_______________________________________________________________ T H E K R Y P T O N I A N C Y B E R N E T Issue #19 - November 1995 _______________________________________________________________ CONTENTS -------- Section 1: Superscripts: Notes from the Editor News and Notes The Fleischer Cartoons Episode 12, "Eleventh Hour", by Neil Ottenstein With a Little Help From My Friends... Maggie Sawyer, by Denes House And Who Disguised As... The Not-So-Great Superman Book, by J.D. Rummel Section 2: Superman 1995 The Comic Year in Review, an index compiled by Jeff Sykes Section 3: Reviews The "Triangle" Titles Action Comics #716, by William J. Nixon Superman: The Man of Steel #51, by Arthur LaMarche Superman #107, by Ken McKee Section 4: Reviews The "Triangle" Titles (cont) Adventures of Superman #530, by Anatole Wilson Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #3, by Rene' Gobeyn Other Super-Titles Superboy #22, by Victor Chan Steel #22, by Dick Sidbury Section 5: Reviews Other Super-Titles (cont) Showcase '95 #12, by Arthur LaMarche The New Titans #128, by Rene' Gobeyn Specials Doomsday Annual #1, by Rene' Gobeyn Superman: The Man of Steel Gallery #1, by Arthur LaMarche The Mailbag Section 6: After-Byrne Action Comics #650, by Ben Marlin "The Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite" Part 1: Superman #49, by Mark Lamutt Coming Attractions Guess who's popping in for January's "Guest-Star Month"!? Section 7: The Phantom Zone "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" Part 2: Action Comics #583, by Jenny Stosser The Silver Age Superman The Super-Brat from Krypton, by Bill Morse Section 8: Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Dancing in the Dark Lois and Clark certainly haven't made it this far because of their experience. Zoomway looks at Lois' side of things this month. Episode Reviews #3-04: "When Irish Eyes Are Killing" #3-05: "Just Say Noah" Reviewed by Patrick Stout EDITORIAL STAFF: --------------- Jeffery D. Sykes, Editor-in-Chief Arthur E. LaMarche, Executive Editor of Reviews Joe Crowe Curtis Herink D.M. Simms Shane Travis Steven Younis LEGAL DISCLAIMERS: ----------------- Superman and all related characters, locations, and events are copyright and trademark DC Comics. Use of the aforementioned is not intended to challenge said ownership. We strongly suggest that each reader look to the media sources mentioned within for further infor- mation. Opinions presented within this issue belong to the authors of the articles which contain them. They should in no way be construed as those of any other particular member of the editorial or contributing staff, unless otherwise indicated. This magazine should be distributed freely via e-mail. Should you desire to share this publication with other on-line services, please contact me at sykes@ms.uky.edu for permission. Feel free to advertise subscription information on other on-line services which have internet mail availability. THE KRYPTONIAN CYBERNET is available by e-mail -- to subscribe, send the commands subscribe kc
end in the body of an e-mail message to "lists@phoenix.creighton.edu" (without the quotation marks). Replace the
field with your INTERNET e-mail address. The program ignores the subject line of the message. Back issues are available via ftp at acm-ftp.creighton.edu and at ftp.hiof.no. Archives are also reachable via the Kryptonian Cybernet Homepage (http://www.ms.uky.edu/~sykes/kc). _______________________________________________________________ SUPERSCRIPTS: Notes from the Editor ------------------------------------ NEWS AND NOTES: KC SUBSCRIPTION COUNT We've picked up nearly 100 new subscribers since last month, bringing our total subscribership to around 1300! Keep spreading the word -- let everyone know about KC! GO GET 'EM FEDS! According to a recent issue of COMIC SHOP NEWS, the Justice Department has reported that it plans to launch an anti-trust investigation into the newsprint industry. The reason? The massive increases in paper prices over the past year and a half! Need I add that these increases are the primary factor behind the last wave of comic book price hikes? FEEL THE (AFTER-)BYRNE After a long hiatus, Mark Lamutt returns to the Kryptonian Cybernet with his regular post-Byrne reviews! Beginning this month, one of the most popular post-Byrne arcs, "The Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite!" In addition, new writer Ben Marlin regales us with his views on a big Supes anniversary issue: ACTION COMICS #650! MORE SUPERMAN REBORN Nuke has an interview with Jonathan Lemkin, the screenwriter for SUPERMAN REBORN. You can check it out by pointing your web browser at http://www.nuke.com/cgi-bin/addin/moviesc/features/superman.htm THE 1995 KAYCEES! In the interest of getting this issue out before Thanksgiving, I decided to leave out the Kaycees award ballot from this issue. I have included the promised review of this year's comics, but the ballot will be sent out in a separate mailing next week. So this gives you a chance to digest all that turkey and contemplate the best and worst aspects of the Man of Steel's 1995. In addition to the comic awards, which will be pared down slightly from last year's categories, I plan on adding a few categories for LOIS AND CLARK. So all of you L&C fans should start thinking of your favorite parts of the second season! If you have a particular category suggestion, send it to me ASAP. I probably won't use everything, since I want to keep the number of awards controllable, but remember that we will have the write-in awards again. As always, enjoy the new issue, and I'll see you back here in another month! Jeff Sykes Editor, The Kryptonian Cybernet _______________________________________________________________ THE FLEISCHER CARTOONS: ---------------------- by Neil A. Ottenstein (otten@quark.umd.edu) Episode 12: "Eleventh Hour" Released: 11-20-42 Running Time: 7:58 minutes Faster than a streak of lightning More powerful than the pounding surf Mightier than a roaring hurricane The scene is Yokohama, Japan. In the shipyard, ships are in various stages of construction and preparing to be sent out into the war. A clock tower ticks. We see a ship being taken from the yard and being sunk. Search lights have now been turned on. Behind a girder is Superman. He flies to a room and changes into Clark Kent. Lois, hearing all the noise, asks Clark what he thinks is going on. He suggests, "Sabotage, ... I hope." "Me, too," responds Lois. She wonders whether Superman might be around. More troops are on alert. The clock tower strikes, signaling the eleventh hour. Clark changes into Superman, pulls the iron bars away from the window of his room, and flies out. He sinks a tanker into the sea. There are scenes of more and more destruction taking place after the eleventh hour on various days. The Japanese are quite upset about the destruction. Lois watches from a window. Thinking that Clark is in the next room, she tells Clark, "It is Superman, swell(?) chance they have of catching him." Just then soldiers break into her room and take her away. A poster is put up in places: "Warning! Superman. One more act of sabotage and the American girl reporter will be executed at once!" Superman is out destroying another ship. He makes a mistake and is buried by a load of girders.... There are drumbeats and we see Lois being taken to her execution. Superman starts getting out from the girders and sees the poster on one of them. The signal is given to fire. Superman appears in front of Lois, deflecting the bullets. He fights the soldiers and takes her away. The scene changes to various reporters talking to Lois. She is asked "how does it feel to be home?" and whether Clark got away as well. Lois says that Superman promised to take care of Clark. We see a clock tower in the US and then the one in Yokohama. It is striking 11 again. There is more destruction to the Japanese weapons of war. This cartoon is my least favorite of the whole batch of cartoons. This is because it is overtly a war cartoon. I really couldn't quite see Superman doing what he does here. Still, even though I didn't like the story, the animation was still as great as ever. The shot of Superman hiding behind a girder goes by very fast. If you are not watching carefully, you might miss it. The scene of Lois being taken to her execution is the best in the cartoon. All we see at first are just the shadows of her and the soldiers. Next we see her legs and her full body shadow looking very large against the wall. It is all very powerful. Just a note for this season's Lois and Clark watchers - this is definitely another case of Lois being in danger because Clark is Superman. The two Fleischer Superman cartoon volumes are available directly from Bosko Video or from anyone who carries high quality animation. A catalog is available from Bosko Video 3802 East Cudahy Ave. Cudahy WI 53110-1234 _______________________________________________________________ "WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS..." --------------------------------------- a column about the Supporting Cast in the Superman Family of Books by Denes House (dhouse@itsmail1.hamilton.edu) ================================================== This month, we will take a look at a character that views Superman as a colleague. That's right, not *Clark Kent* as a colleague, but Superman. Along the way, she has become a crucial and interesting supporting character in her own right. INSPECTOR MARGARET SAWYER ========================= a.k.a. "Maggie" In Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' epic mini-series WATCHMEN, which examines the impact costumed vigilantes would have on a more-or-less realistically portrayed world, the New York City Police force went on strike to protest the disruption these vigilantes were having on their jobs. This strike eventually led to most of the vigilantes retiring and fading out of sight. Primarily, Moore wrote this sub-plot to show how unrealistically police departments were being portrayed in comics, as open-armed welcomers of vigilantism. After all, vigilantes are against the law, and if they are as successful as they are in the DC Universe, the police would have little to do. Maggie Sawyer represents the skeptical, tough, fair middle ground. In addition, she fleshes out an important side of the Superman supporting cast. Maggie relates primarily to Superman, not Clark Kent. This is an important distinction, as the majority of the cast relates to both personae, but chiefly to Clark Kent. After all, Superman is an almost godlike figure. While one can joke about being "Superman's Pal," Superman belongs to the world. Clark Kent is the one who can be known as friend. Maggie Sawyer, as the head of Metropolis' Special Crimes Unit (SCU), sees Superman as a colleague. Admittedly a Super-powered colleague, but a colleague nonetheless. Maggie Sawyer started her career in the Chicago police force, where she eventually married Captain James Sawyer. Their marriage was a rocky one, with intense fighting on both sides, and Maggie felt unfulfilled. Maggie decided that perhaps a baby would fill the void and bring the marriage together. Their daughter, Jamie Sawyer, did indeed help heal the rifts...for a time. Eventually, Maggie discovered that one chief reason her marriage was difficult was that she was a lesbian. When James found out, he was furious. A divorce ensued, and James got custody of Jamie. Maggie, devastated, moved to Metropolis to start her career anew. Fortunately for Maggie, her arrival in Metropolis virtually coincided with the arrival of a more colorful protector, Superman. Metropolis became besieged by a passel of super-powered villains, for which the regular police force and even the SWAT team, led by Captain Regan, were ill-equipped to handle. Through an adventure early in Superman's career, Maggie crossed paths with the Man of Steel, Captain Regan, Inspector Dan "Terrible" Turpin and Inspector Bill Henderson. It was due in part to Turpin's suggestion, and over Regan's objections, that the police commissioner decided to create a new Special Crimes Unit with Captain Maggie Sawyer at its head. Maggie's relationship with Superman was strengthened when her daughter Jamie ran away from home to find her mommy. Jamie was kidnapped by the demonic Skyhook, and Maggie enlisted Superman's aid. During the rescue, a personal bond was formed between the two that endures. They are colleagues, and they are friends. Maggie demonstrated absolute trust of Superman during that adventure - the quality that most characterizes deep friendship. During the "Funeral for a Friend" storyline, Bill Henderson became police commissioner, and gave Maggie a promotion to Inspector. Maggie is almost unique as a character in comics, as she is a lesbian portrayed with feelings and a definite character. She trusts Superman, but does not let her trust interfere with her job; if she thinks The Man of Steel has crossed the line, she lets him know, and does not hesitate to bring the SCU down on him. She did not immediately believe the authenticity of Superman on his return from the dead, but waited for proof of his genuineness. She cares for the members of her Unit, and was sensitive to Dan Turpin's feelings when he became attracted to her. John Byrne took a tremendous risk introducing Maggie Sawyer as a lesbian during the second year of the "revamped" Superman's adventures. At that point, there was no Rainmaker from GEN 13, and even Northstar, another Byrne creation, had not been "outed." Maggie Sawyer is, first of all, a character with a definite personality. Regardless of one's personal feelings on lesbianism or homosexuality, you must admit that she is tough-as-nails, loyal and a consummate professional. Her model for SCU's has been picked up in cities throughout the DCU (see David Chappell's column last month). Superman respects her as a colleague and as a person, and it is not hard to see why. _______________________________________________________________ And Who Disguised As... ---------------------------------- A Column of Opinion by J.D. Rummel (rummel@phoenix.creighton.edu) The Not-So-Great Superman Book When the first Superman movie came out almost twenty years ago, it was the subject of what was then the most expensive publicity campaign in Hollywood history. Among the Burger King glasses, magazine covers, and other tie-ins was the third volume in DC comics' encyclopedia series. Written by Michael Fleisher, volumes one and two covered Batman and Wonder Woman. The third, called THE GREAT SUPERMAN BOOK, attempted to catalog the vast array of characters and history of the Man of Steel. The effort in each case was gigantic, and to help accomplish his purpose, DC opened its considerable library to Fleisher. A soft cover book with a Neal Adams' rendition of Superman on the front, TGSB lists loads of information from the pre-Byrne Superman mythos. In the plus column, the biographical examination of Superman is first rate. Discussing the psychology of Superman/Kent, it details some of the truly bizarre developments, including incidents where Superman apparently regards Kent as a separate entity, actually showing disdain for his other identity. For the Lois and Clark fans there is a look at the romance between the two, detailing the evolution from the extremely odd beginnings, to the no less odd sixties, and even some brief touching upon the relationship in the seventies. However, TGSB claims to be "The complete encyclopedia of the folk hero of America", and while Fleisher succeeds in amassing both established portions of the legend as well as copiously documenting lots of fascinating minutiae, TGSB is ultimately very disappointing. While no one could expect it to be truly complete (it is, after all, trying to write the history of an ongoing concern) it has many sloppy omissions. Published in '78 the book overlooks significant events in both the sixties and seventies. Details such as Black Zero's destruction of Krypton, the elimination of green K, and significant characters from Kirby's time at DC are all completely ignored. Although it does offer extensive information from the early years, it still fails to mention interesting departures from the established legend, such as the forties' Superman's ability to change his shape (Anybody remember the issue where a visitor from another dimension comes collecting specimens for his world and kidnaps some of our celebrities? In it, Supes alters his shape to that of the alien traveler in order to carry out his rescue plan). The book does contain many artists' renderings of Superman throughout the years, but all are black and white. A color section, or more elegantly, a selection of color renderings and photos from other media, such as TV would have been nice. Also, some kind of index would have been nice. After the Z's you get to stare at the back cover. Another great failure is the lack of accreditation. It has only been recently that the wonderful creators of this legend have gotten even a piece of their due. This text would have been a true encyclopedia if under Swan we could see some basic information on one of the great Superman artists, or under Hamilton we could learn more about the SF writer that framed some of Supes' most imaginative adventures. Because of the many omissions and lack of scope, this is not for someone seeking a true encyclopedia, but it is interesting reading, especially if one is seeking to learn about the pre-Byrne Superman. I doubt that it is available anywhere except used bookstores and garage sales, however. Good luck in finding it. Away. _______________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 1 _______________________________________________________________ SUPERMAN 1995 ------------- The Comic Year In Review! An index compiled by Jeff Sykes Here it is gang -- a nearly complete list of the DC comic books which either featured or guest-starred the Superman family in 1995. Every book I bought is on here, but there were a couple of books that I didn't get and wasn't able to find the information. If you can provide any of the missing bits of information below, please contact me. Note that when creative teams are given below, the three slots usually correspond to (Writer, Penciller, Inker) or (Writer, Layouts, Finishes). Two slots usually correspond to (Writer, Artist) -- as in SUPERMAN: KAL -- or (Writer/Penciller, Inker) -- as in several of the Jurgens issues of SUPERMAN. For more specific information, see the respective issues. For next year's index, I plan on being more specific with these credits. Cover art information is given separately. Anyway, here we go: THE TRIANGLE TITLES ------------------- ACT = Action Comics ADV = Adventures of Superman SUP = Superman MOS = Superman: The Man of Steel MOT = Superman: The Man of Tomorrow 1 - MOS 40 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke & Joe Rubinstein) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke DEAD AGAIN - Brainiac escapes New Genesis, Superman battles brain beasts, Babe's bloodlust increases 2 - SUP 96 (Dan Jurgens, Dick Giordano) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Brett Breeding DEAD AGAIN - Virtual reality battles, Brainiac reveals himself 3 - ADV 519 (Karl Kesel, Barry Kitson, Mike Manley) Cover by Barry Kitson & Ray McCarthy DEAD AGAIN - Superman versus Superman and Brainiac 4 - ACT 706 (David Michelinie, Jackson Guice, Denis Rodier) Cover by Jackson Guice Supergirl versus farm equipment in Smallville 5 - MOS 41 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Klaus Janson) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke Lock has lost control of vortex, Babe attacks Jimmy 6 - SUP 97 (Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Brett Breeding) Superman delivers a baby, ShadowDragon steals Superman data from STAR Labs 7 - ADV 520 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan 100 criminals strike on Christmas Eve 8 - ACT 707 (David Michelinie, Jackson Guice, Denis Rodier) Cover by Jackson Guice and Brett Breeding Superman versus ShadowDragon, Serial killer strikes again 9 - MOS 42 (Louise Simonson, Michal Dutkiewicz, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke Lock and Babe banish her vampire and close the vortex 10 - SUP 98 (Dan Jurgens, Joe Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Brett Breeding Superman learns what changed the Toyman into a psychotic killer 11 - ADV 521 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Superman, Thorn, & the Riot Grrrls versus a drug lord 12 - ACT 708 (David Michelinie, Jackson Guice, Denis Rodier) Cover by Jackson Guice Superman and Mister Miracle combat the traps of Deathtrap 13 - MOS 43 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke Big Barda helps Superman and Mister Miracle escape Deathtrap 14 - SUP 99 (Dan Jurgens, Gil Kane, Josef Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein Superman and Agent Liberty face Arclight in Washington DC 15 - ADV 522 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr Superman and other heroes rebuild Metropolis after Zero Hour 16 - ACT 709 (David Michelinie, Jackson Guice, Denis Rodier) Cover by Jackson Guice Superman tries to control Guy Gardner, serial killer captured 17 - MOS 44 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Prologue - Clark discovers that Conduit *knows* 18 - SUP 100 (Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding & Josef Rubinstein) Direct Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein Newsstand Cover by Dan Jurgens & Brett Breeding THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Part 1 - Conduit kidnaps Jimmy, blows up the Ross's house, and threatens the Kents 19 - ADV 523 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Part 2 - Superman protects the Kents from Conduit's goons 20 - ACT 710 (David Michelinie, Jackson Guice, Denis Rodier) Cover by Jackson Guice THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Part 3 - While Superman is distracted by Metallo, Conduit's goons go after Lois (Price increase to $1.95/issue begins) 21 - MOS 45 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Part 4 - As Clark fights Conduit's robots, he comes to believe that all of his loved ones have been killed 22 - SUP 101 (Dan Jurgens, Gil Kane, Josef Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Part 5 - Lois begins to search for the Kents, and Clark and his parents go into hiding. 