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The Kryptonian Cybernet Issue 52
_____________________________________________________________________________
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 #52 - July 1998
_____________________________________________________________________________
CONTENTS
--------
Section 1: Superscripts: Notes from the Editor(s)
Rantings and Ramblings
Ratings At A Glance
Titles Shipped June 1998
News and Notes
Some comics news, a toy tidbit, info on the third season
of the animated series, and a new Superman stamp
Section 2: The Greatest Superman Story of All Time
Part 3: The World's Finest Heroes In One Adventure Together
The Dynamic Duo lend an assist to the Man of Steel, as Bob
Hughes concludes his discussion of Superman on Radio
And Who Disguised As...
Shouting from the Rooftops
J.D. Rummel discovers a couple of gems in recent comics
Section 3: New Comic Reviews
The Triangle Titles
Superman #137, by Thomas Deja
Adventures of Superman #560, by Dan Radice
Action Comics #747, by Derek Jackson
Section 4: New Comics Reviews
The Triangle Titles (cont)
Superman: The Man of Steel #82, by Mike Smith
Super-Family Titles
Superboy #54, by Rene' Gobeyn
Supergirl #24, by Thomas Deja
Section 5: New Comic Reviews
Other Superman Titles
JLA #21, by Anatole Wilson
Superman Adventures #22, by Cory Strode
Specials
JLA Secret Files #2, by Rene' Gobeyn
JLA: World Without Grown-Ups #1, by G.M. Nelson
Section 6: New Comic Reviews
Specials (cont)
JLA: World Without Grown-Ups #1, by G.M. Nelson
After-Byrne
Manuscripts of Steel
Denes House wraps up his review of the Eclipso annuals
with Action Comics Annual #4 and Adventures of Superman
Annual #4
Section 7: After-Byrne
Superman Stories
Lex Luthor: Part 2
Sean Hogan continues his look at the best stories of
the post-Crisis Lex Luthor, picking things up with
the debut of Lex Luthor II!
Section 8: The Phantom Zone
Superman #282
Luthor converts Superman into his Golden Age incarnation,
and Supergirl learns the story of Nam-Ek. Reviewed by
Scott Devarney
The Mailbag
Section 9: A Visit to Metropolis, Home of Superman
Jon Knutson recounts his visit to last month's Superman
Festival in Metropolis, Illinois!
STAFF:
------
Jeffery D. Sykes, Publisher and Co-Editor-in-Chief
Shane Travis, Co-Editor-in-Chief and Executive Editor of Comic Reviews
Neil Ottenstein, Executive Editor of STAS Reviews
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 1998 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
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Back issues are available via ftp at oasis.novia.net. These archives can also
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_____________________________________________
SUPERSCRIPTS: Notes from the Editor(s)
-----------------------------------------
By Jeff Sykes (sykes@ms.uky.edu)
RANTINGS AND RAMBLINGS
Well, Superman certainly was the focus of a storm of controversy this month,
wasn't he? I'm referring, of course, to the over-sensationalized story about
Joey Cavalieri's removal of the word "Jew" from Jon Bogdanove's excellent
Golden Age Superman tribute. The sad thing about this entire situation is
that Cavalieri was hung out to dry in essence because he's a good person.
You see, the story came in to the editorial offices with the word "Jew"
used in the script. I've not seen the original script, so I don't know
specifically what lines were the cause of Cavalieri's concern, but according
to statements from representative of DC Comics, Cavalieri was simply
concerned that younger readers might read the comic and then repeat the lines
as ethnic slurs. Let me repeat that. The man didn't want to be responsible
for children repeating ethnic slurs which appeared in a magazine he
published.
Now whether or not he chose the best avenue for preventing that is obviously
debatable. I can think of several other solutions to the problem. It's
still sad, however, that he's been ravaged by some fans for what was clearly
a well-intentioned decision.
What else can I rant about?
So I'm reading through _Previews_ a couple of months ago, and I notice that
DC's going to impose its latest round of price increases beginning in August.
Well, I'm not happy that it's going to raise my monthly comics bill by a
couple of dollars or so, but it's something I can live with. Then I find my
way to the comic shop on July 2, where I discover that the price hikes have
come a month earlier than announced.
That *really* cheeses me off. I recall when the books when up from 75 cents
to $1.00, and each issue for a month or two included a letter in the back,
explaining and basically apologizing for the price change. Now we get no
explanation for the price increases, and they stick us with it a month
earlier than announced. Where's the respect for the readers?
Something else?
Well, with this recent round of price increases, it looks like yet another
good time to address the industry's problem of dwindling readership. For a
couple of years, now, the comics industry has been trying to find a way to
stem this tide, and so far nothing seems to be working. Look, in a nutshell,
the problem boils down to one simple fact -- comic books have become an
elitist form of entertainment.
Hyperbole aside, what I mean here is that comic books are a fairly expensive
form of entertainment, especially when compared to other popular forms of
entertainment. Let's work from the perspective that the average price of a
comic book is $2.50, and we'll even stretch things out to say that it takes
an average of a half hour to read a comic book. That means that the cost of
entertaining oneself with a comic book is at least $5.00 an hour, and is
almost certainly more than that.
Compare that with video games, television, movies, books, sports, and just
about anything else you can think to entertain yourself with. A video game
can cost anywhere between $40 and $70, but will be played over and over and
over. Heck, a role-playing game can cost $40 to $50 dollars but will
generally return at least 40 or 50 hours of gameplay. That's a buck an hour.
The movies? Not sure what the average ticket price is for a movie these days
($6.00 for a non-matinee in Lexington), but the higher prices can be cut by
attending matinees or second-run showings. Regardless, even a prime-time
showing of a 90-minute comedy in Lexington will only cost you four bucks an
hour.
TV? Don't make me laugh. Even the most expensive cable systems only cost 2
or 3 dollars per day, so you only have to watch a half-hour of TV a day to
make it less expensive than comics.
Books? You choose -- a $6.99 novel which will take most people quite a few
hours to read, or a $2.50 comic which will take most people 30 minutes?
It all boils down to cost. If the comics industry wants to be competitive
with other forms of entertainment, then it's going to have to cut the prices
of its products. Stop worrying about finding all these wonderful new paper
formats on which to print, stop worrying about enhanced covers and big
events, and stop worrying about revamping all of your characters to attract
younger crowds. These at best provide temporary sales spikes, where the
industry really needs to focus on preserving and recruiting long-term
consumers. By continuing to raise prices in these bleak times, the industry
is only hurting itself.
If it means going back to newsprint, then so be it. If it means reducing the
in-house advertising and increasing the commercial advertising, then so be
it. If it means experimenting with other media, then so be it. Do whatever
it takes, but *make* the prices competitive once again.
_____________________________________________
RATINGS AT A GLANCE: Titles shipped June 1998
----------------------------------------------------
Prepared by Shane Travis (travis@sedsystems.ca)
The May comics were a pleasure in that we had four of the regularly-published
titles earn aggregate rankings of 4.0 Shields or better. Things slipped a
little this month, but not too much. In fact, the calibre of the Super-titles
was still pretty good; everything managed to stay above 3.0 Shields again.
Well, *almost* everything. There's always that one that trails behind...
Key:
----
Issue -- Issue for which 'Current' Rating and Rank are calculated. The
'Previous' columns refer to the issue immediately prior to this.
Rating -- Average Rating, in Shields (maximum rating is 5.0). The number
in () indicates how many people submitted ratings.
Rank -- The relative ranking of the book among the regularly-published
Superman titles.
Average -- Average of the ratings for this title over the indicated number
of months, based on the book's cumulative average. Each month is
weighted equally, regardless of the number of people rating the
book that month. If this book is averaged over fewer months than
the rest, the number of months is displayed in ().
Current Previous Avg (6Mth)
Title Issue Rating Rank Rating Rank Rating Rank
----- ----- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
JLA 21 3.7(10) 1 3.1(10) 8 3.48 4
Adv. of Superman 560 3.6(12) 2 3.4(12) 6 2.87 6
JLA World/Grown-ups 1 3.5(7) - -- - -- -
JLA SF&O 2 3.4(5) - 3.3(8) - -- -
Supergirl 24 3.4(6) 3 4.0(8) 4 3.57 2
Superboy 54 3.3(7) 4 4.0(5) 3 3.67 1
Superman 137 3.3(11) 5(T) 3.3(10) 7 2.63 7(T)
Superman Adv. 22 3.3(6) 5(T) 4.2(7) 1 3.55 3
Man of Steel 82 3.2(10) 7 4.2(10) 2 3.18 5
Action Comics 747 2.1(7) 8 2.8(10) 9 2.63 7(T)
"Still trailing, and falling further back."
ACTION COMICS #747 (2.1 Shields, -0.7 Shields, Last Place)
- Two months in a row now this title has finished dead last, and this month
it dug itself into the deepest hole it has seen since I started writing the
Ratings at a Glance column. Immonen's attempt to tell a story without any
word balloons went over like a lead... well... balloon. Have to give Immonen
credit for being willing to try new and different things, but maybe he should
solidify his writing technique with more 'straight' stories before going back
to such esoteric fare.
"Pulled Down by Dominus"
SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #82 (3.2 Shields, -1.0 Shields, 7th of 8)
- People were none too happy that a very good Golden Age arc was co-opted
to introduce Dominus, the latest in a long line of world-beaters. That his
characterization was inconsistent from the other triangle titles didn't help
matters either. Still, a decent mark for this title, which has traditionally
been the red-headed step-child of the core titles; it currently has the
highest 6-month average of any triangle title.
"I brought the Justice League. That's a plan."
JLA #21 (3.7 Shields, +0.6 Shields, 1st place)
- In proving that he wasn't a crazy man, but the wily strategist we know
him to be, Adam Strange redeems both himself and this month's _JLA_. We've
seen quite a bit of Adam in the past year -- this two-issue stint, in the
now-cancelled _Superboy and the Ravers_, and in July's _Legends of the DC
Universe_ 80-Page Giant; perhaps all these are portents that the character
may be rising in prominence again within the DC mythos.
Information for 'Ratings at a Glance' and the ratings accompanying the
monthly reviews of Superman comics are obtained from KC readers. Anyone
interested in contributing may contact Shane Travis <travis@sedsystems.ca>
and will be added to the monthly mailing-list to receive a Ratings Form.
_____________________________________________
NEWS AND NOTES
--------------
COMICS, A LA NEWSARAMA
** All of our comics news this month comes from reports out of Michael
Doran's Newsarama (http://www.mania.com/newsarama/index.html), beginning
with Roger Stern's latest Superman project. _Superman: A Nation
Divided_, is a 48-page Elseworlds story which explores what would have
happened had there been a Superman around during the Civil War. Look
for a plethora of historical figures to appear in the book, which
features art by Eduardo Barreto (_Superman: Under a Yellow Sun_).
This one-shot is tentatively scheduled for November.
** You know how DC has essentially flooded the market with JLA-related
books since the series' debut? Look for the same to happen with _Young
Justice_. First up, in October's issue of their monthly title, the trio
of youngsters encounters one of Superman's more pesky opponents when
Mxyzptlk stops by. Don't look for this to be a typical appearance by
the imp, however, as this is a younger Mxy, pulled from a time before
he ever met the Man of Steel.
Also in October, fans can expect the _Secret Origins 80-Page Giant_
to focus on origins of the members of team Young Justice. The issue
includes a framing sequence in which Red Tornado assists the Secret
(from the Girlfrenzy special of the same name) in seeking direction
for her life. The special will highlight the origins of Superboy,
Robin, Impulse, Wonder Girl, Spoiler, and Arrowette. Now you figure
which five of those six are going to be members!
Finally, in November, fans can look forward to the Young Justice
edition of DC's series of Secret Files specials. The Secret's search
for direction in her life will lead directly into this special.
** The Paul Dini/Alex Ross collaboration, _Superman: Peace on Earth_,
scheduled for the holiday season, is intended to be the first of four
holiday specials by the team. Plans call for future specials to feature
Batman, Wonder Woman, and Captain Marvel.
** Last month we passed along the news that Ron Marz will be writing all
four of the Superman titles in October. We can now add that his story
will focus on Kandor, and that the next Big Change (TM) in Superman's
life will take place immediately following, in November.
In a nutshell, Clark forgets the events at the conclusion of "The Death
of Clark Kent" and decides that he can only prevent the disasters that
befall the Earth on a regular basis if he gives up his secret identity
and becomes Superman 24 hours a day. I'm sure we'll learn more about
this in the next month or two...
** Break out those Superman Red/Superman Blue 3-D glasses once again, as
DC will be publishing a series of 3-D specials in October. (Actually,
the books include a bound-in pair of glasses.) Of interest to Superman
fans will be _Superman 3-D_ #1, a 48-page special by Louise Simonson,
Neil Vokes, and Scott Koblish, and _Legends of the DC Universe 3-D
Gallery_ #1, a 32-page pin-up gallery.
THE TOY FARE
** If you remember back a ways, you'll recall that we announced several
additions to the Man of Steel line of Superman toys, additions which
never did actually hit stores. Now word has it that the magazine
_ToyFare_ is attempting to acquire the last of these ill-fated figures
-- including the exceptionally cool Metallo, the Kryptonian (an
Eradicator figure), and King Shark (from the Superboy/King Shark two-
pack) -- to offer as exclusives to _ToyFare_ readers. Of course, as
exclusives from a collector's magazine, you can expect that these may
cost quite a bit more than they would have on the shelves, but it may
be your only opportunity to obtain these figures.
ANIMATION INFORMATION
** The Superman/Batman "World's Finest" movie is scheduled to arrive in
stores on August 18, though the title has been changed to _The Batman/
Superman Movie_.
** Wonderful how the airtimes of an animated series can change so suddenly,
no? As most of you have probably noticed by now, the weekend Kids' WB
schedule has changed so that the three Superman and Batman episodes now
air consecutively from 8:30 to 10:00 (check local times). Don't be
surprised if all airtimes are changed once again when the new season
begins, probably on the 12th or 19th of September.
** In the new season, viewers can expect *two* new team-ups with Batman,
kind of. In one episode, when Batman goes missing, Superman dons the
cape and cowl in order to locate his missing compatriot. Teaming up in
their mission, Superman and Robin will fight essentially every villain
which has appeared on the two shows. The other team-up pits the Man of
Steel and the Dark Knight against the villainy of Ra's Al Ghul.
** Other new episodes will feature new guest appearances and returns of
some second season villainous staples. Green Lantern (according to the
series creators, GL's got Hal Jordan's costume and origin, but he is
Kyle) will team up with Superman to battle Sinestro, and three members
of the Legion will visit Superman in another episode, with other members
shown in "flashforward" scenes. Finally, look for new episodes
featuring Jax-Ur and Mala, Toyman, and a *big* showdown with Darkseid.
POSTAL SEAL OF APPROVAL
** The U.S. Postal Service has selected Superman as one of the 15 stamps
which will represent the 1930s in its "Celebrate the Century" series.
Unveiling of the stamp is tentatively scheduled for September 10 in
Cleveland.
_____________________________________________
THE GREATEST SUPERMAN STORY OF ALL TIME
-------------------------------------------
by Bob Hughes (rhughes3@ix.netcom.com)
Part 3
The World's Finest Heroes
In One Adventure Together
By December 4, 1945, the children of America had spent two months glued to
the radio as Superman battled the Atom Man and almost lost his life in the
process. Now, only two pieces of Kryptonite remained in the world. The
Scarlet Widow had sold them, but to whom? At Superman's request, Inspector
Henderson puts out a 48-state bulletin to try and locate her, but the effort
is fruitless.
Searching Sydney's apartment one last time, Clark and Jimmy finally find
a clue -- a strange coin featuring a crescent moon and star! Unable to
interpret the meaning of this coin, Superman decides it's time to call in a
real detective. He flies to Gotham City, where Clark Kent then knocks on
the door of Bruce Wayne (played this time, I believe, by Gary Merrill).
Superman had first met Batman less than a year ago, in "The Mystery of the
Wax Men" in March. A few months later, in "Doctor Blythe's Confidence Gang",
also known as "The Playland Murder Mystery", only Batman's intervention had
kept Lois Lane out of the electric chair. Now Bruce Wayne demands to know
what Clark Kent wants with him. Kent tells him he needs to find Batman, but
Wayne is having none of it.
"Why don't you put an ad in the paper! That sometimes works, I'm told!"
Hemming, hawing and stammering, Kent is finally forced to reveal the secret
he's guarded all his adult life -- his true identity! He himself had figured
out that Bruce Wayne was Batman using his X-ray vision. Convinced of Clark's
desperate need, Batman volunteers to help track down the other two pieces of
Kryptonite, dragging the clueless, but enthusiastic, Robin (Ronald Liss)
along behind.
For the next several days, we might as well be listening to the Batman and
Robin show, for all the air time Superman gets. In fact, DC had once tried
to get a Batman radio program on the air. Following Batman's serial success
on the big screen in 1943, a script was put together entitled "The Case of
the Drowning Seal". As usual, changes from the comic book version were
deemed necessary to make the show succeed on radio. To indicate the
transition from Bruce Wayne to Batman, it was planned that Batman would have
a British accent! And Dick Grayson's first name was changed to Robin!
Fortunately that show was never made. Batman fans had to be content with
occasional guest shots along side Superman.
Batman and Robin don't get to do a lot of detective work here, nor is Batman
portrayed as a dark and mysterious creature of the night. He and Robin are
shown as two average Joes who enjoy busting heads in the name of justice,
more like the Forties version of Captain America and Bucky, really, than any
DC character.
In disguise, Batman and Robin prowl the water front. They track down a wharf
rat named Squealy and pump him for information about the crescent and star.
Squealy tells them to forget it, drop the coin, and scram. They follow him
secretly to a coffee shop. He tells the cook that two guys are following him
and to call the boss.
