shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 16, 2014 12:38:36 GMT -5
The Post-Crisis Superman Timeline(note: years are based upon the assumption that Superman #1 takes place in 1987. Comic writers generally avoid providing dates so that the present day remains timeless, but Wolfman outright dates Luthor's career as having begun to peak in the Late 1970s, Byrne has Jonathan Kent fight in World War II and Perry White fight in Vietnam, and we're even given the exact date that Superman made his first public appearance, so I'm accepting their invitations to apply real world dates/history to this continuity) Approximately 500000 BC: The earliest recorded history of Krypton. Their technology began "outpacing their mastery of social order," leading to an age of scientifically advanced barbarism (Action Comics #652). Approximately 199000 BC: Krypton has become far more civilized and devoted to logic. "Cleric," a missionary for the Holy Commune, arrives on Krypton and preaches against cloning, polarizing the Science Council in reaction and inspiring Sen-M to continue opposing cloning after his departure. Inadvertently, this sets into motion events that will result in Krypton's destruction two hundred thousand years later (Action Comics Annual #2, using dates from World of Krypton #2). In response to the threat posed by "Cleric," The Kryptonian Science Council orders Kem-L, an ancestor of Jor-El and Kal-El, to build a device that will silence all future heresy. Kem-L develops The Eradicator Device, which ensures that no Kryptonian can leave Krypton without dying, no non-Kryptonian may visit Krypton without dying, and it's ultimate mission is to ensure the survival of Krypton's heritage (Adventures of Superman #460). Cleric soon steals the device and leaves Krypton, ending up on Warworld, kept alive by the device for eons, and ultimately giving it to Superman before dying in 1989 (Action Comics Annual #2). Approximately 99000 BC: The Fifth Age of Krypton (Action Comics #652). The great war, fought over the ethics of cloning, begins on Krypton, the major factions being the Kryptonian government and the Black Zero terrorist organization. The capital city of Kandor is destroyed, and most of Kryptonian civilization is subsequently destroyed as the war continues for approximately a thousand years after (World of Krypton #1-4; this given date is based on World of Smallville #2's assertion that Kal-El arrived on Earth roughly 30 years after Krypton exploded). Approximately 98000 BC: The final confrontation occurs between the Kryptonian authorities (led by Van-L, great ancestor to Superman) and the Black Zero terrorist organization (led by Kan-Ze). Black Zero is defeated, but not before Kan-Ze sets in motion events that will cause the destruction of Krypton approximately one hundred thousand years later (World of Krypton #2-4). June 16, 1735: Metropolis is founded (Adventures of Superman #494 establishes that Superman's debut on June 15, 1985, happened one day before Metropolis' 250th anniversary) Approximately the 1780s: The Pocket Universe Supergirl arrives on Earth in stasis, only to be uncovered 200 years later. Prior to 1930: The Seventh Age of Krypton, "a world purged of emotional weakness...an age of reason. A smaller, more enlightened population dwelt in great towering complexes, many times larger than Earthly cities, leading lives of quiet contemplation". This was the world of Jor-El and Lara, and was considered to be the height of Kryptonian culture (Action Comics #652, using information provided in World of Smallville #2 to establish a time frame). Approximately 1922: Jonathan Kent and Martha Clark are born. This assumes they are approximately the same age (they were childhood friends, according to World of Smallville #1), that Jonathan was 18 when the draft began in 1940 and returned home from WWII in his early 20s (World of Smallville #1, he was away for 5 years, the war appears to be recently concluded), that they were in their late 30s in 1959 when, resolved that they would never be able to have their own children, they were still able to convince people that Clark was Martha's biological baby (Man of Steel #1), and in their mid 60s in 1987 (they now have gray/white hair and appear elderly but still self-sufficient in running their farm). 1920s and 1930s: Jonathan Kent and Martha Clark grow up together in Smallville as close friends and are expected by most to one day marry (World of Smallville #1). Jonathan's older brother is Harry Kent (Man of Steel #1). 1930 or 1931: Krypton explodes. Superman, son of Jor-El and Lara, is sent to Earth as an infant (MoS #1). Superman's Kryptonian name is "Kal-El" (Action Comics #597). The journey takes approximately 28 to 30 years, using warp drive engines travelling through hyperspace (World of Smallville #2) Approximately 1933: Perry White born (working math from World of Metropolis #1 and Adventures of Superman #433) (contradicted by Lex Luthor: the Unauthorized Biography) Prior to 1940: Jonathan Kent's older brother, Harry, falls under their father's thresher and dies (first mentioned in Man of Steel #1, indicated to have occurred prior to World War II in Superman #33) Presumably 1940 to 1945: Jonathan Kent is drafted, serves in the Pacific Theater during WWII from 1941 to 1944, is captured for the final year of the war, kept in a Japanese POW camp, considered missing in action, and ultimately returned after 5 years away (World of Smallville #1 and #2. We know the length of time he was gone and the length of time for which he was missing in action as a POW, but not when he went to war nor when he returned. We know the American draft started in 1940 and American soldiers joined the fighting in 1941, and it seems likely that Jonathan would have been returned by the Japanese government soon after the conclusion of the war in 1945). Approximately 1943: Perry White begins working at the Daily Planet as a copy boy at the age of ten (World of Metropolis #1) (contradicted by Lex Luthor: the Unauthorized Biography) 1943: Superman is thrown back in time, travels with Hale's circus as a strongman, saves FDR from German assassins, and meets The Spectre (Action Comics #663) September 30, 1944: Martha Clark marries Daniel Fordman, presuming Jonathan Kent is dead. Late 1945 or early 1946: The events of World of Smallville #1 and #2. Dan Fordman dies. 1946: Perry White born (Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography implies he is the same age as Lex Luthor, and Luthor is 13 in 1959). 1946: Lex Luthor born. Raised in Suicide Slum until the age of thirteen by implicitly abusive parents (Lex Luthor: the Unauthorized Biography, working back from Lex being 13 in 1959). 1946 or (more likely) 1947: Martha Clark remarries to Jonathan Kent (World of Smallville #2 indicates they married 12 months after the events of that issue) 1956: Perry White begins working at the Daily Planet as a copy boy at the age of ten (reconciling World of Metropolis #1 and Lex Luthor: the Unauthorized Biography) 1960: The Manhunters attempt to abduct the infant Superman on his way to Earth but are thwarted by members of the Green Lantern Corps (Adventures of Superman #436) February 29, 1960: Superman arrives on Earth in his birth matrix and is "born" when the Kents remove him from it (Man of Steel #1 and Action Comics #655). Jonathan and Martha Kent are 38 at the time (see my notes on "1922"), discover him, and pass him off as their own with the help of a five month blizzard during which no one sees Martha (MoS #1). The blizzard was created by The Manhunters in an attempt to keep humans from interfering with Clark while they pursued him, but once the Kents find him, the Manhunters give up, perceiving him as now tainted by human love and emotion (Adventures of Superman #436) 1960: The Manhunters enact a B plan, replacing Smallville's Dr. Whitney with an android double who puts implants in all newborns delivered between 1959 and 1987 in order to make them sleeper agents for the Manhunters (Adventures of Superman #436). 1960: At age 13, Lex Luthor attends the seventh grade and is best friends with Perry White. Around this time, he begins associating with adults in the neighborhood that he pays to rough people up for him, starting with two kids who had been picking on him (Edward Kelley and Richard McGuire). Luthor's teacher was Mrs. Anderson. Later that year, Luthor sabotages his parents' car after taking out a massive insurance policy on them. He uses his adult lackeys to intimidate a mechanic into issuing a false report about the cause of the accident. He acquires his first fortune from this (Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography). 1960 to 1978: Clark Kent grows up in Smallville, is best friends with Lana Lang, has a dog named Rusty, and becomes a high school football star, exhibiting limited enhanced speed, X-Ray vision, and possibly other early facets of his abilities (MoS #1, #6, Rusty first mentioned in Adventures of Superman #468). Prior to 1966: Perry White is the star reporter at The Daily Planet and adored by Metropolis (World of Metropolis #1) 1966: Six year old Clark Kent gets into a shoving match with Steve Davis, causing the Principal to get involved. It is the last (and possibly only) physical fight Clark ever engaged in. 1966 to 1968: Perry White fights in Vietnam from ages 33 to 35 20 to 22 (World of Metropolis #1, using some math from Adventures of Superman #433 Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography, which contradicts earlier references to Perry White's age) 1967: Year in which Lex Luthor II would have allegedly been born (he is 21 in Action Comics #677. That issue was published in 1992, but, recognizing that Superman's present day begins in 1987, and using the Superman Office's general guideline that 1 month in our time equals approximately 1 week in Superman's time, that issue would have occurred in 1988. 88-21=67. Note: this would make Lex Luthor I only twenty years old at the time. 1968: Clark develops invulnerability at age 8 (Amazing Heroes #98), though later flashbacks suggest he was unaware of this (see Adventures of Superman #474) Unspecificed time prior to 1969: The rise of Lexcorp. Luthor acquires the Daily Planet and uses it to embarrass companies that bid against him for government contracts, effectively destroying his enemies via the media (Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography). The Lex Wing aircraft design is the invention that "founded" Luthor's financial empire (Superman #13). 1968 or 1969: Perry White returns to Metropolis, discovers Lex Luthor has been sleeping with his wife (thus terminating their friendship) and assembles a team to buy the Daily Planet as a means of avoiding its shut-down. Part of the deal entails that he become Editor-in-Chief (World of Metropolis #1) 1969: Jerry White is born (Adventures of Superman #433) 1973: Clark develops X-Ray vision around the age of 13 (Amazing Heroes #98) Approximately 1972: In response to the dismantling of The French Connection, Lex Luthor creats a designer drug and distrubution system and sells it to the Mafia for two million dollars (Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography) Sometime between 1972 and 1978: Lex Luthor unveils the majority of his scientific breakthroughs, Lexcorp experiences tremendous growth, and Luthor amasses tremendous wealth and power (Adventures of Superman #425: Luthor's "discoveries in the mid-seventies were astounding."). Sometime between 1974 and 1978: Clark Kent wrestles in high school "before my powers fully developed" (Starman #14). He also plays football for an unspecified length of time (Man of Steel #1). Sometime prior to 1978: Clark, Lana Lang, and Pete Ross attend a high school party and end up in a car with Scott Brubaker. There is an accident and Brubaker remains on life support until Adventures of Superman #474, when his parents pull the plug. Clark states that this event helped inspire him to become a righter of injustice. This is also when Clark and the Kents begin to suspect that he has some form of invulnerability. 1976: Lois Lane gets her first serious job at the Daily Planet at the age of fifteen (World of Metropolis #2, previously indicated to be sixteen in Action Comics #594 and Adventures of Superman #1), (World of Metropolis established this occurred five years prior to Clark arriving in Metropolis, which is established to have occurred in 1981, working from the Man of Steel #1-2 timeline). 