Back Issue Box: Superman #315

I recently completed my coverage of Superman #311-314 on the site, taking a deep dive into a convoluted story that focused on Superman's code against killing and had some tremendous Supergirl moments.

And while I have the recent Supergirl and the Legion of Super-Heroes movie sitting on my blu-ray to review as well as the Scholastic Backstories novelette to review, I thought I would just finish up this coverage with a bit of an epilogue from Superman #315. And I will end with a question for the audience.

I will start by saying that I will not be reviewing the bulk of the issue despite this winner of a cover showing Superman being defeated by Clark Kent (!!) who has become Black Rock. But it is a bananas story by writer Marty Pasko who was really leaning into his creation of SKULL, a nefarious super-science criminal conglomerate! Instead I'll focus on the first couple of pages which wrap up the fate of Nam-Ek who played such a huge role in the prior arc. 

The art is again by Curt Swan with inks by Dan Adkins. Swan was THE Superman artist in the Bronze Age and he brings his style and solid art foundation to the book. But it is Adkins who brings a real polish to the art here. I wonder if we should have some sort of poll of best Swan inkers (although perhaps we should say 'after Murphy Anderson'). 

But let's take a last look at poor Nam-Ek, the ever-healing, immortal, stench-bedeviled, Rondor mutate.

Back Issue Box: Superman #314

I have been having fun the last couple of weeks reviewing a four-part Superman story from 1977, involving Superman and Supergirl fighting the vengeful space pirate Amalak. The central plot point of the story is Amalak trying to trick Superman into killing. By forcing the Man of Steel to break his ethical code, Amalak knows Superman will be psychologically broken and will retire. Today I cover the finale in Superman #314. 

Writer Marty Pasko has weaved an intricate plot involving a space plague, the return of the Kryptonian criminal Nam-Ek, and a stray dog/alien vector as both the source of the epidemic and a lynch pin to Amalak's plot. Each of these four issues only has 17 pages of plot but Pasko packs it to the brim with twists and turns. All that despite using recap pages to keep readers up to snuff. I have loved the way Pasko has inserted Supergirl into the mix and treated her properly. In this issue, I love his handle of DC lore.

The art is again by Curt Swan and inker Dan Adkins. It is an good mix of fisticuffs between plot points. Swan gets to stretch out a bit, moving from fist fights to Kaiju battles. Adkins gives the work a sort of Schaffenberger slickness, something unusual to how I picture Swan in my head.  But it is pretty slick.

Add to all that some Lois and Clark drama on the last page and you have a winner!

On to the book!

Back Issue Box: Superman #313

Superman #313 was released in 1977, the third part in an intriguing four part story with a central theme of Superman's code against killing. A four parter was a rarity back in those days. Folks weren't writing for the trade. The spinner rack was often hit-or-miss. Things were mostly one and done.

Writer Marty Pasko does a lot in this story, bringing in a little known Silver Age villain, bringing in his own Kryptonian creation Nam-Ek, touching on the real life 'Legionnaires disease' outbreak, and even ratcheting up some tension between Clark and Lois. Heck, even Supergirl has a role here. But the real meat is how important Superman's code against killing was back then (and should continue to be). Superman is brought to the brink of despair and madness as personal ethos is put to the test. 

The art is by Curt Swan, the de facto artist of Superman back in the day. But the inking is by Dan Adkins. It is a smoother Swan but feels off. There is almost a Kurt Schaffenberger feel to the art here. It gives Supergirl a familiar feel but it still feels somewhat off. Not as strange as Frank Springer's inks. But not what I picture in my mind when someone says Curt Swan. And such an interesting cover with Superman tossing an alien around, threatening to kill it. Quite the art duo on this captivating piece, Dick Dillin inked by Neal Adams!

So get ready to dive into part three of Amalak and his machinations. (You can read the reviews of part one and part two here.)

Review: Superman #311

Last week, on a lark, I reviewed Superman #312, the second part of a 4 part story. The response was very positive with folks wanting to hear more about the story itself. Perhaps starting with part 2 wasn't the best choice.

So I am here today to catch you up! Today I cover Superman #311, by Marty Pasko, Curt Swan, and Frank Springer. The issue sports a delightful cover by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez. If you are looking for a cover that screams ' buy me' from the spinner rack it is this one. Superman being manhandled by a horned unknown villain. People dying around him from plague! Guest starring the Flash! This one has it all true believer.

Pasko does a great job for an opening chapter, dropping us into the action scene immediately and then catching us up. There are a lot of mysteries here. Who is the villain in the scientist (revealed in #312)? Who is the newcomer in the trench coat? What is causing the new plague? And how can Superman recover from an philosophical crisis? Add to that a lot of supporting cast interactions, including the worst 'Steve Lombard is a jerk' scene on record, and you have a winner! And all that in 17 pages!

As I said in the prior review, Springer on Swan is a weird mix. But the action is brisk and beautiful. It is the more character driven scenes that seem to suffer here.

On to the book!

Back Issue Box: Superman #312

When I do back issue reviews here I often try to tie them to some sort of theme or plot that is happening in books currently on the rack.

Sometimes I look at them because I do a deep dive in some aspect of Supergirl's history, like the recent look at Comet's origin.

So why I am I looking at Superman #312?