Becoming suspicious that they are being led into a trap, "the Robinson boys"
change to their Batman and Robin costumes just in time to be ambushed. But
it takes more than a gang of thugs to stop the Dynamic Duo. One clue after
another is put together, and after a little "guest shot" by Clark Kent, Bruce
and Dick find themselves at the Golden Lily night club. Their meal is
interrupted, however, when they notice Gloria Garret, the club singer, is
wearing a crescent moon and star symbol in her hair! At the end of the show,
they switch identities in order to trail Gloria.
"What took you so long?" scolds Batman.
"My socks didn't match my tights!"
Batman leaps onto the bumper of Gloria's car just as it's pulling away. Robin
follows.
"You don't do bad for an old codger!" the Boy Wonder quips.
"Why thanks, Junior!"
The two ride for miles, hanging perilously off the back of the roadster, out
of view of the driver's mirror. But when the car finally stops, Batman and
Robin find themselves surrounded!
Batman's captors introduce themselves as Mr. Smith and Mr. Jones. They
banish Batman and Robin to the Zero Room, a special concrete chamber with a
mechanical ceiling which slowly drops. Batman computes it will take eight
hours before they're flattened.
"Mark me down for a big goon!" says Batman. "We have to do something soon or
we'll be a couple of pressed ducks!"
"In a matter of hours you will both die horrible deaths unless you tell us
what we want to know!" taunts the maniacal Mr. Jones.
Meanwhile, Kent and Henderson arrive at the Golden Lily, where Kent discovers
a phonograph hidden in a storeroom, with one record. Kent wants Henderson to
play the record. He insists the phone is going to ring and someone from the
Crescent and Star mob will answer. He points out that the phonograph is
connected to a short wave radio transmitter and the record is entitled "All
Alone by the Telephone."
But the phone doesn't ring. Henderson points out that Patsy's dead. The
gang will hear the signal but won't respond.
At the hideout of Smith and Jones the incessant signal from the short wave
worries them. Who is trying to contact us from the Golden Lily? It must be
the Police, working with Batman! The gang decides to split and abandon their
headquarters. Mr. Jones sets the place on fire. Clark tells the inspector
to play the record over and over again and then leaves.
Only 15 minutes are left before Batman and Robin are crushed. Batman and
Robin extend fond remembrances to each other as they wait for death -- they
spend the time talking about food.
"I guess Superman isn't going to get here either."
"I'm afraid this winds up the last adventure of Batman and Robin."
Nah!
By December 20, Clark Kent is back in Inspector Henderson's office. The
Crescent and Star Mob has been broken up, but Mr. Jones escaped with the
files that would tell where the Scarlet Widow is. By the time Kent and
Henderson locate her, Sniggers is dead and the Widow lies dying! Mr. Jones
has been there first! But he's left no trail other than his broken atomizer.
(That's a throat sprayer, not a ray gun.) Clark reasons that Jones is so
afraid of fresh air, he'll have to get a new one, and only the few top
jewelry shops would carry a fancy sprayer like this one. Kent and Henderson
quickly narrow that list down and hit the jackpot.
They find an identical atomizer that has been promised to a customer who's
sending someone to pick it up shortly. The two hide in the back, waiting to
nab Jones's accomplice. However, they are totally unprepared when the person
who picks up the atomizer is...
Lois Lane!
Clark and Henderson follow Lois, arguing every step of the way as to how
she's involved in this. Lois delivers the atomizer to a church on Christmas
Eve where she stops to take her place in the choir. Puzzled Kent and
Henderson slip in to the back row. The choir leader, Mr. Phillips, fits the
description Batman gave them of Mr. Jones!
"Here's Superman himself with a personal message for you."
"After so many years of half-heartedly celebrating this wonderful holiday
while the world was at war and while the many men and women that we knew and
loved were scattered all over the world, Christmas today is very extra
special, because once more 'Peace on Earth, good will to men' is more than
just a beautiful phrase. On this Christmas Day let's all determine to do
everything we can to see this remain a lasting peace on Earth through the
everyday practice of good will to men. If we avoid hate and banish
intolerance we could do away with the cause of war. All men are created
equal, black and white, Catholic, Protestant, and Jew, we are all Americans."
Leaving the church, Kent changes to Superman and flies to Bruce Wayne's
house. He needs Batman to conclusively identify Mr. Jones. (If Batman is
around, why is Kent doing all the detective work?) Wayne changes to Batman
while Superman changes to Clark Kent.
"These quick changes can get confusing sometimes!"
"Tell me about it, I've almost given myself away to Jimmy Olsen a dozen
times!"
Batman confirms that Phillips is really Jones, so Henderson immediately steps
forth and arrests the choir leader as soon as the services are over. Lois
protests and is totally non-plussed when Henderson handcuffs her also!
Mr. Phillips asks them to accompany him to his house and he'll explain
everything. Clark, trying to get Lois out of Henderson's clutches, implores
Henderson to take the choir leader up on it.
Mr. Phillips finally admits he bought the atomizer for his twin brother, a
recluse with a morbid fear of germs. On Christmas Eve each year he gets a
telephone call from him. He'd called this afternoon and said he'd broken his
atomizer, a gift Phillips had given him years ago. Phillips told him he'd
get him another one and asked Miss Lane to pick it up for him.
That night Kent and Batman wait outside Phillips's place. Mr. Jones sends
his boy to get the atomizer. Joined by Henderson, they trail him through a
Christmas snow storm only to lose him. Now Jones is in the clear. There's
no way Superman can stop him from getting the Kryptonite!
At Jones' place he finally gets his atomizer and begins to gleefully kill
germs again. He's now ready for his appointment with the Laugher. He tries
to buy Laugher's piece of Kryptonite, but the Laugher says it's not for sale.
Finally Jones convinces the Laugher that he has a fool-proof plan that will
finish Superman where the Atom Man couldn't. The Laugher agrees to join
forces.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Olsen meets Beany, the office boy, at the Daily Planet.
Beany gives Jimmy a letter that came for Clark and tells him to meet him at
the Metropolis bridge. When Jimmy gets in Kent's car, however, Kent becomes
weak and dizzy and the car goes off the bridge and plunges into the
Metropolis River.
Clark is hurled through the car window and regains consciousness. He
switches to Superman and then has to figure out how to save Jim without
coming within 10 feet of the Kryptonite that he knows must be there
somewhere. He grabs the rear bumper and pulls on that, hoping that it won't
come loose. Once the car is back on shore, the police come along and get
Jimmy out.
Two hours later Jimmy awakens. Kent has vanished. Jimmy opens the
mysterious letter and finds a sliver of Kryptonite and a message for Mr.
Jones, trying to arrange a meeting with Superman!
On the phone with Superman, (Clark must have read the letter with his x-ray
vision) Mr. Jones claims to have the two remaining pieces of Kryptonite. If
Superman is willing to accept his terms, he will give him the Kryptonite.
Superman arranges to meet with Jones's brother for further details.
Not wishing to fall into another trap, Superman and Batman scout the site
over thoroughly for traps in advance of the meeting. Superman scours the
building with his X-ray vision. There is no Kryptonite anywhere to be seen.
"If you aren't out in one hour, Robin and I are coming in after you!"
Unknown to Superman, the Kryptonite has been dissolved and is hidden in an
innocent looking bottle of ink! "Mr. Phillips" (actually Jones in disguise)
spends a great deal of time trying to get Superman to use the ink. Finally,
Superman agrees to sign a statement saying he won't cooperate or make any
deal with Mr. Jones under any circumstances. The trap is sprung!
Outside, Batman watches both entrances to the apartment. The time is up so
Batman goes inside and rings the bell. (Batman goes inside and rings the
bell???) No answer! Batman tries to get in through the back door! Nobody
inside! He races back around again just in time to see Jones leave in an
ambulance! Batman and Robin follow in a borrowed truck driven by an Italian
stereotype. ("Thisa truck, she been a good fren' to me for many years" --
that kind of stuff. This program is full of what would now be considered
offensive stereotypes, but then were considered good comedy bits.) The truck
breaks down and Batman is left behind.
Meantime, Superman is taken to yet another hidden laboratory where Mr. Jones
just happens to have access to a cyclotron. That's some mob, the Crescent
and Star Gang! When the Kryptonite is installed into the cyclotron its power
will be able to kill Superman.
"Then we will get the other piece of Kryptonite from the Vulture!" cackles
Jones.
But the Laugher finds the Italian's broken-down truck at the bottom of the
hill and panics. The police must be nearby. He demands his Kryptonite back,
but Jones won't give it to him. Just then, Batman and Robin break into the
lab and turn off the lights. They KO the Laugher but Jones threatens to turn
up the power on the cyclotron and kill Superman!
The traditional melee follows. Unfortunately for Superman, neither Batman or
Robin has any idea how to turn off a cyclotron.
"Superman will die!" screams Jones. "He'll die!"
It's January 8, 1946, three and a half months after Clark read that fateful
headline. This time he smiles broadly at the latest issue of the Daily
Planet. The Laugher and Mr. Jones are both in jail and the last two pieces of
Kryptonite were destroyed in the cyclotron. Superman's troubles are over and
he'll never have to worry about Kryptonite again.
The concept that there was only one piece of Kryptonite that had to be
quested for, obtained, and controlled made the stuff much more interesting on
radio than it ever was in the comics, where it seemed that everyone on Earth
had at least one piece in their mineral collection. John Byrne obviously
noticed this point and decided to return Kryptonite to its rare status when
he revamped Superman in the Eighties.
Actually, Jones never had both pieces of Kryptonite. The Vulture still has
one, but Superman doesn't know that. And he has more immediate problems to
deal with, for without warning, Lois Lane walks into Perry's office, slams
the door, and pulls a gun on the Daily Planet Editor!
Thus you have a synopsis of what I consider to be the greatest Superman story
ever written. At least Ben Peter Friedman's script and Bud Collyer's acting
kept me on the edge of my seat over the months it took me to collect and
listen to the whole thing.
Even so, probably the easiest and the cheapest way for comics fans today to
get a taste of the Golden Age is to seek out these radio broadcasts. Two
multi-cassette boxes from the Smithsonian Institute are available in regular
book stores right now. One collects the first 27 pre-war episodes and the
other features Superman's second meeting with Batman, as well as the Scarlet
Widow chapters mentioned above.
Obtaining audio tapes of the other adventures is relatively easy. Just set
your web search engine to "Old Time Radio" and discover a world of collectors
who don't have to pay premium prices for their nostalgia trips. For only a
few dollars an episode you can get not only Superman, but the Green Hornet,
the Shadow, the Lone Ranger, Captain Midnight and many, many other heroes of
yesteryear. Perusing the print ads in the Comics Buyers Guide and other
fanzines can also lead you to dealers in radio nostalgia who are not yet
on-line. And no need to worry about price guides, mylar snugs, or preserving
your collectible in mint condition. Just plop the tape in your stereo and
listen -- and let your imagination soar!
_____________________________________________
AND WHO DISGUISED AS...
---------------------------------------------------------
A Column of Opinion by J.D. Rummel (rummel@creighton.edu)
Shouting from the Rooftops:
To paraphrase Sturgeon, "90 percent of comics are crap." Most of you
know that Sturgeon was talking about science fiction when he made that
pronouncement. Science fiction stories, and novels and short stories in
general, are the work of one person, so, when something sucks, finger
pointing is easy. The interesting thing about comics is that they are a
collaborative art. A good story with a stickman artist requires a lot of
effort on the part of the audience. A well-drawn comic with no story is
engaging, but is like those magazine photos of sumptuous meals. Sure they
look good, but you can't really eat them, they can't sustain you. Like the
movies or live theatre (which, if the process is studied, will amaze you that
anything good comes out of them), comics often require more than one mind to
bring them to life. Yes, there are exceptions. Paul Chadwick needs only
himself to produce first-rate Concrete adventures, but that's why when the
collaborative process works, you need to shout it off the rooftops.
First Shout: For those of you who may not be familiar with Loeb and Sales'
work on the Batman specials over the last few years, you have a real treat in
store for you in the new, _Superman For All Seasons_ miniseries. If book one,
"Spring", is any indication, then even those of us who know their work have
got some sweet reads ahead. Actually, read is not really accurate. This is
comic synergy. The art is gorgeous and stylized, communicating volumes with
each page. When the words or ideas need improvement, the art lifts them up
and lets us soar over the rough spots (and I shouldn't ignore the plush
coloring of Bjarne Hansen, either). Then, when the writing is on the mark,
ho, baby! This thing is clearly influenced by _Superman: The Movie_, lifting
the images of Clark standing out in the field, racing the train, and grabbing
the flavor of his farmhouse room. Yet it makes those scenes its own. Nor does
it stop there, it adds scenes that are just right. It shows us the beginnings
of the career and thinking of a Superman.
Using the Sykes scale, this is one you will go back to and re-read. It will
call to you. You may even recommend this to those outside the circle. If you
go door-to-door trying to convert folks, you need this one in your
literature.
Second Shout: If you are not currently checking out _JLA_ or _JLA Year One_,
man, get yourself to the comics shop. These are comics worth the cash!
Storytellers Waid, Kitson, Porter, Morrison, and Augustyn are doing great
things. Waid, Kitson and Augustyn are taking us to some neat places with the
_Year One_ issues. Heavily influenced by the mid-eighties genius of Moore and
Gibbon's _Watchmen_, they are re-working the Gardner Fox Justice League and
not sucking at it! This is one tough tightrope walk, gang. When I go to the
shops, before my robotic fix of Superman and Batman titles, I *seek* out the
JLA titles. I am excited about these, but don't take my word for it, go get
these beauties.
Away!
And Who Disguised As... is copyright 1998 by J. D. Rummel. Its contents may
not be reproduced in any format without the written permission of the author.
_____________________________________________
NEW COMIC REVIEWS
------------------------------------------
Comics Arriving In Stores June 1998
In an extremely odd occurrence, DC published very few Superman family
specials for the month of June, and so we're reviewing almost everything.
The lone exception is in the form of _Resurrection Man_ #16, the first of a
three-part crossover with _Supergirl_. Be sure to check out Thomas Deja's
review of _Supergirl_ #24 for more details on the crossover.
Ratings Panelists:
-----------------
AW: Anatole Wilson DWk: Douglas Wolk MS: Mike Smith
CoS: Cory Strode EJ: Enola Jones RG: Rene' Gobeyn
DC: David Chappell ES: Emmanuel Soupidis ST: Shane Travis
DJ: Derek Jackson GN: G.M. Nelson SDM: Simon DelMonte
DR: Daniel Radice JO: Joey Ochoa TD: Thomas Deja
DWd: Darrin Wood JSy: Jeff Sykes
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 TRIANGLE TITLES:
-------------------
29. SUPERMAN #137 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"The Mutation War"
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Paul Ryan
Inks: Joe Rubinstein
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Assistant: Maureen McTigue
Futurist: Joey Cavalieri
Cover: Dan Jurgens, Joe Rubinstein, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 3.3/5.0 Shields
TD: 3.6 Shields
DC: 3.0 Shields - Fun story with a different Superman and fun guest stars.
DJ: 4.3 Shields - Loved it; A bit wacky and rushed but it still worked.
I wish they had done more with the game.
ES: 2.0 Shields - The story was all right, and I appreciate the historical
spin on the tale, but Ryan must stop drawing my favourite comics!
GN: 4.2 Shields - Another fun effort by Jurgens and Ryan. The 2999 JLA was
welcome; having Lena Luthor come to the rescue was a clever twist.
JSy: 3.0 Shields - A slightly above-average book; nothing stood out as
particularly good or as particularly bad. If only Superman had been
the one to save the day...
MS: 2.5 Shields - Pretty average, especially considering how much a writer
like Grant Morrison would have done to this future Metropolis. In a
thousand years Batman is "The Bat"? That's it?
ST: 3.4 Shields - In writing about the future, Jurgens manages to recapture
the feel of the Silver Age far more effectively than anything we've
seen so far in _Adventures of Superman_.
Before I go further, one thing: I propose a moratorium on tributes to the
cover of _Justice League of America_ #__. For God's sake, this is the second
time Jurgens has done this, and it wasn't all that clever the first time
around. With that said, I'll admit that this issue was pretty cool. It may
not be as dense and resonant as the WWII arc in _Superman: The Man of Steel_,
but it takes its premise and has fun with it.
Basically, it's 2999, and the robots are taking over. Muto and his army of
mechanical men have swarmed over many of the major cities, and the Superman
of tomorrow is barely keeping Metropolis from falling to the mechanical
hordes. Luckily, he gets assistance from the 30th century versions of Batman
(who wears a flying suit of armor), Aquaman (who, like all of Jurgens'
foreign characters, speaks in a horrific bastardization of a dialect--in this
case, Australian), and Green Lantern (a blue-skinned, three fingered alien
who was at Klar's christening!). The heroes learn from Hawkman that the
robots are targeting the world's nuclear weapons supply, prompting all the
heroes to retreat to the sub-orbital Fortress of Solitude... where Klar's
sister Kara is waiting, now decked out as Supergirl.
While they discuss how to deal with Muto, he appears in their midst and
explains his motivation: as a child, he was shunted into a dimension of
sentient machines as the result of an accident indirectly caused by Klar's
father. While there, he gained his adoptive parents' telepathic powers and
also their contempt for all biological life. Now, he travels from star system
to star system wiping out humanity.
As the robots ready the nukes for detonation, Muto forces Superman into a
game--which is where the cover swipe comes from. Each move seems to
obliterate one of the heroes, and it looks like there's no hope. Luckily,
Lena Luthor--contacted by Kara--saves the day, giving the heroes enough time
to capture and bind Muto. There's a two-page coda where Lyra asks Klar out,
the Jimmy Olsen analog becomes smitten with Supergirl, and that damn pesky
little girl comes running in insisting that everything is (all together now)
*all wrong*. Fade out until next month.
