shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 12:18:11 GMT -5
Superman #11
"The Name Game"
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Karl Kesel
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: C-
I still don't get it. If Byrne was so committed to the idea of making Superman more real and of removing all the more outlandish aspects of the Superman mythos in order to support this concept (even going so far as to retcon Superboy into an artificially constructed "Pocket Universe" and then kill him off while de-powering Krypto into a normal dog), then what the hell is this issue all about? If the post-Crisis return of Titano back in Superman Annual #1 wasn't enough for us, we've got a post-Crisis Mr. Mxyzptlk making his first appearance here, and even the cover is a clear homage to those shockingly misleading covers of the Silver Age (and, incidentally, while the post-Crisis Superman covers have generally been awful, this is probably the first truly good one we've seen).
Maybe the idea of making Superman more realistic was really Andy Helfer's brain-child, and thus his leaving the Superman office corresponds with a new emergence of sillier, more fanciful aspects of the Superman mythos. In fact, there's a bit of evidence to support this correlation, as Superman Annual #1 (The Titano story) was the first story not to credit Helfer as co-editor, and this happened at the exact same time as the Legion crossover that brought back and then obliterated both Superboy and Krypto. Seems likely to me that there was a difference of opinion between Byrne and Helfer as to whether or not these outlandish elements had a place in the post-Crisis Superman mythos, leading to Helfer's hasty and unannounced departure.
So now Byrne is free of Helfer and just plain having fun. If you can let go of the idea that this comic franchise was only recently adamantly against having such fun, then this isn't a thoroughly bad issue, though, in typical Byrne style, it's far from well done.
For one thing, it really bugs me that Byrne completely ignores the progression Wolfman has shown in Clark's relationship with Cat Grant. It's clear in that series that the two are informally dating and that Lois is out of the picture (having missed her chance for the moment), but this issue tries to play on the old love triangle as if none of this had already occurred.
For another, Superman's method of defeating Mxyzptlk was every bit as arbitrary as the solutions to many of the Silver Age "silly" stories Byrne is making homage to here. I suppose I should find that endearing, but Byrne is still writing this like a more complex and realistic post-Crisis book, so I assumed he'd go for a more logical solution and found the end to be a bit of a cop-out as a result.
And am I the only one who thinks "Ben DeRoy" (which, I believe, translates to "King of Kings") looks and acts a little too much like the Beyonder from Secret Wars II (published 1.5 years earlier)?
Important details:
(forgive me on these, but I'm woefully unfamiliar with the pre-Crisis Mxyzptlik and have no idea how much of this info is new for the character)
- 1st post-Crisis appearance of Mr. Mxyzptlk
- Mxyzptlk does not know that Clark Kent is Superman
- From the Fifth Dimension
- Real name is untranslatable (though what foreigner ever "translates" their name into the local language? Does he mean that it wouldn't translate to the sounds of the Third Dimension or something??)
- Mxyzptlk is just the first thing he wrote on a magic typewriter to serve as a name.
- Mxyzptlk set the criteria that saying the name backward sends him back to the Fifth Dimension.
- Has a "superior 5-D brain"
- Seeks games of chance with Superman
- Should not be able to reappear for another 90 days (when the alignment between the 3rd and 5th dimensions is again optimal), according to theoretical physicians that Superman talks to, though it's unclear if this will be a consistent rule, or if it's just the case this time around (and how do you even ascertain such a thing? Theoretical physicists are aware of a Fifth Dimension, have an understanding that the Third somehow moves independently of the Fifth, and can track their movements in relation to one another? I know this is supposed to be a more futuristic modern day thanks to the contributions of Lex Luthor, but this seems a bit ridiculous).
- Clark's being in the shower while Cat is over may be intended to imply that they are now sleeping together. Unsure if Byrne intended that since he'd set Clark and Cat's relationship back so far at the beginning of the issue.
Minor details:
- So Jimmy Olsen utilizes the secret signal watch to summon Superman just because some lady he's never met before told him all the sheets at her store started moving around like ghosts?
- Were all of Superman's transformations on page 14 intended to reference the Silver Age transformations of Jimmy Olsen? Two of them are clearly referencing "The Super Brain of Jimmy Olsen," and "The Fat Boy of Metropolis," a third might just be a reference to Alfred E. Newman, and I have no idea if the withered Superman with gray hair and a beard is a reference to anything. (EDIT: JKCarrier has since pointed out that these are all references to Silver Age Superman transformations. More evidence that Byrne is intentionally invoking the "silly" past that this franchise was once sworn against.)
Plot synopsis in one long sentence:
Lois Lane is approached by "Ben DelRoy," a mysterious and attractive stranger who invites her to cancel her plans with Clark in order to go to lunch with him, it becomes clear that DelRoy has fantastic powers and a mischievous sense of fun, he gets Lois to agree to marry her and then has her swap existences with a mannequin in order to marry the mannequin instead, Jimmy Olsen signals Superman for an incredibly stupid and arbitrary reason, Superman ends up running into DelRoy, who (it turns out) was just trying to draw Superman out, DelRoy turns out to be Mxyzptlk, who introduces himself and sets a wager for Superman (say his name backwards or Mxyzptlk will pretty much continue messing with everything), Superman outsmarts him in a completely absurd fashion by rewiring the keys on a typewriter at super fast speeds (but wait -- he can't move faster than light, so how come Mxyzptlk didn't see him do this??) sending Mxyzptlk back after causing immense damage, and Lois goes to Clark's apartment to try to make up for ditching him only to find Cat there for lunch and Clark in the shower.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 12:25:26 GMT -5
Adventures of Superman #434
"Shambles"
writer: Marv Wolfman
pencils: Jerry Ordway
inks: Joe F. Marzan
letters: Albert DeGuzman
colors: Anthony Tollins
editor: Mike Carlin
grade: C+
The last two issues left me truly excited to see how this story would culminate, but somewhere along the line it took a wrong turn. It remains my theory that Jose DelGado was originally supposed to die last issue. There are a number of indicators that this was supposed to happen, the most clear one being that the issue began by promising it would end in tragedy and very clearly didn't.
As a result, instead of watching a gritty, no-holds-barred depiction of a gangwar that Superman is largely powerless to stop, this becomes the first appearance of Gangbuster, Jose DelGado's new vigilante persona, and it's kind of lame. I really liked DelGado prior to this issue, but he feels a lot more silly and generic here, even while taking a very analytical approach to his decisions about when to cross the line and whether he is getting off on the power that comes from it.
The Jerry White subplot wraps up far too easily, as well. Jerry was painted as the kind of kid that you were never going to be able to save, but you just had to keep trying and hoping, yet a little intimidation from Luthor's people inside of prison, and suddenly Jerry is scared straight and ready to be an active part of his family again. Too easy, especially in a series that was beginning to feel disturbingly real in its depiction of inner city youth and the gang problem.
Oh, and Cat Grant is leaving Metropolis? I didn't think Wolfman had the power to make any significant changes to the Superman franchise, and Byrne clearly enjoyed working with the character in his previous issue of Superman.
Important details:
1st appearance of Gangbuster (though not of Jose DelGado)
Some background info about DelGado's youth is offered for the first time (involvement in a small-time gang and "Father Kenny" being his guide)
Minor details:
- Why do both Luthor and Superman automatically suspect DelGado was involved in the ransacking of Luthor's laboratory? We hadn't seen him do anything hasty prior to this other than call Luthor out at a press conference.
- So a highly motivated inner city high school teacher can put on a costume and suddenly pull amazing feats of athleticism and take on two professional criminals at once just because he wants it bad enough?
- And I wish it were that easy to make a professional looking superhero costume with just four trips to gun and survival shops and one trip to a costume shop. It looked like he made that chest symbol on construction paper, yet it looks professional when he's done.
-Jerry White and Jimmy Olsen randomly show up at the scene of the big fight in this issue with no explanation offered, and Jerry somehow knows to call DelGado "Gangbuster." If this is his first night out in costume, and if Jerry hadn't spoken to DelGado since his incarceration, how does he know what to call him?