Is it the great Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez cover, showing Superman and Supergirl teaming up to fight Amalak? Is it writer Marty Pasko's recognizing Supergirl's history or his deepening of Kryptonian lore? Is it the interesting if imperfect teaming of penciler Curt Swan with inker Frank Springer?

All of those would be good enough reasons. But they weren't THE reason. 

It is that recently I saw this picture of Mork reading the issue on an episode of Mork and Mindy.

This is a wild issue. It is a primer on Bronze Age story-telling, covering a lot of plot in a scant 17 pages. It is the second part of a four part story. (I suppose I should cover all of them here.) And while Supergirl is made a damsel in distress in the story, she also is treated with respect by Pasko who makes her act like Superman's colleague, not sidekick or mentee. 

On to the book.

Back Issue Review: Superman Family #216

 Recently in DC Comics, two Superboys met each other. Jon Kent traveled back from the 31st century to visit Conner Kent in the present.

It made me remember an odd 2 parter from Superman Family when Supergirl from the 500th century travels back in time to team up (sort of) with the Supergirl from the present. It is a crazy story but classic for the Bronze Age. Last week, I reviewed the first part in Superman #215 .

Today, I wrap up the story by reviewing Superman Family #216.

There is a lot that makes little sense in this story. The Supergirls switch times to thwart two villains. But there isn't a clear reason why they have to do that. (At least the villains do have a decent reason to switch time periods.) A lot of the plot points are revealed in a long exposition section in the middle of the story in which one character explains the plot. And the ending is almost two easy.

Still, you have to give writer Marty Pasko some credit for trying to do this story in the constraints of two issues. We barely get a glimpse at the Earth in the 500,000. And in each part, Pasko mentions a prior story where the future Supergirl teamed up with Superman to defeat the villain Toxus. I wonder if Pasko hoped to eventually go back and tell that story.

Otherwise, this story is relatively forgettable. And even the usual steady work by Win Mortimer is diminished by the sparse inks of Vinnie Colletta.

On to the story ... settle in.

Back Issue Bin: Superman Family #215

Right now in Action Comics, Brian Michael Bendis is giving us The House of Kent storyline. In that arc, Superboy (Jon Kent) travels back from the future and meets Superboy (Conner Kent) in the present. 

With that plot wrinkle in mind, I thought it would be a good time to review Superman Family #215 in which a Supergirl from the future comes back in time to meet our Supergirl in the present.

As I have said in the past, the late 70s and early 80s are an interesting time in Supergirl's life. It was clear that DC kind of didn't know what to do with her and each writer put on the strip would go in their own direction. In short order she went from college grad/TV news team member to acting student to guidance counselor to soap opera star. In a couple of years from this issue, Paul Kupperberg puts her back in school as a grad student studying Criminal Psychology. Whew!

While the Linda Danvers aspects of the character were a bit malleable, it was clear in these stories that Supergirl herself was well established as a capable hero. No longer do we have her as a kid learning her capabilities. She isn't training any more. And New York City has embraced her as their hero.

Given that, I like this story for showing how Supergirl has a legacy, even in the far far flung future. Sure there are some Bronze Age leaps you need to make to have this story work. But otherwise, this is fun.

On to the book!

The Passing of Marty Pasko; Superman #332

I learned on Monday night that writer Marty Pasko had passed away.

Pasko was one of those names that I learned to recognize and associate with a good story even at a young age. I was heavily into DC even as a wee lad and people knew I loved Superman even back then. So the books that I cut my teeth on, the books that cemented my love of Superman and super-lore often had Pasko's name on them.

Whether it was Bizarro or the Atomic Skull or the Kryptonoid, Pasko always meant a happy reader. And I was lucky enough to meet him and thank him for his impact on me a few years back at Terrificon (here on the far right next to Keith Giffen and Paul Kupperberg).

Now you might think that Action Comics #500 would be my favorite Pasko story and it is close.

But I have to say that Mr. Pasko also wrote what might be my single favorite issue of all time, First Issue Special #9 starring Dr. Fate. That issue is brilliant.

But Pasko also taught be about dramatic turns and mature story telling in comics.

Here is the climax from Superman #329. In this story, Kryptonian microbots have fused with a Superman robot and a General who loathes Superman, blaming the Man of Steel for an accident which cost the General his arm. At the end, Superman points out that it was the robot the man fused with who was responsible for that accident. The resulting mental anguish incapacitates the Kryptonoid.

As a kid when I read this I was floored. I remember these panels vividly. But those aren't the only dramatic panels that are burned into my brain.

Whenever a hero of mine from the Bronze Age passes, I always grieve with good friend Mart Gray. We both have similar comic histories so we can commiserate and talk about shared stories and favorite issues.

When the news broke, Mart and I decided to honor the man by reviewing one of our favorite stories, Superman #331 and #332. Head here to read Mart's coverage of part one. Here is my cover to part 2, one of those Whitman pack variants!

For me, I am thrilled to review part two because the last panels in this issue taught me how powerful a medium comics can be, how the art can complement the story so well, and how tough topics like adults and romance could be covered in books aimed for kids.

Godspeed Mr. Pasko. Read on for more coverage of this issue.

Terrificon Recap

Last weekend I spent three glorious days at TerrifiCon in Uncasville Connecticut. Earlier this year, my buddy and I decided that this would be our 'big con' for the season and this con was well worth the time spent.

