Action Comics #587

It's a Sunday, which means that it's a Superman day here at World of Superman! For those of you keeping up with my podcast, 20 Minute Longbox, look for that episode to be released late tomorrow as I'm slightly behind with the editing there. Last week's episode is still up, a look at Superman/Shazam: First Thunder #2.

(Covers only today as I'm short on time.)

Enough plugging, enough rambling. We've got us some John Byrne-drawn Etrigan action today. Or have we?

Cityscape

Written and Pencilled by John Byrne

Embellished by Dick Giordano

Colored by Tom Ziuko

Lettered by John Costanza

Edited by Andrew Helfer and Michael Carlin

Cover Art by John Byrne

Cover Date: April 1987

Jason Blood visits a curiosity shop in Gotham. His friend Glenda picks up a trinket shaped like a futuristic city and accidentally activates a hidden switch. The trinket shoots a spike into her arm, causing crystalline spires to erupt upwards from her body. She transforms into a large spire, then sends out spikes into the other people in the shop, causing them to transform as well. Jason avoids a spike, transforming into Etrigan and causing another spike to shatter against him. The spires continue to grow, bursting through the ceiling and transforming the couple above.

Returning from space, Superman soars over Gotham, musing that it is the first time he has returned to the city since meeting Batman. He sees the spires, growing ever larger in the centre of the city. Taking action, he shatters one of them, but he is tackled by Etrigan. The two fight, with the Demon desperate to keep Superman from harming the spires. As they fight, several more spires are damaged. Etrigan is able to halt the combat by showing Superman that the shattered spires have blood oozing from them. Realising what has happened, Superman agrees to help. Etrigan quickly conjures a spell to send Superman back in time.

Armed only with a message from Etrigan to seek out Jason Blood, Superman finds himself in 12^th century England. He quickly locates Blood, who has been expecting Superman. Jason takes Superman underground to a Pool of Knowing to track the source of the trinket. He discovers the location, and Superman flies him there. Above a humble shack containing an old man and his granddaughter, Blood transforms to Etrigan and wrestles free of Superman’s grasp, falling through the sky and bursting in.

Etrigan attacks the granddaughter, revealing her to be Morgaine le Fey. Fey traps Superman in a cage of stone, before preparing to weave her master spell that will result in the trinket, which will create a citadel in the future for her to travel to. She possesses the grandfather to use a human hand to craft the spell. Realising that interrupting the spell will avert the future crisis, Superman breaks free from the cage. Despite Etrigan’s warnings that his actions will cause is death, Superman attack Fey, disrupting and cancelling the spell.

Suddenly, Jason Blood is back in the curiosity shop. Glenda activates the trinket again, but it harmlessly pops open. Another customer looks through the window and sees Superman passing overhead.

Before we get going into this one, let’s just be very clear about one point. Superman’s action in the past, interrupting Morgaine le Fey’s  spell, nullifies the future where the trinket grows into an entire city. Because this future never existed, Superman never travelled into the past. Therefore, with the exception of the last two pages, this issue never happened. It’s also an interesting statement on how time-travel works in the DC Universe. The only reason le Fey doesn’t have her citadel overrule Gotham is because Superman travels back in time to stop this. But without the emergence of the citadel, Superman never participated in the events that caused le Fey’s plan to fail, meaning that logically, her citadel should once again appear until Superman prevents it. Of course, logic rarely applies to time-travel, and for simplicity’s sake, once Superman has definitively prevented the citadel’s emergence, the timeline where le Fey’s plan succeeded simply withered and died, cauterised from causality. If you’re a Doctor Who fan, think of it like this: Superman’s interruption of the spell creates a fixed point in time which determines how time flows from it.

Phew!

I’m not that hot on this issue. I can’t help but feel that the Demon is a wasted guest star. Etrigan is always more interesting when following his own agenda that puts him in conflict with a hero. Here, surprising as it is to see him working with honourable intentions – saving the innocents trapped within le Fey’s citadel – there was little to no personal gain for Etrigan, no hints or suggestions that he’s being anything other than totally altruistic. It’s very contrary to what I expect as a reader, and to me, it feels like the Demon was used because Byrne needed a character who could exist in the past and the present, rather than because there was a story that needed this character to tell.

I also have to wonder why Superman prolongs the climactic battle with le Fey. It’s established towards the end of the battle that Superman is able to break free of the stone prison because whislt magic is used to construct the prison, the prison itself is not magical. If that’s true, why does Superman spend a page and a half loitering in it watching the grandfather get put through unimaginable pain? Again, things are happening because the story demands that it does, rather than for a logical reason.

At this point in the super-books, Action Comics is definitely the weakest of the three titles, but still a good read. This, however, is the first issue that just feels average rather than of a good quality in itself.