- And seriously, where the hell did Jimmy come from? Do minor staff members of the Daily Planet typically arrive alone with the police at the scene of a crime?
- If Luthor's company is supposed to be responsible for most of the technological leaps experienced in Metropolis over the past decade, how the heck does Jimmy Olsen hack their high security computer files so effortlessly?
Plot synopsis in one long sentence:
Superman interrupts a security guard working for Luthor being assaulted by kids, the guard refuses to press charges over fear of being fired and begs Superman to forget all about it, DelGado had some involvement in the assault and prepares to become a vigilante, Perry White and wife bail Jerry out of jail and begin reconnecting, Cat Grant explains to Clark that she is moving back to New York to gain custody of her son, Perry announces he's taking a break from the Planet for a few days to work on his family, Luthor's lab gets trashed (presumably by DelGado, and Luthor and Superman both suspect as much for no apparent reason), DelGado makes his first appearance as Gangbuster, roughing up criminals to gain evidence against whoever is behind the gang militarization, Gangbuster takes down the gang, Superman and Jerry White show up to help, the gangs are stopped, the evidence points to Jay Falk (a stooge for Luthor), we are reminded that the one successful participant from "Project Synapse" is still under Luthor's control, and Superman has Jimmy hack Luthor's system to provide a warning that Superman knows he was really behind the gang build-up.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 12:25:49 GMT -5
Action Comics #594
"All That Glisters"
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: John Byrne & Keith Williams
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: B-
In one sense, this is a return to the model in which each issue of Action is a throw-away first part to a story that really isn't about Superman and gets continued somewhere else. In this case, there are two Booster Golds, and one wants to take down Superman. This really isn't a story about Superman in any significant way, and the story is left in such a state that we can be relatively sure Supes will be weak and helpless throughout much of the second part of the story, leaving it to the real Booster Gold to determine what's happening and save the day.
In another sense, though, this issue is fascinating from a continuity perspective. There's a whole lot going on, here.
Perhaps the most significant contribution to continuity comes in Superman's acknowledgement that he last fought Booster Gold in BG #7. Problem is, that was the Pre-Crisis Superman fighting Booster back in August, 1986. Once again, we have that uncertainty as to where the Pre-Crisis Superman ends and the Post-Crisis one begins.
I'm going to go for broke, here, and argue that this ambiguity began at exactly the same time that Andrew Helfer left the series, just as the throwback to the Pre-Crisis characters, concepts, and styles began to invade the formerly relatively grounded series. When Helfer was on-board, this franchise had a clear starting point and back story, as well as a clear mission to make Superman less ridiculous. But, with the Legion crossover in Superman #8/Action #591, Helfer left the Superman office unexpectedly, and we suddenly started seeing the sillier characters return to the fold (Superboy, Krypto, Titano, Mxyzptlk), were given some confusion as to whether or not Superman could actually remember the Crisis and what came before it (Action #591), and now we have a clear acknowledgement of an event that transpired for the Pre-Crisis Superman before the Crisis. Add to this someone referring to Lois as "Superman's Girlfriend: Lois Lane," in this issue (even though I believe Superman has only publicly appeared with her/saved her three times, thus far -- MOS #1, #3, and #5), and it seems clear that there had been a conflict of vision between Helfer and Byrne, as well as which side each one fell out on.
Another important contribution to continuity in this issue is the needless cameo by Batman and Robin. I'd initially suspected that Byrne's motivation for bringing in Batman twice before (both times feeling unnecessary) was to boost sales and put his own signature on DC's hottest property at the moment. However, there's no mention of Batman on the cover to this issue, and he isn't an important nor memorable aspect of this issue, yet Byrne goes for it, just the same. I guess he he really likes writing/drawing the character, and maybe there's some unresolved feelings here about being booted off the Untold Legends of The Batman mini way back in the day.
Either way, Byrne chooses a very interesting moment in which to write the Post-Crisis Batman, as Max Allen Collins had been booted off the Batman title just one month earlier, presumably because fan reaction to his post-Crisis portrayal of Batman and Robin was enthusiastically negative. Jim Starlin would not be starting his run, which significantly alters the Post-Crisis depiction of Batman and Robin into something more closely resembling what they ultimately become, until next month, leaving Byrne with the Mike W. Barr and Alan Davis Detective Comics run as his only template. While I positively adore that depiction of the dynamic duo, it never fully jibed with what Max Allen Collins was writing and got completely thrown out once Starlin took over on Batman. So the young, eager, wide-eyed Jason Todd, beside a calmer, more content Batman, may seem out of place to readers of today, but it made sense for approximately one month back in 1987. Both visually and in terms of characterization, Byrne actually did a nice job here.
There's also the notion, first put forth in this issue, that Booster Gold is a well-known fixture in Metropolis, even though he'd never been mentioned in any Superman title since the time of the Crisis. Apparently, he's a major economic force in the city. I'd imagine that would have put him on Luthor's radar by this point.
Important details:
- We all already knew it from the Pre-Crisis, but this may be the first time we're told Smallville is in Kansas.
- Confirmed that this is the same mayor from Man of Steel #3, and that his full name is Frank Berkowitz, as well as the fact that he is Jewish (therefore making the discussion about the importance of money over doing what's right in his administration all the more distasteful. This is the second Jew Byrne has depicted -- the sleezy video producer from the Big Barda/Sleeze storyline being the first -- and neither have been favorable).
- First full appearance of Julianna Berkowitz, the mayor's daughter. The mayor indicates that she was on the yacht in Man of Steel #3, and, looking back, she really did appear in several panels next to the Mayor, though she looked like she was supposed to be an older character (perhaps his wife) in that issue.
- Lois Lane began working at the Daily Planet at the age of sixteen. Assuming that she is approximately same age as Clark (28 years old), that would have her beginning at the Planet in the mid 1970s, while Lex Luthor was first coming to prominence and Clark was still in Smallville, unaware of his origin and abilities.
Minor details:
- Superman explains to Batman that he is not knowledgeable enough to identify finger prints, yet he did exactly that in Superman #1.
- How helpful can Batman be in investigating the Scrapbook sent to Clark Kent if Superman hasn't told him what mystery he needs him to solve? In fact, should we presume that Superman doesn't know Ma Kent was keeping this scrapbook and therefore doesn't know who made it? Isn't it likely Batman will discover Superman's identity by investigating this, and wouldn't Superman realize that since the scrapbook is following his career back from his first days of anonymously averting disasters?
- For only the second time, Byrne actually references an event from Wolfman's Adventure Comics run (from #427), actually allowing it to play a significant part in the story.
- I hate when characters misuse the word "literally," especially when they're supposed to be highly literate journalists.
- 1st appearance of "Gus," a photographer from the Planet that Lois uses when Jimmy is not around.
Overall, though not a great issue, it did a lot to build Superman's supporting cast and universe, the art and writing were passable, and the action was constant and engaging while intermixed well with plot advancement.
plot synopsis in one long sentence:
Superman calls in Batman in order to learn more about the scrapbook that was anonymously sent to him in Superman #9 (presumably the scrapbook Ma Kent was making in MoS #1), Booster Gold leads an attempt to discredit Superman on Mayor Birkowitz's "Superday" event, Booster attempts to draw Superman out by kidnapping and torturing Julianna Birkowitz, he proves unexpectedly strong against Superman and defeats him soundly, and the "real" Booster Gold shows up to stop what appears to be an imposter.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 12:26:08 GMT -5
Superman #12
"Lost Love"
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Karl Kesel
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Michael Carlin
"Dedicated to the memory of Wayne Boring, the first Lori artist"
grade: C-
Funny how Byrne still holds the reputation, a quarter of a century later, of having been responsible for taking Superman in a more grounded post-Crisis direction when issues like this one all but prove he wanted the exact opposite and that Andy Helfer had been all that stood in his way. In this issue, Byrne introduced Lori Lemaris and Ronal into the Post-Crisis continuity only to kill Lori off-camera and in the past so that her being introduced served no real purpose other than to allow Byrne to have made her Clark's first love.
