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The Kryptonian Cybernet Issue 48
_____________________________________________________________________________
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 #48 -- March 1998
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CONTENTS
--------
Section 1: Superscripts: Notes from the Editor
Crumbling Continuity
Ratings At A Glance
Titles Shipped February 1998
News and Notes
News concerning Young Justice, Supergirl, and Doomsday; a
few STAS tidbits; the re-release of Superman: The Movie;
and the latest gossip on Superman Lives!
Section 2: The 1997 Kaycees!
Triangle Title, Superman Family, and Continuing Series results
Section 3: The 1997 Kaycees!
Limited Series, Lois and Clark, STAS, and Write-In results
Section 4: Origins
Part Three: Martha
Enola Jones continues her series on the origins of Superman
And Who Disguised As...
The Basement Columns: Part III
by J.D. Rummel
After-Byrne: Manuscripts of Steel
Adventures of Superman Annual #3
by Denes House
Section 5: New Comic Reviews
The Triangle Titles
Adventures of Superman #556, by Dan Radice
Action Comics #743, by Shane Travis
Millennium Giants
Superman: The Man of Steel #78, by Mike Smith
Section 6: New Comic Reviews
Millennium Giants (cont)
Aquaman #43, by Rene' Gobeyn
Challengers of the Unknown #15, by Thomas Deja
Superman #134, by Thomas Deja
Teen Titans #19, by Rene' Gobeyn
Supergirl #20, by Thomas Deja
Section 7: New Comic Reviews
Super-Family Titles
Steel #49, by Jeff Sykes
Superboy #50, by Rene' Gobeyn
Other Superman Titles
JLA #17, by Anatole Wilson
Superman Adventures #18, by Cory Strode
Section 8: New Comic Reviews
Other Superman Titles (cont)
Legends of the DC Universe #3, by Simon DelMonte
The Mailbag
Section 9: The Phantom Zone
The One, True, Original Superman!
Episode 5: The Game of Secret Identities, by Bob Hughes
STAFF:
------
Jeffery D. Sykes, Editor-in-Chief
Shane Travis, Executive Editor: New Comic Reviews
Neil Ottenstein, Executive Editor: S:TAS section
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
me at sykes@ms.uky.edu for permission. Feel free to advertise subscription
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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
----------------------------------------
By Jeff Sykes (sykes@ms.uky.edu)
CRUMBLING CONTINUITY
Okay, that's it. I've had it. After last year's _Genesis_ fiasco showed how
poorly continuity could be handled during a crossover, you'd think the folks
at DC would be a bit more careful with their next attempt. But no!
"Millennium Giants" has been every bit as continuity troubled as _Genesis_,
if not more so.
FIRST WEEK:
The triangle numbers have always indicated reading order, and so it goes when
extended to the MG tie-ins. In _Man of Steel_ #78, the three giants arise,
Sekhmet in Egypt, Cerne in England, and Cabraca in Mexico. According to the
triangle numbers, _Aquaman_ #43 comes next, followed by _Challengers of the
Unknown_ #15. However, in _Challengers_, Cerne is still marching across
England, while in _Aquaman_, Cerne has headed out to sea. By the end of
_Challengers_, we know that Cerne is following the Earth's ley lines, which
gives us two options:
1. Cerne followed a ley line away from England, turned at an intersection,
and then returned to England. Of course, one would have to know where the
ley lines lie to verify this.
2. More likely, this was a goof. _Aquaman_ should have been numbered 15.2
and _Challengers_ 15.1. If Thierna Na Oge is located in the Mediterranean,
then this is the most logical explanation, as it flows directly into the
second week. However, if not, then there's no telling *what* Cerne is doing,
and this should have been explained more thoroughly in *one* of the books.
SECOND WEEK:
In _Superman_ #134, Cerne is already wading across the Mediterranean, where
he promptly destroys a large part of the American navy. Hope someone's
paying attention to that fact and doesn't conveniently ignore it down the
road. Meanwhile, Sekhmet and Cabraca have barely moved. The issue ends with
Red falling unconscious to the bottom of the sea, leading into...
_Teen Titans_ #19 actually sports the correct triangle number, as its story
begins with Tempest (formerly Aqualad) rescuing the Red Man of Energy while
the Titans arrive in Egypt to battle Sekhmet. There are actually some good
scenes here dealing with how various cultures differ from one another, but
eventually a battle ensues. Red and Tempest show up almost immediately to
assist. (I *hope* that quite a bit of time passes between Superman Red's
rescue and the Titans' arrival in Egypt. Otherwise, it implies that Superman
Red and Tempest both *abandoned* the naval disaster which had just occurred.)
Upon his appearance, Red engages Amun (the member of the Guard who summoned
Sekhmet). In the past encounters with the Guard, Superman has been simply
overmatched. Even one member has been able to put up a great fight. Here,
however, Amun can't even seem to annoy Superman Red. Dan Jurgens writes this
book, so he should know better. After a nice rescue of Cairo, Red and the
Titans watch Sekhmet wade out into the Mediterranean, joining Cerne in a
stroll towards Markovia.
_Supergirl_ #20 also involves Cerne, and the giant is still at sea in this
tale. Red shows up at the conclusion, and his dialogue indicates that he's
already helped out the Titans. He and Supergirl proceed towards Markovia.
Now, what I wanna know is where these ley lines run and where Markovia is
located. If you assume Cerne has crossed Europe, he entered the sea on its
northern or northwestern shore, while we know that Sekhmet just entered from
the southeastern shore. Unless the ley lines are somewhat strangely
directed, it seems odd to me that *both* of them would be in the
Mediterranean *and* on the way to Markovia. Whether a continuity error or
not, it's certainly something that should have been explained.
THIRD WEEK:
After shoe-horning the Giants into Superboy's continuity, _Adventures of
Superman_ #557 witnesses Cabraca *still* in Mexico, while Sekhmet and Cerne
have met in Markovia. Cabraca's some slowpoke, eh? Well, apparently he's
got some kind of boosters, because he suddenly shows up wading through either
the Caribbean or Atlantic, and eventually ends up surfacing in Metropolis
Harbor. All of this happens while a team of heroes engages the other two
giants in Markovia.
_Steel_ #50 seems to take place *during* the events of _Adventures_ #557, and
over the course of several hours. Still, it ends with Cerne and Sekhmet
*still* in Markovia and Cabraca surfacing in Metropolis.
FOURTH WEEK:
More speed problems. In _Action Comics_ #744, Cabraca's moving into
Metropolis, but Sekhmet is suddenly out in the North Atlantic, while Cerne's
made it all the way to the foothills of China! This is perhaps the worst of
the continuity problems with this crossover. Nobody seems to have mapped out
how quickly these giants could or would move, which makes it seem as if they
are warping all over the globe.
This is just a lack of attention to detail, pure and simple, and it's
completely unacceptable. A good crossover comes from a *whole* story, where
all of the important pieces are joined together in a logical fashion. There
can be sidestories which aren't necessary to the whole, but these have to
happen in a manner consistent with the events within the main story.
It seems to me more like "Millennium Giants" was written issue by issue,
without much regard to an overall outline of what was going to happen.
Certainly, the movement of the Giants should have been planned in whole from
the start, and more explanation should have been given about the transitions
from scene to scene, from issue to issue.
This isn't a new problem with DC's crossovers, but it *is* getting worse each
time they throw us a new one. You can probably understand how I'm
apprehensive about even as intriguing a concept as DC ONE MILLION is. DC
should simply not plan *any* more crossover events until they can make the
decision to do one right, with a ton of planning ahead, and making certain
that *someone* is looking at the overall continuity of the event.
Remember, it was DC's *choice* to make a single, united, continuity-driven
universe. They made the bed, so they should lie in it.
____________________________________________
RATINGS AT A GLANCE: Titles shipped February 1998
-----------------------------------------------------
Prepared by Shane Travis (travis@sedsystems.ca)
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
----- ----- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Challengers 15 3.8(2) -- -- -- -- --
Superboy 50 3.8(9) 1 3.2(6) 4 3.03 6
Superman Adv. 18 3.8(7) 2 3.2(4) 5 3.42 4
Supergirl 20 3.5(8) 3 4.0(6) 1 3.47 3
Aquaman 43 3.3(7) -- -- -- -- --
Steel 49 3.2(5) 4 4.0(3) 2 3.70 1
JLA 17 3.1(11) 5 3.7(7) 3 3.50 2
Legends of DCU 3 2.9(8) -- 3.0(8) -- 3.17(3) --
Teen Titans 19 2.8(6) -- -- -- -- --
Action Comics 743 2.7(11) 6 2.6(12) 8 2.78 7
Superman 134 2.6(7) 7 2.4(6) 10 3.15 5
Man of Steel 78 2.5(10) 8 2.9(10) 6 2.72 8(T)
Adv. of Superman 556 2.0(12) 9 2.8(10) 7 2.72 8(T)
First Across the Line: SUPERBOY #50 (3.8 Shields, +0.6 Shields, 1st place.)
- Fans cheer the return of Kesel and Grummett, the team that made Superboy
fun in the first place. Sure, no one knows what's going on, or why we are
watching a remake of Kamandi with The Kid in the title role, but everyone
seems happy to be along for the ride.
Limping Home: All the Triangle Titles (6th-9th place)
- With the cancellation of SATR and the resurgence of SUPERBOY, there are no
more whipping boys to keep the core titles artifically high in the standings.
They are going to have to sink or swim on their own merits. This month, they
sink, courtesy of a matched set of Red and Blue Millennium Giants cast-iron
flotation devices...
A Bit Late Now, Isn't It? STEEL #49 (3.2 Shields, -0.8 Shields)
- The relationships that the fans love are ignored in favour of a knock-down
slugfest with Deadline in an effort to make the book more 'mainstream'. Since
they've already cancelled the title, though, why not just let the regular
readers enjoy the final few issues?
How Crossovers Should Be Done: CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #15 (3.8 Shields)
- A non-intrusive episode that doesn't involve the 'major players' at all,
but just lets the story unfold using the book's regular characters. A good
read for both regular readers and crossover-followers alike.
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.
____________________________________________
COMICS COMINGS AND GOINGS
** Hold everything! There's been a change in the creative team for the
upcoming _Young Justice_ series. According to Newsarama
(http://www.mania.com/newsarama/index.html), Editor Eddie Berganza has
confirmed that writer Todd Dezago is no longer attached to the ongoing
series which will star Superboy, Robin, and Impulse and which is set to
debut later this year. Dezago is still the author of the "Girlfrenzy"
one shot, _Young Justice: The Secret_, scheduled for the final week in
April, and of the two-issue prestige format miniseries, _Young Justice:
World Without Grownups_, which will precede the ongoing series.
New plans have _Supergirl_ scribe Peter David taking the helm of the
monthly! According to David, "The general tone of the book will be in
the spirit of 'Boy's High Adventure,' in the classic style ranging from
the old Boy's gang comics to Spin and Marty to Jonny Quest. I figure the
book may skew younger in terms of its readership than most of my other
work does, although I mean that in the same sense that, say, The Animated
Adventures of Batman skews younger."
** Shortly before the _Young Justice_ news was announced, Newsarama conducted
an interview with Peter David concerning various matters. As part of the
interview, David was asked what was coming up in the pages of _Supergirl_.
In order to avoid spoiling too much, I'm leaving out a couple of items,
but these can be found at Newsarama. According to David, expect:
The introduction of a new set of villains, the secret of Comet revealed,
a guest appearance by Steel, Supergirl discovers new abilities that her
flame wings give her, Wally explains the true story of the Garden of
Eden, ... the 2nd of the Three Chosen is revealed, [and] a guest
appearance by Resurrection Man.
** Our recent issue of Coming Attractions listed _Superman: Silver Banshee_,
a prestige format one-shot written by Dan Brereton and scheduled for
release on May 20. DC has since announced that all orders for that book
have been cancelled, because the title will be resolicited at a later date
as a two-issue miniseries.
** He's baaa-aack...
Dan Jurgens recently informed Newsarama that he is working on a sequel to
his popular _Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey_ miniseries from a few years
back. Another three-issue prestige format series, _Superman: Life_ will
be written and illustrated by Jurgens, and the story will feature the
return of Doomsday, as well as the entire JLA.
The story centers on Superman's feelings about life and death, and his
obligations to victims. "Too often, super-heroes swoop in and save the
day, then take off without giving the victims in question any attention.
Because Doomsday once 'killed' Superman, the aspect of death will be very
real," said Jurgens.
KIDS' WB: IT'S FAN-STAS-TIC!
** _The New Batman/Superman Adventures_ was recently nominated for a daytime
emmy in the category of Outstanding Special Class - Animated Program.
** There's a brand new online treasure trove of information about the
_Superman_ animated series, as Warner Brothers has launched an all-new
web site for _The New Batman/Superman Adventures_. You'll find *much*
more here than was ever at the old site. Check it out at
http://www.batman-superman.com
** In an online interview, producer Paul Dini recently confirmed the
scheduled guest-appearance of The Legion of Super-Heroes during the third
season of STAS, and he also indicated that another third-season episode
would feature Green Lantern in a guest role.
SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE -- BACK IN THEATERS!
** In a recent press release, Warner Brothers announced a series of film
festivals will work its way across the nation, showcasing the company's
best movies in celebration of the studio's 75th anniversary. The Warner
Brothers 75th Anniversary Festival of Film Classics will bring brand-new
prints of 33 of the studio's finest motion pictures -- one decade each
day -- in more than 30 U.S. cities over the coming months. The festival
will open in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco on April 3.
Viewers will have the option of purchasing admission to a single movie
of their choice, an all-day ticket, or an all-inclusive Festival ticket.
The week-long Festival pass includes a souvenir admission tag and a
limited-edition commemorative poster. Friday's films will cover the
1970s; Saturday's will cover the 1980s; Sunday's, the 1990s; Monday's,
the 1930s; Tuesday's, the 1940s; Wednesday's, the 1950s; and Thursday's,
the 1960s.
Finally, the *big* news! _Superman: The Movie_, starring Christopher
Reeve, is one of the movies included in the festival! Shown in the 1970s
group, this will be a brand new print, but will not include any of the
so-called "lost footage." However, there is still ample hope that
restoration of the film is continuing and that the restored footage will
appear in a multiple-format video release later in the year. For a list
of cities which will host the festival, including schedules for some of
the cities, visit the Warner Brothers 75th Anniversary Festival of Film
Classics home page (http://www.wbmovies.com/75th).
MOVEMENT ON SUPERMAN LIVES!
** Last month we passed along information from Ain't It Cool News
(http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com) that indicated Kevin Spacey was being
pursued for the part of Brainiac (and/or Luthor). It appears there's
some weight to that information, as it has now been reported by Andy
Mangel's Hollywood Heroes (at Mania Magazine: http://www.mania.com/mania)
that Spacey is in negotiations with Warner Bros. And for those of you
who want even more substantive proof, this news has been reported in
_Variety_ and several newspapers around the country. One sticking point:
Spacey's asking $10 million for the film, which is half of Nicolas Cage's
salary. However, Hollywood Heroes indicates that it looks like he'll get
the part. On to Lois Lane's casting...
** Ain't It Cool News is also passing along rumors of test shots for the
film happening at several locations across the country. Word has it
that test crews have been shooting the roof of the Prudential Tower in
Chicago and the 9th Street Bridge in downtown Pittsburgh. Ain't It Cool
also reports that film crews are scouting Northwestern Ohio and Oklahoma
for locations to "play" Smallville.
____________________________________________
THE 1997 KAYCEES!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Fourth Annual Kryptonian Cybernet Readers' Choice Awards!
Welcome, one and all, to the fourth rendition of our little awards show! If
you'll recall, the results from last year's voting didn't appear until our
May issue, so we've managed to shave a couple of months off of our tabulation
time!
Before we proceed to reveal your choices for the best and worst of Superman
from 1997, let me make just a few comments about the voting. We received 93
ballots this year, just a few short of last years total, but some of this
loss can be attributed to a loss of some of those who were just reading KC
for the _Lois and Clark_ coverage. Also of note is that our two-step
nomination/voting procedure certainly helped streamline things on my end, and
it increased the number of votes cast in those categories. In short, I
consider it to have been a success, and you can expect us to use it again in
the future.
By the way, there's still some confusion about the difference between the
story awards and the single-issue awards. The story awards are for the tales
themselves, and are primarily a writing award. Stories that run across
multiple issues (and generally, multiple titles) should be considered as a
whole. The single-issue awards are for a single comic taken as a total
package. Writing, interior and cover art, lettering, coloring, and the rest
are all considered in choosing the best or worst single book released among
those eligible. Perhaps these awards need to be better explained or simply
redefined to make them more clear. I'm certainly open to suggestions for
next year's awards.
Finally, as we do every year, we have drawn a name at random from the list of
people who signed their ballots, and this person will be receiving a "Death
and Return of Superman" prize package, which consists of the four die-cut
Superman comics which kicked off "Reign of the Supermen" by introducing the
four new Supermen; the full-cast audio dramatization _Superman Lives!_; and a
hardcover copy of the novelization, _The Death and Life of Superman_,
autographed by the book's author, Roger Stern!
Drumroll, please. And the winner is... Mark Morden! Congratulations Mark!
Now, without further delay, the results...
In all awards, only those receiving two or more votes are listed.
TRIANGLE TITLE AWARDS
=====================
TT1: Best Story/Story Arc in the Superman Triangle Titles
---------------------------------------------------------
[18] "TO BE A SUPERMAN", SUPERMAN #120
[13] "Crisis in Kandor", Triangles 24-27
[11] "Burden of Proof", Action Comics #737
[10] "They Call It Suicide Slum," Superman #121
[10] "Within Human Reach", Superman #129
[ 7] "The Shield", Superman: The Man of Steel #66
[ 6] "Dead Men Walking", Adventures of Superman #544
[ 5] Superman vs. Metallo, Triangles 20-22
[ 3] The Superman Revenge Squad, Triangles 7-9
TT2: Worst Story/Story Arc in the Superman Triangle Titles
----------------------------------------------------------
[32] "GENESIS" TIE-INS, TRIANGLES 39-41
[19] Jimmy Olsen's "discovery" of Superman's identity, Triangles 32-36
[12] Superman's new powers and costume, Triangles 19-50
[ 7] Return of Saviour, Triangles 29-30
[ 5] "Power Struggle", Triangles 1-4
[ 4] "A Rag, a Bone, and a Hank of Hair", Action #740
[ 2] "...Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble!", Action #731
Aside from the fact that _Genesis_ seems to have left a rancid mark on the
entire DC Universe during its month of publication, an obvious conclusion to
not only the voting, but the nominations, is that single-issue stories tend
to be better-received than multi-part arcs. While this may be a simple
preference for shorter stories, I suspect it has more to do with dealing with
varying writing styles throughout the tale, as dictated by the triangle
format.
Also interesting is how popular Dan Jurgens' single-issue tales seem to be,
but I'll have more on this later...
TT3: Best Cover from a Superman Triangle Title
----------------------------------------------
[17] ACTION COMICS #738 (First Immonen, Superman crackles with energy)
[14] Superman #120 (Superman bursting chains)
[11] Superman: The Man of Steel #66 (Clark in chair reading Daily Planet)
[11] Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #9 (Many costumes of Superman)
[10] Superman #121 (B&W Supes standing over gunshot victim)
[ 9] Superman #126 (Supes in Batcave with K-ring)
[ 9] Superman: The Man of Steel #74 (Big head month Clark)
[ 2] Action Comics #737 (Jimmy running from mass of weapons)
TT4: Worst Cover from a Superman Triangle Title
-----------------------------------------------
[17] SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #72 (Superman held by Mainframe)
[15] Action Comics #735 (Saviour's forehead)
[12] Superman: The Man of Steel #68 (Blueperman fries Metallo's head)
[ 7] Superman #130 (Big head month Blueperman)
[ 7] Superman: The Man of Steel #70 (Superman and Scorn back to back)
[ 6] Superman #128 (Cyborg at Source Wall)
[ 5] Adventures of Superman #548 (Superman threatens Luthor)
[ 5] Superman #129 (Scorn and Ash jump from burning building)
[ 4] Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #9 (Many costumes of Superman)
Stuart Immonen's first _Action Comics_ cover takes the prize for best cover
art, proving (perhaps) that the Electric-Blue Superman wasn't a *complete*
waste of time. (This was the beautiful torso and head image of Superman,
crackling with energy, which is also being used in a subscription ad.) Ron
Frenz' classic-style rendition of chains bursting across Superman's chest was
a close second.
As you might expect, given the hatred that Jon Bogdanove's art seems to
inspire, Bog's covers accounted for almost half of the "worst" votes cast,
including the winner (loser) of worst cover. For your information, MOS #72
was the Mainframe issue, which was a tie-in to _Genesis_. That *couldn't*
have helped its chances.
TT5: Best Single Issue of a Superman Triangle Title
---------------------------------------------------
[18] SUPERMAN #121, "THEY CALL IT SUICIDE SLUM"
[16] Superman #120, "To Be A Superman"
[ 8] Adventures of Superman #544, "Dead Men Walking"
[ 8] Superman #126, "Machinations!"
[ 8] Superman: The Man of Steel #66, "The Shield"
[ 7] Action Comics #737, "Burden of Proof"
[ 7] Superman #129, "Within Human Reach"
[ 4] Action Comics #736, "Without and Within"
[ 2] Adventures of Superman #546, "Blood & Thunder"
[ 2] Adventures of Superman #547, "Rude Awakening!"
