Mild Mannered Reviews - Superman Adventures

Superman Adventures #59

Superman Adventures #59

Scheduled to arrive in stores: July 18, 2001

Cover date: September 2001

Writer: Dan Jolley
Penciller: Neil Vokes
Inker: Terry Austin

"Ghost Flowers"

Reviewed by: George O'Connor (LukeSky500@mindspring.com)


An old man who somehow possesses magical powers arrives in Metropolis to cause havoc and destruction. The Man of Steel is unable to defeat the elder after several attempts and decides to instead speak with the magician's granddaughter, who recounts a tragic episode about her grandmother dying in a car accident. So embittered is the old man with the fashion in which Metropolis handled the tragedy, he has decided to destroy the city that has spurned he and his wife. Finally, the granddaughter is able to convince the old man to cease his vengeful acts by creating a charade in which Superman creates the necessary effects to convince the old man that his wife's ghost is at peace with her fate. The source of a mysterious voice, which emanates from neither Superman nor the granddaughter, is left unresolved.

1Story - 1: Why... this issue seems vaguely familiar... I wonder how THAT could be? Maybe because last issue was about magic too! And about how Superman is vulnerable to magic! And about the magician having no real purpose other than to destroy Metropolis! Of course, this episode was much weaker than its predecessor. In this installment, we're given the sappy back story of an orphanage that just can't make ends meet and then there's the big action bit where this old guy somehow has all these amazing powers... and he's angry at the city for his wife dying in a car accident !!?? (Yeah... that makes perfect sense)... and then of course at the end it's wrapped up all neatly as Superman helps out the orphanage. How sweet! And it looks like they might not even convict the old man even though he's set half of Metropolis to waste! What a lovely story... EXCEPT that it has no originality, no dynamic, and most importantly no variety! I just don't understand what Superman Adventures is doing to itself. It seems to me that this title has the potential to take off from the animated series by creating new exciting villains, taking exciting plot twists, and developing the animated world. Instead, time and time again, they choose to create villains with no character whatsoever and put Superman into a sappy account in which he helps kitty cats out of trees, or helps granny across the street, or tells young people the dangers of violence. I understand this comic book is for young children, but that doesn't mean it has to be crap. The animated series, though weak at some points, never sunk to these depths.

1Art - 1: Right. Well now that that ranting is completed, maybe I should start up with a brand new tirade of insults to come up with about Vokes... except that I think I've used every single one of them in the book. Vokes' much-too-simplistic style fits all too well with this pathetic "attempt" for a story. The fact of the matter is, Superman Adventures, you need Amancio as full-time artist for this title! Stop switching them off every month! It's such a disappointment after checking out a beauty of an Amancio issue to pick up one with Vokes. Anyway, 'nuff said.

2Cover Art - 2: Eh. Decent.


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Mild Mannered Reviews

2001

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

January 2001

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