Truly, considering all the effort made to create a more grounded, realistic Superman series, the revelation of Lori being a mermaid two thirds through this issue comes off as utterly ridiculous, even if you were familiar with the pre-Crisis character and therefore knew what was coming from the first page. Telepathic mermaid love interests just don't work well post-Silver Age. It's an absurd concept that doesn't belong in a genre that has spent the past ten years trying to legitimize itself with deeper characterization and a greater attention to real world believability.
So Ronal is around, Lori Lemaris was Clark's first love and, in Post-Crisis continuity, still died during the Crisis, and that's pretty much it. While I feel like Byrne is polluting Superman's continuity by adding this pivotal romance that clearly hadn't originally been intended to be there, he does dot his Is and cross his Ts. Everything fits, right down to Lois's hair style in flashback which perfectly matches how it looked circa MoS #2.
Important Details:
- 1st post-Crisis appearance of Lori Lemaris in flashback (though she is remembered as having died during the Crisis. Brain hurts)
- 1st post-Crisis appearance of Ronal
- Clark was a senior at the University of Metropolis, majoring in journalism, and carrying multiple minors one year prior to becoming Superman. He wanted to become a journalist in order to "keep tabs on world events -- to have immediate knowledge of trouble that might need my special help." Interesting that the social justice aspect of journalism doesn't seem like a priority to him.
- Lori Lemaris was Clark's first love, and he proposed to her.
- Superman first met Aquaman around the time of MoS #2
- Lori helps Clark to realize that his love for Lois Lane is more true around the time of MoS #2.
- Lori died defending Atlantis sometime after.
Minor Details:
- I assume Hans Schmidt stabbing Lori is taken directly from Pre-Crisis continuity as its addition feels otherwise arbitrary here.
- Ma and Pa Kent are abducted as a tie-in to the coming Millennium series.
- Only 3 days have passed since Lana was abducted in Superman #9, but seven Superman stories occurred during that time, including the multi-day "Gang War" storyline and the stretch in which Superman was hypnotized by Sleeze. I could spend more time checking the fine details, but I'm pretty sure this timeline is impossible. At the very least, it's hard to accept that Superman was dealing with several major adventures each day and not referring to the others as he was dealing with one ("Gee, first I have to watch over Jerry White in lock-up, deal with my feelings after being hypnotized and video taped by Sleeze, make an appearance at Superday, fight and get my butt beaten by Booster Gold, and now Ronal is summoning me like I don't have anything better to do?")
plot synopsis in one long sentence:
Superman is summoned by Ronal to commemorate the now deceased Lori Lemaris, Clark remembers how they first met at Metropolis University and how he proposed to her but was rebuffed because they were from different worlds, as well as how she met Ronal, fell in love with Ronal, and helped Clark to see that his true feelings were for Lois Lane, and Ma and Pa Kent go to check on Lana Lang, only to succumb to the same fate she did in anticipation of Millennium.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 12:45:15 GMT -5
Adventures of Superman #435
"The Circle Turns"
writer/co-plotter: Marv Wolfman
pencils/co-plotter: Jerry Ordway
inks: John Beatty
colors: Anthony Tollins
letters: ALbert DeGuzman
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: B-
Wolfman's final issue and, much like Andy Helfer's exodus, no mention is made of this significant departure from the franchise. After all, in the very beginning, Wolfman, Helfer, and Byrne were shaping thist Post-Crisis franchise together, yet it's now clear who's really in control. So I assume, once again, that the fact that Wolfman's departure goes unacknowledged in the letter col suggests that it was not done on good terms. Still, unlike Helfer's departure, this one seems pre-meditated. Wolfman has tied up all of his loose ends, dealing with Jerry White and Jose DelGado over the past three issues and wrapping up The Circle in this one.
In fact, he even seems intent on passing the creative torch to Jerry Ordway here, acknowledging him as a co-plotter for the first time, and boy do Ordway's pencils appear to come alive in response. However, in an odd moment of foresight, this issue also draws attention to Dan Jurgens by naming The Circle's headquarters building after him. Is there any chance Wolfman knew or hoped Jurgens would be taking over this early on? After all, Byrne takes control next issue, and Jurgens won't enter the picture for another 15 months!
Meanwhile, the culmination to The Circle storyline is...abrupt. It's clear Wolfman is rushing to bring this storyline to a conclusion far faster than he'd originally anticipated, and thus the conclusion even leaves Superman going "That's all that was needed?" Really, the issue largely serves as a visual feast for Ordway to enjoy via forced hallucinations while providing a very light wrap-up to the story arc. I wonder if the "chosen one" ever does show up in continuity, or if the storyline falls into oblivion after this issue.
Important details:
- Wolfman gets one last Cat Grant appearance in, all while reiterating with perfect clarity that she's leaving for New York tomorrow and not planning to come back. "Nyah nyah, Byrne. You can't have my character once I'm gone."
- This is a weird semi first post-Crisis appearance of the Newsboy Legion. They don't officially appear until Superman Annual #2, yet they show up in Superman's hallucination in this issue, and he knows who they are. Once again, we have that blurring of what Superman does and does not retain from the Pre-Crisis. I'm just surprised to see Wolfman responsible for such blurring this time around. Maybe this was Ordway's contribution?
- Also weird that The Circle creates an image of Krypto in Superman's hallucination, as well as a super monkey, super cat, and super horse. Were these all Pre-Crisis characters and, if so, why would either The Circle or Superman's subconscious have knowledge of any of them other than Krypto (who appeared in Action #591 but shouldn't have had any significance to Superman there)?
- The Circle leaves the Earth, but their "chosen one" may still be around.
- Is there any chance that The Circle, survivors of a race that existed on Earth before mankind, are from the same race as the antagonists from Superman #5 and 6? Come to think of it, both sets of characters first debuted in the same month, and Byrne and Wolfman might have still been coordinating with each other at that point.
Minor details:
- Opening the issue with Clark Kent reluctantly about to drive a race car -- damn funny.
- So now a high speed race car wreck can bruise Clark's skin with equal severity as the gas explosion in Action #593 and the nuclear blast in Superman #9? We need a better sense of relativity for this.
- Why does Lana Lang appear in the hallucination about all of Superman's romantic interests? Despite his stating otherwise in MoS #6, has Superman been interested in her as well?
- Wow. I cannot believe they got away with turning Jimmy Olsen into the Incredible Hulk in this issue. I'm assuming this is Ordway having fun with some of the creative control Wolfman has granted him in this issue since it really doesn't feel like Wolfman's sense of humor.
Plot synopsis in one sentence:
Clark is trying out driving a race car for a story, The Circle takes control of his mind, causing him to crash, they free Sthula from prison (Adventures #429) and decide to stop seeking revenge on Superman for the death of Prana (Adventures #427) instead deciding to seek his help to leave The Earth, they draw Superman to them and throw more hallucinations at him to convince him to help and (presumably) to finally determine that he is not their chosen one, they request his help anyway, he reluctantly agrees, and all returns to normal, with Superman wondering if he'll ever meet their chosen one.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 12:46:15 GMT -5
Action Comics #595
"The Ghost of Superman"
writer: John Byrne
art: John Byrne and Keith Williams (did Keith's contributions change this issue to warrant the change in credits?)
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Michael Carlin
Superman created by Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster
grade: F
This is some seriously stupid s*%@.
I get it. Byrne, further attempting to bring the Silver Age he grew up with back into the Copper Age, is going for one of those misleading stories with a shocking cover, an unbelievable turn of events, and a ridiculous explanation at the end that enables it not to have been an imaginary story.
Still, like everything else he's tried as of late, it just doesn't work in a Copper Age story with Copper Age art and writing.
