Mild Mannered Reviews - Classic Pre-Crisis Superman Comics
Action Comics #493
Cover date: March 1979"The Metropolis UFO Connection"
Writer: Cary Bates
Penciller: Curt Swan
Inker: Frank Chiaramonte
Cover: Ross Andru And Dick Giordano
Reviewed by: James Lantz
Four red oval shapes with auras of pure yellow light are flying through the Metropolis skies. Yesterday, triangle objects had been seen in the city. The extremely fast ovals make a quick disappearance into space shortly after Clark Kent is examining them with Superman's powerful vision abilities. Unfortunately, Clark is unable to learn anything about the strange UFOs.
Clark is walking with Lois Lane into the Galaxy Broadcasting Building. Lana Lang exits just as they are about to enter. She tells Clark that Morgan Edge, the head of GBS, wants to see him. Edge is forcing Clark to take a vacation and won't take no for an answer. As Clark tells Jimmy Olsen of this, the young man feels tremendously sick. A very strong strain of flu has infected Jimmy. Now, he must be quarantined inside the GBS clinic. Clark must take his place interviewing reclusive millionaire Lyle Corliss at 3:00 this afternoon for the Daily Planet, which is owned by Galaxy Broadcasting. Jimmy makes Clark promise to take his signal watch used for calling Superman with a hypersonic sound in case the mild mannered reporter is in trouble.
Superman is patrolling Metropolis while waiting for Clark Kent's interview with Lyle Corliss. Besides a few routine crimes, all is quiet until an alien probe enters Corliss' penthouse. The unearthly sound reaches the Man of Steel's superhuman ears. This leads him to destroy the probe and save Corliss. Superman then stashes the pieces of the alien device in an alley while returning to his persona of Clark Kent.
Clark has just arrived for his interview with Lyle Corliss. He gets the shock of his life when he learns that Corliss is an alien with telepathic abilities that knows that Clark Kent is really Superman. Corliss had set up an interview with Jimmy Olsen in order to use him as bait to trap the Man of Tomorrow. It was a fortunate coincidence that Clark replaced the young man.
Corliss continues to explain his plan. The flying saucers are actually Yota Pulses, which are his race's version of Morse Code messages. He was sending them to his people, who intend to invade and use Earth as waste repository once all life on the planet has been eliminated. The probe Superman had destroyed was a data drone with which Corliss had communicated telepathically.
Lyle Corliss must now deal with Superman as he is the only one who can stop his alien race from invading Earth. Corliss does so by using a device disguised as a television to transport the Man of Tomorrow into another dimension, one where his superhuman senses have difficulty focusing. Superman has trouble concentrating until he remembers that Jimmy had given Clark Kent his signal watch. The Man of Steel follows the sound of its alarm in order to pinpoint a means of escaping.
Having now broken free of Corliss' trap, Superman defeats the alien and reprograms the Yota Pulses sent by Corliss with his X-ray vision. The Man of Steel's exposure to Corliss' technology allowed him to be able to change the messages. Now, Corliss' people believe that Earth is no longer suitable for their needs. However, they will leave Corliss on the planet in case the situation should change in the future.
Clark Kent is now visiting the recovering Jimmy Olsen in the GBS clinic. He has given the signal watch back to the young man as they both look over Clark's article unmasking Lyle Corliss as an alien invader in the Daily Planet. Just then, Perry White enters to speak with Clark. It seems that Kent's upcoming vacation will be a working one thanks to Morgan Edge, for the mild mannered reporter will be once again, at least temporarily, working for the great Metropolitan newspaper.
Story - 5: After the slight sluggishness of Superman #332, This issue was a refreshing change of pace. It's a fast, straightforward story that brings the point home to the reader. I wish more comic books were like this one.
One thing that I really liked was seeing Clark going back to the Daily Planet in the last page's lead-in for the next issue. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing Clark as a WGBS anchorman in the Julie Schwartz edited books, but I miss seeing him in the newspaper's city room with Perry, Jimmy and especially Lois.
As a whole, this particular issue's story moves like a runaway train and leaves you wanting more. I find myself growing impatient to read number 494.
Art - 5: Corliss seems to have a hair piece like Donald Trump's, except Trump's is less realistic looking. All joking aside, this comic book has some pretty strong visuals. Curt Swan's art is always great, but he seems to excel at space and science fiction elements for the Man of Steel's adventures. Swan did a stunning job with this one.