The Geeky Bits: The Fourth World aside, The Demon is probably Jack Kirby’s most notable contribution to the DC Universe. Etrigan is summoned by Merlin and bonded to Jason Blood, a knight of the Round Table. This bonding grants Blood immortality, allowing him to participate in events of the current day. Jason can summon the Demon by reciting a short verse, but will always do so as a last resort. His demonic nature has seen him appear in titles as diverse as JLA and Sandman, as well as multiple attempts at supporting his own series across the years. The most recent ongoing Demon series was Blood of the Demon, written and pencilled by John Byrne, running from 2005-2006. In the new 52, Etrigan can be found as a member of Paul Cornell’s Demon Knights.

Action Comics #587 was collected in The Man Of Steel vol. 3, and coverage of this issue can be found in episode 6 of From Crisis To Crisis.

Next on World of Superman: Midweek sees us take a look at the next things I will and won't miss in the New 52, whilst next weekend has us back at our post-Crisis reviews when we take a look at Superman vs The Mummy, with no sign of Rachel Weisz!

Action Comics #586

Yes, I'm back. I had a great time at the MCM Expo. I had my entire run of All Star Superman signed by Frank Quitely. I got Hitman #34 - yes, that issue - signed by John McCrea. I got the most amazing Doctor Who variant cover from Tony Lee. It's a TARDIS on the front, and the cover opens in the middle to reveal the console room, twice the size of the cover. The inside is bigger than the outside. It's genius! And I saw exclusive Green Lantern footage and heard Maurice LaMarche do the voice of The Brain live. And Billy West rolled out Ren and Stimpy. It was great, and if you didn't get the chance to go then I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry.

I also got to see X-Men: First Class recently, and I've not felt that excited about an X-Men movie since X2. Everyone involved in the film did a cracking job, and that cameo was an absolute bloody treat. More recently, last night in fact, I saw the documentary film Senna, and I would fervently recommend that to anyone, regardless of your level of giving-a-crap about Formula 1. The film was superb, constructed entirely of archive footage and the very occasional context-giving voiceover. Go see it - you won't be disappointed.

That's enough of various bits and pieces, let's take a look at some comics.

Legends Chapter 19: Superman vs The New Gods! The Champion!

Storyteller: John Byrne

Embellisher: Dick Giordano

Letterer: John Costanza

Colorist: Tom Ziuko

Editor: Andrew Helfer

Cover Art: John Byrne

Cover Date: March 1987

Release Date: 26/12/1986

Lightray and Orion head to Apokolips. Superman is being tested by Granny Goodness, telling him that he is the son of Darkseid. Looking on, Amazing Grace wonders if the testing is safe, as Superman has lost some of his strength along with his memories. Darkseid reveals the extent of his plans, pretending not to recognise Superman as Clark Kent, ensuring that he meets and trusts Grace, Glorious Godfrey’s sister, and then manipulating Superman into giving the Hunger Dogs a taste of hope before crushing that hope. Darkseid questions if Grace has fallen in love with Superman.  Darkseid restore Superman’s powers and sends him off to fight for him, acknowledging the risk in doing so, as he has also restored Superman’s full brain functions and risks having his memories returned.

Superman flies above Apokolips and encounters Orion and Lightray. Lightray uses his powers to distract and confuse Superman whilst Orion prepares for battle. When he is attacked, Orion claims the right to single-combat, and the two fight. Orion quickly realises that Superman believes that he is the son of Darkseid, and removes his helmet to show Superman the true cost of being Darkseid’s progeny, hoping to shock Superman back to his true self.

Meanwhile, Lightray encounters Amazing Grace, who uses her seduction powers to sway him to her side. Realising what is happening, Lightray emits a bright burst of light, blinding Grace and breaking her spell. Returning to Orion, he finds that Superman has been cowed. Orion uses his Mother Box to restore Superman’s memories and costume. Realising what had been done to him, Superman lets out a loud yell, alerting Darkseid to the failure of his plans. Darkseid sends his omega beams, this time to destroy Superman. Superman leads the beams across Apokolips to the palace, where he tricks them into striking Darkseid. Although he survives, Darkseid is weakened, and the two fight. As soon as Superman gains the upper hand, Darkseid opens a boom tube and returns Superman to Earth. He then allows Orion and Lightray to leave Apokolips.

The final part of this Apokolips trilogy both delivers a strong ending to the story yet at the same time feels unfinished, thanks to its commitments to the wider Legends crossover. We have some fantastic battles here, including the first time Superman goes toe-to-toe with Darkseid, and the issue really lives up to the title of the series. Yet the ending also feels rushed, with Darkseid sending Superman back to Earth in a boom-tube when the book is about to run out of pages, rather than because his encounter with Superman has reached a natural ending.