As a result, this story is absolutely, positively absurd. And even beyond the stupid stupid stupid explanation that even leaves Perry White going "Well...I guess that's a satisfactory explanation...at least it'll do if that's all we're going to get" at the end, there are many moments prior that are equally stupid and with even less of a reason for being so, including Maggie Sawyers and her crack anti-super-villain team now somehow consisting only of herself, one armed SWAT officer, and two random detectives, trying to take on the Silver Banshee on their own and seeming amazingly surprised when that isn't enough to stop her.
Truly, the only worthwhile moment in this issue was seeing Luthor's reaction to Superman's supposed death, flying into a rage because it wasn't him who caused it. Still, this begs the question of why Luthor hasn't been pursuing Superman for ages now. He's had the means to kill him since Superman #2 (10 months ago, which must translate into at least a month's time), so what has he been waiting for? Luthor's concocted two major plans since that time, and neither have had anything to do with Superman.
No, I'm not going to bother explaining all the stupidity and logic gaps of this issue. It isn't worth my time, and I don't have the space, but here are the important details from this issue:
-1st appearance of Silver Banshee. Can use voice to age/kill victims. Seeking a book that came from the Castle Broen in Ireland, but we never find out which or why.
-It has been five days since Superman #10. Once again, Byrne is attempting to maintain a tight timeline (perhaps to keep Superman from aging too quickly?), but this is just too tight to accept. That's 8 stories in five days, though Byrne clearly indicates that the events of Adventures of Superman #495 occurred just prior to the start of this issue.
- Maggie Sawyers' daughter is still missing
- Cameo appearance by the Justice League
- A final teaser for Millennium in this issue, with "Lana Lang" planning to control or kill Superman the next day.
plot synopsis in one long sentence:
No.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 12:47:09 GMT -5
World of Krypton #1
"Pieces"
writer: John Byrne
breakdowns: Mike Mignola
finishes: Rick Bryant
letters: John Workman
colors: Petra Scotese
editor: Michael Carlin
Based on concepts created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
grade: B-
I would have thought, by this point, that sales of the post-Crisis Superman comics would be tapering off and dwindling. Surely fans would have come to realize by this point that Byrne just wasn't delivering. And yet, with World of Krypton and the two monthly mini-series to follow, we essentially have a fourth Superman title, or one Superman title every week of the month, suggesting that demand was still there. In fact, in 8 more months, Action Comics will go weekly, meaning almost two Superman titles a week. So, apparently, fans were still buying, and with Wolfman and Helfer out of the picture, Byrne must have been at his height here.
Regarding World of Krypton itself, it's an interesting choice since, only eight years earlier, DC released another limited series by the same name, also telling the story of Krypton's past. Never having read the work, I have no idea if this series demonstrates any awareness of the previous pre-Crisis series nor if it borrows from it in any way. For what it's worth, the Pre-Crisis World of Krypton mini series is generally considered to have been the first comic book limited series.
Onto the actual story: Byrne noted in an early letter column that he regretted including Krypton in the first issue of Man of Steel. I wonder if that helps to explain why the Krypton depicted here is so vastly different from the one we saw then. Granted, I'm assuming this story begins several generations earlier, making it possible for things to take a dramatic turn prior to the events of MoS #1, but the glaring difference between the two Kryptons I'm seeing is that, in MoS #1, we saw an overtly repressed and isolated society in which babies are raised in birth matrixes and Lara and Jor-El were being risque merely by touching, whereas the characters depicted in this issue are barely clothed and appear to touch quite freely. Will Byrne connect the dots, has he changed his mind, or did Mignola just prefer to draw mostly naked people? Guess we'll find out.
I do find it interesting that this series takes a risk in beginning with characters and a plot line that have no clear connection to Superman and his back story at all beyond the fact that this is Krypton and our main characters belong to the L family. Since there is no mention of Jor-L, and since Ran-L seems a lot like Jor-L in his being the gutsy voice of reason, I'm assuming this is an ancestor to Superman's family and that his and his son, Ran-L,'s story will somehow play a pivotal role in the story of the L family and its ultimate impact upon Lara and Jor-L.
Though I can't say I'm particularly intrigued by the plot, a concept which has already surfaced in a number of other works at the time and must be derivative of some better conceived uber-"clone ethics" story I'm not aware of (perhaps a Phillip K. Dick work?), I'm certainly enjoying this departure from the Superman norm, and Byrne is writing it competently, if not particularly well. Certainly, Mignola's art helps a ton.
Important Details:
-With no idea who turns out to be important later on and who does not, here are the primary characters first introduced in this issue:
Van-L
Vara
Ran-L
Kan-Z
Ten-R
Gan-M
Han-T
Nyra
- Since when is it the "L" family, with names like Ran-L and Van-L? In MoS #1 and #6, it was the "El" family, and Superman's father is clearly "Jor-El".
- Speaking of which, Superman has still never been called Kal-L in post-Crisis continuity. However, he would have to know his name after the events of MoS #6.
Minor details:
- So I'm sure this is a problem begun long ago in the Pre-Crisis, but with only 41 possible household names and only 41 possible male names for each household, isn't there a small problem? I don't see any Dan-P the Thirds walking around on Krypton. Of course, by the time of Jor-El, we're now using "or" instead of "an" for all the males, but that still only allows 41 names per family for that generation (or for however long the "an"s and "or"s were supposed to last).
- Are "breakdowns" and "finishes" the same as "pencils" and "inks" for the purposes of this issue's credits? It certainly doesn't look like anyone finished Mignola's pencilwork here. It's amazing how good he is even this early on in his career, and Bryant inks him well.
Plot synopsis in one long sentence:
It's the day of Van-L's coming of age on Krypton, a bunch of stuff happens that doesn't really matter, there's a debate about whether or not it's ethically right to continue using brainless clones in order to promote longevity, clone symathizers ("clonies") are beginning to stage violent protests, Kan-Z kills his mother, presumably for arranging his marriage against his will, and Van-L and his father, Ran-L, discover that the intended bride (also murdered by Kan-Z) was a thinking clone of Kan-Z's mother as this inflammatory news is broadcast across Krypton.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:00:52 GMT -5
Superman #13
"Toys in the Attic" (Millennium Week 2)
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Karl Kesel
letters: John Costanza
colors: Tom Ziuko
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: B+
Not a bad issue. It helps that Byrne is finally finding his balance, introducing an absurd throw-back villain like the Toyman with no apologies, but surrounding it with some strong characterization and art. Now that it's abundantly clear that Byrne isn't looking for realism in these comics, it's easier to let go and enjoy the ride so long as everything else holds together well, and it pretty much does this time around.
Truly, this is some of the best art I've seen Byrne produce for this franchise. The visual trick used in the first panel, as well as more careful attention to detail, layout, pacing, and camera perspectives, really shows here. I'm not sure where Byrne is finally finding the time to put in this level of effort, now that he's penciling two books, co-inking one of them, and writing four, but I'd like to see it continue.
I also really like his return to long-term plotting that we're starting to see. The last issue reminded us that Captain Sawyers' daughter is still missing, and this one subtly introduced the problem with Lex Luthor's hand, with Superman conveniently reflecting on the Kryptonite ring a page later. I really respect long term plotting and am glad to see Byrne giving it some attention again. He may still be having fun with ridiculous concepts in this issue, but he's taking the book more seriously all the same, and it shows.
Finally, I often feel that Byrne really hasn't given enough characterization to Clark/Superman and, when he does, it's often disastrous, but damn if I didn't adore this little exchange between Superman and Lex Luthor:
Luthor: ...For as long as we've known each other I've been trying to destroy you, Superman. Do you expect me to believe you would charge to my rescue when, by simple inaction, you could eliminate me?
Superman: Why not, Lex? It's just further proof that I'm a better man than you.
Superman's smug facial expression, followed by a "tha-a-ank you!" as he tricks Luthor into hurling the very object he wants at him, was similarly priceless.
Of course this issue still had its share of problems, but its some of the best work I've seen from Byrne on this run yet, and the teacher in me just has to give him credit for improvement.
Important details:
- Once again, Carlin fails to make any editorial notes when events from other comics are referenced, but I assume from what's explained on page #8 that this is the Toyman's second post-Crisis appearance and that he first appeared in an issue of the New Guardians.