1978: Clark learns he can fly at age 18 (Amazing Heroes #98) 1978: Clark Kent learns he is an alien from another planet and decides to leave Smallville to use his powers for good; unknowingly breaks Lana Lang's heart in the process (MoS #1, #6). From 1978 thru 1985: Clark secretly uses his powers to prevent disasters and presumably discovers the full extent of his abilities (MoS #1). After 1981 and prior to Action Comics #597: Lois publishes at least one book (Action #597, World of Metropolis #3) 1981: Clark moves to Metropolis, continues to secretly use his powers to prevent disasters (MoS #1). He enrolls in Metropolis University (Superman #2) as a journalism major in order to become a journalist and "keep tabs on world events -- to have immediate knowledge of trouble that might need my special help." (all from Superman #12). Adventures of Superman #461 adds that Clark "wanted to become a journalist long before I became Superman," suggesting a deep-seeded desire beyond the practical explanation. 1983: Clark's senior year at Metropolis University (1983-1984 school year?), falls in love for the first time with Lori Lemaris, proposes to her, and is rejected because they are from different worlds (Superman #12). World of Metropolis #3 will later undo the idea of Lori being his first love, having it be a waitress named Ruby two years prior to Clark's meeting Lori. Prior to June 15, 1985: Lois Lane rises to be a top reporter in her field (presumed from the events of MoS #1 and #2, as well as the fact that she always appears to be Perry White's #1 reporter in all stories after). Gets to know Lex Luthor quite well at this time (MoS #2 -- she is calling in favors from his helicopter pilot and knows the pilot by name). Prior to June 15, 1985: Clark publishes one book, and it becomes a best seller (Adventures of Superman #1, Amazing Heroes #98). It is entitled "The Janus Contract" (Superman #49). June 15, 1985: Clark is outed while forced to publicly use his powers to rescue an experimental spacecraft with Lois Lane onboard. First meeting with Lois Lane. She coins the name "Superman." Clark creates a costume and identity, publicly becoming Superman (Man of Steel #1, date provided in Superman #45) Immediately after June 15 1985: Clark starts to don the glasses in order to avoid recognition and gets a job at the Daily Planet by scooping Lois on the story of Superman (MoS #1, #2, date provided in Superman #45). Superman is either the first or one of the first superheroes since WWII, and Batman, the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, the Wally West Flash, and Hawkman soon follow (Action Comics #597, conflicted with Batman's post-Crisis timeline which indicated he'd been active for ten years as of 1988, as well as a reference in Man of Steel indicating that Batman was already active). Superman had also met and gotten to know the Barry Allen Flash in that time (Adventures of Superman #463). June 15 thru approximately June 22, 1985: Clark overextends himself as Superman, pushing himself relentlessly to help others at the cost of his own health and well-being, until Martha and Jonathan Kent convince him to start setting boundaries (Superman, The Man of Steel #16). He also meets Inspector Henderson for the first time, both as Clark and as Superman, during the Robyn McGill murder investigation, and Clark's internal journey in the wake of that murder leads him to realize that using his head is more important than using his fists, as well as the importance of putting the law above his own sense of right and wrong (Superman #72). Just prior to June 22, 1985: At least one of the events of Action Comics #1 take place (the abusive husband incident), though in a somewhat different way (Superman, The Man of Steel #16). Presumably beginning in 1985: Clark learns most of what he knows about fighting from covering boxing matches for the Daily Planet (Starman #14). Sometime after June 1985: Superman meets Aquaman for the first time and is briefly reunited with Lori Lemaris shortly after (Superman #12). Sometime after June 1985: Superman and Batman meet for the first time (Man of Steel #3, this technically could have occurred in 1986, but it seems unlikely Superman and Batman wouldn't have met during The Crisis on Infinite Earths). Sometime after June 1985: Superman meets several founding members of the Justice Society of America around this time (Action Comics #663). Later still in 1985: The Crisis on Infinite Earths occurs. Even though this event actually occurred in a differently configured "Pre-Crisis" timeline and its aftermath was responsible for the creation of this timeline, characters including Superman recall at least some aspects of the Crisis (Action Comics #591). Lorie Lemaris, though reconfigured into the Post-Crisis timeline along with everyone else, still died during this event (Superman #12). 1986: Superman's first meeting with Lex Luthor. Arrests Luthor by order of the mayor. Luthor swears revenge (MoS #4). 1986: Lucy Lane and Jimmy Olsen begin dating (Superman #4). 1986, but at least 3 months prior to Superman #1: Superman fights the first Bizarro (secretly created by Luthor), Luthor loses his remaining hair sometime after (MoS #5, Superman #1, and Amazing Heroes #96) Unspecified time after Man of Steel #1, but prior to Man of Steel #6: Superman assists the Justice League of America on at least three occasions, including facing Darkseid for the first time. He is offered membership in The League but declines due to time constraints (Action Comics #650) Three months prior to Superman #1: Superman learns about his Kryptonian heritage (MoS #6) Less than three months prior to Superman #1 Clark Kent is summoned by Abin Sur's power ring and initially chosen to replace him as the Green Lantern for his sector. The offer is revoked when Abin Sur realizes Clark is not a native of Earth, and Clark recommends Hal Jordan (a pilot he had recently interviewed and been impressed with) instead (Action Comics Weekly #642: Prior to Superman #1 since Hal Jordan was not yet Green Lantern, but after Clark learns about his Kryptonian heritage in Man of Steel #6). Unspecified, prior to Superman #1: Superman meets Hawkman and the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and battles several supervillains (Superman #1), meets the Teen Titans on several occasions (Action Comics #584), and battles Booster Gold (Booster Gold #7 -- a pre-Crisis story, but Superman acknowledges it in Action #594) ----- 1987-1992: Superman's present day begins with Superman #1 (everything prior to this was told in flashback). According to my calculations, Superman is 27 years old. Lois Lane is 26, Perry White is 54 41 (contradicted by Lex Luthor: the Unauthorized Biography), Lex Luthor is likely the same age as Perry, and Ma and Pa Kent are 65. Action Comics #668 will ultimately demonstrate that 1 month in our world is roughly equal to a week in Superman's world, meaning that 1987-1991 accounts for roughly one year in this universe 1. (At this point in the timeline, our year is not necessarily the same as Superman's year. Thus, the year I am providing for each event going forward is the publication year.) 1988: Superman meets Hal Jordan for the first time. Superman #1 contradicts this, and Action Comics #606 portrayed them as being old acquaintances, with the two knowing their secret identities, but Action Comics #622 heavily revised this moment, making it their very first meeting. 1988: By this point, Superman is largely considered the greatest of the Superheroes (suggested in both Action Comics #623 and Adventures of Superman #449) 1990: Clark and Lois begin dating (Superman #43) and become engaged (Superman #50). After several uneasy encounters, Superman and Batman begin a sort of friendship, and Superman entrusts Batman with Lex Luthor's Kryptonite ring in case he ever needs to be taken down (Action Comics #654). Lex Luthor appears to commit suicide (Action Comics #660). 1991: Clark reveals his identity to Lois Lane (Action Comics #662). Lex Luthor II assumes control of Lexcorp (Action Comics #672) The 30th Century: Superman briefly meets several iterations of the Legion of Super-Heroes, including the founding members, and witnesses the destruction of Earth's moon. (Adventures of Superman #476-478). Note: there are several glitches in the continuity Byrne constructs, most notably Lois's comment in Man of Steel #5 that she has been dreaming of being kissed by Superman for five years. This event HAD to occur less than two years prior to current day, and Clark first became Superman 3 years prior to current day based upon the timeline offered in Man of Steel #1 and #6 (left Smallville ten years prior to current day, became Superman seven years later). An interview with Wolfman, Helfer, and Byrne in Amazing Heroes #98 backs up this timeline. A more minor problem is posed in Adventures of Superman #430, which indicates that Jonathan and Martha Kent had been married for 48 years in 1987. World of Smallville later clearly indicates that they had not yet married as of the mid 1940s, instead suggesting they married in 1946 or 1947. The most glaring error encountered yet occurs as a discrepancy between World of Metropolis #1 (having Perry White ten years old in 1943) and Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography (having Perry White 13 years old in 1959). Both works agree that Perry White and Lex Luthor are approximately the same age. I have gone with Lex Luthor: The Unauthorized Biography's timeline because it makes more sense, especially in having Perry White fight in Korea when he is twenty instead of in his thirties. 1 Obviously there are some problems with making five years count as one, most notably the annual Christmas story in Adventures of Superman. How did they have five Christmases in one year?
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 9:43:39 GMT -5
The Man of Steel #1
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Dick Giordano
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Andy Helfer
grade: C
I find this maiden voyage for the Post-Crisis Superman...disappointing. The explanations aren't all that much more clever, the characterizations are generally poor, the changes made to the mythos feel merely adequate, and there are little nagging logic gaps as well. Really, the only thing about this issue I actually enjoyed was Byrne's usage of momentum to frame the story (first panel and last panel). Of course, I've always felt Byrne was more successful as an artist than a writer.
So -- What's new:
1. Krypton. Its destruction is made a tad bit more believable this time, with environmental chain reactions (most notably "The Green Death'") as the first signs of the larger problem that only Kal-El sees. Krypton is a highly repressed and prissy race, as embodied by Lara, who is startled by virtually everything to the point that it becomes quite obnoxious. Even physical contact is implied to be taboo, and Kal-El appears to be taking a tremendous risk when he dares to touch Kara's face and hold her hand at the very end. Byrne also adds a new visual look to Krypton, with no straight lines in any of the architecture, a particularly impressive alien fashion for Jor-El, and an unfortunate headdress for Lara. Worth noting, Superman is never referred to as Kal-El by his birth parents; he is merely "my son," and "my child."
2. Smallville. Clark grows up unhindered as a football star who carries the entire team (much to the other players' resentment). He doesn't wear the glasses until right before moving to Metropolis. How in the world is someone not going to look at the star football player's yearbook photo in a year's time and NOT see Superman? Actually, Byrne does later attempt to explain that Superman vibrates his head quickly at all times in order to prevent being photographed, but that's just plain stupid. I'm sorry. Anyway, Martha and Jonathan are now a bit younger when they find Clark (late 30s perhaps?) to the point that they convince others that he is theirs (and a five month blizzard keeping them away from home helps to explain this). Oddly though, only 18 years later, Martha and Jonathan look to be in their late sixties. I simply do not get this.
3. Metropolis. Clark attempts to begin his career anonymously, without others suspecting anyone did anything to save them. He ultimately has to make a very public rescue with Lois present, and there is an instant connection between them. He and Martha and Jonathan then decide to create two identities for him so that he can be a figurehead and a person at the same time, and they create his costume. Note that the outlandish costume design is entirely of their own invention and not based on any Kryptonian artifact found in the pod Superman came from. Also worth noting is that, while this retelling gives Superman a more humanizing backstory, it also further emphasizes the idea that Clark Kent is a false identity and not someone that Superman grew up as.
Superman's powers: his cells function as "living solar batteries" when absorbing the radiation of a yellow star. And how does this make him fly and see through walls? Also, any clothes held tightly against him do not tear or get dirty. Because, of course, that makes total sense. No mention of any other abilities yet.
