Mild Mannered Reviews - Regular Superman Comics

Action Comics #761

Action Comics #761

Scheduled to arrive in stores: November 24, 1999

Cover date: January 2000

2000 Triangle No. 4

Writer: Joe Kelly
Penciller: German Garcia
Inker: Joe Rubinstein

"For A Thousand Years"

Reviewed by: Nick Newman (NNewman8283@yahoo.com)



A sunny morning in Metropolis, the Kent apartment. Lois Lane and Clark Kent relax in their bed, arms around each other. Lois asks Clark whom Superman would pick to marry. Clark says that he picked her, but Lois dances around the room, still asking who's fit to marry Superman. Just as Lois throws open the curtains, a quiet knock comes at the window. Lois looks out to see a smiling Wonder Woman.

Superman and Wonder Woman fly through the city, and Diana apologizes for getting Clark in trouble with Lois. He denies that he is in any trouble, but Diana teases "Mr. Lane".

Back in their apartment, Lois stares at herself in the mirror and comments on a "solid gold support bustier".

In the Metropolis Police Department a policewoman holds a box contains Encantadora's magic talisman. The artifact begins to vaporize in its box...

Superman and Wonder Woman stroll through the Wonderdome, talking about Kal's upcoming battle side-by-side with Mongul (see Superman #151-152). He admits that he hasn't told Lois how worried he is that he might not come back. Suddenly a bolt of lightning strikes the two heroes and transports them to a barren and battle-scarred wasteland. Superman doubles over in pain but Diana is barely affected (magic perhaps?). Wonder Woman jumps over his shoulder and launches herself feet-first at an incoming demon.

As Diana subdues the demon, shouting expletives the entire time, Superman is greeted by a bloodied warrior carrying a hammer. He is in Valhalla and the man is Thor. Thor tells Superman and Diana about the battle raging in his world, and the two agree to fight.

La Encantadora sits in her cell when a policeman comes into her cell carrying a platter. On the platter sits her talisman. La Encantadora vanishes in a swirl of mist.

In Valhalla Superman and Wonder Woman battle for years, decades, centuries (time works differently in Valhalla). Though he struggles to remember Lois, he starts to forget things, while Diana is always there. During one battle, Thor lay dying, and on his deathbed he bequeathed his hammer to Superman. Diana and Kal continued to fight.

Back on Earth, Lois asks about Perry's marriage with Alice. They have faced such hard times, and yet they remain together. Perry tells Lois to stop doubting herself and just love Clark. She walks out of his office happy.

In Valhalla, Kal and Diana rest the night before the final battle. Diana comes to sit beside him, and for a moment the two stare into each other's eyes. Superman breaks their locked gaze, and tells her that Lois is the only one. They embrace and Superman thanks her for being his best friend, and tells her that he loves her.

The next day a shining army led by Superman and Wonder Woman storm a gigantic castle. The battle was hard, but good triumphed over evil. From out of the heavens, Thor appears, resurrected from his grave. Superman returns his hammer to its rightful owner. Thor offers them one wish...

Lois sits on her balcony, writing about her clandestine deal with Luthor. Suddenly a blue streak engulfs her and she is in the air, kissing the man she loves. Her paper flutters to the ground.

5Story - 5: I was a little unsure about Kelly's Superman last issue, but this issue put all my fears to rest. Lois is beautifully written, Clark and Diana's relationship is handled perfectly, and the subtle bits of humor all combine to made the book perfect. It was fun seeing Diana return to her savage (Kingdom Come-esque) personality. Great story.

5Art - 5: I love German Garcia. His Superman has a nice innocent look to him, and Lois is sexy. Most of this comic was pictures interspersed with captions, and Garcia told the story perfectly with his images. DC got themselves a winner.

5Cover Art - 5: Well, it's by Garcia, which gives it a few extra points right off the bat. Then the action on the cover is enough to catch your eye, the main point of a cover. Finally, seeing Superman and Wonder Woman fight demons with an axe is just too cool. A great cover, I hope we see more like it (just wait till Superman #153).



Other recent 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

Back to the Mild Mannered Reviews contents page.

Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2000.