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Post by Action Ace on Jun 9, 2016 18:22:57 GMT -5
Basing Lara on Aunt Pittypat Hamilton from Gone With the Wind was probably a "slight" error on John Byrne's part.
Elsewhere around the DC Universe....
Look! Robin's back!
What in the Hell happened to The Legion of Super-Heroes???
and most importantly from a classic comics perspective...the debut of the DC Archives line with Superman Archives Volume 1
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 9, 2016 18:48:07 GMT -5
Basing Lara on Aunt Pittypat Hamilton from Gone With the Wind was probably a "slight" error on John Byrne's part. Love it! They aren't running that ad just yet, but it's coming. |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 9, 2016 20:18:43 GMT -5
Just a head's up for anyone who missed it here, I'm in this thread for the long haul now, intending to get at least as far as here by August:  Why? I consider this issue to be the unofficial start of the greatest Superman stretch ever written. Heck, I had time and the desire to write three more reviews today, but I wanted to slow down and give anyone reading this time to absorb and keep pace  26 issues to go! |
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Post by dupersuper on Jun 9, 2016 21:28:31 GMT -5
Action Comics #647  The Brainiac Trilogy, Part One: "Brain Drain" Problem #2: Metallo was utterly wasted and unceremoniously killed off after his first story (way back in Superman #2). While Stern doesn't bother to explain how Metallo is still alive (I assume this is "the Mystery of Metallo" that we're promised in the next issue), it's at least nice to see him being put to use once again. Don't forget he showed up again in the Doom Patrol cross-over right before the Supergirl Saga. |
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Post by dupersuper on Jun 9, 2016 21:30:56 GMT -5
Action Comics #647 The Brainiac Trilogy, Part One: "Brain Drain" writer: Roger Stern layouts: George Perez finishing: Kerry Gammill inks: Brett Breeding letters: Problem #3: Superman and Luthor's relationship. They didn't have much of one. Luthor had a lame reason for resenting Superman (he embarrassed him in Man of Steel #4), and Superman had no reason to particularly hate Luthor beyond knowing he was corrupt and had his hands in everything. Add to that the facts that the two seldom ever actually interacted AND the problem that Luthor could have killed him as early as Superman #2 but, for reasons never really explained, decided he'd rather let him live and mess with him instead (which he then did a poor job of accomplishing). Stern solves both problems -- the latter by having Superman save Luthor's life (leaving Luthor reluctantly wondering if he owes Superman a debt -- thus, he might now have a reason not to whip out the Kryptonite ring and end Superman at his earliest convenience), and the former by giving the two this really cool (albeit brief) exchange:  No threats, no dramatic posturing and speeches, no action -- just two enemies who frequently work towards each others' undoing engaging in an uncomfortably civil conversation with some strange degree of mutual respect. It's powerful in ways I can't fully explain. Luthor knows he owes Superman now, and Superman knows he won't touch Luthor if Luthor isn't actively doing something wrong, so where does that leave them? Here. I don't believe this ever comes up again, sorry. |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 9, 2016 21:31:05 GMT -5
Don't forget he showed up again in the Doom Patrol cross-over right before the Supergirl Saga. Didn't know about this. How closely aligned is it with the continuity of Superman #1 and 2? Does it explain how he's still alive or why Lexcorp has apparently let him loose? This issue is written as if nothing has been done with Metallo since that last story. |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 9, 2016 21:32:13 GMT -5
I don't believe this ever comes up again, sorry. It at least explains why he's entertaining Superman's questions there and might also help to explain why Luthor doesn't just kill Supes tomorrow (which Superman #2 showed us he absolutely has the power to do). |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 9, 2016 21:39:30 GMT -5
Don't forget he showed up again in the Doom Patrol cross-over right before the Supergirl Saga. Didn't know about this. How closely aligned is it with the continuity of Superman #1 and 2? Does it explain how he's still alive or why Lexcorp has apparently let him loose? This issue is written as if nothing has been done with Metallo since that last story. Oh dear g... I read and reviewed this story. I am surely losing it. Looking at the review, this was a pretty forgettable story. I honestly can't recall if it explains how Metallo was still alive or how he ends up in a box at Lexcorp. |
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Post by dupersuper on Jun 9, 2016 22:01:43 GMT -5
I don't believe this ever comes up again, sorry. It at least explains why he's entertaining Superman's questions there and might also help to explain why Luthor doesn't just kill Supes tomorrow (which Superman #2 showed us he absolutely has the power to do). Well, also he no longer has the ring...
(Dark Knight Over Metropolis is coming!)