What I liked: Superman's initial reaction to stardom. "They were all over me! Like wild animals. Like maggots. Clawing. Pulling. Screaming at me. And it was all demands! Everybody had something they wanted me to do, to say, to sell! It was as if my first public appearance had unleashed the worst, the greediest, the most covetous part of everyone." I also enjoyed Jor-El and Kara's final moment, though I could have done without everything else up to that point.
What I didn't like: Pretty much everything else, especially watching a character more like Superman grow up in Smallville instead of a familiar Clark Kent, the weird uncertainty regarding the age of the Kents, and how Superman's Kryptonian Legacy is more of an embarrassment than a destiny, especially in the ridiculous depiction of his mother.
Plot synopsis: Noted details aside, this is the same familiar origin story, just told through a different lens. Krypton blows up, baby Superman is rocketed to Smallville, Martha and Jonathan Kent raise Superman as their own, Jonathan explains where he came from when he's 18, he decides to go out into the world (Metropolis) to do something with his powers, and after rescuing a space jet with Lois Lane aboard, he gets outed and has to create a dual identity for himself. Note: Jonathan Kent is still alive.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 9:45:24 GMT -5
Man of Steel #2
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Dick Giordano
letters: John Costanza
colors: Ton Ziuko
editor: Andrew Helfer
grade: A+
Well well, Mr. Byrne. You have it in you after all.
This is a darn good story, full of important continuity, dense characterization, and the kind of momentum only one artist/writer tightly controlling the marriage of words, plotting, and visuals can bring to a book. I am impressed.
This is really the tale of Lois Lane who, in a sense, spends the entire issue attempting to make up for the first panel, where Superman whizzes by without her seeing him. It becomes a very personal quest to get the story of Superman, with no real concern for personal attraction at this point, and it manages to make two adorable homages to past Superman continuity in the process (the interview she ultimately gets proceeds much like the 1978 film, and Clark scooping her at the end was straight out of the old 1940s dailies).
Beyond that though, there's tons of continuity to explore here:
1. Time has ceased to skip forward in this issue, and this now appears to be the modern day Metropolis/DCU, meaning Superman has just arrived in Metropolis in the present day. Batman has already been active for upwards of ten years at this point (that info kept changing in Batman continuity), and we're not clear yet on whether there are any other super-powered heroes out there, or if Superman is the first.
2. This is the first post-Crisis appearance of Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, Lex Luthor (in cameo), Guthrie (Lex's driver/assistant), Chuck (a helicoptor pilot for Lexcorp), and Captain Reagan of the Special Weapons and Tactics Squad.
3. This is clearly a different Lois Lane who is perhaps more gutsy than ever (jumps out of a helicopter to get a story), competent (only a damsel in distress as a means of purposefully attracting Superman's behavior), connected (she knows how to get a helicopter on the fly), independent (Luthor wants her, but she doesn't want him), and extremely fashionable (hair and clothing change constantly and noticeably) -- A true icon of the 1980s feminist ideal.
4. Lex Luthor is now a business tycoon and desires Lois Lane. The idea of Superman's greatest villain being a capitalist is still probably the most brilliant contribution made to the franchise as, in the 1980s and beyond, uninhibited big business became a more palpable evil in the world than uninhibited scientific progress.
5. Lois coined the name "Superman," though he clearly chose to own that name by putting two giant "S"s on his costume last issue.
6. Superman has super speed and heat ray vision, in addition to all that we saw last issue.
7. Jimmy Olsen and Perry White are briefly introduced.
8. Clark Kent gets a job at the daily planet by scooping Lois on the exclusive Superman story.
What's working: Both Superman and Lois are extremely charming -- Lois in her persistence and frustrations, Superman in his Christopher Reeve boy-scout approach to the character.
What's not: Really just two things: Superman's confrontation with the armed criminals is pretty illogical and should have gotten the hostages killed, and we aren't given a motivation for Clark becoming a reporter. Is it to keep up on the news so that he can save the world, is it to get closer to Lois, or is it to control his own PR? We don't know, nor are we given any indication that he has ANY background in journalism nor writing of any kind. Is this former football star and farmboy going to get by on poorly written exclusives with Superman?
minor detail: WHY doesn't Superman drink wine? Surely, he'd be immune to the effects and could just enjoy the taste. I suspect it's entirely out of homage to the Christopher Reeves depiction, which was highly conscious of children viewing the 1978 film.
All in all, though, this was a GREAT Superman story, encapsulating all the best of the character while raising Lois Lane and Lex Luthor (even in cameo) to new levels of excellence.
plot synopsis: Lois keeps trying to get an interview with Superman but keeps missing him at the scene of the crime (he arrives and flies off before she can get there), she spurns Luthor's advances in pursuit of Superman, Superman takes down a mugger and criminals holding hostages, Lois decides to drive her car into the the river to get Superman's attention, she gets an interview, and Clark Kent arrives at the Daily Planet, scooping her and getting a job on the staff.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 10:27:02 GMT -5
The Man of Steel #4
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Dick Giordano
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Andrew Helfer
special thanks to: Marv Wolfman
grade: B
Thus far, Man of Steel has felt like a particularly confused series, never quite sure what its scope should be. The first issue was an origin story, the second a cute Lois and Superman interplay, the third a Batman story, and now we're back to exploring the Clark and Lois dynamic, as well as adding Lex Luthor to the mix. Truly, this is what I'd been waiting for. In my mind, the adventures of Clark and Lois was always a more compelling focus than those of the unbeatable and morally unquestionable Superman. I prefer stories where he functions as a deus et machina to the exploits of the Daily Planet's star reporters.
It's easy to see in an issue like this one how these early Byrne stories were the basis for the later Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman television series. The sexy interplay between Clark and Lois, with big business tycoon Lex Luthor as a complication, is positively robust here, from the very first panel with a half dressed Clark and a scantily, yet elaborately, dressed Lois Lane standing dominantly in the doorway, intruding into Clark's life without a second thought. Then there's the rich powerplay that makes the relationship so fun. This is not a Lois Lane who will play second fiddle to Clark Kent. She's fierce, brilliant, independent, and will not be outdone by anyone. Her resentment and rivalry with Clark seems to define their relationship until the end of the issue, when she believes Clark has been killed and reveals a compassion and respect for him; a promise that there may be potential in their relationship after all, whether as colleagues, friends, or (of course) romantic partners. Lois was always strong-willed in the original comics and newspaper strips, but this time she truly holds all the cards -- not likely to be anyone's damsel in distress nor misguided fool that needs to be taught a lesson by the end of the issue. Clark will have to work to earn her respect over a long and tumultuous road, and darn if that doesn't make us care.
Then there's Lex Luthor. The business tycoon concept, apparently introduced by Elliot Maggin pre-Crisis (thanks, Chad), and then further developed by Marv Wolfman (presumably the reason he's thanked in the credits for this issue), is fully introduced here, and he's not quite what I expected. What I like about this approach is that this Lex Luthor is totally legitimate in the public eye. He has his hands in absolutely everything and is therefore far more powerful and dangerous than his pre-Crisis counterpart had ever been, and yet his record is clean. Thus the pure brawn of Superman will never be enough to defeat him. Instead, it will take the careful investigative work of reporters Clark Kent and Lois Lane to do the bulk of the work, with Superman functioning as the last minute enforcer needed in tough situations. Again, this is the kind of Superman story I like best.
And yet, I don't care for how Byrne handles Lex at all. Yes, a character like this would necessarily be arrogant, but Luthor comes off like a true fool in this issue, flaunting his evil plan for all to see and essentially undoing himself when there was absolutely no reason to do so. Even his threatening Superman at the end lacks any sense of tact nor subtlety. How in the world could a man this careless have risen as far as Luthor has? I don't fear a man who can so foolishly undo himself in his very first appearance.
Perhaps it's unfair to be judging this character through the lens of the Lois & Clark television series, but I did grow up on that show, and it is carefully embedded in this characterization of Lex. Yet the Lex Luthor on that show (as depicted masterfully by John Shea) was far more meticulous, thorough, and always in total control, even when Superman is in his face, physically threatening him. Add to that a flawless physique, further giving the sense of total control, whereas this Luthor is fat and ugly. Again, not really fair to compare this depiction with a later incarnation that was based upon this one, but I definitely think the show handled Lex better. I expected more from this character and hope he'll come off as a more compelling antagonist in later stories.
Continuity points in this issue:
1. Time is jumping around again. Whereas the second issue gave the sense that we were now in the present day, this issue takes place one to one and a half years later (Lex claims it's been a year, Lois claims it's been "seventeen months, two weeks, four days, and an odd number of hours...").
2. Superman's heat vision is mentioned for the second time, and now shown to be Clark's method of shaving (since a conventional razor blade or shaver could never break one of his hairs). Funny that Superman IV, released in this same year, similarly addresses the point that Superman's hair has the same super density as the rest of his body. I wonder which was copying the other.
3. First full post-Crisis appearance of Lex Luthor.
4. This is the first brief reference made to the post-Crisis past history between Lex Luthor and Perry White. All we learn from Lois is that Perry has a strong and well acknowledged hatred for Luthor; no reason is given.
5. This is the second brief reference made to Lois' father and the impact he has had on her life (the first was in MoS #2). This time, we are told that Lois was an "army brat" and that she gained much of her toughness from that.
6. Superman is photographed for the first time, but we do not learn who did it.
Minor details:
1. This is the first issue to show Clark/Superman's point of view, though it doesn't add much to the issue, as Byrne uses this more to provide excessive explanations as opposed to conveying any kind of personality. All that makes the character compelling for us at this point is his desire to win Lois' approval and affection.
2. Lois is ever the investigative reporter, scrutinizing every detail in Clark's apartment at the beginning of the issue, and yet she clearly sees pictures of him as a high school football star with no glasses, and doesn't notice any similarity with Superman.
3. MoS #2 left me wondering how many times we were going to see spontaneous extreme crimes pop up in an otherwise healthy city in order to keep providing Superman with crimes to stop. I'm glad that, in this issue, the spontaneous crime we see ends up having been orchestrated by Luthor as a means of testing Superman.
4. What was the point of Superman lifting Lex's ship and moving it? Shouldn't he have tried to stop the gunmen first???
5. The return to focusing on Clark and Lois leaves me wondering if MoS #3 wasn't a last minute addition created to cash in on the DKR phenomenon. As Polar Bear has pointed out, a philosophical tension between Superman and Batman had been established prior to DKR (I had not been aware of this), but MoS #3 felt so closely aligned with DKR #4, plus it felt like a totally arbitrary disruption in the flow of this series.
Plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence: Lex Luthor has returned from a year abroad, Clark and Lois have been invited on a cruise to Lex's private island, Lois still holds a grudge for Clark scooping her on the first real Superman story, Clark is attracted to her nonetheless, Luthor is trying to get Lois to marry him but she'll have none of it, the ship is hijacked by guerilla militants, they throw Clark overboard and appear to kill him, Lex watches approvingly from the sidelines, Superman lifts the ship while Lois uses the distraction to grab an uzi and start fighting back, Superman jumps in and saves the day, Luthor reveals he allowed it to happen in order to test Superman's skills and offer him a job as his private security guard, Superman declines and the mayor orders Superman to arrest Luthor for reckless endangerment, Luthor evades the charges and threatens to get Superman back for this embarrassment.
