Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials

Superman vs Predator #2

Superman vs Predator #2

Scheduled to arrive in stores: June 21, 2000

Cover date: August 2000

Writer: David Michelinie
Artist: Alex Maleev
Colourist: Matt Hollingsworth

Reviewed by: Gareth Baker (GHLBJEDI@aol.com)



Superman is ill, very ill (again) and this time he's been captured by a mad scientist and his band of mercenaries and put into a cage. In the next cell, Marla begins to ask Casey how he was able to fight as well as he did for an old scientist. He replies by asking for a hair pin.

In his control centre, our mad scientist Mr Ward is explaining once again to Lois Lane, how he's going to wipe out all the people who are not genetically "perfect". When Lois continues to refuse to help him, Ward suggests that Jerry Springer might do it instead. When Lois is taken back to the cells, Superman and Casey work together to capture one of the guards and steal his weapon. The other guards surrender and they swap places. Free at last our group begin their escape, Marla still questioning where Casey got his "talents". Out in the jungle, Superman splits up from the rest of the group so he can go to the ship in search of a cure.

At the ship, Superman finds it swarming with flies and a pile of skulls. Then, there is a massive explosion from behind him.

The rest of the group stop and hide for a moment when they hear the mercenaries coming after them in jeeps. Marla decides to take a gun from Casey (despite earlier saying she didn't like them) and then fires it into the air and holds the rest of our group hostage.

Back at the ship, Superman comes into contact with the Predator. At first he doesn't seem so dangerous, and then he pulls out the big guns. Superman escapes and hides in the ship, which he has to quickly vacate as it explodes.

Back with the mercenaries, their jeeps are shook by the explosion. Lois and Casey use the confusion to escape from the mercenaries.

Back at the explosion site, some mercenaries find the weakened superman amongst the rubble and begin to beat him up. Using all the strength he has, he beats them off and smashes their jeep. Superman begins to wander off, unaware that he is being watched by the Predator who has recorded some of the bits the mercenaries said to Superman.

Back at Ward's base, the alien power unit isn't working properly, Marla offers to help as long as she gets her share.

Outside, two guards just see three red aiming dots, just before the Predator blows them up. On the other side, Superman takes two guards out, and calls the bluff of a third.

Inside, Lois finds the radio room and tries to send a message. She is found by Skane, who attempts to rape her. A fight begins, but even Lois can't take this guy. Casey arrives and saves the day. As they escape through the temple, Casey sees the Predator and stops. He behaves as if he's seen one before.

At the power unit, Superman attacks. Thinking quickly, Ward orders the prisoners killed. Superman leaves to save them, and the villains continue with their work. Superman gets there just in time, and is able to stop the bullets with his body or catch them.

The Predator attacks the mercenaries, taking them out quickly and easily.

Superman, still with the prisoners, can no longer keep catching the bullets. Breaking the cell's railings free, he bashes the guards with them, knocking them unconscious. With the prisoners free, Casey suggests they call in an airstrike. They escape into the forest. As they run, behind them, a huge beam lances up into the air from the temple. Everyone begins to panic, but Lois was told by Ward that it would only be a test, but that the real thing would be in a matter of hours.

Superman decides to go back...

2Story - 2: Sadly this has descended into the mindless pap that I had feared it would be. Issue one showed so much promise, it was intelligent, fighting was kept to a minimum, it had great characters, and most of all it had a plot. This issue was just action scene after action scene, none of which really worked. May have looked good on film, but on the pages of a comic it just didn't work. Casey is still an interesting character, and it's fairly obvious he's ex-CIA or something. The whole Superman being ill is silly, coz he is still doing Super things - catching bullets etc, etc. Let's hope issue 3 doesn't get any lower.

3Art - 3: This was good, though I didn't like it as much as I liked part one for some reaon. There wasn't a single panel let alone page, that really stood out to me. The colouring was superb again, and that's probably why I like it so.

4Cover Art - 4: This comic's one saving grace. Like last issue the cover is brilliant, but of course doesn't happen in the comic.



Other relevant reviews:

Mild Mannered Reviews

2000

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

January 2000

February 2000 March 2000 April 2000 May 2000 June 2000 July 2000 August 2000 September 2000 October 2000 November 2000 December 2000 Annuals

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