, and where the
superhero is not angst-ridden like his contemporaries? Can the show compete
with a situation comedy where crass is mistaken for witty? The answer is a
provisional "no". It is provisional because LOIS AND CLARK does seem to
stubbornly maintain a loyal core audience that hovers around the 12 million
viewer mark. These viewers will watch regardless of LOIS AND CLARK's
competition, and fortunately some good demographics are part of that loyal
core viewership.
For a show that seemed all but ignored by the popular entertainment media when
it was winning Sunday night last season against the likes of MAD ABOUT YOU,
CYBILL, and NEWSRADIO, it seems to be the topic "du jour" everywhere now that
it is struggling in third place, and often a distant third at that. What is
disturbing is that none of the fast track analysts point out that LOIS AND
CLARK has never been a top 10 show, not even a top 20 show, and yet CBS and
NBC both have thrown their absolute best at LOIS AND CLARK. Why are media
mavens surprised that a show like 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN, which has beaten
other top 10 shows, could beat a show like LOIS AND CLARK that at best is a
top 30 show? Perhaps their current fascination is partly due to the irony that
3RD ROCK was a show rejected by ABC and now the network is being hoist by its
own petard, or that from the beginning, LOIS AND CLARK, and its "tortoise
versus the hare" approach to dominating Sunday was not as dazzling as an
upstart sitcom's meteoric rise from nowhere into the top 10. Whatever the
reason, the truth is, LOIS AND CLARK has had to slay giants just to keep its
berth on Sunday night, the most watched night of television in the U.S.
LOIS AND CLARK has to fight many battles that Superman never dreamed of, and
not the least of which is that the world and television programming itself
have become a bit darker and a lot cruder, making the sweet fantasy of
Metropolis look extremely innocent by comparison. In years past, a show with
crass language like 3RD ROCK (one episode having the words damn, hell, ass,
and bitch all crammed into one half hour) would never have been aired at such
an early hour, not to mention some of the crudest sexual innuendo this side of
late night and cable. Should LOIS AND CLARK try to compete on this level? I
hope the answer is a resounding "no!"
LOIS AND CLARK almost seems like an oasis on Sunday night. A show wedged in
between a program designed for the blue hair constituency abandoned by MURDER,
SHE WROTE, and another program designed for the fright wig constituency who
never got past toilet humor or burping the alphabet. When the barriers were
dropped as to what could and could not appear on network television at a given
hour, networks were not below trotting out anything, no matter how
inappropriate to the early hour, as long as it meant grabbing the plum
advertising rates to be coveted on Sunday night. It is in the name of this
corporate greed that Warren Littlefield, President of NBC Entertainment, with
a straight face proclaimed 3RD ROCK FROM THE SUN to be a good show for kids,
and adults of all ages. It makes one wonder if Lex Luthor was modeled after a
network executive.
The staff at Dec. 3rd should keep LOIS AND CLARK on its current track and not
panic. It may be a straighter and more narrow track than the rails 3RD ROCK is
riding, but that once mighty show has been slipping of late, and the attrition
it is experiencing may indicate its white-hot engine is cooling down. LOIS AND
CLARK, in a clever bit of dealing from Warner Brothers, has been guaranteed a
5th season. This alone, hopefully, will stave off panic and allow the show to
keep chipping away at 3RD ROCK. BOSTON COMMON, 3RD ROCK's follow-up show is
not holding the lead-in, and so NBC loses viewers on the half hour. This, so
far, has allowed LOIS AND CLARK to pick up a share point on the half hour.
This will probably be the toughest season LOIS AND CLARK has ever experienced,
and if not for the miracle guarantee of a 5th season, perhaps its last. It has
also had to outscore its lead-in show, AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS, which
has been doing poorly this year and thus providing a miserable base for ABC to
launch Sunday programming. Just the fact that LOIS AND CLARK can bring the
audience up as much as 20 rank points from its lead-in proves that it is a
show that is being sought out by a loyal viewership, and not just riding the
coat tails of a high ranked lead-in. Though LOIS AND CLARK may be guilty of
being too innocent in an ever tackier television universe, it is also the best
show on Sunday night regardless of its ratings, and while that may sound like
a pyrrhic victory, they have a lot to be proud of.