Exactly the kind of Superman story I was looking for, though I was a bit disappointed by how unintimidating Luthor proved to be, and I could have done without the excessive explanations offered intermittently via Clark's thought bubbles.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 10:27:30 GMT -5
The Man of Steel #5
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Dick Giordano
letters: John Costanza
colors: Tom Ziuko
editor: Andrew Helfer
with special acknowledgment to the work of: Otto Binder
grade: C+
How does an issue start this strong and end so badly? We begin with a masterful misdirect as Superman is presumably lifting Luthor in his pre-Crisis battlesuit and warning that, "You're getting sloppy, Luthor," only to reveal on the next page that he is holding another man in the battlesuit with our post-Crisis Luthor casually sitting at his desk in his office, explaining how Superman cannot prove he had anything to do with the now unconscious assailant. Lex still isn't as dangerous of a mastermind as I would have hoped, but his ability to think one step ahead of Superman and comfortably hide behind the law is still impressive here and contrasted nicely against his pre-Crisis counterpart's approach. As an added twist, we learn that this entire meeting was orchestrated so that Lex could surreptitiously scan Superman and create a copy of him.
That copy turns out to be Bizarro, and while tying Bizarro's creation into Lex's quest to undermine Superman is a nice touch, everything else about the story seems to go wrong from here.
I'm not particularly interested in Lucy Lane nor the inordinate amount of time given to her introduction in this issue. We learn she was turned blind as the result of a hijacking that occurred a year earlier that we're never going to get to see, watch her ready to kill herself over it, and arbitrarily have the final battle between Superman and Bizarro end up exactly where she is, have the material Bizarro is made of inexplicably be the cure to Lucy's blindness and (of course) have him blow up and somehow get pieces of himself blown into Lucy's eyes without harming her in any way. Add to this the facts that we never actually SEE the climactic moment, that we're never given any explanation as to why Bizarro didn't survive a head on collision while Superman came out unscathed, and Superman's random belief at the end that Bizarro knew he could cure Lucy and so set it up that he'd be blown to bits at the end, and you have yourself one sincerely lame ending. And, by the way, even if Bizarro somehow had figured all this out, why not just wipe Lucy's eye with the back of his hand or something???
I suppose the battle royal between Superman and Bizarro in the middle was somewhat amusing (Superman's first REAL fight), but that ending just absolutely killed me.
Again, I'm confused by the scope of this series. Are we merely fast-forwarding through Superman's early career and stopping at totally random points along the way? Is this confrontation with Bizarro truly the most interesting thing that occurred in the two years since the previous issue? Are we to infer that the first five or so years of Superman's career were pretty boring/uneventful aside from these sprinkled incidents, and yet his life suddenly became so exhilarating after this time frame that it would take three titles to chronicle all his real-time adventures at the close of this series? My thoughts go back to Jon Clark's point about how Byrne wanted to chronicle Superman's early years in his series while DC wanted him to be an already established character. I guess the weird scope of this series is Byrne's attempt to compromise those two visions, capturing some of the early adventures while fast-forwarding faster than a speeding bullet to get us to a point where Superman is an established hero by the conclusion. I don't think the approach is working.
Continuity points:
1. 1st Lucy Lane in the post-Crisis
2. 1st Bizarro (though unnamed in this issue). Created by Luthor as an imperfect copy of Superman.
3. Presumed death/destruction of Bizarro
4. Superman has microscopic vision
5. Luthor learns that Superman is an alien, having previously assumed he was a mutant.
6. Two years have passed since the previous issue, and yet five years have passed since Lois first met Superman at the end of Man of Steel #1. This second time reference requires some justification/working out. We know 1 to 1.5 years passed between Man of Steel #2 and Man of Steel #4, and another two years have passed between Man of Steel #4 and Man of Steel #5, but Man of Steel #2 occurred very shortly after Man of Steel #1 since we know the beginning of Man of Steel #2 marked only Superman's second appearance in Metropolis. In order to make the five year timetable work, there would need to be a several month lag between Superman first being seen in Metropolis and then returning in full costume, and Lois would have had to have spent several months tracking Superman down before getting his story. Even then, we have to assume Lois was rounding up when she made the comment about having known Superman for five years.
Minor details:
1. Forget the need for a phone booth. Clark can change at super speed down a stairwell
2. If Bizarro's heat vision is strong enough to hurt Superman, why doesn’t it burn through his costume? Sure enough, Superman is also able to burn off Bizarro's Clark Kent outfit, but not the Superman costume underneath. We learned in MoS #1 that tight clothing against Superman's body gains his invulnerability, but Superman and Bizarro AREN'T invulnerable to each other's heat vision.
3. If superman instinctively pulls his punches, and if Bizarro has Superman's basic memories and instincts, why wouldn’t Bizarro pull his punches against Superman?
plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence: Superman confronts Luthor about his latest attempt on Superman's life, Luthor secretly records Superman's biological information in order to create a duplicate, the replication process is complicated by the fact that Superman isn't human, Luthor learns this fact, the imperfect duplicate is the post-Crisis Bizarro (though never named in this issue), we meet Lucy Lane and learn she is blind and miserable due to the actions of a hijacker a year earlier, Bizarro saves Lucy from attempting to kill herslef, Bizarro attempts to go to work as Clark Kent, Superman confronts it and is attacked, the two battle it out, and Superman's defeating it at the end somehow miraculously cures Lucy and leaves Superman believing that Bizarro planned to be killed so that Lucy could see again.
What began as an A issue ended in the total dumps. Oh well. I know Bizarro comes back later. I'm left to wonder if it's this same character or a second attempt to resurrect the character in the post-Crisis (technically, this character was never called Bizarro and never spoke, so another character could come along and pull off the "Me am Bizarro" bit without being redundant).
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 10:29:15 GMT -5
Man of Steel #6 writer/pencils: John Byrne inks: Dick Giordano colors: Tom Ziuko letters: John Costanza editor: Andrew Helfer grade: D+ Another awkwardly arranged issue. Okay, so it was inevitable that Clark would have to learn his true legacy and piece together who he really is in contrast, but what was that whole Lana Lang subplot doing in there? It was abrupt and went absolutely nowhere. I know Byrne is an artist first and a writer second, but someone needs to take this man back to seventh grade and show him a plot diagram. I'll readily confess that I've never read a good Lana Lang story, so I have no idea what standard of expectation I should hold for the character, but she just comes off as pathetic here -- the woman whose future and very identity was shattered by the high school boy she loved not requiting her affections. Maybe there's an attempt to draw a contrast here -- Lois as the progressive and independent city woman, and Lana as the hitch-your-life-to-a-MAN-and-raise-some-kids farm girl, but I'm not feeling it. I hate this Lana for the very same reasons I love this Lois -- no self respect, no life of her own; just a regretful and formerly love sick puppy dog. Lois could not be farther from any of these generic female romantic interest tropes, and that's ALL Lana Lang is in contrast. Am I being too harsh? After six issues, we finally spend time getting a sense of who Clark is. Perhaps Byrne's purpose in avoiding providing any true characterization for Clark before was that Clark, himself, didn't know who he was, but I'm not buying it. The very act of becoming Superman speaks of strong moral convications that come from a solid sense of self, so this introspective view of Superman comes five issues too late for me, and it truly isn't half as deep or rewarding as it attempts to be. Superman arrives at answers mere seconds after posing big questions. There's no true inner conflict at all. He remains pretty one dimensional beyond the implied question (or maybe I'm inferring something that isn't there) as to whether Clark Kent or Superman is his true identity. He feels he's really Clark when speaking with Ma and Pa Kent on page 4, but seems to see himself more as Superman when off on his own. In the end, he's comfortable balancing the dual worlds of Krypton and Earth, but he hasn't really addressed the dual worlds of Clark and Superman, nor Smallville and Metropolis. Was Byrne intending to leave these matters unresolved, or am I projecting concepts and questions onto the story that Byrne never intended? Either way, Clark/Superman still feels disappointingly dull and uncomplicated by the close. How does Byrne put forth a proposal to totally revamp Superman and neglect to consider his characterization? Certainly, the Superman playing on movie screens at the time was more complicated and human than this, especially in Superman II (a seven year old movie at this point, but still getting re-run on network television during prime time at least once a year). Additionally, there are some major unanswered questions left about this character's motivations: What prompted him to become a reporter right after donning the Superman costume when it's implied he'd already been living in Metropolis for some time by this point? What about the fact that, as Superman, he was flying across the world to witness events like the revolution in Zimbabwe? Where was that critical debate about whether or not Superman should interfere in war and foreign politics? How does he stand witness to such events and then satisfy himself picking up muggers and the occasional bank robber? Isn't that a more important story to show than his awkward reunion with Lana Lang? Continuity points: 1. Superman has "super fast thought processes." Is this a new power? 2. Lana Lang knows Superman's identity. Was this true in the pre-Crisis as well? 3. Superman is 28 at this point, indicating that it has now been 10 years since Clark left Smallville to start saving the world. Still shaky is the question of how long he spent secretly saving people before he was outed at the end of MoS #1 and forced to take on the Superman persona. Since five years passed between MoS #2 and #5, the time frame in question couldn't have been more than five years, but then Clark was only 23 at the time and, assuming Lois is close to his age, she had already become a top reporter in Metropolis at the age of 23?  ? This timeline isn't entirely working for me. 4. The reference to the revolution in Zimbabwe dates this story as having occurred at the end of the 1970s, at least 7 years prior to the current day at the time. So, essentially, the post-Crisis Superman is at least 35 years old and has been operating in Metropolis for at least 12 years. Of course, Lois was dressed in the trendiest late '80s fashions in MoS #2, so either I'm confused or Byrne is. Minor details: Why doesn't Clark get home to visit his family more often when he can fly faster than a speeding bullet? What's stopping him from flying home for dinner every night? plot synopsis: Clark returns to Smallville, his parents are keeping a secret from him, he is haunted by a holographic image that we know to be his real father, he runs into Lana Lang and is told he ruined her life by not marrying her and showing her his powers, he goes looking for answers in regard to the hologram at the birth matrix he arrived in only to discover a heavy truck carted it off in recent months, the hologram appears again and instills in him all the collected knowledge of Krypton as well as the nature of his true identity, and he decides that "It was Krypton that made me Superman...but it is the Earth that makes me human!!". I respect the concept for this issue, but the execution was disappointing. I still care nothing for the character of Superman at this point. |
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 10:47:09 GMT -5
Superman (vol. 2) #1
"Heart of Stone"
writer/pencils: John Byrne
(guest) inks: Terry Austin
letters: John Costanza
editor: Andrew Helfer
grade: B
I suppose this is pretty much what you'd expect to get in a first issue after the six issue Man of Steel build-up. We learn when the present day is (though there are some continuity problems here), get some more important continuity-related info delivered in a relatively subtle way, watch Clark and Lois' relationship begin to progress, get Kryptonite reintroduced via Metallo (a logical method of doing so, though Byrne's Metallo seriously underimpressed me), and finally see Luthor make his first serious move against Superman, ironically choosing to save The Man of Steel in order to do so. Truthfully, a poorly done Metallo and some less than stunning art aside (Supes looks like an ape in that first panel!), this issue did pretty much everything it should have.