[ 2] Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #8, "True Grit"
TT6: Worst Single Issue of a Superman Triangle Title
----------------------------------------------------
[16] SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #72, "ALTERED STATES"
[13] Man of Tomorrow #9, "History Lesson"
[12] Superman #123, "Superman... Reborn!"
[ 8] Superman #128, "Genesis Anew"
[ 7] Adv of Superman #550, "The Secret"/"The Touch of Evil"
[ 6] Action #740, "A Rag, a Bone, & Hank of Hair"
[ 6] Superman: The Man of Steel #68, "Power!"
[ 4] Action #731, "...Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble!"
[ 4] Superman: The Man of Steel #64, "Into the Fire!"
[ 2] Adv of Superman #551, "Genesis for Humanity"
Again note that Dan Jurgens pens three of the top four single issues. I'll
mention this again later. To be honest, the selection of _Superman_ #121
surprised me. I liked the issue quite a bit, and Jurgens' art would have
boosted its approval, but I also know that quite a few people were not too
thrilled with the story. Again note that most of these issues were
single-issue stories and not parts of a larger arc.
The winner (loser) of worst single-issue was the aforementioned _Man of
Steel_ tie-in to _Genesis_. Enough said. I'd also be remiss if I didn't
point out that Jurgens wrote two of the bottom four. Again, more on Jurgens
down the road. Trust me!
Most out of whack here, though, is the appearance of _Man of Tomorrow_ #9 as
second-worst single issue. When was the last time Roger Stern was so
un-fondly remembered by Superman fans? While this would have been a good
issue for newer readers, there just aren't that many newer readers in the
fold these days, and it simply bombed with established readers.
SUPERMAN FAMILY AWARDS
======================
SF1: Best Story/Story Arc in a Superman Family Title
----------------------------------------------------
[14] JLA AND ZAURIEL VERSUS HORDE OF ANGELS, JLA #6-7
[13] JLA vs The Key, JLA #8-9
[13] "The War Within", Superman Adventures #11-12
[11] JLA vs Hyperclan, JLA #1-4
[ 5] "Secrets and Lies", Supergirl #14
[ 5] "seonimoD", Superman Adventures #6
[ 4] John and Amanda are beaten by racist cops, Steel #42,45
[ 4] "Road Trip", Superboy and the Ravers #7-9
[ 4] Supergirl versus Buzz, Supergirl #7-9
[ 3] Natasha's assault leads to Steel's arrest, Steel #40-41
[ 3] "Meltdown, Part 5: The Cure!", Superboy #41
SF2: Worst Story/Story Arc in a Superman Family Title
-----------------------------------------------------
[25] "MELTDOWN", SUPERBOY #38-41/SUPERBOY AND THE RAVERS #10
[13] "Genesis Suicide Squad", Superboy and the Ravers #14
[ 6] Supergirl versus Buzz, Supergirl #7-9
[ 6] "Incubus", Supergirl #13
[ 5] "Half-Life of the Party", Superboy and the Ravers #16
[ 5] JLA and Zauriel versus horde of angels, JLA #6-7
[ 4] "Balance of Power", Superman Adventures #5
[ 3] "Woman of Tomorrow", JLA #5
[ 2] "Stop the Presses", Superman Adventures #14
So, tell me. Do you think that the first year of _JLA_ was well-received?
Almost half of the votes cast for best story were for tales from _JLA_. Had
they not split the votes, it's quite likely that _JLA_ would have run away
with this category. "The War Within," which I think was the *best* Superman
story of 1997, shows up with very good numbers, especially considering that
about five times as many people read _JLA_ as read _Superman Adventures_.
And of course, the Superboy titles continued to stink up the place this year,
cornering almost two-thirds of the votes for worst story. During "Meltdown,"
Ron Marz failed to get some of his own characters right, and let's not even
go into how he handled his guest-stars. It's a good thing that Karl Kesel's
back!
SF3: Best Cover from a Superman Family Title
--------------------------------------------
[27] JLA #1 (Magnificent 7 standing group shot)
[12] Supergirl #9 (Linda's clothes burning away to reveal Supergirl)
[ 6] JLA #6 (Neron drinks the JLA)
[ 5] Superboy and the Ravers #8 (Superboy using fake ID on Guy Gardner)
[ 4] Steel #40 (Steel hoists new hammer)
[ 4] Superboy #45 (Legion surrounds the Kid)
[ 4] Supergirl #16 (Big head month Linda/Supergirl)
[ 3] Steel #41 (Steel behind bars)
[ 3] Superman Adventures #6 (Metropolis explodes behind Superman)
[ 3] Superman Adventures #9 (Luthor news clippings)
[ 2] Superman Adventures #14 (Big head month - Supes in silhouette)
SF4: Worst Cover from a Superman Family Title
---------------------------------------------
[17] SUPERBOY #39 (Bubbly-faced Superboy needs help)
[11] Steel #45 (Big head month grimacing Steel)
[ 8] JLA #10 (Evil copies of League -- Rock of Ages beginning)
[ 7] Supergirl #8 (Supergirl smashes Buzz's head into table)
[ 6] Superboy #40 (Superboy in tank; Supes, Steel, and Supergirl at side)
[ 5] JLA #5 (Recruitment drive, new Supes on cover)
[ 5] Superman Adventures #9 (Luthor news clippings)
[ 4] Superboy #37 (Superboy versus Sledge)
[ 3] Steel #38 (Steel versus knife-weilding mercenary)
_JLA_ rears its popular head once more, as the cover of its debut issue runs
away with the award for best cover art. Even though I'm not much for Howard
Porter's art, I'll admit that this was a magnificent "line-up" shot for the
book's debut. Also not surprising is that a Gary Frank cover of _Supergirl_
comes in second.
Ramon Bernado strikes again on _Superboy_, this time with the first issue of
"Meltdown." You know, the one that had a bubbly-faced Superboy crying for
help? Not to mention the trademark broken ankles that Bernado can't seem to
take care of. Denys Cowan's art has never been very popular on _Steel_, and
his "big head month" cover of _Steel_ #45 was not only scratchy, but very
wrong for the character. Not surprising that it would also flop.
SF5: Best Single Issue of a Superman Family Title
-------------------------------------------------
[21] JLA #3, "WAR OF THE WORLDS"
[15] Superman Adventures #6, "seonimoD"
[12] Supergirl #14, "Secrets and Lies"
[ 6] JLA #11, "Hostile Takeover"
[ 5] Steel #45, "Fire"
[ 5] Superman Adventures #12, "The War Within (Part Two)"
[ 4] Superboy #41, "Meltdown, Part 5: The Cure!"
[ 3] Superboy and the Ravers #9, "The Road Not Taken"
[ 3] Supergirl #5, "Chemical Imbalance"
SF6: Worst Single Issue of a Superman Family Title
--------------------------------------------------
[12] SUPERBOY #40, "MELTDOWN, PART 3: LIFE SUPPORT"
[10] Superboy and the Ravers #16, "Half-Life of the Party!"
[ 9] Superboy and the Ravers #10, "Meltdown, Part 4: Flatline"
[ 6] Superboy #37, "Sledge-Hammered!"
[ 6] Supergirl #9, "Tempus Fugit"
[ 5] Superboy #35, "Kidnapped!"
[ 5] Superman Adventures #14, "Stop the Presses!"
[ 4] Superboy and the Ravers #15, "Edge of the Event Horizon"
[ 3] Steel #38, "The Gambler"
[ 2] Steel #34, "Bang"
Once again, _JLA_ beats-out the competition. The Mxyzptlk story in _Superman
Adventures_ #6 was exceptional, as was Supergirl's revelation in "Secrets and
Lies," but nothing could overcome the juggernaut that was the JLA. This was
the strongest of the four-issue introductory tale, in which Batman
single-handedly faces the Hyperclan and discovers their secret. While it may
not have had much to do with the Superman family, it *was* a pretty good
read...
As for the worst single-issues, look at the top three. _Superboy_ #40 was
written by Marz and illustrated by Bernado, amidst the "Meltdown" mess.
_Ravers_ #16 was during that putrid phase after the cancellation had been
announced and Josh Hood had come on board as artist. _Ravers_ #10 was also a
"Meltdown" issue, with guest-art by Bernado. Is it any wonder that these
ranked so low?
CONTINUING SERIES AWARDS
========================
CS1: Best Writing in a Continuing Series
----------------------------------------
[27] Grant Morrison (JLA)
[14] Peter David (Supergirl)
[12] Dan Jurgens (Superman)
[ 9] Scott McCloud (Superman Adventures)
[ 8] Christopher Priest (Steel)
[ 7] Roger Stern (Man of Tomorrow)
[ 6] Karl Kesel (Adventures of Superman)
[ 3] Louise Simonson (Man of Steel)
CS2: Worst Writing in a Continuing Series
-----------------------------------------
[18] Ron Marz (Superboy)
[12] Louise Simonson (Man of Steel)
[11] Karl Kesel and Steve Mattsson (Superboy and the Ravers)
[ 8] David Michelinie (Action Comics)
[ 5] Stuart Immonen (Action Comics)
[ 5] Christopher Priest (Steel)
[ 4] Dan Jurgens (Superman)
[ 4] Roger Stern (Man of Tomorrow)
[ 3] Grant Morrison (JLA)
[ 2] Peter David (Supergirl)
[ 2] Scott McCloud (Superman Adventures)
Grant Morrison for _JLA_ is, again, obvious given the popularity of the
title, though I hardly suspected such a blow-out. Also obvious are the votes
for Marz and for Kesel and Mattsson. Louise Simonson's worst votes surprise
me a bit, because I've never really thought of the writing as much of a
problem on _Man of Steel_.
Time for my Jurgens observations (finally)! Note that Dan Jurgens received
more "best" votes than any other triangle writer, and only Karl Kesel
received fewer "worst" votes (0). Jurgens' popularity as a writer *always*
catches me by surprise in these awards. Why? Usenet. If you venture into
rac.dc.universe, you'll find that the Antichrist would be more welcome than
Dan Jurgens. The man's work is simply hated by a large number of rac'ers.
Yet, year in and year out, *Superman* readers enjoy his work as much as
anyone's. We have to remember that regardless of how much we might
individually love or hate a writer or artist, there's *always* someone with
equally strong opinions on the other side. (Though Bernado might be the
exception that proves the rule...)
A couple of oddities to also point out. First, note how few "best" votes
Karl Kesel and Roger Stern received this year. This is quite a drastic
turn-around from the past few years. Also note that only Karl Kesel (on
_Adventures of Superman_) received no votes for "worst" writing, while
neither Ron Marz, Stuart Immonen, nor Karl Kesel and Steve Mattsson received
any votes for "best" writing.
CS3: Best Art in a Continuing Series
------------------------------------
[20] STUART IMMONEN AND JOSE MARZAN (ADV OF SUPERMAN/ACTION COMICS)
[13] Tom Grummett and Denis Rodier (Action Comics/Adv of Superman)
[13] Howard Porter and John Dell (JLA)
[ 9] Gary Frank and Cam Smith (Supergirl)
[ 8] Ron Frenz and Josef Rubinstein (Superman)
[ 5] Jon Bogdanove and Dennis Janke (Man of Steel)
[ 5] Rick Burchett and Terry Austin (Superman Adventures)
[ 3] Leonard Kirk and Cam Smith (Supergirl)
[ 3] Paul Ryan and Brett Breeding (Man of Tomorrow)
[ 2] Denys Cowan and Tom Palmer (Steel)
[ 2] Scot Eaton and Dennis Janke (Man of Steel)
CS4: Worst Art in a Continuing Series
-------------------------------------
[19] JON BOGDANOVE AND DENNIS JANKE (MAN OF STEEL)
[14] Ramon Bernado and Doug Hazlewood (Superboy)
[ 9] Scot Eaton and Dennis Janke (Man of Steel)
[ 6] Ron Frenz and Josef Rubinstein (Superman)
[ 6] Josh Hood and Dan Davis (Superboy and the Ravers)
[ 6] Stuart Immonen and Jose Marzan (Adv of Superman/Action Comics)
[ 6] Howard Porter and John Dell (JLA)
[ 4] Paul Pelletier and Dan Davis (Superboy and the Ravers)
[ 3] Georges Jeanty and Doug Hazlewood (Superboy)
[ 2] Paul Ryan and Brett Breeding (Man of Tomorrow)
Ahhh. Old stand-bys. Immonen/Marzan and Bog/Janke retain their titles from
last year. Immonen and Marzan fell just a bit, receiving a smaller
percentage of the votes than they did last year, though the additional art
teams for _JLA_ and _Superman Adventures_ could account for that loss of
votes. Similarly, Bog and Janke's percentage of "worst" votes also fell, by
almost a third, though the percentage of votes remains about the same when
combined with Eaton's votes (since he replaced Bog for a few months).
Most interesting is that there's balance. Several teams received several
votes in both awards, signifying that there's perhaps even more of a
"personal taste" aspect to artistic opinions than there is to writing
opinions. Only Bernado/Hazlewood, Hood/Davis, and Jeanty/Hazlewood received
no "best" votes, while only Burchett/Austin and Grummett/Rodier received no
"worst" votes.
Also interesting to note is that the art is the only weak spot (if you can
call it that) of the first year of _JLA_. As we'll soon see, this was the
only category in which _JLA_ failed to take the "best" award.
CS5: Best Continuing Series
---------------------------
[39] JLA
[12] Supergirl
[ 8] Superman
[ 8] Superman Adventures
[ 6] Adventures of Superman
[ 5] Steel
[ 5] Superman: The Man of Tomorrow
[ 3] Action Comics
[ 2] Superman: The Man of Steel
CS6: Worst Continuing Series
----------------------------
[26] SUPERBOY AND THE RAVERS
[13] Superman: The Man of Steel
[12] Superboy
[ 8] Steel
[ 3] Action Comics
[ 3] JLA
[ 2] Supergirl
[ 2] Superman
[ 2] Superman: The Man of Tomorrow
As I just hinted, _JLA_ continues its near sweep of the awards. I don't
agree with the choice (I thought three other titles were generally better
than JLA), but I can certainly understand it. _Supergirl_ and _Superman
Adventures_ also show strongly, and once again _Superman_ is the top-placing
triangle title.
_Superboy and the Ravers_ blows out the field too, and though it doesn't have
quite as commanding a margin as _JLA_, it had the distinction of being the
only title to receive no "best" votes. _Adventures of Superman_ was the only
title to receive no "worst" votes.
Rant time now. Other than some grumbling about the art, I've heard little
(if any) negative responses to _Steel_ under Priest's tenure. Yet it still
receives more "worst" votes than "best" votes. So what's up? Is everyone
afraid to contradict me? Could it be that people are voting for books they
don't read? Take _Ravers_ for example. While it certainly *deserves* the
"worst" award, its sales make it hard for me to believe that a quarter of our
voters actually read it. Then again, maybe I'm just paranoid and defensive.
It's happened before :)
Seriously, though, I'd love to hear your opinions (regardless of your votes)
about why _Steel_ received more "worst" votes than "best".
(continued in Section 3)
____________________________________________
THE 1997 KAYCEES! (continued)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The Fourth Annual Kryptonian Cybernet Readers' Choice Awards!
LIMITED SERIES AWARDS
=====================
LS1: Best Writing in a Special or Limited Series
------------------------------------------------
[13] MIKE ALLRED (THE SUPERMAN/MADMAN HULLABALOO!)
[13] JOHN OSTRANDER (THE KENTS #1-5)
[11] Chris Claremont (Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy)
[ 7] Paul Dini (Batman & Superman Adventures: World's Finest)
[ 7] Karl Kesel and Chuck Dixon (Superboy/Robin: World's Finest Three)
[ 7] John Francis Moore (Elseworlds' Finest)
[ 5] Dan Jurgens (Superman Annual #9)
[ 4] Peter David (Supergirl Plus #1)
[ 4] Grant Morrison and Mark Millar (JLA Secret Files #1)
[ 2] John Byrne (Genesis)
[ 2] Grant Morrison (JLA/WildC.A.T.s)
[ 2] Tom Peyer (Supergirl Annual #2)
[ 2] Louise Simonson (Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #6)
LS2: Worst Writing in a Special or Limited Series
-------------------------------------------------
[38] JOHN BYRNE (GENESIS)
[ 5] Chris Claremont (Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy)
[ 5] Louise Simonson (Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #6)
[ 4] R.J.M. Lofficier and Roy Thomas (Superman's Metropolis)
[ 4] Ron Marz (Superboy Plus #1)
[ 3] Mike Allred (The Superman/Madman Hullabaloo!)
[ 3] Hilary J. Bader (Superman Adventures Annual #1)
[ 3] John Ostrander (The Kents #1-5)
[ 2] Grant Morrison (JLA/WildC.A.T.s)
[ 2] John Rozum (Adventures of Superman Annual #9)
A tie! Allred and Ostrander dead even for best writing in a limited series,
with Claremont's work close behind. The division on Claremont's work is
interesting, and opinions on _Whom Gods Destroy_ will be even more varied as
these categories progress.
Given all the complaints about how bad _Genesis_ was, it should be no
surprise that John Byrne ran away with the worst writing award. In fact,
_Genesis_ resulted in even more lop-sided voting than _JLA_ did.
LS3: Best Art in a Special or Limited Series
--------------------------------------------
[20] TOM GRUMMETT AND SCOTT HANNA (SUPERBOY/ROBIN: WORLD'S FINEST THREE)
[13] Mike Allred (The Superman/Madman Hullabaloo!)
[10] Dusty Abell/Drew Geraci (Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy)
[ 6] Sean Chen and Brett Breeding (Superman Annual #9)
[ 6] Timothy Truman and Michael Bair (The Kents #1-5)
[ 5] Kieron Dwyer and Hilary Barta (Elseworlds' Finest)
[ 4] Howard Porter, John Dell, et al (JLA Secret Files #1)
[ 3] Bernard Chang and Bob Mcleod (Superman Plus #1)
[ 3] Ted Mckeever (Superman's Metropolis)
[ 2] Anthony Castrillo and Jordi Ensign (Supergirl Annual #2)
[ 2] Vince Giarrano and Brett Breeding (Action Comics Annual #9)
[ 2] Ron Lim and Terry Austin (Silver Surfer/Superman #1)
[ 2] Val Semeiks, Kevin Conrad, and Ray Kryssing (JLA/WildC.A.T.s)
[ 2] Joe Staton/Terry Beatty (Batman/Superman Adventures: World's Finest)
LS4: Worst Art in a Special or Limited Series
---------------------------------------------
[15] RON WAGNER AND JOE RUBINSTEIN (GENESIS)
[11] Dusty Abell/Drew Geraci (Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy)
[11] Tommy Lee Edwards et al (Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #6)
[ 4] Ted Mckeever (Superman's Metropolis)
[ 3] Mike Allred (The Superman/Madman Hullabaloo!)
[ 2] Sergio Cariello and Barb Kaalberg (Superboy Annual #4)
[ 2] Anthony Castrillo and Jordi Ensign (Supergirl Annual #2)
[ 2] Ron Lim and Terry Austin (Silver Surfer/Superman #1)
[ 2] Val Semeiks, Kevin Conrad, and Ray Kryssing (JLA/WildC.A.T.s)
[ 2] Enrique Villagran (Adventures of Superman Annual #9)
Art opinions are *always* more varied than writing opinions, and these awards
are no exception. I am somewhat surprised that Grummett and Hanna came out
on top for the best art award, given that the title was more than a year old
and was in the expensive prestige format. However, I *do* think it was the
best, and well-deserved. Mike Allred's _Hullabaloo_ also continues to
receive fairly strong support.
I do not at all understand the selection of Wagner and Rubinstein for worst
art, unless this is just some sort of _Genesis_ backlash. I actually thought
the art on the miniseries was its only positive aspect. Yet it received 15
"worst" votes and no "best" votes. Hmm.
Most interesting to me, though, were the equally strong opposite reactions to
Dusty Abell and Drew Geraci's art on _Whom Gods Destroy_. My best guess is
that Abell's unique style is very appealing to some while very unappealing to
others.
LS5: Best Special or Limited Series
-----------------------------------
[15] THE KENTS #1-5
[13] The Superman/Madman Hullabaloo!
[10] Batman & Superman Adventures: World's Finest
[ 8] JLA Secret Files #1
[ 8] Supergirl Plus #1 (with Mary Marvel)
[ 8] Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy
[ 6] Elseworlds' Finest
[ 3] Genesis
[ 3] Superboy/Robin: World's Finest Three
[ 2] Silver Surfer/Superman #1
[ 2] Supergirl Annual #2
LS6: Worst Special or Limited Series
------------------------------------
[47] GENESIS
[ 6] JLA/WildC.A.T.s
[ 5] Superman's Metropolis
[ 5] Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #6
[ 2] The Kents #1-5
If you follow all of the limited series awards, you'll find that _The Kents_,
_Hullabaloo_, and _World's Finest_ all scored pretty well in all three
categories. The _JLA Secret Files_ and _Supergirl Plus_ specials might be a
bit of a surprise, since they didn't show up as much in the writing or art
awards, but these were what I'd consider solid hits. Neither received any
"worst" votes.
_Genesis_ manages to do what only _Kingdom Come_ has done before -- get more
than half of the total voters to vote for it. Almost two-thirds of the
people who voted for this award chose _Genesis_. Unfortunately, the result
is completely opposite of what happened with _Kingdom Come_ last year. Still,
_Genesis_ managed to capture three votes as best limited series.