23 - ADV 524 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Part 6 - Superman reveals himself to make a rescue, Shadowdragon tries to hinder Conduit 24 - ACT 711 (David Michelinie, Jackson Guice, Denis Rodier) Cover by Jackson Guice THE DEATH OF CLARK KENT: Part 7 - Superman defeats Conduit 25 - MOS 46 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke Superman cleans up Pipeline and reunites with his parents. 26 - SUP 102 (Dan Jurgens, Gil Kane, Josef Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein Superman/Black Adam fights Captain Marvel/Cyborg 27 - ADV 525 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr Superman reunites with Lois, who convinces him to be Clark. 28 - MOT 1 (Roger Stern, Tom Grummett, Brett Breeding) Cover by Tom Grummett & Brett Breeding Superman returns to Metropolis and Lex Luthor is revived! 29 - ACT 712 (David Michelinie, Kieron Dwyer, Denis Rodier) Cover by Kieron Dwyer & Denis Rodier Superman rescues Jimmy from Conduit's traps. 30 - MOS 47 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke Perry and Franklin Stern recall their fight with the Aryan Brotherhood. 31 - SUP 103 (Dan Jurgens, Gil Kane, Joe Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein Superman faces Arclight again, and Jimmy quits the Daily Planet! 32 - ADV 526 (Karl Kesel, Rodolfo DaMaggio, Klaus Janson) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr The original Bloodsport versus the racist Bloodsport. 33 - ACT 713 (David Michelinie, Kieron Dwyer, Denis Rodier) Cover by Kieron Dwyer & Denis Rodier Superman battles Saviour, who now has terrifying new powers 34 - MOS 48 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke Superman and Aquaman battle mutated sea monsters 35 - SUP 104 (Dan Jurgens, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Joe Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein Superman travels to Apokolips, Darkseid releases the Cyborg 36 - ADV 527 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr The Alpha Centurion arrives in Metropolis 37 - ACT 714 (David Michelinie, Kieron Dwyer, Denis Rodier) Cover by Kieron Dwyer & Denis Rodier The Joker returns to Metropolis, angered about a new line of Joker toys 38 - MOS 49 (Louise Simonson, Paul Pelletier, Terry Austin) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke Superman rescues Keith from Skyhook 39 - SUP 105 (Dan Jurgens, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Joe Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein Superman and Green Lantern battle Psi-Phon and Dreadnaught 40 - ADV 528 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr An alien bounty-hunter arrives in Metropolis to apprehend Superman 41 - MOT 2 (Roger Stern, Tom Grummett, Brett Breeding) Cover by Tom Grummett & Brett Breeding Superman tries to recapture Luthor, Alpha Centurion begins working for the Contessa 42 - ACT 715 (David Michelinie, Gil Kane, Denis Rodier) Cover by Kieron Dwyer & Denis Rodier Superman gets drained by Doc Parasite 43 - MOS 50 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dennis Janke) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 1 - Superman is taken by the Tribunal and charged with the destruction of Krypton 44 - SUP 106 (Dan Jurgens, Ron Frenz, Joe Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 2 - The charges are explained, Superman watches Massacre's sentence be "executed" 45 - ADV 529 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 3 - Superman escapes the Tribunal, Alpha Centurion organizes a rescue squad 46 - ACT 716 (David Michelinie, Kieron Dwyer, Denis Rodier) Cover by Kieron Dwyer & Denis Rodier THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 4 - Superman and his "gang" seek refuge, rescue squad begins search 47 - MOS 51 (Louise Simonson, Jon Bogdanove, Dick Giordano) Cover by Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 5 - Superman and company meet up with space pirates, Centurion abandons others 48 - SUP 107 (Dan Jurgens, Ron Frenz, Josef Rubinstein) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Josef Rubinstein THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 6 - Supes meets Tolos and his bottled city, Cyborg pummels the rescue squad 49 - ADV 530 (Karl Kesel, Stuart Immonen, Jose Marzan Jr) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Jose Marzan Jr THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 7, UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED - Hellgrammite vs. the SCU, Superboy confronts Alpha Centurion 50 - MOT 3 (Roger Stern, Tom Grummett, Brett Breeding) Cover by Tom Grummett & Brett Breeding THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 8, UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED - The secret of Luthor's recovery, Superman and Mope face another sorcerer SUPERMAN ANNUALS ---------------- MOS #4 - Louise Simonson, John Paul Leon, Dennis Janke Cover by Walt Simonson Superman's first meetings with members of JLA SUP #7 - Roger Stern, Chris Gossett, Pascoe & Woch Cover by Walt Simonson Superman's first meeting with Dr. Occult & magic ADV #7 - Karl Kesel, Ron Wagner, Josef Rubinstein Cover by Walt Simonson Superman's first meeting with Intergang, origin of the SCU ACT #7 - David Michelinie, Darick Robertson, Brad Vancata Cover by Walt Simonson Superman's first outer space adventure, limitations SUPERBOY -------- 11 - Eddie Berganza, Tom Grummett, Dan Davis Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel A Superboy impersonator dies, Superboy fights in Virtual Reality (Techno) 12 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel Superboy versus School Board, Copperhead 13 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel WATERY GRAVE: Part 1 - Suicide Squad assembles (Knockout, Sidearm, Deadshot, King Shark, Captain Boomerang) 14 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood & Stan Woch Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel WATERY GRAVE: Part 2 - Team is split, Superboy captured 15 - Karl Kesel, Kevin West, Dan Davis & Ande Parks Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel WATERY GRAVE: Part 3 - Boomerang is traitor, Dragons defeated 16 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood & Dave Bednar & Stan Woch Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel Superboy starts school, battles Loose Cannon 17 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel Superboy goes to Vegas in search of Roxy, battles Neon 18 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel Superboy battles a lead-poisoned Lar Gand (aka Valor) 19 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel Superboy battles Knockout and races to help the dying Valor 20 - Eddie Berganza, Darryl Banks & Joe St Pierre, Doug Hazlewood & Dave Bednar Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel Superboy and Green Lantern search the Silicon Dragons' destroyed lair 21 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Doug Hazlewood Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel FUTURE TENSE: Part 1 (of 3) - The Legion of Super-Heroes arrives to enlist Superboy's aid in rescuing Valor 22 - Karl Kesel, Tom Grummett, Dan Davis Cover by Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED - Superboy and Knockout vs Killer Frost Annual #2 Karl & Barbara Kesel, David Brewer, Ande Parks & Pam Eklund & Ken Branch & Wayne Faucher Cover by David Brewer & Karl Kesel Superboy and Dubbilex return to Cadmus and learn from whom Superboy was cloned, but not before tangling with a Bizarro Superboy! STEEL ----- 11 - Louise Simonson, Chris Batista, Rich Faber & Ande Parks Cover by Chris Batista & Dennis Janke MAXIMUM ORBIT: Part 1 - Steel & Maxima captured by De'Cine and B'aad 12 - Louise Simonson, Chris Batista, Rich Faber Cover by Chris Batista & Dennis Janke MAXIMUM ORBIT: Part 2 - Maxima forced to wed De'Cine, Steel breaks free 13 - Louise Simsonson, Chris Batista, Dan Davis Cover by Chris Batista & Dennis Janke MAXIMUM ORBIT: Part 3 - Steel frees Maxima and the wedding is stopped 14 - Louise Simonson, Roberto Flores, Rich Faber Cover by Chris Batista & Rich Faber (?) Superman and Steel versus Firebomb in Washington DC 15 - Louise Simonson, Chris Batista, Rich Faber Cover by Chris Batista & Rich Faber (?) Steel investigates the Senator's sudden change of position on guns 16 - Louise Simonson, Chris Batista & Phil Gosier, Rich Faber Cover by Chris Batista & Rich Faber Steel tries to foil the White Rabbit's plans to control Congress. 17 - David Michelinie, Greg Larocque, Rich Faber & Dave Bednar & Rob Leigh & Mike Sellers Cover by ??? Steel begins to search for Tyke, battles Chindi. 18 - David Michelinie, Phil Gosier, Rich Faber Cover by Phil Gosier & Rich Faber Steel continues his search for Tyke, all the while hounded by Chindi. 19 - David Michelinie, Phil Gosier, Rich Faber & Rob Leigh & Mike Sellers Cover by ??? Steel and Chindi battle Hazard and find the children 20 - Ruben Diaz, Roberto Flores, Ken Branch & Jeff Albrecht Cover by (??) Trebor & Jeff Albrecht Steel and Lethal fight zombies 21 - Louise Simonson, Phil Gosier, Rich Faber Cover by Phil Gosier & Rich Faber UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED - Steel battles a Neron-empowered Metallo 22 - Louise Simonson, Phil Gosier, Rob Leigh Cover by Phil Gosier & Rich Faber THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN tie-in - Steel, Supergirl, and the Eradicator try to escape the Tribunal Annual #2 ???? SHOWCASE '95 ------------ 1 - SUPERGIRL (Charles Moore, Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger) Cover by Tom Grummett & Doug Hazlewood Lord Dichon wants Supergirl's body as his own 2 - SUPERGIRL (Charles Moore, Stuart Immonen, Wade von Grawbadger) Cover by Stuart Immonen & Wade von Grawbadger Supergirl doesn't want to give her body to Lord Dichon 3 - ERADICATOR (Karl Kesel, Greg LaRocque, Stan Woch) Cover by Barry Kitson & John Stokes The Eradicator battles Team Turmoil at STAR Labs 4 - THORN (Roger Stern, Howard Simpson, Mark Stegbauer) Cover by Jackson Guice Thorn goes after the 100, Maggie Sawyer questions Rose about Thorn 5 - THORN (Roger Stern, Howard Simpson, Mark Stegbauer) Cover by Humberto Ramos & Stan Woch Thorn completes her investigation, Rose may be a metahuman 6 - BIBBO (Mike Carlin, Denis Rodier) Cover by Denis Rodier Bibbo and Lobo save the world from a dog invasion 7 - MONGUL (Peter J. Tomasi, Scot Eaton, Pam Eklund) Cover by Christian Alamy A "rehabilitated" Mongul escapes his jailors 8 - MONGUL (Peter J. Tomasi, Scot Eaton, Pam Eklund) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Terry Austin Mongul "repays" the aliens who rescued him from his crippled vessel. 9 - LOIS LANE & JIMMY OLSEN (Cindy Goff, Sal Velluto, Dick Giordano) Cover by Phil Gosier & Chip Wallace Lois and Jimmy expose religious con-artists 10 - GANGBUSTER (Jerry Ordway, Joe Staton, Horacio Ottolini) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Terry Austin Gangbuster passes through Fawcett City. Back-up Hi-Tech story by Barry Kitson, Lee Sullivan, & Ray McCarthy 11 - AGENT LIBERTY (Dan Jurgens, Joe St Pierre, Rod Ramos) Cover by Dan Jurgens & Mike Sellers Agent Liberty battles the new Sons of Liberty. Conclusion of the Hi-Tech tale (same creative team). 12 - SUPERGIRL (Charles Moore, Phil Jimenez, Howard Shum) Cover by Tom Grummett Supergirl faces celebrity and a surprise left by Lord Dichon THE NEW TITANS -------------- 120 - Marv Wolfman, William Rosado, Keith Champagne Cover by William Rosado & Keith Champagne FOREVER EVIL: Part 2 - The Titans take on Raven and a possessed Supergirl 121 - Marv Wolfman, William Rosado, Keith Champagne & Rich Rankin Cover by William Rosado & Bob Wiacek FOREVER EVIL: Part 3 - Supergirl is turned and Raven is defeated 122 - Marv Wolfman, Finn Harris Cover by ??? THE CRIMELORD/SYNDICATE WAR: Part 2 - The Titans fight the Syndicate 123 - Marv Wolfman & Michael Jan Friedman, J.B. Jones, Rich Rankin Cover by ?? Origin of Jarras Minion 124 - Marv Wolfman & Michael Jan Friedman, William Rosado, Keith Champagne & Jason Martin Cover by William Rosado & Eddie (?) Newell THE SEIGE OF THE ZI CHARAM: Part 1 (of 5) - The Titans investigate a gravity well near Jupiter and are swept to another galaxy. 125 - Marv Wolfman, William Rosado, Keith Champagne Cover by William Rosado & WAB(?) THE SIEGE OF THE ZI CHARAM: Part 5 (of 5) - The Titans find a way to not commit genocide and return home. 126 - Dale Hrebik and Rik Mays Cover by William Rosado & Will Blyberg MELTDOWN 4 - The Titans play war games 127 - Marv Wolfman, William Rosado, Will Blyberg & Fred Fredericks Cover by William Rosado & Will Blyberg MELTDOWN 3 - Mirage to STAR Labs, Damage quits. Changeling, Starfire, and Cyberion (Cyborg!) return. 128 - Marv Wolfman, William Rosado, Will Blyberg Cover by William Rosado & Will Blyberg MELTDOWN 2 - Reunion continues, Cyborg's recent history, Gordanians attack Tamaran ANNUAL #11 Marv Wolfman, Greg Land, Keith Champagne & Mike Sellers & Will Blyberg Cover by Greg Land & Mike Sellers Revelations about Mirage and Terra, Supergirl's first meetings with Arsenal MINISERIES AND SPECIALS ----------------------- GUARDIANS OF METROPOLIS (4 issues - Nov 94 to Feb 95) Karl Kesel, Kieron Dwyer, Mike Manley Covers by Kieron Dwyer & Karl Kesel Cadmus invaded by Dabney Donovan, Newsboys & Guardian face Female Furies and Boss Moxie METROPOLIS S.C.U. (4 issues - Nov 94 to Feb 95) Cindy Goff, Pete Krause, Jose Marzan Jr Covers by Dusty Abell & Jackson Guice Lois joins the SCU for an inside story, the SCU fights an eco-terrorist SUPERMAN: KAL (1-shot - Mar 95) Dave Gibbons, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez Elseworlds: Kal-El arrives on Earth in Medieval England LOOSE CANNON (4 issues - June 95 to Sept 95) Jeph Loeb, Adam Pollina Metropolis SCU and the Eradicator vs Loose Cannon SUPERMAN VS ALIENS (3 issues - July 95 to Sept 95) Dan Jurgens, Kevin Nowlan Superman finds Argo City in space, infested with Aliens SHADOWDRAGON ANNUAL #1 (Oct 95) David Michelinie, Brett Breeding, Dick Giordano Cover by Brett Breeding & Klaus Janson Year One -- the origin of the ShadowDragon SUPERMAN: AT EARTH'S END (Nov 95) Tom Veitch and Frank Gomez Elseworlds: Post-Apocalyptic Superman battles monster Bat-men DOOMSDAY ANNUAL #1 (Dec 95) Prologue, Epilogue - Jerry Ordway, Dennis Janke Darkseid story - Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding Khundia story - Louise Simonson, Chris Batista, John Nyberg GL Corps story - Roger Stern, Gil Kane, Jerry Ordway Cover by Dan Jurgens & Jerry Ordway Anthology of Doomsday stories SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL GALLERY #1 (Dec 95) Art by various Cover by Kevin Nowlan Collection of original art of the Man of Steel GUEST APPEARANCES ----------------- GUY GARDNER: WARRIOR #27 (Jan 95) Beau Smith, Mitch Byrd, Dan Davis Superman talks to Guy about his heritage, Steel & Guy fight Sledge XENOBROOD #3-4 (Jan 95 & Feb 95) Doug Moench, Chris Hunter, John Lowe Superman investigates a UFO over Iraq, finds and helps the Xenobrood BLOOD PACK #2 (Apr 95) Charles Moore, Christopher Taylor, Andrew Lanning Superboy and the Blood Pack rescue tourists from an erupting volcano GUY GARDNER: WARRIOR #30 (Apr 95) Beau Smith, Mitch Byrd, Dan Davis Cover by Tom Grummett & Dan Davis Superman & Supergirl help bring Guy under control THE RAY ANNUAL #1 (1995) Christopher Priest, Oscar Jimenez, Chip Wallace Superman and The Ray consider the fact that they can't save everyone GUY GARDNER: WARRIOR #31 (June 95) Beau Smith, Mitch Byrd (and others), Dan Davis (and others) Cover by Paul Pelletier and Dan Davis Supergirl helps Guy in battle against Dementor DEATHSTROKE #48-49 (June 95 & July 95) Marv Wolfman, S. & O. Cariello, and Will Blyberg THE CRIMELORD/SYNDICATE WAR: Parts 1 and 4 (of 4) Supergirl (via the New Titans) and Steel assist. THE DARKSTARS #32 (July 95) Michael Jan Friedman, Collins, Branch THE CRIMELORD/SYNDICATE WAR: Part 3 (of 4) Supergirl and the New Titans assist. GREEN LANTERN #64 (July 95) Ron Marz, Darryl Banks & Mark Bright, Romeo Tanghal & Mike DeCarlo Cover by Darryl Banks & Romeo Tanghal Superman and others help GL against Hal Jordan AQUAMAN ANNUAL #1 (1995) Peter David, Phil Jimenez & Various, (?) Shum & Various Cover by ?? Superman meets Aquaman for the first time BLACK LIGHTNING #6 (July 1995) Tony Isabella & Eddie Newell Cover by ?? Gangbuster comes to Brick City GREEN LANTERN #65 (Aug 95) Ron Marz, Ron Lim, Romeo Tanghal & Terry Austin Cover by Ron Lim & Terry Austin THE SIEGE OF THE ZI CHARAM: Part 2 (of 5) - Supergirl and Green Lantern rescue the captive Titans from the Progenitors. THE DARKSTARS #34 (Sept 95) Michael Jan Friedman, Mike Collins, Ken Branch THE SIEGE OF THE ZI CHARAM: Part 3 (of 5) - The Titans agree to help the council in the construction of a weapon. DAMAGE #16 (Sept 95) Tom Joyner, Jason Armstrong, Jordi Ensign & Phyllis Novin THE SIEGE OF THE ZI CHARAM: Part 4 (of 5) - The Titans collect the parts for the weapon, then realize it would result in genocide. GREEN ARROW #100-101 (Sept 95 & Oct 95) Chuck Dixon, Jim Aparo, Gerry Fernandez Superman must stop Green Arrow and environmental