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Post by mistermets on Nov 26, 2022 10:25:04 GMT -5
Might as well cover the other two annuals now. Superman Annual #1This modern age take on Titano the Super-Ape considers the silver age character in the context of the 1980s understanding of environmentalism. I like Lois' passion, and the return of a douchebag scientist. Artist Ron Frenz has some fun with the increasing size of the antagonist, which has a good sense of escalation. There are quibbles. Lois seems too naive at times to be such a skilled reporter. I'm not sure the bank robbers needed a tank; it's a decent sequence, but raises too many questions about their resources when it's presented as a normal thing Metropolis crooks do. Byrne's story can be a heavy-handed, but the story does have a compelling challenge for Superman, and puts Lois in a terrible situation where her best chance at a win is limited. B+ The Adventures of Superman Annual #1The opening with Superman in an abandoned town is creepy. The answer is a bit more standard, although there is a sense of an enemy who is truly alien, and it's refreshing to see a Superman who is actually upset, and barely holding his rage contained. He is forced into a difficult situation that ends in a fitting way. It's a decent take by Starlin and Jurgens that sells the idea that this is a really difficult mission for Superman, that will have a greater effect on him than most. The annuals seem to have things in common. They don't move ongoing stories ahead, although there are references to past adventures. And these are challenges for Superman with legitimate casualties, although I'm not sure how I feel about that. It feels off-tone especially when it's the norm. B
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Post by chaykinstevens on Nov 27, 2022 3:42:13 GMT -5
Artist Ron Wilson has some fun with the increasing size of the antagonist, which has a good sense of escalation. I think you mean Ron Frenz.
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Post by mistermets on Nov 27, 2022 16:12:20 GMT -5
Action Comics #594/ Booster Gold #23
I like the relatively warm brief Batman appearance, which also moves along an ongoing mystery. The out of character evil Booster Gold is typical of the Action Comics tales, and even his nastiness is typical of Byrne shows those kinds of sequences, preferring to leave material to the viewer's imagination. This does build on earlier minor tales well. The Booster Gold issue shows his point of view, and where he may have legitimate disagreements with Superman. A scene with the villain's power source reveals a bit about Booster's flaws, but also where we can understand where he's coming from. The tale peters out a bit, although an exchange between Booster Gold and Lex Luthor does set up some developments with Luthor in coming years. B Artist Ron Wilson has some fun with the increasing size of the antagonist, which has a good sense of escalation. I think you mean Ron Frenz. Yep. I mixed him up with Byrne's Thing collaborator.
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Post by mistermets on Nov 28, 2022 17:39:39 GMT -5
Superman #12It's dangerous territory for Byrne to retell a Silver Age story that was famous for being weird with this spotlight on Lori Lemaris, the lost love who is supposed to mean almost as much to him as Lois Lane or Lana Lang. The flashbacks show that he's not great at depicting a younger Clark Kent who is appreciably different from the version in the present day sequences. There are some decent details (college gossip, Clark's comment about having a lot of minor degrees to go with his journalism degree.) However, the main story just doesn't work for me. Superman comes across more like an immature kid in the scenes when he's in his 20s. It's a weird flawed story, where I just don't buy big moments, like Clark's willingness to marry Lori, or an off-panel death C- Action Comics #595
This seems to be another team-up where Byrne takes a concept that could be covered in more depth over the course of several issues (in this case, the apparent death of Superman) and compresses it into one issue. To be fair, this occurred quite a bit during the Silver Age, so I can understand why Byrne takes this approach, also used by Mark Millar in his Superman Adventures run, and Grant Morrison in his All-Star Superman. Here we get a decent but unremarkable story notable for the Ghost Superman visuals, and the weirdness of Silver Banshee, a villain who will pop up again including in the story where Lois learns Clark's secret. There are some cool moments, but something this significant could have been, and really should have been, bigger. B
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Post by mistermets on Dec 10, 2022 15:02:15 GMT -5
Superman #13This new take on Toyman as an old-fashioned toymaker fired for not adding enough electronics reminds me of the Vulture. There's a high body count for a Superman story, but it does work. The story seeds future developments with Lex's ring and a mystery villain. There's a cameo with a British superhero that sells the idea that this is something Superman would be interested in. It's a good Silver Age upgrade, which seems to be something Byrne does a lot in Year 2. A Adventures of Superman #436/ Action Comics #596It's a tie-in to a forgotten crossover, but Byrne makes it seem as if he was seeding it way back in the first issue of Man of Steel #1. A retcon about Smallville works to push Superman to his limit. Spectre is the right choice to help save everyone after an unspeakable tragedy. The Manhunter is an alien presence, with as little regard for human life as we would have for flies. His plan is vicious and seems like it's been set up for a while, when that's probably not the case. The Adventures of Superman issue in the hardcover has some thick lines, and I'm not sure why. Is it a printing error? A bad master? Something else? The consequences in the Action Comics issue especially seem like they should matter, and gets to an odd dynamic of Byrne's Superman where some stories have miraculous rescues, and others have tragedies that will define the week for a typical mayor/ police department, but then it's all forgotten. A-
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Post by badwolf on Dec 10, 2022 21:09:03 GMT -5
Looking at that panel again, it's surprising that Lex wasn't able to figure out it was the Kryptonite on his own.
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