Cover Art - 5: Is it Superman Meets The Ring? No, but it is perhaps one of the most awesome covers I've ever seen. If Superman trying to escape from a television (Perhaps he heard of the Smallville version of Doomsday and just couldn't take anymore?) doesn't make you wonder what's going on in the pages within, nothing will.
Pre-Crisis Superman Comic Book Reviews
1938-1949
- Action Comics #1 (June 1938)
- Action Comics #2 (July 1938)
- Action Comics #3 (August 1938)
- Action Comics #4 (September 1938)
- Action Comics #5 (October 1938)
- Action Comics #6 (November 1938)
- Action Comics #7 (December 1938)
- Superman Archives: Volume 1 (1939)
- Superman #1 (Summer 1939)
- Action Comics #8 (January 1939)
- Action Comics #9 (February 1939)
- Action Comics #10 (March 1939)
- Superman #13 (November/December 1941) - “The Archer”
- Superman #19 (November/December 1942) - “Case of the Funny Paper Crimes”
- Action Comics #60 (May 1943) - “Lois Lane - Superwoman”
- Superman #30 (September/October 1944) - “The Mysterious Mr. Mxyztplk”
- Action Comics #80 (January 1945) - “Mr. Mxyztplk Returns”
- Superman #38 (January/February 1946) - “The Battle of the Atoms”
- Superman #42 (September/October 1946) - “The Death of Clark Kent”
- Superman #45 (March/April 1947) - “Lois Lane, Superwoman”
- Superman #53 (July 1948) - “The Origin of Superman”
- Action Comics #124 (September 1948) - “A Superman of Doom”
- Superman #60 (December 1949/January 1950) - “The Two Identities of Superman” & “Superman Fights the Super-Brain”
1950-1959
- Superman #76 (May/June 1952) - “The Mightiest Team in the World”
- Superman #80 (January/February 1953) - “Superman's Lost Brother”
- Superman 3D (1953) - “The Man Who Stole the Sun”, “Origin of Superman” and “The Man Who Bossed Superman”
- Superman #87 (February 1954) - “The Prankster's Greatest Role”
- Superman #88 (March 1954) - “The Terrible Trio”
- Superman #89 (May 1954) - “Captain Kent the Terrible”, “Superman of Skid Row”, and “One Hour to Doom!”
- Superman #91 (August 1954) - “The Superman Stamp” and “Great Caesar's Ghost”
- World's Finest #88 (May/June 1957) - “Superman and Batman's Greatest Foes”
- Superman #115 (August 1957) - “The Midget Superman!”
- Superboy #65 (May/June 1958) - “The Amazing Adventures of Krypto Mouse”
- Action Comics #242 (July 1958) - “The Super-Duel in Space”
- Superman #123 (August 1958) - “The Girl of Steel”
- Superman #127 (February 1959) - “Titano the Super Ape”
- Action Comics #252 (May 1959) - “The Menace of Metallo” and “The Supergirl From Krypton”
- Superman #129 (May 1959) - “The Girl in Superman's Past”
- Superman #130 (July 1959) - “The Curse of Kryptonite!”, “The Super-Servant of Crime!”, and “The Town that Hated Superman!”
- Jimmy Olsen #40 (October 1959) - “Jimmy Olsen, Supergirl's Pal”
1960-1969
- Superman #134 (January 1960) - “The Super-Menace of Metropolis”
- Jimmy Olsen #42 (January 1960) - “The Big Superman Movie!”, “Perry White, Cub Reporter!”, and “Jimmy the Genie!”
- Jimmy Olsen #44 (April 1960) - “The Wolf-Man of Metropolis”
- Adventure Comics #271 (April 1960) - “How Luthor Met Superboy”
- Jimmy Olsen #46 (July 1960) - “Jimmy Olsen, Orphan”
- Superman #141 (November 1960) - “Superman's Return To Krypton”
- Superboy #85 (December 1960) - “The Impossible Mission”
- Jimmy Olsen #51 (March 1961) - “The Girl with Green Hair”
- Jimmy Olsen #52 (April 1961) - “Jimmy Olsen, Wolf-Man”
- Superboy #89 (June 1961) - “Superboy's Big Brother!”