terrorists. LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES #74 (Nov 95) Tom Peyer & Tom McCraw, Lee Moder, Ron Boyd FUTURE TENSE: Part 2 (of 3) - Now in the 30th century, Superboy and the Legion must face Scavenger, Superboy's 20th century enemy! LEGIONNAIRES #31 (Nov 95) Tom Peyer & Tom McCraw, Jeffrey Moy, W.C. Carani FUTURE TENSE: Part 3 (of 3) - Superboy and the Legion defeat Scavenger and free Valor. THE OUTSIDERS #24 (Nov 95) ??? _______________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 2 _______________________________________________________________ REVIEWS ------- Ratings Panelists: VC: Victor Chan SF: Shane Furlong WN: William J Nixon MC: Matt Combes RG: Rene' Gobeyn DS: Dick Sidbury RF: Randy Fairman AL: Art LaMarche JS: Jeff Sykes FL: Suzanne Fleischauer KM: Ken McKee AW: Anatole Wilson As always, the first rating given after the average is that of the reviewer. The average rating given for each book may correspond to a larger sample of ratings than what is printed following the average. Note that beginning with this month's issues, DC has removed the UK cover price from our copies. Their absence below reflects the DC change. THE "TRIANGLE" TITLES: --------------------- 46. ACTION COMICS #716, "Fugitive Justice!" Writer: David Michelinie Artists: Kieron Dwyer & Denis Rodier $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN RATINGS: Average: 2.8/5.0 Shields WN: 2.5 Shields - Some great aliens and Superman on the run from the "Trial" MC: 3.5 Shields - While Dwyer's artwork has yet to grow on me, I found Michelinie's story to be very excellent, which is unusual, seeing as how I hardly ever like his work. FL: 1.0 Shield - No redeeming value in this opening to another month of mindless slugfests. A whiny self-centered Supes gives no thought to his life or friends back on earth, instead obsessing about his reputation among a group of lunatics. The whole mess is further tainted by its hammering home a dubious point about moral relativism. SF: 3.5 Shields - Haven seemed like an homage to the Star Wars Cantina scene. Great art with a pretty good story. DS: 3.0 Shields - Superboy discovers AC is the Cyborg (?). Haven was dull but could be useful in the DC Universe in the future. Galactic Criminals and hidden agendas abound in this latest installment of the ongoing "Trial of Superman" arc. Having escaped the clutches of the Tribunal for the moment, Superman and his new found "allies" crash-land on what was a seemingly barren pile of rock. Their ship is torn apart by cannon fire as the planet's defenses - of whose existence Smitty neglected to tell his companions - kick in. They escape to a cave only to be confronted by a colorful collection of space monsters. One of the main aims of this issue seemed to be developing the teamwork of the escapees since they are still linked by their symbio-links. Even in adverse circumstances such as escaping for cover, they pull together, or at least make the best of a bad situation. When they are recognized as clients, not invaders, by Haven's gatekeeper, the monsters are called off and the chain gang is invited into Haven; a sanctuary for criminals and escapees of the Tribunal. In another part of space, the Superman rescue squad continue their search and SB's suspicions about Alpha Centurion are aroused. There is a teasing shot of AC in shadow, a red eye seemingly reflected - is old 'red eye' back? In Haven, Superman and his friends have their links removed and get a chance to eat and catch their breath. Smitty's hidden agenda is revealed as a plan for his race to take over Haven. His capture by the Tribunal was a ploy to let him return to Haven. His race is hated throughout the galaxy since they want to purify the universe by eliminating every other race but their own. They are only tolerated in Haven because they pay well. He disables the phase shift generator, so that his fellow Korgguans can invade. A galactic gangster slugfest ensues as Superman goes up against Smitty's cannon-wielding allies. Leeya, gambling on Smitty's instinct for self-preservation, takes a more direct approach and forces him to disable his damping field on the generator. There is a clash of cultures and Leeya wins out. Smitty is sentenced to endure living in Haven with species he considers inferior and Superman is satisfied that Smitty won't be killed. Superman's help is rewarded with transport for himself and his friends. Leeya, Mope and Superman leave Haven and fly straight into what appears to be a figurehead of Leeya. To be continued, just like those old Saturday matinees. And like an old Saturday matinee, I was left wondering what this ethereal figurehead could mean. I liked this issue but not as much as I have enjoyed some of the previous tales, particularly with the Joker or the eponymous Jimmy Cage. This issue felt almost like an interchangeable book in the mosaic which is the "Trial", or any large story arc. The team set it out as "ACTION", though, and Dwyer and Rodier had a ball with the slugfest set pieces and the jagged landing of the fugitives' spaceship. There was a Star Wars cantina feel to Haven. Here was the criminal society in its element. A secure environment tailor-made for chomping on your galactic cigar. Also, I enjoyed the way this issue built on the backgrounds of each of the fugitives to show their motives and passions. Leeya's for her daughter and beliefs, Smitty pretty much for the extinction of all other races. It also showed Superman ponder his change in status as cultures collide. Is Alpha Centurion the Cyborg? That topic is hotly raised in the newsgroups at the moment. AC's appearance followed the Cyborg's release by Darkseid and the possibility adds depth to this storyline. The Cyborg is a heavy duty villain with a lot of background and history. Too convenient? I don't think so. Too predictable? I don't think so either. He has established himself in Superman's gallery of super-villains, and they are at their best scheming, plotting and conniving. This was the guy who was going to create another Warworld with Mongul after all. I did miss the other subplots and characters though, there was nothing of Lois, Jimmy or even Earth -- just a sidelong glance at old "red eye". But this is but a fraction of a grander tapestry, and in that, it moves the story right along. William J Nixon (W.J.Nixon@lib.gla.ac.uk) ======================================================== 47. SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #51, "Wanted" Story: Louise Simonson Penciller: Jon Bogdanove Guest Inker: Dick Giordano Cover: Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.1/5.0 Shields AL: 3.5 Shields RF: 2.0 Shields - I thought the pirate was a stupid, throwaway character and I cannot stand Bogdanove's art. SF: 2.5 Shields - This title is always the weakest of the five for me. I thought the Space Pirate and his ship were silly. KM: 5.0 Shields - Swashbuckling good fun! Great story and superb artwork. AW: 2.5 Shields - Cliche'd but fairly well-written interlude in the storyline; no suspense, though. They couldn't come up with a better name than "Freelance"? Nice artwork in places. Superman, Mope and Leeya are intercepted by what appears to be a classic pirate ship from old Earth that has somehow been made space-faring. The traditional figurehead of the ship appears to be an image of Leeya. Before, the trio can escape, they are caught in a tractor beam and pulled on board. The captain of the ship is a pirate named Freelance. In addition to the ship and its crew, Freelance also controls something called the Merkaba Stone. This stone can surround its commander with a shield that protects him from laser blast or Superman's heat vision. It appears that the escapees will soon be turned back over to the Tribunal. Meanwhile on the Pax Romana, the Superman Rescue Team argues over the role of the Eradicator in the abduction, the location of the Tribunal, wild goose chases, and R.E.M. tickets, and most importantly, Steel and Superboy discuss the Cyborg-Centurion connection. Shortly, Centurion claims to detect a ship which has crashed in an asteroid belt and, because of shielding, is unable to tell if anyone survived. Steel, Supergirl, Superboy and the Eradicator leave the ship and fly off to investigate, while Centurion stays behind (I tried to warn them, but they did not listen to me... --Art). When they arrive at the alleged location of the ship they find nothing. Instead, they are surrounded by aliens who think they are the "Superman" wanted by the Tribunal. Driven by greed, they attack. When Steel informs Centurion of the trap, Centurion abandons the rest of the team with a look that could pass as a hearty laugh or a gasp of surprise -- I would bet on the former. The Superteam quickly overcomes the aliens in combat and returns to the Centurion-Cyborg connection discussion. Among the unconscious aliens, Supergirl finds a wanted poster of Superman. Steel's opinion is that Superman may have escaped. Buoyed by optimism, the Team begins to draw up a new plan to rescue Superman... Back on the She-Devil pirate ship, the trio are captured and interrogated by Freelance. With a big smile, one hand on his chest and another outstretched towards Leeya, Freelance proclaims "Ah! The very spirit an' image o' me figurehead". Through clenched teeth, Leeya growls "Touch me, Freelance, and you lose the hand." Mope looks on, and in a diplomatic gesture, Superman proclaims their innocence. Freelance retorts that seldom does he meet an accused who does not proclaim innocence. Superman continues to play the diplomat as Leeya strikes Mope for volunteering too much information. Impressed, Freelance offers Superman a deal. If Superman can defeat Freelance in a one-on-one fight, then he will let the trio go. If Superman is defeated, the trio goes quietly back to the Tribunal's planet. Armed with cutlasses, the dual begins. Super uses his flight abilities to surprise and get behind Freelance. But before Superman can put Freelance in a hold, he disappears, resolidifies and strikes Superman. Freelance tells Superman that he must fight fair, or the deal is off. Superman is forced out on the plank above a black hole. Freelance tells Superman to give up because if he falls off the plank the black hole will destroy him. Superman jumps off the plank and on his way down, cuts the plank so Freelance will also fall. Instead of falling, the two simply hover. Freelance laughs and wants to know how Superman knew it was a bluff. Superman responds that Freelance would need the body to claim the reward and would not lose it to a black hole. The trio is let go, and they continue their escape from the Tribunal. The bad luck continues and they are again attacked by forces of the Tribunal. Mope is struck by a laser blast in the escape and the situation looks bleak. But to the rescue comes Freelance. His ship and crew rapidly overcome the Tribunal's men. In the fight, Leeya is also struck by a laser while saving Freelance's life. Moved, Freelance quits fighting and attends to Leeya. Luckily Leeya only took a flesh wound and bounces back. As Freelance continues to flirt with Leeya, he learns of the cause of her husband's death. With a quick change of heart, he causes the figurehead and his flirtation to disappear. Mope claims that his wound is also only a flesh wound, but his voice is weak and fading... This story placed the plot of the Tribunal escapees in a holding pattern, but it advanced the plot of the Rescue Team. The pirate story was OK. It had its moments. I thought that they did an OK job portraying Freelance as a throwback swashbuckler. He is out for fun and, if he is able, profit. He gets his chance to test himself against the renowned Superman, and he enjoys every minute of it. He also gets the chance to hit on a woman he finds attractive. The figurehead at the beginning, as well as its disappearance at the end, shows that Freelance was after more than just the reward. I thought it was a nice twist. I would like to see Superman work along side Freelance at a later time. I think Freelance's fun-loving attitude could lighten a much darker story. And it would contrast with Superman's seriousness. The storyline of the Rescue Team will certainly fuel the fires of the Cyborg-Centurion connection. The plot is thickening. The ambiguity of the facial expression of Alpha Centurion in the panel when he abandons the Team was great. It gives away nothing, but can be used by either side to argue their case. Nice touch! We will have to see how this plays out in future issues. In addition to the story, we are treated to some beautiful panels and some nice inking by guest inker Dick Giordano. Arthur LaMarche (DrArt95@aol.com) ======================================================== 48. SUPERMAN #107, "Bottled Up!" Story by Dan Jurgens Art by Ron Frenz and Joe Rubinstein Cover by Dan Jurgens and Joe Rubinstein $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.7/5.0 Shields KM: 5.0 Shields - An absolutely incredible issue. FL: 2.0 Shields - Pluses: Something vaguely approaching a plot; a good Gilligan's Island line; more than competent art; Kandor nostalgia; the return of the Cyborg, a worthy foe. Minuses: everything else about this additional pointless chapter in the banal and ridiculously drawn-out saga (a term it doesn't merit) of the Trial of Superman. Hey, I could swear Gil Kane drew that top right panel on page 17. SF: 4.5 Shields - Jurgens dialogue was great, especially Superboy. Frenz's art is the best on the current Super books. JS: 3.5 Shields - Ron Frenz's artwork is gorgeous! While the main story of Superman's encounter with Tolos was little more than a pre-Crisis tease, the secondary stories were well-told. AW: 3.5 Shields - The story picks up its pace again after stalling in MOS #51. Scene 1 Somewhere on the planet Apokolips, Desaad is celebrating the demise of his boss, Darkseid. Since I have not read issue #2 of The New Gods, I cannot go into detail about the circumstances surrounding his death.(*) Be that as it may, Desaad is delirious (not to mention a little too drunk) with glee. And to really brighten his day, he anxiously awaits the confrontation between Superman and Tolos. Scene 2 Supergirl, Steel, Superboy, and the Eradicator are streaking through the cosmos on an asteroid powered by Superboy's salvaged space cycle. The artwork on that page is really amazing. Believing their situation to be hopeless, they just happen to run across what appears to be an abandoned spacecraft. Well, of course, it's a little too convenient, but what choice do they have? Scene 3 Aboard the She-Devil, Superman is trying to save Mope's life, Mope having been shot in the arm. They return to Haven, where Kh'rane tells Superman that the only one who can save Mope is Tolos, whose name sends a wave of fear throughout the place. Realizing he has no choice, Superman seeks out Tolos. Back to Scene 2 Our four super comrades are streaking towards the Tribunal planet in the salvaged spacecraft when they almost run into Alpha Centurion's ship. Superboy believes Alpha is really the Cyborg and tries to convince his fellow travelers of his suspicions. Scene 4 A brief interlude in our story finds Lex Luthor strolling down the snow-covered streets of Metropolis with the Joker when they are suddenly kidnapped and sealed in a glass dome. Now things are really getting strange. Scene 5 Superman arrives back at Haven and realizes he will have to use all his wits to get out of this mess. Upon entering Tolos' home, he eyes a city in a bottle with living people trapped inside. Tolos, who looks like he could be Yoda's father, strikes up a deal with Superman for saving Mope's life. Superman has no choice but to accept Tolos' terms, even though he has no idea what the payoff will be. Back to Scene 2 The rescue squad discover that the ship in which they have been traveling is really the CYBORG! The confrontation is one of the best pages I have ever seen in a comic. The cosmic tin man is simply oozing with power. Back to Scene 5 In spite of Mope's injuries, Tolos is able to save his life. In exchange, Tolos emits an ectoplasmic life form which begins to drain the life out of the Man of Steel. Trying to bluff his way out of a bad situation, Superman threatens to destroy the bottled city. Tolos believes the threat and Superman avoids capture. Before Superman can capture Tolos, the wizard quickly escapes into the miniaturized city. The comic ends with Mope recovering and the Cyborg apparently winning the battle against his four super adversaries. There was so much going on in this comic that I had to break it into scenes in order to keep it simple and coherent. It was like looking at the different pieces of a large puzzle, and the actual trial of Superman wasn't even important. I loved the artwork and the detail that was given to each scene, not to mention the characters. I haven't bought a Superboy comic in a long time and had forgotten how much I enjoyed his barbs. Years from now, do you think the next generation will know what he is talking about when he says, "I feel like that kid in the TV commercial who sucks himself into the soder cola bottle"? This comic had everything, including Lex and the Joker. What more could one ask for? But the biggest surprise in the story came when Superman discovered the bottled city. It may not be Kandor, but I am glad the writers included it. That was the one thing I truly missed from the Pre-Crisis days. To sum it up (finally, you say), I was really pleased with this comic. There are a lot of loose ends that need to be tied up and some great spin-offs that could be generated in many issues to come. I wonder if Freelance will get his own comic. That might be worth buying! One more thing -- DC should have included a wanted poster of Superman in this series. Oh well, maybe not. Ken McKee (stdkrm01@shsu.edu) (*) For our readers' information (and this will probably only mean something to you if you're familiar with Kirby's Fourth World), Darkseid attempted to gain ultimate knowledge and power by entering the source. He was followed in by his son Orion, who eagerly wished to stop his father's evil. Inside the Source, Orion and Darkseid fought. And as Darkseid did to *his* father long ago, Orion slayed Darkseid. Check out future issues of THE NEW GODS for additional information and the future (!?) of Darkseid! -- Jeff] _______________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 3 _______________________________________________________________ THE "TRIANGLE" TITLES (cont): ----------------------------- 49. ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #530, "Different Demons" Co-Plot: Karl Kesel & Stuart Immonen Dialogue: Karl Kesel Pencils: Stuart Immonen Inks: Jose Marzan, Jr. $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.2/5.0 Shields AW: 2.5 Shields - Super-team action interesting, but Hellgrammite story-- "SGT. ROCK" in Metropolis--was a loss. MC: 4.0 Shields - It's nice to see a break from all the regular superhero action and get a glimpse of the other side of crime-fighting: The humans who risk their lives everyday to protect us. In this case, the officers of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. Great story. FL: 3.0 Shields - An average score to this best of the bunch of the regular series titles. I enjoyed the Rescue Squad bits, but then, I have a soft spot for the Centurion. Also, the Hellgrammite and the Underworld backstory (which, ironically, I couldn't care less about) provides the drama so woefully lacking in the Superman "plot". RF: 2.5 Shields - I like Immonen's art, but I thought the Underworld tie-in was pointless and gave nothing to the story. JS: 3.5 Shields - Immonen & Marzan's art is not up to their usual standard in this issue, but Kesel's story is very well done. (Though he might have been a bit brutal with the SCU...) It was just a fantasy I had. Nothing too large, too fanciful; I wasn't dreaming about winning a million dollars or saving the planet from would-be world conquerors--those are other fantasies. This fantasy was much simpler: I just hoped against hope that since the Superman titles were embroiled in their own multi-issue epic, they could avoid being sucked into this year's version of that annual exercise in crossover title marketing, UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED. Unfortunately, ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN didn't quite make it. Instead, the issue is split almost 50-50 between Superman and the Rescue Squad out in space, and the Special Crimes Unit's battle in Metropolis with Hellgrammite, one of the many villains who has sold his soul to the malevolent Neron. In space, Superman is blasted by a mysterious force while seeking to help Mope prove his innocence. Meanwhile, the Superman Rescue Squad has been captured by the Tribunal and Cyborg, who has a nasty habit of appearing each time Alpha Centurion disappears. Superboy accuses A-C of being Cyborg, and somehow getting thrown around by A-C doesn't change his mind. I like the "Trial of Superman," the way the story is progressing and the way that it's keeping me guessing about A-C's secret, so I have to admit to being annoyed by the intrusion of UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED. Actually, unlike many of the multi-title crossover "epics" that DC and Marvel throw at us each year, several of the "Underworld Unleashed" stories have been both interesting and thought-provoking--THE SPECTRE, [Two thumbs up from me, also -- Art] for example, and R.E.B.E.L.S.'95. Others, though, fall into the category of "Look! We supped up this obscure super-villain--isn't that neat?" category. The villains are more intense, more likely to kill civilians, and generally don't have any other reason to be around than to cause mindless carnage. This is the category Hellgrammite falls into. I only vaguely remember Hellgrammite. His first appearance, as I recall, was in BRAVE AND BOLD #85, the issue that gave Green Arrow his "new look" goatee. I don't remember too many details about the story, except that Neal Adams made Hellgrammite one of the most visually striking villains around at the time. Since then, I think the villain has made only a couple of random appearances (a Green Arrow story in WORLD'S FINEST and a previous issue of a Superman title.) In none of these stories did he really have a clear-cut purpose or reason for existence. He was just a guy in a costume. But now this has changed. Neron has changed Hellgrammite into a real man-bug who wants to change all the inhabitants of Metropolis into bug-like followers. With Superman out of the way, only Inspector Sawyer and her Special Crimes Unit (SCU) can stop him. It's a bloody story that Lt. Sawyer tells in a style reminiscent of the old SGT. ROCK comics--gritty war-weariness with lots of casualties and the old "I didn't know if I'd just seen the SCU's finest hour, or its darkest day." The casualties didn't mean a whole lot to me because I'd never met any of them before, except Turpin and Sawyer--there just weren't enough pages to introduce them. (If they were introduced in another comic somewhere, mea culpa--I just don't remember them.) I'm disappointed because I didn't expect a character who has broken as many comic book cliches as Maggie Sawyer -- woman commander and lesbian -- to speak like an old W.W.II sergeant. I was also hoping that the story would go beyond the meaningless battles that marked most of the "Underworld Unleashed" tie-ins. Immonen and Marzan's artwork disappointed me as well this issue. Immonen is at his best in scenes with lots of space, and most of the action of this issue was in Hellgrammite's cramped quarters. I think Immonen was going for a cramped, claustrophobic feeling, but most of the figures in the panels seemed stiff and confined. The scenes with Superman were fine, though, and the best parts of this issue. Another thing I noticed was the use of a single color to color an entire page at the end of the SCU story. In the '70's, Neal Adams used this effect to great advantage in his moodier Deadman and Batman stories. The washed-out look added a special atmosphere, and worked well with the printing process of that time. Ironically, the vibrant colors used in the current printing process make this effect particularly hard to achieve, and it didn't quite work in this issue. Still, it's a technique I've always admired, and I hope to see more experimentation of all kinds from the creative team in future issues. Creatively, these crossover issues are almost always a loss. They force creative teams to disrupt the flow of the ongoing storyline for the sake of squeezing in some non-related fight scenes that have only a marginal effect on the crossover series they're supposed to be a part of. Kesel, Immonen and Marzan did a better job than most with this issue, but there's no denying the issue suffered because of their constraints. Anatole (awilson@vnet.ibm.com) ======================================================== 50. SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF TOMORROW #3, "Fighting Back" Writer: Roger Stern Artists: Tom Grummett & Brett Breeding $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.4/5.0 Shields RG: Story: 2.5 Shields - Busy, but little story progress. Art: 3.5 Shields - Needed detail, looked a bit rushed. MC: 5.0 Shields - The *only* thing that would have made this issue better is including free cash! I love Stern's and Grummett's compatibility, and the scenes with Joker and Luthor were the best! We need more issues like this! FL: 3.0 Shields - Roger Stern does a creditable job despite being weighed down by a ton of exposition (making UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED comprehensible even though I haven't been following it). The story, which essentially concerns Luthor, is buoyed by the only appearance this month of any of Big Blue's supporting cast (although if this is a setup for Supes to run to Lori Lemaris' arms because he thinks Lois is having it off with the Alpha Centurion, I'll be royally peeved). Stern has Superman say "It doesn't seem to matter where I go...there's always someone who wants to fight! I'm really getting tired of this!" Me too, Roger, me too. SF: 3.0 Shields - This title juggles too many threads at once. I wish Stern could write a self-contained story. The scene shifts just seem jarring here. DS: 3.5 Shields - Luthor has second thoughts about his bargain with Neron. "I only wish I'd thought to bargain for hair." Thank goodness he didn't! This book is part of the UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED cross-over going on in most of the DC universe titles this month, and the "Trial of Superman" story continues, but little progress is made. The book seemed a bit rushed in that many of the little details that I expect from Stern and Breeding were missing. It's like they tried to put so much into the story that everything got short-changed. I got the feeling that this book was just a filler to tie a few loose ends together so that the real action could take place somewhere else. While the book is beautiful, and Breeding's Superman has always been my favorite, the book felt rushed. Many of the fine details that Brett usually puts into his work are completely missing or replaced by lines and swirling colors. Pretty, but it didn't do much for me. As the story opens we see a brief meeting between Lois and the Contessa. The scene shifts to follow Superman fighting the Stalker in a magical swamp on Sorcerer's World. Superman is searching for Mope after their ship was destroyed (AOS #530). Mope has been taken captive by Mohr, who thinks that Mope and Superman are working for his enemies. After a short fight with Stalker, the scene shifts yet again to show what is happening with Luthor and The Joker in Neron's Underworld. Both are imprisoned in a snow globe for Neron's amusement. Neron himself is called away (we know that he is defeated by Captain Marvel and the DC heroes in UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED #3). While he is gone, we flash back to see the deal that Luthor cut with Neron for his renewed health, and what has happened to Luthor since. The scene ends when the snow globe that Luthor and Joker are being held in is destroyed. Meanwhile, Superman has followed the Stalker to Mohr's tower. Superman captures and convinces Mohr that all he and Mope want to do is find the wizard Nrn'Frok who can prove Mope's innocence. Mohr then sends Superman and Mope on to a large ship to continue the search. Luthor and the Joker have been pulled into a vortex and separated. Luthor lands in the desert outside of Las Vegas. We then are shown that the Tribunal has decided to send the Cyborg out to capture Superman. A very busy book that really didn't go anywhere or add much to any of the stories. Rene' Gobeyn (gobeyn@kodak.com) _______________________________________________________________ OTHER SUPER-TITLES: ------------------ SUPERBOY #22, "Fire and Ice" Writer: Karl Kesel Penciller: Tom Grummett Inker: Dan Davis Cover: Tom Grummett & Karl Kesel $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.5/5.0 Shields VC: 3.5 Shields RF: 3.0 Shields - I really enjoy this title. Grummett's great and I love the writing. DS: 4.0 Shields - Ah, the exuberance of youth! Kesel's one-liners deliver. JS: 3.5 Shields - Nice art work, though I prefer Hazlewood's inks to Davis'. Several nice characterization touches save what would have been a ho-hum fight scene. AW: 4.0 Shields - Neron did little for Killer Frost or this story--character development took precedence over the fight scenes. As Superboy returns to the compound after his visit to the 30th century, he receives an unruly welcome from Knockout. In a tussle, she announces her intention to stay at the compound. Unfortunately, no one has had the courage, or perhaps it's the physical strength, to refuse her request -- yet. In the meantime, it's a frigid disaster in Honolulu. A commercial airliner with ice on its wings and body has crashed into the airport, and only one survivor emerges, a glistening figure, and heads towards downtown, seemingly in search of something. Everywhere she goes, the surroundings become a sub-zero wasteland. Knockout and Superboy arrive on the scene, intent on taking out the villainess who turns out to be Killer Frost. Tana is already on the scene to report the events. She quickly explains to the Kid the implications if Killer Frost is to make her way to the Kilauea Caldera volcano, since she appears to be homing in to the nearest, largest heat source. After a few attempts to subdue Frost, Superboy ruptures a gas line so that the subsequent fire envelops her. Knockout follows up by colliding a liquid oxygen tanker into her. The explosion leaves nary a trace that Killer Frost was there. Overjoyed at another near escape from death, Knockout gives Superboy a huge kiss that leaves Tana slightly peeved. However, when Tana gives Superboy the cold shoulder (pun intended), she explains that she isn't jealous of Knockout's affection, but rather her erratic behavior, and she secretly makes a vow to uncover Knockout's history. Back at the compound, Knockout is confronted by the evil Neron [see UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED], who makes her an offer. She vehemently refuses him, and makes it clear that the Kid is under her protection. Neron disappears, leaving an angry Knockout. On a lighter note, Roxy just makes it in time to the Honolulu Police Department to write the entrance exam, thanks to a 30th-century innovation. [Getting on soapbox.] Doh. Another DC Universe multi-title tie-in extravaganza. Whoopee. The problem with publishing a limited series that affects every hero in the Universe is continuity. It's not the continuity of the DC Universe per se, but rather the readers' abilities to figure out how major events affect the title that they buy and how well they can follow the title with/without buying other titles they normally don't buy. [Getting knocked down from soapbox.] On to the review! I think that Kesel did an adequate job of the storyline, even if it seemed to be one of those 'We're doing a multi-storyline crossover with all our titles and you get Killer Frost' stories. It didn't seem that Kesel had much to work with in terms of Killer Frost. SB and KO dispatched her rather too quickly for my tastes. After reading some other DC titles that have been slapped with the UNDERWORLD UNLEASHED label, it appears that a lot of the villains that have been empowered by Neron became a decrepit lot, mostly regretting their pact with Neron or suffering from it. I think the only things gleaned from this issue is everyone's opinion of Knockout's decision to live at the compound, along with a glimmer of Knockout's true purpose for staying there. That said, I'd rate the art better than the story. The next issue blurb reads: "Romeo and Juliet...Lois and Clark...Superboy and Knockout?! Hawaii will never be the same! (And neither will Superboy!)" Given that it's not a Valentine's event, I think it'll be an interesting issue next month (no tie-in!). Victor Chan (vichan@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca) ======================================================== STEEL #22, "Deliverance!" Writer: Louise Simonson Penciller: Phil Gosier Inker: Rob Leigh Cover: Phil Gosier & Rich Faber $1.95 US/$2.75 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.5/5.0 Shields DS: 4.0 Shields - Steel joins in the attempt to rescue Superman from the Tribunal. RF: 3.0 Shields - Pretty good tie-in with the Trial. It would have been nice to tell us when this happened. I usually don't read Steel, but this was a pretty good issue. SF: 4.0 Shields - Practically perfect except for the strange anatomy of Supergirl. (See the cover) Really should have been labeled a "Trial" book. AL: 3.0 Shields. Fits into Trial continuity very well. JS: 3.5 Shields - Good art, though Faber complements Gosier better. Good bits of characterization hidden among the fighting, especially of the Eradicator. The story opens with Steel being held prisoner after an abortive attempt to rescue Superman from the Tribunal. Steel is put into a Geneti-lock (which is custom built, according to the DNA of each prisoner, to neutralize his powers). Since Steel has no special powers, other than an ability to command his armor, it's not clear what good the lock will do. Steel meets up with the Alpha Centurion, who's also wearing a Geneti-lock. So maybe AC's not really the Cyborg. Steel accuses Marcus of betraying them, but Marcus tells Steel that he thought they would have no difficulty with their opponents and went after the main base, where he was captured by the Cyborg. We have a change of scene to Washington DC where Tyke is watching two teenagers playing basketball on the playground. He wallows in self-pity about the fact that he can no longer walk and that Hazard promised to make him legs so he could be normal again. "I hate John Henry... I hate him." Yada, yada, yada. Meanwhile back at Tribunal Headquarters, Steel, Supergirl, and the Eradicator make their escape, from the cafeteria, as usual. Steel tells SG to go invisible, and while it's distracting the guards, Steel feels threatened and, Bingo!, sentient armor appears. Quickly they take off, through the unrepaired hole in the roof that Superman and his gang used to escape. Maybe the Tribunal should spend more time keeping their place in shape and less time trying to judge the Universe. Steel gets a uniform from a guard and Supergirl morphs into a creature straight out of the cantina scene in Star Wars. The Eradicator leaves them and goes in search of Superboy. Mae and Steel start bar hopping looking for clues as to the whereabouts of Superman and his new-found cronies. They find out that Superman is in Haven just as their pictures go up on the bar's TV as escaped prisoners with a REWARD for their capture. A three page slugfest ensues as Supergirl and John Henry try to extricate themselves from their predicament. Meanwhile, the Eradicator is trying to find Superboy, when he's overcome with a vision revealing the original Eradicator being the cause of the death of Krypton. While he's wallowing in angst, he is captured by the Tribunal's guards. Back to the bar fight, the Cyborg shows up and quickly mops up both Steel and Supergirl and returns them to their cells. Then he takes off after Superman with a look of menace on his face. Next, Steel and Supergirl find out that the penalty for escape is DEATH! So I guess Steel and Mae will buy the farm in the next issue. And if that isn't bad enough, the guys in Washington DC are going to find out who Steel really is and do something really mean. Stay tuned for the next thrill packed episode. The art follows the usual style: sharp, crisp, intense, taking full advantage of glossy paper. Large panels are overlaid with individual story elements. If you are following the "Trial of Superman" (with enjoyment), you should probably pick up this issue, since it's mostly about the attempted rescue of Superman. It also muddies the waters further about the question of whether Marcus Aurelius (the Alpha Centurion) is really the Cyborg. After having been sure that he was, I'm not convinced that he isn't -- because this issue points out that he probably isn't which means that the writers are trying to make us think that he isn't, so he probably is. If you understand this reasoning, then you need help. Dick Sidbury (sidbury@cs.uofs.edu) _______________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 4 _______________________________________________________________ OTHER SUPER-TITLES (cont): ------------------------- SHOWCASE '95 #12, "Rust Never Sleeps" Starring Supergirl Story: Charles Moore Pencils: Phil Jimenez Inks: Howard Shum Cover: Tom Grummett $2.95 US/$4.25 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.25/5.0 Shields AL: 2.5 Shields - Plusses balance the negatives. FL: 3.5 Shields - Dear Superman authors, read this and note that it is possible to write a story in which conflict does not revolve entirely around the impact of a hero's fist on a villain's scaly hide. A very promising outing for the "Girl of Steel": well drawn, featuring a rather prepossessing supporting character (Hitch), and Supergirl using her -- *gasp* -- brain. SF: 3.0 Shields - Felt like a longer story was cut down to fit Showcase. Really seemed to be setting up the Supergirl character for bigger things. Nice art though. JS: 4.0 Shields - The Super family focus ends on a high note with a very well written and illustrated story. And Supergirl *doesn't* punk out! Supergirl swoops into the first page just in time to save some construction workers who were plummeting to the Earth after the cable of their elevator snapped. The next two pages are dedicated to an overview showing how hard she has been working over the last several weeks, and how the locals have loved her. Then Hitch arrives and informs her that a section of Dichon's ship [see SHOWCASE '95 #1 and #2] was not totally consumed in the explosion and is again threatening the city of Charlotte. The crisis is a huge monster which is attacking some other construction workers across town; one of whom used to live in Metropolis. The monster has an acid-based [sorry, couldn't resist] attack and consumes metal. Supergirl dives headfirst into the monster, which disintegrates into hand- sized globules that still consume metal and are irritating to the skin of the onlookers. Smaller monsters reform and continue