Continuity Points:
- Superman cannot see through lead
- Three months have passed since Man of Steel #6, making it still 10 years since he left Smallville (MoS #6) and at least 5 years since he became Superman (MoS #5). This also makes him 28 years old since he was 18 when he left Smallville in MoS #1. However, there are some major problems with this timeline:
1) Though I missed it in my earlier reviews, I went back and discovered that Clark spent 7 years saving people in secret before he was exposed as Superman (MoS #1), and we already know that he's been Superman for at least 5 years at this point (MoS #5), yet it's only been ten years since he left Smallville to start saving people (Man of Steel #6). The timeline does not work here.
2) Lex still had hair in Man of Steel #5, yet he is bald here. That would mean a significant amount of time passed between MoS #5 and MoS #6, meaning Clark had been Superman for even more than five years at this point, even further screwing up the idea of it having only been 10 years since Clark left Metropolis. Either that, of Luthor lost all his hair in the three months that passed between MoS#5/6 and Superman #1.
3) The Zimbabwe revolution Clark had just covered in Man Of Steel #6 was over by 1980, so unless he's referring to a seven year old government as a "revolution," that story could not have taken place only three months earlier.
4) If only ten years have passed, making Superman 28, if he and Lois met at least five years earlier in MoS #2 (when he therefore would have been 23), and if he and Lois are similar in age (I think this is a fair assumption), then (once again) Lois was already at the peak of her journalistic career in her early 20s. This just doesn't make sense. She should have been just out of college, not getting taken out to lunch by the editor, being given the prime assignments, and writing articles that have all other media outlets take notice and start using the "Superman" name she coined.
So there are already significant problems with the continuity, and we're only in issue #1.
- Hawkman and Green Lantern are already active and presumably in contact with Superman.
- Implied (perhaps unintentionally) that Superman has a photographic memory. He recognizes a specific fingerprint he saw at least 3.5 years earlier (MoS #4, which occurred between 1 and 1.5 years after MoS#2, which occurred at least five years ago).
- Superman is a "special operative" of the Metropolis Police Force.
- Superman causes objects he lifts to defy gravity in the same way that he does
- Superman places the laboratory containing all his personal information gathered by the scientist that created Metallo in orbit around the Earth so that he can go back and decide what to do with it later.
- Superman now sees Clark Kent as his "true" identity
- Lois informs Clark that he is "hard enough to resist," clearly indicating a romantic interest in him, though she promises to play hard to get for some time to come. This is a surprising approach to their developing relationship, perhaps taking away too much of the struggle too early on.
- First time it's implied that Lois is attracted to Superman. Apparently, Clark has been aware of this for some time.
- A minor detail, but Lois' hair goes from very dark brown to light brown as of this issue and keeps that look for the rest of the Post-Crisis. I like it better that way.
- Not new, but worth noting -- Byrne makes no attempt to conceal Clark's hulking physique while in his secret identity. This Clark is not awkward, nerdy, or weak at all. As Clark himself says, "Clark Kent 'keeps in shape'".
- Superman has fought other super villains prior to this point. What, then, was the big deal about including Bizarro in MoS #5? Apparently he wasn't Superman's first super villain (unless Byrne's timeline is even screwed up and a LOT of time passed between MoS #5 and MoS #6, which occurred only three months ago).
- Kryptonite is introduced. It is more powerful than uranium, is a piece of the planet Krypton (the scientist who discovered it attempts to explain that all of Krypton was radiating power and that's what caused its destruction, but this requires a lot more explaining). According to Metallo, "the radiation from Kryptonite drives the solar radiation out of your alien cells, Superman. It drives out the source of your strength, your powers. And in its place, it fills you with green, glowing death." So that was the "Green Death" referenced in MoS #1, but it's still not clear how the planet suddenly became radioactive and lethal to all Kryptonians.
- Implied that Luthor gets his hands on the kryptonite, and on Metallo.
- Lois learns Superman is not from Earth.
- 1st appearance of Metallo in Post-Crisis
- 1st appearance of Pearl, an assistant to Lex Luthor
Other Details
- Was this the first ever modern-day reboot of a comic book title? I know Four Color rebooted back in the 1930s or 1940s, but I assume that was not for sales purposes since they rarely even featured issue numbers on their covers, nor do I assume it was in order to conceptually or thematically reset the book since both series changed focus from issue to issue. I also know there was an earlier Superman issue with a "1st issue" on the cover in order to indicate some change in direction for the book, but it wasn't an actual renumbering.
- Interesting that DC's three core characters demonstrate three different approaches to reboots in the post-Crisis, and I would argue that each approach to rebooting the titles reflects the different approaches taken to reboot the character:
* Batman: Reboot is incredibly subtle. Numbering continues from pre-Crisis volume.
* Superman: Reboot is obvious, but is "not so much a renovation, as a reaffirmation" (Byrne, letter col to this issue). Numbering is rebooted, but Pre-Crisis numbering continues in Adventures of Superman volume, and Action Comics continues uninterrupted.
* Wonder Woman: Total reboot/new approach to the character. Title is rebooted, old numbering is not continued anywhere.
- Byrne acknowledges in this issue that the corporate Lex Luthor concept came from Wolfman.
- Byrne refers to MoS #3 as a "new angle on Superman's relationship with Batman," acknowledging neither what had apparently been tried earlier in Batman and the Outsiders, nor what had just occurred in Dark Knight Returns, and yet Byrne references and praises DKR only three paragraphs later. Seems to me that this implies he was conscious of DKR (though possibly not Batman and the Outsiders) in writing MoS #3.
- This brings me back to the bigger question of what MoS's scope was supposed to be. Byrne admits in the back of this issue that he regretted including details about Krypton in Mos #1 and #6, and if we also assume that #3 was written to ride the coattails of DKR, then the real heart of the series was supposed to be in the relationships amongst Lois, Clark, Lex Luthor, and Superman depicted in MoS #2, 4, and 5, as well as a random Bizarro story inserted into MoS #5 that clearly didn't belong. Something apparently got in the way of that vision, whether editorial or managerial involvement, or Byrne simply not knowing what he wanted to do. I really do feel that Man of Steel was a clusterf*ck of a series, and Byrne's regrets about the scope of series in this column, even while relishing in its overall success, are validating.
Minor details:
- What are the chances that Metallo would show up literally less than an hour after Superman discovered the lab in which he was created?
Plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence: Superman traces the person who took his birth matrix to a secret laboratory where information about him has been gathered, coincidentally, Metallo, a cyborg created in that very lab, shows up to wreak havoc less than an hour later, he kicks Superman's butt while also providing his origin in flashback and explaining the nature and properties of Kryptonite to Superman, and Luthor intervenes at the last moment, both to obtain the Kryptonite for himself and to ensure that he is the one who finally kills Superman.
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 10:50:04 GMT -5
Adventures of Superman #424
"Man O' War!"
writer: Marv Wolfman
pencils: Jerry Ordway
inks: Mike Machlan
letters: John Costanza
colors: Tom Ziuko
editor: Andy Helfer
grade: B
Marv Wolfman and Jerry Ordway jump onboard to bring their own talents to the new Superman mythos. Few overt attempts are made to reference Byrne's specific continuity (aside from the further development of Lucy Lane after MoS #5), but Helfer seems to keep the story well aligned with what's happening on Byrne's watch in Superman. Still, there's a subtly different flavor that the Wolfman/Ordway pair brings to this new Superman mythology.
On the surface level, the differences are obviously in art and writing style. I definitely prefer Ordway's leaner/less apish depictions of Superman and his far out sci-fi gadgetry and dynamic panel arrangements. Meanwhile, while I'm generally a big fan of Wolfman, I find his writing problematic here as the momentum he strives for via overlapping narration is jarring, and his need to have characters over-explain themselves is quite annoying, especially when Luthor's motivations had already been subtly implied prior to the long debriefing he provides for our sake at the end of this issue.
But, on a deeper level, we also see slight differences in how this creative team perceives their characters. Much attention is given to portraying how much more limited the post-Crisis Superman's powers are as we get six panels of extensive internal monologue as Superman attempts to pep talk himself into finding the strength to climb out of rubble that he's been crushed under. It's certainly the most dramatically powerful moment in the issue.
Additionally, this Luthor is more clever and subtle than Byrne's brazen and foolish antagonist, actually managing to confuse Lois as to whether he's truly a villain or not after she was dead set against him following Byrne's Man of Steel series. Luthor as business tycoon was Wolfman's pitch in the post Crisis, and so it's no surprise to find Wolfman depicting him better than Byrne did.
Wolfman and Ordway also spend more time at the Daily Planet, concocting soap opera style complications for the characters (Lois' mother dying, Cat Grant as vixen rival for Lois, Lex Luthor as the dark suitor rival for Clark), and depicting Clark as a true klutz even while strong, confident, and attractive.
Finally, the team also gives an exciting and advanced sci-fi feel to Metropolis, in which villains utilize super advanced robot technology, and even nutty professors can concoct magnetic repulsor fields. Perhaps this is largely due to the advances made by Luthor and his company.
In contrast, the actual conflict of this story isn't all that interesting to me -- a terrorist organization implied to be backed by Luthor and inevitably being used as a front to eliminate his own enemies without getting his hands dirty. I find what Luthor is doing with Lois far more interesting than the main conflict, though I do applaud Wolfman for doing a bit of universe building here by bringing back the terrorist nation of Qurac (first introduced by him in Teen Titans Spotlight 3-6, a non-Superman story). Qurac surfaces again in some later non-Wolfman, non-Superman stories, most notably including Starlin and Aparo's Batman: A Death in the Family.
Important details:
-1st post-Crisis appearance of Sam Lane (Lois' father) and the revelation that he and Lois are not on speaking terms. This comes as a surprise since, in Man of Steel #2, while praising her own strength, Lois identifies herself with her father. We can also deduce that Sam Lane was in the military since Man of Steel #4 refers to Lois having been an army brat.
-1st post-Crisis appearance of Elinore Lane (Lois' mother) in a coma. Works at a chemical plant owned by Luthor.
-1st appearance Cat Grant. Gossip columnist from LA hired by Perry White. Reputation for promiscuity.
-1st appearance of Professor Emil Hamilton
-Clark Kent has published more than one novel, and it is implied that they are widely read. Perhaps this is what he was doing prior to working for the Daily Planet.
-The Daily Planet was Lois' first serious job.
-1st appearance of The Freedom League (though I do not suspect they'll show up again)
- 1st post-Crisis appearance of Bill Henderson, Superman's equivalent of Commissioner Gordon. I was not aware of this character previously, though wikipedia indicates he has a long history in the Superman mythos, stemming back to the 1940s radio show and 1950s television series.