LOIS AND CLARK AWARDS
=====================
LC1: Best Season Four Episode
LC2: Worst Season Four Episode
LC1 LC2
[1] [6] Lord Of The Flys
[3] [1] Battleground Earth
[7] [8] SWEAR TO GOD, THIS TIME WE'RE NOT KIDDING
[5] [2] Soul Mates
[1] [1] Brutal Youth
[1] [0] The People v. Lois Lane
[1] [0] Dead Lois Walking
[0] [4] Bob and Carol and Lois and Clark
[1] [3] Ghosts
[0] [0] Stop The Presses
[8] [2] TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE MXYMAS
[1] [0] Lethal Weapon
[3] [3] Sex, Lies, and Videotape
[3] [2] Meet John Doe
[2] [0] Lois and Clarks
[2] [0] AKA Superman
[2] [3] Faster Than A Speeding Vixen
[1] [0] Shadow Of A Doubt
[2] [0] Voice From The Past
[2] [1] I've Got You Under My Skin
[1] [6] Toy Story
[2] [8] THE FAMILY HOUR
I chose a slightly different format here to illustrate the variety of votes
received by the fourth season _Lois and Clark_ episodes. Note that "Stop the
Presses" was the only episode to receive no votes either way, and that the
wedding episode, "Swear to God, This Time We're Not Kidding," received more
total votes than any other. Reactions were extremely mixed on this episode,
though.
While "Swear to God" and "The Family Hour" scored an equal number of "worst"
votes, it would seem that opinions were less mixed on the latter, and that it
was perhaps perceived as the worst of the season. Along the same reasoning,
"Twas the Night Before Mxymas" was likely the best episode of the season.
(Both, of course, gauged in terms of viewer response.)
Given that the "best" votes are spread among most of the episodes, while the
"worst" are concentrated among a few, I'd guess that fans felt there weren't
many particularly good episodes, but there were a few that stood out as not
so good. As a whole, this likely means that the season was received as
somewhat mediocre. (Of course, that's just my assessment, and I'm not
trained for this kind of thing! :)
SUPERMAN ANIMATED AWARDS
========================
SA1: Best First Season Episode
------------------------------
[40] THE LAST SON OF KRYPTON
[ 5] The Main Man: Part I
[ 5] The Main Man: Part II
[ 5] Tools of the Trade
[ 4] A Little Piece of Home
[ 3] My Girl
SA2: Worst First Season Episode
-------------------------------
[17] FUN AND GAMES
[ 9] My Girl
[ 6] Feeding Time
[ 6] The Main Man: Part I
[ 4] Two's a Crowd
[ 3] The Way of All Flesh
[ 2] The Main Man: Part II
[ 2] Tools of the Trade
Best episode is exceedingly clear -- another one of those dominating results.
"Fun and Games" also seems to be fairly certain as the worst episode, though
"My Girl" was also not well-received. Interesting, though completely
predictable, is the mixed reaction to the two Lobo episodes. Given that
there's a clear "love him or hate him" attitude towards Lobo from the comics
reading community, it's reasonable to expect that the cartoon incarnation
would illicit much the same response.
WRITE-IN AWARDS
===============
For the write-in awards, you'll be happy to know that I'm going to just get
on with it and keep my mouth shut (for the most part anyway). We'll begin
with the expected:
That Power Change Thing
-----------------------
Douglas Wolk (dbcloud@panix.com)
The Professor Ouspenski Memorial Handwaving Award for lame unexplained
pseudo-science, to all the Superman writers for not even pretending to
keep straight what Blueperman's powers are.
Jarod Cates (jarod@omni.cc.purdue.edu)
The "Return of Super-Ventriloquism" Award: To the entire Superman writing
team, during the entire Blueperman storyline. It's no wonder Supes had
trouble getting a handle on his new powers -- they kept changing...
Mike Smith (mpsmit0@pop.uky.edu)
Best Adjustment To New Powers Award: Superman. Gotta hand it to the big
guy, those powers make absolutely no sense at all, yet he figured them
out in less than three months. The most experienced superhero in the
business does it again!
Mike Smith (mpsmit0@pop.uky.edu)
Doesn't Know When To Quit Award: The "Let's Give Superman New Powers
and See How He Adjusts to Them" story." This one should have been over
months ago. Superman is used to the powers, the writers are used to them.
The readers are used to them. So why are we still doing this dance?
Brad Miller (bmiller@nwu.edu)
Most Out-of-Character Behavior award: _Superman_ #123 (in more ways
than one)
Don Norris (dnorris@midwest.net)
A "Golden Goose Egg" award for the new costume. Nice try , DC, but
let's move on.
Drenald Olsen Kramellwel (mjplummer@home.com)
Best over-used to the point of vomiting phrase: "With my old powers I
could..."
That Crossover Thing
--------------------
Jeremy Bleichman (krytentoo@aol.com)
The Robert J. Liefeld "What the heck happened" award: _Genesis_, the
most incoherent story written all year.
Andy Nystrom (w0991@victoria.tc.ca)
Worst retcon to Superman's origin: That the godwave is partly responsible
for his origin.
Seth E Isaacs (sei101@psu.edu)
Most Confusing DC Crossover Ever: John Byrne, for Genesis. Could
anyone make sense of it?
Other Stories
-------------
Ramsey Rusef (jorel@flash.net)
This Could Get Old Really Quickly: Superman loses his powers ... again.
"Power Struggle" Triangle Titles 1-4
Cole Odell (coleo@biggs-gilmore.com)
I think the worst story of the year, hands-down, was the classist and
racist "They Call it Suicide Slum." Please mark this as my worst single
issue and worst story vote.
Benjamin Grose (kryptonkid@juno.com)
The "Time paradoxes are confusing, so I wouldn't buy it, but I got it
free with my subscription" award: _Superman Adventures Annual_ #1
Len Leshin (lleshin@davlin.net)
My vote for best Superman story in a non-Superman comic goes to _Batman
Chronicles_ #11 for "World's Finest: Equal Justice." Nice work by Ordway,
showing good characterizations and an interesting story.
Benjamin Grose (kryptonkid@juno.com)
The "How in the world could they fall for such a lame excuse as Luthor's
'My clone did it, so I'm free to go!'" award: _Action Comics_ #737
Victor Vitek (70007.3673@compuserve.com)
The "Has it been 9 months yet?" award, to the Contessa's pregnancy which
happened, and then held steady with no visible progress for most of the
year.
Eric Cheatwood (Dolpfan755@webtv.net)
Worst Career Move Award: Jimmy Olsen's "Informative" Reporting
Don Norris (dnorris@midwest.net)
Special "All-Time Low" award to Lex Luthor for his treatment of the
Contessa after the birth of their child.
Julian Pinder (julianp@tig.com.au)
Worst Sub-Plot: Jimmy, Misa, Ashbury and Scorn's seemingly never-ending
road trip. (It makes me cringe every time I see them on that stupid
bike-thing. . . )
Shane Travis (travis@sedsystems.ca)
The "Sound and Fury, Signifying Nothing" Award goes to _Supergirl Plus_ #1
and _Superman Adventures_ #14 for attacking relevant and topical issues
(child molestation and media accountability, respectively) but then
dropping them cold without any sort of resolution or even putting forward
an opinion.
Victor Vitek (70007.3673@compuserve.com)
The "The face is familar, but I can't place the name..." award, to the
appearances of the LSH, with Superman remembering previous meetings and
them not, which means things happened which didn't happen.
For The Creators
----------------
Pat Gauthier (handsomepat@albedo.net)
Worst Writer Who's Only Still Working Because Her Husband's
Walter Simonson: Louise Simonson
Oh, I don't know about that. Regardless, you'll see less of her in the
future, since she now only plots _Man of Steel_. She also writes _Man of
Tomorrow_ now, but how often does that come out?
Patrick Simmons (pjs@ce.mediaone.net)
Triangle writer who should step down. or be fired: Dan Jurgens... he's
burnt out.
Chris Erdelac (erdie@purdue.edu)
The "Why don't you forget the writing crap and get back to pencilling
regularly because you draw the definitive Superman" Award: Dan Jurgens
Zaeem Davids (zaeem@earthling.net)
Best Story and Art team: D.Michelinie, T.Grummett, and D.Rodier
Worst Story and Art team: L.Simonson, S.Eaton, and D.Janke
Omar D. Cowwe (OmarIsPisd@aol.com)
Artists you wish would get sucked up into a hole from which they would
never draw again: Josh Hood, Dennis Janke, Georges Jeanty
Ramsey Rusef (jorel@flash.net)
Worst Inker Not Named Janke: Kevin Conrad (JLA/Wildcats)
Debby Stark (Debby@swcp.com)
Worst art that somehow still manages to enhance the story so well that
I can overlook how bad the art really is: Jon Bogdanove for "The Death
of Mxyzptlk."
Patrick Simmons (pjs@ce.mediaone.net)
Best Superman Face, as in which artist can actually capture the look of
the classic supes face: Jon Bogdanove.
Shane Travis (travis@sedsystems.ca)
The "Shooting a Dead Horse" Award to Josh Hood for ensuring that no one
regrets the cancelling of _Superboy and the Ravers_.
Drenald Olsen Kramellwel (mjplummer@home.com)
Best technique to make Clark Kent look like he's balding beyond his
years: Ron Frenz
Glen J Clark (gclark@spartanburg.net)
Thought he was gone, but low and behold he returns -- DAMN -- award:
Jon Bogdanove.
Jarod Cates (jarod@omni.cc.purdue.edu)
The *Really* Best Art in a Continuing Series: Oscar Jimenez and Chip
Wallace (JLA #8-9) (Since they're not included in the list above.)
The Best/Worst Writing/Art awards go to the regular writers and artists on
the titles, and guest stints are not considered eligible. (The award is
meant to cover a body of work, not just an issue or two.) We *did* make an
exception this year for Scot Eaton on _Man of Steel_, because even though
considered a fill-in, he drew six of the 1997 issues (Bog only drew three).
Concerning Characters
---------------------
Douglas Wolk (dbcloud@panix.com)
The Astoria Award for the character that'd be the most fun to have
dinner with, to Natasha from _Steel_.
Jeremy Bleichman (krytentoo@aol.com)
"The Sydney 'Happy Syd' Happersen Memorial Award for Outstanding
Achievement in the Field of Bootlicking": Roughhouse, of Intergang.
James Garrison (macandrew@geocities.com)
Stupidist Guest appearance in a SuperTitle: The Ray. Make him glow away.
Dan Gibbins (dgibbins@acs.ucalgary.ca)
Worst villain of all time: _Lois and Clark_'s Dr. "Fathead" Mensa
Glen J Clark (gclark@spartanburg.net)
Whatever Happened To... Award: Tie, Alpha Centurion and Shadowdragon.
James Garrison (macandrew@geocities.com)
Strangest character in a Super Family title: God in Supergirl.
Miscellaneous
-------------
Len Leshin (lleshin@davlin.net)
The "Rosebud Was His Sled" award to _Superman_ #128, for giving away the
ending of the story on the cover.
Brad Miller (bmiller@nwu.edu)
Most Shameless Plug for Writer's *Other* Series: Dan Jurgens, for
constantly reminding us of the Teen Titans
Andy Nystrom (w0991@victoria.tc.ca)
Guest Appearance that left Superman feeling the most bewildered: _Young
Heroes In Love_ #2
Jon Morgan (jon@cs.bu.edu)
Best Superman title: _Supreme_
You know, people keep telling me this...
Eric Cheatwood (Dolpfan755@webtv.net)
The Best Idea By All Involved With Superman Award: Not Bringing Back
Doomsday This Year (Take this hint for '98)
Given the related news item this month, I just *had* to print this one...
Omar D. Cowwe (OmarIsPisd@aol.com)
This isn't really an award just a suggestion. Putting _JLA_ against these
others is really unfair for these others :) considering _JLA_'s prominence
this year. With that in mind, I refrained from voting for anything
JLA-related. And _Genesis_ was so disgustingly bad, it was unfair for
_Genesis_ to be pitted against those others for worst special:)
It is a fact that Superman doesn't usually play much of a role in _JLA_,
generally receiving only a smattering of panels. This should only get worse
with the newly-increased membership. *Is* it fair to consider _JLA_ stories
when voting on *Superman* awards, especially when he's not involved to any
great extent?
Jim Butler (ButlerSix@worldnet.att.net)
Best on-line magazine: The Kryptonian Cybernet!
Aw, shucks, Jim. Now you're gonna make me blush. (Also, thanks for your
other write-in!)
Well, gang, that concludes yet another year of the Kryptonian Cybernet
Readers' Choice Awards. Thanks to all who voted, and I hope that you enjoyed
seeing the results. Hope to see you all again next year!
Jeff Sykes
____________________________________________
ORIGINS
-----------------------------------
by Enola Jones (sj1025@gte.net)
Part Three: Martha
Last month I discussed Jonathan Kent as the voice of wisdom and control in
Clark Kent's life. This time I would like to talk about the one person
responsible for Clark's moral fibre -- his conscience if you will.
That person is his mother.
Martha Clark Kent first appears as merely Jonathan Kent's wife. She is the
one who decides to adopt the baby. At first they are an older couple, but as
the chronicles evolved, they got younger and younger. Jonathan and Martha now
appear younger than the original versions of themselves -- and this version
has raised Clark for 30+ years!
As the wife of a farmer and sometime general store owner, Martha was at first
presented as "merely" a housewife and mother, but her role evolved. By the
1980s version of the Superboy comics, she was an equal partner in the store
Jonathan ran. In today's version, Martha is once more a housewife, but ALSO
an equal partner in running the farm. This alone is a vast improvement in the
attitude of the writers toward women who choose to stay home and raise
children.
And what a job Martha had! I realise I am slightly biased in favour of stay
at home moms, considering I am one myself, but the job I have raising a
bright healthy child is NOTHING compared to the task Martha must have faced!
Pre-Crisis Martha had to face the daunting task of disciplining a child who
could break her in half if he chose; of teaching him how to play so he would
not hurt other children; and of constantly reminding him to keep his powers
secret. Post-Crisis Martha had it a little easier, since Clark's powers did
not fully develop till puberty. She got to deal with childhood illnesses,
scraped knees, black eyes -- all the lovely little perks that go with being
the mother of an active little boy.
No matter what her age, no matter the decade she was scripted in, the one
thing the writers have been consistent about is this: It was MARTHA who
instilled in Clark his sense of right and wrong. Without her gentle, loving,
and firm guidance, Clark might have become a tyrant, immensely powerful with
no conscience to control him. As it is, Clark became a generous, selfless
person and the greatest force for good Smallville and Metropolis had ever
seen.
Martha was with her family on a Caribbean vacation when she contracted the
exotic virus that would claim her life. She died three days before her
husband, and Clark lost the strongest moral compass he had. Her death would
haunt him the rest of his life, as I went into in detail last month.
Post-Crisis Martha, who thankfully is still alive, is a woman of
exceptionally strong character. She is good, kind, and loving. Her faith in
God and life is so strong that it seems she can rise above any situation.
This was never more borne out than when her son was killed and then her
husband suffered a heart attack in the space of a year's time. By the time
Clark was restored and Jonathan recovered, Martha had worked to keep the farm
going and help Lois grieve, while taking time to grieve herself. (At least
that is what I can find in the flashbacks I read -- this took place during
the time I could not afford comics.)
Martha's morality and character proved the greatest impact on her
super-powerful son's development. I truly believe that were it not for her,
Clark would have become something as dark and evil as he is light and good in
reality. It only goes to prove the old adage:
Nothing is more powerful than a mother's love.
____________________________________________
AND WHO DISGUISED AS...
---------------------------------------------------------
A Column of Opinion by J.D. Rummel (rummel@creighton.edu)
The Basement Columns Part 3: "In this issue: What Will J Discover in
...The Basement?!"
[Seated at the table in his basement, his mind is focused on the task at
hand. He recognizes the images, welcomes the memories, but is struck by how
distant some things are. The pictures are familiar, but his perspective is
different now, older. He wonders about all that went before that he can no
longer recall.]
For several weeks I had un-boxed and collated various magazines, questioning
which I could part with. I have written in past columns about how many I had
accumulated over the last 38 years and I have been greatly slowed by the fact
that I stopped to read so many of them. It became clear just how many comics
were badly written and/or badly drawn. Consequently, many of them held no
attraction anymore. It was easy to decide to unload Marvel Team-Up, Marvel
Two-In-One, What-If, and the like. Badly formed, they also held no childhood
memories, no warm spots in my heart. I had collected them long after the cool
spring Saturday nights when I would spread my comics on my bed and stare at
all the drawings and make-up stories. That isn't to say that the comics I
loved were high art. Many were from the Batman sixties and are quite hard to
read now. In fact, the titles I mentioned letting go of may in fact make up
your fondest youthful memories, they just don't make-up mine.
Oddly, some were hard to explain in terms of why I collected them. They don't
do much for me now, and I don't recall them doing much for me then.
The Jimmy Olsens are a good example. The stories offer very little to the
practical reader of adventure. They are steeped in unreality. Jimmy thinks
nothing of the issues involved in interplanetary travel, time travel, even
inter-dimensional travel. Jimmy is wholly capable of outsmarting any opponent
in some issues, while in others he hasn't the sense God gives a hammer. They
are so fantastic that they can only fit into one category. These tales are
modern myths. The sheer level of fantasy takes them right alongside Aesop and
the Edith Hamilton collection that we had to read in high school. These
stories affirm basic truths and tell us that friendship is one of life's
greatest treasures. The art of Curt Swan is magnificent and eternal. The art
of Pete Costanza is capable and distinct.
Another example of the what-was-I-looking-for concept, are the embarrassing
Lois Lanes. Some are truly dumbfounding. Who was the target audience? Surely
little boys didn't care whom Superman married. Were little girls supposed to
read these and identify with something? I must conclude men wrote these, for
they are incredibly disdainful of women. I feel so bad that Lois and Lana
sent such a terrible message. I mean, how sad that these very successful
career women would discard everything to corral "Mr. Right." How petty and
conniving they were made to appear in order to land a husband. The redemption
here is the art. The work of Kurt Schaffenberger is always lovely and unique.
It pounds home the realization that today's artists are very different and
focused on other priorities.
And why do I have so many Justice League comics? Did it really take
thirty-plus years for Grant Morrison and company to make the series readable?
No, that's not right. I really enjoyed Keith Giffen's stuff in the late
eighties. Gardner Fox who created the very concept, wrote intricate puzzles,
never caring about characterization, and Denny O'Neil was obviously working
hard to balance the vast range of costumed folks he found himself surrounded
by, using then hip phraseology and subjects (Anybody out there remember this
relevant moment? Superman walks out on a balcony on an alien world giving the
peace sign, and the caption reads: "It takes a Superman, baby!"). He was a
young writer trying hard.
The most debilitating factor was that the magazine was always so ugly or at
best, visually lame. Before George Perez's brief stint, Mike Sekowsky and
Dick Dillin had long, uninspired runs on the series. The interesting thing is
to see how long it has taken the powers that be to recognize that comics are
a visual medium and they need to be visually appealing. As long as the
pictures are good, we forgive bad writing (Witness Todd McFarlane's work on
the Spider-Man series that he wrote). If the stories aren't pretty then even
extraordinary writing will have a difficult time making a success.
Looking at them now, I can understand how adults would look at them and think
they were "trash." That I see that perspective now is probably the same thing
that prevents me from flying when Pan hits me with fairy dust. I have lost a
window into my youth.
Now, I suppose these comics are just pieces of history, and I can afford to
part with them, choose to let them go. After many false starts and many
instances where I would jockey magazines back and forth between the "keep"
and "let go" piles, slowed by the fact that I stopped to read so many of
them, I found myself amidst a pile of magazines that I could liquidate.
The next step, bagging, boxing and inventorying, what kind of man does it
take to perform such a task?
It takes a Superman, baby!
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.
____________________________________________
MANUSCRIPTS OF STEEL
------------------------------
Reviews of After-Byrne Superman Special Stories
by Denes House (househld@borg.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN ANNUAL #3
"Beyond the Reach of Time"
Written by Louise Simonson
Pencils by Bryan Hitch
Inks by James Sanders III, Joe Rubinstein, Bryan Hitch, Ray McCarthy,
Nick Napolitano, Jerry Acerno and Dick Giordano
Colored by Glenn Whitmore
Cover by Bryan Hitch
1991
Squarebound Format, $2.00 US/$2.50 CAN
Rating:
4.25/5.0 Shields
---------------------------------------------------------
Let me start with a confession: from the moment I saw the cover of this
issue, I was hooked. Bryan Hitch created a mood from the outset that grabbed
me and refused to let go. Superman and Maxima, locked in a passionate
embrace, kissing deeply over a tombstone bearing the inscription, "Lois
Lane-Kent...Beloved wife of Clark Kent...Died while carrying their only
child... 'There can be only you.'" A wreath sits on the ground, marked with a
note, "In loving memory of you - Clark."
WHAT? Clark and Lois MARRIED? Lois died while PREGNANT? And Supes smooching
MAXIMA before Lois' body is even COLD? To phrase a coin, What in Sam Hill is
going on here?
In the olde days, while Julie Schwartz was the editor of the Superman comics,
artists used to come up with outlandish covers, for which the writers would
come up with stories. From the minute I saw that cover, I thought -- this has
to be something like that!
What was going on was Armageddon 2001, DC Comics' Summer Annuals cross-over
for 1991. Armageddon 2001 was a clever idea that allowed DC's writers to take
off on some "What if -- ?" ideas, and craft some terrific tales.