to cause havoc. A fuel truck is attacked, and just as it explodes, Supergirl contains it in a Psi-Shield and transports it far enough away so as to not do any damage to the city, all the while having an interview request hurled at her by a local news chopper. But it does considerable damage to her, and she plummets to the Earth. Supergirl lands in a large sand pile and gets the idea to literally wear the creature down with sand. It works, and soon the creature can be contained in a glass jar. (But wouldn't the tiny pieces reform all be it at a slower pace? Stay tuned.) But Supergirl's job is not done. The reporters and fans are back, as well as the mayor. The mayor presents her with a cute little signal device which has a female symbol (Aphrodite's mirror) with an "S" within the circle. They also offer her the job of honorary costumed guardian. She accepts and everyone is happy. The story was okay. It reintroduced a minor character we were familiar with -- Hitch. Also, it showed some Supergirl personality rather than just being a slug match. She is insecure after working in Superman's shadow for so long. She also shows a mistrust of men after Luthor's treatment of her. All in all, it was a pretty good story, and I hope we see more of her in the near future. Arthur LaMarche (DrArt95@aol.com) ======================================================== THE NEW TITANS #128, "Worlds Apart" (Meltdown #2) Writer: Marv Wolfman Penciller: William Rosado Inker: Will Blyberg $2.25 US/$3.25 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.4/5.0 Shields RG: Story: 4.0 Shields - Good characterization, builds tension. Art: 4.5 Shields - Nice perspectives, excellent detailing. JS: 2.5 Shields - I think there's an interesting tale here, but there's a lot of history behind this story -- history of which I am unaware. And Supergirl is still MIA (too busy with the Tribunal, I guess...) I'll keep this short as Supergirl is off with the Superman rescue squad and doesn't play a part in this story at all. I will still recommend this title to anyone. The story and art are (IMHO) some of the best in comics today. The story picks up from where it ended last month. K'oriandar Komand'r and Cyberion (Cyborg) have just defeated Changeling and take him back to STAR labs for examination. They fail to remove the Trigon seed from him, and the old Titans, Green Lantern, and Jarras decide to take him to Vega to try to cure him there. They leave Terra and Mirage on Earth, where Mirage reveals that she had been using her disguise powers to mask the fact that she is still pregnant and is about to give birth. The scene shifts to where the Psions are receiving their new orders to destroy Tamaran (K'oriandar's home planet). We get a brief scene where we see them in battle with the Tamaranian space fleet. We then shift back to the Technis space ship, where we find out what has happened to Vic Stone (Cyborg) since he was left there by the Titans (#107). The Technis ship comes into communication rage of Tamaran only to find out that the fleet has been defeated. As the Titans rush to aid them, Tamaran is completely destroyed. All together this is a bridging story to get everybody up to speed on what the real situation is and who the main players are. There is a lot of foreshadowing going on, and it looks like the Titans of so many years are really going to end in just two months. That Raven is going to be behind everything is fairly obvious, but I can't help but hope that in the end, she will turn out to be a hero. Rene' Gobeyn (gobeyn@kodak.com) _______________________________________________________________ SPECIALS: -------- DOOMSDAY ANNUAL #1 (Anthology) Written by: Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, Louise Simonson, and Roger Stern Art by: Dennis Janke, Dan Jurgens & Brett Breeding, Chris Batista & John Nyberg, and Gil Kane & Jerry Ordway Cover by: Dan Jurgens & Jerry Ordway $3.95 US/$5.50 CAN RATINGS: Average: 2.9/5.0 Shields RG: Story: 4.0 Shields - Filled in many continuity holes. Art: 4.5 Shields - Well detailed, consistently good. RF: 3.0 Shields - I liked the background on Doomsday and especially enjoyed the Darkseid part (one of the greatest villains DC has -- I hope he returns before too long.) AL: 2.0 Shields - I would have expected more from Mitch. Violence? Trespassing? Vandalism? I guess he did not learn much. I guess he is just the same punk from the Death of Superman. DS: 1.5 Shields - I was really looking forward to this annual, but it was nothing special. JS: 3.5 Shields - Surprisingly good! Most of the "Death of Superman" team pitches in to tell a few interesting stories. Though I think Doomsie picked up on how to use that GL Ring a bit quickly. While an excellent read with beautiful detailed art, this one could easily be skipped by all but the serious completists, Doomsday fans, or reviewers. In the prologue to the book, Superman breaks up a potential riot of Doomsday's victims at the suspected site of Doomsday's emergence on Earth. The scene then shifts to show some of the other influences that Doomsday has had on other characters in the DC universe. The three stories in the book fill in a few of the holes in the "Death of Superman" and "Hunter/Prey" stories. We get to see the how and why of Darkseid's first meeting with Doomsday. As a kind of bonus, we also get to see Doomsday take on the Khunds, and then a member of the old Green Lantern Corps, with an epilogue taking place on Calaton. We get to see that Doomsday *did* make a difference and scar the lives of the people in the DC universe. If nothing else, we see that if gone, Doomsday will never be forgotten. Rene' Gobeyn (gobeyn@kodak.com) ======================================================== SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL GALLERY #1 Edited by Mike Carlin with KC Carlson Assisted by Chris Duffy with Mike McAvennie Various Artists (A complete list follows the review) Publication Design by Eddie Ortiz Separations by Digital Chameleon $3.50 US/$4.95 CAN RATINGS: Average: 3.1/5.0 Shields AL: 4.0 Shields - Variety is not the spice, but the staple of my life. RF: 2.0 Shields - Some of the pictures were pretty good, but some of them I hated. Plus, the price was way to high for a comic with no words. FL: 3.0 Shields - Oooh, look at the pretty pictures! Well, some of them anyway. The quality and appeal vary widely, and it's such a matter of personal taste (and whether or not you grew up with the art of Al Plastino), that it's impossible to rate this. It offers some nice moments, though, and it's got at least as much plot as The Trial of Superman (have I harped on that enough, yet?). There's a clever (and possibly unintentional) juxtaposition of phone booth scenes on p.15 & 16. JS: 4.0 Shields - Don't have to rate this on the writing. :) I especially liked the pieces by Grummett/Breeding, Gil Kane, Damaggio/Campanella, Pelletier/Dell, Colleen Doran, Immonen/Janson, Swan/Sinnott, & Jurgens/Austin. I'd love to see posters of the art by Alan Davis/Mark Farmer and Ken Steacy. AW: 2.5 Shields - It's always neat to see other artist's renderings of the Man of Steel, but I only found one I would want to put on my wall. Well, I wish I was more versed in the worlds of comics outside of the Post-Byrne Superman Mythos. Therefore, I should have passed this review to someone else who has more of a background than I do, but because of some miscommunication and time constraints I found it sitting in my lap. For what it is worth I will do my best to give you a feel for the book, or share my opinions with you if you have "read" the book. A brief glance through the pictures reveals a wide variety of styles. They range from images with great detail to the more abstract. Image content is as diverse. There are classic images of Superman that could serve as the cover for today's comics, as well as bizarre images that would have *never* crossed my mind. There is also a strange portrait of a Superman-"Beavis-OR -Butthead" hybrid by Rick Parker -- I do not know which is which, and I really do not care. I found this very disturbing. It really shook me up. Another image I did not particularly care for was Colleen Doran's and Linda Medley's Disco era flashback. Superman has some sort of Travolta-like hairstyle, and the image is dominated by foofey pastel smoke patterns and roses. But, do not get me wrong. The pictures I did not like were in the minority. Most of the images were rather good and others were quite stunning. There is a beautiful portrait of a Kent to Superman change by Grummett and Breeding with Pat Garrahy. The colors are bright and jump off the page and is set in a stock room of The Daily Planet. The duality of Kal-El. I really loved Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke with Linda Medley's space-soaring Superman. The image just screams action. The expression on the face, the clenched fists, the blurred red trail that returns to Earth (?). Superman off to the next crisis. Another image I found very strong was an image of Superman about to stop a Metropolis train hurtling towards a Lois Lane tied to the tracks. The colors are dark, but the detail is great, and the image is very powerful. This image was done by Ken Steacy. Classic crisis. Superman saves a couple in the wake of a tornado. Also set at night. The lightning, the rain and the wind all are great media for Stuart Immonen & Joe Sinnott with Greg Wright to strut their stuff. The rain runs off Superman and glistens in the lightning in all the right places. Good stuff here. Superman and the common man's crisis. The last image I would like to draw attention to takes place in a telephone booth. There, Superman and Lois Lane embrace. In the distance, The Daily Planet building stands tall and proud. Bright colors, nice details like the reflections, and the slightly ajar door all make this image memorable. True Love. Arthur LaMarche (DrArt95@aol.com) FEATURED ARTISTS: ---------------- Cover by Kevin Nowlan Bruce Timm Dave Taylor - with Pat Garrahy Mike Zeck Tom Grummett & Brett Breeding - with Pat Garrahy Mike Allred - with Greg Wright Sergio Cariello - with Pat Garrahy Michael Golden Matt Haley & Tom Simmons - with Glenn Whitmore Gil Kane - with Greg Wright Howard Cruse - with Linda Medley Tom Morgan - with Linda Medley Rick Parker - with Rob Camacho Alan Davis & Mark Farmer - with Greg Wright Dusty Abell & Art Thibert - with Pat Garrahy Rodolfo Damaggio & Robert Campanella - with Glenn Whitmore Paul Pelletier & John Dell - with Linda Medley Jon Bogdanove & Dennis Janke - with Linda Medley Ted McKeever - with Deb McKeever Al Plastino - with Glenn Whitmore Dave Gibbons Steve Purcell Matt Nodell (artist of the original Green Lantern) - with Glenn Whitmore Bill Sienkiewicz - with Cynthia Morris Adam Hughes - with Greg Wright Alex Toth Colleen Doran - with Linda Medley Stuart Immonen & Klaus Janson - with Linda Medley Ken Steacy Curt Swan & Joe Sinnott - with Greg Wright Dan Jurgens & Terry Austin - with Pat Garrahy John Byrne - with Glenn Whitmore Kieron Dwyer - with Greg Wright Inside Back Cover by Al Jaffee - with Glenn Whitmore _______________________________________________________________ THE MAILBAG ----------- David Young (dayoung@luna.cas.usf.edu) writes: In this issue, Rich Morrissey makes the following comments in a letter which I'd like to respond to-- (< Come to think of it, why can't the people who gave Luthor a working << artificial hand do the same for Aquaman? I wish they'd at least TRY to << keep technology consistent in the DC Universe.) Byrne's contention << that kryptonite had different powers in different universes also flies << in the face of established DC lore, in which kryptonite was the same << no matter what universe it was in (as when Superman went to Earth-2 or << some other parallel Earth). Ah, well... First, Aquaman COULD have gotten an artificial hand. He purposely chose the hook. (See the early issues of the current AQUAMAN series. Second, like it or not, CRISIS basically recreated the DC Universe. Citing previous "DC lore" when it comes to anything Byrne (or any other post-CRISIS creators) did is irrelevant. Byrne was given a blank slate. I personally liked it when I first read that "pocket universe" story and Pa Kent (I think it was Pa) pulled this rainbow of Kryptonite rocks on the post-CRISIS Superman and it had absolutely no effect. Why should it? The Superboy of that universe was a very different Kryptonian than the modern Superman. He was basically the pre-CRISIS Superboy. He was much more powerful, and his powers worked differently. (He obviously gained his powers at a much earlier age than the modern Superman, for instance.) That means that his body chemistry is different from Superman's. Therefore, why shouldn't it take different Kryptonite to hurt him. Also, at the time only Green Kryptonite existed in Superman's universe. None of those other Kryptonites were around. (There's still only Green K and the one example of Red Kryptonite which was created by Mr. Mxyzptlk.) Why should they all of a sudden effect the current Superman like they did Superboy (and the pre-CRISIS Superman)? As I said before, no matter how much you and I may love the days of the Earth-1 and Earth-2 Supermen, no there's only the pre-CRISIS and post-CRISIS Supermen, and one has absolutely no bearing on the other (except possibly in comparing and contrasting). ======================================================== Rich Morrissey (RMorris306@aol.com) writes: Dear Jeff, Loved KC #18 (though I'm not sure I agree about Lois being that much of an improvement under Byrne, as your reviewer said). "The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman-Blue" was by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan and George Klein, as was mentioned both times the story was reprinted. Good story! *** You know, Rich, everyone keeps telling me that. Maybe I'll have to look for it this weekend at the convention. ======================================================== Keep your letters and comments coming! We always welcome your feedback about how we can improve KC! -- Jeff Sykes _______________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 5 _______________________________________________________________ AFTER-BYRNE: Reviews of the post-Crisis Man of Steel ---------------------------------------------------- ACTION COMICS #650, "Reflections" Written by Roger Stern Illustrated by Jerry Ordway & Brett Breeding, Curt Swan & Bob McLeod, George Perez, Kerry Gammill & Art Thibert, and Dan Jurgens & Dennis Janke Cover by George Perez February 1990 $1.50 US/$1.85 CAN/60p UK Superman!! Defender of Truth, Justice, and (nowadays) Cheap Sales Gimmicks! However, there was a day when milestone issues didn't mean a major 347.5-part storyline where everybody died (until the next issue, anyway). Today, I'll review one of those rare issues. Back in the day when the ACTION was bigger than the SUPERMAN on the cover of ACTION COMICS, the focus was on stories, not events. Thus we come to ACTION COMICS #650. "Reflections", a 48 page issue by the God of comics writers, Roger Stern, and illustrated by Ordway, Breeding, Swan, McLeod, Gammill, Thibert, Jurgens, and Janke. Whew! As you can already see, this is one heckuvan issue!! One note -- I've always thought that Roger Stern is the greatest comics writer. Each issue he writes makes you think, and you really get to know the characters. You know it's a Stern issue when the panel of art is practically engulfed by the dialogue balloon (that's a GOOD thing, Rog!!). So this may be a little biased. Now onto the review. Opening scene- a bar somewhere in the Milky Way Galaxy. Draaga the Loser needs passage to "the third planet of the star called Sol," and after almost inciting a brawl, he gets the cabbie K'raamdyn to take him there. Over in Metropolis, we see Superman rushing off to some important place. Perry and Lois get into a cab, and speed over to the important place, which turns out to be a sunken submarine. Along the way, we get Lois's views on Clark. She reminisces about him. This was during the time that he worked at Newstime, and she looks back at his days at the Planet. She thinks about how kind he is and how he helped everybody when they needed it. Even how much he has in common with a certain Kryptonian....SCREECH!! Thanks to the reckless cabbie, Lois's thought process is interrupted. She then thinks about her first meeting with Superman. They reach the scene and watch Superman rescue the sub. Over to the bar. K'raamdyn tells Draaga about Earth (which is cool, because now we know how Earth (or Sol-3) is regarded by other civilizations around the galaxy). He mentions all the metahumans, Darkseid's personal interest, and the Invasion. Now we go to a cave (and my favorite part of the book). The Flash is bragging about how he kicked Superman's butt in their recent race. J'onn shows up and delivers a speech about how Superman has helped the league through the years. In it we see the Xotar story from both THE DEATH AND LIFE OF SUPERMAN and the horrible SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL ANNUAL #4 (why did Weezie feel the need to rewrite this great story?? No offense, 'cause I think she's a great writer, just not a good rewriter). Superman helps the league, but declines membership. We then see how Superman helped the JLA against Starbreaker, Kanjar Ro, and Darkseid. In Metropolis, the public defender is introduced to his client, Sazu (Maxima's servant). After he hears her tragic story, she slams him through the door when he puts his hand on her shoulder to comfort him. She's taken by the police. On Maxima's starship, we see her dreaming about Superman. Here, we see a hologram of Superman, which Maxima morphs into a long-haired warrior Kal-El. The hair on it looks a lot like Supes' current style. A bit of foreshadowing?? On a moon orbiting the bar, K'raamdyn takes Draaga to his ship, and they leave for Superman's adopted planet. And back on Earth, Jimmy reminisces. He's going through hard times with his buddy, and he puts his signal watch in a bank vault. Next scene: Amanda McCoy (the scientist who knew Superman's identity) hails a cab. She talks to the cab driver, who gives her a hilarious description of where he thinks Superman lives -- in a mountain hideaway with a butler. His fellow heroes play cards, bowl, and generally hang out. He also tells Ms. McCoy about how Superman saved him when his cab was hit by a drunk driver (This cabbie appears again in SUPERMAN #49). [And you can read its review below! -- Jeff] Amanda thinks about when she discovered Superman's secret identity (SUPERMAN #2). Next we see Superman flying home. He takes a shower, shaves, does laundry, and (ahem) heats dinner. He then watches a little TV, reads, then goes to sleep. Wow!! (On another note, kudos to David Michelinie for showing us Superman's next night off in ACTION 715- he deserved another break!). Over in the space-ship, Draaga gives K'raamdyn the first half of the 800 kilo-credits he owes him for the trip to earth. In the last scene, Lobo shows up in a bar, foreshadowing the events of the next month of Super-titles. Well, interested in buying it yet?? Here's why I liked it. Think back (a few months) to ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #528, where Superman fought the deaf-mute alien. Sure, the pictures were pretty, and the little story we got was good, but was it worth the two bucks?? I don't think so. On the other hand, this issue is so full of flashbacks, information, and story, that I feel I would have paid $5.00 for this one. We get everyone's view on Superman, including a few guys in a bar somewhere else in the galaxy. Basically, I feel complete when I read a Stern story -- he knows (and tells) so much about the