A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review

adamwarlock2099
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Posts: 6,264

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Dec 23, 2015 21:28:48 GMT -5

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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Dec 23, 2015 21:28:48 GMT -5

Since my appalling mistake of calling the Daily Planet the Daily Bugle in my short review of Superman #180, I decided I would take a shot at a less demanding review thread. (Since I've really neglected my Gray Hulk reviews.) I figured a nice relaxed and informal review might get me interested again. In shaxper asking about his review threads Richard Bishop said, it shouldn't feel like homework, you should enjoy doing review threads. And since I haven't read my few Superman comics I do own, I decided I will read the few I have since I did enjoy Superman #180.

Most of my Superman comics are intentional buys, and some I received buying lots of comics. Most of my are franchise crossovers, Elseworlds or crossovers with Batman. So I decided with exception of the Action Comics and World's Finest I have, I am going to read all the comics I have with Superman in the title, not every Superman appearance I own. I plan to read them in order of print date from oldest to newest. I will list what I have below in case you would like to follow along. I promise no in depth critique, but want to keep it informal to enjoy it. If this works for me, I might take it over to my Gray Hulk reviews and resurrect that old giant. Anyway, here we go ....

Action Comics #368, 686, 687
Adventures of Superman #499, 500, 566
Batman & Superman: World's Finest (1999) #1-6
Superman #76, 139, 147, 168, 169, 180, 187
Superman Adventures #1
Superman/Aliens #1-3
Superman/Aliens II: God War #1-4
Superman: At Earth's End
Superman/Batman (2003) #1-23
Superman/Fantastic Four (1999) GN
Superman: Speeding Bullets
Superman: The Dark Side
Superman: The Man of Steel #21, 30, 93, 129
Superman: The Wedding Album
Superman: War of the Worlds
Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy #1-4
World's Finest Comics#202
World's Finest (1990) #1-3

Review Order:

Action Comics #368 (Oct. 1968)
World's Finest Comics #202 (May 1971)
World's Finest #1-3 (1990)
Superman: Speeding Bullets #1 (Jan. 1993)
Superman #76 (Feb. 1993)
Adventures of Superman #499 (Feb. 1993)
Action Comics #686 (Feb. 1993)
Superman: The Man of Steel #21
Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Action Comics #687 (June 1993)
Superman: The Man of Steel #30 (Feb. 1994)
Superman: At Earth's End (1995)
Superman/Aliens #1-3 (July-Sept 1995)
Superman: The Wedding Album #1 (Oct. 1996)
Superman Adventures #1 (Nov. 1996)
Superman/Wonder Woman: Whom Gods Destroy #1-4 (1997)
Superman: The Dark Side #1 (1998)
Superman #139 (Oct. 1998)
Superman/Fantastic Four GN (1999)
Superman: War of the Worlds (1999)
Adventures of Superman #566 (April 1999)
Batman & Superman: World's Finest #1-5 (April-Aug. 1999)
Superman #147 (Aug. 1999)
Batman & Superman: World's Finest #6 (Sept. 1999)
Superman: The Man of Steel #93 (Oct. 1999)
Superman #168 (May 2001)
Superman #169 (June 2001)
Superman #180 (May 2002)
Superman/Aliens II: God War #1-3 (May-Sept. 2002)
Superman: The Man of Steel #129 (Oct. 2002)
Superman/Aliens II: God War #4 (Nov. 2002)
Superman #187 (Dec. 2002)
Superman/Batman #1-23 (Oct. 2003-Nov. 2005)

Last Edit: Dec 29, 2015 11:48:10 GMT -5 by adamwarlock2099

Bettie Mae Page -- April 23, 1923 - December 11, 2008
Prince Rogers Nelson -- June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016
“We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing." -- Charles Bukowski

Action Ace
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DC Silver Agent

Posts: 3,297

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Dec 23, 2015 21:53:51 GMT -5

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Post by Action Ace on Dec 23, 2015 21:53:51 GMT -5

I had to look in the thread to see if it was the Superman #180 where he faces "the girl that's mightier than Superman," or the Loeb/ Churchill story involving Dracula. I'd have to say Volume 1 decisively cleaned the clock of Volume 2 in this matchup.

I know you state in your opening that you're not going to read the World's Finest issues, but that 1990 mini series by Dave Gibbons and Steve Rude is a must read.

And be careful, you might be hearing from Mr. Dupersuper's lawyers.

adamwarlock2099
The Power Cosmic!

Posts: 6,264

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Dec 24, 2015 12:18:16 GMT -5 via mobile

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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Dec 24, 2015 12:18:16 GMT -5

I will be reviewing the World's Finest and the Action Comics I own. I probably worded it wrong. Instead of reviewing every Superman appearance I have I was only going to review any title with Superman in it with the exception of World's Finest and Action Comcs. All the books on the list I will review. And I do remember liking the 1990 WF mini a lot. I'm looking forward to getting to that one.

Bettie Mae Page -- April 23, 1923 - December 11, 2008
Prince Rogers Nelson -- June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016
“We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing." -- Charles Bukowski

dupersuper
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Posts: 4,836

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Dec 25, 2015 6:15:57 GMT -5 Arthur Gordon Scratch likes this

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Post by dupersuper on Dec 25, 2015 6:15:57 GMT -5

My ears! They burn!