______________________________________________________
LOIS AND CLARK EPISODE REVIEWS
----------------------------------------
Ratings Panelists:
D: Demi DSt: Debby Stark NO: Neil Ottenstein
DL: Diane Levitan MC: Matt Combes SD: Scott Devarney
DS: Dick Sidbury SDM: Simon DelMonte
The first rating given after the average is that of the reviewer, if one was
submitted. The average rating given for a particular episode may correspond
to a larger sample of ratings than what is printed following the average.
Given airdates correspond to the date of first US airing.
======================================================
Episode #4-03: "Swear To God, This Time We're Not Kidding"
--------------------------------------------------------------
Reviewed by Diane Levitan (levitan@earthlink.net)
October 6, 1996
Written by John McNamara
Directed by Michael Lange
Guest Starring: Delta Burke as Myrtle Beech
Charles Fleischer as Dr. Voyle Grumman
Beverly Garland as Ellen Lane
Harve Presnell as Sam Lane
Ray Buktenica as Leo Nunk
David Doyle as Mike
Leann Hunley as Emily Channing
Billy "Sly" Williams as Lamont
Jerry Giles as the head paramedic
David Lewman as the messenger
RATINGS:
Average: 3.1/5.0 Shields
DL: 3.0 Shields
D: 3.5 Shields - L&C gets full marks for arranging a romantic and magical
event on this momentous occasion; the WAFFs flowed freely. But the
adventure itself was dampened by pointless, spineless villains and
McNamara's need to play every pun in his pocket. This TOUCHED BY AN
ANGEL spin-off was poignant, if not wholly unoriginal. The ending
was sweet and sentimental. Lois & Clark are *finally* married and
the world is a happy place (for now ;). So all things considered,
lets just take this and moooove on.
MC: 3.0 Shields - Not the way I thought the wedding should have gone. The
Mike character seemed pushed on people (especially those first time
viewers tuning in for the wedding episode), and the whole
spirituality thing was a bit wacky and weird. I would have
preferred a more traditional wedding. I really felt the wedding
should have been the A-Plot too, and not Delta. But at least they
were finally married!
SDM: 2.0 Shields - I have a new least favorite episode. We wait sixty years
for a wedding and what do we get? Touched by an angel! This was
the worst TV wedding I've ever seen, a dopey, unrealistic ending to
what has been one of the most realistic relationships on TV. They
can only go up from here. At least the comic book will look good
compared to this.
NO: 4.5 Shields - Beautiful at times. Great final ceremony. Superman
didn't save the day, but Lois and Clark did it themselves. Mike
worked for me. A special feel. I would have liked to have seen
Lucy Lane there.
"Honey, we are getting married because our being together is bigger than
anything that has ever been. It's destiny." -- Clark Kent
Well, they did it. And all I can say is when it comes time for me to get
married, I sure as heck ain't relying on destiny. From the ups and downs of
Season 2 to the non-wedding arc of Season 3, Lois and Clark have run a
gauntlet that would frighten the most stalwart of hearts and stretch the faith
of the most believing of viewers. With the "Wedding Destroyer" as one last
obstacle to their union, one can understand why McNamara might have felt
pressed to use the otherworldly to finally accomplish the elusive marriage --
one gets the feeling, after all of their setbacks, that it would take
something of that magnitude for Lois and Clark to finally tie the knot.
"Swear To God" is not the classic episode many hoped it would be, but it has
many of the sweet, human touches we've come to associate with LOIS AND CLARK
over the past three years. While it may not live up to its blockbuster
billing, it provides a favorable beginning for the new ground the show has
broken, and is a necessary step in the right direction.
The episode starts off well, with Lois and Clark being adorably domestic while
unpacking dishes. The show has a sense of humor about Lois and Clark's
history, and good continuity -- Lois teases Clark by hitting her head and
faking amnesia, and Clark reacts with suitable semi-panic. There are some
good bits of character development throughout -- we learn that Clark is a
tabloid junkie, and see him proudly display a newspaper clipping of himself as
Superman and Lois as Ultrawoman, while imagining "what a kick the kids are
gonna get outta these things." Clark's subplay was not lost on this viewer,
and it'll be interesting to see how Lois reacts to his obvious desire for
children. McNamara, who said in a recent appearance on AOL that the easiest
thing for him to write is "anything to do with Lois and Clark and their
relationship," proves himself in this episode, following the tradition of
prior McNamara's episodes such as "Whine Whine Whine."