post-crisis Superman and Metropolis! The only part I didn't like was the Maxima story. I guess I've never liked Maxima that much, and it didn't interest me. But it was well-written, so what can I say? So if you're gonna buy one Superman back issue this year, let it be ACTION COMICS #650! Ben Marlin (COSMICBEN@aol.com) _______________________________________________________________ SUPERMAN #49, "Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite, Part One" Written by Jerry Ordway Pencilled by Jerry Ordway Inked by Dennis Janke November 1990 $0.75 US/$0.95 CAN/50p UK Overstreet Price: $1.80 RATING: 4 Shields Placing a second wreath of flowers on the grave of Jerry White, Perry and Alice White grieve. Between them, the tension flows. Perry exclaims that the first wreath is Lex Luthor's, who is watching them, hidden away in the trees. The fact that their son is dead, coupled with the fact that Jerry was actually Luthor's son, makes the scene terribly tragic. After the Whites leave the cemetery, Lex approaches the grave and recriminates himself for not being the father that Jerry needed. Head bowed, he fails to notice the red rock appearing out of nowhere, flying at his bald head. BONK! Expressing his surprise, Lex looks around for the source of the intrusion. Suddenly, the rock sprouts a small fedora, and begins speaking. The rock is a manifestation of Mr. Mxyzptlk, who explains why he is here. Apparently, Mxyzptlk is extremely busy causing havoc in another dimension at the moment, but he would really hate to miss his quarterly appointment with Superman, so he has a deal to strike with Luthor. The deal is this: the "red Kryptonite" Lex is holding will make Superman and Lex physical equals, with only one catch. Lex cannot tell Superman that Mxyzptlk is involved in this in any way. Lex doesn't quite know what to think about all this, but he takes the red rock with him as he leaves. As Clark Kent and Lois Lane walk into the offices of the Daily Planet, Clark sees his old high school friend Pete Ross. Pete has come to the "Big Apricot" to make sure it is fine with Clark if he courts Lana Lang. He loves her. Clark gives his approval, and wishes them both the best of luck. During this exchange, Lois gets a phone call and rushes out. Back in the penthouse offices of Lexcorp, Lex examines the glowing red rock. All his lab tests show it is a worthless chunk of rock, not radioactive in the least, as is green kryptonite. Can he trust Mr. Mxyzptlk? Across town, the super-villain Barrage holds up a convenience store to steal the lotto money they are collecting. The store attendant pushes his silent alarm button, summoning the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit to the scene. Meanwhile, Clark, looking out a window, sees the action and rushes to the scene as Superman. After a battle with Barrage, Superman subdues him, and starts flying him back to Stryker Island. As this scene takes place, Lex gives in and tells the imp to make Superman and himself equals. Concentric red rings of light emanate from the rock, bathing the city in their glow. When the rings pass through Superman, as he is flying over the bay, he loses his ability to fly, and falls into the water. Dan Turpin, in a Metropolis police boat, sees what happens, and pulls Barrage out of the depths. But Superman is nowhere to be found. Suddenly, the Man of Steel is lying on the floor of Luthor's office, dripping wet. Lex realizes that the deal has left Superman completely powerless, and proceeds to beat the living daylights out of him. Lex calls for his security forces and has our hero thrown out into the street from the front door of the building. As the crowd gathers, gaping at the bruised and beaten Man of Steel, Superman manages to slip away and is taken to Clinton Street. He changes back to Clark, and goes up to his apartment at 344 Clinton Street, where he meets Lois. After a shower and some food that Lois was able to put together, they talk. Lois tells Clark that her mother is in the hospital, dying. The issue ends with Clark holding Lois, thinking to himself that it doesn't take super powers to lend strength to someone you love. This story arc is one of my all time favorite Superman stories since I started reading the books again in 1986. And, of course, those of you who were around reading this column during the first seven months of publication know, Jerry Ordway is just about my all-time favorite writer and artist. For an issue that has to lead into a multi-issue story, Jerry does a remarkable job making it read well, and keeps the tension level high. The story flows from beginning to end, as if this were a typical one-shot, but leaves the reader begging for more at its conclusion. And the subplots keep the human factor in the story as well. Yes, the book is about Superman, but the story becomes much deeper and heart-felt with the stories of all the people with whom Superman routinely interacts. I wish the writers of today would remember what that was like. As for the artwork, what can I say? Jerry Ordway always was my favorite Superman artist, and he doesn't fail here at all. Turning Mr. Mxyzptlk into the red rock was very humorous to see. The costume that Barrage wears was drawn to the last detail in every panel he is in. Considering Barrage only has a tiny little piece in this story, the work Jerry put into this issue is incredible. If you don't own, or haven't read this story arc, I would highly recommend you go down to your local comics shop and find it, because it is amazing. Stay tuned next month for ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #472 - Part Two. On a side note, if you miss Jerry Ordway's work as much as I do, check out his POWER OF SHAZAM! series from DC, on sale now. Mark Lamutt (markdl@netcom.com / mdlamut0@wcc.com) _______________________________________________________________ COMING ATTRACTIONS ------------------ A List of Upcoming Comics Featuring The Superman Family of Characters Assembled by Jeffery D. Sykes This monthly section is dedicated to giving you official information concerning which comics you should watch for in the near future in order to keep up with Superman, Superboy, Supergirl, and all the rest of the Superman family of characters. The information which follows is reprinted without permission from Diamond Previews and is in no way meant to serve as a replacement for that magazine. I strongly recommend that each reader find his or her own copy for additional detailed information on the entire DC Universe! Note that Diamond is now the exclusive distributor of DC Comics! NOTES --------------- First note that Marvel Comics' first issue of the DC/Marvel showdown (MARVEL VS. DC #2) is scheduled to ship on January 16. Since this issue (as well as issue #3) will be published and solicited exclusively by Marvel Comics, there is no issue- specific information found in this month's issue of PREVIEWS. Unless someone volunteers to provide me with this specific information, there will be no spoilers given in KC for issues 2 and 3 of the miniseries... January is "Guest-Star Month" in the Superman titles, and the Man of Steel will be assisted by the likes of Batman, The Spectre, Plastic Man, Impulse, and Captain Marvel! SUPERBOY hits its second anniversary with the revelations about Knockout the fans have been waiting for, and STEEL also marks the beginning of its third year with a three-part "within" series, as Steel must deal with the exposing of his secret identity! And last, but certainly not least, Lois Lane teams up with Oracle and Black Canary to investigate a slavery ring in SHOWCASE 96! Finally, if you missed it the first time, here's your second chance! Dark Horse and Diamond Comics Distributors are once again offering all three issues of SUPERMAN VS ALIENS! Contact your local comic shop for more information on how to order this fantastic mini-series! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LIST OF TITLES BY SHIPPING DATE ----------------------------------------- Date: Comic title and information: ---- --------------------------- November 7: Action Comics #717 THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 9 (of 12) Michelinie, Dwyer, & Rodier $1.95 Superman/Toyman #1 K. Kesel, Immonen, & von Grawbadger $1.95 November 14: Superboy #23 K. Kesel, Grummett, & Hazlewood $1.95 Superman: The Man of Steel #52 THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 10 (of 12) L. Simonson, Bogdanove, & Giordano $1.95 November 21: Green Lantern #70 (Supergirl) Marz, Pelletier, & Tanghal $1.75 The New Titans #129 Wolfman, Rosado, & Blyberg $2.25 Showcase '96 #1 (of 12) Steel and Guy Gardner Beau Smith & Sergio Cariello Metropolis S.C.U. Scott Ciencin Cover by Sergio Cariello 48 pgs, $2.95 Superman #108 THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 11 (of 12) Jurgens, Frenz, & Rubinstein $1.95 November 28: Adventures of Superman #531 THE TRIAL OF SUPERMAN: Part 12 (of 12) K. Kesel, Immonen, & Marzan, Jr. $1.95 League of Justice #1 (of 2) Hannigan & Giordano 48 pgs, Prestige Format, $5.95 Steel #23 L. Simonson, Gosier, & Faber $1.95 December 5: Action Comics #718 Michelinie, Dwyer, & Rodier $1.95 December 12: DC Versus Marvel #1 (of 4) Marz, Jurgens & Castellini, Rubinstein & Neary 48 pgs, $3.95 Superboy #24 K. Kesel, Grummett, & Hazlewood $1.95 Superman: The Man of Steel #53 L. Simonson, Bogdanove, & Rodier $1.95 December 19: The New Titans #130 (Final Issue) Wolfman, Rosado, & Blyberg Cover by George Perez $2.25 Showcase '96 #2 (of 12) Steel and Guy Gardner, Part 2 Beau Smith, S. Cariello, Leigh Steel Supporting Cast vs Metallo L. Simonson, Rosado 48 pgs, $2.95 Superman #109 Jurgens, Frenz, & Rubinstein $1.95 December 26: Adventures of Superman #532 K. Kesel, Immonen, & Marzan Jr. $1.95 League of Justice #2 (of 2) Ed Hannigan & Dick Giordano Prestige Format, 48 pgs, $5.95 Steel #24 L. Simonson, Gosier, & Faber $1.95 January 2: Action Comics #719 (W) Michelinie, (P) Dwyer, (I) Rodier $1.95 January 9: Superboy #25 (W) K. Kesel, (P) Grummett, (I) Hazlewood 48 pgs, $2.95 Superman: The Man of Steel #54 (W) L. Simonson, (P) Cowan, (I) Janke $1.95 January 16: Marvel vs. DC #2 (of 4) (W) David, (P) Jurgens/Castellini, (I) Rubinstein/Neary 48 pgs, $3.95 Showcase '96 #3 (of 12) Black Canary, Oracle, and Lois Lane (W) Gorfinkel, (P) Graves, (I) Burchett Cover by Gary Frank 48 pgs, $2.95 Superman #110 (W) Jurgens, (P) Frenz, (I) Rubinstein $1.95 January 23: Adventures of Superman #533 (W) K. Kesel, (P) Immonen, (I) Marzan Jr. $1.95 Steel #25 (W) L. Simonson, (P) Gosier, (I) Faber $1.95 January 30: Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #4 (W) Stern, (P) Grummett, (I) Breeding $1.95 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SPOILERS ------------------ January 2: --------- Action Comics #719 It's "Guest-Star Month" in the Superman books, beginning with Batman! Superman speeds to Gotham City in search of a cure for a poisoned and dying Lois Lane. But the only person who holds the antitoxin is The Joker! January 9: --------- Superboy #25 The extra-sized, 25th issue of Superboy kicks off the 6-part "Losin' It" storyline. In Part 1, Knockout's origin is revealed when the Female Furies of Apokolips attack, and her partnership with Superboy moves on to a new -- and possibly dangerous -- level! Plus, a 6-page pinup section with art by Christian Alamy, Dusty Abell, and others. Superman: The Man of Steel #54 The Spectre guest-stars as the ghost sightings at the Daily Planet escalate, drawing the attention of the spirit of vengeance. But Superman is unsure what role the Spectre intends to play as the mystery unfolds. Plus, Bibbo trains for his shot at a pro Boxing title. This issue is pencilled by guest-artist Denys (BATMAN: THE ULTIMATE EVIL, HARDWARE) Cowan. January 16: ---------- Showcase '96 #3 (of 12) Black Canary, Oracle, and Lois Lane team up to shatter a slavery ring operating in Metropolis, run by a metahuman crimelord in a story by Jordan B. Gorfinkel, with art by Jennifer Graves and Rick Burchett. Backup stories feature Lightray of the New Gods and Deadman. Superman #110 "Guest-Star Month" in the Superman books continues with the much-demanded return of Plastic Man in a bizarre, off-beat adventure! Plus, Lois finds out more about Clark and Lori Lemaris's past relationship. January 23: ---------- Adventures of Superman #533 "Guest-Star Month" in the Superman books continues with Impulse as a *new* super-speed rivalry begins! This time the heroes are caught in the middle of a super-powered scavenger hunt, forced to rely on far more than speed alone to win the day. Plus, a wave of good luck spreading through Metropolis touches the Riot Grrls as their new single hits Number One... with a bullet. Steel #25 FAMILY FEUD: Part 1 (of 3) - Steel's identity has been exposed to the world, Hazard plans his final assault, and the secret of Steel's armor is revealed at last. January 30: ---------- Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #4 "Guest-Star Month" in the Superman books continues as Captain Marvel and the wizard Shazam enlist Superman's aid in challenging the might of Satanus. Plus, Lex Luthor and the Contessa's partnership becomes more... intimate. _______________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 6 _______________________________________________________________ THE PHANTOM ZONE: Reviews of the pre-Crisis Man of Steel -------------------------------------------------------- "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW" ---------------------------------------- Written by Alan Moore Review and Comments by Jenny Stosser This is going to be a long one, folks! Just as Superman first appeared in ACTION COMICS #1, it is fitting that the final issue of the same comic title should carry his final appearance (in this continuity, at any rate). Part Two: ACTION COMICS #583, September 1986 The cover of this issue has Superman flying away from The Daily Planet, with a sorrowful look on his face. On the roof of The Planet are some of his friends and associates, calling out, "Good-bye Superman! We'll miss you!" How many of the people there can *you* identify? Going from left to right, I can name: Robin (Dick Grayson), Hawkman, Batman, Green Arrow, Cosmic Boy (LSH), Luthor (I think), some guy in a grey suit, Pete Ross (I think; I don't know who the woman with him is), Captain Marvel, Lightning Lad (LSH), Wonder Woman, Julius Schwartz (I think), Someone at the back who is waving, Saturn Girl (LSH), Perry White, Lois, The Flash, Green Lantern, Lana Lang, Jimmy Olsen, a small boy, Krypto and a small girl (possibly Suzie, Lois' niece from Earth 2). Nice of them to include Julie Schwartz. Maybe the people I wasn't able to identify were other members of DC Comics' Superman staff? The cover art is by a famous Superman team, credited as "Swanderson", which translates into Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. The inside art is by Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger, another famous Superman illustrator. You may recall that I said last month that these two artists are the ones whose work stands out in my mind when I think of the Silver Age Superman. It is fitting that they produced the art for the final issue of (Superman starring in) Action Comics featuring the pre-Byrne Man of Steel. The story (so far) has journalist Tim Crane interviewing Lois Elliot (nee Lane) for a memorial edition of the Daily Planet, about the last days of Superman. Lois' husband arrives home from work as Lois is making coffee for Tim. He is introduced as Jordan Elliot. He is a large, well-built man with brown mustache and hair (except for the greying temples), who speaks somewhat less clearly than Lois does (he drops his "g's, as in "brewin'"), and describes himself as an "ordinary workin' slob..." He excuses himself to let Lois continue "being a celebrity" and she continues with the story: Superman prepared the Fortress of Solitude for a siege by destroying the golden key to the door. Shortly thereafter, the new "Luthor-Brainiac" team arrived on the doorstep with the Kryptonite Man in tow. Interestingly, the team hasn't made any plans yet as to how to dispose of Superman; however, their planning is interrupted by the arrival of a time bubble from the 30th Century. Just as Superman was visited by the Legion of Super Heroes in the last issue, the "bad guys" are visited by the Legion of Super-Villains, (consisting of Saturn Woman, Lightning Lord and Cosmic King) who wish to ally themselves with "Superman's greatest foe" on the eve of his demise. "Certain of victory, we've come to participate," says Cosmic King. (Talk about kicking a man when he's down!) Luthor-Brainiac asks why he should let them join him, and they tell him that they *know* things (being from the future) that will help them all to defeat Superman. Warned that friends of Superman may try to help him, Brainiac erects a force shield over the Fortress, to stop them gaining access, and then attacks the Fortress itself with weapons from Brainiac's ship. Superman destroys the weapons, and tries to return the attack, but he and Krypto are driven back by the Kryptonite Man, whose power has increased "tenfold". That evening, other heroes ("those that were his friends... those that were almost rivals... those that might have been his lovers") finally arrive (we see Captain Marvel, Vartox, Superwoman, Robin, Batman & Wonder Woman - you figure out who fits into which category!), but they are unable to penetrate the force-shield. There seems to be a cease-fire into the night, and Superman takes time to talk to Perry about his problems. He thinks that he's going to die, and realizing that he hasn't been fair to either Lois or Lana, he wishes that he wasn't such a coward and could have explained things to them. In the meantime, both Lana and Jimmy have the same idea: in the past they had been endowed with various superpowers and they are going to take them on again to help Superman. Jimmy finds his Elastic Lad serum and while he drinks it and finds his old Elastic Lad costume, Lana takes a dip in the "magic lake" within the Fortress that endows her with Super Powers. As the powers kick in, she super-hears Kal-El confessing to Perry of his true love for Lois, something that he would never tell Lana of, for fear of hurting her too much. Determined to prove herself and her worth to Superman in one last show of power, Lana leads Jimmy in an attack on the bad-guys' camp. She starts by attacking the Kryptonite Man, directing Jimmy to take out their generator. When she encounters Luthor-Brainiac, Luthor's personality re-surfaces briefly, and begs her to kill him. She complies with a quick chop to his neck. But between them, the LSV removes her powers and she is killed by Lightning Lord. Jimmy wrecks the force-shield generator, only to be killed in turn by Brainiac, who still has enough power to re-animate Luthor's corpse. (This seems to be a typically Alan Moore-ish touch.) However, some "unknown force maintains the shield", rendering Lana's & Jimmy's deaths meaningless. The villains explode a nuclear device, which punches a hole in the side of the Fortress. The good side of this is that Perry saves Alice's life and they are reconciled. The Kryptonite Man enters the Fortress and encounters Krypto, who attacks him and snaps his neck, even though it costs Krypto his own life. (Lovely sound-effect here, by the way: The Kryptonite Man: "I'm killing you, you stupid animal! Don't you understand? I'm killing YaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA" Snopf!) Superman and Lois in the meantime are running from the LSV, but when they realize that Superman is being driven over the edge and would probably kill them if they pushed him any further, they turn tail and vanish back to