Mild Mannered Reviews – Superman ’78 #6

Superman ’78 #6 [of 6]

Scheduled to arrive in stores: January 25, 2022
Cover date: March 2022

“Brainiac” – Chapter 6

Writers: Robert Venditti
Artist: Wilfredo Torres
Cover: Mikel Janin
Variant Cover: Rafa Sandoval and Alejandro Sanchez

Reviewed by: Marc Lax

Brainiac taunts Superman while they fight aboard his ship. He asks why Superman protects Earth when there is no good in the world and the world only gets worse. Superman tells him when he landed he was taken in by a kindly couple. They taught him there is good in the world. Brainiac asks what can he do he’s only one man. No he tells him he’s Superman! With that Superman finishes his fight leaving Brainiac’s robotic body all but crushed.

With the destruction of Brainiac his ship is ready to detonate. Quickly Superman grabs all the bottled cities and escapes. Just then Brainiac’s consciousness reverts to a new body but it’s too late… the ship explodes. That’s the good news. The bad news is that with the ship destroyed the city of Metropolis drops through the sky like an anchor shaking up the people of the great city. But as we might have guessed Superman saves the day, setting the city back on the ground! The people rejoice as Superman and Lois have a private moment.

The next day in the city room of the Daily Planet, Lois gets the story of the century while Clark tells Perry he couldn’t get the story because when the city started shaking he got hit in the head with his cuckoo clock. (Sigh!) After Lois tells them Lex fled and the military confiscated his equipment, Perry puts Clark on the story with Lois who nicely packed them each a lunch. Peanut butter and pickles. Sounds delicious.

Back at the Fortress of Solitude Superman apologizes for being unable to enlarge the bottled cities. Jor-El and Lara tell hm they have faith because he’s given them hope.

Story – 5: While I’ve been slightly critical with this series, it truly goes out with a bang. The issue itself was fun and exciting and puts a bow on the Brainiac story. The bottled cities are saved and Brainiac is no more. For now.

Superman worked a lot of his muscles saving the city from pure destruction but that’s why they call him Superman. In all I think this was a great series! A little too many Easter eggs and inside jokes that referenced the movies but when you’re telling a story based on a beloved movie there have to be a few surprises.

Seeing as how we never got a comic book adaptation of the first two movies ( thank you Mr Puzo!) this book, while it may not be a proper adaptation, comes close. It leaves some loose ends so I think (hope) it may continue. And if it does I’ll be waiting with excitement. This series rates a solid 4.

Art – 4: As with the previous issues Torres does a great job interpreting these characters. It’s not perfect and while there were times the art itself was a bit off I’m giving the art a 4 all around.

Cover Art – 5: Janin gives us a classic Superman vs Brainiac fight right out of the Bronze Age.

Variant Cover Art – 4: Superman’s face is kind of hard in this drawing but the whole cover itself is a great “Superman is coming at you” image.

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