It's a trick! It's got to be! She's probably holding it between her legs!

Adventures of Superman #447



writer/penciler: Jerry Ordway
inks: Dennis Janke
letters: Albert DeGuzman
colors: Petra Scotese
asst. editor: Renee Witterstaetter
editor: Mike Carlin

grade: B


A few traditions that appear to be continuing with this issue:

Ordway changing his mind part-way through a story. This issue is entitled "Over the Edge". Heck, even the cover states this, but nothing within the issue reflects the title. This is neither an issue that focuses on Superman losing control of his dark side and, thus, going over the edge, nor is it an issue that gives all that much focus to Morgan Edge (though he's a big player in the background of what's occurring).

Carlin, meanwhile, seems to have made it a mission statement to continue to reference Byrne's continuity while moving forward. Maybe I was off-base about my speculation that it all tied into contractually agreed upon appearances of characters for which Byrne would receive royalties. No such characters appear here, yet we are repeatedly reminded of past continuity (both Byrne's and Wolfman's) as Superman reflects upon the fallout from his previous meddling with Qurac, and Luthor mentions the genesis of his conflict with Perry White having been when Luthor still owned the Daily Planet. Neither reference is superfluous, but it's impressive that a conscious effort is being made to adhere to past continuity here.

Superman's internal conflict about letting out his dark side gets hinted at again here, though it's not pronounced. He even falls into Pre-Crisis characterization when he addresses a sailor as "son;" something Byrne's Superman never would have said.

Instead, the real focus is on continuing to bait us with the mystery of how Gangbuster has returned. Delgado has regained the ability to walk thanks to a research lab that we know is secretly controlled by Luthor, but this issue casts serious doubt on whether Delgado is actually the one under the helmet this time. My guess -- it's Superman subconsciously taking on a dual identity to vent his darker, more vigilante-like side.

I particularly like Luthor's characterization in this issue, practically obsessed with finding out who saved his life because he cannot stand being in someone's debt.


Important Details:

-1st Post-Crisis reference to Intergang. Luthor knows Morgan Edge is working with them.

-Revealed that Morgan Edge is clearly trying to take down Luthor.


Minor Details:

-Again, we see that Cat Grant now works for Morgan Edge, but we saw her on assignment for the Planet with Clark in Superman #24.

-Metropolis has a harbor on the Atlantic Ocean, in addition to being on the West River. Again, the city appears clearly based upon New York City.

-Luthor hastily built a medical facility in order to do some sort of brain operation on Milton Moses (the hypnotist possessed by Brainiac). Is this the simple PR stunt Clark thinks it is, or is Luthor up to something more sinister with Brainiac?

-There was a reference to New York rock radio station Z100 in the previous issue. In this one, we outright get a billboard advertising their morning show. Talk about invasive advertising!



plot synopsis in one sentence:

Superman rescues an aircraft carrier returning from the Middle East when it runs across a minefield in Metropolis Harbor, the mines appear to be Quraci, Gangbuster commits some form of espionage against the Quraci office at the UN, an assassination attempt is made against Luthor, Clark anonymously saves him, leaving Luthor obsessed with finding out who he owes for his rescue, Gangbuster is framed for murdering Luthor's assassin (who was working for Morgan Edge), something weird happens to the real assassin that will inevitably be explained next issue, and Gangbuster leaps a 30 story wall, leaving us to wonder if that's because of Luthor's technology or something else entirely.


Good writing, good pacing, good adherence to continuity. Not an exceptional story by any means, but its quality abounds all the same.

Questions of quality aside, the saddest part is that they're not Nightwing stories. The conflict and characterization all center on Roy Harper and Cheshire, with Dick as little more than a supporting character.

It's an odd choice on Wolfman's part, frankly.

I like how DC thought the name "Speedy" was stupid. So they called him "Arsenal."

I know there's dumber names that that, but "Arsenal" is pretty darn dumb.

Yup. Just confirmed that Teen Titans Spotlight concluded five months earlier. Maybe that's the answer, then.

Or perhaps this was simply a storyline Wolfman had intended to tell for TTS and decided to use this opportunity to finally tell it.

Agreed.

Jun 23, 2014 18:16:12 GMT -3 !Pharozonk! said:
and was one of the few highlights of the post-Crisis Superman.

Disagreed.