the 30th Century, leaving only Brainiac to attack. Sadly for him, rigor mortis has begun to set in, and Brainiac collapses in the snow. It would appear to be over... except that Superman realizes that there are too many loose ends. "Why should all my enemies attack at once? Why is Brainiac's force-screen still keeping our friends out? ... And then there's this statuette. ... The whole 30th Century seems certain I'm finished." As Lois looks at the statuette, trying to recall what it is holding (it is a Phantom Zone projector), Superman realizes that one of the "family" of villains never appeared: Mr. Mxyzptlk. He calls to him, and in a foul-smelling cloud of purple smoke, the imp from the 5th dimension appears, looking quite evil. In a manner we almost expect from Alan Moore's writing, he explains his reason for being: As an immortal, finding things to occupy his time is of utmost importance. "I spent the first two thousand years of my existence doing absolutely nothing... I spent the next two thousand years being saintly and benign... when that novelty began to fade, I decided to try being mischievous. Now two thousand years later, I'm bored again... I shall spend the next two millennia being evil! After that, who knows? Perhaps I'll try being guilty for a while." Mxyzptlk reveals his true form, and going by the same theory that drove the LSV, we learn that he is convinced that he must win this battle: "Today you meet your greatest foe and shall be no more!" Lois is reminded of the 30th Century villains and thereby of the statuette. She realizes and suggests to Superman that rather than running away, the statuette literally holds the answer to their problem. Together, Lois and Superman flee to the room that holds the Phantom Zone projector, and Superman prepares to turn it on Mxyzptlk, who has followed them there. Realizing that he has only one means of escape, he utters his name in reverse; at exactly the same instant, the Phantom Zone ray is projected onto him, and he is torn in half between two dimensions. Superman has finally done what he swore so many years ago never to do: he has killed one of his enemies. Filled with remorse, he tells Lois that no matter what reason he might feel he has, no one has the right to kill, not even and "especially not Superman!" He turns and walks away from Lois, and enters the Chamber where samples of Gold Kryptonite have been stored, smiling at Lois before he goes. Lois tells Tim Crane that she never saw Superman again. As an epilogue, the force shield goes down with the death of Mxyzptlk, and the heroes outside were free to enter the Fortress. They found the dead bodies and they found Lois outside the Gold Kryptonite chamber, weeping. The Chamber itself was empty. Tim asks Lois whether she puts any faith in the rumors that Superman was actually still alive, but Lois says, "As far as I'm concerned, Superman died in the Arctic. I was there." As the interview is completed, Jordan (Lois' husband) comes in with their baby son, Jonathan. Tim leaves, and Lois and Jordan chat, putting the baby down to play with the coal by the fireplace. Lois realizes, "You really love it, don't you? Just going to work every day, taking out the garbage, changing Jonathan's diapers... all this normal stuff." As if the implication that maybe Jordan lived somewhat differently in the past wasn't enough, we see that a piece of coal that Jonathan played with has now become a fist-sized diamond! Lois suggests that they should just live happily ever after, and Jordan Elliot agrees, with a wink for the reader. ;) Once again, the art in this issue has some lovely reminders of the past history of the world's greatest hero. We are also reminded of the final issue of Superman (which I reviewed last issue) when Lana super-hears Superman's confession to Perry. The pose she is shown in harks back to the pose we saw Supergirl in when she presumably overheard Superman talking to Brainiac 5 about her demise. Given that reinforcement, one might assume that Kara did know in advance that she was going to die before the Crisis. This review has gone on long enough (some might say, too long :) ), so I'll finish up with this: For those of you who are still in the dark with regard to some of the characters appearing and/or referred to here, a few notes are all that is required to remind you of the good old days: Vartox was a character who looked somewhat like Sean Connery in his movie role of Zardoz. He was an alien with powers similar to those of Superman, who loved Lana Lang; Superwoman was from the future and used futuristic technology to duplicate various super-powers. She appeared first in Elliot Maggin's novel, SUPERMAN: MIRACLE MONDAY, as an historian returning to our time to see Superman in action; later she appeared in a few Annuals, as a heroine; Jonathan Elliot appears to have been named after Jonathan Kent; Jordan Elliot has a cleft chin very similar to a certain well-known superhero, and appears to have taken his father's name, Jor-El. (Do I have to spell it out for you even more?) ;) Jenny Stosser (jennys@melbpc.org.au) _______________________________________________________________ THE SILVER AGE SUPERMAN ----------------------- by Bill Morse (billmorse@aol.com) The Super-Brat from Krypton This story fits my usual qualifications for an A+ Silver Age Superman story. It is a three-part novel, but it was not considered an "Imaginary Story". Just the same, it reads like an Imaginary Story, because it explores the possibility of Superman being raised and trained by criminals, instead of the upright, nurturing Kents. Art is by Curt Swan, writer unknown. I can't find out what issue of SUPERMAN it was originally published in, but it was reprinted in SUPERMAN ANNUAL: 80-PAGE GIANT #1, published in 1964. This requires a little explanation. DC published a few annuals, for a couple of years, under the names of their featured characters. There were several SUPERMAN Annuals in the 60s, which were all-reprint. Then, they lumped all of their annuals under one umbrella, calling them 80-page Giants. These Giants were numbered just like regular comics, but for all practical purposes, they were just like the previous Annuals. The Giants were all-reprint, identical in content to the Annuals. They would even say "Superman Annual" on the cover, but in smaller print would read "80-page Giant number X". The whole Superman supporting cast had their own annuals, under this 80-page Giant umbrella. So did Batman, and I remember some Flash and JLA 80-page Giants. There were maybe a hundred of these Giants, before the 60s gave way to new editorial directions, and a new series of Superman Annuals emerged, which featured all-new stories. In this regard, DC was probably playing catch-up with Marvel, whose first Annuals in the mid-60s were extra-length all-new stories. Then Marvel began to feature short all-new stories, bundled with a reprint or two. Back to the story I am reviewing, it wasn't imaginary because, instead of using the premise "What if Kal-El had been raised by criminals?", it used the plot device of creating a duplicate Kal-El. On the flight from Krypton to Earth, Kal-El's rocket ship accidentally activated a duplicator ray, which predictably duplicated his ship and its contents, including himself. So this was framed as a real event in the DC Universe, although that concept had not really solidified by this point in Superman's history. Kal-El barely even figures into the rest of the story. It follows his duplicate's rocket to a landing near the isolated mountain retreat of "Wolf" Derek and his wife, Bonnie. This was the early 60s, before the release of the popular Bonnie and Clyde movie, but these characters were modeled after the original Bonnie and Clyde, although Bonnie and Wolf had survived into middle age. Bonnie wore "flapper" outfits, and her face was drawn to look like someone who had one had cheap good looks, and now had wrinkles. Wolf wore silk smoking jackets, a la Hugh Hefner. Clearly, these were not the Kents! As soon as they see the rocket crash, Wolf whips out a machine gun and fires away at the emerging infant. (Aside: throughout the Silver Age, Superbaby's age upon his arrival on Earth shifted. At first, he was depicted as an infant, maybe two months old. Here, he was able to walk and appeared to be two years old. Some stories of Kal-El's brief childhood on Krypton depicted him speaking in complete sentences, with a developed sense of reason, although he still spoke the DC-standard baby-talk, shared by Bizarros: "Me hungry! Want yummy-good food!") When Wolf's bullets bounce off of the infant, he realizes that their luck has changed. He tells Bonnie, "We'll adopt this super-baby, and pretend to love him! We'll teach him to hate the law, like we do! And when he grows into manhood and becomes Super-Outlaw . . . " Bonnie finishes his thought, " . . . he will obey you, like an obedient son! With him for a stooge, you'll become the Crime King of Earth!" (Remember, in the Silver Age, every sentence that wasn't a question ended with an exclamation point! Sometimes two!!) The few appearances of Clark and the Kents only point out the differences in how the boys are being raised. We hear Pa Kent recite, rather stiffly, "We have a grave responsibility, Martha! We must teach our adopted son, Clark, to use his super-strength wisely, and in behalf of justice!" Meanwhile, Super-Brat's parents say, "Ha, ha! Look at him teasing that kitten with his super-breath! Isn't Super-Brat cute? That's right, son! Don't feel sorry for anyone! Only fools are softies!" Wolf and Bonnie train Super-Brat to destroy jail cells and smash dummies of police officers. But Martha Kent tells Clark, "No, dear! We mustn't cross against the traffic light! Laws are made to be obeyed, for the good of all!" (With all of the moralistic speechifying from the Kents, you begin to see why the Silver Age Superman so frequently seemed a little . . . constipated.) Bonnie sews a mask for Super-Brat, because she thinks he looks cute in it. The real reason is to differentiate his character from the real Superbaby, in the eyes of the readers. Super-Brat begins to make his parents proud of him, by throwing boulders on the car of some rival mobsters and stealing a safe full of money. But beyond pleasing his parents, he has developed a cruel streak. He pulls malicious, and dangerous pranks on the innocent residents of a nearby town. In Chapter Two, both super beings have reached the teenage years. Superboy has revealed his existence to the world, and has begun his crime-fighting career. Super-Bully (Super-Brat's teenage name) reveals that he has been spying on Superboy for a few years, and hates him. But he likes the costume, and makes a copy for himself. He teases his parents by flying in, wearing his costume, without his mask. Wolf starts groveling, "My record's clean! Don't touch me!" Super-Bully shows them his mask, and laughs, "Ha! Ha! You sure look funny on your knees, Pa!" Super-Bully then asks an intelligent question, "Pa, how come Superboy and me look so much alike, and have got the same super-powers?" Wolf replies, "Darned if I know, son! None of the newspaper articles we've read about Superboy give us a clue! But I got a powerful hunch that someday your resemblance to that law-abiding creep is gonna make us a fortune!" As if a safe full of cash and jewels wasn't enough of a fortune? Super-Bully continues his mischief, freeing lions and tigers from the zoo, and helping convicts escape from prison. Wolf and Bonnie read that Superboy is vulnerable to Kryptonite, and worry that Super-Bully shares that vulnerability. Yet when he finally encounters some, he is immune! DC played fast and loose with the "rules" of Kryptonite vulnerability, depending on the situation of the story. Sometimes a power-less Superman would also lose his vulnerability to Kryptonite. Sometimes a human who had gained super-powers also gained a vulnerability to Kryptonite. But at other times, the opposites applied. In this case, they wanted Super-Bully to have an advantage. Since he wasn't technically Kryptonian, but merely a duplicate, he wasn't vulnerable to Kryptonite. It wouldn't have made a very interesting story if Super-Bully had immediately decided to kill Superboy then and there. So he continued to hide his existence and plague Superboy secretly, from a distance. In Chapter Three, he has become Super-Menace. He causes a rocket to veer off course. Superman rescues it, of course, but it is interesting to see a scene which I believe predates the movie Dr. Strangelove - he rides the rocket like a bucking bronco, singing, "Git along, li'l rocket! I'm a-headin' for the last blast-off!" Finally, Wolf decides it's time to make his play. He invites the leaders of organized crime to his hideout, and tells them he has a way to get rid of Superman. In return, they promise to make him President of the Crime Syndicate. He says to his grown son, Super-Menace, "Son, you've wanted to knock the stuffings outta Superman for years, right? Well, I've got good news for you! Go git 'im, boy! Kill Superman!!!" Super-Menace is overjoyed. He has lived his whole life for this moment. But as he flies off, his super-hearing overhears Wolf explaining to his fellow mobsters, "Chuckle! Bonnie and I figured that if we pretended to love that freak . . . and raise him to hate the law . . . when he grew up, he'd make me Crime King of Earth!" Super-Menace has a moment of truth. "Sob! They never loved me . . . a "freak", that's all I've ever been to them . . . ! While I was tricked, and taught to hate, Superman was being loved! I hate Superman for having loving foster-parents! I'll kill him!" In a blind rage, he begins smashing the landscape, which brings Superman speeding to the scene, for their first face-to-face confrontation. They engage in a mighty fight, which only proves how evenly matched they are. Superman's x-ray vision perceives that Super-Menace doesn't have a skeleton or organs, he is composed of pure energy. Their super-memories recall the duplicator ray which created Super-Brat. Super-Menace is near his breaking point. "Not human! Sob! I hate your human body! I hate all things that you are that I can never be! I've got to destroy you!" Using his super-breath, he summons a swarm of Kryptonite meteors, using his one advantage. He stands over the dying Superman, gloating, but then some spark of decency causes him to reflect on all of the lies told him by his parents. He uses his super-breath to drive the Kryptonite deep into the earth, and flies off to his parents' house, while Superman slowly recovers. Wolf, confident of his new position as Crime King, tells Bonnie, "What do you mean, Queen? Who needs you, you old crow! Get out! There are thousands of young beauties who would love to be the new bride of the king of crime!" Super-Menace enters and announces, "Correction! You're both rats!" He tells them what he overheard, and concludes with, "My life could've been a blessing, but you, with your rotten cunning, twisted it into . . . something terrible . . . I'll abandon this human form, and return to . . . pure force! And take you two with me!" Wolf screams out, "Son, don't destroy us--arrghhh!" Superman arrives just in time to see them all disintegrate. In the final panel, Superman delivers a eulogy: "And so vanishes the most dangerous menace to law and order the world has ever known!" In a way, it was good that this story stood outside of the continuity of the normal stories, as an Imaginary Story would have. If Super-Bully and Super-Menace had become regular foes, like Luthor, their impact would have been diluted. This story was strong testimony to the positive influence of the Kents, even if their dialog was a tad stiff. I would have liked to see some residual effect of this encounter, perhaps one sequel, but this was the last that we ever saw of Super-Menace. ________________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 7 _______________________________________________________________ LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN ---------------------------------------------- (Boy could we *still* use a real title for this section! :) Because of a mix-up and a failure to deliver, we still don't have reviews of the second and third episodes ("Ordinary People" and "Contact"), but we'll try to pick them up when they rerun later in the year. Here are the writing and directing credits for the four episodes which have aired since last month's issue: 5. "Just Say Noah" (10/22) Writers: Brad Buckner & Eugenie Ross-Leming Director: David S. Jackson 6. "Don't Tug on Superman's Cape" (11/5) Writer: David Simkins Director: Steven Dubin 7. "Ultra Woman" (11/12) Writers: Gene O'Neill & Noreen Tobin Director: Mike Vejar 8. "Chip Off The Old Clark" (11/19) Writers: Michael Jamin & Sivert Glarum Director: Michael Watkins Coming up Sunday, November 26: Superman vs. The Nazis! (Doesn't that sound like it came right out of a golden age comic book!?) Jeff Sykes _______________________________________________________________ DANCING IN THE DARK ------------------- by Zoomway (Zoomway@aol.com) "I'm not as good at romance as I look." Lois Lane has not had a very good track record with men. I realize that statement is as obvious as saying if there were a Nerd Club For Men, Steve Urkel would not only be a member, he'd be the president. However, many fans of LOIS AND CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN joined the fandom late. Some saying they had not seen the show until the latter half of the second season, and some not until the summer reruns. So I'm going to recap a bit of Lois Lane's past where men are concerned so some might better understand how it took two years for the charming Clark Kent to win her over, and also why both Lois and Clark may not be the blind leading the blind when it comes to romance, but they are definitely dancing in the dark. "I have dates!" "You have interviews, it's not the same thing." We learn from the pilot that Lois has no social life, and is somewhat notorious for not having one. It may seem incongruous at first that the lovely and sexy Lois Lane did not have hot and cold running suitors and a social calendar so heavy it would snap the legs off of the sturdiest of desks, but as the series unfolded, the reasons for this incongruity became apparent to viewers. "I'm a reporter, Perry, that's what I do." "My life has basically been about work." Lois Lane is not only a work-aholic, but she is also work-centric. That is, her work defines her, validates her, praises her, and most of all, protects her. Protects her from what? Ah, now we get to the second reason! Lois has all that red ink in her social register. Every single time Lois has entered the romance arena, she has led with her heart, which has gotten her knocked to the canvas for the full ten count without fail. Maybe Lois did so poorly in the ring because of the trainer in her corner. "I'm Frankenstein's daughter." "My father only related to cyborgs." "He was disappointed he didn't have sons." It's tough to know what combination to throw at your opponent, regardless of natural talent, if your trainer is poor. Lois fell for a guy in college, and tried to impress him with her investigative reporting skills. Linda King, Lois's rival, countered with a hormonal assault, and Lois ended up kissing the canvas. Lois then became involved with a co-worker named Claude. He was an older man with a French accent, and a man who knew how to take advantage of a young, but talented investigative reporter's affection for him. He pretended to return her affections when he became interested in a story she was working on. She slept with him, and when she awoke the next morning, Claude was gone, and so was her story. He won an