This book is trying to do too much, which this is evidenced on the cover. The already busy Action Comics cover format, with separate banners for the guest-stars and creators, also has to take the Legends banner and two chunks of cover text. Orion and Superman’s fight barely takes up half of the cover, and as great as the image is – I particularly like the way the outline of the ‘S’ shield survives the full force of Orion’s attack – it is drowned out in the mass of words and logos all fighting for prominence.

Another way in which it is clear that this issue is trying to achieve too much is the inclusion of Lightray. His encounter with Amazing Grace is nice, but takes up space that is desperately needed by Superman. His presence has no real effect on Superman’s story within this issue, save as a mild distraction at the start of combat. As someone whose experience with the Fourth World is all from the post-Crisis era, Lightray is known to me as the guy who shows up here and who dies in Countdown to Final Crisis. Based on his appearance in this book, he appears to me to be a flying Dazzler, and whilst I am sure his role in the wider narrative of New Genesis is more substantial, I have never encountered this in my Superman reading. His brief usage of his power is good, but he doesn’t have the space in the narrative to make any real impact on me.

Orion has a much stronger role in the book than his companion. If this was your first time reading Orion, I feel that you walk away from this book knowing everything you need to know about the character. In particular, the dichotomy of the character really comes through. Although he struggles to control his Apokoliptian heritage, what really draws him into the battle is Superman’s claim to be Darkseid’s son. The art doesn’t quite convey the full horror of Orion’s un-muted appearance – let’s face it, there are scarier looking people out there who are not sons of the universe’s most evil being – but it does convey the idea of someone physically scarred by their ancestry.

I wrote last time about how I felt it was a missed opportunity not to have Superman deal with his actions whilst under Darkseid’s control. We’ll Superman see in the next instalment of Legends later in the same day as his return to Earth, and he is calm and rational enough to debate Darkseid’s plans with the President, implying that he has fully recovered and come to terms with his actions (in fact, that scene strongly implies that Superman’s entire stay on Apokolips occurred within a few hours, which would make the uprising of the Hunger Dogs the universe’s fastest revolution). Here, he lets rip at Darkseid, his anger driving him into his most physically combative encounter to date. Superman outmaneuvers the  omega beams, causing them to strike Darkseid, and Byrne’s artwork here portrays a damaged, hurt and pissed off Darkseid with a simple effectiveness that doesn’t diminish the character.  Darkseid is a mean fighter, and this first of many great clashes between these two characters is a strong one. This is the first time Superman has gone toe-to-toe with someone of equal power and prowess since he confronted his clone in Man of Steel #5, and the artwork again lends great weight and power to the blows that are landed.

The problem with this issue is how everything resolves, or doesn’t. All of a sudden, Darkseid opens a boom tube and deposits Superman back on Earth. He then exchanges some brief words with his son before letting him go. The entire Orion/Darkseid scene feels very underwhelming, with both characters departing to suit the scope of the Superman story instead of following the wider story of the New Gods. Yes, there’s a reference to their final battle that is yet to come (sadly, and spoilers here, it occurs in Countdown to Final Crisis, and the warm-up bout is Darkseid vs Jimmy Olsen…), but it does feel like Byrne has written himself into a little bit of a corner, with not enough room in the issue to resolve the non-Superman story, instead just letting it grind to a halt as soon as the main character is removed from the action.

The Geeky Bits: Orion and Lightray are both familiar with Superman, but their first meeting has as yet gone unrecorded. This is presumably the first time that Superman has entered direct combat with Darkseid, but if there have been other occurrences before now, they have gone unrecorded.

Next on World of Superman: As Superman starts to take a larger role in the main Legends series, we drop down to one issue per post and take a look at Legends #5.

Action Comics #585

Hmm, maybe if I sneak in quietly, nobody will notice that I've been gone...

Oh, hi there! You caught me firing up the old blog here.

So, where have I been? Oh, here and there, just not... y'know... here...

Before we get into the issue today, just a few notes about my recent catchup with Smallville. I stopped watching about halfway through the Supergirl episode, specifically the appallingly composited scene atop the weather tower where Kara tries to teach Clark to fly. But I put my 1970s Doctor Who hat on (the one that makes you immune to poor quality special effects and really bad CSO [except Underworld]) and dived back in. And I enjoyed myself, far more than I expected to do so.

I had a lovely surprise when one of my favourite screen actors, Michael Ironside (Darkseid from Superman: The Animated Series and Roy Schneider's replacement on Seaquest DSV) turned up as a near-perfect Sam Lane. I was pleasantly surprised at the appearance of Granny Goodness, and her orphanage and Female Furies were scary, fascinating, and a great watch. I enjoyed the heck out of Lionel Luthor's return to the series, and THAT last scene was such a doozy that for the first time in years I'm actively anticipating the series. And Erica Durance is bloody fantastic as the most enjoyable screen Lois Lane I can remember watching. Of course, this is Smallville, and all my goodwill was dissipated when the mid-season cliffhanger was a MacGuffin making everyone fall over. I can't wait to pick up the next series, and to see Darkseid's plans really ramp up.