As for the A-plot, Delta Burke does a decent job with what she's given in
Myrtle Beech, the "Wedding Destroyer," but never seems particularly into the
role. The episode does have a few in-jokes, and having Executive Producer
Robert Singer's portrait in Myrtle's locket is particularly amusing. Myrtle,
who is supposedly driven by grief and lack of love, makes even Lois and Clark
(and their fans) realize that things could be worse, but she lacks depth and
believability. Voyle Grumman, the grief counselor, is similarly forgettable,
and seems present only to allow sympathy for Myrtle.
Despite these drawbacks, the villains' entry into the story does have its
positive effects, and because of them we see Lois and Clark actually
investigating. The determination with which Lois and Clark, and especially
Lois, go after Myrtle is a testament to their desire to finally have a
successful wedding, and the feisty, sarcastic side of Lois is present in
proper proportions with the caring one. She jokes, "most couples are picking
out china patterns and arguing over seating charts -- we're breaking and
entering," emphasizing that these are not just two normal people, no matter
how normal they attempt to be. One of the most natural, realistic scenes of
the episode is one in which we see Lois and Clark going over the case
together, while drinking coffee, snacking, and talking out the facts. Teri
Hatcher and Dean Cain's chemistry is amazing in scenes like these, and makes
me look forward to the everyday trials marriage is sure to bring.
As for the supporting cast, I was disappointed that we were robbed of an
ensemble wedding, but did enjoy the limited interaction with Lois' and Clark's
parents. The Kents are as supporting as ever, and while there is absolutely
no mention of Lois' sister Lucy, Ellen Lane is written especially well. Lois
herself is portrayed as nervous, but not excessively neurotic, and kudos go
out to Teri Hatcher for a believable portrayal, and for not falling into the
stereotype of the jittery bride. Perry and Jimmy are rather peripheral to the
story (Jimmy's organ playing aside), but their presence is comforting.
The wedding itself (the real one) is hard to characterize, and much of this
ambiguity comes from how one chooses to view Mike, the episode's guardian
angel. Played by David Doyle of CHARLIE'S ANGELS fame, Mike pops up
throughout the episode accompanied by FIELD OF DREAMS-like music, offering
vague words of encouragement and reassurance. This chops up the action of the
episode somewhat, and at times the actors seem to find it a bit difficult to
accept this premise, with Lane Smith in particular looking strained in dealing
with Mike. The process of getting the entire party to the wedding site goes a
bit outside the lines of even a soft sci-fi show like LOIS & CLARK; it smacks
of convenience, perhaps signifying a cave-in to the time constraints of an
hour show. As an omniscient, miracle-working agent, Mike could represent the
writers themselves, and his presence a way in which they, and perhaps even the
fans, could be present at the big event.
However one chooses to view Mike though, one cannot argue with the
long-anticipated, albeit compressed, end product. Lois' and Clark's vows are
beautiful (as is the sunset-washed "mountaintop"), and Hatcher and Cain are
entirely believable as they speak their words of love. Thus, the wedding
episode does what it intended -- Lois and Clark are married. With a title
like "Swear To God, This Time We're Not Kidding," the creators of LOIS AND
CLARK were undoubtedly speaking to its fans with this episode. As Lois says,
"This is it, isn't it?" Yes, Lois, it is. Hallelujah.
______________________________________________________
Episode #4-04: "Soul Mates"
----------------------------------------------
Reviewed by Marta Olson (mgaleols@aol.com)
October 13, 1996
Written by Brad Kern
Directed by Richard Friedman
Guest Starring: Lane Davies as Baron Tempos/Tempus Tex
Terry Kiser as H.G. Wells
Clive Revill as the sorcerer
Nick Meaney as soldier #1
Tim O'Hare as soldier #2
RATINGS:
Average: 4.3/5.0 Shields
D: 4.8 Shields - "Soul Mates" took its viewers on an utterly romantic and
compelling adventure. It captured a little handful of "the stuff
that dreams are made of" and played with the notion of a timeless
love. I for one, will hold it among my short list of favorite LOIS
AND CLARK episodes in *any* season.
SDM: 2.7 Shields - This would have made a good episode of QUANTUM LEAP.
However, I don't like supernatural adventures in the life of
Superman. Some funny lines and good acting make the episode
entertaining. I just hope that the real Tempus shows up later
this year. The past versions aren't as interesting.
SD: 4.7 Shields - This episode did a very good job highlighting the idea
that Lois and Clark are destined to be together. Dean and Teri were
believable and fun in displaying the sexual tension of being kept
apart. Great attention to continuity in that Lois remembered the
events of "Tempus Fugitive" but Clark did not.