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adamwarlock2099
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Posts: 6,264

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Dec 29, 2015 12:51:02 GMT -5

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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Dec 29, 2015 12:51:02 GMT -5

Action Comics #368 (Oct. 1968)
By Otto Binder, Ross Andru & Mike Esposito

Buy: Intentional
Reason: The cover caught my eye at the time, and I had not read a Superman comics this old. So I was curious to see what a world without Superman would be like. If I remember correctly, this was a silver age comic I bought along with Aquaman #44-46. The shop I went to in St Louis would often run sales on silver age books, like $5 each or 4 for $15, and I think this was one of those instances.

The Unemployed Superman

Here we get Superman in a world where no bad things happen. No crime, no natural disasters, no sickness, no nothing. In fact his greatest deed was reassembling a chess boards in a tournament that was scattered by a dog chasing a cat. So with nothing to do, Superman decides to work out with his android Superman, yearning for some action. But even the androids won't cooperate. It's here were Superman meets one of the Sentinels, that have brought this utopia to Earth. For the sake of the continuance of this utopia on Earth the Sentinels urge Superman to exile himself on a world with a red sun, where is powers will not be dangerous to anyone. And so he does.

Supergirl's Stand to Save Standhope!
by Cary Bates & Kurt Schaffenberger

Talk about a confusing story. Time travel, hypnosis, subliminal messages, faked out powers, light speed travel ... this story has it all, and in the end, yeah it kind of comes together. But, it really does stretch the suspension of disbelief.

The cover is still worth the money paid at the time, but theses are probably why I didn't read more into older Superman stories. Maybe as they were too whimsical. And as I have credited the era in which I started reading comics, they weren't what I was use to. But at least I got to see this panel .... Hercules wasn't the only one that could tow entire islands around with his strength.

SPOILER: Click to show

Bettie Mae Page -- April 23, 1923 - December 11, 2008
Prince Rogers Nelson -- June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016
“We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing." -- Charles Bukowski

adamwarlock2099
The Power Cosmic!

Posts: 6,264

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Jan 3, 2016 17:07:50 GMT -5 via mobile

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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jan 3, 2016 17:07:50 GMT -5

World's Finest Comics #202 (May 1971)
O'Neil/Dillin/Giella

I remembering buying this for the cover. And how could I not? Superman with Batman in a choke hold while a mummy with a glowing red orb for a head commanding then to fight to the death. And this and a blue swearing this is imaginary or a cop out but real.

Superman if flying through a thunderstorm in the Middle East (or so I'd assume) and gets struck by lightning, loosing his memories, not even recalling his memory. He chances upon bandits that wish to "help" him by using him to help themselves to the riches or an archeological dig of the tomb of Malis that Lois happens to be covering for the Daily .....Planet. Bruce hears about the events on the new in Gothan City so Batman rushes to find out what happened.

And I hate to be particular and spoils DC's blurb but it kind of was a cop out even though, it was neither imaginary or symbolic as the blur refutes. Still a good story. And it looks like a Jim Aparo cover which is probably why I went for it other than the story blurb. But there is no visible signature I can see on it.

There's a cute ad on the inside cover a "giant play zoo animal collection". Big! Colorful! Exciting! Fun! 20 lovable animals to delight the heart of every child! Whole set only $1. Damn I can't even buy a candy bar for under $1

Bettie Mae Page -- April 23, 1923 - December 11, 2008
Prince Rogers Nelson -- June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016
“We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing." -- Charles Bukowski

adamwarlock2099
The Power Cosmic!

Posts: 6,264

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Jan 3, 2016 18:26:03 GMT -5 via mobile

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Post by adamwarlock2099 on Jan 3, 2016 18:26:03 GMT -5

World's Finest #1of 3 (1990)
Gibbons/Rude/Kesel/Oliff

I'm seriously not sure if this series was intention buy. I seem to remember receiving all three issues in a lot of Batman comics I bought on eBay in its early years.

In this story, while Luthor is intent on buying up land in Gotham, for a so far undisclosed reason, Joker needs a break from Gotham and takes a vacation in Metropolis. In between these events we read about the Mdway Orphange who in past times had been used for criminal purposes. The near death owner and proprietor of it who had once used the orphans in child crime gang bequeaths control of the Orphange to the orphans in an attempt to make up for his past mistakes.

As Joker brings mayhem to Metropolis and Luthor monopolizing business to Gotham City, Bruce and Kent make arrangements not only for the alter egos but for themselves to visit each other's city and see if they can't deal with their "own" criminals.

I think this is the first I had seen of Rude's art. If I had anything before it was sparse as I have not read of Nexus. I really like Rude's version of Batman. Seems to remind me a bit of Matt Wagner's take but still different enough it is own. He also does good with Joker. His facial expressions are manical and show his true crazy self. Also his two page spread of Gotham City at sunrise and his overall sense of detail make this beautiful to look at even if one doesn't care for the story. Which to be honest I've forgotten so this is pretty much like a first read even though I remember a few events. Some sequences it seems hard for me to follow what's trying to be conveyed. Like Batman apprehending a purse snatcher at the start. But otherwise no complaints.

Bettie Mae Page -- April 23, 1923 - December 11, 2008
Prince Rogers Nelson -- June 7, 1958 - April 21, 2016
“We’re all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each other but it doesn’t. We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing." -- Charles Bukowski

realjla
Full Member

Posts: 272

A Quick But dupersuper Superman Comic Review Jan 3, 2016 18:32:28 GMT -5 via mobile

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Post by realjla on Jan 3, 2016 18:32:28 GMT -5

That story from WFC #202 was reprinted in a digest in the early '80s. My older brother (now deceased) read most of my comics, and loved quoting, "Malus brings DOOM to all flesh!" Aside from that, it's not a memorable story.