- Luthor's invention of the Lex Wing "founded [his] financial empire." Does that mean it was his first big invention or merely the one that provided him with the funds to start building his empire? We already know from Adventures of Superman #425 that Luthor first came to prominence in the mid 1970s.
- Apparently, the imposter Booster Gold in Action #594 was a robotic double created by Luthor with the Kryptonite from his ring inside of it.
Minor details:
- How did Captain Sawyers summon Superman? Does she have a regular way of doing this?
- So the Toyman's very problem is that his toys are outdated, yet he's creating ultra sophisticated toys with mico-technology that would have sold off the shelves in stores. Flying action figures, fully automated parachuting army men? Seems like the kind of work only a toymaker on the cutting edge of both trends and technology could ever hope to accomplish.
- Additionally, where's he getting all those plastic explosives from? In fact, how is he producing any of these toys? Designing them and actually building them are two entirely different things. But I suppose I should just shut up and enjoy the ludicrous premise.
- Was the Toyman always British? There wasn't much of a toy industry in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s, so this would seem like an otherwise unusual choice.
- If the Toyman is only seeking revenge against those who wronged him, what was his beef with three armored trucks? Did he neglect to mention that he also seeks harm against anyone who stands in the way of him funding his little revenge organization?
- When Superman looks at the superhero action figures and remarks "Nobody I recognize..." one closely resembles Iron Man. Not sure if the green guy in the front is supposed to be an established Marvel character as well.
- Why is it "dumb luck" that Clark didn't have his costume on under his shirt? It had already been established in an earlier issue (I'll have to do some searching to determine which) that Clark keeps his costume in one of his pant legs and does not wear it under his clothes in the Post-Crisis. I know that Superman #5 reiterated this point.
plot synopsis in one long sentence:
A toy tank blows up the third armored truck in a month, Superman is summoned by Captain Sawyers to learn the Toyman's back story and that he's being sought in Metropolis by the British MI-7 and may be seeking revenge against Luthor, Superman saves Luthor once, is attacked by the Toyman's flying action figures, and gets to the Toyman's secret hideout only to discover he's been kidnapped, we learn he was kidnapped by the Manhunters (another Millennium tie-in), and the Lana Lang Manhunter goes to the Daily Planet, threatening to expose Clark as Superman if he doesn't work to create public sentiment against the Guardians and bury news about the Manhunters, Clark refuses, Lana tries to expose him and fails, begins to doubt herself, and then flees, leaving Clark to wonder if it was really Lana Lang after all.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:01:43 GMT -5
Adventures of Superman #436
"Junk" (Millennium Week 3)
pencils: Jerry Ordway
inks: John Beatty
letters: Albert DeGuzman
colors: Tony Tollins
editor: Michael Carlin
"And welcome aboard to John Byrne: Scripter, Byrne/Ordway: Plotters"
grade: B+
The excessive "welcome aboard" to the guy who was already controlling three out of four monthly Superman publications prior to joining this one aside, Byrne impressed me again with this issue. Don't get me wrong. I'm sure John Beatty's insanely awesome inking helped quite a bit, but this is yet another issue in which Byrne puts some real effort into his work, and it shows.
For one thing, I give him credit for constructing a truly compelling subplot to Millennium that works so well as a self-contained arc across the Superman titles. You get just enough info to understand the Millennium storyline if you haven't been reading it, and unlike the waste of a tie-in arc that Byrne created for Legends, this one is truly captivating and definitively tied into the Post-Crisis Superman continuity in a meaningful way. This is no obligatory tie-in.
In fact, much of this issue feels like a fun game of "How much of Man of Steel #1 do you remember?" as several facets of that origin story become complicated by new additions and twists Byrne creates here. It's an interesting choice considering how much back story Byrne is already planning to fill in via World of Krypton, World of Smallville, and World of Metropolis over the next eleven months. It also feels similar in spirit to Superman #12, which inserted new details into Superman's back story, seemingly just to show that Byrne is paying at least as much attention to his and Helfer's continuity as I've been. Just as with Superman #12, the additions feel a bit needless, but they fit, and they don't really ruin anything with their addition. Of course, after Millennium concludes and its importance fades, I'm sure these additions to Superman's origin will be quickly forgotten.
As another minor detail, I frequently accuse Byrne of gently stealing from his colleagues -- especially those working on other Superman titles. In this case, much of this issue feels borrowed from Jim Starlin's outstanding story in Adventures of Superman Annual #1, in which an entire town is captured and held in suspension underground by an alien invader. The details are different, but so much of the tone, both with Superman walking through a small town that has somehow been thoroughly disrupted by an anonymous alien force, and the disturbing revelation of the townsfolks' underground captivity, feel exactly the same.
Important Details:
- Dupersuper called it. Clark is now inexplicably back to wearing his uniform under his civilian clothing.
- Like the rest of his abilities, Clark's invulnerability did not surface immediately in life. He broke his arm when he was four.
- "Zeta waves" can disrupt Superman's neural activity enough to inhibit the use of his powers.
- The Manhunters attempted to abduct Clark while he was in his rocket heading to Earth, but members of the Green Lantern Corps stopped them.
- In an attempt to keep humans from interfering with Clark, The Manhunters caused the blizzard that occurred right after Clark's arrival on Earth, inadvertently providing the Kents with a cover story that Clark was theirs and that they could not call a doctor because of the storm. Of course, this raises the question of why the Manhunters kept the blizzard going for five months when the Kents had clearly already found Clark and ruined him with "the taint of human love and emotion."
- Within hours of the Kents discovering Clark, the Manhunters replaced Dr. Whitney with their own agent who then inserted an implant into the minds of every child born in Smallville after that point so that they could serve as sleeper agents for the Manhunters.
Minor Details:
- What's up with the title of this story?
- On page 3, we see a statue of (presumably) the founder of Smallville. His first name is blocked, but his last name is Small. Is this a character we'll be seeing in World of Smallville, or is it just a random background detail?
- Second appearance of Pete Ross in Post-Crisis continuity. I ignored his first appearance (well, actually, it was his "pocket universe" counterpart in Action Comics #591), but unlike another male friend of Clark's from Smallville who appeared only once in Adventures #429 and never showed up again, Pete's second appearance suggests to me that Byrne plans to keep using the character.
- Byrne goes out of the way to remind us that Clark was born in a Kryptonian Gestation Matrix. This would suggest to me that he is not trying to undo his depiction of Krypton in MoS #1 (as I had speculated he might be doing in my review of World of Krypton #1). His intentionally reminding us of this scene suggests, then, that the Kryptonian culture we saw in WoK #1 will eventually transform into the culture we glimpsed briefly in MoS #1.
- Still not clear on the ultimate goal of the Smallville Manhunters? Just to create sleeper agents in case they were ever needed on Earth? Seems like a pretty underwhelming B plan after giving up so quickly on attempting to abduct a young Superman just because he experienced "the taint of human love and emotion". Couldn't they zeta wave those memories out of him or something?
- If everyone in Smallville now knows Clark Kent is Superman, how is that going to get undone?
Plot synopsis in one long sentence:
Continuing from the events of Superman #13, Superman pursues Lana Lang back to Smallville, comes to the realization that everyone in Smallville is working against him, is abducted, learns from Dr. Whitney (the lead Manhunter agent in Smallville) that the Manhunters have been pursuing him since he first came to Earth and turned everyone in Smallville younger than he is into sleeper agents, Superman realizes that though his powers are inhibited, he can still use his other abilities, including X-Ray vision, which allows him to see that all the older inhabitants of Smallville are being kept in suspended animation, so he uses his flight power to make the entire Manhunter spacecraft weightless, tricking them into thinking the engines are misfiring and therefore into cutting the power, this causes Superman's strength inhibitors to go off-line, he lunges toward Dr. Whitney, Dr. Whitney self-destructs (he was a robot double all along), and Superman notices some new problem off panel that makes him say "...oh no...oh, no, no, no, no, no..."
