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Mild Mannered Reviews - Classic Post-Crisis Superman Comics



The Trial of Superman

12 Parts: 1995-1996



Man of Steel #50

Superman: The Man of Steel #50

Cover date: November 1995

1995 Triangle No. 43

Writer: Louise Simonson
Penciller: Jon Bogdanove
Inker: Dennis Janke

"Split Personality" (The Trial of Superman - Part 1 of 12)

Reviewed by: Nathan Weinberg (montevino@hotmail.com)



Out in space, orbiting the Earth, an armada of ships waits. They have located the "perpetrator": Kal-El of Krypton, Superman.

[Note: Previously (Man of Tomorrow #2) the Parasite had eaten Dr. Torval Freeman, becoming Doc Parasite. He lured Superman to him, and drained nearly all his powers.]

Doc Parasite holds up Superman, who looks like he's already a corpse. The SCU closes in, trying to save Superman, but the Parasite just goes right ahead and starts swallowing them, battle suits and all. Just as the SCU looks beaten, and Superman almost dead, the Alpha Centurion and his Lexcorp Centurions arrive. A portal opens up, and out come Brute, a large, er, brute, and some alien officers.

"Kal-El" son of the house of El! You are under arrest!"

The Alpha Centurion recognizes the officers and decides they are no threat. He gets the SCU to safety. Parasite goads Alpha Centurion into blowing up a generator, giving him all the power he needs, and the cover to escape.

Brute arrests Kal-El, hinting that this is all related to the destruction of Krypton. He and the officers grab the weakened Clark and leave.

On the alien ship, they lock up Kal-El, but think that his powers must have been exaggerated, due to his weakened state. They prepare to leave the solar system. In the jail cell, Brute reveals he volunteered to capture Superman in order to save his "milk-brother" Mope. Superman goads Brute into smashing him through a wall, out the ship, and right into the sun, giving him his powers back.

On Earth, ace GBS reporter James Olsen (don't ask) goes after the Parasite, missing the SCU's discovery that Dr. Freeman rules the Parasite now, giving it the brains it previously lacked. Just another case of Jimmy missing the point and proving he's a hotshot. Centurion finally subdues the Parasite, buying time to get Dr. Freeman's wife. Parasite fools everyone, by pretending to release Dr. Freeman's consciousness from it, but really just using it as a distraction to get away.

The re-powered Superman beats Brute, but the alien ship catches them in its tow-beam, and drags them with it into hyperspace. Superman and Brute soon arrive at the Tribunal Planet, a sort of intergalactic court. Before he can react, Clark is bound in chains that even he can't break. Brute is executed for letting Superman escape, even though he was only assisting the Tribunals. Horrified, Superman demands to know what sort of barbaric charges he is here for.

"Kal-El of Krypton, you are hereby charged with one billion counts of murder, in the willful and unlawful deaths of the inhabitants of the destroyed planet KRYPTON!"

4Story - 4: This story gets points for both being an interesting kickoff to that year's major crossover storyline AND having a great separate story, but it isn't quite a 5 because it's a 38-page anniversary issue that simply doesn't deliver the bang I expect for issues like that. This story could have been told in six pages and all the extras felt too tacked on. I have the same gripe with this issue that I have with the rest of the storyline: Why spend so much time with slugfest after slugfest, when we could have seen an original, innovative storyline: an ACTUAL TRIAL! At no point do you feel like Superman is actually on trial. It's more like he's on Death Row. But in all, this was still a fun read.

2Art - 2: You do not do a 38-page issue and not take your time delivering high quality art. At this point in time, DC was using high quality glossy paper for Superman, and for some reason Janke's ink immediately suffers. Overdone shadows in some panels just plain ruin the entire issue, and Bog's pencils, which I normally love, come off as rushed.

5Cover Art - 5: Dramatic, well drawn. This cover is perfect, an opposite of the common Òbreaking out of chainsÓ cover, which I hate.



Superman #106

Superman #106

Cover date: November 1995

1995 Triangle No. 44

Writer: Dan Jurgens
Penciller: Ron Frenz
Inker: Joe Rubinstein

"Not Guilty" (The Trial of Superman - Part 2 of 12)

Reviewed by: Nathan Weinberg (montevino@hotmail.com)



Superman is on trial by the Tribunals, a race of judges. He is accused of the murder of all Kryptonians, due to the Eradicator, which genetically bonded all Kryptonians to their planet, which was created by Kal-El's ancestor, Kem-El. The Tribunals believe that the sins of the fathers are visited on the sons. The sentence Superman to death.

Clark tries to escape, but the Tribunals use a device that negates his powers and strength, and toss him into the dungeon, where he runs into Massacre!

On Earth Alpha Centurion explains to Lois that Superman was taken by strange beings who may have mentioned the Eradicator, which Lois decides to investigate.

Massacre battles Superman, who he's wanted to kill for a while to prove he's the biggest one on the playground. Superman has the advantage, since neither of them have powers, but when he tries to protect a little alien, Massacre gains the upper hand, but not for long as the Tribunal whisks him away.

Massacre has murdered hundreds of planets, and has been sentenced to death. The Tribunals send out the families of the victims, and Massacre, powerless, is overrun and, well, massacred. Superman realizes he must escape fast before he meets the same fate.

3Story - 3: Dan Jurgens is as great as ever, even if he is hampered by the fact that he can't do much with the storyline. The "Trial" only takes up 7 pages before it's over, when it probably should have been several issues. Still, Jurgens makes the most of it.