This issue is pure fluff -- and, because Jurgens favors goofy action over the
previous issue's themes of 'Does the future need a Superman?', it works.
There is a definite whiff of Weisinger-ian 'anything for a sense of wonder'
to this tale without the overburdening kitchen-sink approach used over in
_Adventures of Superman_. I get the feeling that Jurgens (unlike Karl Kesel)
understands the combination of naivete and innocence that made the Weisinger
Era mythology so endearing, and thus he succeeds in writing a story that
works. Hell, because it is trying to capture a vision of the future first
postulated in the past, Jurgens' bad dialogue actually works *for* him.
Paul Ryan continues to be an improvement over Frenz; he has a much better
grasp of the dynamics of spectacle as evidenced by the first seven pages of
the story. This sequence, featuring robots overwhelming Big Blue before the
man is rescued by JLA 2999, pulls you along nicely. Also, Ryan meshes better
with Rubinstein, making for a work that is more unique in and of itself.
Furthermore, Ryan is an artist who knows how to draw the Man of Steel--his
opening page, featuring Superman wiping his bloody chin while standing on
what we later find out is a pile of destroyed robots, is magnificent. *This*
is how a Superman comic should look--majestic, bold, and full of power.
"The Mutation War" is not a story that will change the way the reader will
look at Superman--hell, it will probably become fuzzy if you try to remember
it after a week--but it *is* a good read, it *is* fun, and it *does* do a
good job emulating the feel of the portion of the mythology it tries to
capture.
Thomas Deja
<tdj723@webtv.net>
================================================
30. THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #560 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"The Super-Rivalry that Rocked Metropolis!"
Plot: Karl Kesel
Dialogue: Jerry Ordway
Layout Art: Tom Grummett
Finished Art: Denis Rodier
Colors: Glenn Whitmore
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Letterer: Albert T. DeGuzman
Ass't Editor: Maureen McTigue
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover: Tom Grummett and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 3.6/5.0 Shields
DR: 4.5 Shields (Story)
4.0 Shields (Art)
DC: 2.7 Shields - An enjoyable story that slowly gets a little weird by
throwing in *too* much from the Silver Age all at once.
DJ: 3.1 Shields - Decent, but cluttered. The red K seemed like more of a
throw-in than a plot device, although the hat disguise was funny.
ES: 3.9 Shields - Now this one was fun! The classic Batman, the vying for
Lois' affection! This felt like a Silver Age classic! It's too bad
Dominus is going to wreck it...
EJ: 3.8 Shields - The page with all four Supermen/Loises was worth the
price of the entire book!
GN: 3.2 Shields - A nice homage to the Silver Age, though Grummett and
Rodier didn't always seem comfortable in the period style.
JO: 3.5 Shields - The only Silver-Age comic I actually enjoyed since this
whole thing started. It was a nice way for Kismet to reveal herself
(as if we didn't already know who the little girl was).
JSy: 4.0 Shields - Perhaps the best of the Silver Age tributes, this issue
was highlighted by fantastic dialogue, an exceptional rendition of
Batman, and a wonderful Clark/Bruce Elseworlds-type story. If only
things had been a little less confusing in the final pages...
MS: 4.5 Shields - Red Kryptonite in Cracker Jack boxes! Simply beautiful.
Riding the retro-wave, everybody's favourite Man of Steel has returned to
fight for Truth, Justice and the Silver-Age way! Clueless as to what I'm
talking about? That's ok! That's why they pay me the big bucks -- to explain
these things.
If you haven't been following _Adventures of Superman_ for the past few
months, then you probably don't know that Superman is stuck in the Silver
Age. You also probably don't know that in his other three titles, he's stuck
in various other eras. You should try to keep yourself more informed! See,
after the much heralded return of the "regular" Superman (in _Superman
Forever_) he promptly split into four different incarnations, existing in
four different continuities! Think that's hard to swallow? Wait'll you see
who Lois Lane's boyfriend is!
This issue gives us the final part of the time-slipped saga for _Adventures
of Superman_, leading into a direction confrontation with the evil villain
behind it all...next issue! I'm getting ahead of myself, however. Let's see
what happened *this* month.
Superman, being his usual altruistic self, has captured the Toyman and given
him over to the authorities. Awaiting Lois' usual affections, he is stunned
to find that she has a boyfriend, and shocked when he learns that it is his
friend, Batman! If that's not enough to shake the poor guy, Batman later
manages to save Jimmy Olsen before Superman even arrives on the scene! As if
*that's* not bad enough, an errant piece of Red Kryptonite causes Superman's
head to expand to immense proportions. It's just not Kal-El's day.
Cleverly avoiding revealing his identity at work, Clark is stunned to find
that a robbery is occurring at an Antique Coin Show, and that Superman is
already on the scene! The mock-Superman is confronted and revealed to be
Batman. After a lengthy discussion, Professor Emil Hamilton appears with a
cure for the Red K. The final pages of the book are shocking and intriguing
to say the least, and deliberating upon them here would ruin any sense of
surprise. I will say, however, that the three "unconnected" stories are going
to get a bit more intertwined soon.
Karl Kesel and Jerry Ordway combine to do an excellent job on the writing
chores. Word is, Ordway will be taking over the reigns of _Adventures_ in the
coming months, and so far it looks as though he has an excellent grasp of all
the characters. Plot-wise, we're given a nice Silver-Age style story, and the
scripting is dead on. We're even given a retelling of Superman's origin in
typical non-continuity conformist fashion, as was all the rage during the
Silver-Age.
Although Kesel wasn't the solitary scribe this month, we once again have
proof as to why his talents have been wasted in the never-ending soap-opera
that is Superman's life. The continuing story through each title was a novel
concept initially, but began to lag horribly when managed improperly. Kesel
seemed to be cleaning up, or advancing, other writer's storylines, without
the chance to develop any of his own, while Dan Jurgens was allowed the time
to produce single-issue tales of a surprisingly high caliber. Now imagine if
Kesel was allowed that freedom?
As for the art, how can one be disappointed? Tom Grummett is a fabulous
penciller, and luckily his Silver-Age pastiche meshed with Denis Rodier's
usually weak inks. Grummett is only listed as "layouts", as he has been for
the past few months. This is probably due to him taking on _Superboy_ in
addition to AOS, not to mention a few fill-in issues on _Silver Surfer_.
We've got one time-strained Tom, and it shows, slightly. His backgrounds are
a bit weaker, and his art lacks the flair that he had when he was pencilling
the book around issue #500. Bring back Doug Hazlewood on inks, and I'm sure
things will pick up.
The art is still above average, but could have been a bit sharper. Grummett
does an fantastic job with the Barrel-Chested Superman, and we're given a
nice send-off to an era of yore, ending with a rather engaging cliffhanger.
Hopefully the creative teams will be able to maintain this pace for the
months to come, but rumors of retooling abound, so enjoy the ride while it
lasts. Come this fall, things could be topsy turvy for the Man of Tomorrow;
he may soar into the clouds or fall flat on his face.
Dan Radice
<dradice@caninet.com>
================================================
31. ACTION COMICS #747 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Eye of the Storm"
Writer/Penciller: Stuart Immonen
Inker: Jose Marzan, Jr.
Letterer: Albert DeGuzman
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Assistant: Maureen McTigue
Hagiographer: Joey Cavalieri
Cover: Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr., and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 2.1/5.0 Shields
DJ: 1.0 Shields
DWd: 3.5 Shields - I quite enjoyed the "silent" issue. The narration gave a
nice departure from the usual fare, making this better than the
previous Polyester Era stories.
ES: 2.0 Shields - This vein of nostalgia should be cut. I don't seem to
remember the 70's tales being this lackadaisical. Dominus just got
here, and he's starting to bug me already...
GN: 2.5 Shields - As admirable as the effort was, Immonen's stylistic
experiment might have been better employed on a more self-contained
story rather than part of the "eras" arc; it was wasted on the
Prankster's lame appearance.
JO: 2.0 Shields - Thank GOD the '70s are almost over! This storyline should
take its proper place in DEATH along with disco!
JSy: 1.7 Shields - We've established that Stuart is willing to take some
gambles and try new approaches to the storytelling. Now if only he
could back up these risky ideas with some competent writing...
MS: 2.0 Shields (Story: 0.0, Art: 4.0) - What... happened? I got a comic
with no word balloons at all, save the incoherent ravings of the
villain. This is _Action Comics_, not _Youngblood: Strikefile_
-- at least that's what I thought.
Whoa! I think Stuart Immonen may have done a couple of hits before writing
this story.
Recap: The Daily Planet gets a teletype message that sharks are wreaking
havoc over in Hobs Bay. As Clark, Jimmy, and Lois head out to investigate, a
second, unseen message states that the Prankster has escaped. Clark flies off
to Hobs Bay, Jimmy jumps in a taxi, and Lois gets kidnapped.
We then see Supes fighting the overly aggressive sharks intermixed with Lois
being shoved into a limousine containing the Prankster and his four Pulp
Fiction henchman. The Prankster shows Lois a video of Supes fighting the
sharks and then hands her a remote control, which she accepts with an evil
smile.
Supes finally figures out that the sharks are nothing but robots. He quickly
destroys them, and then tracks the transmitter signals back to the location
of their controller. Finding the limousine, he picks it up and slams it on
the ground. The Prankster steps out, with Lois on his arm. She pushes the
Prankster off, pulls a rocket launcher out of the limousine, and points it at
Superman...
During all of this we have no dialogue whatsoever -- only a narration by an
unseen character who correlates what we see with musings of gods mixing with
mortals.
Then we see a tear roll down Lois' eye. She drops the rocket launcher and
rushes to Superman's side, and the narrator is furious and confused as to why
this happened. We then see the little girl and finally get some dialogue.
Superman and Lois kiss, and began to head into the 'light', which we presume
is the regular reality. The book ends by introducing Dominus, the narrator of
most of the book who declares that, "Reality is now under martial law."
Unlike many, I have thoroughly enjoyed the Polyester Age series -- until now.
This book was not one of Immonen's finer moments. I am not a fan of
non-dialogue stories, and even less of a fan of narration stories that don't
narrate.
The narration was imaginative at best, but confusing and overdone. It also
seemed like Immonen was writing this while he was in some sort of dream
world. Much of the writing seemed to tie in with Superman being the god
talked about, but other times you think that the narrator is talking about
himself. Most of all, it's *boring*. Much of it makes no sense, and has no
bearing on the scene it appears with.
Why does Lois suddenly turn evil? Controlling a bunch of sharks doesn't seem
like enough to turn such a strong-minded person into a villain. We guess that
she isn't just acting, otherwise she would've stopped as soon as she pushed
the Prankster away. I think we are supposed to assume that she is under
Dominus' control, but there is no direct evidence of this. (By the way...
isn't Superman faster then a speeding bullet? He could've had the rocket
launcher out of Lois' hand before she blinked. Of course we would have lost a
plot device had he gone that route.)
There are many other holes in the story as well. Why doesn't Lois go with
Jimmy in the taxi? We presume they are both going to the same place. Instead
she conveniently walks in front of a dark alley and waits to be kidnapped.
Why use the Prankster again? (Stryker's Island is the second worst penal
facility in *any* reality.) The other ages made use of multiple characters;
couldn't Immonen have found somebody else to work with? Also, Supes smashes
the limousine with considerable force, but everyone steps out like nothing
happened. Besides, Supes would have checked the interior to see if there were
any hostages, and probably wouldn't have endangered Lois.
The last page of the book is the only shining part. The introduction of
Dominus was excellent, and the narration on that page was the best in the
book. It made me look forward to more of the Dominus storyline.
The art was great, as usual. Immonen is probably my favorite penciller of the
current crop, and everything went together pretty smoothly. The 70s feel and
look has been well recreated.
All in all, I felt this story was nothing but filler. (Is there an
anniversary issue coming up?) It was bland, full of plot holes, and poorly
written. Immonen has his ups and downs when writing; this is definitely a
down.
And in case you wondering, the worst penal facility in any reality has *got*
to be Arkham Asylum.
Derek Jackson
<djackson@iconstructs.com>
_____________________________________________
THE TRIANGLE TITLES (cont):
--------------------------
32. SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #82 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2/75 CAN
"Superman"
Co-Plotters: Jon Bogdanove & Louise Simonson
Words and Pictures: Jon Bogdanove
Inking: Dennis Janke
Coloring: Glenn Whitmore
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Lettering: Ken Lopez
Assistant Editor: Maureen McTigue
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover: Jon Bogdanove, Denis Janke, and Patrick Martin
Special Thanks to Patricia Heberer and Dan Britton
RATINGS
Average: 3.2/5.0 Shields
MS: 3.8 Shields
DJ: 3.5 Shields - I just don't like Bog's art, but I did like the idea of
Supes changing history as the 'golem'.
DWk: 0.5 Shields - The idea of Superman-as-Golem is nice, but this is a
silly, contrived story. Docked many points for the unbelievably
ill-considered decision not to use the word "Jew" _anywhere_ within.
EJ: 3.2 Shields - Sadly, the art on this is not on a par with the others,
but the panel where Superman and Lois are kissing and suddenly become
"our" Superman and Lois is incredible.
ES: 3.1 Shields - Bogdanove still rocks, but it seems sad that the story
that was being told had to be marred by the 'Dominus' story-line.
Hopefully, the controversy surrounding this book brought it some
attention in the way of sales.
GN: 3.5 Shields - Neither the writing or art held up as well as in the
previous two chapters. Excessive dialogue disrupted the Golden Age
feel of the prior installments.
JO: 4.0 Shields - I've really enjoyed this particular storyline. The art
has been right on and the storyhas been worth reading. These books
don't deserve the flack that they're getting.
SDM: 3.0 Shields - Bog's finest hour as a writer. While the art starts to
slip and I'm still not sure this idea of Supes in a Holocaust tale
works, this story is a fine 'what if' and shows what these comics
could accomplish if there were no constant demands of continuity.
Last month I gave a perfect 5.0 to _Man of Steel_ #81. This month I have
learned the hard lesson that when you get a perfect issue, the next issue
will almost certainly be a letdown. Such was _Man of Steel_ #82.
As you probably remember, in last month's issue, the 1938 era Lois had been
captured by the Nazis and was trapped aboard a prisoner train headed out of
Warsaw for a concentration camp. It was a pretty awesome cliffhanger, with
Lois condemned to a horrible death, and Superman too busy stopping the tanks
from levelling the ghetto to help. Besides that, he had no idea she was even
in the country.
Which brings us to this issue. Superman defiantly stands on the railroad
tracks and brings the death train to a stop. He frees the prisoners, who
include a Jewish family he had befriended earlier, that little white-haired
girl, and Lois. The two kiss, and for a moment they seem to be in modern-day
Metropolis. The experience confuses them, but there's too much going on for
them to think about it. The little girl insists that they kiss again, but
Superman races back to Warsaw to save the ghetto, leaving Lois and the girl
behind.
My questions: How did Superman find the train? How did he even know to look?
Why did he leave Warsaw while it was still under attack? I can write all this
off as part of the cosmic confusion that's going on in all four Super-titles,
but it really ruined a swell cliffhanger.
Anyway, Superman is back in the ghetto putting the hurt on some Nazi thugs,
and Generalkomissar Zimmler is watching the excitement with Emil Norvell, the
traitorous American industrialist. These were the guys who put Lois on the
train, and now Zimmler is looking downright inhuman. As Superman whacks the
Germans with a lamp post, Lois and the little girl are suddenly in Warsaw!
Zimmler quickly discovers the pair and tries to strangle the kid. When
Superman comes to the rescue she begs him to kiss Lois again. Instead, Supes
orders them to head for the far wall with the other prisoners while he holds
off the Nazis.
On the way, Norvell tries to escape from the fight and gets shot by the
Germans with the very weapons he sold them. (Ironic, eh?) The Jewish family
somehow winds up back in Warsaw too, and Superman has to save them from a
tank--driven by Zimmler? Superman overturns the tank and returns to action,
putting himself between the Nazis and the refugees. Finally, with the S.S. on
the run, Superman meets up with the prisoners and Lois. He tells her that
there's a chance they can all make it to the Allied front, and how "our boys
are in on this now". (Remember, this is supposed to be 1938, before the war
actually got started.)
They kiss again, and the little girl tries to explain it all, when Zimmler
blasts her with some kind of bizarre futuristic tank. None of it makes any
sense, but Superman doesn't have time to care as he tosses Zimmler across
town and leads the people to safety...
Suddenly it's 1998 again, and a firefighter congratulates Superman on a job
well done! Seems that all along he was just saving some Metropolitans from a
building bombed by Nazi terrorists! The Jewish family are now tourists with
modern haircuts and baseball caps! Superman and Lois try to make sense of
what has happened, and the little girl tries to explain it once again, when
Zimmler (!) emerges from the rubble and reveals himself to be that armless
baddie Dominus! He kills the girl just as Superman realizes she's really
Kismet, and everything fades to white...
Whatever Golden Age tribute was going on here got shoved out of the story.
Superman wears the old style costume and he moves like the 1930's version,
but his dialogue is more modern, and his personality is reverting back to
normal. That fits well with the reality shifting going on in this issue, but
it really takes away from the three part Golden Age adventure I was promised
a few months back.
Instead of finding Lois logically and escaping occupied Poland with the
secret plans and such, all the plotlines are settled with reality quirks.
Zimmler isn't really using Norvell's papers to plot against the USA because
he's Dominus. Lois isn't really in danger, because Kismet is fooling with
reality to bring Superman to the rescue. It's all very deus ex machina, and
I'm not too wild about that.
As for Dominus, I really want to like this guy. As a villain he's got the
makings of a classic. He's got the visual (the no arm thing is cool), he's
got the ambition (conquering reality is always good), and he's got the
personality (the guy tries to kill a little kid about four times this issue).
