Mild Mannered Reviews - "Superman Adventures" Comics

Superman Adventures #3

Superman Adventures #3

Cover date: January 1997

"Distant Thunder"

Writer: Scott McCloud
Penciller: Rick Burchett
Inker: Terry Austin

Cover: Rick Burchett and Terry Austin

Reviewed by: James Lantz



Superman had taken the orb containing all of Krypton's memories from Brainiac's ship before it was destroyed in "Stolen Memories." Now, he is telling Professor Emil Hamilton what he sees as he touches the device and explores his home world. They are also waiting for the light from Krypton's explosion to reach Earth from twenty-seven light years away. Hamilton is showing Krypton's location to the Man of Steel. He uses a telescope, but Kal-El can see it without such aid. Hamilton theorizes that they should see the spacial splendor anytime soon as both he and Superman ponder the alien planet for different reasons.

Morning is a period for joy as Superman flies through Metropolis. He takes some time to admire the views of the city before going to work as Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent. Inside the newspaper offices, Kent and his colleagues discuss encountering black cats before entering the building. Suddenly, the lights go out, and the streets are full of the felines causing traffic jams. Superman will definitely have his hands full very soon.

The cats are actually robots controlled by Brainiac, who has a new body after his last encounter with Superman. The maniacal machine wants the orb Kal-El had taken from him, and he'll get it by any means necessary. The feline androids then merge into one giant being. A battle rages on with the people of Metropolis rooting for the Man of Steel. Lois Lane approaches Brainiac for a story, but she soon becomes his hostage. The Kryptonian A.I. demands the sphere with all of Krypton's memories. Otherwise, Lois will pay the ultimate price.

Professor Hamilton has given Superman the orb. However, the Man of Tomorrow does not intend to give it to Brainiac. He's forcing his foe to give him the thing that is the very essence of what the robotic being is - his central processing unit. Should Brainiac not do what he says, Superman will destroy the sphere. The automaton reluctantly concedes to Kal-El's demands. The Man of Steel then places the chip inside the globe, leaving Brainiac's body an empty shell that is later destroyed by Superman's heat vision.

One week has passed since Superman's battle with Brainiac. The light of Krypton's explosion has just reached Earth. Professor Hamilton tells Superman that despite the planet's demise, everything that is and was Krypton is in the orb and in Superman himself. Now, our hero is alone pondering his friend's wise words.

3Story - 3: This is one that I honestly had to think about for a couple of days before deciding on a rating. With other issues of this series, I've asked myself two questions:

1. Is the story a good one?

2. Does the story violate what's been established in episodes of Superman: The Animated Series?

The answer to first inquiry is yes, but there is a plot hole. My response to the second one is also yes.

Now, this issue itself is well written. However, I can't help but wonder about one thing. How in the name of Rao did Brainiac do all he did to create the cat robots and a new body for himself without LexCorp or even Lex Luthor himself getting wind of it? It wouldn't make sense for Lex to just sit on the sidelines and do nothing.

Let's move on to the continuity problems. This violates events that occurred in the "Blasts From The Past - Part One" and "Ghost in the Machine" episodes. Now, this was published before both had originally aired. However, the show has ended, and much of what was established in the two tales mentioned is contradicted in McCloud's script. An example of this is Hamilton's studying the orb at S.T.A.R. Labs. He acts like he's never encountered it. However, he sees it for the first time in "Blasts - Part One" when Superman shows him the Fortress of Solitude.

The plot hole mentioned earlier, and this entire comic book for that matter, pretty much spits in the face of Brainiac's return in the "Ghost" episode. I could complain until I'm blue in the face, but I'll just say that this is the main reason I gave McCloud's second effort a three. It isn't all bad. I did like the concluding scene with Hamilton and Superman. It was just far from a perfect issue.

5Art - 5: Despite problems I had with the script, I did enjoy the visuals. From start to finish, Burchett provided some incredible and dramatic artwork that is perfect for this issue and the universe of Superman: The Animated Series. The images just leap off the page.

5Cover Art - 5: This image was intense, and it made me curious about the book itself. That's what every comic cover should do in my opinion. The art was darn amazing.


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