The story opens with Superman surging from the waters of Metropolis Harbor,
lifting a car and a bank robber from the murky deep. The narrator intones, "I
know Superman's power, and I am never less than awestruck in his presence."
The narrator is Waverider, a scientist from an apocalyptic future who has
been reduced to tachyons, surfing the streams of time to locate the hero who
would become Monarch ten years down the line, a totalitarian dictator who
rules with terrifying force. Waverider follows the life-stream of the heroes,
seeing if they are the person destined to become Monarch, and if so, intends
to kill them.
Waverider had visited Superman twice before, and each time, Superman had left
the encounter with an inkling of knowledge that enabled him to act to change
his future. So, Waverider visits the Man of Steel one more time, to follow
THIS line of probability. Where will it lead?
The story leads through some romantic banter between Clark Kent and Lois
Lane, at this time a happily engaged couple. Waverider merges with Kent, and
we scoot along in time. Superman takes Lois to his Fortress of Solitude. "You
have to understand who...what you'll be marrying...Even if it means I LOSE
you." Lois responds, "No matter where you come from, my darling, I LOVE you.
I want to MARRY you...if possible to have your CHILDREN." This causes
Superman to muse darkly, "No one can know if we CAN have children." Thus, the
first threads of the story begin.
Scoot through a happy wedding (that makes FOUR weddings for Superman in THREE
Annuals! Superman fans sure got enough weddings to tide them over until the
real deal six years later!) and wishes from Ma that "your CHILDREN will be as
much a joy for YOU, as Clark has been to US!"
But children do not come for quite some time, so Lois resorts to secretly
taking experimental, possibly dangerous fertility pills. To their joy, Lois
conceives! They happily announce the news to the Daily Planet staff, and
eventually start shopping for baby stuff. In hunting for a crib, Lois muses
that one crib is too delicate..."What if our baby takes after its FATHER?"
The happy couple giggle, and a chill goes down my spine.
Superman aggressively pursues criminals. terrorists, and kidnappers in
Metropolis, deciding that "THIS is not the kind of world into which my
CHILDREN will be born." And he is unfortunately correct, as at that moment,
the baby inside of Lois kicks -- hard. She calls out for Clark in pain. He
zooms to her side, as she gasps "Clark...I...love you..." In anguish,
Superman brings her to the emergency room. "Please...help her." But she is
beyond help.
"She died of internal injuries, Ma. Internal bleeding. The baby growing
inside her KICKED...and she DIED. It's MY fault. ...She joked about having a
baby who took after ME. I shouldn't have taken the CHANCE, but it...didn't
OCCUR to me that THIS could happen." Crushed that he is now truly the last of
his line, Superman feels rejected by Earth, and in sorrow he heads for deep
space.
Eventually, "sunk so deep in pain and reverie...and guilt", Superman
unheedingly runs across a space cruiser bristling with weapons. Mistaking him
for an Almeracian, the cruiser fires on him. He notices it, tries to evade,
but to no avail. As the aliens approach to pick up the body, they are
interrupted by an Almeracian star-yacht! It is Maxima, queen of Almerac, and
she drives the aliens away, saving Superman.
She tends to his wounds, musing that she is "compatible...GENETICALLY if not
personally" with Superman, and that SHE could bear the child that Lois could
not. Superman had, in the past, rejected her amorous advances. Her servant
Sazu postulates that Lois likely held Superman's heart through her WEAKNESS.
She advises Maxima, "CLOAK your pride, at least for now. APPEAR more gentle
and tractable. BECOME what he needs you to be...AFTER he is yours, of course,
you can behave as you choose!"
So, Maxima begins her campaign of gentleness, hoping to win Superman's heart.
She is betrothed to marry De'Cine, the prince of the Krenon race. The Krenons
are a cyborg people, cruel, fierce, and power-hungry. Maxima hates him, but
there are no other alternatives, except perhaps the Man of Tomorrow?
Maxima invites Superman to join her on Almerac. "You will SEE that my people
are not such DESPOTS as our first meetings led you to believe ...and you
could be of enormous help in bringing PEACE to the galaxy."
The relationship proceeds by fits and starts. Gentleness does not come easily
to Maxima, and her people -- used to a sterner hand -- do not always respond
helpfully. But along the way, Superman sees that with Maxima, he would not
have to hold back and be so careful as in his dealings with Earthlings -- in
war or in love...
Louise Simonson has always excelled at presenting stories that dealt with
complex relationships, and in this tale, she does not disappoint. The
interactions between Superman and Lois, and later with Maxima, FEEL right.
They flow organically, sometimes advancing, other times branching into new
directions. Never does the pace seem forced or rushed. Indeed, with 56 pages
on which to play, Simonson takes the time needed to develop the plot AND the
characters.
What Simonson does not do as well as has been done in the other Armageddon
2001 Annuals is present us with a plausible scenario that would enable
Superman to become Monarch. It is not until page 45 that the possibility is
even raised, and it is discounted in the same panel. Page 55 contains the
biggest possibility, but even that is unlikely. Simonson does not seem too
interested in the Monarch storyline. She seems to want to tell the story of a
growing friendship and respect between two formerly bitter enemies. That she
does so is to everyone's benefit. This story is passionate, full-blooded, and
fun, and is grounded in a more solid relational reality than other
After-Byrne discussions of Superman romance stories.
What do I mean? Superman and Lois, especially since their engagement and the
advent of the "Lois & Clark" television show, have been presented as "Soul
Mates," as though they are two individuals for whom no other person could
possibly work. Their relationship also progressed from anger to rivalry to
friendship to love, but the couple is presented as absolutely dependent on
each other for completion.
I work day in and day out with college students, people who are often
desperately in search of True Love. They are often given to the understanding
that there is ONE PERFECT PERSON out there for you, and if you don't find
THAT ONE PERSON, all hope is lost, and you're settling for (at most) second
best.
This does not reflect reality at all, but Simonson's story does. In reality,
MANY people are compatible relationally, every relationship requires hard
work, and becoming "soul mates" is more a matter of will and dedication than
of "destiny."
It doesn't hurt that Bryan Hitch's artwork is powerful, stylish, and
effective, either. Perhaps it is the LOADS of detail in his pencils that
requires SEVEN inkers, but he never loses focus, his panels are well
designed, and he tells a great story.
Superman looks powerful in scenes when he destroys a Krenon vessel,
vulnerable when he embraces Lois' dead body, and passionate in many
instances. Hitch was probably hired on the strength of his work on SHE HULK
prior to this issue -- his Maxima is very sexy.
And once again, there is that COVER. Sexy, moody, heartrending, and shocking,
it sold the issue for me. I hope it sells you, too -- I know you'll enjoy the
tale.
Capsule review:
A full-bodied relationship tale, with good action scenes and a believable
romance. Simonson knows these characters, and develops their friendship
organically. Complemented by solid artwork, this issue is a definite keeper!
Story: 4.5 Shields out of 5.
Art: 4.0 Shields out of 5.
Overall: 4.25 Shields out of 5.
NEXT UP: By request, a milestone issue in the Superman mythos! More titanic
smooching on the way in ACTION COMICS #600!
____________________________________________
NEW COMIC REVIEWS
-------------------------------------------
Comics Arriving In Stores February 1998
The "Millennium Giants" crossovers more than counter the disappearance of
_Superboy and the Ravers_ from our reviews roster, but there were still just
a couple of books that we do not review herein. As usual, _The Kents_
continues with its ninth issue (of twelve), exploring the history of
Superman's adopted ancestors. For those of you interested, the new DC series
_Chronos_ has also employed characters from _The Kents_, as well as
introducing some of Martha's ancestors. There are only a few back-issues to
search out, so they shouldn't be too difficult to find. Finally, Superman
Blue and the rest of the heroes of the DC Universe are *killed* by the Main
Man in _Lobo_ #50!
Ratings Panelists:
-----------------
AW: Anatole Wilson DWk: Douglas Wolk RG: Rene' Gobeyn
CoS: Cory Strode ES: Emmanuel Soupidis ST: Shane Travis
DC: David Chappell JO: Joey Ochoa SDM: Simon DelMonte
DJ: Derek Jackson JP: Julian Pinder TD: Thomas Deja
DR: Daniel Radice JSy: Jeff Sykes VV: Vic Vitek
DWd: Darrin Wood MS: Mike Smith
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:
-------------------
13: THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #556 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
Writer: Karl Kesel
Layouts: Tom Grummett and Ron Frenz
Finishes: Denis Rodier and Josef Rubinstein
Letters: Albert De Guzman
Colors: Glen Whitmore
Computer Seps: Digital Chameleon
Assistant Editor: Maureen McTigue
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover: Tom Grummett, Denis Rodier, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 2.0/5.0 Shields
DR: 2.7 Shields (Overall)
DJ: 2.0 Shields - I don't care if Superman Red is cocky; Superman would
never put people in danger. The monster as a pet dog was lame.
DWk: 1.1 Shields - When people talk condescendingly about comic books, this
is exactly what they mean. Dippy, violent and pointless--a lead-in
to a crossover, and nothing else.
JO: 3.0 Shields - You've got to love the Contessa. Finally someone to rival
Lex on the same playing field. It's true love. As for the other 21
pages....
JP: 1.0 Shields - More of the same silliness -- especially the dog-alien...
puh-leez. The only thing that kept me interested was the all too
brief Luthor scene.
MS: 1.5 Shields - Red and Blue get beaten up *and* humiliated. Someone wanna
remind me why it's so great to have two Supermen now?
TD: 2.0 Shields - The Gargox story was total silver-aged cheese, and the
Guard story was eminently forgettable. Just another time waster just
before the big crossover (TM, patent pending)
It's a split issue--two stories occupying one book! I'm wondering if I can
handle this much excitement! Some initial thoughts: Why cram two tales into
one title? Why not allow Superman Red to "take over" two of the books, and
Superman Blue to "take over" the others? I really don't need to see both
flavours every week. Maybe they just couldn't stretch out the stories well
enough. That said, I move into story number one...
"Superman Red--Outpowered and Outnumbered--THREE TO ONE!"
Art by Grummett and Rodier
DR: 2.8 Shields (Story)
3.3 Shields (Art)
Superman Red, that rascally curmudgeon with a rollicking rip-snorting
attitude more reminiscent of Superboy or Risk than good ol' Clark, finds
himself up against the Millennium Guard. The trio recently escaped their
prison from the dragon's teeth deep within the vaults of Cadmus. Superman
gets knocked for a loop by Hunab (the dude with the axe), and we're reminded
of the mess the Guard left at Cadmus. A battered Guardian orders the facility
to condition red!
Hunab's axe found its mark, but moved the battle into a more populated area.
Karl Kesel shows us how little Red considers the repercussions of his actions
as he destroys an oil tanker in an attempt to stop the Guard. Of course, his
little "plan" fails, as The Scarlet Superman finds out the hard way, falling
prey to everybody's favourite attack: Blunt Object Jabbed Through The Chest!
The terrorizing triumvirate take off, leaving Superman Red to ponder...the
END OF THE WORLD! (Cue Ominous Chord)
This first story really wasn't all that good. Superman Red is quite the
impulsive fellow, who rarely employs a deep and/or complex thought process. I
view the two portions of Superman as famous mythological characters
Prometheus (not the JLA villain, thank you very much), who was known for the
forethought he put into his actions, and Epimetheus, whose name means
"afterthought", which plainly describes his--and Superman Red's--behaviour.
It seems rather obvious that Kesel is playing against this aspect of the two
personalities.
Some other problems I had was with the addition of a subplot within a 12-page
story. I mean, do we need to be reminded of the ongoing Lex Luthor/Contessa
saga? Does it warrant one page when the main story has only a dozen to spare?
I really don't think so. It only served to interrupt the story and allow Tom
Grummett to draw a woman wearing a miniskirt.
Speaking of the art, Grummett, as always, does a fine job with pencils. Denis
Rodier is getting a bit better on inking, but probably will never completely
mesh with Tom; Grummett has too tight a style for Rodier's loose inks. I
would really like Doug Hazlewood to come back and work with Tom again, but I
can only wait for that day to come. Speaking of waiting, you'll have to wait
a bit longer for this review to end because we have tale number two:
"I Was Alone Against Gargox, A Really Big Monster!"
Art by Frenz and Rubinstein
DR: 2.5 Shields (Story)
2.2 Shields (Art)
Superman's Pal gets the lead in this tale, as he, Misa, and Superman Blue
traverse the Zoomway, heading back toward Metropolis. Oh, we can't forget
that cute (read: annoying) little Fuzzlet who is rather startled by the
abrupt appearance of a giant creature that keeps asking for rap-artist Tu-Pac
Shakur! (All right, he's saying "Tu-Pock" but it's close enough.) What does
Big Blue do? Totally contradicting my earlier Prometheus/Epimetheus
theory...he attacks. No plan. Just a plain old, straightforward attack. Oh
well. I guess that's what I get for coming up with thoughts of my own.
Superman attempts to stop the monster in an energy net, but his powers don't
hold up against the creature's strength. Luckily Jimmy, who is blasting away
with Misa in tow, runs into Cadmus troops, led by Guardian. What do they do?
Attack immediately! That's right! Big monster means INSTANT CARNAGE!
Jimmy Olsen, formerly Mr. Action, a GBS reporter, and once a high-profile
photographer for the Daily Planet, finally has his revelation--an epiphany,
if you will. He realizes that the monster isn't a monster at all! The monster
is--get this--a CHILD! AND, to top it off, he thinks that only he can stop
it! Jimmy figures that his cycle is a toy to this "child" and that he only
wants to play with it. Well, just as Jimmy was wrong about who he thought/
thinks Superman really is (Colin Thornton, in case you forgot), he was
barking up the wrong tree here as well!
Turns out, Gargox is really just a pet who snuck away from another dimension!
Luckily his master (who I suppose is "Tu-Pock") comes to claim him! And wait
'till you see what he looks like! Ho ho! The irony! "Tu-Pock" and Gargox
return to their dimension immediately after viewing the "Millennium Lights",
so it seems that everyone and their brother knows what's going to be
happening to Earth real soon. Everyone except, of course, the Earthlings.
Kesel's writing is average in this tale as well. Superman Blue really played
a secondary role and acted a bit out of character, and Jimmy was far too
cocky for my tastes. He thought he knew exactly what to do, and exactly what
was happening. I had to keep rechecking the credits to make sure Dashin'
Danny Jurgens wasn't writing.
Ron Frenz and Joe Rubinstein combine for some Jack Kirby-esque art, but I
HATE how Frenz depicts surprised looks! Nobody's pupils shrink that much!
Also, the figures, at points, are a little sketchy, and the art looks like it
was a bit rushed. I really did enjoy the texture of Gargox--the coloring
really made him stand out--but other than that, there weren't too many
shining points on the artistic side of the tale.
So thus ends another week in the never ending battle for Superman Red and
Blue! This story leads into the upcoming "Millennium Giants" crossover and,
though it reeks of Marvel's Celestials, it still looks to be an interesting
ride. Hopefully the next issue of Adventures will be better!
Dan Radice
<dradice@caninet.com>
================================================
14: ACTION COMICS #743 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
Writer: Stuart Immonen
Pencillers: Greg Land and Stuart Immonen
Inker: Jose Marzan Jr.
Letterer: Bill Oakley
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Assistant: Maureen McTigue
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover: Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr., and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 2.7/5.0 Shields
ST: 2.7 Shields (Overall)
DJ: 3.2 Shields (Inkling Story: 4.5, Intergang: 1.9) - The Inkling story
was excellent; I hope they do something with Thompson and STAR labs.
Intergang was poor, and while Immonen draws Supes well, he seemed to
have a lot of trouble drawing Misa.
DWk: 1.7 Shields - Marking time until the Millennium Giants. Loses points for
Misa's ridiculous Deus ex Machina solution; couldn't she have done
that long ago? Nice to see Slam Bradley again, though.
JO: 2.8 Shields - So far the split stories for each Superman are solid but
I think our time was wasted with the Inkling when one of the Men of
Energy could have been at least trying to deal with Lois.
JP: 3.2 Shields - The script was all over the place; there are too many
things happening. Still, not a bad issue, and the fate of Inkling is
chilling.
SDM: 2.8 Shields - Again, two stories and two artists, but both are about
the same quality. Not a great read, but Stuart's writing is starting
to show signs of catching up to his art someday.
TD: 2.7 Shields - I liked the Inkling half of the tale, but what exactly was
up with this Skin Man thing? It made no sense to me when it first
popped up in ADVENTURES, and it still makes no sense here....
"Operation: Ink!"
Art by Land and Marzan
ST: 3.8 Shields
Synopsis:
While landing in an alley, Superman Blue meets up with 'Slam' Bradley, who
fires off a .44 caliber greeting. Seems Mr. Bradley mistook out our Man in
Blue for the elusive Inkling -- the insubstantial criminal who was introduced
in _Action_ #738. Bradley lays a guilt-trip on Superman, causing him to join
the manhunt. Good thing too; how was Bradley going to catch Inkling with
nothing but a gun and an attitude?
Woven through the story, we learn Inkling's origin. Once a homeless young
man, he agreed to be a test-subject for STAR Labs in exchange for what looks
like a bag of drugs. The experiment went awry due to the impatience of Burton
Thompson, causing the young man to be scarred and disfigured. Locked away in
a cell, he slowly went mad, and one day just walked out through the doors of
his prison.
As Inkling stands, staring in reverie at the pretty coins through a window,
he is caught in an ever-changing energy field by a well-meaning Superman
Blue. Despite his misgivings about Thompson, Superman takes Inkling to STAR
Labs where he can be contained until Strykers comes up with something. We
finish the story with Burton's assurance that, "We have the experience... to
treat the creature appropriately," and a look at the near-primal fear in
Inkling's eyes.
Opinions:
When Inkling first appeared on the scene, I lamented that Immonen was
introducing yet another two-bit villain rather than taking the time to flesh
out one of the more interesting already-existing members of Superman's Rogues
Gallery. I will take this opportunity to eat my words. (I still want more of
Riot, though, dammit!)
Inkling's tale was one of the most powerful and haunting pieces I've seen in
a core title for quite some time, despite--or perhaps because of--its
brevity. While the young man Stuart introduces us to is not exactly an angel,
neither is he a fiend. In just a few panels, we learn enough about him to
empathise with him, and to be shocked and outraged at his treatment. I found
myself rooting for him, hoping that he would get away; while certainly
insane, he seemed harmless enough, and certainly didn't deserve the fate to
which Superman (unknowingly) subjected him.
I felt no such empathy with the 'good guy' in this story, Slam Bradley, and
would buy tickets to see Burton have fun with him. He shoots at Superman,
displays a callous disregard for human life, gives off attitude a mile wide,
and spews venom and guilt all over the Man of Steel. In short, he acts like
little more than a thug. What bothered me most was that Superman not only
witnessed this behaviour, he was a willing accomplice to it! Despite that
Bradley displayed all the heroism of The Punisher, Blue says hardly a word of
chastisement or correction, acting instead like these attitudes are
acceptable. Furthermore, I thought Superman Blue was supposed to be devoid of
emotions, with a Spock-like 'logical' view of the world. Why, then, does he
allow Bradley to play him like a fiddle and allow himself to be manipulated
into partnering with this reprobate?
The ending, while rightfully chilling, also bothered me. Superman has had
repeated exposure to Thompson, and knows him to have even fewer feelings than
Bradley, yet he leaves this obviously disturbed criminal with him? Why did he
not just borrow/appropriate the equipment and give it to Strykers? Surely
even leaving Inkling on a deserted island would have been a better idea.
While sometimes, as Bradley says, "There ain't any easy choices," there must
have been one better than this.
"A Persistence of You"
Art by Immonen and Marzan
ST: 1.6 Shields (Story: 0.6, Art: 3.4 (mostly due to the borders.))
Synopsis:
After failing to stop the Millennium Guard (and causing significant property
damage) in AOS #556, a fatigued Superman Red hitches a ride with Jimmy and
Misa back to The Big Apricot. They stop outside the Metropolis Museum of Art
when they hear gunfire coming from within.
Turns out that the threesome has stumbled into the middle of an Intergang
power-struggle -- again. (For such a large city, they sure run into these
guys a lot.) Skin-Man has been stealing paintings from the museum, and Boss
Moxie doesn't like it; he thinks that Skin-man is a back-stabbing, double-
crossing black-marketeer instead of the art connoisseur that he really is. Go
figure.
Superman Red bolts in, and everybody fights. Red shows his careless nature by
destroying several museum pieces in an attempt to stop the criminals, and
Skin-man is killed (again) by Roughhouse. No big deal, apparently, because
according to Moxie, "We all *know* the Skin-man comes back...."
Just as Superman has everyone rounded up, who should stick his foot in it by
showing his face but Jimmy. Moxie, still after Jimmy for various reasons,
utters threats at him through the bars of Red's energy-cage. Seems the
readers aren't the only ones who have had enough of Jimmy-the-fugitive, so
Misa reaches into her Deus ex Machina bag and pulls out something that makes
Intergang forget that Jimmy every existed.
And they all lived Happily Ever After.
Opinions:
Zzzzz....snort! Huh? Is it over yet?
As near as I can figure, the only reason for this story's existence is that
the writers are getting as tired of 'Jimmy, the Wanted Man' as the rest of
us. We have to watch Intergang fight for four pages mostly so that we can be
reminded what their powers are; it has, after all, been quite some time since
we saw them last.
