Post by rberman on Sept 4, 2019 9:18:46 GMT -5
Action Comics #387 (April 1970)
Story #1 “Even a Superman Dies!” (Writing: Cary Bates; Pencils: Curt Swan; Inks: George Roussos)
It’s the year 801,970; that is, eight thousand centuries in the future. Ten times as far in the future as Grant Morrison’s DC One Million Event! Anyway, Superman Prime is still alive and kicking, but quite aged and grey, and super-depressed as well. He’s still doing heroic feats like thawing some trapped astronauts but suffers severe ennui. Is this a stand-in for how the creators felt about writing Superman stories forever?
The Earth is just a barren rock now. Superman embarks upon a bizarre plan to bisect the Earth, fuse the two pieces at a single point, imbue the planet with a new atmosphere, and populate it with plants, animals, and people transported from other worlds. Even as a grade schooler I knew enough science to realize that this was utterly ridiculous.
Even better, Superman kidnaps a caveman couple from some other planet, separating them from their tribe. Will they survive? I guess their kids are going to marry each other? He didn’t think this through!
Superman is dreading further life at this point, and a tiny spaceship containing the spirit of Lex Luthor obligingly shows up to zap him dead. But no! Some aliens find and revive Superman, who yells at them for saving his life.
Finally, Superman is caught in the wake of a comet. He relives scenes from his life starting in infancy, finally awakening back in good old 1970 where he belongs, his youth and vigor restored. Very 2001.
Story #2: “One Hero Too Many” (Writing: E. Nelson Bridwell; Pencils: Win Mortimer; Inks: Jack Abel)
The Taxman Cometh! Earthgov informs the Legion of Super-Heroes that they have too many members to qualify for tax-free status. They have to either shell out big bucks, or else eject someone within 24 hours. The Legionnaires get into a big argument about which of them is the most useless. Seems everybody is eager to quit! Finally Superboy says he’s quitting the team – but not before making out with Duo Damsel. It’s just a bizarre story all around, and of course the Legion would go on to have even more members with no apparent tax implications.
My Two Cents: What a crazy couple of stories. Suicidal Superman! Lothario Superboy! A dozen Legionnaires stampeding to be fired! Editorial was clearly giving the writers a lot of leeway to try new things as the Silver Age was Bronzing and Marvel was overtaking DC in sales.
I can see how this story inspired not only DC One Million but also Grant Morrison's story in All-Star Superman in which one of Superman's final acts before dying is to create a new world.
I was surprised that this Superman story is set in motion by the Time Trapper, a Legion villain making a rare appearance here without the Legion. Makes sense for this story, though, which is trying to have its cake and eat it too regarding whether it's an "imaginary story."
Cary Bates also sounds an environmental note, as many stories in that era did.
Story #1 “Even a Superman Dies!” (Writing: Cary Bates; Pencils: Curt Swan; Inks: George Roussos)
It’s the year 801,970; that is, eight thousand centuries in the future. Ten times as far in the future as Grant Morrison’s DC One Million Event! Anyway, Superman Prime is still alive and kicking, but quite aged and grey, and super-depressed as well. He’s still doing heroic feats like thawing some trapped astronauts but suffers severe ennui. Is this a stand-in for how the creators felt about writing Superman stories forever?
The Earth is just a barren rock now. Superman embarks upon a bizarre plan to bisect the Earth, fuse the two pieces at a single point, imbue the planet with a new atmosphere, and populate it with plants, animals, and people transported from other worlds. Even as a grade schooler I knew enough science to realize that this was utterly ridiculous.
Even better, Superman kidnaps a caveman couple from some other planet, separating them from their tribe. Will they survive? I guess their kids are going to marry each other? He didn’t think this through!
Superman is dreading further life at this point, and a tiny spaceship containing the spirit of Lex Luthor obligingly shows up to zap him dead. But no! Some aliens find and revive Superman, who yells at them for saving his life.
Finally, Superman is caught in the wake of a comet. He relives scenes from his life starting in infancy, finally awakening back in good old 1970 where he belongs, his youth and vigor restored. Very 2001.
Story #2: “One Hero Too Many” (Writing: E. Nelson Bridwell; Pencils: Win Mortimer; Inks: Jack Abel)
The Taxman Cometh! Earthgov informs the Legion of Super-Heroes that they have too many members to qualify for tax-free status. They have to either shell out big bucks, or else eject someone within 24 hours. The Legionnaires get into a big argument about which of them is the most useless. Seems everybody is eager to quit! Finally Superboy says he’s quitting the team – but not before making out with Duo Damsel. It’s just a bizarre story all around, and of course the Legion would go on to have even more members with no apparent tax implications.
My Two Cents: What a crazy couple of stories. Suicidal Superman! Lothario Superboy! A dozen Legionnaires stampeding to be fired! Editorial was clearly giving the writers a lot of leeway to try new things as the Silver Age was Bronzing and Marvel was overtaking DC in sales.
I can see how this story inspired not only DC One Million but also Grant Morrison's story in All-Star Superman in which one of Superman's final acts before dying is to create a new world.
I was surprised that this Superman story is set in motion by the Time Trapper, a Legion villain making a rare appearance here without the Legion. Makes sense for this story, though, which is trying to have its cake and eat it too regarding whether it's an "imaginary story."
Cary Bates also sounds an environmental note, as many stories in that era did.