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Post by shaxper on Jun 9, 2016 22:09:46 GMT -5
It at least explains why he's entertaining Superman's questions there and might also help to explain why Luthor doesn't just kill Supes tomorrow (which Superman #2 showed us he absolutely has the power to do). Well, also he no longer has the ring...
(Dark Knight Over Metropolis is coming!)
I'd almost forgotten about Luthor losing the ring. Do we get any indication as to when that happened/happens? |
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Post by Action Ace on Jun 9, 2016 23:14:10 GMT -5
Just a head's up for anyone who missed it here, I'm in this thread for the long haul now, intending to get at least as far as here by August: Why? I consider this issue to be the unofficial start of the greatest Superman stretch ever written. Heck, I had time and the desire to write three more reviews today, but I wanted to slow down and give anyone reading this time to absorb and keep pace 26 issues to go! Although I wouldn't return to comics for another few months, I date this era of Superman goodness to January 1990. Superman's a bit shaky, but Action and Adventures are on a roll. |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 10, 2016 6:44:28 GMT -5
Although I wouldn't return to comics for another few months, I date this era of Superman goodness to January 1990. Superman's a bit shaky, but Action and Adventures are on a roll. Well that's good to know, as January 1990 is only two reviews away at this point  I'm still reading this part of the run for the first time. Back in the day, I started reading in August 1990 with the issue above, and something happened in it that made my jaw drap. I made sure I was reading all three titles after that! That book actually made my #7 for the 2014 Classic Comics Christmas: Our favorite Classic Comics: classiccomics.boards.net/post/53946/thread |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 10, 2016 8:42:13 GMT -5
Action Comics #648  The Brainiac Trilogy, Part Two: "Body and Mind" writer: Roger Stern layouts: George Perez finished art: Kerry Gammill inks: Brett Breeding letters: Bill Oakley colors: Glenn Whitmore assoc. editor: Jon Peterson editor: Mike Carlin grade: C+ If you love the first part of The Brainiac Trilogy, then get ready for Part Two...to disappoint. Once again, now across all three titles, we're seeing serious pacing issues. Whereas so much went down in the previous chapter, this issue really accomplishes nothing beyond providing nonsensical explanations for a bunch of things. We get an explanation for how Metallo appeared to die in Superman #2 but really didn't:  Yeah, even if you can buy the rest of this (and they had all sorts of intricate state of the art machines hooked up to and probing him), Metallo just walks around Lexcorp unnoticed by the cameras and security systems and just happens to find some Uranium lying around? We also get an explanation for how Metallo appeared to die in Superman #20 but really didn't:  Yep. Doesn't make much sense either. Why would Metallo's inventor program him to do this? But my personal favorite is what happens when Brainiac is placed in a cryogenic freeze while they work on his new body. He goes under and then suddenly discovers his mind is more powerful than ever because  Riiiiiiiiight. So, really, all that goes down in this issue is Brainiac's mind randomly getting more powerful and Brainiac and Metallo having a bunch of robots attack a Lexcorp bank. I still don't understand that second point -- if Brainiac already has total control over Lexcorp, why attack one of its banks? To draw Superman out? Clearly, they didn't have a plan for dealing with him once he got involved:  Okay, I have to admit, that was pretty cool. But really, what was the point of this issue beyond offering lame explanations for how Metallo came back from the dead twice? Important Details:- Yup. Luthor is still concerned about being in Superman's debt after last issue:  Minor Details:- I guess the flood is over now and utilities have been restored in Metropolis. Some mention of this would have been appreciated. - This is really really nerdy/obsessive for me to note, but I'd never considered until seeing this panel  whether or not Superman needs to drink. We've been told he doesn't get hungry and yet can process 100% of anything he eats into pure muscle with no waste/byproduct, but does he need water? He didn't take a drink during most of the time he was wandering through space in The Exile storyline, but whereas he doesn't need food because the sun's energy provides his body with sustenance, doesn't he need moisture? Did his body just manufacture that stuff while he was in space or something? Yeah, I know. Truly nitpicky stuff to wonder about. Clearly, he's getting the water in this panel less because of thirst and more because he needs a moment to think. - This was a nice touch:  I enjoy a little ominous ambiguity in my comics. I also truly tire of the villain's assistant archtype who dreams of overthrowing their master just because they want the power for themselves. This was a nice deviation from that standard route. plot synopsis in one sentence: We get Metallo's complete origin story across four pages, another two explaining how he didn't die twice, and then an army of Metallo look-alike robots are attacking a Lexcorp bank for no apparent reason, leading Superman to surmise that Brainiac/Metallo and Luthor are not on the same side. At this point, Metallo places a top scientist under Brainiac's control so that he can help build Brainiac a new body. It turns out this scientist is a founder of Project Cadmus (did Brainiac know this going in?) and leads Metallo and a mental projection of Brainiac there, where the two are quickly detected, leading to Superman's arrival and Metallo's capture and "dis-arming". Meanwhile, Luthor returns to Lexcorp only to finally be informed that Brainiac has been in charge for "some time" now.Clumsy clumsy story that didn't really amount to much. Still, there's something endearing about Metallo's characterization here that I can't quite put my fingers on. Maybe it's those cartoony bulgy eyes Perez gives him that make him seem child-like somehow. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 10, 2016 9:56:30 GMT -5
Action Comics #648  The Brainiac Trilogy, Part Two: "Body and Mind" writer: Roger Stern layouts: George Perez finished art: Kerry Gammill inks: Brett Breeding letters: Bill Oakley colors: Glenn Whitmore assoc. editor: Jon Peterson editor: Mike Carlin grade: C+ Minor Details:- This is really really nerdy/obsessive for me to note, but I'd never considered until seeing this panel  whether or not Superman needs to drink. We've been told he doesn't get hungry and yet can process 100% of anything he eats into pure muscle with no waste/byproduct, but does he need water? He didn't take a drink during most of the time he was wandering through space in The Exile storyline, but whereas he doesn't need food because the sun's energy provides his body with sustenance, doesn't he need moisture? Did his body just manufacture that stuff while he was in space or something? Yeah, I know. Truly nitpicky stuff to wonder about. Clearly, he's getting the water in this panel less because of thirst and more because he needs a moment to think. Superman is one of those rare heroes that doesn't need any food and water to survive on Earth as long the Sun gives him the nourishment that he needs. His Kryptonian name is Kal-El and it's broken down to two parts. Kal means Child ... El means Star ... when spoken together - Kal El means Star Child and that's why our Yellow Sun gives him Super Human Strength, Speed, and other out-worldly powers that's beyond the comprehension of human understanding and that's why he doesn't need any food and water. When, I first heard of this ... it's boggles my mind of powers and the abilities of Superman of what he posses during the heydays of the Silver Age of Comics of where his Super Powers are way off the charts! In Justice League Target Earth - From the 3:25 to 3:40 mark of this video - showcases Superman's vast superhuman strength of moving the Earth to it's rightful orbit. I watch this video once in a great while and still marvel of the superhuman strength of Superman and that's why as long the Sun's is a Yellow Star - Superman is immortal and never dies unless our Sun becomes a Red Giant. That's Panel that you shared illustrates that sometimes he needs human nourishment to ponder what to do next and take the time to ponder it. I don't consider that a nit-picky thing to do because that what humans do to take time off and think what to do next. I know everyone here knows about this but I like to share these points that I made because I just wanted to let everyone here to know how unique Superman really is. |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 10, 2016 10:10:45 GMT -5
Superman is one of those rare heroes that doesn't need any food and water to survive on Earth as long the Sun gives him the nourishment that he needs. His Kryptonian name is Kal-El and it's broken down to two parts. Kal means Child ... El means Star ... when spoken together - Kal El means Star Child and that's why our Yellow Sun gives him Super Human Strength, Speed, and other out-worldly powers that's beyond the comprehension of human understanding and that's why he doesn't need any food and water. When, I first heard of this ... it's boggles my mind of powers and the abilities of Superman of what he posses during the heydays of the Silver Age of Comics of where his Super Powers are way off the charts! In Justice League Target Earth - From the 3:25 to 3:40 mark of this video - showcases Superman's vast superhuman strength of moving the Earth to it's rightful orbit. I watch this video once in a great while and still marvel of the superhuman strength of Superman and that's why as long the Sun's is a Yellow Star - Superman is immortal and never dies unless our Sun becomes a Red Giant. That's Panel that you shared illustrates that sometimes he needs human nourishment to ponder what to do next and take the time to ponder it. I don't consider that a nit-picky thing to do because that what humans do to take time off and think what to do next. I know everyone here knows about this but I like to share these points that I made because I just wanted to let everyone here to know how unique Superman really is. Thanks for this, but keep in mind we're discussing a specific incarnation of Superman in this thread that only existed between Man of Steel #1 (1986) and Zero Hour (1994). Thus, some of the information you've amassed does not pertain to him. I've compiled a complete list of this particular Superman's powers and abilities here: classiccomics.boards.net/thread/217/superman-post-crisis-reviews-shaxper?page=1&scrollTo=11283 |
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