4Art - 4: The art is great, although there are still some gripes. This was Ron Frenz's first issue of Superman, so his Superman is a little inconsistent, getting bigger and smaller all the time. He wound up sticking around for a while, and doing a pretty good job of it. He seems to simplify crowd scenes, and that hurts a few panels here and there.

3Cover Art - 3: I like Jurgens' art with lots of colors. This is a very dark cover. Bad idea. Although the few instances of color on the cover do really stand out.



Adventures of Superman #529

The Adventures of Superman #529

Cover date: November 1995

1995 Triangle No. 45

Writer: Karl Kesel
Penciller: Stuart Immomen
Inker: Jose Marzan Jr.

"Jail Break" (The Trial of Superman - Part 3 of 12)

Reviewed by: Nathan Weinberg (montevino@hotmail.com)



Superman is in general lockup on the Tribunal Planet, having not yet been executed because it would mean a very abrupt and surprising end to the 57 year history of "Superman". He is in a pod, linked to three other prisoners by bracelets that make them all feel each other's pain, which is we he can't just burn them off.

Throughout the issue, the other three prisoners are introduced. They are: Leeya, a green female alien who comes from a planet where children eat their fathers. She is sentenced to death for a normal biological condition her people have, because she is their leader. Smitty, a scorpion like creature whose people try to exterminate all other life. Finally, Mope, milk-brother to Brute (from Man of Steel #50). They stole unknowingly stole the cure for a disease, resulting in the death of a planet.

Jimmy Olsen argues on a news show that Superman's disappearance doesn't mean he has deserted Earth. Makeup girl Dana realizes Jimmy knows Superman better than anyone, and Alpha Centurion sees he must act quickly to save Superman. He gathers Steel, Superboy and Supergirl on his spaceship, the Pax Romana, as the Superman Rescue Squad, and they prepare to head out and find Kal.

Superman and his fellow prisoners escape by leaping out of a window (brilliant!) and stealing back Mope's ship from dry-dock. Superman puts his hands through the floor of the ship, and flies it himself through space, getting the necessary speed to escape.

As the Superman Rescue Squad gets ready for takeoff, Alpha Centurion flirts with Lois, earning himself a nice hearty slap. As they takeoff, he remarks, "I don't need anything Superman wants!"

Smitty reveals he knows of a safe-haven they can go to, and they head off.

3Story - 3: I'm a sucker for supporting characters, and Kesel is great with them. This issue features Dana (later Obsession), touches on Vinnie Edge's plotting against Cat Grant, and features great scenes with many other of the supporting cast. It reminds me of how many great characters have just disappeared lately. The actual prison break (which as the story goes on, proves utterly pointless) is just badly done. They just jump out a conveniently open window! What? Did somebody fall asleep at the wheel? The more I read this issue, the dumber it looks. From this point forward, the entire "Trial" goes downhill. Despite being a fun issue to read, it makes you realize there are now something like 6 more parts of a poorly plotted storyline. Not very encouraging.

4Art - 4: So many issues at this time suffer from bad inking due to high gloss paper. This issue has plenty of it, but still comes off looking great, which some very nice, smooth, modern looking faces and great bright colors.

4Cover Art - 4: Now THIS is a real nice cover. It makes you go "Cool!" I can't ask for more in a cover. But it's not a work of art, so no 5.



Action Comics #716

Action Comics #716

Cover date: November 1995

1995 Triangle No. 46

Writer: David Micheline
Penciller: Kieron Dwyer
Inker: Dennis Rodier

"Fugitive Justice" (The Trial of Superman - Part 4 of 12)

Reviewed by: Nathan Weinberg (montevino@hotmail.com)



Superman and his fellow escapees crash land on Haven, a, well, haven. After surviving the planet's defenses, they greatest by Kh'rane, their host, who welcomes them, all on Smitty's bill! A former Tribunal guard removes their shackles, and they go to explore the planet.

On the Pax Romana, the Superman Rescue Squad, now joined by the Eradicator, continues searching for Clark. Superboy complains about missing R.E.M. and Alpha Centurion yells that it "isn't the end of the world, though it may seem the end of your world!", the same thing the Cyborg said to him in Adventures of Superman #503!

Smitty sneaks away from the group, and reveals his true intention: to shut down the planetary defenses so his people can conquer Haven!

Superman and Leeya have a heated discussion over which one of them is a criminal. Her, for doing what she biologically had to do and allowing her young to eat their fathers; or Kal, whose forefather caused the deaths of everyone on Krypton. At the end, Superman is humbled, and uncomfortable.

The planetary defenses are shut down, and while Superman holds back the invaders, Leeya fixes the planetary defenses. Smitty is captured and sentenced to live on Haven forever, which to his species is the ultimate punishment. Superman, Leeya, and Mope leave, but are told they will always be welcome back.

4Story - 4: This storyline continues to be more pointless as it goes along. Its total lack of direction is hurting it with each successive issue. This issue gets an automatic two except... pages 14 and 15 make the whole thing worthwhile. I love storylines that ask tough questions, even if not directly. The idea that Leeya's species is forced to eat each other to survive raises many social questions, such as that of religions (like Islam) that run contrary to our own accepted democratic views. It's rare that a comic asks a question like that, which lets me sit through the other twenty pages of slugfests. This is the only point in the "Trial" in which it is worth it.

5Art - 5: Rodier is completely immune to the inking problems of this era of "Superman". This issue is crisp, colorful and beautiful.

3Cover Art - 3: I don't know what it is, because there's nothing patently wrong with this cover. It's just boring.


Classic Post-Crisis Superman Comic Book Reviews

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