award for the story he had stolen, and never even thanked Lois for her 'input'. This low blow knocked Lois completely out of the ring. She became her work, and her work protected her. She built walls high and thick around her glass heart, and each brick was cemented tightly in place with the mortar of cynicism. Become a cynic, and you will never be disappointed. Nothing and no one can touch, or move you, but neither can they hurt you. There is, however, one element in the universe for which cynics have no defense. Magic. "I don't believe it. Lois Lane, finally, 'literally' swept off her feet." "What does the 'S' stand for?" "Super!" While Lois had no trouble brushing off Clark Kent, mild-mannered hack from nowheresville, her carefully crafted walls were no match for the wrecking ball made of steel. Lois was completely defenseless against Superman's magic. Even after the magic had worn off, in the sense of its novelty, he was different from all other men she had encountered in the 'human' sense as well. He wanted only to help others, and wanted nothing in return. He made Lois feel special....'chosen'. He was rarely judgmental of her, and best of all, and though she never saw it coming, he was getting her ready to re-enter the ring. "I began to think that maybe there was more to our relationship than just friendship" "You're just the best." "You're lucky to have each other." "Lois, I'm asking you to go out with me." "You mean like a date." "To our 'almost' first date." "I've been thinking about the 'date thing'." "What if it bombs?" "Then we'll still be friends." "It was a great date." "Then we kissed, and that was 'really' great." "I'm afraid I'm losing her to this other guy." "Every single time I try to talk to her, I have to fly off and save somebody." "Dan's availability, or lack there of, has nothing to do with our relationship, and your continual disappearing act." "Your going out with Dan, it 'does' upset me." "I don't know what to say." "Say you'll go out with me, and I promise you I will not disappear." "Where's Clark? He's the one you had a date with." "It's about trust, Dan." "At least Clark trusts me." "One guy, who's really wonderful, but disappears every time I try to talk to him, and one guy who's really exciting to be with, but won't talk to me about his job, and what do people talk about if they don't talk about what they did all day, and one guy who's out of this world...literally." "I thought you'd given up the Superman fantasy." "You know who you want to be with, you've known all along. Trouble is, he's just as scared as you are. Now who's going to be the first to step up and say the scary words?" "I told Superman that I just wanted to be friends, and Dan and I..." "Lois, if you came here to tell me that you and Dan..." "We won't be seeing each other anymore." "Clark, if you're going to run away from this, tell me now." "I'm not going to run, Lois. I'm ready to take the next step, if you are." "Tell Clark that I love him." "He knows, but I'll tell him." "Lois, will you marry me?" Whew, okay, as you can see from that long sound bite re-cap of Lois and Clark's journey from friendship to romance of last season, it was not exactly smooth sailing. They did a lot of dancing in the dark, especially Lois, because Clark neglected to tell her one important thing. Fortunately, Lois figured out that Clark is Superman and their romance took a new, and exciting turn. Not to mention one that's simply a lot of fun to watch. They still don't have their sails untangled, but the water is less choppy. I covered Lois this month, so next month I'll talk about clueless Clark Kent, the relationship impaired. ======================================================== EPISODE REVIEWS: ---------------- Episode #3-04: "When Irish Eyes Are Killing" -------------------------------------------- by Patrick M. Stout US Airdate: October 15, 1995 Guest Starring: Julian Stone, Ilana Levine, Sheelagh Cullen, and Olivia Brown as "Star" Written by: Grant Rosenberg Directed by: Winriche Kolbe THE STORY: As Clark and Lois prepare to cover a charity auction, they begin discussing whether trouble just naturally finds Lois or if Clark has been a jinx to her. Clark is getting cold feet about their relationship because he feels his career as Superman is putting Lois at great peril. Perry is the charity auctioneer, selling dates with Metropolis' most eligible bachelorettes. In the midst of the auction, someone tosses a gas bomb into the crowd; thieves make their move on the city museum, site of the auction. Clark uses his super-lungs to inhale all the gas and allow the audience to revive. It's discovered that the museum's Scepter of Claudius has been stolen. We are witness to a brief scene of ritual sacrifice. The scene then changes to the Daily Planet newsroom, where Perry briefs Lois and Clark on a series of murders plaguing Metropolis and on the search for the stolen scepter. Clark's super-hearing catches a scream from the museum-- Superman arrives in time to confront a team of thieves, but Lois suddenly enters the room and an explosion immediately follows. A while later, Lois and Clark argue over whether she should have followed him to the museum. The auction has resumed, but in another part of Metropolis, another dead body has been found. As Lois and Clark continue to bicker over her propensity to place herself in danger, she catches Perry's eye and volunteers to be the next to be "auctioned". The bidding for Lois' company is between Clark and another Planet reporter, Ritchie. Clark tops Ritchie with a final bid of $150 when an Irishman shouts out a bid of $10,000! The man is Patrick Sullivan, an old boyfriend of Lois' when she was a foreign exchange student in Ireland. They agree to meet later. Unknown to Lois, Patrick is the boss of the gang of thieves that's been looting the museum; he has his men hide away with their goods as Lois arrives at his apartment. He tells Lois that he has taken over his father's international antique business. Later, over drinks, Patrick peppers Lois with questions about her relationship with Clark. She simply states that it's a complicated one, but that Clark has "swept her off her feet" a few times. Patrick states that he is not involved in a romantic relationship--that the one he loves slipped out of his clutches. He says to Lois: "If I had to do it over again, I'd make sure she never got away." On the telephone with Ma Kent, Clark discloses his fear that Lois would be in greater danger if she married Superman. There is a knock at Clark's apartment door; Veronica Kipling, the museum secretary, brings him a photo of the stolen scepter. Clark notes that the scepter appears to match a crown taken in another museum theft. Lois arrives at Clark's apartment, immediately bristling at the sight of the other woman there. She storms out. Emeralds taken from the scepter, when held next to each other, give off a crackling power. Their new owner, Patrick Sullivan, calls it "the power of the ancient Druids". At the Planet the next day, Lois and Clark taunt each other across their desks. Clark is jealous because of Patrick and Lois is jealous because of Veronica. They finally just stare at each other without speaking. Colleen was Patrick's governess and is now a combination maid and secretary. She finds the emeralds in Patrick's office, part of a shrine he has made to Lois which includes photos of her and news clippings by and about her. Also included is a sacrificial knife! Patrick and Lois talk over a picnic lunch. On a street corner nearby, Colleen catches Clark and tells him Lois is in danger because of Patrick's "family curse"--criminal insanity. She tells Clark that Patrick's father was institutionalized after sacrificing his wife in a Druid ceremony. Clark tracks Lois down and, when the picnic concludes, walks her back to the Planet. Lois shrugs off his warning about Patrick. Meanwhile, Patrick has encountered Colleen near the Planet. "We can't have you running all over the city saying, 'The Druids are coming,' can we?" he says as he rushes her into an alley and down a stairway. Veronica brings some Druid research to Clark at the office. He brushes off her attempts to flirt with him while Jimmy, nearby, laughs at Clark's discomfort. Clark gets a call back from Dublin confirming that Patrick's father is confined to a sanitarium for the criminally insane. He catches Veronica at the door and invites her to dinner--they wind up in an Irish pub where Patrick and Lois are dining. Patrick challenges Clark to a game of darts. As they play, Clark asks several questions regarding Patrick's reasons for being in Metropolis. Patrick's final shot is a bullseye, but Clark wins the game by using his dart to split Patrick's and score a second bullseye. Lois and Clark ditch their dates because a new lead has become available in the museum theft story--a police report on a bank theft. Superman arrives at the bank and unties the employees; they tell him a ritual mask was stolen from a safe deposit box. Patrick holds in his hands "the Mask of the Ancient Ones", and places an emerald in each eye socket. "You can feel the magic," he says. "It's time we made our final offering." His hand touches a photo of Lois. Lois' neighbor, Star, consoles her regarding her feelings for Clark. Star is a neighborhood psychic, and as Lois heads for a rendezvous with Patrick, the woman shouts, "Don't open the cabinet!" At the Planet, Clark confirms that the ancient mask stolen was of Irish origin. At Patrick's apartment, Lois opens the cabinet. She finds the mask centered in the shrine to her that he has created. Clark and Jimmy are studying background material concerning the mask, when Perry enters to tell them that Colleen's body has been found in the lake. Superman arrives at Patrick's apartment in time to stop the attempted sacrifice of Lois. But Patrick dons the mask and uses its magic to fight Superman to a standstill. Finally, Superman's x-ray vision is able to penetrate the mask and it disintegrates, causing Patrick to suffer the same fate. Clark meets Lois at her apartment to discuss their relationship. "I realize that turning my back on (our) love is more dangerous than any hypothetical crisis could be," he confesses. They kiss. But Lois has another concern: "Your saving my life does not give you the right to live my life, not you or Superman." Clark leaves with their future still unresolved. REACTION: It's obvious to see in this story how the L&C producers have elevated the "love plot" to equal status with the "action plot" in each episode this season. With the complement of quick scene changes that has always been a trademark of this series, there is reference every third scene--if not every other scene--to the romantic dilemma. Teri Hatcher has really grown in the role of Lois and truly makes the character her own in this latest season. Dean Cain's Clark has proven a match for Lois in the heavy character scenes offered up to them this year. The Druid sacrifice plot was well-paced, but it couldn't match the troubled relationship subplot in terms of what attracts the most fan interest. There won't be too much nail-biting necessary, though. Romantic resolution lies around the corner with the next episode. ======================================================== Episode #3-05: "Just Say Noah" ------------------------------ by Patrick M. Stout US Airdate: October 22, 1995 Guest Starring: Mac Davis, and Olivia Brown as "Star" Written by: Brad Buckner and Eugenie Ross-Leming Directed by: David S. Jackson THE STORY: Lois' psychic neighbor, Star, tells her that a couple in their apartment building has disappeared. "I'm a reporter," says Lois, "I can make some noise about this." Ma and Pa Kent visit Clark in Metropolis. As Ma checks the state of his refrigerator, Clark asks for advice on reconciling with Lois. "Should I crawl back?" he asks. "Fly back. It's faster," is Ma's reply. While Lois asks Perry for permission to pursue the disappearance story, his attention is distracted by his favorite television program--"The Larry Smiley Show". Perry says, "Without Larry, my marriage would have been a shutout." Lois notices that the missing couple, Arnold and Michelle, were guests on the pre-taped program. As Perry cautions Lois and Clark not to let any personal differences affect their work, Clark hears a cry for help outside. Superman rushes to free a man trapped inside his car during a traffic accident. The Man of Steel then inhales all remaining smoke and flames. Lois keeps interrupting his cleanup efforts to discuss their relationship. "It's always good old Clark, good old Superman, crabby old Lois," she states. Lois and Clark interview a source about Arnold and Michelle's disappearance. Evidence indicates that the couple, and perhaps others, were last known to have attended the Larry Smiley Institute. The scene changes to the institute...where Arnold and Michelle have been put into restraints inside an eerie-looking laboratory. Lois has collected data concerning all couples reported missing over the last two years. Clark's super-scanning reveals that four of the couples were last seen attending the Larry Smiley Institute. Perry agrees to send the two reporters undercover to the institute to determine if there is a connection. As Lois and Clark are shown to the guest cabins at the institute, Clark keeps coming up with reasons not to move into each cabin they see. He is really using his x-ray vision to scan the "team name" assigned to the previous occupants of each cabin. When he finds "The Badgers", the name that had been given to Arnold and Michelle, he accepts that cabin. Inside, Clark uses his vision to read the imprint on the desk of a letter written by Michelle. Lois' suitcase gets lost and doesn't make it to their living quarters. "Harmonicity" is the subject of Larry Smiley's first talk to the couples who've come to his retreat. Lois and Clark arrive late to the first session, quarreling about the lost suitcase; she is dressed in one of Clark's flannel shirts and a pair of his pants. During a group meditation session, one of the couples turns Lois in for whispering to Clark. Lois is sent outside in "time out". While outside, she questions Cathy, a staff member, about Arnold and Michelle. Cathy claims not to know the couple. Larry Smiley later tells Cathy that he believes she has betrayed his trust. He claims to have received a telephone call from God, telling him that the Smiley people are destined to rule the world. A curtain rises, revealing a woman encased in glass to whom Larry speaks. It is opening night at the Metropolis Symphony. Perry and Jimmy are curbside when Alice White arrives in a taxi. Perry leaves Jimmy and joins his wife. As the cab pulls away, the driver releases knockout gas into the back seat occupied by the Whites. Clark is uncomfortable with the makeshift sleeping arrangement he has in the cabin. He tries lying in a flying/floating position as he and Lois talk; the romance in their relationship appears to be returning and both are feeling pretty good when sleep overtakes them. Unfortunately, Clark "sleep floats" above Lois. She awakens to see this shape hovering above her in the dark and screams--the scream awakening Clark, who then falls on top of her. A rock comes flying through their cabin window. It carries a note, asking them to come to meet someone the next night. Perry and Alice are brought bound into Larry Smiley's underground cavern laboratory. Larry reveals he is collecting two of every occupation to take with him when he floods the earth. "God has made it clear what I have to do," says Larry. He shows Perry the AquaPlus 1000 Stormmaker. Perry then realizes that, while Larry was talking to him, Alice has been placed in some type of suspended animation. Clark returns from a mission as Superman, and he is nearly discovered by the couple next door. They invite him and Lois to a morning group session. Clark and Lois dominate the session talking about apologies and learning from past mistakes. That night, Lois and Clark arrive for their late-night rendezvous with the person who threw the rock through their cabin window the night before. They find Cathy's body in a tree. Lois discovers something in the woman's shoe. Lois and Clark slip into Larry's office. They hear him in the next room, referring to Cathy's death as a suicide. The object found in her shoe is a piece of a manuscript in some ancient language. They look through Larry's papers, discovering that he has separated the records of couples at the retreat into "accepted" and "rejected". Their file has been placed in the "rejected" stack. Lois and Clark confess their love for one another as a way of refuting Smiley's analysis of them as incompatible. The reporters find the reference book from which the torn manuscript page was taken. They take it back to Metropolis and to Lois' neighbor, Star. Jimmy tells them about Perry's disappearance and returns with them to Larry Smiley's camp. Smiley's disciples are breaking up the camp, preparing to move into a space ark. "We only wait for the sign," Larry says as he moves toward the telephone. He picks up the phone, and then tells his followers that God has readied the storm. Larry unveils those subjects previously frozen into immobility; one of these is his mother. Back in Metropolis, Star tries to channel a message to Clark from an ancient consciousness. Lois and Jimmy pretend to be one of the immobile couples, but are discovered by Smiley. The ancient voice reads the section of manuscript as an Aramaic account of the story of Noah's Ark. Jimmy and Lois have been tied to a lightning rod as the storm begins. Feeling that they face certain death, Jimmy confesses that he has a crush on Lois and begins to relate an explicit dream that he has had about her. Superman arrives to save them before the climax (so to speak). Having saved his friends, Superman destroys the stormmaker and frees the other captives. Larry Smiley's mother says, "Lawrence, you have been a very naughty boy." Back in Metropolis, Superman speaks to Lois: "We keep messing up. Why is that?" Lois answers: "Maybe we should take a little break from the idea of marriage, and just be in love." They kiss, and then he flies away. REACTION: The L&C producers are jugglers. They're trying to provide the romantic interplay they know the fans want, and yet still provide the menacing storyline that justifies the presence of Superman. And sometimes one element gets in the way of the other. Even with the willing suspension of disbelief required of superhero fans, how realistic is it that Superman's attempts at averting a life-threatening situation would be interrupted with Lois' questions about their continuing relationship? How plausible is it that, in the midst of seeking out clues following a gruesome murder, they stop to discuss their romantic compatibility? These juxtapositions have to happen when the producers have reduced each scene to a quick beat and, in every two or three beats, they have to touch on THE RELATIONSHIP. The incongruities generated by this formula writing having been cited, I confess that I greatly enjoyed the scene with Clark and his mother at the beginning of the show and the scene between Lois and Clark/Superman at the end. I must extend my compliments to the producers on the quick pacing of the show. Once you've seen a couple of L&C episodes, you begin to notice how plodding some other shows are. Case in point, I tried to watch "The Invaders" but the slow pace of the initial episode was driving me crazy. I switched the channel...to "Lois and Clark". As K Callan might say, each hour flies by. _______________________________________________________________ **************************************************** End of Section 8/Issue #19