(To be continued in Action Comics #596)
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:07:09 GMT -5
Action Comics #596
"Hell is Where the Heart is..." (Millennium Week 4)
writer/pencils; John Byrne
inks: John Byrne and Keith Williams
letters: John Costanza
colors: Tom Ziuko
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: C-
Whereas the first two Millennium tie in installments were pretty tight, this issue feels like clean-up, tying up all the loose ends left from the previous chapter. The very fact that the title for the last issue doesn't make sense until two thirds into this one helps to illustrate this point, as does the excessive four pages of explanations that come after.
Worse yet, this issue didn't make much sense. It's always challenging to write for supernatural heroes (i.e. Spectre, Dr. Fate, Dr. Strange) because you're writing about antagonists and dimensions that are far divorced from our own. The best writers create their own sense of logic to govern these sorts of things, whereas the rest just sort of make crap up and hope it flies. That's pretty much what Byrne does here in having Dr. Whitney use the collective unconscious of the sleeper Manhunter agents to create an alternate existence that seems like the afterlife but is not. How the Spectre finally realizes this, how it gets undone, and how scientifically advanced robots achieved this in the first place, are well beyond my understanding, and I'm pretty sure they're beyond Byrne's as well.
Speaking of the Spectre, we have a small continuity problem here. The Post-Crisis Spectre, in the wake of both The Crisis and the Swamp Thing American Gothic storyline, has been vastly depowered in his own title, yet the character Byrne portrays here is more in line with the Silver and Bronze Age incarnations of the character. One example of this is that Moench's Spectre wouldn't just hang around for hours after in order to explain what happened for the benefit of Lana and the Kents, as he would need to return to Corrigan's body after such a prolonged time. Even the idea that the Spectre would just be out, cruising across the country on look-out is contradictory to what was happening in his own title at the time. I'm not sure if this mischaracterization stems out of Millennium or if this is all Byrne, but it certainly doesn't match the depiction Moench had been writing for ten issues by this point.
A pretty unexceptional issue, over all.
Important Details:
- First appearance of Mayor Small who, I presume, is a descendant of the "Small" whose statue we saw in the previous chapter. After two references to the Small family in two issues, I have to assume Byrne is coming back to this with World of Smallville.
Minor Details:
- That image of Whitney inserting the chip at the base of a newborn baby's skull on page 8 truly disturbed me.
- Byrne answers my question from the previous review of what the Manhunters were trying to accomplish by having Whitney create sleeper agents in Smallville, though it isn't much of an explanation. Apparently, they first kept track of Superman until he went public and then went on stand-by in case they were needed later down the road. This means that everyone in Smallville younger than Clark was doing intermittent spying and reporting for the Manhunters without realizing it.
- Superman's being willing to risk his very soul in order to rescue innocents from a strange dimension depicted in black and white feels lifted directly from the Phantom Zone mini-series done by Gerber and Colan six years earlier. Again, Byrne loves to borrow.
- Follow the final panel from page 20 to the first panel in page 21. The Spectre was on the front porch, turns to face Superman, and he's in Lana's kitchen with a window behind him. Huh?
- Pa Kent speaks like a stereotypical "hick," and I don't like it ("I can't hardly believe all them terrible things've been going on right under our noses all these years!")
Plot synopsis in one long sentence:
The Spectre senses evil while flying over Smallville, provides a brief synopsis of the Millennium storyline thus far, and assists Superman in traveling to another dimension to reclaim the souls of the Smallville sleeper agents that are now apparently dead after last issue, we discover it's all a ruse by the spirit of Doc Whitney (or is it really his spirit if this was just a ruse? But then how is he not dead??), and we get an overly long explanation of what happened that doesn't really make sense beyond the point that the sleeper agents won't remember anything they experienced while activated by the Manhunters and therefore still don't know Clark is Superman (aside from Lana).
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:08:10 GMT -5
World of Krypton #2
"After the Fall"
writer: John Byrne
breakdowns: Mike Mignola
finishes: Rick Bryant
colors: Petra Scotese
letters: John Workman
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: A-
Wow.
What an intentionally abrupt change from last issue. Just when we thought we knew where this series was going, Byrne hurtles us a thousand years in the future to a world that's even less like the Krypton we saw in MoS #1 than what we saw last issue, fills the issue with a deep sense of loss and senselessness as a scientifically preserved Van-L marches across the scorched landscape in an exo-suit seeking out Kryptonian survivors, intermittently flashing back to how the events from the previous issue led to this, and we even gets some deep sci-fi thrown in, including a detailed description of how the exo-suit works and what effects it has on his body after having worn it for a century. This is truly solid sci-fi writing; something I expected neither from Byrne nor from any mainstream comic book.
Really, all that holds me back from giving this issue an A is, first, that Byrne's writing still lacks characterization. Much like the Post-Crisis Superman after 40+ stories, I still don't feel like I know anything about Van-L, nor his relationship with Vara. There's nothing in particular that makes me like or root for him beyond the fact that he's the protagonist.
Second, the art feels very different in this issue. I'm still not clear on how the art responsibilities are being shared between Mignola and Bryant, but I see less of Mignola's work this time around. The outlines and arrangements feel like his, but this time it really looks like Bryant did most of the work, wheres last issue still conveyed so much of Mignola's stylistic detail and inking. Bryant managed to suck the life out of Mignola's art this time around.
Also, Petra Scotese's colors are muted and uninspired, here. I get it; Van-L's on a desolate landscape and feeling emotionally desolate as well, but then at least make the flashbacks more vibrant with their colors. Adrienne Roy, working on Batman at this time, can find a handful of colors to use to convey the backdrop of night in a given issue, so why is every panel on any given page of this issue colored pretty much the same? I hate watching the work of one of my favorite artists in all of comicdom get so thoroughly underused.
Important Details:
- Kandor is obliterated off-panel by an atomic detonation mentioned on page 10,. Once more, Byrne works hard to annihilate some of the more fantastic elements of the Pre-Crisis Superman even while indulging in others. Of course, doesn't the bottle city of Kandor come back for the whole New Krypton storyline two decades later? I guess Zero Hour and Infinite Crisis may have rewritten continuity enough to allow for that to happen.
- It's implied that "Black Zero", the anti-cloning terrorist group will be responsible for the "Green Death" that destroys Krypton in MoS #1 and indirectly causes Kryptonite to be lethal to Kryptonians.
plot synopsis in one long sentence:
A thousand years have passed since the previous issue, Van-L is seeking out surviving Kryptonians in his warsuit that he has lived in for the past hundred years, he flashes back to the revelation that Kan-Z's bride to be was a clone igniting a war between the governing body of Krypton and "Black Zero" the anti-cloning terrorist group, we learn that Black Zero was inspired by the peaceful revolutionary "Sen-M," and his League of Life one hundred thousand years earlier, we see Van-L lead a platoon against Black Zero only to discover Vara is one of them immediately before she is killed by a blast, back in the present Van-L discovers the Kryptonian survivors he has been seeking, and he tells them that he is the President of the World Council and that Black Zero is back after a thousand years and about to cause the explosion of Krypton.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:08:37 GMT -5
Post Crisis Confusion and Supergirl
Been thinking back to problems created by Superman #12, in which we learn that Lori Lemaris did exist in the Post-Crisis, yet died during the Crisis itself.
While the Crisis was supposed to create a clean break and reset for the DCU, we have to keep in mind that, in Flash continuity, Barry Allen's death had to be remembered. It's the crux of the entire series, in which former sidekick and protege, Wally West, assumes the mantle.
So, if everyone in the DCU can remember Barry and his pretty unforgettable death, then it stands to reason that Lorie Lemaris's death could be remembered as well (even if everything about her life prior to that point was retroactively revised by the Crisis).
But, if the biggest death in Crisis on Infinite Earths is prompting these exemptions, what about the second biggest death in the series -- Supergirl?
