Superman Homepage

Mild Mannered Reviews - "Superman Adventures" Comics

Superman Adventures #1

Cover date: November 1996

"Men of Steel"

Writer: Paul Dini
Penciller: Rick Burchett
Inker: Terry Austin

Cover: Bruce Timm

It's been a few days since Superman made his debut in Metropolis. Convicted terrorist John Corben is in prison for the theft of LexCorp's Lexo-Skel 5000, Daily Planet editor Perry White wants the inside scoop on the costumed hero, and Lex Luthor wants information on ways to bring down his new adversary from another world. The billionaire industrialist intends to show the world how dangerous this unknown alien can be.

Lex has had an android double of Superman built with twice the power of the original article. Meanwhile, Clark Kent is spending his lunch hour in Smallville discussing his fame as Superman with his parents. Once he's returned to Metropolis, he receives shocking news. Superman is attacking the Kaznian Embassy.

As Lois Lane exchanges words with Metropolis Special Crimes Unit's Inspector Dan Turpin, Clark heads for the the Kaznian Embassy as Superman to confront his double. As they fight, the Man of Tomorrow hears Luthor's voice coming from the robot. Lex wants revenge on Kaznia because, in his eyes, they failed to pay for the Lexo-Skel 5000 even though John Corben had failed to deliver it to them. He also wants to tarnish Superman's reputation. The Titans of Steel clash, and Lex is so certain of victory that he contacts General Hardcastle, whom he had earlier convinced that Superman was a threat, to assure him that the alien had been neutralized.

Superman's android duplicate has proven that it is powerful. However, Lex never counted on the fact that the Last Son of Krypton could hold his breath underwater for a long time. Superman has just made short work of the machine and has given the remains to Luthor. Knowing that negative publicity would be too much for even Lex, Superman makes a deal with his adversary. Should he make a public apology and a large donation to rebuild the Kaznian Embassy, Superman will agree with Lex that a disgruntled LexCorp employee wanted to ruin both men. This will give Lex another chance to try and defeat the Man of Steel. This makes Luthor ask why Superman is so sure of himself.

"Because today you really believed you saw me at the limit of my powers. Sorry Luthor," replies the Man of Tomorrow, "I was only at the limit of yours."

Story - 4: This is a nearly perfect chapter four to "The Last Son of Krypton" episodes. However, the events of page seven should have been placed after Dan Turpin's dialogue on page eighteen to give it more of a twist. As it is now, there really is no suspense when Superman confronts his robotic double. Otherwise, we have an issue that gives the Superman Adventures comic book a pretty strong beginning.

Art - 5: The art, much like the story, took me back in time to when Superman: The Animated Series had first aired. Rick Burchett captured the atmosphere of the show perfectly, and his art blended perfectly with Dini's story.

Cover Art - 4: Bruce Timm did a great image. However, Superman's position doesn't seem to fit well into it for some reason. Had he been standing, maybe I'd have given it a five.