Post by shaxper on Jun 9, 2015 15:33:20 GMT -5
Superman (1987) #32
“Gladiator”
writer: Roger Stern
pencils: Kerry Gammill
inks:Dennis Janke
letters: John Costanza
colors: Glenn Whitmore
editor: Mike Carlin
plotting assist by Jerry Ordway and George Perez
Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
grade: B-
It's been half a year since Byrne left the Superman office, and yet I still feel like the franchise is spinning its wheels trying to tell a story. We've got solid continuity now, but we spent forever in the Exile storyline that went nowhere and are now spending a whole lot of time on Warworld even without a plotline that's particularly compelling. We all know Superman's getting out of this one alive and there's not much more at stake beyond that. He's already thoroughly redeemed himself as a hero and has nothing left to prove, so all that's left to care about at all is the mystery of the Eradicator device, but I'm not all that interested.
However, I do like how Mongul is handled here. Stern and Gammill work together through visuals and writing to portray a supremely arrogant and yet intelligent dictator who is acutely aware of how to maintain his power at all times. I'm not particularly familiar with the Pre-Crisis Mongul, so I'm not sure if this is a different or tired old approach to the character, nor if the brief origin provided, explaining that he's conquered countless planetary systems, is in any way new.
I suppose Carlin, Stern, Ordway, and Perez are trying to slowly acclimate us to the change of now having three Superman titles thoroughly intertwined with each other. In addition to having the write-up after the final panel reminding us to check out Adventures of Superman #455 next, as well as solicits in the letter column for both that issue and the next issue of Superman, this issue begins with a four page recap of all that's transpired in the story thus far, just in case you were only reading the core Superman title up until now.
My one hang-up with this issue is the conveniences Stern depends upon. For example, we've been hearing throughout this story that Superman is vastly depowered after having nearly died in space and being away from the yellow sun for so long, but in a climactic moment with Mongul, after having been beaten within an inch of his life, Superman is suddenly at full power again, the narration randomly popping in to explain:
“Years of exposure to our sun's energies have given Superman powers far beyond those of mortal beings, and though his weeks of space travel have left him drained—this man of steel can still strike back...faster than a speeding bullet!”
A witness to this even wonders why Superman didn't fight like this in his original battle against Mongul. Why? Because then there would have been no drama/story.
A second convenience comes in Matrix, now disguised as Clark Kent, being more confused than ever and yet suddenly fully articulate, speaking like Clark instead of a grown woman-child.
And yet a third convenience comes when Superman is literally killed by Mongul's energy ray and than inexplicably resurrected by the Eradicator device. This one had better get explained convincingly next issue.
Stern just feels very sloppy in this issue.
plot synopsis in one sentence:
After a brief flashback on Mongul conquering planets and all that has transpired in this storyline thus far, Superman threatens Mongul to a one-on-one match in the gladiator ring, Mongul kicks his butt, Jimmy Olsen finds a disoriented Matrix posing as Clark Kent, Cleric uses his psychic abilities to revive Superman in time to break free of his restraints and fight Mongul a second time, he kicks Mongul's butt, Mongul then uses some type of energy weapon, and Superman is killed but then resurrected before Cleric by the mysterious Eradicator Device.
“Gladiator”
writer: Roger Stern
pencils: Kerry Gammill
inks:Dennis Janke
letters: John Costanza
colors: Glenn Whitmore
editor: Mike Carlin
plotting assist by Jerry Ordway and George Perez
Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster
grade: B-
It's been half a year since Byrne left the Superman office, and yet I still feel like the franchise is spinning its wheels trying to tell a story. We've got solid continuity now, but we spent forever in the Exile storyline that went nowhere and are now spending a whole lot of time on Warworld even without a plotline that's particularly compelling. We all know Superman's getting out of this one alive and there's not much more at stake beyond that. He's already thoroughly redeemed himself as a hero and has nothing left to prove, so all that's left to care about at all is the mystery of the Eradicator device, but I'm not all that interested.
However, I do like how Mongul is handled here. Stern and Gammill work together through visuals and writing to portray a supremely arrogant and yet intelligent dictator who is acutely aware of how to maintain his power at all times. I'm not particularly familiar with the Pre-Crisis Mongul, so I'm not sure if this is a different or tired old approach to the character, nor if the brief origin provided, explaining that he's conquered countless planetary systems, is in any way new.
I suppose Carlin, Stern, Ordway, and Perez are trying to slowly acclimate us to the change of now having three Superman titles thoroughly intertwined with each other. In addition to having the write-up after the final panel reminding us to check out Adventures of Superman #455 next, as well as solicits in the letter column for both that issue and the next issue of Superman, this issue begins with a four page recap of all that's transpired in the story thus far, just in case you were only reading the core Superman title up until now.
My one hang-up with this issue is the conveniences Stern depends upon. For example, we've been hearing throughout this story that Superman is vastly depowered after having nearly died in space and being away from the yellow sun for so long, but in a climactic moment with Mongul, after having been beaten within an inch of his life, Superman is suddenly at full power again, the narration randomly popping in to explain:
“Years of exposure to our sun's energies have given Superman powers far beyond those of mortal beings, and though his weeks of space travel have left him drained—this man of steel can still strike back...faster than a speeding bullet!”
A witness to this even wonders why Superman didn't fight like this in his original battle against Mongul. Why? Because then there would have been no drama/story.
A second convenience comes in Matrix, now disguised as Clark Kent, being more confused than ever and yet suddenly fully articulate, speaking like Clark instead of a grown woman-child.
And yet a third convenience comes when Superman is literally killed by Mongul's energy ray and than inexplicably resurrected by the Eradicator device. This one had better get explained convincingly next issue.
Stern just feels very sloppy in this issue.
plot synopsis in one sentence:
After a brief flashback on Mongul conquering planets and all that has transpired in this storyline thus far, Superman threatens Mongul to a one-on-one match in the gladiator ring, Mongul kicks his butt, Jimmy Olsen finds a disoriented Matrix posing as Clark Kent, Cleric uses his psychic abilities to revive Superman in time to break free of his restraints and fight Mongul a second time, he kicks Mongul's butt, Mongul then uses some type of energy weapon, and Superman is killed but then resurrected before Cleric by the mysterious Eradicator Device.