DS: 4.0 Shields - For my money, this is clearly the best episode so far this
season. There were a couple of tedious spots but the dialogue was
crisp, the humor for the most part was on target, and these stalling
tactics that the producers seem bent on using lasted about the right
length of time.
DSt: 5.0 Shields - A tightly written, exciting story that had me on the edge
of my seat. Well done humor, well proportioned and excellently
delivered. The WAFFs were just right for me. I don't like to be
beaten over the head with it. That H.G. Wells could talk and not
make it boring shows how Lois and Clark could talk for 10 minutes
and we'd learn a lot. I like writer Brad Kern very much now and
look forward to seeing what he does next.
Lex Luthor, frogs, clones, amnesia, mind controlling doctors -- what else
could come between Lois and Clark and the fulfillment of their love? How
about a curse that was put on their ancestors in the Middle Ages by an
ancestor of Tempus?
Lois and Clark have returned to Clark's apartment after their wedding. They
have changed clothes, and are ready to go to their honeymoon in Hawaii when
Lois suddenly realizes that she left a suitcase at her apartment. Since Clark
is dressed as Superman, Lois asks him to go get it. He is impatient to start
their honeymoon, so he is reluctant to take the time until she mentions that
the black teddy he bought her is in the suitcase. He is back with the
suitcase before she finishes the sentence. They decide to delay their
departure for Hawaii for just a little while and go into the bedroom. As they
lay on the bed kissing, there is a persistent knock on the door. Frustrated
once again, Superman changes to Clark and opens the door to H.G. Wells. Thus
begins the latest chapter in the frustrating romance of Lois and Clark.
Clark does not recognize Mr. Wells from their previous meeting, but Lois does.
He is surprised to find that Lois remembers they saved Clark as a baby until
she explains that his 'older self' told her about it the last time they met.
Mr. Wells brings troubling news regarding their relationship and a copy of the
next day's Daily Planet. If they consummate their marriage, Lois will die of
a strange disease. Faced with the decision to either practice abstinence for
the rest of their lives or go back in time to stop a curse from being put on
their love, they choose to travel in time.
Mr. Wells explains that in the future a scientist has created a soul tracking
device based on the theory that our souls' energy force is a type of cosmic
fingerprint. Lois and Clark's souls are intertwined throughout time because
they are soul mates -- destined to be in love for all time.
They use the tracking device to take them back in time. They arrive in a time
that is reminiscent of Robin Hood and Maid Marion. Clark is with H.G. Wells,
and Lois is not around. Clark is wearing green tights, a dark green tunic and
a black mask. He is known as the Fox. His superpowers do not work in this
time period because he is not from Krypton in this life. Lois is Lady
Loisette who arrives later with Baron Tempos. It is Tempos who has put the
curse on Lois and Clark. If they can stop the curse they will be able to be
together. Clark's other persona is Sir Charles, the prized knight of Baron
Tempos. Perry is here as Friar Harry, one of the Fox's people. Martha and
Jonathan are also part of the rag tag band that follows the Fox. Jimmy is one
the Baron's squires. By this time Lois and Clark are beginning to feel that
they will be eternally teased.
Baron Tempos decides that Sir Charles must fight the Fox. I won't tell you
what happens, but history is forever changed. When Lois and Clark go back in
time, they find that Lois Lane is engaged to marry King Tempus. They must try
again. They go back to a time when there were no curses to try and right
history.
The first thing we see is Clark, in a cowboy hat as the Lone Rider, about to
be hanged. Lois is now LuLu, and is standing next to Tempus Tex. By LuLu
agreeing to marry Tempus Tex, he releases the Lone Rider. Jimmy is the
Sheriff in town who tried to stop the hanging but couldn't. He alerts the
Lone Rider to his horse. Clark whistles for the horse and whisks Lois away
from town. They find out that they have not beaten Tempus Tex because he is
holding Lulu's parents -- Martha and Jonathan -- hostage. They must release
the hostages and stop the wedding in order to beat Tempus Tex. In this
timeline, Clark's alter ego is a mild mannered telegraph operator. Perry is
the preacher who is to perform the ceremony.
Does the Lone Rider save LuLu and her parents? Do Lois and Clark beat the
curse and change history so that they can be together? Or do they remain
eternally teased? For the answers to these questions, find a copy of the show
and watch.