What he doesn't have is logic. Consider that he doesn't want Lois and Clark
to escape the ghetto and return to modern Metropolis. OK, that's fine, except
that in _Adventures of Superman_ #560, Dominus was *trying* to get them to
leave the Silver Age world for what appeared to be Hypersector. What's going
on? When he reveals himself at the end of this issue, he's ranting about how
Superman could have changed history in 1938. Why? If you wanted that to
happen, why did you oppose his efforts as Zimmler? It doesn't add up. I won't
even discuss his narration in _Action Comics_ #747, mainly because I have no
idea what he was talking about.
Of course, Dominus could just be crazy like a fox, and all his nonsensical
actions may just be parts of a plan I don't fully understand yet. Still, for
his three appearances in the Superman books, not one has been worth doing,
since they cut into the "tribute storylines". To give him his due, if Lois
and Clark kissing is the only thing that can stop him, he did a good job
setting up realities where that wouldn't be likely to happen, so he does have
potential.
Overall, this was an interesting outing, but the Nazis and Dominus together
were just too much for one comic. Between the historical piece and the flashy
new Super-villain, both writing and art got caught in the middle. It's an
exciting, fast paced transition, but it's a bumpy transition nonetheless.
Mike Smith
<mike_p_smith@hotmail.com>
_____________________________________________
SUPER-FAMILY TITLES:
-------------------
SUPERBOY #54 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Darkness and Light"
Writer: Karl Kesel
Guest Penciller: Scott Kolins
Guest Inker: Tom Ryder
Colors: Buzz Setzer
Letters: Comicraft
Assistant Ed.: Frank Berrios
Editor: Mike Mcavennie
Cover: Tom Grummett, Karl Kesel, and Patrick Martin
Inspiration: Jack Kirby
RATINGS
Average: 3.3/5.0 Shields
RG: 4.0 Shields
DWd: 3.0 Shields - A bit of a departure from the previous storylines, but I
am interested to see what happens. Where's Tom????
ES: 2.8 Shields - Kesel's tale was all right, and I like the idea of a
globe-trottin' Kid, but what's with the second-string pencils?!?
C'mon Grummett, this book needs you!
JO: 3.5 Shields - Nice follow-up with the Wild Men. Can't wait to see how
they get out of this one!
JSy: 3.7 Shields - Kolins and Ryder provide inconsistent fill-in art, but
show a very promising style. Kesel employs a nice mixture of humor,
fun, action, and emotion to avoid what could have easily been a
let-down issue after "The Last Boy on Earth."
SDM: 3.0 Shields - Another good, if not great, issue. I'm quite happy with
the new direction this series is taking.
ST: 2.9 Shields - The fill-in art was only so-so, Dubbilex displayed powers
we've never seen before, and the motivation to get SB to Paris was
paper-thin. Still, some good moments were seen, and the sub-plots
bubbled along nicely. Anyone else catch Cerebus as the preacher?
The story opens with Superboy, Dubbilex and the Guardian opening the bunker
'Command D' in the Wild Lands. Once inside, Dubbilex reveals a previously-
hidden power; the ability to detect and project Psychic Impressions. After
treating us to an all-too-brief glimpse of Dr. Grant's discovery and decision
to hide his results from the government, they leave the good Dr. Canus to go
through the records.
We are then treated to a brief scene between Nosferata and Ratsputin, that
may well set up a subplot for months to come, and a second scene between
Tuftan and Tawna. After all this, the wedding itself takes all of one page.
We don't get even a glimpse of the reception.
After returning to Hawaii, Superboy and company are greeted by the exiled
Wild Men. The scene between Gor and Krypto was just about perfect. The Wild
Men decide to make a quest of finding Tana Moon. The Guardian says he'll make
the arrangements with the military to keep an eye on them. Too bad they
aren't staying with Superboy for now; they are some of the most original and
interesting characters to be added to the Superboy cast.
The Guardian then invites Superboy on a trip to Paris to help him and
Dubbilex track down a 'genetic anomaly' for Cadmus. After a few false starts,
we get to meet the anomaly, but that's next month's story.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this issue. After coming off the
four-issue Kirby/Kamandi homage, I was sure it was going to be a let-down. I
can't believe how much I enjoyed the book. While I've still got a few
questions concerning the Wild Lands in their current incarnation, I can
eventually hope for answers. Kesel has done a wonderful job of tying off a
few of the plot threads, while laying the ground work for several future
stories. I feel certain that we will be back.
It seems that Kesel intends for Cadmus to play a larger role in Superboy's
near future -- at least in the guise of The Guardian and Dubbilex. I do hope
that this is the case. Superboy needs a focus, and these two can give it to
him, while at the same time guiding him as he matures and grows into his
powers. That said, I do hope we haven't seen the last of Roxy, Tana, and Rex,
but they don't look to be playing a big part in the near future. As good as
Dubbilex and Guardian are, Superboy needs some people his own age to play
off. Only time will tell.
The art in the book was very well done. I was disappointed that Tom Grummett
wasn't the artist, but Kolins and Ryder did a good job. Each page was well
laid-out, and nicely detailed. Most of the panels had some background, at
least enough to avoid the `talking head' problems. The scenes after our
heroes arrive in Paris were very well done.
Overall, a good wrap-up to the 'Last Boy on Earth' story, and a very smooth
lead-in to the next arc. Somehow I get the feeling that some of the best
stories are yet to come.
Rene Gobeyn
<bedlam@frontiernet.net>
================================================
SUPERGIRL #24 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Avenging Angels Part 2: Die and Let Live"
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Leonard Kirk
Inker: Robin Riggs
Letterer: Pat Prentice
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Seps: Digital Chameleon
Asst. Ed.: Frank Berrios
Editor: Mike McAvennie
Cover: Leonard Kirk, Robin Riggs, and Patrick Martin
Special Thanks to Dan Abnett, Andy Lanning and Eddie Berganza
RATINGS
Average: 3.4/5.0 Shields
TD: 3.7 Shields
DWd: 2.5 Shields - Not one of the better S-Girl stories. Since I am not
familiar with the R-man, I wasn't really engrossed in the somewhat
strange and unnecessary storyline.
ES: 4.1 Shields - For coming in half-way, I didn't feel I missed a thing,
thanks to PAD. What a great story, and the cross-over actually works
in conjunction with the current storyline. The art is sweet as always!
JO: 3.5 Shields - Another pointless crossover with a character we love and
some gimp whose title we don't even bother with. Why don't they just
cancel these lousy titles instead of trying to force us to read
them by pulling these shameless crossover stunts?
JSy: 3.2 Shields - David does a good job of making it appear that the
Rider's story has ended, leaving _Supergirl_ readers the option of
skipping _Resurrection Man_ #17. Since this title already has several
unanswered questions, though, I'm not pleased that another has been
raised (the connection between Ember and Supergirl).
ST: 3.5 Shields - Umm... reality check. You *don't* get a permit for a
hydrogen-filled zeppelin. Period. Other than that, trademark superb
art by Kirk and an interesting crossover that didn't feel forced and
didn't make me buy another title combined for a decent read.
I'm very pleased to be writing this review, since this is the middle half of
a tie-in with _Resurrection Man_ -- a somewhat sick book that I'm encouraging
everyone to pick up. Last thing I want is for that book to get the ax in the
same way as _Challengers of the Unknown_.
Besides being a dead ringer for cult actor Tim Thomerson, Mitch Shelley is
the product of an experiment in nanotechnology gone horribly wrong. Every
time he dies, he is revived with a new super power. This has made him
something of a coveted commodity amongst certain concerns. One of them is a
quasi-mystical being known as The Rider who has possessed Mitch and, in the
first part of the crossover, has been forcing him into death after death
until an appropriate power can be acquired. The Rider/Mitch construct has
made its way to Leesburg during its Centennial Celebration. Linda, worried
about her dad's imminent divorcing of her mom, must leap into action as
Mitch/Rider destroys the Centennial Blimp. Supergirl saves the passengers--
although she is ambivalent about her new abilities--and confronts Shelley.
Here's where things get odd; in confronting Supergirl, the Rider sees a
vision of an angelic creature it calls 'Ember.' Terrified, it kills itself
again--allowing Mitch to briefly gain ascendance and convey what's happening
to Supergirl. The Rider continues to fight, each time killing itself until
Mitch gains a giant body made of solid rock. The Rider directs him toward the
Chaos Stream, and we learn why the being is in Leesburg. It appears that The
Rider is an entity that bonded to the town founder, Wanda Lee, when the woman
drank from the Chaos Stream ages ago. In exchange for an end to aging and
psionic powers, Wanda allowed the Rider to possess others. However, an
encounter with Ember, an earlier Earth Angel, caused the two to abandon their
symbiosis; Wanda slipped into a coma and the Rider roamed the Earth, looking
for an appropriately powerful body in which to return to Leesburg.
Mitch/Rider kills himself again, which gives him the ability to turn anyone
he touches into a phantom. This allows him to reach the Chaos Stream, where
he drowns himself in its water. Emerging fully transformed, the Rider
confronts Supergirl--who is informed by Mitch that she plans on flooding the
Chaos Stream to gain control over the populace of Leesburg. As Wanda Lee's
guardian allows the creature's original host to die, Supergirl desperately
focuses her flame wings into the stream, purging Mitch of the Rider. This
disposes of both the Rider and the Chaos Stream, leaving the two heroes to
lick their wounds.
One of the nice things about this crossover is it did *not* violate either
character's feel. David once again let his darkness roam free, refreshingly
without any sort of vaudeville sight gags (save Cutter's japing at the
mayor's dressing as Lincoln and a somewhat lame Hindenburg reference), and
manages to convey the horror of literally not being in control of whether you
live or die. Perhaps the best thing about this script is that it gives David
leave to be darkly comic, which is his true strength--the idea of Shelley
gaining superspeed powers only to learn that he cannot affect the smiling
Supergirl was a very nice touch. Also a good development was Supergirl's lack
of hesitation in diving into the Chaos Stream in an effort to destroy the
Rider, even though she knew it might kill her. In this way, David lets us
know that Supergirl is still worthy of wearing the 'S', even if she's moving
farther away from her original concept. It works.
My only regret is one I often have with crossovers: the host-books get put in
stasis for a while. The subplots are what make _Supergirl_ _Supergirl_, and
they're given only the barest of lip service. (Compare this with the first
part of the crossover, with Lanning and Abnett still shoe-horning their sick,
popular supporting characters into the mix.) Even though there are
touchstones from previous issues--the Chaos Stream, a brief mention of the
Atlas corporation, the two panels tipping a hat to the impending divorce--
they are all *deep* background in favor of the heroine and guest star duking
it out. This is made all the more frustrating by the fact that the most
intriguing of subplots--the Wally storyline--seems to have dropped off the
radar entirely.
Right now, I really, really like Leonard Kirk, to the point that I prefer his
rendition of Shelley's initial monstrous form to Jackson Guice's in
_Resurrection Man_. He's grown into the book, and his handling of action
sequences show a greater confidence. It's also nice to see that Kirk has
effectively 'adapted' the ragged bordered style of _RM_ for certain key
sequences that hint that the Rider may be uncovering evidence that Mitch
Shelley is more than a product of misbegotten science. He even managed to
adapt his original strength for expressiveness to the action sequences--some
of Supergirl's blocking is wonderful, especially on pages 11 and 16.
I liked this crossover; this may be because I am fond of both books. (Plug
commences now.) The best thing is that this is not an artificial crossover
designed to attract new readers to a struggling book. David's affection for
_Resurrection Man_, a super cool book *everyone* should buy, shines through.
That's what might make people try the book out. If only _Supergirl_ #24 was a
bit more about what makes Supergirl great, we would've had something fierce.
As it is, we've still got some great entertainment.
Thomas Deja
<tdj723@webtv.net>
_____________________________________________
OTHER SUPERMAN TITLES:
---------------------
JLA #21 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Strange New World"
Guest Writer: Mark Waid
Guest Penciller: Arnie Jorgensen
Guest Inkers: David Meikis and Doug Hazlewood
Letterer: Kurt Hathaway
Colorist: Pat Garrahy
Separations: Heroic Age
Asst. Ed.: L.A. Williams
Editor: Dan Raspler
Cover: Howard Porter and John Dell
RATINGS
Average: 3.7/5.0 Shields
AW: 3.0 Shields
DJ: 4.1 Shields - Much better than last issue. Waid brought the plot
together nicely (even if it was a bit cheesy), and left us feeling
bad for poor Adam Strange.
DWk: 2.3 Shields - This might have been acceptable as a late-'70s JLA story,
but Waid made too many parts of the plot too convenient. Morrison
has raised the bar--without his little flashes of character insight,
JLA doesn't feel quite right.
EJ: 3.8 Shields - The 'real reason' took me TOTALLY by surprise! Poor Adam;
I hope he gets home soon. The art, however, could have been much
improved; Superman looks like he's stoned half the time.
ES: 3.6 Shields - I knew it wasn't Adam's fault!! What a cool ending to the
tale, reverting the old Strange to status quo. You can bring back
Porter & Dell any time, though, DC...
GN: 4.5 Shields - It doesn't get much better than this. Adam Strange is
redeemed in a story reminiscent of the classic AS/JLA team-ups.
JSy: 3.5 Shields - Waid writes what could have easily been a Silver Age
story, but without the silliness that is often identified with that
era. *Really* could have used a different fill-in art team, though.
MS: 3.8 Shields - Kudos to Waid for showing us Steel's true potential. If
we get a few more stories like this, he should get a new solo series
in no time.
It's a happy day Adam Strange fans--the big, drooling madman isn't Adam
Strange, it's Orion! That's right, Adam was faking madness, J'onn J'onzz was
faking complicity, and Orion was faking rabies. (Or was he?)
But on to the story. As we left our JLA friends, they had been enslaved by
Adam Strange and the En'taran Slavemasters. Adam had seemingly gone insane
with grief over the death of his wife Alanna, and was forcing the JLA and all
the citizens of Rann to rebuild the devastated planet as a monument to her.
The JLA attempted an uprising, but J'onn J'onnz helped Adam put them down.
As we return, a heavily-drooling Orion is straining the limits of his Mother
Box, which is doing its best to keep his berserker rage under control. Steel,
however, uses his "kinship" with the mechanical Box to turn it into a
telepathic shield instead, so he can sneak up on Adam Strange. While Orion
breaks free and goes on a rampage, Steel smashes the control for the slave
collars, and once free, it's no problem for the JLA to clean up the remaining
En'tarans.
That's when Adam reveals that he's not insane--that it was all a ruse. The
En'tarans you see, saved Alanna's life, but also managed to steal the
teleportational Zeta radiation from her body. When they demanded the Zeta
technology from Adam Strange and his decimated world, the only thing he could
do was play insane and promise to rebuild Rann as a monument to Alanna. His
real plan, though, was to turn the entire planet into one giant Zeta beam
projector and beam the invaders elsewhere (I'll leave it to the Science
majors in the crowd to explain the physics involved.) J'onn read Adam's mind,
and so tried to help him by turning on the JLA.
You'd think that the early JLA uprising would put a crimp in Strange's plans.
Not so, thanks to the wonders of super-speed loans from the Bank of Flash.
Superman whooshes to the invading fleet and saves Alanna and Sardath, while
Adam uses the new buildings of Rann to focus his Zeta energy into a beam that
transports the entire En'taran race to Takron-Galtos, where they'll be
properly imprisoned for a long, long time.
The cost? Well, Rann's been rebuilt, Adam is no longer permanently on Rann
(he must go back to Earth and catch Zeta beams and settle for temporary
visits), and perhaps, sometime in the future, we'll be treated to the new
adventures of Adam Strange. (One can always hope.) Oh, and a new line in the
JLA charter requires Orion to wear a bib when out on missions.
You might be wondering why I'm harping on Orion. Maybe it's because I've
always respected the New Gods in their own comics, but here they are forced
additions to the team and don't really fit in. Maybe it's because the guest
artists got out of hand drawing a distorted, overly cartoonish Orion who is
one step away from saying, "The madder Orion gets, the stronger Orion gets!"
(If he starts turning green with rage, I'm out of here. Fast. In fact, I'll
probably borrow from speed from the Flash to transport the comic over into
the "el-stinkos-donated-to-the-library" pile.)
I'm sure Morrison has some specific plans for Big Barda and Orion; I just
wish he'd get on with them.
While I'm mentioning the art, let me just say I'm glad this was a guest team,
though their sketchy, distorted art seems to have affected Porter and Dell,
who turned in their worst JLA cover to date.
On to the good points of this story:
- Once again, Waid has managed to write a '60s-ish story with a modernized
feel. Sure, it was the almost-cliche'd "hero feigns insanity to cover master
plan" routine, but it was just convincing enough here to work.
- Steel has some prominence in this issue, as he begins to develop a
"technological kinship" with Orion's Mother Box. This could be interesting if
developed carefully, or we could see a "technology force" much like the
Flash's ever-goofy, ever-expandable "speed force." Don't go there, people. Of
course, since Morrison's back next issue, this'll probably just fade away.
- A good line from Adam Strange: "If I'd contacted the Seven Soldiers of
Victory, it would be a gamble. I brought the Justice League. That's a plan."
While the good points just barely edge out the bad this issue, I have to say
I'm looking forward to Morrison's (and Starro the Conqueror's and Sandman's)
return next issue.
Anatole Wilson
<awilson@us.oracle.com>
================================================
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #22 Aug 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"War Games, Part 1"
Writer: Mark Millar
Penciller: Aluir Amancio
Inker: Terry Austin
Colorist: Marie Severin
Letterer: Lois Buhalis
Assistant Ed.: Frank Berrios
Editor: Mike McAvennie
Cover: Rick Burchett, Terry Austin, and Marie Severin
RATINGS
Average: 3.3/5.0 Shields
CoS: 2.5 Shields
DWd: 3.8 Shields - As I have said before, the regular super writers should
look at what's going on here. Not too bad a storyline and nice to see
Brainiac again. I just wish we could get the cartoon in Australia.