I suppose, in a fuzzy premise in which aspects of the universe are rebooted and other aspects remain relatively the same, you can make it work however you want, but then why go out of your way to retroactively acknowledge the existence of a post-Crisis Lori Lemaris and her death in the Crisis if you have no plans to do the same for Supergirl?
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:17:32 GMT -5
Superman #14
"Last Stand!" (Millennium Week 6)
Writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Karl Kesel
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: D+
An odd issue. For one thing, it functions more like an issue of Action Comics than Superman, sporting what I can only assume had been a highly anticipated team-up. Superman teamed up with members of the GL Corps in Action #589, but the team-up of just Supes and Hal Jordan? Seems odd to finally give that kind of pay-off in a non-Action Comics story.
Second, The arch-villain of Millennium is destroyed here, not in Millennium. Now, I've never read the series, so I suppose it's possible that he comes back or that it's adequately rehashed in Millennium #7, but it's still a pretty odd occurrence in what seems to be an other-wise run-of-the-mill tie-in story.
And yet, even while this issue steps on the toes of both Action Comics and Millennium, it's still thoroughly a filler issue with senseless complications dragged out incessantly in order to create what clearly feels like a filler tie-in chapter. Had Highmaster not been destroyed at the end, this issue would have been entirely skippable.
Important details:
- Superman indicates "I've been playing this super-hero game for a lot of years now," yet every continuity reference made between Man of Steel #1 and this issue indicate that Superman has been a costumed Superhero for only three years by this point (It's ten years since he left Smallville, and he spent seven of those saving people anonymously before being outed and subsequently taking on a dual identity). I suppose Superman might be counting his time saving people anonymously.
Minor details:
- Byrne's sci-fi lite approach to storytelling in this issue is thoroughly lacking. His understandings of Quantum Theory and of "anti energy balls" are absurdly under-developed so that, much like in Action #596, it seems like he's just making stuff up as he goes with no sense of internal logic governing any of the obstacles Superman and Hal Jordan face in the uncharted realm they explore in this issue. Where's that dense attention to sci-fi detail we saw him engage in World of Krypton #2? One of the most frustrating things about Byrne is that he has the ABILITY to write, draw, and plot quite well, but he's often so darn lazy, careless, and cavalier with these stories.
- Byrne feels the need to remind us THREE TIMES in this issue that the Guardians came to this dimension in order to have sex (actually, it was to pro-create, but Byrne seems less interested in viewing their actions in this light).
- Byrne repeatedly employs a new dialogue "technique" in this issue, in which both Superman and Hal repeatedly interrupt themselves, sometimes for no apparent reason, and say "...ah" in the middle of a sentence (ex: "Great...Ah...Scott!" on page 17). It gets very annoying after a while.
- Ever since Jurgens and Montano depicted Superman silhouetted in darkness and with only his chest emblem blazing in vibrant contrast in Adventures of Superman Annual #1, I've seen Byrne re-use that imagery several times since. It's finally over-used to a fault in this issue, first on page 12, and then in every panel on page 14. Whereas it was stylistic when used sparingly, it's starting to feel like a lazy shortcut in which Byrne doesn't have to draw any details and Kesel doesn't have to ink any.
plot synopsis in one sentence:
Superman and Green Lantern are pursuing the Highmaster into the uncharted realm in which the Guardians and their mates now reside after the events of Millennium #6, they encounter some truly random filler obstacles for ten pages before the Highmaster shows up and toys with them a little more, he tricks Hal into contacting the Guardians and revealing their location, and then Superman and Hal take down the Highmaster far too quickly and easily, while one of the many disturbingly naked Guardians warns that the Manhunters will be desperate and suicidal in the wake of Highmaster's destruction.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:18:07 GMT -5
Adventures of Superman #437
"Point of View" (Millennium Week 7)
writer/co-plotter: John Byrne
pencils/co-plotter: Jerry Ordway
inks: John Beatty
colors: Anthony Tollins
letters: Albert DeGuzman
editor: Michael Carlin
grade: B
It's good to see Byrne, upon taking over this third and final Superman title, sharing control with Ordway and building the first issue around Gangbuster, a character developed by Wolfman just before he left. It's refreshing to see this level of respect for the previous creative team when I expected Byrne to do whatever Byrne wanted to do. Though I'm still not clear on the specifics of both Helfer and Wolfman leaving the Superman office, it seems clear to me that this was at least partially due to a conflict of vision with Byrne. Byrne has made that very clear by taking a very Silver Age approach to Superman at exactly the same time that Helfer walked off (who had promoted the series as being more realistic and divorced from both pre-Crisis characterization and continuity). Meanwhile, Wolfman and Byrne stopped collaborating pretty early on, their works occurring in parallel but rarely showing any level of mutual acknowledgement beyond brief references to past battles and villains. So it's nice to see Byrne being respectful of Wolfman and Ordway's work here. Though Wolfman might not have been too happy with what Byrne did to Gangbuster at the end of this issue (paralyzing him from the waste down after a fight with a low level super villain), it felt like a natural conclusion to his story. I still feel like he was originally supposed to die in the "Gang War" storyline a few issues back. The idealistic, self-sacrificing man trying to solve society's problems by himself was pretty much doomed to become a martyr.
Of course, I'm relatively sure Gangbuster comes back again after this. Perhaps Luthor's cryptic decision to "...know more. Much, much more" about the character and his fate suggest that Luthor will repair the hero and try to use him for his own ends, especially after Lois Lane created such positive press for the character.
As for the story, itself, this is an odd one, perhaps due to an uneasy balance between the visions of Ordway and Byrne. The idea of running the same story from two different perspectives, one on the top half of the page and one on the bottom, throughout the issue, is a fun one, and it helps to build up the power of what Gangbuster is doing, attempting to be every bit the hero that Superman is with only guts and nobility for super powers. Unfortunately, the purpose for the two perspectives fails to make much sense by the end. Luthor's final point is shoddy and seems hardly worthy of the amount of energy he's put into taking Celia to dinner and taking the time to concoct this story for her. All he ends with is:
"Humankind is weak, my dear. Exploitable. There is no hidden nobility in the species. That is why they flock to charlatans like Superman and all the other 'superheroes'. And that, my dear, is what I want you to think about. To think very hard about."
It's hardly a persuasive argument for someone who's been indoctrinated by the Guardians for months now (Celia is one of the new guardians being trained/prepared in the main Millennium story line), and the story he told to get to that point didn't match the message very well at all. It was clearly provided just for the fun of contrasting two points of view, and then everything Byrne attempted to attribute to it at the end collapsed badly.
And, for what it's worth, I feel like I've seen this kind of parallel storytelling in comics before, but I couldn't tell you where.
I think this issue would have worked a lot better if we'd understood its timing from the start. I began with the impression that Luthor and Lois were retelling their accounts of the same story at the same time, but in fact Lois' recollection is of an event still playing out while Luthor is still sitting at dinner, imagining how it might play out at the same time. Wow. I think I just managed to confuse myself. Yeah, the timing for this issue is a flipping mess. With a clearer, more stream-lined approach, it would have been far more effective storytelling approach.
So a clever narrative vehicle, a touching climax for Gangbuster, and a muddled sense of timing and shoddy wrap-up.
Important details:
- Gangbuster is paralyzed from the waste down while fighting Combattor, a minor super villain created by Luthor
- I'm relatively sure Lois' article outed Gangbuster's secret identity. Even if she didn't mention his name, she discussed his ethnicity, accent, and the fact that she went on a date in public with him (a very memorable date since the Combattor attacked there, so the police must inevitably have taken down a list of everyone who had been there). In short, if Gangbuster does come back, it would be absurdly easy for someone to know who he really is. Somehow, I doubt this will be acknowledged in later issues though.
Minor details:
- I don't know if Celia's accent is as pronounced in the main Millennium series, but it feels a bit...offensive here. Not the fact that she has an accent, per se, but how thoroughly Byrne plays it up, even using it in her thought bubbles. Maybe it's just me.