- 1st appearance of Lilya. Is Wolfman conflicting Byrne in giving Luthor a second female assistant/implied sexual partner that isn't Pearl (from Superman #1), or are we instead meant to infer that Luthor has an endless supply of such trusted assistants/sexual partners with whom he enjoys discussing his most intimate thoughts and intricate plans?
- post-Crisis re-introduction of Suicide Slum, Metropolis' crime-infested section. I suspect this was done to give Superman more crime to fight and Clark more victims of social injustice to champion. Meanwhile, Man of Steel #3 implied that Metropolis was relatively crime-free compared to Gotham.
- Luthor is still a scientist, though he has largely moved away from this in order to run his empire. So, essentially, the concept is not that Luthor is now a business tycoon instead of a scientist, but rather that a scientist with Luthor's hunger for power operating in the 1980s would inevitably utilize his gifts to further his own quest for power via the business world, the easiest and most admired way to legitimately amass power in such a time period.
- Luthor views everything in terms of winners and losers, even counting Lois the loser to his victory as he begins to succeed in wooing her.
- Wolfman attempts to create a return to the foundational Superman concept of news reporters as agents of social justice. People call the Planet for help when they have no other recourse, and we also see a "Mr. Gunderson" contact Clark in the hopes that he can reach Superman.
- The professor that Clark and Cat are assigned to help is not given a name in this issue. Is this a purposeful omission? Will he turn out to be a famous villain or supporting character in the Superman mythos?
- When responding to the Qurac terrorists' assertion that they are entitled to their course of action because they are taking a war that America started in their land back to the West, Superman responds by saying “Not in my town. In fact, not in my country.” I find this surprising in that it shows Superman having a greater allegiance to America than to justice. As I discussed in my review of Man of Steel #6, I find it disconcerting that Byrne never had Superman reflect on whether or not to get involved in international justice before deciding to settle for a life of stopping petty criminals in Metropolis and saving the average citizen from occasional disaster. Now, I find it further disturbing that, when confronted with such injustice in this context, his rationale for continuing to fight the terrorists is not that two wrongs don't make a right, but rather that they should not bring this battle to his territory, entirely ignoring the injustice of which they speak.
This is further exacerbated by the fact that Superman earlier asks “What’s this war they keep talking about?” implying he's not even aware of what has been happening in Qurac. Surely, as a news reporter, he'd be up on current events, wouldn't he? Certainly, the terrorist acts of the Freedom League should not be condoned, but to totally ignore the initial injustice that has bred their hatred seems irresponsible, especially for a writer like Wolfman who has proven to be conscious of international affairs and injustices in several other stories he has written.
So is Superman a blind patriot who defends America simply because his rocket fell there? The Superman I've always believed in supported America because he generally felt it was an agent of justice in the world. Maybe it's just me, but I've always felt that a true patriot questions his country when it commits acts that conflict with the basic ideals upon which it was founded -- basic ideals that any true patriot is passionate about defending. I therefore find Superman's blind patriotism here disturbing.
Minor details:
- Where did these enormous robots/vehicles come from that they weren’t noticed until the last moment? Certainly, someone would have noticed their rolling down the streets of Metropolis, descending from an aircraft, or rising from beneath the Earth, yet no one seems to see them until a moment before they begin destroying things.
- Why would Clark attempt to punch the professor’s magnetic defense system with full strength? If he succeeded in breaking it with his super strength, wouldn't he have a few questions to answer for the professor?
- Robot vehicles that combine together at the last moment to create a super robot creature? Seriously? Even Superman acknowledges how ridiculously they resemble children's toys of the time period (Voltron, Transformers, etc).
- No letter column to address the renaming of this title nor the introduction of the Wolfman/Ordway creative team?
plot synopsis in one long sentence:
Lois' mother is in a coma and dying after an explosion at a chemical factory she was unexpectedly sent to, Lucy Lane is falling apart as a result of this, a terrorist group using advanced robot vehicles begins attacking various corporate and government targets, Cat Grant joins the Daily Planet staff and she and Clark begin flirting, they meet an unnamed professor who wants their help because the government has shut down his work on a magnetic defense shielf, Superman fights the terrorists' robot vehicles and loses, Luthor gains Lois' cooperation and (he utimately hopes) her affection by finding a cure for her mother that must be administered once a month for the rest of her life, we learn that he was responsible for Lois' mother's accident and could have cured her permanently if he wanted to.
Not a great story, but I respect Wolfman's efforts to create compelling conflicts in Clark's personal life, developed in parallel to the conflicts he faces as Superman. I also much prefer his depiction of Luthor to Byrne's and respect the attempt at inter-title/inter-office continuity with the re-emergence of terrorists from Qurac.
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 10:57:06 GMT -5
Superman #2
"The Secret Revealed"
writer/penciler: John Byrne
inks: Terry Austin
letters: John Costanza
colors: Tom Ziuko
editor: Andrew Helfer
special thanks to: Keith Williams for background inks
grade: B-
Seems a bit odd to me that, while it's publicly acknowledged that the post-Crisis Lex Luthor was Marv Wolfman's idea (we're even told so again in Dick Giordano's "Meanwhile..." column this issue), Wolfman barely got an opportunity to touch him last issue while Byrne is spending tons of time on the character.
And, here's the thing -- Byrne writes him terribly.
I get the idea behind this issue. I see all that Byrne was trying to do, but his Luthor is brazen and foolish to the extreme that I'm constantly left wondering how he ever rose to the position of power he now occupies. To start with, we have to discuss his grand moment of foolishness at the end of this issue, in which he refuses to consider that Superman could be Clark Kent because someone with Superman's power would never lower himself to such a standing when he could be out exploiting his gifts. Sure, a more subtle writer could have made me understand how a man who has the shrewd brilliance to build and run a multi-national empire makes such a foolish error, but Byrne didnt.
And I'm not clear on why Luthor allows Superman to go free towards the end when he could easily kill him. What does he have to gain by making Superman sweat it out? Byrne's writing really doesn't provide a convincing motivation for me here at all. Byrne easily could have had Luthor reflect back on the insult he felt when Superman arrested him in MoS #4, discuss his jealousy over Superman's natural power and how he chooses to use it, etc., but we get none of that. Wolfman absolutely would have handled this moment better.
Still, worse than all of this is the idea Byrne forces down our throats throughout this issue that Luthor's underlings are all disposable to him. As was hinted at in earlier stories, ALL of his first ring subordinates are attractive young women that he candidly discusses his plans with, uses sexually, and then discards and financially/socially destroys when he is done. How in the world can you run an effective organization with that kind of turn around rate? There must be a steep learning curve when walking into one of those positions, but Amanda (the underling focused on in this issue) lasts a total of two days in her position, and that's without making any unusual errors or missteps. One has to assume her experience working under (and perhaps on top of) Lex is the norm and not the exception.
Luthor does the same with his hitmen (dispose of them, not sleep with them), as if quality assassins grow on trees. Eventually, you think he'd get a reputation in the underworld, and established criminals would stop working for him.
And seriously, why are these employees constantly surprised by Luthor's actions? All companies spread gossip about the boss, and I have to imagine a company with a boss that regularly flies into rages, seduces underlings, and fires people on a daily basis, would generate a TON of gossip, so how the heck is Happersen surprised that Luthor sees no moral dilemma in pulling the Kryptonite out of Metallo's body (last seen in Superman #1) when doing so will cause him to die?
Again, stupid.
Then we've got Lana Lang, back by lack of demand, who should probably impress us with her strength in never giving in to torture in order to protect Superman's identity, but it still comes off as the actions of "a super-groupie" (sadly, these are Luthor's words, not even mine), and so she remains pathetic to us.
Fortunately, the one moment in this issue that did impress me enough to send a shiver down my spine is the neat little foreshadowing that occurs in the following discourse between Luthor and Happersen:
Happersen: S-sir--You shouldn't be here without a protective suit. The radiation levels...
Luthor: ...are quite within acceptable tolerances, Happersen. One of the first things we determined was that this so-called Kryptonite could not harm human beings.
Of course, this is the very same issue in which Luthor makes his Kryptonite ring, a brilliant idea in its own right, but my knowledge of what will happen several years down the road with Luthor and the radiation from that ring makes this moment so much more enjoyable. Impressive that Byrne was plotting that far out as he's clearly hinting at such a turn of events here, especially as Luthor waves that over-confident hand to dismiss Happersen's warning.
Important details:
- Death of Metallo (I have to assume he, or another like him, is coming back. Considering this in the context of the Bizarro we met in MoS #5, it sure seems like Byrne is breezing through these classic villains the way Luthor breezes through underlings).
- Byrne works hard to offer two explanations as to why everyone in Superman's world is too stupid to figure out that he's Clark Kent without glasses, but neither really works. The first is that, as Superman, he vibrates his head super fast when he is having his picture taken. First off, how can he always be sure of when his picture is being taken or when he is being video recorded? Secondly, in a world of futuristic technology including camera eyes that fly through the air without wings or exhaust, turn on a dime, and carry enough explosives in a six inch diameter body to level a city block, no one has developed software that can correct for such vibrations?
- The second explanation is that Luthor's hubris won't allow him to accept that Superman would condescend to go about as an average human, but what's to stop someone else from drawing this logical conclusion, especially since Amanda now has this information and will no longer be employed by Luthor. Certainly, Lois sees Superman up close regularly, has seen Clark's high school photos as a football star (sans glasses), and has a reporter's intuition to connect the two. It just seems inevitable that numerous people would put these things together.
- Four years passed between Clark leaving Smallville and enrolling in Metropolis University
Minor details:
- So, wait. How is Lana Lang getting to the scene of every major Superman appearance?? And why does that make her suspicious to Luthor??
- The shooting of Pa Kent. This drawn out, ambiguous moment seems like it was designed to tease old time readers expecting Pa Kent to die (as he had done in the Pre-Crisis era). Sure enough, it's just a drugged dart.
- What were the chances of Lana showing up just when Luthor's men were there, especially since Luthor is conveniently looking for her but doesn't know who she is or where to find her?
- Page 14, panel 2: either Lana has disjointed her right arm and tucked it awkwardly into her shirt or her boob is hanging out.
- So why should we be concerned that Luthor has Ma Kent's photo album? Clearly, he won't accept that Clark and Superman are the same no matter what evidence he's given, and clearly he already has the means to kill Superman, so why should we be further worried here?
plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence:
- We watch the quick rise and fall of Amanda, a subordinate to Luthor who is forced to become his unwilling concubine as she moves up to the #2 rank in his company, all before being dismissed by him at the close of the issue; meanwhile Luthor's underlings identify Lana Lang as having been at the scene for every major Superman sighting up to six months ago and also decides to have his people learn all they can about Clark Kent and his connection to Superman, he takes the Kryptonite from Metallo (killing him in the process), and has his men knock out Ma and Pa Kent in order to search their home for information, but they are accidentally discovered by Lana Lang and take her with them (which proves to be a benefit to Luthor since he has been looking for her but did not know her name), we see Luthor's people try to track Superman with a flying camera eye, but he outsmarts it, Clark discovers a beaten and tortured Lana left to bait him towards getting Superman to walk into a trap, the trap only manages to annoy Superman, he confronts Luthor, Luthor reveals his new Kryptonite ring and decides to let Superman escape/live so that he can savor torturing him, Superman discovers that Luthor's men stole his personal items from the Kent farm and wonders what he'll do with them, and Amanda presents her final findings to Luthor -- that Superman is Clark Kent, and he is so enraged by her "foolish" assertion that he fires her.