The con itself was in the convention center at the Mohegan Sun Casino. This meant a spacious main hall for the comic creators and exhibitors, a second floor for panel rooms and cosplayers, and a large entrance way area where the celebrities had tables set up to meet the fans. As a result, the place never felt cramped or claustrophobic. Also, being in the casino meant a couple of perks ... free parking and ample food choices from fancy restaurants to food courts.

But let's face it, we go to these cons for the creators and to shop. And this con, unlike many, was definitely comic-centric. And that made me very happy. The guest list was a nice mix of current stars (Snyder, Capullo, Booth, Rapmund) and more legendary folks (Thomas, Wolfman, Giffen, Pasko, Englehart, Chaykin, Kupperberg, etc.). So for an old-timer like me, this was perfect.

I wasn't sure who I would be getting a commission from beforehand. But once inside, I quickly made the wise decision to finally get a Barry Kitson piece. Kitson has been a favorite of mine since his work on Azrael. And he drew Supergirl during the Threeboot Legion run.

I gave him source material for the Matrix full shirt/red skirt costume as well as the 70s hot pants version and said he could draw whichever one he was more interested in doing. Later that afternoon, I picked up this great full color 3/4 body commission. This is just a stunning piece. From the body position to the determined expression to the background, it all just crackles.

I have been very lucky with my commission purchases recently.

Kitson himself is just the nicest guy.

But here is a little inside information. I asked him if this was the first time he had drawn Supergirl in this costume and he said as a commission, yes. But he then said he is doing a cover of Supergirl in all her costumes and this was one of them. When I asked what the cover was for, Kitson's handler at the table said 'don't say anything.'

Hmm ... maybe a 'Greatest Supergirl Stories' trade in the future?

All the guests I chatted with were approachable and easy to talk to. As I said, it was meeting the writers of my youth that really made me this the con for me to be at.

On Saturday, Robert Greenberger moderated a great Supergirl panel with Paul Kupperberg, Peter David, and Marty Pasko. They talked about the character, the 'need' for a Supergirl, her character development over the years, and touched on the show.

One nugget here was that Greenberger talked about how rigid DC was in the post-Crisis world in regards to characters that could/could not be used or even mentioned ... Supergirl being one of them. Paul Levitz was adamant about it. When I brought up how Sensor Girl was rumored to be Supergirl, Greenberger said (and I am paraphrasing) 'Levitz was in charge. If he wanted Sensor Girl to be Supergirl, she would have been.' Hmmm ...

There was also this ad hoc 'panel' at Marty Pasko's table where I heard Keith Giffen, Paul Kupperberg, and Marty Pasko discuss story-telling, current writing styles in comics, and their approach to characters. Brilliant.

I talked to these three creators the most over the days. In particular, I had a lot of thoughts and questions to ask Giffen (given my utter love of the Legion). You can read more about that here. Suffice it to say, it was great meeting

I got a ton of issues signed by folks, many of whom did not charge instead having a Heroes Initiative donation jar. So plenty of books signed by all, especially Giffen.

But perhaps the jewel of them all, even more than a handful pf 5YL Legion books being signed, even more than Action Comics #500 being signed, was getting Marty Pasko to sign 1st Issue Special #9. This Dr. Fate story is one of my all-time favorite comic stories. And, having run into creators a bunch at cons over the last year, I now have the trifecta of signatures of Pasko (writer), Simonson (artist), and Joe Kubert (cover artist).

Priceless.

I also met Steve Englehart and got him to sign some of his Detective Comics issues. But I also got him to sign his Mister Miracle issues from the 70s, more books from my formative comic reading years.

Most of my comic purchases were from the dollar box, fleshing out my Sojourn collection as well as the recent Sif run on Journey Into Mystery. I also bought a bunch of kids comics to keep in my office and hand out to kids.

The one big purchase was Giant-Size Creatures #1, the first appearance of Tigra. Early Tigra is a tiny niche pocket of my collection. So it was great to finally check this issue off.

So nothing but praise for the convention. I figure this will be one to hit again next year.

This Weekend ... Terrificon!

I haven't even done my overall take on this year's Boston Comic Con and I am already heading off to my next convention.

Terrificon is a convention a little south of me in Uncasville Connecticut and I am considering this my big con for the season. For me, this just seems to be a convention more built for me. There are a ton of comic creators that are going to be there who had huge impact on me in my salad days of comic reading.

Yes, there will be current mega-stars there. You don't get much bigger these days than Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo. And I will be hoping to get on commission lists for Brett Booth and Barry Kitson.

But it is the veterans that are going to be there, creators who I haven't met yet at other cons, that is the big draw. And so I'll be there with bells on!

Let's start out with Keith Giffen! Keith Giffen!!!

He plotted/drew Legion of Super-Heroes in the Great Darkness Sage era.
He wrote/drew/created my beloved 5YL Legion.
He wrote the bwa-ha-ha Justice League.
He wrote the Doom Patrol.
He wrote Justice League 3000/3001.
He wrote 52.
He wrote/drew/reinvented Dr. Fate.

I seriously could probably fill a whole long box to bring to have him sign. So distilling this down to my usual 8-10 books is proving to be difficult. I may need to head to his table once each day.

Seriously, I am geeking out that I will be meeting Giffen.

But there's more!

