Mild Mannered Reviews - Regular Superman Comics

Man of Steel #102

Superman: The Man of Steel #102

Scheduled to arrive in stores: May 17, 2000

Cover date: July 2000

2000 Shield No. 28

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



"Inside Superman"

Writer: Mark Schultz
Penciller: Doug Mahnke
Inker: Tom Nguyen

John Henry Irons explains how he was attacked whilst the other scientists trying to save Superman's life, place him inside an aquanaut suit. It hasn't even been tested yet, but they have little choice. The miniturisation process begins, and Steel enters Superman's body.

Inside, Supergirl is feeling tired after using up all her spiritual energy (see last week's issue). Steel and Superboy are inside Superman's stomach, and the kid needs help, but Steel seems reluctant to help. Luckily some glowing organs suck the two heroes back with a kind of magnetism, and they are saved from the stomach acid. Suddenly Superman's body is racked with convulsions that seem like an earthquake to those inside him. Steel and Superboy are picked up by some more of the glowing cells; Superboy wonders where they are taking them.

The real Steel, travels through Superman's eight chambered heart, and spots some glowing cells, and they are heading straight to Superman's brain!

Outside in the lab, Superman has another seizure, his whole body twisting and his heat vision firing off.

Steel, the fake one, realises that he and Superboy are in Superman's lung. Whilst being washed away by Superman's breath, Superboy confesses to Steel that he has no powers. Steel is pleased; it will make killing the kid easier.

Elsewhere, Deathstroke, Lois and Encantadora appear after their teleportation. Lois tries to run, but Deathstroke brings her down with his rod. Deathstroke threatens 'Dora and knocks her to the floor and beside Lois. Lois suggests that 'Dora teleport Deathstroke away; which she does.

"Steel" is busy choking Superboy to death and doesn't notice the arrival of John Henry. "Steel" throws the hammer, but it just goes to John Henry; back to its true master. As they fight, Supergirl arrives and attacks John Henry, thinking he is the bad guy attacking Steel. Supergirl pins John Henry to the ground, and has to be stopped by Superboy, but by then it is too late and the evil "Steel" is gone. John Henry gives Superboy a surgical laser, and he leaves the kids as a team whilst he goes after the evil "Steel".

'Dora and Lois teleport into STAR labs. 'Dora tells The Atom what is killing Superman. She had been hired to put a nanobot inside Superman, a nanobot carrying a small grain of kryptonite! She put it there by kissing Superman (in Action #760). The Atom prepares to send the information to John Henry, when Deathstroke arrives and attacks.

3Story - 3: What's to say? A very typical penultimate Superman issue, with all the good points and all the bad points. The good and the bad are linked - nice and suspenseful, though I was a little aggravated by the fact that "Steel" was not revealed. This is probably the most intriguing part of the story.

3Art - 3: If the story was the good and bad, then this was the ugly. I wasn't impressed with this. I don't remember Mahnke being THIS bad. I really disliked his rendition of Superboy and the girl's looked awful - been reading Gen13 too much. Have you seen the girls in that?!

4Cover Art - 4: This was a good cover, not quite great, but good. I liked the image of Steel looming high over the confused Superboy and girl. It would have been nice as a homage of the great cover with Superman leaping down onto The Thorn.



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