ES: 2.6 Shields - Not bad, but let's hope this type of tale isn't a trend.
Still, the artwork is bang-on and needs to be recognized.
GN: 3.4 Shields - Always a pleasure to see the classic Superman villains
like Brainiac interpreted in the Adventures format. Can't wait to see
how Superman gets out of the Phantom Zone.
JSy: 4.0 Shields - Impressive on-going debut for Mark Millar, though the
Livewire foreshadowing is a bit heavy-handed. I especially loved
the further characterization of Luthor in this issue, as well as
Superman needing his brains instead of his brawn to rescue the
runaway train.
ST: 3.4 Shields - Got off to a slow start (4 pages to save a boat?) but
there were some beautiful character bits with Luthor, Perry, Lois,
and Professor Hamilton. Bodes well for Millar's run.
Capsule summary: Computer failures cause disasters world-wide while Superman
tries to stop the destruction and figure out what is behind it all. This
issue is all set-up, with nice action sequences, but it felt stretched, so
that the story could be a two-parter.
Mark Millar is a relatively new name at DC, but he has so far made a good
impression. He was part of the writing team (with Grant Morrison) on the
well-regarded but short-lived _Aztek_. He is also working on _The Flash_
while Mark Waid takes a year off. He seems to be part of the "Back To Fun"
movement; heavy on plot, emphasis on super-villains and little of the
influence of the grim-n-gritty movement of the late 80's/early 90's. While
some have said that he's an odd choice for _Superman Adventures_, the book
has always had a Silver Age flavor, with stories that are plot-driven and
puzzle oriented, and he could be a strong addition to the series.
His current outing is quite plot-driven, but falls short in a few aspects,
making this issue a mixed bag. While the overall story is good, it feels
padded, and the artist, Aluir Amancio, is having trouble getting the style of
the book down.
The story opens with a great splash page of Clark Kent changing into Superman
while underwater. (Let's face it, one of the best images of Superman is when
he removes his clothing to reveal the red and blue; done right, it is a
powerful draw into a story.) Superman has leaped into action in order to keep
a boat from smashing into a drawbridge that has failed to raise. We learn
through Jimmy's narration that computers all over the city are failing and
putting people in danger. Superman is forced to rush from one disaster to
another -- stopping a commuter train which has barrelled out of control,
saving Lex Luthor from his computer-controlled helicopter, etc. -- until the
breakdowns are happening too fast for even him to help.
As Superman confers with Emil Hamilton to try and trace the source of the
problems, electricity all over the world shuts down -- but not before they
track the origin of the disruptions to the North Pole, where the Fortress of
Solitude is located. Superman and the Professor fly there to investigate.
When they arrive, Brainiac steps from the shadows to claim responsibility He
has been a busy boy; not only has he escaped from his prison, but he has
downloaded all computer knowledge from Earth into a glowing globe, similar to
the one which holds Krypton's history. This act renders Earth redundant, so
Brainiac has used Superman's computers to trigger every single nuclear bomb;
Earth has 30 minutes to live.
Superman attacks, knocking the glowing globe away to Professor Hamilton. Even
this situation was prepared for by Brainiac, however, and he activates a
weapon that blasts Superman into nothingness. We close on Brainiac demanding
the globe from Emil while Superman floats helplessly in the Phantom Zone.
Art-wise, Amancio uses a lot of similar poses for the main characters, even
if the pose seems awkward or off-balance. Minor characters didn't seem to be
of the same design, which made their presence in the story jarring. The
sequence on the speeding train is a good example of what I mean; Lois's face
is turned toward the reader full-on, even though the rest of her body faces
at a different angle. This style choice makes me think that he is sticking a
little too close to the model sheets for these characters. Other artists have
had this problem too; the design element of the cartoon is so strong it
demands an adherence to the style (blocky, iconic and an art deco approach to
all aspects) which is harder to pull off than most people think. Still, the
action sequences were well done and exciting, giving Superman the sense of
power that needs to be communicated fast and often.
The story itself seems padded, and the writing should have been tightened. I
wonder if so many disaster scenes were needed; Superman didn't start to work
on the causes for the computer failures until page 16, and it's implied that
enough time has passed for it to go from an occasional problem to a complete
and utter crisis. While I understand that story pacing must be different in a
book aimed at a younger audience, I always question the wisdom of multi-part
stories, since the target audience may not have the same access to comic
stores as older fans. Hopefully, this issue will seem like a slow gathering
of story momentum, with the second part focused completely on Superman and
Professor Hamilton's dilemmas. The good thing is that Millar has introduced a
strong action story element with a deadline (nuclear destruction of Earth in
30 minutes) which always helps in building excitement.
Millar doesn't show a strong grasp of the Superman supporting characters in
the limited sequences featuring them. His Perry White is a tyrannical boss,
shouting at a reporter with little provocation. Lois just seems to blunder
into situations and waits until they are resolved for her; she should have
been doing _something_ on the train rather than sitting patiently in her
seat. Finally, the version of Luthor from this series and STAS *always* acts
as though he is in complete control of the situation, even when he isn't.
This is a difficult attitude to convey at times, and Millar doesn't pull it
off -- which is too bad, because it is that attitude which makes this version
of Luthor my favourite.
Even with these caveats, the book was a solid read. I'm giving it just an
average mark because it felt like an average story. A stronger second part
could drag the score up, seeing as how the first third of an action story is
setting up the dilemma. Too bad this story had to stretch it to a full half.
Cory Strode
<Solitaire.Rose@worldnet.att.net>
_____________________________________________
SPECIALS:
--------
JLA SECRET FILES #2 Aug 1998 $3.95 US/$5.50 CAN
"Heroes"
Writer: Christopher Priest
Penciller: Yanick Paquette
Inker: Mark Lipka
Letterer: Kurt Hathaway
Colorist: Pat Garrahy
Separator: Digital Chameleon
Asst Editor: L.A. Williams
Editor: Dan Raspler
Cover: Eric Battle and Prentis Rollins
RATINGS
Average: 3.4/5.0 Shields
RG: 3.5 Shields
DWk: 3.4 Shields - Priest's lead story does a solid job of explaining the
weird decisions that led to the new JLA lineup, and even though he
reprises a bunch of jokes from _Steel_, I still laughed aloud at
"I'm sorry, I thought we were free-associating."
ES: 2.4 Shields - The main story was all right, but since it was the meat
of the book, it doesn't quite make it worth the cover price.
JSy: 4.0 Shields - While the pin-ups again fall short of useful, seeing
Superman, Aquaman, and Batman meet at the Kents' home was simply
too cool. The location provides the scene with a certain magical
atmosphere it wouldn't have had at the Watchtower, the Batcave,
or the Fortress of Solitude.
MS: 3.8 Shields - Great story, except Priest never tells us why Bats
endorsed the Huntress. The file on her explains it, though, so bonus
points for the recovery.
The SF&O stories are not usually as good as the ones in the regular title.
This one was an exception, in that it had something for just about everyone.
If you're new to the DC Universe, or just new to the JLA and looking for a
solid background on the current status of a given hero (or villain) then the
profile pages are an excellent starting point. These pages could bring a new
reader up to speed fairly quickly. I especially liked that there are a few
profile pages that give us a hint of some future stories and developments.
"Secret Origins: Heroes"
4.0 Shields (Story) - Filled in some of the gaps, consistent.
4.5 Shields (Art) - Lovely details, clean and well inked.
This story takes place between JLA issues #14 and #15, and fills in a few of
the holes that have been bothering me. Not all of them mind you, but some.
If you are a regular, or even occasional reader of the JLA title, then I can
recommend this book.
For me, everything worked in this story. After the League disbanded in issue
#14, it seemed to just reappear the next issue with a few new faces. Many of
us have been trying to piece together what happened in between. Now we know.
The story opens on New Genesis where we find that Takion (now Highfather)
has decided to send Orion and Big Barda to Earth. We get no more detail than
that. If the rest of the story had been handled the same way, I would have
hated it. Meanwhile Superman and Aquaman (in mufti) are in Kansas, hanging
out at the Kent Farm and waiting for Batman. The single panel with the Kents
and Aquaman was perfect.
Batman is in Gotham watching Huntress while in communication with Oracle,
who is cracking the security to the JLA computers on the moon. We never
really find out why, but I suspect that we will soon. He leaves Huntress a
key and an address. Batman does make it to the Kansas meeting (how? Gotham
is on the east coast) where all three discuss the make-up of the new team.
What I found most interesting was that Arthur was there, and that Manhunter
was not. While Aquaman has always been a mainstay of the DCU, he has never
been a real heavy hitter. DC obviously has some plans for him.
As they discuss things (all to briefly) we see that there is actually some
planning going on--something that has been missing. They take the time to
consider new members and how they will mesh rather than just letting it all
happen. They also realize that a few of those who are not asked to join
will be disappointed.
Next, Steel turns down Superman's invitation to join, while Aquaman tracks
down Zauriel. The Huntress (for once) follows Batman's direction, going to
the address and using the key, finding a JLA teleporter.
When the heroes start arriving on the moon, Guy Gardner (Warrior) is already
there and planning on taking over. How he got there was even better, but
you'll have to read the story to find that out. The face-down between Guy
and Batman was worth the price of the book by itself.
That essentially was the story. All characterization and planning, no fights.
One of the best JLA stories I've read all year.
Art wise, I loved it. The foreground figures were well defined and the
backgrounds were all well detailed. There were none of the talking head
panels that I hate so much.
"Secrets of the JLA Trophy Room"
Written by: Mark Millar
Penciled by: Christopher Jones
Inks by: John Boyle
Lettered by: Janice Chiang
Assoc. Ed.: Tony Bedard
Editor: Dan Raspler
2.0 Shields (Story) - Forgettable. No plot, just ramblings.
3.5 Shields (Art) - Nice work; detailed but slightly over-inked.
As back-up pieces go, this one didn't make it. The whole story is a simple
walk though the JLA trophy room with Zauriel as a guide. While there were a
few interesting bits, I would have preferred another five profile pages.
I'm not going to go into any detail on the various profile pages. If you like
them, they work. If you don't, nothing I say will change your mind. I will
mention that there is at least one page that gives us more than a hint of a
future league member.
Rene Gobeyn
<bedlam@frontiernet.net>
_____________________________________________
SPECIALS (cont):
---------------
JLA: WORLD WITHOUT GROWN-UPS #1 (of 2) Aug 1998 $4.95 US/$6.95 CAN
"Untitled"
Writer: Todd Dezago
Grown-up Pencils: Mike McKone
Grown-up Inks: Mark McKenna
Kid Pencils: Humberto Ramos
Kid Inks: Wayne Faucher
Colorist: Jason Wright
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Letterer: John Workman
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover: McKone, McKenna, Ramos, and Faucher
Special thanks to Grant Morrison
RATINGS
Average: 3.5/5.0 Shields
GN: 3.8 Shields
DWd: 3.9 Shields - Nice job of the artwork changing in the different worlds.
I am interested to see how Robin, Superboy and Impulse work together.
DWk: 3.2 Shields - As a springboard for a new series, this is kind of fun,
and the cliffhanger at the end is brilliant. DeZago understands the
essence of Bart Allen: that he never, *ever* thinks before acting.
ES: 3.5 Shields - The story is decent enough, and works best when the young
heroes interact, but Ramos' art steals the spotlight! Todd Nauck has
a lot to live up to.
JO: 4.3 Shields (Story: 5.0, Art: 3.5) - This story's really fun. The only
problem I have with this book is the art when the kids are drawn;
the grown-up art and the storyline are right on target. I'm glad
they're getting their own title.
JSy: 3.7 Shields - Fairly intriguing concept, though the nitpicker in me
wishes we'd seen some of the minute details (such as what happens
at birth, or on birthdays). One of the only times I can recall that
having multiple art teams actually enhanced the flow of the book.
MS: 2.0 Shields - Amusing premise, lackluster art. I expect a lot more from
a five buck comic with "JLA" across the top.
Virtually every kid, at one time or another, has wondered what it would be
like to live in a world without any adults to make them brush their teeth,
clean their room, eat broccoli or otherwise order them around and prevent
them from having any fun whatsoever.
A prequel to the upcoming _Young Justice_ series, _JLA: World Without
Grown-ups_ gives a glimpse of what a world without adults -- as well as a
world without kids -- would be like, all because of the wish of a disgruntled
young boy.
After establishing vignettes introducing Robin, Superboy and Impulse -- the
core members of the upcoming _Young Justice_ title -- the setting shifts to
the 13th birthday celebration of Matt Stuart. Matt is upset that his father,
who is just returning from an archaeological dig, barely makes it to the
party and is not exactly thrilled by Dad's gift of an Atlantean artifact (he
wanted a Playtendo). He gets sent to his room until he changes his attitude.
While there, Matt shatters the artifact, unleashing the purple- hued energies
which had been contained in the artifact by the Atlantean mage Arion --
"power that feeds on dreams and on wishes, the power to reshape the world."
Matt acts upon the power now contained in him, and next morning adults awaken
to a world where every juvenile under the age of 17 is gone. At the
Watchtower, the JLA finds its members frustrated by the lack of clues.
The setting then shifts to what has become known as Kidworld, "...where the
order of the day is PARTY!" Kids are acting upon virtually every impulse
previously suppressed by authority figures, from putting on Mommy's makeup to
smoking Daddy's cigars. In the more extreme cases, things get dangerous as
kids ram a sport utility vehicle through the window of a toy store, or try to
fly -- either by commandeering a plane or leaping off the roof with an
umbrella, a la Mary Poppins. Earth's young heroes are pressed into damage
control, with Robin, Superboy, and Impulse eventually joining forces to seek
a solution. Time is running out, though, since without adults to maintain
them, basic infrastructure and services such as utilities and even food will
soon be gone.
Back on the Adult world at the Watchtower, the JLAers try to reassure the
President they are doing everything they can, as Batman -- in the Batcave --
gets to work on the solution.
Shifting back to Matt (or Bedlam, as he calls himself in this world), the
energy released from the artifact has revealed itself as a mystical being
that has linked itself with Matt. Matt's thoughts shift between his own and
those of his "benefactor." He muses, "I thought up a whole world, and all it
took was using the right ...vessel -- using the most powerful child's mind as
a... a conduit ... to keep that world existing! And the more that they
believe -- the adults and the children, too -- the more imagination they feed
me with, the more powerful I become!"
Following a television transmission sent from WHIZ, Robin, S-Boy and Impulse
rocket to Fawcett City. Robin tries to convince Billy Batson to transform
into Captain Marvel, but Billy isn't too crazy about the possibility of
blinking out of existence once he switches into his 'adult' form. The four
boys find their attention diverted by a satellite transmission showing a huge
weather anomaly over Happy Harbor, Rhode Island -- the home of the JLA's
original headquarters.
Back at the JLA watchtower, a transmission from Batman reveals it isn't the
kids who have been moved, it's the grown-ups! Adult World is only 17 hours
old; the adults were displaced from the so-called real world and placed on a
simulacrum. As several of the JLAers express hope that the younger heroes --
many of whom are their proteges -- will help keep order on Kidworld, Flash
laments, "Oh, no! --- they've got Bart!"
Robin, Superboy and Impulse leave Billy Batson to investigate the Happy
Harbor phenomenon, discovering what Robin describes as, "Some kind of twisted
nightmare brought to life!" The ground opens up beneath them, revealing a
pool of swirling purple energy. Finally, back at WHIZ, Billy Batson summons
the courage to say his magic word. Part 1 ends as he says "Sha--"
Aside from being a nice set up for _Young Justice_, _JLA:World Without
Grown-Ups_ is proving to be a fun romp in its own right, with just the right
balance of drama and humor. Dezago has hit the characterizations of the main
three pretty much head on. Cool-headed Robin naturally takes the lead,
although one has to wonder how he gets the headstrong Superboy and the
perpetually, well, impulsive Impulse to follow so readily. (I wouldn't mind
seeing any of the Marvels (Cap, Mary, or CM3) hook up with this gang in the
future -- just a thought.)
Splitting the kid and adult art chores was a clever choice, further
reinforcing the differences in the two "worlds." Ramos on Impulse is always
fun to watch, and -- accented by Faucher -- he does a nice job with the other
two leads as well. McKone and McKenna handle the JLA well in Adult world, and
in my books are certainly more than welcome on future JLA projects.
I still can't help but wonder about little things -- who's watching the
infant kids, for example, especially the ones without siblings -- but I'm
enjoying the ride and looking forward to the next issue.
G.M. Nelson
<KALEL224@aol.com>
_____________________________________________
AFTER-BYRNE: Reviews of the post-Crisis Man of Steel
------------------------------------------------------------
MANUSCRIPTS OF STEEL
------------------------------
Reviews of After-Byrne Superman Special Stories
by Denes House (househld@borg.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ACTION COMICS ANNUAL #4 - "Living Daylights"
Written by Dan Vado
Art by Chris Wozniak, Karl Altstaetter, Trevor Scott,
Karl Kesel, and Steve Mitchell
Colored by Matt Hollingsworth
Cover by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti
1992
Squarebound Format, $2.50 US/$2.95 CAN
Rating:
1.0/5.0 Shields
-and-
THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN ANNUAL #4 - "In Blackest Night"
Written by Robert Loren Fleming
Art by Bob McLeod
Colored by Matt Hollingsworth
Cover by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti
1992
Squarebound Format, $2.50 US/$2.95 CAN
Rating:
5.0/5.0 Shields
---------------------------------------------------------
I'm going to take two at a time this month, for two reasons. First, I
*really*, *REALLY* want to be done with reviewing these "Eclipso: The
Darkness Within" Annuals! The second reason is related to the first -- I hate
writing entirely negative reviews, and if I only reviewed the _Action
Annual_, that would be the case.
