Mild Mannered Reviews - Specials
Superman vs The Terminator #3
Scheduled to arrive in stores: February 23, 2000Cover date: February 2000
Writer: Alan Grant
Penciller: Steve Pugh
Inker: Steve Pugh
"Death to the Future - Part 3"
Reviewed by: Gareth Baker (GHLBJEDI@aol.com)
Superman and Steel have been captured in 2032 by Sky-1, the living embodiment of Skynet. Sky-1 is busy downloading all the data from their brains so that it can use it to utterly destroy humanity, what it calls The Omega Point.
In Metropolis, year 2000, Supergirl is busy fighting Terminators. They now have arrays that enable them to fly, and each time she defeats them, more turn up and they get harder to defeat. As Supergirl begins to get a little overwhelmed, Superboy arrives on the scene and the two soon finish off the Terminators. Supergirl fills Superboy in on the situation. The Terminators were after John Connor, now they are after her, and Superman has disappeared. Five more Terminators arrive.
The Cyborg and the female SuperTerminator watch the battle for a while and disappear off to find John Connor.
2032. Steel manages to get the gag free from his mouth, and then uses voice commands to get his hammer to break him free. Freeing Superman, the pair begin to flee when Sky-1 returns and blasts them with the synthetic Kryptonite. Steel places himself between the rock and Superman. Superman uses his heat vision to cut at the Kryptonite, but it's not enough. Once again, Steel's hammer saves the day along with a dose of superstrength. With Sky-1 destroyed, Skynet tells our two heroes that they will never destroy all the machines in the world. Superman suggests that they make their own Omega Point.
2000. Sarah Connor and Lois wait by the phone in Lois' apartment, waiting for John to phone. Lois is worrying about someone else who has also gone missing - Superman. The phone rings.
By Choke Street Station, John Connor begins to describe to his mother where he is. From out of the subway appears the female SuperTerminator, and using her olfactory system, smells John out. John runs, and finds a cement chute. He waits for the SuperTerminator and The Cyborg to get close enough, and then pulling out the release bar, dumps the cement on the pair of them.
Above the skies, Superboy and girl, are having their own problems. Supergirl crashes into Lex' offices and destroys a Terminator just as its about to kill Lex. Supergirl takes the opportunity to ask Lex for help defeating the Terminators.
2032. Superman flies into the air carrying a bomb. As he throws it, it explodes causing a huge electromagnetic pulse rendering all unprotected machines inert. Superman, Steel, John Connor and resistance cells all over the world fight back... and win. All over the world people celebrate and then look on at their devastated world. It's not over yet though, as John points out. They don't know how many Terminators were sent back. One could still kill him in the past and it would all start all over again.
2000. Superboy and girl and LexCorp security continue to fight on.
2032. At a shielded Time Displacement Centre, Steel and Superman say their goodbyes and he's sent back to the past, but John Connor is still concerned. Superman only saved him once in the past, and that's already happened.
Story - 3: Much like the others, rather lacking in substance and character, but still an enjoyable read. Nice to see Steel saving the day, proving that superpowers are not the be all and end all in heroing. Nice to see Superboy, I'm expecting to see the four of them (SG, SB and Steel) fighting side by side next issue. All in all an entertaining 10 minute read.
Art - 3: A few dodgy bits in this issue. Both Superboy and girl look a bit odd (ok so SB always does) as if the inking is a little too heavy. Steel on the other hand looks great
Cover Art - 4: A nice painting, but it only really gets a 4 because it is painted. There is nothing special about the picture itself. Supergirl's head looks very big.
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
- [1] Superman #152
- [2] Adventures of Superman #574
- [3] Superman: The Man of Steel #96
- [4] Action Comics #761
- JLA #37
- Superman vs The Terminator #2
- [5] Superman #153
- [6] Adventures of Superman #575
- [7] Superman: Y2K
- [8] Superman: The Man of Steel #97
- [9] Action Comics #762
- JLA #38
- Superman vs The Terminator #3
- JLA: Earth 2
- Batman and Superman: World's Finest #10
- [10] Superman #154
- [11] Adventures of Superman #576
- [12] Superman: The Man of Steel #98
- [13] Action Comics #763
- JLA #39
- Superman vs The Terminator #4
- JLA: Created Equal #1
- [14] Superman #155
- [15] Adventures of Superman #577
- [16] Superman: The Man of Steel #99
- [17] Action Comics #764
- JLA #40
- JLA: Created Equal #2
- [18] Superman #156
- [19] Adventures of Superman #578
- [20] Superman: The Man of Steel #100
- [21] Action Comics #765
- JLA #41
- Sins of Youth: Superman Jr. and Superboy Sr. #1
- [22] Superman #157
- [23] Adventures of Superman #579
- [24] Superman: The Man of Steel #101
- [25] Action Comics #766
- JLA #42
- Superman/Gen13: Part 1 (of 3)
- Superman Metropolis: Secret Files and Origins #1
- [26] Superman #158
- [27] Adventures of Superman #580
- [28] Superman: The Man of Steel #102
- [29] Action Comics #767
- JLA #43
- Superman and Bugs Bunny #1
- Superman vs Predator #1
- Superman/Gen13: Part 2 (of 3)
- Realworlds: Justice League of America
- [30] Superman #159
- [31] Adventures of Superman #581
- [32] Superman: The Man of Steel #103
- [33] Action Comics #768
- JLA #44
- Superman and Bugs Bunny #2
- Superman vs Predator #2
- Superman/Gen13: Part 3 (of 3)
- Realworlds: Superman
- [34] Superman #160
- [35] Adventures of Superman #582
- [36] Superman: The Man of Steel #104
- [37] Action Comics #769
- JLA #45
- DC Two Thousand #1
- Superman and Bugs Bunny #3
- Superman vs Predator #3
- Superman: Last Son of Earth #1
- [38] Superman Emperor #1
- [39] Superman #161
- [40] Adventures of Superman #583
- [41] Superman: The Man of Steel #105
- [42] Action Comics #770
- JLA #46
- JLA: 80-Page Giant #3
- DC Two Thousand #2
- Superman and Bugs Bunny #4
- Superman: Last Son of Earth #2
- [43] Superman #162
- [44] Adventures of Superman #584
- [45] Superman: The Man of Steel #106
- [46] Action Comics #771
- JLA #47
- Superman: 80-Page Giant #3
- JLA: Heaven's Ladder
- JLA: The Secret Society of Super-Heroes (Book 1) [Elseworlds]
- [46] Action Comics #771
- [47] Superman #163
- [48] Adventures of Superman #585
- [49] Superman: The Man of Steel #107
- [50] Action Comics #772
- JLA #48
- Superman: Mann and Superman
- JLA: The Secret Society of Super-Heroes (Book 2) [Elseworlds]
- Green Lantern/Superman: Legend of the Green Flame
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Check out the Comic Index Lists for the complete list of Superman-related comics published in 2000.