This whole story seemed incredibly forced, and little more than an excuse to
wrap up dangling plotlines. By the end, everything is wrapped up in a nice
bundle; Intergang is in jail, Jimmy is no longer being chased (by Intergang,
anyway) and Misa has proven yet again that she can save the day *and* be a
bitch at the same time. (I swear, that bag of hers has more room than Mary
Poppins'!)
Don't get me wrong; I'm glad to see these sub-plots wrapped up. They've been
hanging around entirely too long... but why now? And why this way? Did the
writers need to prove in such an obvious fashion that they had no better way
to get Jimmy out of his jam than waving a magic wand and making it all go
away?
Bah.
I suppose I should mention the only movement in *recent* sub-plots. Ron
Troupe, who is dating Lucy Lane, is shocked (and a little relieved) to find
out that Franklin Stern dated a white woman when *he* was young. Also, we
waste not one, but *two* pages on setting up the next Big Event.
Double Bah.
Final Thought: Another issue where neither Superman's powers nor his twindom
have any noticeable effect on the book. I don't know about anyone else, but
April 1st can't come fast enough to suit me. I don't even care *why* he
changed (or split) anymore -- for all I care, he can pull a Bobby Ewing from
Dallas, and wake up to find that the whole last year has been a dream.
In fact, that may be for the best.
Shane Travis
<travis@sedsystems.ca>
____________________________________________
MILLENNIUM GIANTS:
-----------------
15: SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #78 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Earth Changes"
Co-Plotters: Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove
Pencils and Dialogue: Jon Bogdanove
Inks: Dennis Janke
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Colorist: Glen Whitmore
Separator: Digital Chameleon
Assistant Editor: Maureen McTigue
Editor: Joey Cavalieri
Cover Sketch: Ron Frenz
Cover: Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 2.5/5.0 Shields
MS: 0.7 Shields
DWd: 2.5 Shields - Interesting to see how hard it is for the 2 S-men to work
together. I'm glad he will be back to normal soon though
ES: 2.5 Shields - I have to admit, I'm curious to see how the Giants are
brought down.
JO: 3.5 Shields - My god those three boys have sure eaten THEIR Wheaties!
I've always liked the big crossovers as long as they've got a good
story and "Millennium Giants" makes the grade.
JP: 2.9 Shields - The story moved along nicely, but we really could have
done without the English and Egyptian stereotypes. Surprisingly good
art by Bog/Janke; very powerful, but a bit too cartoony in places.
JSy: 2.5 Shields - Bog's dialogue needs a little work, but the plotting's
not bad. 22 pages is way too long to take just to have the three
giants show themselves, though. Bog's splashes on pages 10 and 20
are darn impressive. Why can't he do that all the time?
TD: 3.0 Shields - It's all set-up, but at least it's all *decent* set-up.
VV: 3.0 Shields - A better-than-average rating, simply because at last
something happened.
I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "This guy only came on board to
give _Man of Steel_ high ratings and rave reviews because it's his favorite
book and he likes every issue." I only wish that were so, gentle reader, but
this issue, the first installment of the "Millennium Giants" story, was one
of the worst I've read. This story isn't off to a good start, but since I
only have to review the first part and the epilogue, I'm getting off light. I
feel for the brave souls who review the other parts.
Quick Synopsis: The Millennium Guard summons the Millennium Giants,
apparently to destroy the Earth. Supermen Red and Blue try to stop two of the
giants but are soundly defeated, and are drawn to Mexico to battle the third.
Simple, huh? Now let me elaborate on this a little to give you the big
picture. This nine-part "Giant" shebang will bring to a close the year long
"New Powers" plotline and presumably play a part in the restoration of
Superman into his original form. So for those of you keeping score: Our HERO
has been REBORN for a year, until giants with CELESTIAL powers come to
destroy the Earth, somehow facilitating our HERO'S RETURN to his classic
incarnation. A MARVELous idea, but it sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it?
Unfortunately, I don't see Kurt Busiek slated to take over any writing chores
this year.
This plot is ridiculous. Thanks to our doubled hero and triplicate villain,
we get to see the same scene more than once: Millennium Guardsman says lame
poem, hits the ground with his weapon, a giant pops out of the ground, and
Superman looks like a chump trying to stop it. Counting _Adventures of
Superman_ #556, the second part of "Apokolips...Now," and this issue, I've
seen Superman beaten up and humiliated five times this month, and it's
February no less! According to the next issue box, I can catch six and seven
next week. I think I'll pass.
Remember when Superman's new powers could actually help him _win_ a fight?
Remember when Superman could come out on top of a situation, no matter how
awesome the threat? Now we have two Supermen, and all he can do with that is
lose twice as much. _This_, Superfans, is what the creators have done to
disgrace our hero. New powers and costumes have nothing to do with it; it's
about being the best superhero there is. Lately Superman has been falling
short of the mark.
I have no doubt that the writers will come up with some lame solution at the
end to tackle the Giants (probably involving Red and Blue combining their
solid energy fields to create a big fist or something), but that it would
take three weeks and a slew of guest stars to do it is beyond excessive. He's
SUPERman. Quit making the champ take dives, already.
I'm getting ahead of myself, though. The art is average; no dynamic,
inspiring poses, but no cartoony misproportioned poses either. Bog and Janke
try to show us how big and mean the villains are through splash-panels and
energy emanations, but their effort fails. If _everything_ roils with energy
(two Supermen, three giants, the ground, and the Guard's weapons) then
_nothing_ seems to be very energized. In the end it's just annoying.
The writing is the one redeeming point. Surprisingly, Bogdanove's scripting
debut (not counting #75) manages to shine in this murky plot. In a day and
age where Superman is constantly being plagued by grunting monsters with no
character, Bogdanove plays up the bystander reaction. By showing us the
frightened soldiers in Egypt, the townspeople in England evacuating, and the
Mexican authorities trying to clear the area even when they know it won't
help, we get a feeling of just how big this threat is. Keep your big panels
and bright energy colors; the best way to make something huge is to show a
human being trying to cope with something he can't understand. Though
Bogdanove only gives us a taste of this, it's enough to keep this issue from
being a complete waste--and a good reason to stick around for the rest of his
run.
The scene of the Supermen in a mid-air collision was handled beautifully. I
said Bogdanove could do funny in #75, and he does it again in #78. Hopefully
Bogdanove has somewhere to take this title after the crossover, as opposed to
Stuart Immonen, who seems to be marking time between the surrounding books.
That's it. A bad beginning to a bad ending of a poorly-planned year-long
storyline. Don't despair. Next month, I'll probably be back to my regularly
scheduled gushing over this book.
I hope.
Mike Smith
<mpsmit0@pop.uky.edu>
____________________________________________
MILLENNIUM GIANTS (cont):
------------------------
15.1: AQUAMAN #43 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"They Might be Giants"
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: J. Calafiore
Inker: P.L. Palmiotti
Colorist: Tom McCraw
Letterer: Albert De Guzman
Assoc. Ed.: Dana Kurtin
Editor: Kevin Dooley
Cover Sketch: Ron Frenz
Cover: J. Calafiore, M. McKenna, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 3.3/5.0 Shields
RG: 2.5 Shields (Story) - A marginal contribution to the story.
3.0 Shields (Art) - Solid art, excellent perspectives, nice detailing.
-1.0 Shields (Cover) - Not even the right giant, and a head shot at that.
DJ: 3.4 Shields - The best so far in the "Millennium Giants" Series; I
haven't read much _Aquaman_ but this was a good, solid story.
ES: 2.9 Shields - Best of the crossovers, and it doesn't disturb the regular
_Aquaman_ story line too much either. Peter David will be sorely
missed on this book when he leaves with #46.
JO: 3.5 Shields - Fans who only picked this up for the crossover might have
a hard time resisting the temptation to add it to their monthly comic
order -- myself included.
JP: 3.7 Shields - David succeeds at making the Giants seem like a threat,
and also manages to make this issue fit into the _Aquaman_ series as
a whole -- something not usually achieved in 'mega-crossovers'.
JSy: 3.5 Shields - Not being a regular reader of _Aquaman_ hurt me on this,
as I had no clue about the title-specific storylines. PAD's take
on Superman Red is more akin to Jurgens', and I think it's the best
characterization of him.
TD: 3.4 Shields - David has reached his 'point-of-no-return' boredom phase
with this book, but he's the only one that really manages to drive
home the menace and awesomeness of the giant. Calafiore manages
to do a wicked-ass Cerne.
If you are only reading this title for the "Millennium Giants" cross-over,
you could easily skip this one. Not much of real consequence (to the
cross-over) happens here. On the other hand if you are a regular reader of
_Aquaman_ then a great deal happens here that will (should) have an effect on
the ongoing story -- at least as great as the destruction of Coast City has
had on the surface world.
In this story, the Millennium Giant Cerne (not Sekhmet as on the cover) is
wading in the ocean and is about to crush Thierna Na Oge, one of the
underwater cities of Aquaman's people. Aquaman, Tempest, the people of the
city, and Superman Red join forces to try to stop him. The city is destroyed
anyway, and Cerne continues on his way.
As I said, not much of a story for the "Millennium Giants" cross-over, but
Aquaman will have to deal with not only the survivors of the ruined city, but
also the ever-more disgruntled inhabitants of Poseidonis. While we don't see
much of them in this story, what we do see spells a great deal of unrest in
the Sea King's future.
Rene Gobeyn
<bedlam@frontiernet.net>
================================================
15.2: CHALLENGERS OF THE UNKNOWN #15 Apr 1998 $2.25 US/$3.25 CAN
"Earth Came A-Walkin'"
Writer: Steven Grant
Penciller: Ryan Sook
Inker: Bill Reinhold
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Colorist: James Sinclair
Seps: Lee Loughridge
Editors: Dan Thorsland and Ali Morales
Cover Sketch: Ron Frenz
Cover: John Paul Leon, Shawn Martinbrough, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 3.8/5.0 Shields
TD: 3.5 Shields - Now THIS is how to do a grand scale monster epic.
Deceptively simple, and with one of the best depictions of the
Giants so far.
DJ: ?.? Shields - It would be nice if DC would print more of these if they
plan to run a crossover from one of their biggest comics. Four comic
stores, and these were all sold out. (One of the stores only had 2
to begin with!)
JSy: 4.1 Shields - An excellent tale, and one that was told in such a way
as to not alienate those who don't read the title. I'd probably
consider reading it regularly, were it not soon to be no more.
Okay, let's get this out of the way: except for one panel, Superman does NOT
appear in this book.
But boy, does it rock.
Basically, the nastiest looking Cerne of all (and it seems to be Cerne that's
drawn all the good artists; why can't we get a good artist to do renditions
of the other two?) is heading toward London, and the Prime Minister has asked
the Challengers and John Constantine to divert the creature. As Clay
literally rides this doggie in an attempt to understand what it is, Ken and
Brenda try to figure out a way to save London. Noticing that the monster is
following ley-lines and is sucking out the power near him, the group creates
a super electromagnetic field that manages to repulse Cerne and sends it
heading south.
I've been a fan of this book since it started (Hell, the old Challs was one
of my first big faves), and this story is typical of why: intelligent story,
realistic characters, and a few drop-mouth moments of weirdness. The best
thing is Grant and Co. do a crossover without violating either this book, the
Super-books, or the Vertigo books (yes, Constantine DOES make an appearance).
As for the art, Ryan Sook is not the book's regular penciller (that would be
John Paul Leon, much maligned for his S:MOS ANNUAL), but he keeps the look of
the book consistent, and creates the absolutely BEST Cerne I've seen. This
version of the monster gives us no hope of it being even remotely close to
normal life.
One of the benefits of these kind of crossovers is that it exposes people to
titles that they might not ordinarily pick up. I sincerely hope this is the
case with _Challengers_.
Thomas Deja
<manciniman@rocketmail.com>
================================================
16: SUPERMAN #134 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Dual Purpose!"
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artists: Ron Frenz and Joe Rubinstein
Letterer: John Costanza
Colorist: Glenn Whitmore
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Assistant: Maureen McTigue
Journalist: Joey Cavalieri
Cover Sketch: Ron Frenz
Cover: Ron Frenz, Joe Rubinstein, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 2.6/5.0 Shields
TD: 3.0 Shields - As a middle chapter of an action-oriented crossover, this
works, even with Ron Frenz' absolutely awful epic-scale scenes.
DJ: 2.5 Shields - Average story that just didn't impress me.
ES: 1.9 Shields - Boy, was Lois' dialogue WEAK! 'Whisper in a windstorm'?
C'mon, Dan, enough cheese! Remember the Luthor issue? You can do
better!
JO: 3.5 Shields - All these MG books are great. It's good to see Red and
Blue working together. It's good to see Geo-Force from the Outsiders
again. There are so many great characters in the DCU, some of them
just can't get enough coverage.
JP: 2.5 Shields - A decent issue marred by *terrible* dialogue. Also, I find
Blue and Red's desire to remain separate entities to be completely
out of character.
JSy: 2.5 Shields - Jurgens has a completely different handle (perhaps the
correct one?) on the Red/Blue personalities than the rest of the
writers. I hope that DC doesn't ignore this decimation of the
US fleet in the near future.
VV: 2.5 Shields - This is not why I started back reading comics after a
20+ year absence. A mind-boggling threat to earth, with Superman
gathering up the world's heroes. Now there's a new concept. If I
lived on Earth-DC, I'd be a shuttle pilot and be sure to have a
mission about this time every year.
I'm sure it's no great secret that we have to grade the stories stuck in
these mega-crossover events differently, right? I mean, such things as
characterization and style--the stuff that I go in for, and which I usually
take Jurgens to task for--*have* to take a back seat to the story at hand. In
the case of mega-crossovers, we must ask, "does it move the story along? Is
it introducing the elements that will keep this mega-crossover moving?" In
that, admittedly less-than-stellar context, "Dual Purpose!" succeeds.
For those of you who haven't read _The Superman Secret Files_ #1, here's the
deal. Three giants -- towering forces of nature -- are presently preparing to
wipe out humanity and cleanse the earth for a new Golden Age. At this point,
Supermen Red and Blue are in Mexico trying to deal with Cabraca, a stony guy
who seems to be triggering volcanic eruptions in his wake. After the
Electrified Duo deals with the immediate disaster using what is becoming
their patented Dubious Application of Scientific Knowledge, Lois comes to
realize that the Clark she knows and loves doesn't exist anymore; Red and
Blue are only a part of what Clark was, and polar opposites at that, and she
rejects them both. Red Boy goes off to try and help the Navy prevent Cerne
from doin' the Godzilla on Markovia, while Geo-Force stays on his throne and
worries. Cerne causes massive underwater seismic activities, knocking Reddie
out, killing a whole slew of Navy men, and not stopping his path toward the
poor, no-longer- featured-in-a-comic fictitious country. Oh, and the
Challengers of the Unknown decide to head to Mexico, and the Titans head for
Egypt.
There's not a lot I can do to criticize this book, because it does what it
sets out to do--move a heavily action-oriented story along on its tracks. If
anything, it does a little bit more, because the confrontation between Sparky
The Wonder Kryptonians and Lois is well-done and gets its point across in
spite of the slightly hyperbolic dialogue. It's treading water, but it does
it well because, while it didn't increase my anticipation for the next
chapter, it didn't diminish it either.
But the art...Ron Frenz needs to either take a break (a la Jon Bogdanove) or
get a new inker, because it's obvious he's burning out faster than a gas can
in a tenement fire. His figurework has taken on a paint-by-numbers
hideousness (although there's nothing as damning as the color-switched Clark
of last issue), his action staging is lackluster and without physical power
(something at which Bog, no matter how much you dislike his work -- and I
*love* Bog -- excels), and his reliance on photo-swipes is becoming truly
annoying (the Robert Duvall-in-_Apocalypse Now_ on page 19 is particularly
embarrassing). These deficiencies wouldn't be quite so bad if it wasn't for
the major, epic scope of the storyline right now. We've got three giants who
dwarf skyscrapers, for goodness' sake.. Other artists have managed to portray
the awesome scale necessary to convey this threat (look at last month's
_Adventures of Superman_, or last week's _Aquaman_ which featured a truly
terrifying Cerne); Frenz's attempts just don't convey the majesty they need
to, especially when dealing with the sea battle.
In one respect, however, Frenz deserves some credit; in the scenes with the
Challengers, Frenz attempts--and succeeds--in aping that book's distinctive
art style. It's an impressive thing, since it keeps 'continuity' with the
other crossover titles. I just wish he showed this sort of experimentation
throughout the book, and not just on one page.
As an issue of the "regular" continuity, I'd have given "Dual Purpose!" a
much lower grade. This isn't a regular story, though, and as a part of a
larger, more action-aggressive story, it works--and it works pretty well. It
even gives us a good character scene. Lets hope that once Supermen Red and
Blue once again become Superman Flesh, and thousands of Superman fans breathe
a sigh of relief, Jurgens and Co. keep this book respectable, if not
superlative.
Thomas Deja
<manciniman@rocketmail.com>
================================================
16.1: TEEN TITANS #19 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"To Save A Country"
Writer/Penciller: Dan Jurgens
Finishes: Norm Rapmund
Letters: Comicraft
Colors: Gregory Wright
Enhancement: Digital Chameleon
Assoc. Editor: Dana Kurtin
Editor: Eddie Berganza
Cover Sketch: Ron Frenz
Cover: Dan Jurgens, Phil Jimenez, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 2.8/5.0 Shields
RG: 4.0 Shields (Story) - Good use of the team; not a forced story.
4.5 Shields (Art) - Best art of any MG cross-over.
DJ: 2.5 Shields - A bit confusing for those of us who aren't regulars, it
was still a decent story -- but not good enough to be considered
above average.
ES: 1.7 Shields - Remember when I said Dan could do better? Well, read this
and see Dan do worse! Don't do teen slang! And the inking here is
simply atrocious! Dan can't escape this title fast enough! Bring on
Grayson and some REAL Titans (although Tempest is nice) and jump-
start this title!
JO: 3.5 Shields - The new Titans line-up rocks! It's good to see Arsenal
using a bow and arrow again. Another solid MG tie-in. When the crisis
is over I'd like to see a romance between some of the characters.
JSy: 3.0 Shields - The Guard has been kicking both Red's and Blue's butts
for some time now, but suddenly Red's a match for Amun? Come on.
On the other hand, walking Sekhmet over Cairo was absolutely
incredible.
TD: 2.0 Shields - This I could've done without, raising more questions for
non-TITANS readers than it answers (like: when did the Atom get the
power to enlarge? Why is Roy Harper wearing a 'Red Arrow' costume?)
and features a patented Dan Jurgens Embarrassing Stereotype!
The Millennium Giant Sekhmet, and her guard Amun are rolling through Egypt.
The Titans, with Superman and Tempest, do what they can to stop her. After a
brief fight they give up and shift over to aiding the civilians and
minimizing the property damage.
Like most of the crossover stories that DC has been doing in the past few
years, this one won't make or break the overall story line. It does, however,
spotlight the strengths of the new Titans team and show them in their best
light. Sure, there are a few rough spots in the team-work, but that can be
expected when a new team is forming. This is my favorite of all the `Giants'
stories so far.
If you're only here for the crossover, I hope you liked the story. It's a
good representation of the general quality that we regular _Teen Titans_ fans
have been enjoying in the new series. Unlike many crossover stories that seem
so forced and so out of the normal continuity as to be disruptive, this one
fit. There wasn't a single throw away, or out-of-context scene. This one was
a true part of the on-going Titans story. Maybe that is why it worked so
well.
Overall, the general story revolves around the new team that is being formed
from members of thecurrent and past Titan teams. We get to watch the team as
they come together while doing their best to fight a seemingly unbeatable
foe. It's a good story of people coming to a greater understanding of their
powers and where they stand in relation to the rest of the world.
The artwork is just short of fantastic. Dan Jurgens is one of my favorite
artists and Norm Rapmund's finishes brought everything to near perfection. My
favorite panel in the book is the title page, where we have the Titans flying
through a smoke-filled sky with a line of refugees in the background. I would
love to see this panel (without the word balloons and comments) as a poster.
If you have been following the "Millennium Giants" story and didn't pick this
one up, you probably missed one of the best stories of the entire crossover.
Rene Gobeyn
<bedlam@frontiernet.net>
================================================
16.2: SUPERGIRL #20 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Things Best Left Forgotten"
Writer: Peter David
Penciller: Leonard Kirk
Inker: Cam Smith
Letterer: Pat Prentice
Colorist: Gene D'Angelo
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Assistant: Maureen McTigue
Editor: Mike McAvennie
Cover Sketch: Ron Frenz
Cover: Leonard Kirk, Jose Marzan Jr., and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 3.5/5.0 Shields
TD: 3.0 Shields
DJ: 2.9 Shields - Decent story and a well-done crossover, although the
regular readers of Supergirl may disagree.
ES: 3.6 Shields - Another MG crossover that has more meat than the actual
Superman titles! All Super-writers must be forced to read this and
see what real sub-plots are all about.
JO: 3.7 Shields - Peter David will always be one of my favorite DC writers
and he keeps on proving why. Anyone can write about a superhero's
adventures, but it takes talent to write about their private lives.
JP: 3.2 Shields - This issue was hampered by being part of the boring MG
cross-over, and only in the all too few subplot pages does this
issue shine. Still, one of the better MG issues.
JSy: 4.1 Shields - The second best issue in the Millennium Giants tale so
far, though it's certainly going to be tough to order these books
without some kind of time warping. Sylvia's background story makes
her reactions to Linda/Supergirl much more believable.