I can't speak for the rest of the reviewers here at the Kryptonian Cybernet,
but writing a negative review is a real drag for me. True, it gives you the
opportunity to cut loose and develop creative invectives toward the
incompetence of the creators of a dreck-ish work, but it's not nearly as fun
as reviewing a great book.
When you review something that you enjoy, it's like you are recommending
something that you love to a friend. There is the thrill of enjoying
something *with* someone special, and the unique joy of complementing someone
for excellence. Frankly, it's *fun* to write a positive review. I can
understand the attraction cinematic blurb-writers must feel for their jobs.
Fortunately, I *can* recommend the _Adventures Annual_...
But let's get the negative out of the way.
After I treated Dan Vado's writing rather roughly last month, KC reader Steve
Kaplan, he of eagle eye and stellar taste, pointed out to me that Mr. Vado
had done some solid work on _Justice League_ after Dan Jurgens left it in a
shambles. "His plotting was not particularly original or ground breaking, but
he managed to create a much more interesting super-team... Give him the
reigns of Big Blue though, and the result is _Superman Annual_ #4." Having
bantered via e-mail with Mr. Kaplan in the past, I know he has good
judgement, so since I stopped reading the League during Jurgens' reign, I'll
have to trust what Steve has said.
Unfortunately, no matter how well he handled the League in their own title,
he does not exactly shine when they appear in _Action Comics Annual_ #4. The
plot is simple. When Superman and part of the Justice League (Ice, Fire, and
Booster Gold) fail to convince Mona Bennet (Solar scientist Bruce Gordon's
girlfriend)'s depressed father to help them fight Eclipso, Superman decides
that the only way to free the inhabitants of Crater Bay is to offer his body
to Eclipso in exchange for their lives. He's going to rely on Ice, Fire, and
Booster to stop his Eclipsoed self. Read that last sentence again, and see if
you can grasp the sheer stupidity of this plan.
The three Leaguers seek out the help of super-scientists Emil Hamilton and
Lex Luthor II, who have developed a giant solar trap -- the device that can
collect and project the only thing to which Eclipso is vulnerable, sunlight.
The Leaguers recruit Captain Marvel to keep Eclipso/Superman busy, set the
trap up with a timer, and try to position all of the Eclipsoed inhabitants of
Crater Bay in its path.
It takes only 24 of this issue's 54 pages to set up the plot. The remaining
30 pages are filled with fight scenes (Captain Marvel vs. E-Superman, the
Leaguers vs. E-Crater Bay) interspersed with the Leaguers asking "when's that
doohickey going to go off?" "When's that stupid thing supposed to go off
anyway?" and the like.
In the end, the inhabitants of Crater Bay are saved, Superman is still
Eclipsoed, and all is definitely not well in the DC Universe.
The trouble with this story, and with Vado's _Superman Annual_ #4, is that it
requires everyone to act out of character in order for it to "work." Superman
has to come up with a brainless plan (sure, it's noble and self-sacrificing,
but c'mon! Hmm... will Eclipso keep his word and let the Crater Bay residents
go when he has Superman's bod? I wonder...). In order to fill those 30 pages,
Captain Marvel also has to be an idiot, never figuring out that Superman has
been taken by Eclipso, even though the Leaguers presumably told him their
plan, *and* even though Superman is viciously attacking him, *and* even
though Eclipso TELLS HIM EVERY OTHER PANEL THAT HE'S NOT REALLY SUPERMAN! The
Leaguers have often been successfully portrayed as squabbling children, but
their continual banality here is a bore. Vado is treading water for 30 pages,
and the reader is the one who gets exhausted.
Add to that Chris "Anatomy?" Wozniak's horribly annoying artwork, and you
have a recipe for 54 pages (plus ads) that is best used for a birdcage liner.
See? Wasn't that fun?
Capsule review: I hate movies whose plots depend on portraying the characters
as dumber than you know them to be. I hate it in comics, as well.
Story: More of a plot than either preceeding Eclipso-themed Superman Annual,
but who cares, when the characters are as stupid as they are here? 1.0
Shields out of 5.
Art: I am still not sure why Chris Wozniak consistently gets work in the
comics field. 0.0 Shields out of 5.
Overall: Better than the previous two. Still, avoid it as though it were sin.
1.0 Shields out of 5.
If you're getting the idea that you ought to avoid the "Eclipso: The Darkness
Within" Annuals, then I've done my service to humanity for the year.
However, while your life could well be complete without reading _The
Adventures of Superman Annual_ #4, it is the only Eclipso-themed book I've
read with which it is worth spending time.
This Annual starts off with the world's superheroes trying to track down the
Eclipsoed Man of Steel. It seems someone realized that it would take more
than Fire, Ice, and Booster Gold to handle an evil Kryptonian! Hawkman,
Nightwing, Aquaman, Black Canary, Crimson Fox, Metamorpho, L.E.G.I.O.N, Ralph
Dibny, and the Justice League (all of them) all search, in their own ways,
all over the globe for the Man of Tomorrow. When Booster Gold spots him
hiding in Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii, the heroes converge to bring him out
into the daylight.
The thing is, in this book, the heroes actually find intelligent ways to
attack their far-stronger foe. Even Guy Gardner comes up with an inventive
and tricky ploy that almost works. He figures if Supes won't come to the
sunlight, he'll use a giant microscope to bring the sunlight to Superman.
When Superman barely foils that ploy, Guy flies off in a sulk. And as the sun
begins to set on a night that will see a total lunar eclipse, it seems that
luck has run out for this old Earth.
The heroes try to force Superman out by making the volcano erupt, but by the
time they get it to work, the sun has set, and E-Superman really starts to
cut in to them. With all of the heroes decimated by his withering attacks,
can anyone stop Superman before it's too late?
I won't spoil the ending for you (and it's a joy to say that, in this case,
it's worth reading the book to find out the solution), but it is ingenious,
flows from strong characterizations, and is fun to watch.
Robert Loren Fleming proves that a strong writer can take even a lame premise
like "Eclipso: The Darkness Within", and weave a compelling story out of it.
Even though this is the penultimate chapter in the arc, and the story
direction has been set, Fleming manages to find the *essence* of several
characters, and makes this story *matter* to them.
As a bonus, everyone "feels" right in this book. Lobo is homicidal, Gardner
is prideful, Nightwing is the world's second greatest detective, and
Eclipso-Superman is *evil* and *menacing*.
It may be that the artwork influenced me a lot here, though. Bob McLeod is
still one of my favorite artists to ever draw Superman regularly. Though his
figures' lack the dynamic poses of many of today's premier artists, they are
powerfully and expressively drawn, with keen sensitivity to light and shadow
and mobile facial expressions. McLeod's storytelling ability is incredible,
and he uses quiet scenes as well as he uses giant set-pieces. McLeod's world
is carefully detailed and his heroes are strong and noble.
Try this quick exercise to note the skill which is at McLeod's command. Take
a look at the cover illustration, by Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti, and
then turn to page 28 and look at a similar scene illustrated by Bob McLeod. I
am a fan of Quesada's work, so don't get me wrong, but with about 1/50th the
amount of lines, McLeod's Superman and Lobo appear far stronger than the
minutely-sculpted and frantically posed characters on the cover. Quesada uses
a ton of lines with skill, and turns out great work, but today's aspiring
artists look at his work and think, "Hmmm... lots of lines is *good*," as
though that alone is what makes him great. Less can indeed be more, as the
interior art shows time and again in this book.
Capsule review: Fun and compelling, with great artwork and clever
characterizations. I like this book a lot. Even if you don't ever read the
other Eclipso Annuals (a wise choice, my friend!) read this one for the sheer
joy of comics.
Story: Characters that are as smart as the readers, and a story that means
something. 4.5 Shields out of 5.
Art: I'll say it again -- Bob McLeod is one of the greats, and here he
pencils and inks the whole book by himself. Buy it if for that alone. 5.0
Shields out of 5.
Overall: I'm going to go all the way if only to purge my system of the
foulness that was the rest of this series. 5.0 Shields out of 5.
Next month: The Man of Steel versus a scaly, scary ET monster, in
"Bloodlines"!
_____________________________________________
SUPERMAN STORIES
------------------------------------------
By Sean Hogan (shogan@intergate.bc.ca)
Lex Luthor: Part 2
General Introduction: The purpose of these articles is to give readers
pointers for hunting through the back-bins in search of good stories. I'll
try to keep spoiler to a minimum, so you can enjoy the issues when you find
them. Later articles will review other characters in the Superman universe
(including some notable pre-Crisis issues that can still be found in the
bins). If you have any suggestions for villains, pals, heroes or other
characters, or just some notable issues, drop me a line at
shogan@intergate.bc.ca
Last time, we reviewed the life of Lex Luthor from his first re-booted
incarnation to his death. Luthor, dying of cancer from Kryptonite poisoning,
apparently dies in a plane crash. To everyone's surprise, Luthor has left a
will that says he leaves everything to his son by Dr. Gretchen Kelley. This
being a soap op... er, comic, Dr. Kelley has, of course, disappeared. Until
the heir can be found, a management committee runs LexCorp. And runs it very
poorly.
The ghost of Luthor returns to haunt Superman in _Action Comics_ #668. Sort
of. The issue has another terrific cover (by Jurgens and McLeod), with
Superman hovering in mid-air over Luthor's headstone. A weird energy bolt is
striking Superman and a ghostly, maniacal Luthor fills the sky. The cover is
only loosely connected to the story, which opens with Clark having a
nightmare about Luthor. Luthor grabs Superman with a solid kryptonite hand.
Then the skin melts off Luthor's face, leaving only a skeleton head.
Without Luthor at the helm, Metropolis is suffering from business failures,
strikes, and unemployment. Talk shows and tabloids are speculating that
Luthor still lives. To ease his own nightmares and to reassure the city,
Clark convinces Cat Grant to run a television special. Cat reveals that,
after the crash, Superman collected not only Luthor's mechanical hand, but
also the scattered remains. The show goes on to say that the Special Crimes
Unit had served Dr. Kelley with a search warrant for her medical records to
compare Luthor's DNA to the remains. Cat concludes that the DNA tests showed
a perfect match and therefore, the body found in the wreckage could only be
that of Lex Luthor. Despite the evidence, the speculation continues -- but
now people are arguing whether Luthor was murdered or committed suicide. Cat
tells Clark "...it's almost as if Luthor's ghost has a press agent."
And, as the last page reveals, he does. Sydney Happersen, Luthor's aide who
is in Australia with Dr. Kelley, has been planting the stories. "Because
that's the way the boss wanted it."
We first meet Luthor's heir in _Action Comics_ #670 and get further
information on him in _Action Comics_ #672. Lex Luthor II has a full head of
flaming red hair, with bushy eyebrows and a beard (no mustache). He speaks
with an Australian accent and uses many down-under phrases, such as "mate"
and "g'day". Clark and Lois are skeptical and travel to Australia to
investigate, but the evidence they find seems to support the new Luthor's
story.
Although young Luthor's public persona is impeccably friendly and polite, we
quickly learn that in private he is anything but. As he says in _Action
Comics_ #672, "They bought it! All of them! Hook, line and sinker!"
Luthor II quickly establishes himself as a business and a community leader.
During the "Panic In The Sky" (Brainiac attacks the Earth -- collected in
trade paperback), Luthor is on the front lines fighting the attackers and
emceeing the victory celebration.
Luthor II also finds a new love. When Supergirl returns to Earth after the
Panic, she meets Luthor II in _Action Comics_ #677. Hereminds her of the Lex
Luthor that created her in the Pocket Universe (whole 'nother story --
recapped in _Action Comics_ #678). Luthor II returns Supergirl's love and
convinces her to become a member of the LexCorp "family". Despite his
pleasant public demeanor, he is possessive and quick to anger. When Supergirl
says she loves him in _Action Comics_ #678, he replies "I know dear. I know".
And not in a nice way, if ya know what I mean.
The title to _Action Comics_ #678 lets the reader in on Luthor II's secret by
proclaiming "THEY SAVED LUTHOR'S BRAIN!" The issue starts with an
assassination attempt on Luthor by Dabney Donovan (rogue geneticist and clone
creator). Donovan, from his hospital bed, confesses that he had been
recruited by Luthor. He reveals that Luthor had faked his death and altered
his DNA records to match those of the unnamed victim found in the plane
wreckage. In a secret lab, Donovan and others removed Luthor's brain from his
radiation ravaged body and place it in a jar where they grew a body around
it. With better hair. Sleep teaching was used to give Luthor an authentic
Australian accent. Finally, Luthor planted his will and allowed his company
(and the city) to flounder so that he could return as his own heir and be the
savior of Metropolis.
In my last article, I described Luthor as a chess master. Make that a
Seriously Twisted Chess Master (tm).
Consider Luthor's potential at this time. He has an opportunity to distance
himself from his "father's" past and to start afresh. He has a new, young
body (with that fabulous hair), a flourishing business empire, the love of
Supergirl, and the respect of those who admired his "father" and now admire
the new heir. He even has the grudging respect of Superman and the super-hero
community due to his actions during the "Panic In The Sky". He can easily use
legal and legitimate means to increase his wealth and influence. Typically,
Luthor never even seems to consider this option.
Luthor's drive to seek power and to control those around him are both the
characteristics that made him the success he is, as well as his greatest
flaws. He does not seek success, respect, or admiration as his goal. These
are merely tools to be used in his bid to conquer and control. If other tools
(fear, intimidation, destruction, murder) are more useful to attain those
ends, then he will willingly use those tools also. This Luthor has no love in
his soul -- just hate and anger.
Luthor is such a nasty fella that it's always a treat to see him get his
comeuppance -- even if only temporarily. _Adventures of Superman_ #496 has
Mxyzptlk in town to cause some fun and furor -- and to get back at Luthor.
The whole city is remade in Mxy's image -- except Luthor II, who is changed
into his old, fat self (with a hook in place of the prosthetic hand). The
story is lots of fun, mostly at Luthor's expense. There is no real
development of Luthor's character here -- but who cares! It's a fun prelude
before events turn more serious -- as seen on the last page of the issue,
which shows Doomsday breaking out of his container. Luthor had died and been
reborn. Now, it was Superman's turn.
During the fight with Doomsday, Luthor expects Superman to defeat the
monster, as he always does. Ever the opportunist, Luthor tries to use the
situation to his advantage. At a press conference he asks "does Metropolis
need a champion who draws such negative attention? Does Superman's presence
cause more harm than good?" (_Superman: The Man Of Steel_ #19). I'll bet
Luthor has a sign somewhere with the motto: "Whenever possible, always kick a
good man when he's down."
During the fight with Doomsday, Supergirl is battered to protoplasm by
Doomsday. Luthor, seemingly tenderly, wraps his jacket around her --
something that becomes very important later, in the _Supergirl_ miniseries.
As always, be even more careful of Luthor when he seems to be doing something
nice. Luthor uncharacteristically tells Supergirl that he would have saved
Superman if he could have, because "Superman would have owed me his very life
... and I never would have let him forget it." (_Adventures Of Superman_
#498). Not that the sentiment is a surprise, but the fact that Luthor would
drop his guard enough to show some of his real motivations to Supergirl
perhaps show that he, too, is shaken by Superman's death.
Similar to his actions after Brainiac's attack during the "Panic In The Sky",
Luthor sets himself as chief mourner to the public -- even organizing the
funeral. When Luthor sees the body of Doomsday, he smashes a chair over the
corpse yelling it's "JUST NOT RIGHT!" while thinking "Superman was mine to
kill! Mine! I've been cheated of my vengeance ... a monster has robbed me of
that which I desired more than anything!" (_Action Comics_ #656). Inspector
Turpin admires Luthor's apparently righteous anger. Now this is more typical
Luthor: looking like a rose to the public, while covered in thorns and
planted in manure (hey, it's my analogy -- be kind).
In _Superman_ #77, we see Luthor's evil triumph over his public persona.
Luthor is working out with his trainer, Sasha, who manages to land a hard
kick that knocks him to the mat. Luthor's anger rises quickly and he snaps
"Nobody does that to me! Nobody! You've no bloody idea what trouble
you've...," at which point Supergirl and Lois Lane interrupt him. Later that
issue, Luthor murders Sasha and then brags about it over Superman's coffin.
He says that he killed her to prove he is king again; back on the top. Again,
as with teaching Mxyzptlk to lie, we see Luthor's arrogance and anger
combined with rash actions. Luthor acts with no regard to the consequences.
Also, as with Mxy, this will return to haunt Luthor.
In the one-shot _Supergirl and Team Luthor_, Luthor offers Supergirl and his
own security team as protectors of Metropolis. Luthor offers to personally
lead his team against terrorists, but breaks his leg on his first outing.
Luthor vows never to put his own life on the line again. Roger Stern, the
primary writer for the Luthor II storyline, does a great job in this
one-shot, showing Luthor II and his relationship with the city, and
especially with Supergirl. I highly recommended the story. Ominously, at the
end of the first story, he tells Supergirl that he wishes he had a hundred
just like her.
Shortly after Superman's death, four new "Supermen" appear (Superboy, Steel,
Eradicator and Cyborg). Typically, Luthor's first thought is to co-opt and
control them. He attempts (unsuccessfully) to recruit the hormonal new
Superboy in _Adventures of Superman_ #502, by using the curvaceous Supergirl.
Clearly, Supergirl is a tool to him -- although his anger at the way the Kid
eyes his girl is also a trait of the possessive Luthor. When Luthor can't
persuade Steel to join his team, he uses Steel's foe, the White Rabbit, to
try and kill that hero in _Superman: The Man Of Steel_ #24.
The four replacements are only temporary, as Superman returns from death.
Surprisingly, Luthor has little reaction to the reappearance of Superman (in
contrast to his reaction to Superman's return from space -- discussed in the
previous article). In _Adventures of Superman_ #505, Luthor sees Superman fly
past and says, "No matter. If I can't control him, I'll destroy him."