- Action Comics #279 (August 1961) - “The Super-Rivals”
- Superman #147 (August 1961) - “The Legion of Super Villains”
- Superman #149 (November 1961) - “The Death of Superman!”
- Jimmy Olsen #57 (December 1961) - “Jimmy Olsen Marries Supergirl”
- Superman #155 (August 1962) - “Superman Under the Green Sun” and “The Downfall of Superman”
- Justice League of America #13 (August 1962) - “Riddle of the Robot Justice League”
- World's Finest #129 (November 1962) - “Joker-Luthor, Incorporated”
- Superman #158 (January 1963) - “Superman in Kandor”
- Superman #160 (April 1963) - “The Mortal Superman”
- Superman #161 (May 1963) - “The Last Days of Ma and Pa Kent”
- Superman #162 (July 1963) - “The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman-Blue”
- Superman #163 (August 1963) - “Wonder-Man, the New Hero of Metropolis” and “The Goofy Superman”
- Justice League of America #21 & #22 (August/September 1963) - “Crisis on Earth-One!” and “Crisis on Earth-Two!”
- Superman #164 (October 1963) - “The Showdown Between Luthor and Superman”
- Superman #165 (November 1963) - “The Sweetheart Superman Forgot”
- Superman #166 (January 1964) - “The Fantastic Story of Superman's Sons”
- Superman #167 (February 1964) - “The Team of Luthor and Brainiac”
- Superman #168 (April 1964) - “Luthor - Super Hero” and “Lex Luthor, Daily Planet Editor”
- Superman #169 (May 1964) - “The Man Who Stole Superman's Secret Life”
- Action Comics #314 (July 1964) - “The Day Superman Became The Flash”
- Justice League of America #29 & #30 (August/September 1964) - “Crisis on Earth-Three!” and “The Most Dangerous Earth of All!”
- Superman #173 (November 1964) - “The Triumph of Luthor and Brainiac”
- Action Comics #318 (November 1964) - “The Death of Luthor”
- Action Comics #319 (December 1964) - “The Condemned Superman”
- Superman #175 (February 1965) - “Clark Kent's Brother”
- Superman #181 (November 1965) - “The Superman of 2965”
- The Legion of Super-Heroes - Archives Volume 4 (1965)
- Superman #184 (February 1966) - “The Demon Under the Red Sun”
- Action Comics #338 (June 1966) - “Muto - Monarch of Menace”
- Action Comics #339 (July 1966) - “Muto versus The Man of Tomorrow”
- Superman #189 (August 1966) - “Krypton Lives Again”
- Action Comics #346 (February 1967) - “The Man Who Sold Insurance to Superman” and “The Case of the Superman Imposter”
- Superman #194 (February 1967) - “The Death of Lois Lane”
- Superman #196 (May 1967) - “The Star of Steel”
- Superman #199 (January 1967) - “Superman's Race With The Flash”
- Superman #200 (October 1967) - “Super-Brother Against Super-Brother”
- The Flash #175 (December 1967) - “Race to the End of the Universe”
- Justice League of America #63 (June 1968) - “Time Signs a Death Warrant for the Justice League”
- Superman #211 (November 1968) - “The Name of the Game is Superman!”
- Superman #215 (April 1969) - “Lois LaneŠ DeadŠ Yet Alive”
1970-1979
- Superman #224 (February 1970) - “Beware the Super-Genius Baby”
- Action Comics #393 (October 1970) - “Superman Meets Super-Houdini!” and “The Day Superboy Became Superman!”
- Jimmy Olsen #133 (October 1970) - “The Newsboy Legion”
- Action Comics #394 (November 1970) - “Midas of Metropolis” and “Requiem for a Hot Rod!”
- World's Finest #198 (November 1970) - “Race to Save the Universe!”
- Action Comics #395 (December 1970) - “The Secrets of Superman's Fortress” and “The Credit Card of Catastrophe”
- Jimmy Olsen #134 (December 1970) - “The Mountain of Judgement!”
- World's Finest #199 (December 1970) - “A Race to Save Time!”
- Superman #233 (January 1971) - “Superman Breaks Loose!”
- Jimmy Olsen #135 (January 1971) - “The Evil Factory!”