Bullet Review: Superman #282

Earlier this week I appeared on the DigestCast show of the Fire and Water Podcast Network to discuss The Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest: The Many Lives of Supergirl. One of the stories in that digest was from Superman Family #165, a tale where Linda Danvers becomes a guidance counselor at the New Athens Experimental School and wonders if she should continue a career as Supergirl.

That time period, of Kara questioning being a super-hero, isn't one of my favorites. I like the Supergirl who is fierce in her defense of the helpless and a warrior for justice. Rereading that story reminded me of the back-up feature in Superman #282. In that story, Superman tries to impart some wisdom to Supergirl, telling her a tale from Krypton that in some ways reverberates with her current dilemma. Now Supergirl is really a small part of this story, only part of the framing sequence. But it is worth reviewing.

This story is also the first appearance of Nam-Ek, one of my favorite Kryptonian villains.

Lastly, this issue is also worth obtaining for the main story, 'Lex Luthor ... Super-Scalphunter.' That story, written by Elliot S! Maggin with art by Curt Swan, is a bit bonkers. Luthor vows to scalp Superman and wear the Man of Steel's locks as a toupee. He also dons his famous purple and green battle suit for the first time.

But onto the Supergirl story!

Back Issue Review: Superman Family #213

With a new Blackrock introduced in the pages of Superman:Lois and Clark, I have decided to take a look back at Supergirl's battle with the classic interpretation of the villain. Earlier this month, I covered part one of their battle in the pages of Superman Family.

Today I will finish the story as presented in Superman Family #213.

This book was released in 1981. We are basically about a year away from Daring New Adventures of Supergirl hitting the stands. The Kara in these stories is pretty much an adult established hero so much of the 'beginning the hero's journey' aspect is gone. But it also means we start to see Supergirl acting more confident and intelligent. She is respected by the villain, a rogue from Superman's gallery. She visits Kal and is treated like an equal. And she outsmarts the villain.

While I think Supergirl works best as a young hero learning the ropes, it is interesting to see her in these stories, a valued member of the hero community.

Back Issue Box: Superman Family #212

Over in Superman:Lois and Clark, writer Dan Jurgens and artist Lee Weeks have been reintroducing some old time baddies to the (for now) current New 52 universe. We met the 'new' Hank Henshaw. We finally saw the re-imagined Hyathis. And now we have the latest incarnation of Blackrock.

This version of Blackrock is an ex-con trying to make some money by putting on a battle suit and demolishing things for reality television. Unfortunately, the bridge he is told to smash hasn't been closed to drivers, setting up a disaster where Superman needs to intervene. This guy doesn't seem malicious. If anything, I think this is him being set up by the television show to get footage of him fighting a super-hero.

With a new Blackrock now out there, I thought I would revisit the old Blackrock and the time he fought Supergirl.

In Superman Family #212, Supergirl is front and center on the cover fighting the 'video villain' Blackrock. Ross Andru and Dick Giordano provide the cover which is a decent action shot, even if it is Kara seemingly losing to the villain. The casino setting is interesting as is the down angle of the perspective.

More amusing is the 'jogging your way into this issue' side bar of the characters ...well ... jogging. This was a time in the US where jogging was the latest fitness fad. Clark looks incredibly uncoordinated, perhaps on purpose.

'Payment on Demand' headlined the issue. Written by Marty Pasko with art by regular SMF team of Win Mortimer and Vince Colletta, the story starts out with a bang. Or is that a 'brakassh'.

Supergirl is peacefully flying around New York City when she sees a security guard tossed through the plate glass window of the WGBS building. Nothing like a good defenestration to start a story.

Kara's internal monologue is amusing in that she is pretty surprised at the daily goings-on in the Big Apple. There is little peace for a super-hero.

Flying into the lobby, Supergirl finds the villain Blackrock attacking the security force with his power stone. Kara seems to know of Blackrock and so brings the fight to him but she struggles a bit. He uses the stone quite adeptly, transforming himself into 'cohesive black particles' of energy, surrounding Supergirl in a dense energy bubble, and shooting force beams.

Realizing this wasn't a fight he planned for, Blackrock turns himself into energy, endangers the nearby civilians, and escapes while Supergirl saves the day. But what was he after?

It turns out the guards can't even help identify him. He had entered the building in his civilian identity so they should know his face. But he used his force bolts to give them selective amnesia.

I told you. He is handy with his weapon.

At work at Secret Hearts soap opera, Linda Danvers notices that her friend, script writer Greg Gilbert, is distraught. And the script shows it. The actors and producers are irate about plot turns and dialogue busting words like 'statistically', 'dilapidated', and 'particularly'. In an effort to help her friend, Linda says the two should go out as friends ('dutch treat') to talk things out.

Greg asks Linda to come back to his place first, hoping he can convince her to eat in. It is clear that he is broke. And going out, even dutch, is impossible.

Things get wonky when they arrive. A ruffian is waiting for Greg to take him to 'an appointment'.

Greg tries to fight the thug and, using her super-breath coyly, Linda helps his efforts. The goon runs off.

Linda then asks Greg what is going on. It turns out he has a major gambling problem. He is deep in the hole with a gangster, owing him thirty grand. He recently was trying to win his way out of the hole by doubling down at an all night poker game. Unfortunately, he only made things worse.

The reason the scripts have suffered is because while Greg was away, new writer Lena Thorul struggled a bit.