Perhaps Luthor knew that he would soon have more important personal problems
ahead -- as his cloned body begins to deteriorate.
In the four issue _Supergirl_ miniseries, we learn that Luthor has used the
cells taken from Supergirl's protoplasmic form (after her fight with
Doomsday) to clone hundreds of Supergirls. The miniseries by Roger Stern
gives us a good look at Luthor from Supergirl's point of view (first loving,
then hateful), as well as letting the reader see behind Luthor's public mask.
When Supergirl discovers Luthor's duplicity, only Superman stops her from
killing him in her anger. Dr. Kelley tells the dying Luthor that Supergirl
loved him and that "No matter what you hoped to gain through all your plots
and schemes, it can never match what you've lost."
The only clones not affected are the Guardian and Dubbilex -- all others are
dying. In the hopes of finding a cure, Luthor has his aide Happersen recreate
an earlier attempt to clone Superman -- and once more, a Bizarro Superman is
created. We see Luthor's body continue to deteriorate during the "Bizarro's
World" arc (_Superman_ #87, _Adventures of Superman_ #510, _Action Comics_
#697, _Superman: The Man Of Steel_ #32 and _Superman_ #88 -- also in trade
paperback).
Luthor continues to manipulate even while dying. While Lois Lane tries to
find evidence of Luthor's murder of Sasha, he arranges to have her apartment
torched and to have her fired from the Daily Planet (_Adventures Of Superman_
#512, _Action Comics_ #699). In searching for a cure, he infiltrates the
Cadmus Project and starts a war between the Underworlders (monster shaped
clones), the Special Crimes Unit, Team Luthor and just about everyone else.
Luthor even designed guns for the Underworlders that he controls remotely. He
wants to find a cure to his illness, but, "if, along the way, I can confuse
and confound my enemies, so much the better! But eventually, I always get
what I want ... one way or another!"
"The Battle For Metropolis" and "The Fall Of Metropolis" run through all the
Superman titles starting with _Action Comics_ #699 and concluding in _Action
Comics_ #701 (triangle numbers 1994: 20 - 28).
Luthor's war quickly gets beyond his control. Cadmus' director Paul Westfield
launches his own gas rockets to destroy the Underworlders. Not that this
overly concerns Luthor, who decides that if he is dying, he will take "his"
city with him.
There is brief hope for Luthor when the cause and cure for the clone illness
is discovered at Cadmus. His goal changes from destruction to trying to
secure the serum. But Luthor's efforts are thwarted when Cadmus is apparently
destroyed. Compounding his troubles, Lois reveals on television that Luthor
faked his death, cloned himself, and murdered Sasha. When Luthor's hiding
place is discovered by Superman, the desperate Luthor threatens to let his
remaining hidden torpedoes destroy Metropolis.
Luthor's megalomania and madness continue to dominate his personality. He
says that he will die on his own terms, and that he will decide if Metropolis
lives or dies. Superman reminds Luthor that the citizens know only the
philanthropic Luthor and that if he launches the torpedoes, he will be
forever remembered as Luthor the killer, the monster, the Hitler. As Luthor's
resolve weakens, Happersen snaps and fires the torpedoes (_Action Comics_
#700).
We see all of Luthor's weapons and failsafes turned against the city -- from
robots, to gas, to a stolen Kryptonian Battlesuit. At the end, Luthor
receives the clone serum but is trapped in his wasted body -- unable to move
or even to blink. Luthor blames Superman and swears to make him pay --
someday, somehow.
The arc also marks the departure of Roger Stern as regular writer of _Action
Comics_, and Luthor remains sidelined until Stern returns in _Superman: The
Man Of Tomorrow_ #1. We learn that despite his dessicated body, Luthor has
made arrangements that allow him to escape. LexCorp must have a division in
charge of contingency plans, because Luthor always seems to have several.
By the end of the issue, Luthor's body is miraculously restored to vitality.
He now has a youthful, athletic build, but with no hair, aside from his bushy
red eyebrows. We don't learn the details of how this was accomplished until
the _Underworld Unleashed_ miniseries -- Luthor literally makes a deal with
the devil (Neron) in exchange for his soul. The lack of a soul seems to make
no noticeable difference in Luthor. Now that Luthor has a daughter, I would
like to see Luthor being forced to deal with the repercussions of his
arrangement -- with Lena's future dependent on the outcome.
_Superman: The Man Of Tomorrow_ #1 also introduces us to the Contessa Erica
Alexandra Del Portenza, who takes over as CEO of LexCorp. In _Superman: The
Man Of Tomorrow_ #2, Luthor romances the Contessa. As they watch Superman
fight on television, Luthor agrees that he takes pleasure and satisfaction in
Superman's pain and adds "Once, it would have angered me that I was not
personally responsible for his pain. Now, I don't mind finding pleasure in
the efforts of others. A sign of maturity, I suppose."
Two important new themes develop following Luthor's resurrection. One is that
Luthor is now a DCU villain -- not just a Superman foe. We see him teaming up
with other villains in _Underworld Unleashed_ and in the _JLA_ "Rock of Ages"
arc. The other is his relationship with the Contessa, which leads to marriage
and, more importantly, to his becoming a father.
Since we are now in relatively recent comic history, I am only going to
briefly highlight some of the more interesting Luthor stories. If you want
more information, see back issues of the Kryptonian Cybernet, or just go and
buy the comics.
_Superman_ #120 has a fun look at Luthor's fear that his unborn child will
like Superman.
During the _Final Night_ miniseries, Luthor returns to Metropolis to help in
the crisis (and to try to redeem himself with the public) and turns himself
over to the police.
In _Superman_ #126, he manipulates Superman into delivering the Kryptonite
ring (which Superman had given to Batman for safekeeping).
To distract the publicity of his trial, Luthor arranges, in _Adventures Of
Superman_ #550, for Jimmy Olsen to air a show promising a big revelation
about Superman. His trial and successful defence are delivered with aplomb in
_Action Comics_ #737. Ever ruthless, Luthor reveals all to his scrupulous and
honest lawyer, and then reminds the lawyer that his admission is protected by
client-attorney privilege.
But the most interesting change in Luthor's character comes from the birth of
his daughter, Lena, in _Superman_ #131. Dan Jurgens delivers one of the best
Luthor stories to date (all my opinion, of course).
Today's Luthor is very complex and multi-faceted, which has only been
enhanced by making him a loving, devoted father (with one ticked off mother
out there somewhere). The Luthor stories up to now have been great. The
future possibilities look even more exciting.
Next time: Brainiac!
_____________________________________________
THE PHANTOM ZONE: Reviews of the pre-Crisis Man of Steel
------------------------------------------------------------------
SUPERMAN #282
----------------------------------------------------
Reviewed by Scott Devarney (devarney@ll.mit.edu)
"Lex Luthor -- Super Scalphunter"
Story by Elliot S! Maggin
Art by Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger
Edited by Julius Schwartz
December 1974
Long before "back to basics" became a trend in comics, Elliot Maggin gave
readers a story infusing Superman with his original, devil-may-care
personality from the Golden Age and examining the roots of the Silver Age
Luthor's hatred of the Man of Steel.
It begins with Luthor secretly using a weapon to make Superman as young as he
was on the day Clark joined the Daily Planet. He figures that a mature Luthor
would have a better chance against a younger, more impulsive Man of Steel.
Luthor intends to kill Superman and steal his hair as a super-toupee. He does
get the drop on our hero, but he also gets caught in his own trap and needs
Superman to save them both. Superman gets Luthor to restore his true age
before saving them both and capturing his arch-foe.
This story could be seen as a Golden Age Superman versus 70's Luthor match
up. This Superman is cocky. He throws thugs out of a plane and catches them
at the last second; he insults his foes; and he rushes headlong into
situations. This is not the more careful and prudent Superman of the 70's,
but one more reminiscent of the very early Siegel and Shuster era. It is fun
to see this hero in action for a short time but the explanation of this
metamorphosis is weak. The reason given (three times within the story) is
that Luthor reverted Superman in age and maturity to a time when he was
impulsive and brash. The problem is that Superboy was never this reckless; if
anything, he tended to be more responsible for his age. This explanation
could have worked had this been a modern story of the Golden-Age Superman but
doesn't really make sense for the Silver-Age version.
This story also tackled the underlying reason for Luthor's enmity of
Superman. Rarely has Luthor's baldness contributed so directly to his
schemes. Usually Luthor attacks Superman without much reason beyond his
undying hatred for Superman. Most writers probably don't want to dwell on
what is usually considered a silly excuse for Luthor's rage. This time out he
combats Superman to possess Superman's hair. Kudos go to Elliot Maggin for
daring to address this underlying issue, uh, head on.
This issue also contains a milestone for Luthor, the first appearance of his
action suit. Prior stories had Luthor clad in prison fatigues or business
suits. In this issue he dons a hideous outfit consisting of a green
turtleneck and purple jacket overlaid with a green vest that crosses over his
chest like an "X". This ensemble is completed with green pants, green gloves,
and purple boots. Various canisters bedecked the pants and vest. This is the
outfit Luthor would wear during most of his appearances until _Action Comics_
#544, June 1983, when he switched to the not-much-of-an-improvement battle
armor that he would wear until Superman's reboot.
Other than Luthor's suit, the art team provided great work. (To be fair, I
don't know if either artist was involved in the design of Luthor's costume.)
The team of Swan and Schaffenberger was well chosen for this story. Curt
Swan, *the* Superman artist of the '70s, and Kurt Schaffenberger, a great
Superboy artist, combined to give readers an appropriately younger Superman,
not far from the Superboy of Smallville, but not yet the mature Man of Steel
who usually inhabits this title.
For the most part, this story worked. Changing the motivation for Superman's
behavior, from a de-aging ray to, say, a ray that weakened his inhibitions,
would have improved it. It was still a nice throwback to Luthor's motivations
and a backhanded tribute to Siegel and Shuster's original hero.
---------------------------------------------------
THE FABULOUS WORLD OF KRYPTON
"The Loneliest Man in the Universe"
Story by Martin Pasko
Art by Ernie Chan (using his Ernie Chua pen name)
Five hundred years before Krypton exploded, people would go into the Scarlet
Jungle to find rondors, ugly, smelly beasts whose horns emitted natural
healing rays. Killing them was illegal, but one scientist, Nam-Ek, slew two
of them and collected their horns. He hoped to use the horns in a serum to
make himself immortal, thus giving him all of time to unlock the secrets of
the universe. Police tried to arrest Nam-Ek, but he eluded them and went into
hiding. Nam-Ek drank the experimental serum, which did grant him immortality,
but at the cost of transforming him into a human rondor.
Not caring about his changed body, Nam-Ek stayed in seclusion and studied for
nearly five centuries until the isolation became too much. Unfortunately, the
populace feared the mutated man and would not interact with him. After futile
attempts to reverse the serum's effects, Nam-Ek, realizing that rondors age
and die, went back to the jungle to study the beasts. However, even the
rondors rejected him. At that moment Krypton exploded, leaving the immortal
Nam-Ek to remain suspended in space, forever alone.
Martin Pasko wrote an interesting story illustrating the proverb, "be careful
what you wish for; you just might get it." Nam-Ek surrenders his humanity for
immortality. He loves his studying but ultimately discovers that accumulation
of knowledge is worthless unless that knowledge is shared. Unfortunately, the
half-man/half-beast is rejected by both worlds. Ultimately, even his planet
rejects him, and his immortality denies him even the peace of death. His fate
is truly chilling. Unlike most of the characters in "World of Krypton"
stories, who would never be seen again, Nam-Ek would reappear during Martin
Pasko's run on _Superman_. He figures prominently in a storyline around
issues 311-315.
As a framework for this story, Pasko has Superman tell the story to
Supergirl, who is considering giving up her heroic identity in order to
settle down into a "normal" life. (This was a subplot at the time in her
_Superman Family_ stories.) This is a bit disingenuous on Superman's part, as
Supergirl giving up her crimefighting career is not in the same league as
Nam-Ek giving up his humanity and mortality. Barring an exposure to gold
kryptonite, Supergirl could resume superheroics if retirement didn't agree
with her, but Nam-Ek could not regain his lost humanity.
The art is done ably by Ernie Chan, early in his career when he was going by
the name Ernie Chua. His rondors are wonderfully grotesque yet sympathetic
creatures. Supergirl is drawn beautifully and wistfully, like a young woman
with a lot on her mind. The biggest drawback is his heavy inking which
muddies a lot of the nice pencilwork.
_____________________________________________
THE MAILBAG
-------------------------------------
(sykes@ms.uky.edu, KryptonCN@aol.com)
KC Responses are indented and begun with ****
=========================================
From: G.M. Nelson (KALEL224@aol.com)
As a longtime Superman fan (let's call it 25+ years and leave it at that) I
thought I'd throw out some suggestions on the direction of the Superman
family of books, particularly regarding the week-to-week continuity.
As currently structured, the Superman books require substantial commitment on
the part of fans -- not just in terms of money (the cover price of the
monthly Superman books just rose to $1.99) but in terms of keeping up with
the ongoing, linked storylines. (The result is books that can be similarly
unfriendly to new creators). Despite the work of the writers each issue, new
readers can't help but feel like they are coming in during the middle of the
movie, so to speak. Moreover, the strain of keeping up with demand of filling
a book a week sometimes shows in the stories -- not to the extent of the
infamous Spider-Man Clone storyline, granted, but "The Trial of Superman"
seemed like it went on forever, and "Dead Again" just plain stunk
The thing is, I really like the linked continuity of the titles, which, when
executed well, has given readers some really good stories, notably but not
only "Funeral for a Friend" and "The Reign of the Supermen." The answer, I
think, is a compromise between the current system of linked continuity and
publishing separate Superman books. First off, cut the so-called Triangle
titles back to the three from the 1986 reboot -- _Superman_, _Action Comics_
and _Adventures of Superman_. Those three titles would still allow a broad
canvas upon which the Superman creators could work, but keep it manageable
for both readers and the creators.
Does that mean canceling _Superman: The Man of Steel_? Not at all -- in fact,
it could be a solution to another problem I've noticed, more from a creative
standpoint and is apparent again in the first chapter of _Superman for All
Seasons_. We're not in Metropolis for more than a few pages and who do we
see? Lex Luthor. Sure, he's Superman's greatest nemesis, but is that why he's
used in early stories (_Legends of the DC Universe_ #1-3, for example), or is
it because we don't know of any other early enemies? Consider it -- other
than Luthor, Professor Killgrave, and one or two others, Superman's enemies
primarily have been introduced in continuity after the 1986 reboot. Byrne's
_Superman_ #1 -- the effective restart of the franchise post-MOS -- gives us
a Superman who has been operating for a number of years. However, by and
large, those years -- the enemies, the battles, the stories -- are largely
unexplored.
A book along the lines of _Legends of the Dark Knight_ -- and what better
title could there be than _Superman: The Man of Steel_ for such a book --
could help fill in the gaps left in those early years, both touching on
events hinted at already (the introduction of Killgrave or the JLA-New
Genesis battle), introducing new foes that can be reused in current
continuity, tying into a current story line in the triangle titles if need
be, or even serving as a showcase for Elseworlds-type stories. Imagine
revisiting one of the four Supermen in the recent storyline, or even the
_Kingdom Come_ Superman. Since the title wouldn't be bound to the current
storylines, guest creators could try their hand at the Man of Steel without
disrupting ongoing storylines. (Heck, I'd love to see another Maggin Superman
story, or maybe Starlin, Waid, or Bates.) Kick it off with _Superman: The Man
of Steel_ #100, just to give enough time to make the necessary preparations.
As for _Superman: The Man of Tomorrow_, again, use the Batman franchise as a
template. Retool it as a _Batman Chronicles_ type book -- again tying into
continuity as needed but also serving as a one-shot for guest creators, big
stories that don't require the graphic novel format (or price), or character
pieces.
These plans would both provide something like the weekly continuity to which
the readers have become accustomed, as well as providing them an outlet for
other Superman stories. Also, they would provide books that would be
available for the more casual reader unable or willing to make the commitment
the titles as currently structured require -- or simply lead them to look for
more, and introduce them to look for the Triangle titles.
**** Your concept for _Man of Steel_ is excellent, though we might even
consider ending the series and relaunching it as _Legends of the Man
of Steel_, to emphasize that the concept is the same as the Batman
and DCU books. In order to maintain the theme, though, I might be
inclined to restrict Elseworlds-type stories to _Man of Tomorrow_.
On another note, an interesting idea has been proposed in light of
the recent Golden Age stories in _Man of Steel_. What about con-
verting one of the titles into an out-of-continuity "past era" book,
where creators can tell stories about the Supermen of the various
ages? We've certainly seen that Jon Bogdanove knows what the Golden
Age Man of Steel is all about, and there are quite a few creators
that readers would like to see take a crack at the Silver Age Supes
again. This might be a harder sell to DC, given their tendency to
emphasize the present, and not look to the past, in their on-going
titles, but I think such a book would be almost a sure thing for
the over-20 crowd which I believe dominates the market these days.
=========================================
From: Rich Morrissey (RMorris306@aol.com)
Another excellent issue of Kryptonian Cybernet! Some reviews of some very
interesting comics, and I especially liked Mike Smith's look at _Superman:
The Man of Steel_ #81. Whatever minor flak it may get for not referring to
the Jews as such (which, if anything, might evoke memories of earlier
stories' failure to be specific about Maggie Sawyer being a lesbian... and
underscore the similarities between those who even today consider being a
lesbian something to be ashamed of, just as the Nazis felt being a Jew was
something to be ashamed of), it was a truly engrossing storyline that pointed
out how much the original concept of Superman as a powerful man who fought
the sort of evil that really exists, not costumed villains and other evil
just as fictional as he is, is missed today. It's a shame it all proved to be
the plot of yet another contrived and ill-defined villain, but if that's the
price we have to pay for such a well-conceived story, so be it.