Lane Davies as Tempus was once again wonderful. Some of his lines, "sense of
deja vu," "I feel like I'm always fighting for you," are great. Lois has some
good lines herself. I really enjoyed this episode. I liked the different
characters and the different times. It is also an interesting thought that
our circle of friends and our loved ones are linked to us throughout time.
Terry Kiser as H.G. Wells brings back the attitude he had the first time he
played the character. The only thing I did not like about this episode was
how it parallels the Back To the Future stories. The thought process is the
same although the times and the changes in history are different.
______________________________________________________
THE PHANTOM ZONE: Reviews of the pre-Crisis Man of Steel
------------------------------------------------------------------
SUPER FRIENDS
---------------------------------
by Joe Crowe (j.crowe4@genie.com)
It's been many a month since I first mentioned that I'd be reviewing this
story. I've had the most requests for this story that I've ever received since
starting up my little column. I'm tickled to finally be presenting it. A big
"thanky kindly" to Ted Myslinski for getting me the goods.
DC COMICS PRESENTS #27-29
Superman, Martian Manhunter, Supergirl, and The Spectre
Written by Len Wein
Art by Jim Starlin, Quickdraw Studios (#27), and Romeo Tanghal (#28-29)
Nov. 1980 - Jan. 1981
Rating: 4.5 Shields
A yellow-skinned beetle-browed alien warlord appears to Superman. He has
kidnapped Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, and Steve Lombard. He will release them only
when Superman retrieves a crystal key from a planet which Superman recalls is
guarded by his "old Justice League buddy" J'onn J'onzz, the Martian Manhunter.
The Man of Steel muses "It'll be dangerous...But that's why they call me
Superman, right? If I can't pull it off, who can?"
Superman alights on the planet, but J'onn appears and demands that he stop.
Superman tells him about Mongul, and J'onn responds with the story of the key.
An evil alien race called the Warzoon built a deadly satellite called
Warworld. Before they could use it, however, they all mysteriously died. The
peaceable race of the Largas placed the key in the safekeeping of J'onn's
people. It's the key to the most dangerous object in the universe, but
Superman must have it to save his friends. Needless to say, Superman and
Martian Manhunter get into a big fight.
Superman wins and Mongul appears. Superman refuses to give him the key. Mongul
tries to kill his friends, but J'onn frees them in time. However, Mongul takes
the key from a weakened J'onn and escapes. Superman returns to Earth with his
friends and recruits some "heavy duty super-help." (Yeah!) He and Supergirl
return to confront Warworld. Mongul gains psychic control of the satellite and
rains down all its weaponry upon the Kryptonian duo.
Supergirl deduces that the Warzoon died off one by one, each one after trying
to use Warworld and failing because of the massive psychic energy drain.
Mongul likewise fails, but by now Warworld is on automatic. Supergirl flies at
absolute top speed through the heart of the satellite, wrecking it. However,
her velocity carries her out of sight. Superman follows, farther and faster
than he's ever traveled before...until he's stopped by the nigh-omnipotent
hand of the Spectre.
Superman was "traveling too fast -- too far -- toward realms no mortal eye may
be permitted to behold." So Spectre was sent to stop him. Spectre tells
Superman that he was supposed to learn a lesson in humility at the hands of
Mongul, but did not -- so the Spectre must teach him. "You are one of the most
powerful beings in all of Creation" he says, "and yet, in so many ways, you
are little more than a child!"
Spectre reminds Superman that he couldn't save Krypton or his parents from
death, and that he must learn to control the dark side of himself. Finally he
understands and admits his foolishness. The Voice that Spectre serves resounds
all about, proclaiming that as the first step toward true wisdom. In trying to
rescue Supergirl, Superman had pierced every barrier except "that golden veil
beyond which no living man may trespass!" A humbled Superman asks, and a
sleeping Supergirl appears. He declares that he has learned "power is
meaningless until it is tempered with conscience!"
This is one of the most memorable stories in the entire DC PRESENTS series.
Very few stories actually dealt with the concept of Superman as the guy who
could do literally anything. Many of them skirt the issue by finding
incredibly powerful villains to match him, or they de-powered him in some way.
CRISIS was a good half-decade away. No attempts at humanizing the Man of Steel
down from the all-powerful alien guardian of the universe were in the offing.
Len Wein tackled the issue heads up.