VV: 3.5 Shields - Crossoveritis strikes, but an enjoyable story that
explains why Mrs. Danvers starts (or restarts) drinking after
learning about SuperLinda. Good to see that Supergirl's powers
aren't limitless.
The problem with writing reviews for a segment of one of these mega-
crossovers devoted to a bunch of giants laying waste to the Earth is that
most of the time, characterization goes lacking. That's what I, personally,
look for in a comic story. That's not to say that all-out action isn't
welcome sometimes -- this month's _Superman_ is fine and dandy, and it's just
mindless knock-down drag-outs -- but I love seeing *people* in my stories,
not vehicles for mass destruction. That's why an arc like "The Millennium
Giants" leaves me cold.
Of course, Peter David had to come along and show me that a characterization-
rich story *was* possible in this situation.
Off the coast of an island, Supergirl tries to stave off Cerne, but is
troubled by the revelation that her mother -- a character we have known since
the beginning of the series as a truly devout and compassionate person -- is
a recovering alcoholic. This still doesn't stop her from saving both an ocean
liner and a woman who may or may not be the reincarnated Cassandra. Realizing
her physical powers aren't enough, she tries to communicate with the beast,
learning with horror that he is so eldritch that he is able to absorb her.
Choosing instead to be ejected, she's saved by Superman Red, and the two go
off to help the Teen Titans.
What makes this very simple story so great is the fact that David seamlessly
weaves the spine of the book -- Supergirl's continued growth as a human being
-- into the fighting. I get the impression the alcoholism was what David
really wanted to discuss, and he wasn't gonna be stopped by any silly old
giant wandering through his book. The flashback scene that reveals this
information rings true and is satisfying in the extreme.
The other character development, which continues Linda's awareness of her
identity as an 'Earth-bound Angel' continues apace as well. It's refreshing
that we see Supergirl approaching this problem intelligently, trying several
possible (and plausible) approaches to stopping Cerne, and being willing to
take the non-violent way out by merging and communicating with him. David
should also be highly commended for writing the only Superman Red that
doesn't make me want to gack; in his hands, this Clark is smart, and has a
good reason for making wisecracks that makes sense.
There are only two elements that, in my mind, inhibit this story. One is the
totally gratuitous inclusion of Comet in a hallucinatory few panels that does
nothing to help the story along. The other is the framing device featuring
this 'Cassandra'. I don't know what was going on in David's mind, but this
element seems woefully out of place here -- especially when she started
babbling about 'understanding' why she was in the insane asylum on the
wrecked island. I couldn't make heads nor tails of it.
As for the art -- wow. Leonard Kirk has been getting better at handling the
larger stuff with each issue. This time, he succeeds where other artists like
Ron Frenz fail -- in creating a truly awesome Cerne. The full panel on page
eight of a miniscule Supergirl (little more than a fleck) flying up to meet
Cerne is truly epic. Even the creature's facial features seem hewn out of
some otherworldly material. It's a scary, scary ass monster Kirk creates, and
he don't let you forget it.
I was not looking forward to "The Millennium Giants" storyline, and so far
most of the books have proven that I was right in not really wanting to see
this. _Supergirl_ #20 is one of the exceptions.
Thomas Deja
<manciniman@rocketmail.com>
____________________________________________
SUPER-FAMILY TITLES:
-------------------
STEEL #49 Apr 1998 $2.50 US/$3.50 CAN
"Heart"
Writer: Priest
Artists: Denys Cowan and Tom Palmer
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Colorist: John Kalisz
Separator: Digital Chameleon
Asst. Editor: Maureen McTigue
Editor: Mike McAvennie
Cover: Denys Cowan, Tom Palmer, and Josh Myers
RATINGS
Average: 3.2/5.0 Shields
JSy: 3.6 Shields
DWk: 3.9 Shields - Not up to the usual _Steel_ standard, meaning still
awfully good. Nice to see Natasha again, but the plot tried so hard
to be clever that it tripped all over itself, and the horrendously
unclear artwork didn't help much.
JO: 2.6 Shields (Story: 3.2, Art: 2.0) - Dr. Villain is really living up
to his name. Somebody really has to clean up the artist's sketches
before they go to the inker, though; it looks like he's never heard
of an eraser.
MS: 3.0 Shields - Sub-par for Priest, mainly because of the action content
DC pressured him to add. Yeah, I'm sure Deadline is really going to
make _Steel_ a #1 seller. Right.
TD: 3.5 Shields - A simple tale (reminiscent of the first Wally-FLASH story
way back when) that delivers some good dialogue and a bizarre twist
on the 'assasain out to kill the mob boss' kinda tale. WHY cancel
it now?
I wish I could have been happier with this issue. On the surface, it's not
a bad read; most of the familiar characters make strong appearances, and the
art is light years better with Tom Palmer's inks than it was last month
under those of Bill Sienkiewicz. The problem, however, is that the editorial
directive of "mainstreaming" the title -- making it more super-hero and
super-villain oriented -- alters the flow of the book. Things just feel
slightly off, and we all know how that can affect our enjoyment.
There's a scene early in this issue which aptly demonstrates what has made
this book a must-read in the past year, and not once during this scene does
John Irons appear in his crime-fighting apparel. Instead, Priest continues to
explore the relationships between his characters, focusing on the deepening
romance between John and Amanda, and on John helping Nat to deal with the
changes in her family. It doesn't help the rest of the issue that this is
the only scene with any humor -- a trait which is normally a trademark of
Priest's work.
The remainder of the book deals with Steel's quest to deliver a heart to the
GSMC in time for it to be transplanted into a mob boss. Sounds like an easy
enough task, but Steel must deal with the assassin-for-hire called Deadline,
who has been contracted by a rival mobster to destroy the heart. As if that
weren't enough, problems related to the impending arrival of the Millennium
Giants are causing his armor and hammer to "misbehave." Eventually, Steel
manages to overcome both of his problems and deliver the heart. After
receiving the transplant, however, the recipient is gunned down on the
operating table.
In a strong conclusion to an otherwise ho-hum tale, Priest reminds us just
how amoral Dr. Villain is. Calumet, the recipient, had used his influence to
push his name to the top of the organ waiting list, and had paid the GSMC
quite a bit of money for the operation. Behind his back, Villain had also
accepted a 'contribution' from Calumet's rival in exchange for access to
the operating room. The two 'donations' reduce the hospital's deficit by
twelve percent, and the body is held on life support until the heart can be
transplanted into someone more deserving -- with Calumet's insurance carrier
footing the bill.
Hrm. Doesn't sound like such a bad story, does it? The problem here is that
the battle with Deadline consumes fully half of the issue and really makes
poor use of that space. Priest's quality dialogue shines through, but it
doesn't change the fact that this is a fairly standard encounter. Given
that, however, I'd give my right arm for this to have been about Superman,
for the sole fact that Steel doesn't spend the entire issue simply reacting
with brute force. His every word and action is carefully considered, and his
actions are precise and effective (when not disturbed by Millennium Giants
problems, anyway).
Art-wise, Cowan and Palmer's cover just doesn't work for me, especially not
after the gorgeous piece they turned in last month. The interiors are far
superior to last issue's (Sienkiewicz was simply a bad match for Cowan), but
still far short of clean. Still, just on appearance and style, this was one
of Cowan's better offerings.
Cowan's storytelling is another matter. His lack of attention to detail is
becoming annoying. Since I don't know what the script called for in this
issue, I can't know the whole picture, but some things stand out regardless.
First up is the opening scene with John and Amanda, just as Nat arrives.
On page 3, John is wearing a suit jacket over his shirt and tie, but this
jacket disappears at the top of the next page, with no explanation and not
enough time passage for John to have removed and discarded it. Later, in the
conclusion of the battle with Deadline, Steel reveals that he has triggered
an overload in Deadline's rifle, but when the rifle blows up, Cowan's art
looks more like flash bulbs going off. Regardless of the dialogue, the action
should be clear from the artwork.
All things considered, this really wasn't a bad issue, so I don't want to
give you that impression. Think of it this way; when you're used to lobster
and caviar, a T-bone and baked potato is a bit of a let down. Of course, with
the Millennium Giants crossover interrupting things next issue, let's just
hope our next meal isn't a burger and fries....
Jeff Sykes
<sykes@ms.uky.edu>
================================================
SUPERBOY #50 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Survival of the Fittest"
Scintillating Story: Karl Kesel
Pulse-Pounding Pencils: Tom Grummett
Ineffable Inks: Karl Kesel
Lively Letters: Comicraft
Kaleidoscopic Colors: Buzz Setzer
Astonishing Assistant: Maureen McTigue
Easygoing Editor: Mike McAvennie
Soul and Inspiration: Jack Kirby
Cover: Tom Grummett, Karl Kesel, and Patrick Martin
RATINGS
Average: 3.8/5.0 Shields
RG: 4.0 Shields (Story)
4.5 Shields (Art)
DJ: 3.2 Shields - Interesting idea; hope it pans out.
DWd: 4.0 Shields - Hooray!!! The originals are back and begin with a great
storyline and top visuals to boot! Welcome back guys!
DWk: 1.5 Shields - I admire the fact that they're trying to find a new
direction for this title, but it'd help if it made any sense to
people who don't have copies of the 20-year-old comics to which this
story owes its entire existence.
ES: 4.0 Shields - Comic goodness from cover to cover. Kirby smiles from
heaven above with the release of this issue. Best title this month!
Welcome back Kesel and Grummett!!
JO: 4.0 Shields - I loved Kamandi, I love the original creative team, I
love this book!! People who dropped this book when the art went sour
had better run to their comic store and pick this one up!
ST: 3.9 Shields - I want to know how the Kid got wherever he is (my bet is
a malfunctioning hand-stamp from the Rave) and what the heck is going
on, but I'm a patient man and can wait for things to unfold.
Who says dreams don't come true? The one thing I've wanted for over a year
has happened; the team that originally made this title my favorite is back.
If they stay on long enough it may become my favorite again -- at least if
this story is any indication.
What do you get when you take our Super problem-child and mix him liberally
with Jack Kirby's Kamandi? Why, you get this story. (I thought it was too
easy.) When the story opens with a boy with black hair (Kamandi was blonde)
standing under an arch bearing the words "Command D" and being attacked by
anthropomorphic animals, you know you're in for a romp. Much of the
background from Kirby's original Kamandi story line is already here; the
story is complete with Sacker, Dr. Canus, Prince Tuftan and others. After
being captured, our hero is taken back to Roam (no, it really is spelled that
way) to be presented to Caesar (Prince Tuftan's father). The boy is sold to
Tuftan by Sacker and true to form ends up rescuing Caesar from an attack. The
promo for next issue says that it is just getting started.
For those of you who are old enough to have enjoyed the original Jack Kirby
_Kamandi_ title from back in the seventies (Nov. 72-Oct. 78), or if you
enjoyed the Elseworlds six issue limited series from 1993, you are in for a
treat. The artwork and story feel like vintage Kirby. If the story stays this
good for the whole four issue run, we may even have a nomination for next
year's Kaycees.
The overall writing in this book echoes the great Kamandi stories told by
Jack Kirby. As I mentioned, even many of the characters from the old stories
are here. For me some of the old `sense of wonder' that I used to feel for
the original Kamandi stories is back. There is also that feeling of a deeper
story behind the obvious that worked so well for the early Kesel _Superboy_
stories, back when this title was just getting started.
Art wise? What can I say. I've always been a sucker for the Kirby style of
visual story telling. From what I can see, with Grummett and Kesel doing the
honors, the current incarnation is in very good hands.
If you are not a regular reader of this series, jump on now. The ride looks
like it's going to be a fast one.
Rene Gobeyn
<bedlam@frontiernet.net>
____________________________________________
OTHER SUPERMAN TITLES:
---------------------
JLA #17 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"Prometheus Unbound"
Writer: Grant Morrison
Guest Penciller: Arnie Jorgensen
Guest Inkers: David Meikis and Mark Pennington
Colorist: Pat Garrahy
Separations: Heroic Age
Letterer: Ken Lopez
Assistant Editor: L.A. Williams
Editor: Dan Raspler
Cover: Howard Porter and John Dell
RATINGS
Average: 3.1/5.0 Shields
AW: 2.5 Shields
DJ: 0.5 Shields - A very disappointing end to a great story. This issue is
easily the worst in the series. They're oversizing the JLA and
Catwoman just isn't JLA material.
DWd: 4.0 Shields - Nice to see a break from Porter's cluttered art. The S-man
wasn't much use this issue but I suppose that's why it's a team book.
Go Morrison!
DWk: 4.1 Shields - Morrison really understands Kal: he's absolutely noble,
but he's also not a fool. I love the fact that his action scenes are
almost entirely character-driven. How did Catwoman convince people
that she was Cat, though?
ST: 2.4 Shields - A fantastic use of Superman was the only high-point in an
otherwise disappointing issue. To have the World's Greatest Heroes
saved by *Catwoman*? That the art-team was a fill-in didn't help any.
TD: 3.0 Shields - Not as fun as part one, but still with a few nice twists.
So you thought you had the JLA membership all figured out, did you? And you
thought for sure that the new team members would be sure to bring down
Prometheus in the standard "rookies earn their spot" sequence, didn't you? I
sure did. Well, it turns out Morrison and crew had a few more surprises in
store. Heck, even the artistic team isn't the guys I expected. As anyone who
has had a 30th birthday bash with "Over the Hill" as its theme can tell you,
though, not all surprises are good surprises.
The story so far: Prometheus has taken control of Steel's armor, reduced the
Martian Manhunter to a protoplasmic blob, hypnotized Huntress, neutralized
Green Lantern and the Flash, and actually managed to physically subdue
Batman. With the JLA Watchtower on fire and a hundred guests from the media
to save, time seems to be running out for the JLA.
The surprise from last issue was how effectively Prometheus dispatched the
first six heroes. The surprise this issue is how quickly he becomes careless,
sloppy, and even forgetful; he practically hands the JLA their eventual
victory. Is it truly sloppiness or is it arrogance that leads to Prometheus'
downfall? You be the judge.
Prometheus' first careless act is wounding Green Lantern and the Flash with
two backhand shots without looking back to make sure they're dead. Nor does
he concern himself with an unconscious--but not finally beaten--Batman.
I'll admit the shooting scene has wonderful shock value--Green Lantern is so
shocked he's only able to whine helplessly for the rest of the issue. (To be
fair, he's also confused by Prometheus' "neural chaff," but I think I'm
growing tired of this insecure, naive Green Lantern.) The ever-cool Batman,
in contrast, shrugs off his defeat with a simple, "Well...that was a humbling
experience."
Now that he's carelessly forgotten about Batman, Green Lantern, and Flash,
Prometheus goes off to confront Superman. He has big plans for Big Blue--not
to kill Superman, but to force Superman to kill himself. This, Prometheus
believes, is the master stroke that will serve to demoralize the rest of the
planet's heroes. If Superman does this, Prometheus promises to lead the media
guests to safety. Superman, at his super-best, actually feels sorry for
Prometheus. When Prometheus talks about his parents' death, Superman actually
sympathizes, and says, "I'm sorry, I... wish I could have been there to
help."
Unfortunately for Prometheus, his grandstanding gives the rest of the JLA a
chance to regroup. Plastic Man saves Steel from causing serious damage to the
tower, and Batman recovers and contacts the JLA's "secret member," Oracle
(a.k.a. Barbara Gordon, a.k.a. Batgirl). First it's a surprise that Oracle's
a member, then it's a surprise that the artists could only come up with a
particularly ugly floating head to represent her.
Finally, the biggest surprise is that "Cat," the gossip columnist who
befriended Lois Lane, is really the disguised Catwoman. Because he has only
downloaded information about heroes in his database, Prometheus is virtually
defenseless. (I'm going to assume that Prometheus is so completely caught off
guard that he can't defend himself against her, but it stretches credibility
just a bit when you consider he has the fighting skills of her arch nemesis
Batman downloaded into his system. Perhaps he has to consciously summon those
fighting abilities?)
With the full JLA on hand, Steel gets close enough to take over the circuitry
in Prometheus' helmet. Disoriented, Prometheus uses his cosmic key to warp
back to his house in limbo--only to remember that he left Zauriel there.
Whoops! Is this another sign of Prometheus' carelessness, or should we read
more into his statement, "must be a bug in the short term memory"?
No problem, though; a still-stunned Zauriel is quickly dispatched back to JLA
headquarters.
As the JLA is still sorting themselves out, yet another surprise: a Boom Tube
appears, dropping off Takion, (the new Highfather of New Genesis), Big Barda,
and Orion. Because of some prediction by Metron, Takion announces that Big
Barda and Orion have been appointed "guardians of Earth," and will be JLA
members until further notice.
So in addition to the members listed last time, we can add Big Barda, Orion,
and Oracle. Catwoman, it seems, was the "guest member" of this issue.
Though Aquaman complains about the size of the membership, Superman announces
the team is complete. With an unusual show of hyperbole, Superman declares,
"I look around and I see some of the greatest heroes in history...." Excuse
me? Did Zero Hour strike again and wipe his memory of the JSA, among others?
Frankly, other than Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and J'onn
J'onzz, the League is currently made up of second-stringers.
I also have to question his assertion that the new members proved themselves.
Oracle was unable to help and Zauriel spent the entire episode paralyzed with
fear.
As you may have guessed from my tone, I was disappointed with many of these
surprises. Prometheus was beaten too easily after last issue's buildup, and I
have to say I'm getting tired of seeing the New Gods pop up in every DC
title.
I think it's wonderful that Morrison is trying to imbue each character with a
distinct personality; he throws in some wonderful dialogue, especially when
he handles Batman or Superman. I liked Steel's casual statement, "I'm looking
forward to saving the Earth on a daily basis," but Zauriel, Green Lantern,
and Plastic Man win my "Three heroes I would least like to be stuck in an
elevator with" award. They're just annoying.
I was also disappointed with the fill-in art team. Although the layouts were
fine, some of the details--especially in the faces--were overly cartoonish or
distorted. Check out, for example, Wonder Woman's dazed and cross-eyed look
on the very last page--is she focusing too hard on her oversized tiara? With
refinement, though, Jorgensen, Meikis and Pennington show a lot of promise.
Morrison has now had two stories that start off with a bang and end in a
whimper; this one, and "Rock of Ages". Now that the team's membership is
somewhat stable, I hope he can settle down, stop spending so much time on
teasing future storylines, and concentrate on the solid characterizations and
innovative writing that he's shown in the past, and that have made JLA one of
DC's top series.
Anatole Wilson
<awilson@us.oracle.com>
================================================
SUPERMAN ADVENTURES #18 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"It's a Super Life"
Words: Devin K. Grayson
Pictures: Aluir Amancio
Inks: Terry Austin
Colorist: Rick Taylor
Letters: Lois Buhalis
Assists: Maureen McTigue
Edits: Mike McAvennie
Cover: Rick Burchett, Terry Austin, and Marie Severin
RATINGS
Average: 3.8/5.0 Shields
CoS: 3.0 Shields
DWd: 3.7 Shields - Yet another interesting story. Why can't they tell stories
like this in the regular issues?
DWk: 4.2 Shields - Devin Grayson's gotten a lot of good press, and for good
reason--she's a terrific writer, and I hope she does more stories
for this title. A very thoughtful look at how Clark and Superman's
identities inform each other.
JP: 4.5 Shields - Nice homage to 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Grayson seems able
to bring out the best in any book she writes. Also, the art is some
of the most faithful to the animated show I've seen yet.
ST: 3.1 Shields - A story we've all seen a dozen times before, with no new
twists to make it fresh. Pacing is highly uneven; some parts drag and
others required more information than we got. I liked the knowing
look in the last panel, though, and the art was enjoyable.
One of the things about Superman that makes the character work so well is the
dual identity. For kids and teenagers, it can be a symbol of their inner
lives, which they keep to themselves. For adults, the idea still holds
relevance, with the balance of work and home. When John Byrne changed Clark
Kent from a mild-mannered (read: ineffectual) reporter to a more successful,
self-assured person, it worked with the other changes he made. Some people
feel that having Clark being the butt of practical jokes or fainting at the
sight of danger was better for the Superman myth, but I prefer the current
incarnation.
One of the themes the Superman books have explored is the balance between
Clark Kent and Superman--a topic also tackled in a non-Superman book, _Kurt
Busiek's Astro City_ #1. This was an amazing story that showed how it would
feel to live a dual life and be on call literally 24 hours a day. Sadly, the
story was so powerful in my mind that whenever anyone else explores that
duality of character, I have to compare it with KBAC #1. This isn't exactly
fair since the Superman books have an on-going story to tell, whereas _Astro
City_ could go its entire run without focusing again on its Superman-like
character.
The story in this issue opens with Clark Kent being called on the carpet by
Perry White for not getting the big stories any more. Specifically, he's not
around when the big stories--the Superman stories--break. Perry assigns him a
rather dry story covering the expansion of the subway and the monorail in
which he should tell the people which one they should support. Clark goes to
interview both sides, but is constantly interrupted with emergencies to which
only Superman can respond. When he returns from saving lives as Superman, the
people he is interviewing refuse to talk to him, since he's obviously not
interested in hearing what they have to say.