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 11:18:32 GMT -5
Superman #3
"Legends of the Darkside" (Legends, chapter 17)
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Terry Austin
letters: John Costanza
colors: Tom Ziuko
editor: Andy Helfer
grade: B-
First off, I've never read Legends, and these tie ins are not going to make me start. It's always seemed like an absurd storyline to me, badly misusing Kirby's New Gods in order to commit a bad theft from the core premise of Watchmen, and really -- do they ever explain why Darkseid and his vast legions NEED a religious zealot to make Earth distrust superheroes? Couldn't he just Omega Beam a ton of people and have his Paradaemons do the rest??
Anyway, I'll avoid commenting on the storyline throughout these tie ins since it's essentially beside the point. Like Legends or hate it, this is a Superman story.
I'd say what baffles me the most about this one is just how uneven of a creator it exposes Byrne as being. We've already discussed his inconsistencies as a writer, but let's talk art this time. This is a truly awful cover (and I don't know how an established artist RUINS a picture of Darkseid dangling a battered Superman from his fist) and yet the interior has the best art I've seen Byrne do for Superman yet. It's dense, crisp, consistent, and lively. I've given this issue a B- based on how much I enjoyed the art alone. Truly, the story was nothing worth noting.
The story did nothing for me. As a tie in, it really didn't accomplish anything. I don't know why Darkseid wanted Superman, and I don't really care. I enjoyed Byrne's depiction of the Hunger Dogs, but that was about it. The gratuitous battle that ensued with the giant armored thing afterward did nothing for me, and there really wasn't any kind of tangible plot to follow. Superman gets transported to Apokalypse. That's about it.
Minor Details:
- So, apparently, Superman's "aura of invulnerability," originally introduced as a means of explaining why his pants don't come off every time he gets caught at ground zero of an explosion, has now been extended to the logical conclusion that Superman's face can't get dirt on it. Of course, if you take this a step further than that, how does the man breathe, or even eat or drink? How does he hug and kiss Ma Kent? This is truly a stupid concept at its core.
- The Phantom Stranger gets used as a sorry excuse for Marvel's Uatu, The Watcher, standing beside Darkseid to function as witness to the events unfolding.
- Okay, it's weird enough assuming that the being on Apokalypse speak English (Superman understands them just fine), but even a sign on page 15 actually reads "Slum Area 27" in clear English. And, incidentally, you've got to love an all-powerful tyrant so committed to making his minions suffer that he goes out of his way to officially name their habitation sectors as "Slum Areas." Byrne is an idiot...
Plot synopsis:
Lois Lane gets an interview with G. Glorious Godfrey, he provides far too many hints that he's from Apokalypse, Superman gets teleported to Apokalypse, some stupid stuff happens for the sake of creating short-term conflict, we're supposed to think Superman is dead at the climax, and nothing of note actually occurs.
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 11:40:09 GMT -5
Adventures of Superman #426
"From the Dregs" (Legends, Chapter 18)
writer: Marv Wolfman
co-plotters: Jerry Ordway and John Byrne
art: Jerry Ordway
letters: Albert DeGuzman
colors: Tom Ziuko
editor: Andrew Helfer
grade: B-
I go back and forth on this issue. On the one hand, it had great scope. Whereas Byrne's chapter last issue accomplished absolutely nothing, what occurs in this issue could have been decompressed into three tightly plotted issues. Additionally, Wolfman's narration is quite eloquent, even when I find his dialogue for the Hunger Dogs inconsistent and often sounding a little too educated and introspective for the dregs of a society. And finally, Ordway's pencils and inks are absolutely stellar here, and I was particularly amused by the Kirby-esq mechanical frame he created for the panels on page 4. Perhaps my one complaint with his art is how creepy and mannish he makes Amazing Grace appear as she's about to get intimate with Superman (more on this later). I suspect he was trying to make us uncomfortable about the character, but it worked too well.
And then there are straightforward problems with the issue. There's definitely something off in the pacing where a crowd goes from not believing Superman has special abilities to instantly assuming he has come there to destroy them and then quickly rally behind him as their savior to the point that they're willing to publicly blaspheme and plot against Darkseid, their master. Granted, Wolfman is struggling to fit so much into 22 pages, but it threw me.
Then you've got the whole romance bit between a disoriented Superman and Amazing Grace. It goes so far that I'm truly not sure whether or not they slept together after page 15, and that really bugs me. Supes is the morally righteous guy, he's destined to be with Lois, and this would presumably be his "first time" as well. It just really rubs me the wrong way. Even Bruce Wayne is generally depicted as sending the girls home long before it gets this far, and I don't hold the same level of expectation for moral perfection with him, nor am I waiting for him to end up with Vicki Vale in the same way that I expect Clark to get Lois in the end. Maybe I'm just too old school or something, but this truly bothered me.
So this was a pretty mixed issue for me, though, all things considered, it succeeded more than it failed.
minor details:
- So many aspects of the plot of this story still remain a total mystery to me. Did Darkseid want Superman to come to Apokolips specifically to use him in the way in which he did in this issue? If so, how could he have orchestrated events to have worked out in the way that they did in this issue? So much of it could not have been anticipated. Additionally, what's causing Superman's head to be clouded?
- So the fire pits of Apokolips only hurt Superman a little bit, but he can be electrocuted easily (as per Adventures of #424). Considering that these are both forms of energy, I find that a little surprising. I suppose it's possible, but it just seems improbable.
- More issues with this Aura of Invulnerability crap. Supes just survived a plunge headlong into the fire pits of Apokolips, and his cape is only a little torn. I forget the exact measurement Helfer provided in a previous letter column (perhaps half an inch) but he specifically made the point that Superman's aura of invulnerability does not extend out to his cape, and, in MoS #1, Ma Kent even indicated that it would not protect loose fitting clothing.
- That unskilled Hunger Dog clumbed up on Darkseid's statue and recarved it to look like Superman with flawless ease in one very quick session!
- I'd love a poster of page 17. Jerry Ordway seemed to have suspect as much when he took the time to sign the page-long panel.
Plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence:
Superman survives the fire pits but is disoriented, the Hunger Dogs find him and take him to Amazing Grace, she sets him up to be their savior and courts him romantically, Superman leads them into battle against Darkseid, Darkseid ends up having been in control of Amazing Grace and hypnotizes Superman into betraying the Hunger Dogs, squelching the rebellion, as Darkseid had planned all along.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 11:41:49 GMT -5
Lois Lane (1986) #1
"When it Rains, God is Crying"
writer: Mindy Newell
artist: Gray Morrow
letters: Agustin Mas
colors: Joe Orlando
editor: Robert Greenberger
grade: C-
Technically, this should have been the first story reviewed in this thread, except that (as you'll see) there's some confusion as to whether or not this title even belongs in this thread.
The background: A story devoted to addressing the issue of missing children in America. Given three pages to address the reader directly, writer Mindy Newell takes the time to further the story's agenda about promoting awareness about missing children cases. No mention is ever made of continuity, the upcoming Superman reboot (this series concluded EXACTLY one month before Man of Steel #1), nor of anything other than the single minded cause of promoting awareness about missing children.
So, IS this story a part of the rebooted Superman universe?
WELL...YES: To quote editor Andy Helfer in the letter column to Adventures of Superman #425:
"Right, Rodger -- there IS a similarity between John Byrne's and Mindy Newell's handling of the Lois Lane character -- because the two writers are constantly checking with each other to make sure both remain consistent. Matter of fact, the response to the first Lois Lane mini-series was so positive that, as this is being written, Ms. Newell is hard at work at a NEW Lois Lane mini series. Keep an eye or two out for it!"
So Byrne was working with Newell to keep Lois' characterization consistent, AND (at least at one point) there were plans to do a second series clearly beyond the point that the Superman continuity had been rebooted.
WELL...NO: This story clearly follows a continuity already in progress and, while I'm not at all informed about the pre-Crisis Superman continuity, I'm assuming this is it, with Clark and Lana Lang (not at all consistent with Byrne's characterization) as already established co anchors for a televised news show, an extensive supporting cast at the Planet with whom I am not familiar, several recent events referenced (Lois botching a Middle East interview, Perry having some kind of health scare, a new City Desk editor on the job who has been butting heads with Lois), and a clear sense that these characters have worked for the Planet and known each other for much longer than their post-Crisis counterparts would even one year into the reboot.
WELL...KINDA': The final answer I'd wager is that this story is not in continuity yet is a critical influence on Byrne's post-Crisis reboot. Just as the critical characterization of the rebooted Lex Luthor was not Byrne's, this issue makes me suspect that the post-Crisis characterization of Lois I have enjoyed so much, as well as the idea of a non-clumsy, confident/bulky Clark Kent, and even the re-introduction of detective Bill Henderson, came from Newell and this story. We know from Helfer that Byrne was talking with Newell extensively, and there's even a character in this issue named "Byrnes". Seems to me that this story is important to be aware of when looking at post-Crisis Superman continuity, but it's not actually IN continuity.
Wow. So Byrne isn't responsible for the characterizations of Luthor, Lois, or even Clark. And yet he is the face of this reboot, receiving all the hype and credit. Just what part of the reboot IS Byrne's contribution beyond some truly sub-par storytelling??
minor details:
- Newell's characterization for Lois is based on a largely outdated portrayal of The Liberated Woman, in which Lois is headstrong and tries to be independent yet regularly depends upon the generosity, understanding, and support of men around her, particularly Bill Henderson. I do think Byrne does a better job with portraying Lois as strong and independent in MoS #2 than Newell does here.
- Newell's letter to the reader addresses us with the assumption that we are women in our early to mid 40s. I kid you not. Was this book explicitly marketed to social agencies with this target audience, or was this just a reflection of some level of narcissism on Newell's part?
- How in the world did they get Joe Orlando to do the colors for this book? Did Newell kidnap his kid??
- The phenomenon of missing children is widespread, regardless of race, color, creed, or socioeconomic background (you're welcome, Ms. Newell).
plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence:
Lois arrives at a crime scene where an abducted child's body has been found, the city desk editor buries the story and then attempts to have Lois turn it into a series feature in the lifestyle section, Lucy Lane is trying to reconnect with Lois with the help of Clark and Lana, but Lois is not interested, and Lois visits a missing children agency and gets involved in a specific case.
Truly an overly didactic story with a protagonist I want to respect but don't. Gray Morrow's art is nice to look at, and Newell is a pretty good writer when her characterizations aren't disappointing me. Still, this story couldn't do more to ram its message down our throats, and I find that irritating.