Linda promises she will try to help Greg out of his problems, both his debt and his problem. She promises to find him psychiatric help or group therapy. But first, the debt needs to be cleared.

Greg's problems don't supplant the presence of Blackrock. In a perfect showing of why the old comics work, Supergirl heads to the Fortress of Solitude to ask Superman for some information. After all, Blackrock is more of a Superman villain.

Kal gives us some nice exposition about Blackrock's origins. There have been several people brainwashed or blackmailed into wearing the costume. Blackrock was supposed to be network UBC's own super-hero to combat Superman's GBS ratings.

So who is *this* Blackrock? And what is he after.

Whatever it is he wants, it is in the GBS building. Blackrock decides that he needs an inside man to pull off the heist he wants. So in a different scene, we see Blackrock cut a deal with Greg Gilbert. If Gilbert steals something from GBS, Blackrock will eliminate the writer's debt. Gilbert initially agrees.

But then Gilbert realizes that Blackrock's solution will be to kill the mob boss. Not wanting to be complicit in murder, Gilbert tells his bosses and ultimately Supergirl of his problems. Supergirl takes off to the casino to stop the villain's murderous plans.

There is a nice skirmish where we see just how evenly matched these two are. Blackrock is untouchable. He can shoot immense force beams. He knows how to use collateral damage to distract Supergirl.

I liked this panel where we see Supergirl actually bounce off the force shield.

The battle heads outside where Blackrock blasts one of the city's famous arches. While Supergirl grabs the top of the arch so it doesn't crush pedestrians, Blackrock takes advantage, shooting Supergirl and knocking her unconscious.

Of course, this is a bronze age villain. So before he knocks out Kara, he tells her the whole plan. Gilbert will steal the blueprints for GBS' 3-D television technology.

And with that cliffhanger, part one ends.

This was a very fun story. We get both Supergirl moments and Linda Danvers' moments as well. So we get a nice feel for this Supergirl's whole life. Moreover, Blackrock is a good villain for her, someone who can actually stand up to her as a challenge.

So not a bad little chapter.

As a bonus, we get a Supergirl heavy Daily Planet as the back cover. First we have an add for Superman #365, one of the many stories where Supergirl fights Superman. I covered that issue way back when, here.

We also get an add for The Krypton Chronicles, a nice three issue miniseries which looks back at Krypton's history. That is a great mini-series for Superman and Supergirl fans.

So overall, a decent issue worth picking up if you find it in the cheap bins.

Overall grade: B

Review DC Retroactive: 1970s Superman

I am not part of the demographic that DC Comics is aiming for in their new relaunch. I'm an old timer, someone collecting and reading for more than three decades. DC wants to lure in newer fresher audiences.

And yet, DC must also realize that part of its greatness is the history of these characters, the legacy of the great ones. That has to be the impetus behind the DC Retro-Active books, looks in the rear view mirror at past periods in character's lives.

With that background, I bought DC Retro-Active 1970's Superman #1, a really fun comic for me. This book really seems to capture the feel of the mid to late 70s Superman, which I will admit was a crucial part of my Superman reading life. It was around this time I must have decided to read a lot of Superman because I recall owning a lot of the issues from 1978 and 1979. And the villains showcased in this issue ... the Master Jailer, the Atomic Skull ... I remember reading their big stories in that time. Poor Moosy Draper, he could never get Lana's attention. So I have to come clean and say that there was a nice whipped topping of nostalgia for this book which made it a very sweet read.

But beyond the nostalgia, I thought this was a good example of the stories happening in that time, from the Lois/Superman romance, to Lana's chasing Superman for his affection, to Supergirl being a big part of Superman's life. Writer Marty Pasko does a great job hitting all the highlights (lowlights?) of the time in putting together this story, a done in one (as most stories were back then) tale of Superman overcoming some negative feelings to remember what is important. And artist Eduardo Barreto is no stranger to the super-family so it was nice to see his work here.

Sure there is some clunkiness to the trappings here given the passage of time (Lana risking her life for Superman's attention?) but I thought this worked.

The issue starts with a tired Superman contacting old friend Van-Zee in Kandor to discuss an upcoming ceremony. Superman's call is early mostly because he has had precious time to spare recently. Van-Zee has to stop his Torquasm Vo meditation to discuss what's happening.

Van is worried about Kal as Superman snips and yawns his way through the conversation. Over the last week the Kandorians have seen Superman fight Bizarro, the Atomic Skull and Metallo, as well as hunt for the Master Jailer. Superman needs a rest. But Van can't convince Superman to take a break. Instead, Superman flies off to another disaster.

This was a nice opening scene showcasing a lot of the high points of the 1970s. Sure we see a couple of villains created in that time period but the inclusion of Kandor, the Kryptonian name-drops, Clark on camera as a WGBS TV anchor are all a big part of that time.

Supergirl has been hiding in the background here, listening to everything. She had noticed Superman's brusque manner recently and told the Kandorians about her worries. While it is a story from the 80s, we have seen the effect of a lack of REM sleep on Kryptonians here so Van-Zee and Supergirl are right to be worried.

And how nice it was to see Supergirl in her shorts and puffy sleeves from the 1970s.  And to see her having such an active and familial relationship with her cousin. She noticed he was 'cranky' and told other about her concerns.