The rest of the day goes about the same; he misses appointments, isn't able
to take the time to do his research or much of anything else -- all because
it looks like a job for Superman. Clark takes a quick trip home to discuss
his dilemma with his parents. They remind him he needs to look for a balance
between his two identities, because while Superman fights for truth, Clark
Kent, as a reporter, uncovers it. When he gets back to Metropolis, he is
still stymied for an angle on the story, however, and hits the monorail
bridge in frustration. When his (super-strength) punch causes the bridge to
wobble, he checks the support beams and sees that they were put together by a
shoddy construction company that has been in trouble for unsafe building
practices. As Clark Kent, he does some research and learns that both the
monorail and the subway will be using the bridge at the same time; the bridge
is barely strong enough for one train, and will collapse under the combined
weight.
Rushing back to the Daily Planet office, Clark shouts those words that only
seem to be heard in comic books, TV and movies, "Stop The Presses!" When he
fills Perry in on the imminent danger, he gets the front page for his story
on the shoddy bridges, stopping a disaster before it could occur.
The story is a little weak in the plotting department, as the shoddy bridges
seem to come out of nowhere. A little foreshadowing would have been nice,
especially since the first half of the story seems repetitive. Showing Clark
running out of an interview once is part of the story, twice is padding, and
a two page spread of superdeeds and people pointing at clocks is overkill. I
understand the need for Superman to do Superthings, but the way it's done in
this story does not advance the plot or move us toward the resolution. I did
like the talk Superman had with his parents, but since this book is primarily
aimed at kids (with Kids' WB in the upper right hand corner of the cover) it
seemed too talky. The resolution was nicely done, with Clark being able to be
prevent the disaster through research, rather than just react to the disaster
as it occurred.
The art varies. Amancio is able to do nice little scenes of Clark surrep-
titiously using his powers to keep windows from breaking, grabbing falling
objects and the like, but his art on supporting characters seems a little too
cartoony. His Ma Kent was also a bit odd; she looked much younger than
Superman's mother should look, but I wonder if that's how the model sheets
for the cartoon make her look. He does nice work on the action sequences, and
also does well at making the pages of Clark researching information or
interviewing someone visually interesting through different camera angles and
varied points of view.
Another quick complaint; the cover depicted a scene that had nothing to do
with the story. This is a long-time pet peeve of mine; a reader who bought
the comic based on that cover would be pretty disappointed.
_Superman Adventures_ #18 does a fair job at explaining how Clark Kent can be
just as important as Superman in the fight for Truth, Justice, and The
American Way, which is nice in an era where reporters are rarely thought of
as heroes. The story could have used some more work, though, and comes off as
just average with only a mild recommendation.
Cory Strode
<Solitaire.Rose@worldnet.att.net>
____________________________________________
OTHER SUPERMAN TITLES (cont):
----------------------------
LEGENDS OF THE DC UNIVERSE #3 Apr 1998 $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN
"U.L.T.R.A. Humanite Part III: Mad Scientist"
Writer: James Robinson
Penciller: Val Semeiks
Inker: Paul Neary
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Kevin Somers
Separations: Digital Chameleon
Assistant: Maureen McTigue
Mad Scientist: Joey Cavalieri
Cover Painting: Glen Orbik
RATINGS
Average: 2.9/5.0 Shields
SDM: 3.0 Shields - Solid story, but still not all that legendary. Semeiks
does a passable job and a better Supes than before, too.
DJ: 2.6 Shields - The whole thing seemed taken away from the first issue;
it didn't have the same feel.
ES: 3.2 Shields - Great story, but the artwork by Semeiks really dragged it
down.
JO: 3.6 Shields - It's great to see the origins of the rivalry between Lex
and Big Blue. I always wondered what sparked Lex's ego to build the
big L building.
JP: 2.1 Shields - While there was nothing really wrong with this issue
(or story as a whole), I still feel that I've walked away having
gained nothing....
JSy: 3.0 Shields - Bit disappointed that this all boiled down to a fight
with a suit of armor, but still a satisfying conclusion to a good
three-part series. I hope that someone at DC has the brains to
make a poster out of this cover (or of all three)!
MS: 2.3 Shields - This entire story arc has been a bit underwhelming.
Superman's first ever battle with a supervillain boils down to
fighting a guy in a suit of armor. Wow. That *never* happens in
present-day continuity.
(Originally published as a 'Points to Ponder' review in alt.comics.superman
on February 15th 1998.)
Robinson and Semeiks wrap up this story is serviceable fashion. It's
entertaining, and it is the real Superman to a degree, but it's neither
top-flight Supes nor top-flight James Robinson. I suppose if you've read this
far, you might as well finish it up, but if you skipped it, you wouldn't be
missing the last reel of "Citizen Kane," either.
The last part of "ULTRA-Humanite" opens right before the dedication of the
new Luthor Tower, and even though it seemed that the UH was killed by
Luthor's head of security, Drake, the attacks on Luthor-made electronics
continue. Drake is now ready to kill the two other suspected "hiding places"
for the UH's soul, but Supes saves Dolores Winters before the goons can get
to her. Deciding that Drake is too much the Lexcorp thug to be any help, he
tries another approach.
He goes after Madness, who times his crimes to coincide with both an attack
by UH and a robbery at a Lexcorp factory. Madness thinks that an attack on a
blimp should keep Supes busy, but Supes instead comes after Madness and makes
his own madness -- or rather his anger at Madness -- quite clear. Madness
thinks the Man of Steel has abandoned his principles by not saving the
innocent, but it turns out that Supes called in some help from Hub City, in
the form of the original Blue Beetle. Beetle I is quite willing to save the
blimp and help the man who inspired.
Madness spills the beans and takes Supes to the UH's lair. Supes accesses the
UH's computer and learns all he needs to know, including UH's new 'host'. He
drops Madness off with the cops and tries to warn Lois that she's in danger
as she tries to get to the Luthor Tower with Dolores for the dedication.
Unfortunately, the danger of which Supes warns has already caught up to Lois
in the form of Lexcorp goons. Lois' driving skills and the goons' lack
thereof allow her to get to the ceremony in time to learn the story from
Supes.
The UH has been secretly refitting the Tower to transmit his consciousness
throughout Metropolis, after which it would blow up -- leaving the UH more
powerful and Luthor's dream a deathtrap for thousands. Furthermore, the UH is
not Dolores -- it's Drake. Supes flies to the spire of the building where
Drake/UH is waiting in a prototype suit of armor he hopes can stop Supes. It
doesn't. Supes destroys the transmitter and guides the battle so that the UH
damages the building the right way, causing it to implode rather than
explode. Supes saves the day -- sort of. Luthor thinks his enemy did this on
purpose and vows to build an even greater monument to himself -- the familiar
L-shaped tower of the current comics -- and the UH survived the explosion and
has transmitted his soul to an unknown body, where he plans his vengeance
against Lex, Supes, Lois and maybe the whole city.
This story is best defined by what it's not: it's not another Electric Blue/
Electric Red story, it's not inconsistently written, and it's not a soap
opera with an annoying Jimmy Olsen. By this virtue alone, it's worthy of
note.
It's also not quite what we expected. We (or at least the we that knows DC's
history) all thought that Dolores Winters would be the UH here as in the
past. James gets a lot of credit for making Drake the final home for the UH's
soul. I didn't see this coming, even though it was rather obvious. I would
say that Robinson even manages not to invalidate the 1940s version of the
villain; he might still be there, a forgotten Golden Age villain whose name
means little to a young pup like Supes, and maybe this Dolores Winters named
herself for the first one, not knowing the past. OK, this would be *very*
coincidental, but I would be willing to accept it to save continuity. In any
case, this tale lacks the James Robinson trick of retconning us to death.
There's another thing this story is not: it's not really a Superman story.
The costume and powers are Supes, and maybe some of the attitude, but that's
about it. This could have been any hero.
It's also not much of a Robinson story. All the things that many readers
(myself included) love in his work -- the things that many others abhor --
are missing. The complex/complicated/byzantine/ponderous/pretentious plots,
the poetic/realistic/flowery/stilted/unrealistic dialogue, the sympathetic/
heart-rending/immature/silly/unreadable characters -- I see none of this
here. I get the feeling that James just doesn't care for Supes that way he
cares for not only his own creations (Jack Knight) but also for the Golden
Age heroes and for Batman.
This issue is, simply put, uninspired. Not bad by any means, but not very
exciting or energetic. Maybe this is a result of Robinson having too much on
his plate -- he regularly writes _Starman_ and _Leave it to Chance_, and has
recently produced _Starman Secret Files_, a _Legend of the Dark Knight_, and
this three-part arc -- and not having the energy to do it all.
Or maybe he's just not the man to write Superman.
Simon DelMonte
<sdelmonte@aol.com>
____________________________________________
THE MAILBAG
-------------------------------------
(sykes@ms.uky.edu, KryptonCN@aol.com)
KC Responses are indented and begun with ****
================================================
In last month's mailbag, I made remarks concerning what to do with _Man of
Tomorrow_, since its role as "Skip-week book" is essentially no longer
relevant, and asked about how it was handled with regards to DC
subscriptions. This brought in several responses...
From: David Joseph Young, Jr. (dayoung@luna.cas.usf.edu)
Well, if it's just the shipping schedule that's the problem, why not switch
_Man of Tomorrow_ from being a "sorta" quarterly title (hitting just on skip
weeks) to a real quarterly title such as _Batman Chronicles_. Actually, the
Superman editors could probably learn a lot of good ideas from the Batman
quarterly. Granted, it's a dollar more per issue, but it usually features
three stories per issue of varying lengths. The stories usually feature
Batman supporting characters like Oracle, Robin, Commissioner Gordon, Alfred,
etc. either in solo stories or teaming up. When the feature is Batman
himself, the story is usually done in such a way that it wouldn't fit in with
his continuity titles, such as an Elseworlds story or a "secret of the
[trophies in] the Batcave" tale. Heck, a couple issues ago, they ran a text
story which was really cool. So, howsabout _Man of Tomorrow_ becoming _The
Superman Chronicles_?
**** A stand-alone Superman title which takes place *within* continuity!?
Gasp! Heaven forbid that DC *ever* make Superman more accessible to
the comic-reading public. Seriously, though, if the title is even
necessary, then this is a reasonable idea. The plan originally was to
never have a week off from the Superman continuity, which has been
tossed on its ear by the fifth-week events. If this purpose no longer
exists, then why *not* do something to try and bring in new readers?
Second, you questioned how subscribers get _Man of Tomorrow_. In terms of
people subscribing directly through DC, I remember DC offering two different
incentives to buy all four Superman core books (and four Batman books) over
the past few years.
First, I remember a promotion which stated that if you subscribed to all four
Superman books (or Batman books) you'd get the annuals for the year free. I
seem to remember the annuals in the ad to be the Elseworlds ones, which lets
you know how far back this was.
More recently, DC has offered the following--subscribe to all four Superman
or Batman books and get four issues of the quarterly _Superman: Man of
Tomorrow_ or _Batman: Chronicles_ free. Of course, we know that the Superman
title has not been exactly quarterly, but I assume that subscribers are still
getting four issues. Or perhaps after the rest of their subscription runs
out, DC is sending them free copies of the core titles to make up the
difference since all the Superman titles are $1.95.
**** Quite a few people reminded me of the latter offer, and then there the
same subscription offered appeared in _Man of Steel_ #79. I still want
to know what they do to counter the fact that _Man of Tomorrow_ doesn't
come out four times a year any more. What about special issues such as
_Superman Red/Superman Blue_ and _Superman Forever_ which come out
*instead* of one of the monthlies every now and then? What *about* the
annuals nowadays?
Here's my suggestion. Take subscriptions on a quarterly basis, so that
you subscribe to 13 issues over three months. At the regular cover
price, this would total $25.35, so you could offer subscriptions
somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 to $20. (This ranges from
approximately a 20% to a 40% discount. The current ad runs 40%.) Any
special issue which also sports a triangle number (such as _Red/Blue_)
is thrown in at no extra charge. As an added incentive, anyone
subscribing for the entire year at once would automatically receive any
Superman annuals published during that one-year period. This would
much better support the idea that the Superman titles constitute a
"weekly" book, which is what DC seems to be aiming for.
The only hang-up here is that the thirteenth week keeps disappearing,
due to the fifth-week events, in which *no* DCU titles appear. Either
_Man of Tomorrow_ should be made quarterly, with its issues filling the
13-issue quota, regardless of whether it's shipped in that thirteenth
week or not, or DC should simply throw in some of the fifth-week event
titles as compensation.
================================================
From: Sean Hogan (shogan@intergate.bc.ca)
Bravos and kudos to Jeff Sykes and Shane Travis for their "If We Picked The
Kaycees". A good discussion of the categories with a fun and funny format.
The "off-camera" moments made the review -- aside from the Super Bowl, there
aren't too many situations where the commercials are more of a highlight than
the contents of the show. You two obviously put a lot of work into writing
this and making the repartee sound fresh. Well done!
**** Shane responds: Thanks for the compliments. It *was* a lot of work,
but it was also a lot of *fun*. The idea just sort of came to me as
we were knocking this article together, and Jeff loved it so we ran
with it. Took about a week of back-and-forth e-mail to get it all
written; like Jeff said to me, I have to have my brilliant ideas
earlier in the production schedule!
On one of the reviews itself, for Worst Single Issue, Jeff had this to say
about Man Of Steel #64 (the final chapter of the Power Struggle issues):
"My ire was raised much more by one of the first stories of 1997.
_Final Night_ had seen the loss of Superman's powers, and in an
attempt to regain them, the Legion assisted Superman in getting a
solar overdose. It didn't work. So three issues later, Metron of
the New Gods showed up and solved the problem by throwing Superman
into the Sun. Huh? In _Man of Steel_ #64, the Superman writers set
an early precedent for the rest of the year by writing a conclusion
which was inconsistent with what had come before, and which provided
almost no explanation for what had happened. (Sounds a lot like the
Electric Blue arc, no?)"
When I first read this issue, I felt much the same. I was so disgusted with
the resolution of the arc that I felt like I had wasted my money on an
otherwise interesting concept. On re-reading, I feel the issue and arc stand
up much better -- mostly due to one line by Metron: "Oh, there *is* a slight
distortion in your phase parameters, but I can compensate.", followed by his
adding that a direct immersion in the sun would restore the powers.
The explanation is consistent with the later stories of Superman being out of
phase with this reality (whatever that means -- what reality is he in phase
with?). It provides a reason why he could not absorb the energy of the sun
in the Legion issue. The major problem is that the line comes across as a
throw-away line. It would have been nice if Louise Simonson or the next
writer in line had Superman wondering (or Metron commenting) about the phase
distortion effect.
The apparent lack of thought as to how the new powers are acquired and how
they work (in a consistent way) has been a continuing problem. The strongest
reasoning seems to be that the powers changed because the writers wanted them
to change (and wanted us to be happy about it as per _Superman_ #123) and the
new powers are governed by the Law of Convenience.
**** Regardless of Metron's comments, it bugs me that we *never* found out
what caused this phase-distortion, which was apparently responsible for
his powers not easily returning, and which apparently resulted in his
powers changing. We've also never been given an explanation for why
Superman split in two. In fact, in the recent _Adventures of Superman_
#557, Superman himself doesn't seem to know. With the story coming to
a close in the next week or two, I'm beginning to think we're *never*
going to find out why *any* of this happened.
Some other comments:
I am really looking forward to the return of the classic Superman. However,
looking at my collection, I find that I bought a lot more Superman issues
this year than I did the previous year. Much as I didn't like where the
Super-team was going, they seem to have succeeded in getting me to buy.
I hope someone someday ties in the electrical energy creature from _Action_
#729 (third Power Struggle issue). I was sure the energy being in that
Antarctic installation was Tolos, until he turned up in the Krisis in Kandor
arc. So what the heck was that thing, other than a filler?
**** Heh. You may have answered your own question. Yet another unanswered
question from the past year and a half. The Supes books are becoming
quite good at that.
On the Kaycees themselves, what is the difference between "Story/Story Arc"
and "Single Issue". Even in your "If We Picked The Kaycees" you focus on
individual stories in the "Story/Arc" section. I suggest that next year, you
rename it as just 'Story Arc, Plot or Sub-Plot' to distinguish it from Single
Issue.
**** I addressed this in the awards themselves this month, but it's worth
reiterating. The story/story arc awards are writing awards, whereas
the single issue awards should take into account the entire creative
process, including writing, art, color, lettering, etc. Because of
the triangle format, any story which is not completely told in one
issue becomes an arc (or sub-plot). Arcs are generally perceived as
being of a lower quality within the Superman books, perhaps simply
because it's difficult to adapt to the different voices imposed by
having different creative teams working on successive parts of the
story.
In fact, that group of awards (TT1-6) is intended to be a set of
awards based on a single effort -- a specific cover, a specific issue,
a specific story -- while the continuing series awards (CS1-6) are
intended to reward a body of work -- the entire year's worth of
writing, art, a title. The problem is that the triangle format means
that the majority of stories are a group effort instead of that of a
single writer, and as such, the award is modified to fit that
circumstance.
It struck me while explaining this that for the TT awards, we look at
writing, cover art, and total package, while for the CS awards, we
look at writing, interior art, and total package. Perhaps we should
add interior art awards for the former and cover art awards for the
latter. Something to think about for next year, anyway.
================================================
From: Steve Kaplan (phoenix@netactive.co.za)
I subscribe to all five titles and really enjoy the continuity. I'll guess
that overall, most readers like the idea that they're getting more info for
their subscription. i.e. -- even if there isn't actually more story, you do
get more threshing out of the same story as seen by five different creative
teams. This is good because you get more characterisation -- I think -- and
it's bad because you (often) see how long a dead horse may be flogged!
**** There should be a better balance. The creators *should* be able to get
the same amount of characterization accomplished without having to draw
out the stories for so long. I honestly think that even with the five
titles today, there was more happening each month when there were only
three.
Superman right now is definitely slumping -- and Red/Blue is juuuust gimmicky
enough to keep me interested. Luckily we keep getting enough titbits to keep
the intrigue happening. The problem is that with the old-style continuity,
i.e. no triangles, if there was an 'event', like the changed costume or the
red/blue split, you didn't have to see 40000 incarnations of it before they
finally explained why it happens, and this is how I think MOT should be
handled -- let it be the 'explanation' book, either the start or finish of
the major arc. Still part of the continuity, but used as a kind of summary
book.
**** I don't think it's necessarily a matter of the continuity format. Go
back and read "Panic in the Sky". There were the same number of titles
(minus _Man of Tomorrow_), and the story was told over a two-month
period, but each issue was absolutely crammed. There was nothing
redundant, and each issue set up and resolved a new problem which was
simply a smaller aspect of the whole. More importantly, the issues
stood much better on their own.
[On another note,] I've mentioned this in a letter to DC, but they never
print my letters so hopefully you'll be the first. Put me on record as the
first person with a theory about ultimately why it was so necessary for
Superman to have the power change -- progeny. Superman's ability to procreate
has been often questioned, but never with so much emphasis about Clark's need
to have kids. At present Clark is perfect to have kiddies when he's phased
out of being super. And with the arcs about Luthor's baby and Ashbury being
toted around, aren't we being set-up for Lois's pregnancy and the story about
a super dad? I for one, think that if it's not planned, they're missing the
opportunity of a life-time to have Clark procreate like a normal human being
and still keep us in suspense about whether or not a super-baby is a
possibility. Remember, you saw it here first!!!
**** Actually, I've seen it proposed elsewhere, but I have doubts that
they're planning on going in that direction. From everything I've
heard and read about the wedding, the creative staff are very much at
odds about whether or not Lois and Clark should *ever* have a baby,
much less whether or not they should do it right now.
On the other hand, I'm at a complete loss as to how the power-change
story *did* come about. I'm sure we've all heard the tale about how
the massive Death/Funeral/Return saga came about. Did Electric Blue
also come about because of an off-hand remark at a super-summit?
================================================
From: Rob Jensen (ShutUpRob@aol.com)
Jeff Sykes wrote, at the beginning of his review of Steel #48:
"Maybe I should stop writing reviews. I review _Superboy and the Ravers_
and it gets cancelled. Now, _Steel_ will be joining that massive club."
You don't suppose you could start reviewing _Man of Steel_ so that
your curse could relieve us of Jon Bogdanove's pathetically awful artwork?
**** I doubt my curse would work on a triangle title, but if you really
want me to test my powers, I could take on _JLA_. :)
I also wrote, "I remember really enjoying Frenz and Rubinstein's work
the first year or so, but less so in the past few months (especially
since the _Genesis_ crossover)." Rob responds:
It may be that since _Genesis_, Rubinstein has inherited _Genesis_ penciller
Ron Wagner's tendency toward elongated faces. Not that that's a bad thing,
mind you, as I think it's diluted Frenz's Kirbyesque/Sal Buscemaesque
lack-of-his-own-style and brought it to something midway between Wagner's and
Buscema's styles as interpreted by the Rubester. I suppose that's why I've
liked the art on the book recently. OTOH, I'd rather see Frenz at his most
blatantly Kirbyest than Bogdanove under any circumstances, but I digress...
================================================
From: Christopher O'Brien Jr. (mxyzptlk@afn.org)
I've already seen and tried "Subscribe to the four Superman titles and get
four issues of MOT for free." It is bad enough that they come to my mailbox
two or three weeks after they hit the stands, but MOT did *not* show up when
it was supposed to. I called DC up, and they said I am still going to get
it, but they don't know when.
Triangles or not, I think there should be a way to subscribe to 13 weeks of
Superman titles (that's three of each monthly and one MOT [on time, not "I
don't know when"]) for the price of a regular 12 issue monthly subscription.