- Byrne's characterization of Lois bothers me here. It's the same "empowered insecure feminist with her guard up" thing that Mindy Newell was doing, and it just makes me dislike Lois too much. In this issue, this was the passage that bugged me, depicting her date with the charming and endlessly considerate Jose DelGado:
"I had a feeling he almost used my first name, instead of his eternally polite 'Miss Lane.' I very nearly told him to, just then. But instead I said 'Don't get too excited, J***. I'm not all that easy to pin down."
Wow. Issues much? And, btw, what the heck could "J***" stand for? "Jerk?" Would they really need to blot that out?
- And wait...why is Lois including these details in her article? Who wants to spend half the article reading about how Lois handled herself on her date with DelGado?
- It's implied that Combattor was the lone successful participant from Luthor's experimental super-soldier-like experiment that was being implemented during Wolfman's "Gang War" storyline (#. Jerry White was also a participant, but it only exacerbated his moodiness.
- Ordway's visual of Lois kneeling by a broken Combattor reminded me a lot of his later depiction of Lois kneeling beside a dead Superman in Superman #75.
- Carlin pretty much answers the question of why we NEVER see criticism of Byrne in the letters pages, even in response to the Barda/Sleeze storyline, when he writes:
"Many letter columns are accused every now and then of only running favorable mail -- unfortunately most of the intelligent mail runs on the pro side rather than the con. We will not run rambling, venomous, spleen-venting diatribes (yes, we know who you are!) -- nor will any editor we know. We will run well spoken, thoughtful, constructive criticism - there just hasn't been very much in our mailbags that fits that description."
Of course, who is the judge of whether a letter is "intelligent," "well spoken," or "thoughtful"? How easy it must be to dismiss the letter of a fan furious about what's been done to his/her favorite characters for the sake of cheap spectacle as any and all of these. Methinks Carlin doth protest too much.
plot synopsis:
Lex Luthor persuaded Celia, one of the intended new guardians for the Millennium project, to go to dinner with him, at which point he retells one version of a story in which Superman fights a villain named Combattor while, at the same time, Combattor does show up but, unable to find Superman, he takes Lois Lane hostage to draw out Superman but is opposed by Gangbuster (Jose DelGado, Lois' date for the evening) instead, Gangbuster shows great bravery and perseverance but is ultimately crippled before helping Combattor's own body to burn itself out, Lois' narration for the issue turns out to be a headline article for the Daily Planet, Superman confronts Luthor for being responsible for Combattor (and subsequently what happened to Gangbuster), and Luthor vows to himself to look into the matter more closely.
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,860
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Post by shaxper on Jun 18, 2014 13:18:30 GMT -5
Action Comics #597
"Visitor"
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Leonard Starr & Keith Willaims
colors; Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Michael Carlin
featuring characters created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
grade: C+
I'm pretty sure this issue was supposed to be exciting. Lois and Lana finally meet, Lois becomes curious about Superman's connections to Clark Kent, and she learns that Clark is in love with her. Should be pretty interesting stuff, but it's not. Lois and Lana's conversation couldn't feel more scripted and devoid of actual human emotional reactions, the story Lois is fed about Clark and Superman growing up together is absurd and bound to lead her to the truth, and (most obnoxious of all) Byrne seems to have completely forgotten that he had Lois flirting with Clark in Superman #1 and longing for him only a few months back while he was with Cat Grant. Now, apparently, she's resented him for years for getting the first Superman story (a bit of an over-reaction) and is just beginning to realize she cares for him now (and let's not forget that the other guy she's supposed to be having feelings for just got his spine snapped saving her life last week, so it's damn odd for Lois to be driving out to Smallville out of concern for Clark in this issue). To sum it up -- this issue was really, really dumb.
Still, a lot of important stuff happened in it...
Important Details:
- Superman's Kryptonian name ("Kal-El") is given for the first time. Note, it's still "Kal-El," even though his ancestors depicted in World of Krypton are from a family called "L".
- Lois reveals a major part of the history of the DCU on page 8, indicating some of the order in which superheroes appeared in the DCU, including:
- There were apparently heroes during WWII including the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott).
- However, Lois refers to Wally West as the second flash. Does this mean there was never a Jay Garrick? I'm assuming Barry Alan gets acknowledged in the post-Crisis Flash series.
- Most problematic of these details is Lois' implication that Batman showed up soon after Superman did. The post-Crisis Batman timeline at this point is clearly designed so that Batman has been active as a crime fighter for 10 years. However, the various details provided in the Superman titles thus far (and they've been very consistent with one another) indicate that Superman has only been publicly fighting crime for 4-5 years at this point. Man of Steel #6 makes it very clear that he left Smallville 10 years ago and spent what's later determined to have been 7 years averting disasters anonymously before being outed by Lois.
- Lois now believes Clark and Superman were raised together by the Kents.
- A partial origin for Lois is provided, in which we see her father (Sam Lane) pushing Lois to be tough and masculine at a young age.
- Lois learns from Lana that Clark is in love with her.
- Lois has apparently published one or more books, just like Clark. No indication is given as to how recently this occurred.
Minor Details:
- This is at least the second time Byrne revisits a cover he did during his Fantastic Four run. The "I guarantee that this scene does not appear in this issue!" bit is recycled from Fantastic Four #238, in which Doctor Doom is on the cover, holding a sign that says "Honest! Doctor Doom is not in this Marvel Comic!". As a side note, I'm presuming FF #238 was homaged again when, in FF #564, Brian Hitch's cover depicted the family enjoying a Norman Rockwell style dinner while the text box proclaimed "Dear Readers, You have our words that nothing this lame happens inside." Of course, I take issue with the idea of wholesome family time being depicted as "lame," but now I'm really off topic...
- Lois has apparently now never been interested in Clark prior to now (if she can be trusted as a reliable source on her own feelings) and has never given him much thought beyond resenting him. You'd think she would have at least put some of her investigative skills to work in pondering his connection with Superman, perhaps even just trying to figure out when and how they communicate.
- So Superman is holding Lana and staring into her eyes before Lois arrives, but he's actually in love with Lois, and Lana knows this? I can't stand Byrne's "playa'" approach to Superman, though I suppose this is in-keeping with the Silver Age love triangle (and so is the hokey cover).
- This is the issue in which letters about the Barda/Sleeze storyline are published and, of course, they are all full of praise. Seems convenient that just last week Carlin published his harangue on negative fanmail and how he'd only publish it if it were constructive and well written. Clearly, he got a ton of appropriately angry hate mail over the story and chose not to publish ANY of it. Not a single legitimate criticism of that storyline is made in any of the letters published.
- Additionally, and oddly, Carlin jokingly takes a random dig at Andy Helfer in this letter column ("We think that Sleeze would've been just as disgusting even if his parents named him Tom, Dick, or Andy Helfer!") yet Helfer's been gone for months now, was never given any kind of send-off or acknowledgement of his leaving, and seemed to leave on bad terms. Between this and the tirade against angry letters last week, I'm really starting to dislike Carlin.
plot synopsis in one long sentence:
Lois shows up in Smallville to find out what happened to Clark after he pursued the Manhunter Lana Lang a few issues back and was never heard from again, she walks in on Superman and Lana having a semi-intimate moment, they explain what happened with the Manhunters in Smallville and help her understand why the information should not be shared (wow -- so the entire town can keep silent about a thing as big as this while there's still a giant spaceship lying in a field? The hotel inkeeper didn't seem particularly reserved about telling Lois what happened), Lois begins to realize that there's a connection between Superman and Smallville and flat out asks if he's Clark Kent, the Kents show up and try to cover by explaining that they raised Clark and Superman together (because that's not going to lead to more questions and hints about the truth -- come on; Clark as a star quarterback without glasses in those high school football photos that Lois has ALREADY seen), Lois is furious that Clark and Superman have a nepotistic working relationship, Clark tries to find Lois and explain, we get a brief flashback to Lois' dad raising her to be tough, Lana has a long conversation with Lois and reveals that Clark is in love with her, Lois and Superman both visit Jose DelGado in the hospital (see Adventures of Superman #437), and Lois tells Superman off.
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