Flying back to Metropolis, Superman runs fights the Master Jailer. The Jailer is after Lana Lang (his obsession from Smallville) but is stopped by Superman. Lana, recently returned from Europe (and saying 'entre nous' and other French phrases) is back in town and trying to romantically win Superman back. It was an interesting story back then, Draper obsessed with Lana ... Lana obsessed with Superman. Here Lana is saucy and busty and pretty aggressive, much to Superman's surprise.

And also much to Lois' surprise. Lois has arrived as a reporter and wonders what Lana's intentions were here. Did she bait the Jailer so Superman would rescue her? And Lois also wonders if Superman rescued Lana with a bit more gusto. Does he have feelings for Lang? The lip print on his face might say so!

At first I worried Lois might come off badly here. But I think she actually is pretty strong, asking Superman to simply face the facts that Lana is trying to get him romantically and that he is being a dunce if he doesn't recognize it.

Irritated at the exchange (he didn't ask for any of Lana's affections), Superman heads home only to encounter the Atomic Skull and his minions attacking the Superman museum.

But it is an off fight. Superman's xray vision confirms that the real Skull is still imprisoned. This Atomic Skull seems to be able to read minds. The Skull's voice is wrong. His troops seem to be able to replicate themselves. The angrier Superman gets, the more troops appear. 

And like most villains of this time, they seem to stream to the WGBS building to attack Lois. Superman overhears Lois talking to producer Josh Coyle (he of the ever-angry ulcer) about visiting Lana in the hospital, trying to mend things between them. Proud of Lois mature attitude, loving her even more, Superman smiles. And with that the Skull troops dissipate.

So much fun to see villains with simple agendas ... the beautiful girl, trashing the Superman museum, capturing Lois. Again, the 70s were a simpler time.

The mastermind of all this craziness? Mr. Mxyzptlk. Vacationing in Bppkss (bupkis?), 'the Las Vegas of the other dimensions',  and has got himself into a hole. He owes the wagerer Grbnsqz (grab and squeeze?) a lot of money and has decided to try to settle things with a 'double or nothing' prayer bet. Mxy bets he can get Superman to destroy all that the Kryptonian loves.

Its a desperate bet. But he thinks he knows how to do it. He imbues Superman with a new power. Superman's negative thoughts will manifest physically as threats. The more thoughts like that he has, the more threats. Eventually Superman will wear down psychologically and lash out. It explains why things are blipping in and out of existence, how the Skull attacks and is still in jail.

And it gets trickier for Superman. When the threats dissipate, so does all the damage they have done and memories of what they did. The Superman museum is fine. No one remembers the Skull attack. Superman wonders if he is losing his mind.

Nice plan except Grbnsqz thinks that means Superman needs to kill everything. It was good to see Mxy admit he's no killer. He wants to annoy Superman not make him a murderer. But Mxy is stuck.

Sent away so Steve Lombard can do the news (another irksome turn of events), Superman heads for the fortress. Luckily Supergirl has been keeping an eye on her cousin and has captured the Skull fight (and Mxy taking it all in) on film. Superman isn;t losing it. But why would Mxyzptlk take off like that.

In this time, Supergirl and Superman worked together a lot, as a super-team. I really thought this was a nice moment as the worried cousin kept tabs on her relative.

Of course, knowing Mxyzptlk is involved makes Superman angry. And that anger becomes a very solid Metallo. Superman ends up succumbing to the Green K energy here. But look at Supergirl slap Metallo into a sleeper hold! Wonderful!

Once unconscious, the negative thoughts end, Metallo disappears, and Supergirl awakens confused. She doesn't remember the fight.

The two cousins talk about the mystery a bit and go their separate ways.

Superman heads to visit Lana but remains angry at the nonsense around him. Those thoughts manifest as Bizarro. And to make matters worse, Lois storms off wondering why Superman seems to be spending time with Lana again.

Finally, Superman figures out the connection. And with that realizes that calm thoughts (like when he thought of Lois before) will literally make his problems disappear. Meditiating using Torquasm Vo, Bizarro disappears.

And the most calm he feels is with Lois. He flies to her and tells her how much he loves her. The two reconcile. And with that kiss, all the Mxyzptlk madness vanishes.

How great to see the strength of the Lois/Superman relationship here.I still wish they would remain married in the DCnU and hope that Lois is treated well there. But this was fun.

Mxyzptlk has lost, removes the new power he gave Superman, and gets dragged away to wash dishes for Grbnsqz. The threat is over.

But this was not done by himself. It was only with the help of Supergirl, Van-Zee, and mostly Lois that he was able to overcome what was happening.

The book ends with Superman realizing he needs some R&R. And what better place to vacation with Lois than in Kandor. And he'll be there only to relax. Supergirl will handle to ceremonial duties within.

The reprinted story is from Action Comics #484 in which the Earth 2 Superman marries that Lois (an interesting choice given the dissolution of the DCnU marriage).

So now that I have soaked in some wonderful nostalgia, I have the hard time of trying to grade this book. I think it is impossible. I can't evaluate this book without understanding that it brings me back to spinner racks and comics folded in my back pocket. It works for me, which I think is the purpose of these books. Will someone weaned on comics since 2000 enjoy this book? I really can't tell.

