Mild Mannered Reviews - Regular Superman Comics

Adventures of Superman #579

Adventures of Superman #579

Scheduled to arrive in stores: April 12, 2000

Cover date: June 2000

2000 Shield No. 23

Writer: J. M. DeMatteis
Penciller: Mike McKone
Inker: Marlo Alquiza

"Pranked"

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



As Superman scours the city for his missing wife, Lex is busy watching him. What is wrong with the Man of Steel?

Down on the streets of Metropolis a large box is attracting a lot of attention. When Superman arrives, the box opens up. It's a jack-in-a-box with a large toy of The Prankster as the Jack. Not wasting any time, Superman grabs the box and begins to take it way when he is attacked by a man in black. The box tumbles back down towards the floor, but Superman safely gathers it up. Disposing of it, Superman investigates the cigar smoking, man in black that attacked him. When Superman mentions Loomis (The Prankster), the man has no idea who he's talking about and introduces himself as The Adversary. When Superman chastises The Adversary for his foul language, the villain punches Superman and sends him crashing into Hob's Bay. Climbing back out, Superman searches for him, but to no avail. After a brief conversation with Jimmy, he carries on looking for Lois.

In his secret hide-away, the new look Prankster performs his old show to a group of robots and to riotous applause. Not everyone are robots though, he also has some technicians that he is able to control with nano-robots left over from Brainiac 13.

Superman flies through Lex Luthor's window, but instead of it shattering, it envelopes him like a bubble. Another left over from Brainiac 13. A touch of heatvision soon puts pay to the technology though, even if he is outside of LexCorp Tower. Shouting up at Luthor, he asks after Lois Lane.

Suddenly the words "Show Time" appear. It's The Prankster again and he's on top of LexCorp Tower. Using the nano-robots he takes over the security guards there who fall about laughing. When Superman arrives, The Prankster is setting up some kind of technology, and then tricks Superman so that he too is infected with the nano-robots. Soon the whole of Metropolis begins to laugh like idiots, even Superman. Having a cunning plan, Superman whistles so that it matches the frequency of his brain. The nano-robot falls out of his ear and Superman destroys it. He then goes about saving Metropolis. He then heads home, just in time to receive guests.

Lucy Lane and Ron Troupe have some good news and have come round to Lois and Clark's to share it with them, even though they might be having a failing marriage. Clark appears at the door and pretends to have the flu and sends them away.

Later, Superman sits on top of a building and contemplates everything. Suddenly, he's attacked again by The Adversary. Just as suddenly the fight is over when The Adversary realises that Superman is ill.

At Metropolis Union Station, The Prankster strikes again. Flooding it with green goo. The people inside are Loomis' robot audience, and whilst Superman takes care of them, Loomis escapes. The fire department arrives to clean up the green goo, but some is still left over. Superman is glowing green!!

2Story - 2: This was very bad. Why, oh why, was this issue ever written? What was the point? The cover says "The Search For Lois Begins", so why doesn't it? That's what it said and that's what I wanted. Okay, so Superman has to deal with The Adversary (who quite frankly does not interest me, I don't find myself longing to see him again and have any question that I might have - and I don't - answer) but why doesn't he then go looking for Lois? And why later is he sitting on a roof top thinking, he should be looking for Lois. I don't think DeMatteis got Superman right at all in this. Remember the fanatical Supes we saw in The Death of Clark Kent storyline?

3Art - 3: McKone did a nice job filling in here, but did he design The Adversary because was stupid looking, unless that's the point. The Pranksters new look is a vast improvement on the old look, but now he looks like a cross between The Joker and Jim Carrey. And if they modernise him, why have him still flying about in that silly car? On the good side, McKone drew Superman really nicely, I particularly liked the way he drew his stubbly chin.

4Cover Art - 4: A nice idea, which only really works if you really look at it. So, really look at it!



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