Superman's arrogance in this story was noted by everybody that wrote in as
being out of left field. Scott Devarney points out that "this was indicative
of the looser continuity of the SUPERMAN titles back then and the fact that
DCP never had a sole writer." Superman's "realization that there are
situations that even he can't handle alone made for an appropriate moral for a
team-up title."
Calvin L. Hall says that the fight between Superman and J'onn J'onzz sheds
light on the reason he likes DC heroes; "they have a certain nobility that
most other heroes lack." Jim Lesher points out the irony of the Superman /
Spectre confrontation in the modern light of their importance to the recent
KINGDOM COME series, and the fact that Jerry Siegel co-created them both.
I find it strange that that this was one of the only J'onn J'onzz appearances
in two decades. Somehow this great character dropped out of sight for nearly
20 years before being returned to main event status by Gerry Conway in JLA
just prior to CRISIS. Younger readers probably can't imagine DC Comics without
this pivotal player, but I had only read reprints featuring him from the 1960s
until this story.
Mongul is seen by Hall as "the most significant villain created for Superman
in the 1980s." Scott Devarney comments that this story featured a genuine
threat, actual "life-threatening danger." A telling comment was Superman's,
where he tells Supergirl that their invulnerability is relative. Most of the
readers felt that Supergirl was more in character here than her cousin. Her
brashness coupled with competence that I've mentioned in previous reviews all
came into play here. We miss Kara.
Jim Starlin's art scored big, outside of the "horrible ink-job" as Doug Hugo
put it, of issue 27. Perspective was key in the Supergirl issue. Jim Lesher
reminds me to mention the gigantic missile cone speeding toward Superman in
this issue. The missile gets larger panel by panel as Superman gets smaller.
He thinks that this missile might be able to kill him. It almost does. He
thinks there's no way he could survive two of them -- and sure enough, the
very next panel shows two missiles headed his way. You have never seen more
telling or effective detail of the use of telescopic vision than in these
stories.
Wein delivers here one of the most powerful Superman stories I've ever read.
In addition to the requisite action, the introspection in the final issue of
the trilogy was unheard of in comics of the time. The long-held Spider-Manian
philosophy of "with great power comes great responsibility" was applied to
Superman. This was an actual examination of the nature of Superman, with a
hint of religion. A well-known Biblical passage states "ask and you shall
receive." Superman does -- and realizes, wordlessly, who "The Voice" is.
Granted, this story really only affected Superman in the context of these
three issues, since, as mentioned before, continuity wasn't a very big thing
back then. But Wein caused Superman to grow. That continued -- and continues
-- to this day.
______________________________________________________
INTO THE ARCHIVES FUN AND GAMES (PART 2)
-----------------------------------------------
by Neil A. Ottenstein (otten@gluon.umd.edu)
Here are the solutions to the three secret messages.
SUPERMAN #6: Superman's secret message is "Always remember to play fair and live honestly then the rewards of life will be yours."
SUPERMAN #7: Superman's secret message is "Be proud you are an Amdrican and live up to the great heritag of a great nation."
As noted above there are two small typos. "Amdrican" instead of "American"
and "heritag" instead of "heritage." In Clark Kent's message on the Supermen
of America page, he was talking about "hitting the line hard." Many examples
of this are given, but at the end the readers are told "In your dealings with
everyone, HIT THE LINE HARD. That means to be strong and fair and honest and sincere-and it also means being the sort of American who can hold up his head and be proud to say, 'I am a REAL American!'"
Superman #8: Superman's secret message is "Be loyal to American ideals and
you keep the fire of freedom ablaze."
In Clark Kent's message he talked about loyalty. Being loyal "to the ideals
of Americanism and Democracy" and "to everything in life that is good -- your
family, your friends, the institutions of which you are a part, and your
country."
As mentioned above, like the comics, these messages are a product of their
times. America had yet to enter World War II, but the war was heavy on
people's minds. These messages bring to mind the Little Orphan Annie Secret
Circle in Jean Sheperd's IN GOD WE TRUST, ALL OTHERS PAY CASH. (I believe this also appeared in the movie A CHRISTMAS STORY which was based on parts of this book.) There the main character has his secret decoder pin to get the message from Little Orphan Annie to all members of the Secret Circle. He hears the message over the radio and decodes it with great excitement. I am
not going to spoil the punch line for you, though. Anyway, I bet a lot of the
excitement felt in that scene was felt by readers of ACTION COMICS and
SUPERMAN as they decoded Superman's secret messages to them.
______________________________________________________
**************************************************************
End of Section 6/Issue #32