But in a short period of time, Marty Pasko really stuffed in as much of the 1970s Superman mythos as he could. And that is the most impressive thing to me. We really got a glimpse at all the big parts of the Superman universe here. Seeing how close he and Supergirl were at that time, both as a relative and as heroes, was fantastic. And we got to see the hot pants costume again. For me,  I especially liked revisiting the Lana/Lois part of the books at that time.

Overall grade: A (for an old timer like me)

Smorgasbord Tuesday !

There is a lot to cover over the next week - October solicits, creator interviews, and a lot of comics to review. So here are a some quick items while I get my thoughts together.

Marty Pasko was kind enough to visit the site and posted this on the DC Retro-Active post from a couple of months ago.

FYI, Supergirl appears in the '70s Retro-Active Superman title written by yours truly and drawn by Eduardo Barreto (with help from Christian Duce).

Martin Pasko

While I am thrilled to hear that Supergirl will be in the retro-active book (that most likely means the hot pants costume), I am floored that Marty Pasko came here! I loved Pasko's work growing up and look forward to this 70's flashback issue. Over on the DC Bloodlines blog, I recently reviewed a Dr. Fate story he did. Here is that link if interested: http://dcbloodlines.blogspot.com/2011/06/review-1st-issue-special-9-dr-fate.html
Here is the official DC solicit.

 DC Retroactive is an exciting event honoring the defining eras of DC's core heroes, featuring an original story by the legendary writers and artists who helped mold the characters! Martin Pasko revisits the Metropolis of the 1970s, telling an epic lost tale as Mr. Mxyzptlk returns for another go at The Man of Steel. Will he succeed this time around?

Supergirl writer James Peaty's new project 'The Ballad of Frank Sartre' is now up and running on the web. Here is the link: http://www.franksartre.com/index.html

I asked Peaty if he could give us some info about the book and this is what he wrote back:

The story's about Frank Sartre, a singer/performer in a version of reality somewhat different from our own. Frank's having a bit of a career renaissance, but parallel to this he's embroiled in a number of overlapping mysteries. Firstly, who is the mysterious woman that haunts his dreams? Secondly, what's his connection to a mysterious killer stalking the streets of his hometown, Cosmopolis. And, thirdly, what happened in his past that caused his band The 400 Blows to split up. Throw in some flying cars, a mind-altering super-narcotic, hot dames, evil doctors, cab-driving  gorillas, gangster pussy cats and a bloodhound crime reporter and you have - I think - a pretty fun comic book. Here's hoping other people agree!

Every Friday - around midday GMT - we'll be uploading at least four pages to the site, sometimes more, and the cost to the reader is absolutely nil.

I have read the first pages of the book and it looks like a great mash-up of film noir, Blade Runner, and Kirby's anthropomorphic animals. I also like that music plays an important role in the book. That seems to click. And what is better than free entertainment. Well worth checking out ... a much different and darker feel than the Supergirl stuff Peaty wrote.

Lastly, I wanted to again plug blog friend Valerie's Querl and Kara deviant art page. That site's latest coup is an article by Landry Walker about what the Kara/Querl relationship would have been like had Cosmic Adventures continued (maybe 'when Cosmic continues?'). Here is that link:
http://querl-and-kara.deviantart.com/blog/42258868/

The whole article is fantastic and Walker clearly gets the character of Supergirl, right down to the relationships she has. Here is a quote to whet the appetite:

 Come Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the 9th Grade, she and Brainiac 5 will meet face to face for the first time (when looking at the time line in the proper order). Their relationship through the series is contentious and acerbic in many ways, as their ideologies conflict. But it’s this tension in the face of adversity that creates a bond between them. A bond that is cemented home when Brainiac 5 illogically chooses to sacrifice…

It is definitely worth reading in its entirety. So go visit!

500 Posts So ... Back Issue Box: Action Comics #500

Sometime last week I broke 500 posts on this blog. Who knew I had so much to talk about?

It's hard for me to believe it's true. I can't deny the numbers.

500 posts feels like a milestone of some sort so I figured I'd celebrate a little by reviewing Action Comics #500.

Written by Marty Pasko and drawn by Superman legend Curt Swan, the issue reads like a primer of Superman lore touching on all the most relevant pieces of the Superman mythos.

As a kid I loved this cover, drawn by Ross Andru and inked by Dick Giordano. For one, the pink background is actually reprints of some of the more famous Action Comics covers including aniversary issues #100, #200, #300, and #400. It also includes one my favorite Supergirl covers, Action Comics #285. I was 9 when this comic came out, long before there was an easy way to see old covers, so I thought it was nifty to peek into the past this way. I also liked how the cover is one of those 'never ending covers' ... Lois Lane and Supergirl holding up a copy of the issue which shows them holding up the issue which then shows them holding up the issue and so on.

The title of the story is appropriate. This issue truly is 'The Life Story of Superman'.

The framework story has Superman arriving at the grand opening of a new Superman Museum in Metropolis. Superman arrives and 'cuts the ribbon' by heat visioning through an iron girder. The lucky crowd there is allowed to walk through the museum with Superman as a personal tour guide, filling in details of his youth and origins. Included in the crowd are all of Superman's friends: Lois, Lana, Perry White, etc.


Of course, the tour starts with the Krypton room with Superman literally reliving his early days. He is convinced by the museums benefactor Mr. Arngrim to wear a Kryptonian 'mind prober ray helmet' so that the crowd can get a near eyewitness recollection of the young Kal-El's last days on his home planet.