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 11:46:10 GMT -5
Lois Lane (1986) #2
"Quicksand"
writer: Mindy Newell
art: Gray Morrow
Letters: Agustin Mas
colors: Joe Orlando
editor: Robert Greenberger
grade: n/a
This just isn't my kind of comic, so it isn't fair for me to grade it. It's not the genre (though I'll admit it's not a genre I generally read -- or can even label appropriately), but more that this Lois just isn't my kind of character. I seriously flipped to the end to see if this independent yet overly sensitive/vulnerable Lois ever attains any kind of new-found sense of strength/purpose, and she really doesn't. This isn't that kind of story, and Newell isn't that kind of writer. So I won't grade this badly; I'll just say it isn't for me.
So...does Byrne really owe his characterization of Lois to Mindy Newell? As much as Helfer claims they planned and discussed together, these feel like two entirely different Lois' to me, and I like Byrne's better.
Continuity wise, it becomes more obvious than ever that this is set in the pre-Crisis continuity. There's a long history of conflict revealed between Lois and Lana (apparently, the problem with the Middle East interview was that Lana scooped her, and this is again referred to as if it was actually portrayed in some pre-Crisis Superman story), and we see in this issue that Jimmy Olsen and Lucy Lane have been dating for years now. Clearly, this is not intended to be part of Byrne's rebooted continuity.
To be honest, I didn't bother to read most of this issue. Once it became clear that this was a pre-Crisis story and that Lois wasn't going to undergo any major evolution in characterization that might serve as some inspiration or template for Byrne, I decided not to waste more of my time. Perhaps, one day I'll pull this one out to read if I'm in the right mindset and more receptive to the kind of character and story Newell was trying to write. Again, I'm not sure she did it poorly. I think it's just so far out in left field from the kind of story I'm looking for when I delve into my Superman short boxes.
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 12:11:50 GMT -5
Superman #5
"The Mummy Strikes!"
writer/pencils: John Byrne
inks: Karl Kesel
colors: Tom Ziuko
letters: John Costanza
editor: Andrew Helfer & Michael Carlin
grade: C-
Superman's fist run-in with DOOMSDAY!
...well, not really. But you've got to admit the similarities are striking. I'm willing to bet this was an influence, intended or otherwise, for that character.
Beyond that, the only truly noteworthy aspect of this issue is it's Byrne's first real attempt to emphasize an attraction between Superman and Wonder Woman, delivered through a Superman sex fantasy -- pretty disturbing. Yeah, on the surface, it makes sense for there to be an allure between two similarly super-powered beings, but I think the real heart of it is that Byrne enjoys watching Superman sleep around with, and fantasize about sleeping around with, a ton of women. Take Amazing Grace, Cat Grant, and whatever the Hell is going to go down in Action #593 as clear examples of this. True, it makes total sense for Superman to have attraction for, and intrigue about, Wonder Woman, but I don't like emphasizing this. As said before, Clark and Lois are destined for each other. There is no more classic couple in comics.
And, beyond that, it again makes Superman too human and fallible. I want my Superman to be someone I look up to, not a horny guy with confused wet dreams. Abraham Lincoln had those feelings too, but we don't feel the need to explore them in his films and biographies. We depict him as the hero we want to see him as. Why can't Byrne do the same for Superman? De-power him to make things more complicated sure, give him doubts about certain things to create internal conflict as well, but don't de-hero him. He can't be an average Joe Schmoe, only with fantastic powers. That isn't Superman.
At any rate, I've read Action Comics #600 before (the culmination of this whole Superman/Wonder Woman thing) and already know the storyline doesn't pay off very well.
Important details:
- Once again reinforced is the idea that the general public does not suspect Superman has a secret identity since he does not wear a mask.
Minor details:
- Why in the world are Clark and Perry so concerned that Lois is having trouble transmitting a video feed? Happens all the time in real journalism. Furthermore, why would Perry feel its appropriate to send his other top reporter to solve the problem, especially when Lois outright states she's aware there's a problem and doesn't seem concerned about it? Doesn't the Daily Planet have people who can assist with this?
- Why was it so imperative to have Superman running around with 5 O'Clock shadow in this issue? Another attempt for Byrne to make him a regular kind of guy?
- I appreciate Byrne having Superman move into space and then re-enter as the Earth rotates beneath him as a means of getting to his destination faster. Smart usage of science.
- Clark really doesn't think. He shows up in another country, moments after having been sent there, with no excuse for how he did it, leaving Lois to deduct that Superman flew him there. How in the world is he going to keep a secret identity by being this stupid?
- Okay, so the professor and Lois had the cylindrical key from the ancient civilization all this time and were just sitting around, NOT using it, until Clark showed up so that they could demonstrate it for him??
- Though we didn't need it, Byrne provides a more scientific explanation for Superman's X-Ray vision than the penetrating beams shooting from his eyes we saw a lot in the Pre-Crisis (and even in Man of Steel #1). Byrne describes it in terms of Clark's eyes being able to receive X-ray spectrum reflected off of objects in much the same way normal eyes receive visual spectrum light. Not positive that explains how he sees through things, though. To be fair, I have no idea how an X-Ray machine works either. Do X-Rays travel through atoms and molecules in a way that the visual spectrum does not?
- Clark lost his glasses in the battle with the "mummy." Isn't Lois going to recognize him??
- At one point, the "mummy" is right on top of Clark as he refrains from dealing damage to it because he's unsure of whether it is a robot or a living being. I have news for you, Clark. Even without my X-Ray vision working, I can tell if something laying on top of me is alive. It's called checking to see if it's breathing and, considering that the two of you are fighting right now, it shouldn't be too hard to tell.
-Are we supposed to recognize this as being a previously established villain from DC's pre-Crisis, or is it a new nemesis? Once the bandages come off, it looks a bit like Validus (of Legion fame) crossed with a Manhunter.
Plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence:
Superman has a dream/fantasy about Wonder Woman, gets to work late and learns that Lois is in an unnamed South American nation with a big archaological find, but that there is electromagnetic disruption which ultimately breaks up her message, Perry sends Clark to investigate for some reason that escapes me, Clark flies over and sees that remnants of a cilvilization older than mankind and more advanced than modern day science has been unearthed, the professor who made the discovery inserts a cylindrical key into a hole, and a giant mummy monster comes out, Clark fights it without changing into Superman and gets his butt kicked. To be continued next issue.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Jun 17, 2014 12:24:14 GMT -5
Superman #6 "The Last Five Hundred" writer/pencils: John Byrne inks: Karl Kesel colors: Tom Ziuko letters: John Costanza editors: Michael Carlin & Andrew Helfer grade: C+ On the one hand, this issue was kind of fun. Byrne was quite playful with timing and revelations, especially page two, where we flashback to a single panel page of Lois discovering Clark's Superman outfit that morning (Don't worry. It all worked out for Clark in the end). On the other, this was another stupid stupid story full of ridiculous plot holes, last minute solutions, and blind dumb luck. Having Superman repeatedly say stuff like, "this really shouldn't work, but let's see..." and, "I can't believe that actually worked," doesn't excuse the hokeyness; it just proves that Byrne knows what crap he's writing and is lazily trying to excuse it through tongue and cheek self-awareness. Maybe this plot, in which an ancient non-human race takes over human minds in order to rule the planet, would have worked well in the Silver Age, but it plays off badly here, especially when Superman's final means of destroying them is a crap-shoot that he couldn't have possibly expected to work. In short, this is just a truly silly story. Fortunately, it at least gives us another break from Luthor, whom we haven't heard from since Superman #4 (and even that was a cameo). One other cameo aside (Adventures of Superman #425), we haven't seen him since Superman #2. Four months (12 issues) without Luthor makes for a nice change of pace. I suppose we should be asking ourselves what he's been doing in that down time. Of course, I still don't understand his motivations at this point at all. We know he already has the ability to kill Supes, and that he doesn't seem to be toying with him out of amusement at this point. Oh well. I'm sure Byrne will force-feed it to us sooner or later. important details: -Clark keeps his Superman outfit in a pouch in his "leggings" (is that Canadian for "socks"?). Apparently, he does not wear the uniform under his clothing. I wonder why. And does this mean that, in those few instances where we've seen him racing through stairwells while changing at super speed, he was naked for a brief moment? We know this Superman doesn't move at anywhere near the speed of light, so that's...awkward. -1st appearance of the H'V'Ler'N race and The Host. They are all presumably killed/destroyed in this issue. Of course, Byrne has left the possibility open that there are more H'V'Ler'N out there in space. I wonder if he plans to go somewhere with that. minor details: -We're told in this issue that the H'V'Ler'N race slumbered with the intent to awaken when society had reached a suitable level of technological progress and are told that this is why they have awakened, yet just last issue we saw that the cause of their awakening was the professor utilizing their cylindrical key. Was the idea that only a suitably advanced race would know how to use the key, or did Byrne just change his mind about why they awoke? This requires more explanation. -Why do all the conversations amongst the H'V'Ler'N within The Host body need to be broadcasted for all nearby to hear? Wouldn't it make sense for them to be able to communicate with each other internally, especially within a machine so complex that it can store 500 individual H'V'Ler'N intellects? -Going along with this, as always, why do Byrne's alien races speak English? Superman overhears conversations that clearly weren't meant for his ears several times in this story, so they weren't translating into English for his sake. They seem to just happen to have 20th Century American English dialect as their native tongue. - When did Superman find the time to shave between defeating the H'V'Ler'N and rescuing Lois? Last issue, he couldn't shave because he was late for work, but he'll leave Lois unconscious in the middle of a heavily populated battle scene full or crumbling buildings to fly back to his apartment, pull out a piece of his birth matrix, and then shave off individual hairs from his face with his heat vision reflecting off of the birth matrix surface before retrieving Lois and ensuring she's safe? And all so that she doesn't recognize that he and Clark Kent both had stubble that day? - Doesn't Superman feel any moral responsibility for the deaths of all 500 surviving H'V'Ler'N? He'd only met the most aggressive of that race, and yet had inadvertently caused the death of all 500. In Wolfman's run in Adventures of Superman, he weighs heavily the moral ambiguity of taking down a terrorist nation and is careful not to kill any of Qurac's SOLDIERS, yet he just killed the only 500 civilian survivors of an entire race without a second thought. Not all of them were necessarily trying to take over the Earth. - Speaking of which, what ever became of that laboratory floating in Earth's orbit with all of Superman's secrets within it? Has Byrne forgotten about this? If I were Superman, I would have gotten back there as soon as possible after Superman #1 and destroyed the place. plot synopsis in one ridiculously long sentence: While fighting The Host, a giant robot, Superman flashes back to the aftermath of his having been rescued by Lois and the Professor last issue, Lois has discovered his Superman outfit, Superman panics but then quickly realizes that their minds have been taken over by foreign consciousnesses, one is attracted to him and explains the entire back story, in which an advanced race from before the dawn of man was ravaged by a plague and, after most left for space, 500 preserved their minds in The Host and slumbered until mankind reached the appropriate technological level to be worth conquering, and Superman defeats them by baiting them into fighting over who would take over his body, which somehow causes The Host to blow up, presumably killing them all. A fun issue at times, but I expect a higher level of intelligence than this from a Copper (or even Bronze) age story. This kind of stuff stopped cutting it as soon as Stan Lee stepped back from writing in order to be an editor at Marvel. |
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? This timeline isn't entirely working for me.