- Superman #234 (February 1971) - “How to Tame a Wild Volcano”
- Jimmy Olsen #136 (February 1971) - “The Saga of the D.N.Aliens”
- Superman #235 (March 1971) - “The Sinister Scream of the Devil's Harp”
- Superman #236 (April 1971) - “Planet of the Angels” and “The Doomsayer”
- Jimmy Olsen #137 (April 1971) - “The Four-Armed Terror!”
- Superman #237 (May 1971) - “The Enemy of Earth”
- Superman #238 (June 1971) - “Menace at 1000 Degrees”
- Jimmy Olsen #138 (June 1971) - “The Big Boom!!”
- Superman #240 (July 1971) - “To Save a Superman”
- Jimmy Olsen #139 (July 1971) - “The Guardian Fights Again!!!”
- Superman #241 (August 1971) - “The Shape of Fear”
- Superman #242 (September 1971) - “The Ultimate Battle”
- Jimmy Olsen #141 (September 1971) - “Will the Real Don Rickles Panic?!?”
- Jimmy Olsen #142 (October 1971) - “The Man from Transilvane!”
- Jimmy Olsen #143 (November 1971) - “Genocide Spray”
- Jimmy Olsen #144 (December 1971) - “A Big Thing in a Deep Scottish Lake!”
- Superman #247 (January 1972) - “Must There Be A Superman”
- Jimmy Olsen #145 (January 1972) - “Brigadoom!”
- Jimmy Olsen #146 (February 1972) - “Homo-Disastrous!”
- Jimmy Olsen #147 (March 1972) - “A Superman in Super-Town!”
- Jimmy Olsen #148 (April 1972) - “Monarch of All He Subdues!”
- Superman #292 (October 1975) - “The Luthor Nobody Knows!”
- Action Comics #458 (April 1976) - “Make Me a Super-Hero!” and “Masquerade of the Nutty Kid!”
- Superman vs. Muhammad Ali (Spring 1978)
- Action Comics #484 (June 1978) - “Superman Takes a Wife!”
- Superman #328 (October 1978) - “Attack of the Kryptonoid”
- Action Comics #489 (November 1978) - “Krypton Dies Again” and “Where There's a Will... There's a Fray”
- Superman #329 (November 1978) - “I Have Met The Enemy... And He Is Me!” and “The Secret of the Talking Car”
- Superman #330 (December 1978) - “The Master Mesmerizer of Metropolis!”
- Action Comics #490 (December 1978) - “No Tomorrow For Superman”
- Action Comics #491 (January 1979) - “A Matter of Light and Death”
- Superman #331 (January 1979) - “Lockup at 20,000 Feet”
- Action Comics #492 (February 1979) - “Superman's Secret Afterlife”
- Superman #332 (February 1979) - “The Eternity Cage”
- Action Comics #493 (March 1979) - “The Metropolis UFO Connection”
- Action Comics #494 (April 1979) - “The Secret of the Super S”
- Action Comics #495 (May 1979) - “Attack of the Ultimate Warrior”
- DC Comics Presents #14 (October 1979) - “Judge, Jury... and No Justice!”
- The Superman Story (1979) - “The Life Story of Superman”
1980-1986
- DC Comics Presents #57 (May 1983) - “Days of Future Past”
- DC Comics Presents #67 (March 1984) - “'Twas the Fright Before Christmas”
- DC Comics Presents Annual #3 (1984) - “With One Magic Word”
- Superman: The Secret Years #1 (February 1985) - “Dreams and Schemes and Feeling Proud!”
- Superman: The Secret Years #2 (March 1985) - “Reach Out and Touch”
- Superman: The Secret Years #3 (April 1985) - “Terminus”
- DC Comics Presents #80 (April 1985) - “A World Full of Supermen!”
- Superman: The Secret Years #4 (May 1985) - “Beyond Terminus”
- DC Comics Presents #85 (September 1985) - “The Jungle Line”
- Superman Annual #11 (1985) - “For The Man Who Has Everything”
- World's Finest #323 (January 1986) - “Afraid of the Dark”
- DC Comics Presents #97 (September 1986) - “Phantom Zone: The Final Chapter”
- Superman #423 & Action Comics #583 (September 1986) - “Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow?”
Compilation Volumes
- Showcase Presents: Superman Family - Volume 1 (October 2005)
- Superman/Batman: Saga of the Super Sons (December 2007)
Miscellaneous
- Not Brand ECHH #7 (April 1967) - “The Origin of Stuporman”
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