We hear about Jor-El's research, the Science Council's ignorance, the Krypto test rocket, and finally the fateful day when Kal is placed in a rocket and fired towards Earth.


But nothing can be as simple as a museum tour.

For while Superman shares his memories, something nefarious is happening in the museum's basement. A mysterious figure with an even more mysterious tube of green gas seems to be feeding off of Superman's memories.

Leaving the Krypton room, the group heads to the Smallville room. There Superman silently remembers all about his early years. He recalls the rocket crashing, the Kents dropping him off at an orphanage only to return a couple of days later to pick him up.

We see the creation of the super-suit able to withstand the wild energy of a super-toddler. We see a young Clark wrestle a bull, discover his x-ray vision, and fly for the first time.

While Superman never mentions the Kents, he does tell the basis of the stories to the crowd.



Meanwhile, the nature of the gas tube becomes more apparent. It seems as Superman walks the patrons through his life, a clone is growing at an alarming rate. Here is the super-toddler, nicely grown as Superman talks about those early years.


And here is the clone now grown to Superboy age. Freed from the gas tube, the clone now is wearing an electronic skull cap, Superman's memories being fed directly into it's brains.

Superman remembers the creation of his glasses, the re-invention of Clark Kent as a slouched klutz, and the beginnings of his super adventures.

All these are important parts of the Superman history, but I liked this one too much not to post.

I love how the importance of having Krypto, a super-friend he could fly and explore with, is so evident here. We have seen this theme, the isolation of being a super-being, played out as recently as Superman Secret Origin when Clark enjoys the company of the Legionnaires. To hear that his dog helped him bear the pain of loneliness was sort of touching.

I had to chuckle when Lois and Lana call him on it, whispering that he can get choked up about his dog but never seems to show his emotions to them.


But those carefree days of Smallville come to a tragic end. The Kents succumb to an exotic tropical disease. Despite his great powers, Clark is unable to save his parents. It is a tragedy that moves him. Pa's dying words remind Clark that he was put here to help people. At their grave site, Clark promises them he will be all they wanted him to be.

And so the Metropolis part of his story begins. We hear about the discovery and eventual restoration of Kandor, the creation of the Fortress of Solitude, the many types of Kryptonite, and the beginnings of his rogues gallery.

And we hear about he isn't that alone after all.

Supergirl gets a nice splash page recapping her life and career. There are nice homages to the covers of Action Comics #252 and Action Comics #285. Superman proudly talks about how Supergirl is a hero in her own right.

As usual, Swan does a great job here.

But if Superman is now up to date on his life story, that means the clone must be adult aged as well!

The mysterious villain's plan has come to fruition. The floor below Superman drops out from under him and the clone is replaced in the museum. Superman, powerless, dazed from nearby Green Kryptonite, bathed in red sun rays, and placed on a floor mimicking Krypton' s heavy gravity, faces his greatest villain ...

That's right Lex Luthor is behind the whole thing. But you already guessed that, didn't you?

Turns out that Arngrim is also a clone and was able to grab a sample of Superman's when they shook hands at the museum's opening ceremonies. Using those cells, Lex grew his clone. And while he fed his clone Superman's pilfered memories, he altered them slightly so his Superman would listen and obey Lex. With a Superman slave clone at his beck and call, Lex would then kill the real Superman, replacing him.

Unfortunately, Lex decides to fall into the usual pitfall that many Silver Age villains do ... he becomes too elaborate. Instead of simply killing Superman, he sets up a complicated death trap. When one of the patrons leaves the museum, they will break an electric eye triggering a laser that will kill Superman and an explosion that will demolish the museum and kill all of Superman's friends.

Devious? Yes. Wicked? Yes.

But you would think Lex wouldn't take any chances even if the trap is poetically malevolent.


The clone is almost too well trained by Lex. He begins talking about Luthor to the crowd. But his words ring false as he call Luthor a humanitarian. Lois and Lana begin to wonder if something is wrong.

Thank goodness that Luthor has decided to make another amateurish mistake.

He leaves the keys to Superman's cell hanging on a nearby hook! I guess Luthor hasn't seen any old swashbuckler movies or episodes of Bonanza.

Superman takes advantage, using Clark's tie and his belt to get the keys. Then, sneaking out of the cage, he turns off the red sun and gravity plates, restoring his powers. He easily takes out Luthor, who is too thrilled with himself to notice Superman slinking around.



With Luthor out of the way, Superman needs to take out his super-powered clone. A variety of punches, kicks, and super-breath blows the clone into the museum's Kryptonite display filled with actual Kryptonite! Exposed to the Gold K, the clone's powers are immediately and irrevocably removed.

I can't believe they had real Kryptonite? Wouldn't this place be attacked by every super-villain hoping to get their hands on Kryptonite?

With Luthor and the clone captured, Superman realizes that adventures like these are the real story of his life.

After reading this issue again, I realize just what a great Cliff Notes version of the Silver Age Superman it is. Drawn lovingly by Swan, it still looks good. And even the silliness of Luthor reads as it should ... like the typical nonsense Silver Age villains always succumbed to.

This issue is usually in the $5 box at conventions and is a nice piece to have in a comic collection. And while not a Supergirl issue, it would be a good part of a Supergirl collection as well.

Overall grade: A (smothered in nostalgia)