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Mild Mannered Reviews - Superman Adventures Comics

Superman Adventures #52

Scheduled to arrive in stores: December 6, 2000

Cover date: February 2001

Writer: Mark Millar
Penciller: Aluir Amancio
Inker: Terry Austin

"A Death In The Family" Reviewed by: George O'Connor (LukeSky500@mindspring.com)

Supergirl weakly enters the Kent household, strange splotches covering her skin as she collapses in Martha's arms. Calling Clark immediately, the Kents watch as Superman arrives and takes his cousin off to the Fortress of Solitude.

Upon arriving, Supes uses Brainiac's orb to investigate Supergirl's sudden breakout. The Man of Steel quickly learns that the virus inhabiting her body was rampant on Argo before a cure was found and given to every child at the age of fifteen. Kara was too young to be administered the inoculation at the age she was frozen.

Using the orb to find the ingredients of the cure, Superman finds that he still needs Element X, an element unavailable on Earth. Short on time, Superman goes to STAR Labs to see if they might be able to replicate the molecule, but finds himself ultimately at a loss. Upon a janitor's suggestion, Superman goes to Lex Luthor looking for help.

Agreeing to help the Man of Steel, Luthor begins at once on the cure and, when he has finished, tells Supes that he will not give it to him unless Superman voluntarily exposes himself to Kryptonite and ends his own life. Superman agrees and goes to see Kara for the last time, a tear dropping from his eye suddenly hits the sensor attached to Supergirl's body, identifying it as Element X.

Using the teardrop and the other ingredients, STAR Labs comes up with the cure in no time, saving Supergirl's life as Luthor broods in self pity over the fact that even he couldn't recreate Element X, and yet Superman was somehow able to do so. The idea that Superman could beat him intellectually causes him to hurl the items from his desk and stare out the window in fury.

Story - 3: Needless to say, Millar's return (though brief it appears) is a welcome one. About as sappy as we get in this issue is Superman dropping a tear, and it seems fitting for the situation. Plus, no stupid aliens trying to get back home, or runaway kids making a deal with the Parasite. Just good ol' Luthor, Superman, and a dying Supergirl. Nevertheless, this issue had some serious common sense problems, the most obvious one being Superman's allegiance with Luthor. Let's think about this for a while. Who do we know that has incredible intelligence, skills in chemistry and biology, and the monetary means to finance the cure for Supergirl? Well. There is Lex Luthor, but then there's also BRUCE WAYNE!!! So... who do we go to? Superman's greatest enemy, or the World's Greatest Detective!!! C'mon here! Even if Wayne couldn't have figured out the cure (like Lex couldn't) it would still be a much more logical choice. As Luthor himself says, "What kind of idiot comes to a monster for help?" Oh... and another thing. Luthor says that he's taping the conversation that he and Supes are having when he tells the Man of Steel that he won't help Supergirl. He tells Supes this so that he won't have a Kryptonian going medieval on him. But... why doesn't Superman just take the tape and threaten Luthor with giving it to the press (or himself I suppose). Luthor's being taped saying he won't help save a dying girl even though he supposedly has the cure, along with mentioning that he's only doing it to bring pain to Superman, and admitting that he actually is a monster. That's not going to look too favorably for his PR. Despite those nagging points, which really contrived the story, it is a fairly good issue and I enjoyed watching Supes struggle through the complications that Luthor caused.

Art - 4: Some nice art for the issue, although nothing super-dynamic... but then this wasn't really an action story, was it? Ah well. I liked the two page spread where Supes is learning about the disease from the orb, and then of course I didn't mind the scene with Luthor and the ladies at the pool.

Cover Art - 3: Not bad, but Luthor looks pretty awkward... and overall it just doesn't really grab at you...

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2001

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Mild Mannered Reviews - Superman Adventures Comics

Superman Adventures #52

Mild Mannered Reviews

2001

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