**** I've heard before that subscriptions are delayed, and I've also heard
that the books don't always arrive in the best of condition. Now, I
could live with that, but if the books weren't arriving in order, and
in some cases not at all, I think I'd be mighty upset. If they're
going to run subscriptions, they should at least get each issue to
you in order.
-- Jeff Sykes
____________________________________________
THE PHANTOM ZONE: Reviews of the pre-Crisis Man of Steel
------------------------------------------------------------------
THE ONE, TRUE, ORIGINAL SUPERMAN!
---------------------------------------
by Bob Hughes (rhughes3@ix.netcom.com)
Episode 5
The Game of Secret Identities
Josh Billings once said, "It's not what you don't know that will get you into
trouble, it's what you know that ain't so." Superman fans "know" a lot of
stuff that ain't so. They know that girls never read comics, despite the
fact that _Lois Lane_ was DC's #3 best-selling comic for over ten years.
They "know" that the Golden Age Superman worked for the Daily Star and that
Luthor had red hair, despite the fact that from 1941 on Luthor was bald and
Clark worked for the Daily Planet. They "know" that Inspector Henderson
first appeared on the George Reeves TV show. (Nope, he was a regular on the
radio program.) And they "know" that Lois Lane has devoted her entire career
to proving Clark was Superman. They "know" that Vicki Vale and Lana Lang are
just pale copies of Lois. Well, nope, it didn't happen that way, either.
First of all, in the beginning there was no reason for anyone to believe
Superman had another identity. Nothing whatever was known about him. He
appeared and vanished mysteriously, but he didn't wear a mask. Superman's
predecessors in the hero business were pretty evenly divided on the secret
identity bit. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1905), Zorro (1919), The Shadow (1931),
and the Green Hornet (1936) all had secret identities. On the other hand,
Doc Savage (1933), the Lone Ranger (1933), and the Phantom (1936) did not,
despite the fact that the last two were masked.
So there was no reason that Lois should have been suspicious that anybody,
let alone Clark, was Superman. Clark, a spineless worm of a reporter, was so
far beneath her contempt that she barely noticed him. It was over two years
after she met Superman that Lois first actually looked at Clark Kent. In
"The Black Gang" (_Superman_ #7, Nov 1940, by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and
Wayne Boring), Lois suggests she and Clark get in disguise to snoop for
clues to the Black Gang's activities. She makes a very worried Clark take
his glasses off. Startled, seeing Clark's bare face for the first time, Lois
stammers "Your face! It's..."
"What about my face?" Clark bluffs, worriedly.
"Why- It's actually handsome!" Lois replies.
Lois was obviously not the world's most observant reporter. And if Clark
hadn't gone and put his foot in it, she might have stayed that way. While
covering the destruction of Metrodale by a gang of terrorists, Clark ducks
behind a wall to change to Superman. Officer Casey wonders where he went and
Lois responds "The havoc must have been too much for him to stomach."
Superman performs his amazing rescue and then, a heartbeat later, Clark
returns. Foolishly, Clark tries to cover his absence by saying "I heard that
Superman just performed a rescue! Why is it that he always goes into action
when I'm not around?"
Three years and two months into the Superman saga, Lois finally realizes that
this is true. Thunderstruck, she thinks, "Is it possible that...?"
Fortunately for Clark, she is interrupted by a broadcast from the terrorists.
All this took place in "The Gold Badge Terrorists" (_Superman_ #11, July
1941, by Jerry Siegel and Leo Novak).
Lois put her suspicious mind on hold for another year, (after all, there was
a war coming and she was busy) until "Man or Superman?" (_Superman_ #17, July
1942, by Jerry Siegel, Joe Shuster, and John Sikela). As Clark watches Lois
get on the subway, his amazing vision sees a problem with the track up ahead.
Switching to Superman, he barely manages to stop Lois' subway car before it
reaches the damaged track. He quickly repairs the track and then Clark
phones in the story to Perry White from the next station. Just as he hangs
up the phone he turns and sees Lois .
"Clark how did you get here? I left you back on the platform at the other
station?"
Clark tells Lois he took an express train. Then Lois calls in the story only
to find that Clark already had reported it! How could Clark know what had
happened while he was supposedly riding on a completely different train?
Clark's rather lame excuse is that he can't tell Lois all his tricks because
then she'd be able to scoop him.
Lois' suspicions have finally been aroused. She goes through her scrap book
looking over past Superman stories. It's strange how Clark is never around
when Superman is, she thinks. "And I've often noticed a faint resemblance."
Now that she's got her mind on the issue, it's time to concoct a typical Lois
Lane plan to settle the matter. She plants a story in the Planet stating
that she knows the identity of the mysterious Talon, the man behind the
subway sabotage. This, she hopes will smoke him out of hiding. Clark demands
to know why Lois is putting herself in danger and she lets him have it: "I've
more than a slight suspicion that you may be Superman and all I've got to do
is get into trouble and if you exposeyourself as Superman I've got you where
I want you!"
"That's perfectly ridiculous" sputters Clark. (And he's right, it is.)
"Then I dare you to accompany me" she retorts, "I want to keep my eyes on
you!"
It doesn't take long before Clark and Lois are kidnapped and brought to the
Talon's headquarters! Lois ends up tied to the pendulum of a huge clock
while Clark is bound to a stake beneath the swinging pendulum! At twelve
o'clock the Talon tells them, the pendulum will fall and both will be killed!
As soon as the Talon leaves, Clark breaks out of his bonds at extreme
super-speed, and assembles a dummy, which he puts in his former place. Then,
as the pendulum falls, Superman catches it and lowers it gently to the
ground. As Lois tries to thank Superman, he turns and says "Better check on
Clark, I think he's fainted".
While Lois is turning around, Superman swishes by her at blinding speed and
switches places with the dummy once again. Now Lois has finally seen
Superman and Clark together in the same place. Or has she? It all went by
so quickly it was hard to tell.
Were Lois' suspicions completely allayed? "Only future releases of your
favorite strip will tell!" the final caption reads. Perhaps it was because
Jerry Siegel soon left the strip for military service, or perhaps he never
had a plan to follow up on this story. Perhaps he realized that Lois being
constantly suspicious of Clark would disrupt the fundamental love triangle on
which the strip was based: Clark pursues Lois, Lois ignores Clark; Lois
pursues Superman, Superman ignores Lois. How can Lois ignore Clark if she
thinks he's Superman? It would be nine years before Lois again questioned
Superman's identity!.
Somebody had to pursue Superman's secret however, and for writer Alvin
Schwartz, that someone was Inspector Erskine Hawkins of Scotland Yard.
Hawkins was introduced in "The Sleuth Who Never Failed" (_Action_ #100, Sept
1946) with art by Ira Yarbrough. It is perfectly fitting that the reviver of
the secret identity battle was Alvin Schwartz, because he had a secret
identity himself! Schwartz was a budding progressive writer who hung around
with New York literati and avant-garde types. It wouldn't do for them to
know he wrote comic books to support himself, so he did all his comic work
under the name Vernon Woodrum. He even got paid under that name. For the
details of Schwartz's many careers see Rich Morrissey's interview in _Comics
Interview_ #124.
In the Daily Planet offices Clark has a strange visitor, a little man with a
small mustache, a bowler hat, and an English accent. He calls Clark,
"Superman" and assures him that his secret is safe.
Clark discovers that the man is Inspector Hawkins from Scotland Yard, widely
reputed to be its greatest detective. Hawkins has studied all the available
newsreel footage and newspaper clippings about Superman. He has measured
every facial feature of both Clark and Superman, using giant photographs.
Convinced of his results, he has come to America to interview Kent himself.
Clark is pretty much cornered now, so when Hawkins asks for a snip of his
hair he really has no choice but to let him. Much to Hawkins' surprise,
Clark's hair can be cut! The fastest reporter on Earth had substituted a wig
at invisible super-speed! Score one for Superman!
It's only a temporary victory though, for Hawkins soon analyzes the hair and
determines that it is not human. Score one for Hawkins! Hawkins then
arranges to have Clark accidentally locked in a bank vault. But Clark uses
his super powers to set off the alarm so that the police come and rescue him,
rather than having to escape himself. Clark's ahead now, two to one.
Stymied, Hawkins dumps Clark into a vat of extra-smelly perfume, figuring
he'll be able to smell it on Superman later. But Clark takes a bath at a
chemical plant to get rid of the smell. (Three to one for Clark.)
Desperately, Hawkins breaks into Clark Kent's house to look for evidence.
Catching him in the act with his x-ray vision, Superman finally figures out a
way to get rid of Hawkins. He quickly forges a will for Clark and leaves it
where Hawkins will find it. Hawkins is shocked to find that Clark has left
everything to Superman! Why would he do that if they were the same person?
Hawkins returns to England and reports to his Inspector.
"I can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Clark Kent is *not* Superman."
To which an eavesdropping Superman responds, "If Scotland Yard's greatest
sleuth says so that should be enough proof for anybody!"
Hawkins returned for two more appearances, but Schwartz wisely chose not to
go over the same ground. Hawkins remained thoroughly convinced that Clark
Kent was not Superman.
It's too bad for Al Schwartz that DC didn't pay royalties on plots, because
this one got around. Jack Schiff, Superman editor at the time, liked it so
much he gave it to Bill Finger to use in a Batman story. "The Scoop of the
Century" (_Batman_ #49, Oct-Nov 1948, by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Leo Sayre
Schwartz) is memorable in many ways. It introduced a new Batman villain,
the Mad Hatter; it may have been the last story Bob Kane ever drew; and it
introduced a new romantic foil for Batman.
"Let's focus on a new menace in Batman's life! But this menace is a pretty
girl, Vicki Vale, girl photographer. Vicki will climb the highest mountain,
swim the deepest sea just to get a picture! So you can imagine what lengths
she'll go to to get a picture proving that Bruce Wayne is Batman! Get set to
view a series of action snapshots as Batman tries to walk out of the picture
that could well be 'The Scoop of the Century!'"
The tale begins as Vicki Vale tries to photograph members of Gotham's
exclusive Yacht Club. Playboy Bruce Wayne tries to put the make on her, but
she brushes him off. "Suddenly- a violent intrusion by a man who might have
stepped from an illustration of Alice In Wonderland!" It's the Mad Hatter, a
man whose top hat may be bigger than his whole body! The Hatter swipes the
club Yachting Cup. Batman sets off in pursuit and Vicki Vale is not far
behind. When the Hatter escapes by sailboat and Batman starts to sail after
him, Vicki impresses herself as crew. As she steers, Batman leaps for the
Hatter's boat. But the Hatter cuts Batman's chin with his gun and escapes.
Ever the enterprising reporter, Vicki manages to get Batman to name her his
official photographer! Then she figures out the Hatter's clues and talks
social butterfly Bruce Wayne into taking her to the Gotham horse show.
Unfortunately for Bruce, Vicki notices that he has a cut on his chin in the
same place as the one she saw Batman get. Batman foils the Hatter's robbery
but he gets away, but not before Vicki gets some more pictures and notes the
sudden disappearance of Bruce Wayne just before Batman shows up.
In the darkroom, Vicki takes a close-up photograph she's made of Bruce and
super imposes it over a similar one of Batman.
"The two heads match perfectly! The same shape of the mouth, the jaw, the
chin! Bruce Wayne *is* Batman!" she exclaims. (This is the same evidence
that Hawkins used, remember?) Personally, that would be enough to convince
me. I can't see why any more evidence is necessary, but Vicki, like Hawkins
before her, wants more.
Unsuspecting, Batman leads a blindfolded Vicki to take the first ever
photographs of the Batcave. Meanwhile, she's concocted a fluorescent powder
with which to entrap him! Vicki asks Batman if she can try on his glove.
She then puts the fluorescent powder inside the Bat gauntlet. Afterwards, on
Vicki's next date with Bruce, she checks out his right hand by plunging the
room into darkness. It glows with the fluorescent powder she had put in
Batman's glove! Bruce just chuckles and says "My left hand glows too. It
must be these glow-in-the-dark flowers I bought for you."
Batman had noticed that his hand glowed when he worked on the Mad Hatter's
hat in the Batcave crime lab and had figured out what Vicki was up to. (The
fluorescent powder bit is not quite the same as the perfume gag that Hawkins
used, but the principal is the same.)
In the last panel Bruce thinks, "Now that I've fooled her, there'll be no
harm in seeing her again!" Vicki thinks, "I have a feeling he tricked me!
Mr. Wayne, you'll be seeing more of me!"
Despite her red hair (added by the colorist) Kane claims that Vicki was based
on a young starlet he met while in Hollywood working on the _Batman and
Robin_ movie serial, Marilyn Monroe.
Finger liked both the scheming beauty motif and the red hair so much that he
decided to introduce it back into the Superman mythos by creating another
red-headed snoop, Lana Lang. I've never read "The Girl in Superboy's Life"
(_Superboy_ #10, Nov 1950, art by John Sikela) but Pat Lang has, and this is
what he told me.
Professor Lang and wife head for Africa and leave Lana to live with the
Kents. Most adolescent males would probably find this arrangement quite
satisfactory, but not Clark! In fact, Lana is suspicious of him from the
moment Ma Kent asks Clark to cut four cords of wood before going to school
(in two minutes). The rest of the story involves all of the usual tricks on
her part and ends with the Langs returning, but announcing that they plan to
spend a lot of time abroad and hope to leave Lana with the Kents frequently.
Meanwhile, Al Schwartz had decided it's about time Lois gets a clue. In
"Clark Kent's Twin" (_Superman_ #67, Dec 1950, with art by Wayne Boring and
Stan Kaye), Lois finally has the scoop of a lifetime handed to her. As she
walks to work, she hears shots and sees Clark.
"Why there's Clark and as usual he's running for cover like a scared rabbit!"
Then an instant later she notices... "Superman! Why that's odd! Clark rushes
into that doorway and -- Presto-- a split second later out comes Superman!
Can it be that---that Clark is Superman!? If I hadn't practically seen it
with my own eyes I'd never believe it." This is 1950! It took her twelve
years to finally notice this!
Fortunately for Clark, a series of truly unbelievable coincidences gets him
off the hook. A man who is a physical double for Clark Kent (Joe Poleski) is
hit by a crate falling off a truck and develops amnesia. The first ambulance
worker who arrives on the scene "recognizes" him and tells him he is Clark
Kent. After a doctor's examination, Poleski is advised that returning to
familiar surroundings at the Planet may help restore his memory.
The first thing the poor confused Poleski runs into at the Planet, of course,
is Lois-- accusing him of being Superman! Just then Superman arrives, even
more confused than Poleski is! Using his X-ray vision, Superman figures out
that Joe has just left the hospital, so he leaves Poleski to play Clark for
awhile and goes off to find out the rest of the story.
Superman can't believe his luck. (I can't believe it either.) "A double for
Clark turning up just as Lois discovers my identity. It's a weird
coincidence. But what a break for me!"
However, by the time Superman gets back to the Planet, Lois has convinced Joe
that he *is* Superman and Joe has leaped out the window! Superman decides
not to show himself and uses his cape at invisible super speed to cushion
Joe's fall, so that Joe believes he's landed under his own power. Why did
Superman do this? Because he's worried that suddenly being confronted with
yet another confusion will be harmful to Joe's addled psyche. What a guy
that Superman is. Ready to jeopardize his own secret identity to help a
perfect stranger! Or maybe just to stretch the story out another 6 pages.
Watching Joe "fly" to the ground is good enough for Perry, who starts giving
Joe assignments only a Superman could handle. Annoyed at this sudden
attention to her rival, Lois protests that Clark is getting all the good
stories! The eavesdropping Superman agrees that's not fair. (But isn't that
what he's been doing for the past 12 years anyway?)
"Perhaps if I fix it so that Clark double doesn't get scoops .... that may
help his memory without any sudden harmful shock", thinks Superman. After
"flying" Clark to Alaska, Superman flies back for Lois Lane to give her an
equal chance at the next story, but still pretending he's "Clark". (Are you
confused? I am.) Unfortunately, Superman's efforts to give Lois a fair shake
are confounded by his need to help "Clark" continue to do super feats
undetected -- which results in Lois getting madder and madder at his
unexplainable behavior.
Finally, Lois is accidentally encased is concrete up to her head. (Don't
ask.) She begs "Clark" to get her loose. But "Clark" says that she can wait
until he's phoned in his story. "I'm still a reporter. Why should I give you
a chance to scoop me? ...I'll release you as soon as I've finished." By
the time "Clark" (with Superman's secret help) gets around to freeing Lois,
she's so boiling mad she brains the poor dupe with a rock! She's absolutely
surprised when "Clark" falls unconscious and actually has a lump on his head!
"That means Clark's not Superman after all!"
Initially, Lois tries to get help for Clark, then realizes that Superman has
apparently been playing some monster trick on her and stomps off. Superman
arrives just in time for Joe to come to- his memory restored due to Lois'
"medical" ministrations.
When the real Clark does return to the Daily Planet, Lois decides the whole
thing was a plot on Superman's part to stop her from speculating as to his
secret identity. She apologizes to Clark for the lump she gave him, but
never finds out about Joe Poleski.
The most amazing thing about this story is that it's only twelve pages long.
Can you imagine what length the current tribe of Super-scribes would have to
go to to cover the same ground?
This secret identity thing must have been highly popular with the readers, as
the editors decided "The more the merrier". Lana Lang's little brother
Ronald was introduced in "The Boy Who Outsmarted Superboy" (_Adventure_ #168,
Sept 1951) and played the perfume trick on the Boy of Steel. He didn't have
any more luck than Hawkins did, six years earlier.
Lana finally passes the sleuthing glass back to Lois in "The Girls in
Superman's Life" (_Superman_ #78), as discussed in my last installment. From
here on out, Lois became just as much of a pest to Superman as Lana was to
Superboy. But contrary to fan belief, Lana gave the idea to Lois. And Lana
got it from Vicki Vale (who got it from Erskine Hawkins). So, in some ways,
Lois Lane is an imitation of Vicki Vale, not the other way around.
The ultimate pest however, did not have the initials L.L. or even V.V. It
was K.K., a woman named Kathy Klutch in "Superman's Other Life" (_Superman_
#84, Sept-Oct 1953, by Bill Woolfolk and Al Plastino). By this point, Lois'
pestering had become truly obnoxious. In the opening panels, she slips a
pair of handcuffs on Clark and locks the two of them together.
"If Superman is active performing feats while you're handcuffed to me today
I'll know he's not you!"
Clark is so exasperated by Lois's behavior that he wishes he'd never met her,
and then realizes that with his ability to travel in time, he can begin all
over again! Moving faster than the speed of light, he whirls around the
Earth over and over again back to the day he first arrived in Metropolis.
There (then?) Clark quickly gets a job as a disk jockey, using his X-ray
vision to fake a superior knowledge of popular music. Clark tells his new
assistant, the blond, bespectacled Kathy Klutch, that he'll spend his shift
locked in his booth and that he doesn't want to be disturbed while on the
air. The "quiet, shy, modest" girl defers to his wishes. Perfect!
Clark becomes a midnight to morning DJ, sitting 50 stories above Metropolis
where he can observe the whole city! While records play, he ducks out for
super-action in three minute increments. The piece-de-resistance comes when
he gets a request call from Lois Lane. She wants him to dedicate a song to
her fellow reporter, Dick Ferris, who she's sure is Superman! She tells
Clark this on the air! So much for thinking she could ever be trusted with
his secret!
Lois, fortunately, is no longer a problem, but Kathy Klutch wonders why she
sees Superman flying in and out of Clark's office window all the time and
lays a trap, wiring Clark's chair to zap him with an electric current. When
Clark sits down, he doesn't even notice the voltage, so Kathy pounces on him
and declares her eternal love.
"Another (UGH) Lois...only worse!" moans Clark. Clark successfully gets out
of that trap, but Kathy is unconvinced and begins a daily barrage of Lois
Lane style tricks to get Clark to admit he's Superman. The perfume gimmick
comes around again. Finally Clark convinces Kathy he's not Superman.
Heartbroken, she quits her job and leaves to search for the man of her
dreams. Her replacement? Why an ex-newspaper reporter named Lois Lane! She
quit her job when she figured out that Dick Ferris really wasn't Superman!
Frustrated, Superman returns to his old future, where he once again engages
in a battle of wits with Lois Lane. "Now that I've met Miss Kathy Klutch, I
almost enjoy Lois' prying!" he thinks.
It was stories like this one, I think, which convinced fans that the Superman
mythos had always been the same. Mort Weisinger liked to wring as many
stories as possible out of a plot line and disguised the repetitions as the
inevitable workings of fate. In Weisinger's world, every hero had a meek,
mild secret identity. Every hero had a snooping girl friend. Every hero had
a single weakness. He populated whole planets with people like this and
seeded them into the past and the future. (Actually, since the plots could
never be changed there was no past and no future, only an eternal present.)
I'm sort of surprised, he didn't give each member of the Legion of
Super-Heroes a secret identity. Probably cowed by the sheer impracticality
of the idea.
However, the game of secret identities was a change. It made the Clark,
Lois, Superman love triangle impossible. Once Lois started pursuing Clark
with tricks to prove he was Superman, Clark stopped pursuing Lois with
amorous intent. It made Clark and Superman more alike, as both struggled to
get out of Lois' clutches. Later attempts to rekindle the triangular
relationship always seemed forced and artificial. John Byrne had the best
opportunity, having removed the secret identity game card from the table, but
he never succeeded in defining a new relationship between Lois and Clark.
Finally, his successors just gave up and married them off.
May they be safe from the machinations of evil comic book writers and live
happily ever after.
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End of Section 9/Issue #48