On the other hand, despite the recommendation, I'm not particularly moved by
your review to pick up recent issues of _Steel_. And the scene you describe
as the best, in the JLA Watchtower (and hence a bit irrelevant to the
character's personal life) underscores why, especially if, as you say,
"Finally, in what could be taken as a bit of a dig at the Kyle-haters, Steel
departs the watchtower with the remark, '...you are Green Lantern. It's time
everybody got used to that.'" While not exactly a Kyle-hater, I don't find my
very limited affection for the character increased...quite the contrary...by
various DC writers' increasingly shrill attempts to force this character down
our collective throats. It's wasting valuable page space on irrelevancies
like these that seem to have contributed to the book's
cancellation...unfortunately, because the character (John Irons, not Kyle
Rayner) had a lot of unrealized potential.
On the other hand, I liked JLA #20 a lot better than Anatole Wilson, with
whom I agree, did...if only because I've by this time had the advantage of
reading the story's conclusion in #21. On the whole, I thought Mark Waid, a
great fan of DC's Silver Age, did a splendid job of restoring Adam Strange's
heroism, planet, wife and child, and nullifying as much of the execrable
Richard Bruning mini-series of a few years ago as possible. If he's *that*
good at eliminating ill-conceived mini-series that destroy the original
concept of a series, I'd like to see Waid turned loose on the Metal Men...
Otherwise, it was a delightful issue as always...especially Bob Hughes'
overview of the Atom Man serial on the Superman radio series. (I wonder if
the real Henry Miller...a famous New York writer of the day, known for
erotica like "Tropic of Cancer" and "Tropic of Capricorn"--inspired Atom
Man's alias? And the concept of a kryptonite-powered, super-strong villain
who secretly worked alongside Clark Kent as a Daily Planet reporter may well
have been yet another influence on the Silver Age Metallo.)
**** In fairness to the Watchtower scene, it wasn't the perhaps-dig at
the Kyle-haters which made it good, but what I perceived as a dig
towards the Superman group editors. Priest had stated from the
beginning that _Steel_ would not simply be the black Superman, that
John was his own man and not just a variation on the Man of Steel.
Priest had well-illustrated this concept in the book until the
editors requested that he (a) tie the book more closely to the
Superman titles (hence the appearance of Superboy and the Millennium
Giants crossover issue) and (b) return the book towards more of a
traditional super-hero/super-villain concept. Given the critical
acclaim the book had received from its readers before these changes
were implemented, it's a shame that DC had to force their view upon
the creators.
=========================================
From: Doug Randolph (dvncrandolph@earthlink.net)
Noticed you mentioned in your June news section that _Wizard_ commented about
DC planning a major overhaul of the Superman books. Hadn't seen this, but
yesterday they were speculating on it at my local comic shop.
It was noted that DC is planning an overhaul of the books, and not
(hopefully) the character. The last thing the franchise needs now is another
Superman Red/Blue excursion.
My take is that DC may actually be planning on scaling back the number of
books as sales are down and Superman (painfully) is not popular enough to
support a weekly title along with a dozen or more specials/year. Also believe
they may be going to pretty much do away with the tight continuity between
the books in favor for stand-alone books and stories. This last step would
give the books a desperately needed infusion of creative/artistic freedom.
Something needs to be done as the magic is no longer there. Having returned
to the books with the return of the traditional Superman last spring, I'm
simply not enjoying them. The stories are weak and the artwork is erratic.
Maybe I'm just getting older, but I no longer drop by my comic shop on a
weekly basis in anticipation of the latest Supes release.
I also am now purchasing only 2 or so titles a month. The number of Superman
"comic savers" at the shop I frequent has dropped from 38 to 18 since the
changes. The critical core base of guaranteed weekly purchasers is
significantly eroding at many of the shops here.
One thing is certain, the last thing the franchise needs is another book
"event", or an ill-conceived attempt to re-launch the movie series (which
apparently Warner knows as they apparently have abandoned any plans to bring
back the movie franchise).
Anyway, do you have any speculation on the rumored overhaul?
**** Well, this is all just speculation, but I'm beginning to believe
that there's no way we'll see the end of the triangle format while
Mike Carlin is head DCU editor. From what I've heard, he's the
primary reason that the weekly continuity is still in place. I
*like* the format, but I don't think it's the best thing for sales
right now.
I agree with you that there's simply too much Superman product being
published right now. The Man of Steel appears in no less than 10
books in July, 12 books in August, and 15 books in September.
Furthermore, 9 of those books are priced at $4.95 (US) or above -- in
September alone there are four Prestige format books and a new JLA
Secret Files issue. I don't know what DC's strategy here is, but
breaking their readers isn't a good idea. Many of these books could
be offered in less-expensive formats, so that more readers could have
a chance to enjoy them, or perhaps they shouldn't even be offered.
I hope that the infusion of new blood into the titles (Schultz,
Mahnke, Epting, Ordway) will result in some new life for the Superman
books, but I'm still wary of the limitations the weekly continuity
places on the creators. Also, as much as I respect Stuart Immonen's
risk-taking, I wish that someone with more experience as a writer
would take over on _Action Comics_. No offense to Stuart, but
Superman should be the pinnacle of one's writing career, not how one
cuts his teeth.
=========================================
From: Eric DePew (ericdepew@juno.com)
In KC #50, Christopher O'Brien Jr. made some comments in complaint of his
subscriptions to DC. I thought I'd send a few comments in response. I've
been receiving DC issues through subscriptions since January of 1996.
Currently, since the cancellations of _Steel_ and _Superboy and the Ravers_,
I am subscribed to 12 titles. I originally got a subscription because I was
leaving for college and didn't trust my ability to get all of my regular
titles from a comic shop I had never been to before. Since I've not been
happy with the only comic shop near my University, I've kept my
subscriptions. It makes it much easier on me when I can't get to a comic
shop for a couple weeks because of being on break, or moving for the summer.
To be honest, I have had numerous problems with the subscriptions.
Subscriptions are sent 3rd class mail, which means that the Post Office can
hold them for a while. In fact, every stop the issues make along the way to
me, they stop and spend a few days before continuing on. This is how it
happens that I'll occasionally have an issue arrive out of order. It also
means that it is easier for the Postal Service to lose an issue here and
there.
I've had problems with DC as well as the Postal Service, though. JLA was a
hot commodity, and I had a subscription (which already arrives a few weeks
after they arrive in comic shops). Well, finally on issue #11, DC failed to
keep up to demand. They ran out of the first printing and had to run a
second printing to fill orders. For business reasons, I assume, which I
disagree with, I got shortchanged and got a second printing instead of a
first printing. Needless to say, I thought I deserved what I had originally
paid for, but DC was all out.
The biggest problem, though, was damaged goods. One out of every four issues
I receive (for those keeping track, that's about 3 to 4 a month) comes to me
damaged. Usually the damage is a tear directly down the spine, which would
be difficult to get if the issue were mint when packaged. Occasionally, the
problem is more wide spread and almost all of my issues in a month arrive
damaged.
I've had issues lost during a change of address because 3rd class isn't
forwarded, too, but that occurs only occasionally. I think I've experienced
all the problems subscriptions can come with, but I want to say one last
thing...I'm not complaining.
I know this letter seems to be nothing but complaints, but one thing has
stopped me from complaining. The DC Comics Subscriptions Office. Every time
I miss an issue, or an issue arrives damaged, or I am unhappy with the
service for any other reason, I call the 800 number for the Subscriptions
Office, tell them the problem, and they put a new issue in the mail
immediately, in more sturdy protection and higher than 3rd class. Within a
week I get the issue, and I'm satisfied. If, for whatever reason, they can
not replace the issue, they extend my subscription, and again, I'm satisfied.
If not for their friendly operators immediately apologizing and replacing
the issue in question, I would have dropped my subscriptions long ago. I
still miss going to the comic shop for each issue, but I can't complain about
my subscriptions...much.
**** You have more patience than I do, Eric. While a once-in-a-while
problem I could understand, you've described a once-a-week problem.
Maybe they are doing their best job of correcting the problems, but
I think they should concentrate on *preventing* the problems. From
what I can see, they could go a long way towards that goal by simply
mailing the issues by something better than third class. This would
likely reduce the subscription discount, but it would greatly enhance
the timeliness and condition in which the books were to reach your
mailbox.
-- Jeff Sykes
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A VISIT TO METROPOLIS, HOME OF SUPERMAN
-------------------------------------------
By Jon B. Knutson (waffyjon@execpc.com)
Appearances by TV's Perry White, two comics artists, and a crowd of
Kryptonians, along with a wide range of events, made this year's Superman
Celebration a success in the Man of Steel's hometown of Metropolis.
"Metropolis?" you ask. "You've gotta be kidding, right?" Nope. Metropolis,
as some of you may know, is not located on the East Coast (whether New Jersey
or New Troy, depending on your source), but at the southeastern end of
Illinois, nestled along the Ohio River in Massac County.
Metropolis, IL, is the only incorporated U.S. city by that name, and during
the second full weekend each June, the town transforms from a Smallville-like
midwest city of 6,500 into a virtual Mecca for Superman fans around the
country, if not the world.
This year's celebration, held June 12-14, was the 19th of its kind. This
year's celebrity guests were Lane Smith, who's best known for his portrayal
of the gruff, Elvis-loving Daily Planet Editor Perry White, and DC artists
Jon Bogdanove and Rick Stasi. Superman-themed events were popular throughout
the weekend, from the question-and-answer sessions with the guests to the
viewing of part of John Field of San Diego's collection of 130 Superman
films. Other events included a comic workshop held by Bogdanove, the
Superman Road Race, the SuperTrek bicycle tour, the Little Miss Supergirl and
Little Mr. Superboy pageants, the Super Armwrestling Tournament, and the
Super Car Show, along with many events specifically designed for children.
I, myself, had heard of Metropolis back in the 70's, when it first got
publicity in DC's comics around the release of "Superman: The Movie," but had
never been there before this year. It took a mention in Wizard's recent
Superman Special to remind me that, living in Milwaukee, WI, I was only about
8-9 hours' drive away!
My wife Barbara and I had just been married in May, and since Superman played
a major role in our getting together, Metropolis seemed a perfect idea for a
"mini-honeymoon," especially since there was an episode of _Lois & Clark_
entitled "Honeymoon in Metropolis." Unfortunately, we weren't able to arrive
there until late Friday night, accompanied by a thunderstorm of epic
proportions which we worried might dampen the enjoyment of the weekend.
Saturday morning, however, it was clear and sunny, and we proceeded from our
hotel just outside the city into town. Once on the road, some of the first
things we saw were blue signs on the side of the road with the famous
S-shield, pointing our way to the Giant Superman Statue. This was the second
statue of the Man of Steel for the city, believe it or not! The first one
was unveiled in 1986, an eight-footer built of steel and fiberglass paid for
by funds raised by the Metropolis Merchants' Association, which cost $1000.
On November 18, 1992 -- the same day Superman died in the comic book pages --
the Superman Statue Committee of Metropolis ordered a new, 15-foot-tall
bronze statue which stands in front of the Massac County Courthouse,
overlooking Superman Square today. The classic red, blue and yellow colors
were incorporated into the molten metal prior to casting, ensuring it would
be virtually wear-proof. It was unveiled on June 5, 1993.
The statue is indeed impressive... Superman stands with his fists at his
waist, looking confidently down the street. He stands on a large
concrete-and-stone stylized shield, and is a popular photo-op for tourists.
Just across the square from the statue is the Super Museum. At first glance,
this appears to be nothing more than a comic-book shop themed after the Man
of Steel. However, entering the doors, you'll be blinded by an astonishing
array of Superman-themed items, from action figures to magnets to coffee cups
to baseball caps... well, let's just say it would take more space than Jeff's
probably willing to allow me to use just to list everything they sell. It's
not just items available anywhere they sell, of course... there are also a
nice range of Metropolis-specific items (as I type this, I'm wearing my
"Metropolis, Home of Superman" t-shirt).
Three dollars ($1 with the coupon available at every hotel around Metropolis)
gets you admission into the Superman Museum itself. Sixty years of props,
toys, posters, and related memorabilia line the walls. No matter which
incarnation of Superman you prefer, you'll find something related to it here.
Newly added for this year's Superman Celebration was a special _Lois &
Clark_ display, where one of Dean Cain's costumes and one of Teri Hatcher's
Lois outfits were on display. A number of other props, including a Lex-Tel
telephone, were also to be seen.
One of the nicest things about this museum is that cameras are welcome, and
you can't visit without taking a *lot* of photos, which I did. The
collection is valued at over $3 million, but I'd say it should be valued much
higher than that!
During the Superman Celebration, between events, there are lots of
opportunities to spend your money on stuff that doesn't have the famous
shield. The street going down from Superman Square is closed to traffic, and
vendors of all kinds can be found there, selling all sorts of goodies
(admittedly, these were mostly the kind of things one can find at their local
flea market) along with a nice variety of foods to provide the energy you
need to enjoy the festivities. Prices were very reasonable, and the food was
good.
I didn't get a chance to speak with Bogdanove or Stasi, but fortunately for
you KC readers, I ordered a copy of the following week's Metropolis Planet
(yes, that's what their weekly newspaper is called!), where I learned of a
few things Bog said during Friday's comic workshop. Jon said he bases
Metropolis on a combination of several real cities. On the Electro-Superman
costume, he said he didn't have a problem with it, but he does prefer the
classic one.
We were present for the question-and-answer session with Lane Smith, however,
and I have to tell you, Lane doesn't believe in sugar-coating his public
statements! It was refreshing to hear such honesty, but it was also quite
surprising to hear some of what he had to say!
Lane, who brought his son Robert along, was quite disgusted with the "powers
that be" when so many of the original cast and crew were fired from _Lois &
Clark_ after the first season and, in fact, tried to get out of the show
after the second season. He was held to his contract however, which he
admitted was a blessing in disguise. Lane also told the crowd that Perry's
Elvismania on the show was his own contribution (he's a native of Memphis,
TN, and has been an Elvis fan for a long time). He wasn't familiar with
previous portrayals of Perry (his mother didn't allow TV in the house as he
was growing up), developing his quirks on his own.
He blamed his co-star Teri Hatcher on the cancellation of the show, much to
my surprise! According to Lane, Teri managed to time her pregnancy so she
would be in her third trimester when production was scheduled to begin on the
fifth season. The producers were willing to work the pregnancy into the
show, but Teri insisted her doctor wouldn't allow her to work during her
third trimester. Lane said this cost co-star Dean Cain about $1 million. As
he said, Teri "ran hot and cold." Apparently, the only person who managed to
boss her around was guest-star Racquel Welch!
Lane also answered questions about his pre- and post-L&C performances, which
space limitations (and lack of note-taking) prevents me from going into here.
Suffice it to say that Lane was very friendly... a darn nice guy (to borrow
a phrase from the episode "Meet John Doe"), and someone who could entertain
you with his stories for hours on end.
Finally, there were at least four -- if not more -- local Metropolis citizens
walking around dressed as the Man of Steel, posing for pictures and meeting
the tourists. There was also a Supergirl walking around (or so I heard), but
we didn't see her. She was pictured on the cover of the last edition of
"Adventures Along the Ohio River," available free from the Metropolis Chamber
of Commerce. While a brunette, not a blonde, she filled the bill quite
nicely! We found out when we were leaving on Sunday that she was staying at
our hotel (sheesh!).
Okay, have I sold you on the Superman Celebration yet? Thinking you might be
interested in attending next year's gala? I have a few tips for you, then:
1. Get your hotel reservations early! We'd made our reservations a month or
so beforehand, with guaranteed late check-in, and when we arrived, there were
a few people trying desperately to get rooms at the last minute. All hotels
fill up for this celebration. Don't forget to write down your confirmation
number! Don't wait until the guests have been announced (which seems to be a
few weeks prior), or you could be out of luck.
2. Bring extra pillows, if you're in the habit of wanting extra pillows when
you're in a hotel. Since this is the biggest event this city has (well,
probably the only big event they have that attracts a lot of tourists), the
hotels don't seem inclined to keep a large stock of extras on hand.
3. Bring a camera and plenty of film! The photo opportunities are
wonderful... how often do you get a chance to take a picture of three or more
Supermen standing together? While the quality of the costumes varied,
they're good sports. And of course, the Super Museum has all sorts of cool
stuff you'll want photos of.
4. If you can manage it, arrive there Thursday night so you can attend the
Friday events. Lines for Lane Smith and Jon Bogdanove were very long on
Saturday, but while we watched video footage from Friday on a local public
access channel, we saw the lines were *much* shorter the first day.
5. Bring money... lots of it. You'll find Superman memorabilia you won't
see anywhere else, along with items you may not have seen in a long time.
I'd love to return during a non-celebration weekend and drop about $500 at
the Super Museum gift shop, and I'd still be leaving without stuff I'd like.
6. Bring clothing appropriate for warm weather, like t-shirts and shorts.
It got very warm that weekend, and if I'd been wearing a sweatshirt and
pants, I'd have passed out from the heat! Also bring sunglasses and wear a
hat... there's not much shade, except for the tent where the q&a sessions and
some other events are held.
For more information on Metropolis and the Superman Celebration, you can call
the Metropolis Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-949-5740 or write them at 604
Market St., Metropolis, IL 62960.
Are we going back next year? You bet, and I hope to see you there!
Information from this article was compiled from the June 10 and 17 Metropolis
Planet, the Spring/Summer 1998 "Adventures Along the Ohio River," and "The
True Story of Superman in Metropolis, Illinois," published by the Metropolis
Planet. This article is copyright (c) 1998 by Jon B. Knutson. Permission
to use this article may be obtained by contacting the author at
waffyjon@execpc.com.
_____________________________________________
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End of Section 9/Issue #52