But that's the screen, and we like comics here. Shall we look at some?


And The Graves Give Up Their Dead...

(Writer and Penciller: John) Byrne

(Inker: Dick) Giordano
(Letterer: John) Costanza

(Editor: Andy) Helfer*
Cover Art: John Byrne

Cover Date: February 1987

Release Date: 27/11/1986

*The credits page for this issue only gave these four surnames engraved onto tombstones.

High above the streets of Metropolis, an aged Superman confronts the sorceress Arathaza in her floating citadel. Arathaza has possessed the body of a librarian. Superman is unable to stand, but is able to crawl towards her and grab her staff, striking it on the ground and shattering the citadel. Arathaza’s power is dispersed, freeing the librarian and restoring Superman. As he flies the librarian to safety, a diamond fragment of the citadel falls to earth, landing in a graveyard where it sinks into the ground.

Returning to his apartment, Superman is surprised to find the Phantom Stranger waiting for him within. The Stranger wants Superman’s help, but Superman is reluctant, aware of his vulnerability to magic. Refusing to take ‘no’ for an answer, the Stranger transports Superman to the graveyard, where the citadel fragment has animated the ground into a giant elemental being. Superman launches into battle, fighting the mass, but is surprised when the creature reacts to him and speaks to him. The Stranger warns that the mass is not alive, but has the memory of being alive. He then opens a portal to another dimension, the Kingdom of the Damned, where he intends to fight the force behind the elemental.

Whilst the Stranger participates in a mock trial headed by the remnant of Arathaza, Superman tried to prevent the elemental mass, which is continually growing, from attacking Metropolis. Noticing that the creature gains its mass from soil and earth, Superman burrows down to bedrock, which cannot be absorbed, delaying the creature. Inside the ‘soul’ of the mass, the Stranger shatters the diamond. Contacting Superman, the Stranger tells him to break the creature’s contact with the earth. Superman achieves this by burrowing into the earth and raising the ground the creature is standing on into orbit. The creature collapses into itself, and Superman hurls the dormant mass into the sun. The Stranger reappears, but refuses to tell Superman what happened on the inside.

Although we have already seen an establishment of Superman’s vulnerability to magic with Superman Annual #7, this was the first time readers really got to grips with this in 1987. Prior to this issue, Superman hadn’t really got involved with any mystical or magical forces, and for this first encounter, John Byrne teams Superman up with probably the most prominent magical user in the DC Universe, the Phantom Stranger.

The first page of the issue features the Stranger in a narrator role, giving an introduction not unlike the Watcher in the Tales Of The Watcher or the opening narration from The Twilight Zone. It’s a neat stylistic touch that has a little fun with the reader, although the narration that continues through the issue suffers from being a little too stylised, with phrases like 'And even Superman feels the touch of fear.' Another moment of fun comes when Arathaza leaves her host, revealing that the mighty and powerful sorcerer was actually a meek secretary named Barbara Kowaleski.

The thing is, the Arathaza plot is pretty generic and inconsequential. Superman fights the body whilst the Stranger fights the mind. I’ve written previously how magic in Superman stories doesn’t really interest me, and this issue is no exception to that rule. Although the Stranger’s battle helps resolve Superman’s, nothing Superman does seems to influence the Stranger’s conflict. As neat as the mock trial is, it does overpower Superman’s physical battle, and it’s not clear how Superman’s efforts contribute to the defeat of the remnant.

This issue is light and frothy. The action is present but has no real consequence, although the lump of Earth thrown into orbit would be revisited several months later in Action Comics. In the same month that teased a whole new dynamic between Superman and Lex Luthor and saw widespread destruction in Metropolis, this issue’s fight between Superman and a big pile of mud just doesn’t stand up as well.

The Geeky Bits:

Towards the end of the book, Superman discovers that he can breathe in space. Except that he already knows this from his encounter with the H’tross. He also appears to have forgotten his experience with Thahn and Doctor Occult, where he first realised his vulnerability to magic.

The Phantom Stranger, created in 1952 by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, is one of the more mysterious and powerful mystical beings in the DC Universe. He has had a sporadic publishing history, with several ongoings and miniseries, as well as being one of the few characters to move between the DC and Vertigo publishing lines, where he was a key character in The Books of Magic.

Next on World of Superman:

We play catch-up on the first two parts of the Legends crossover.

Action Comics #584

How are we all doing this evening? Really? That's great!

I'm feeling good, thank you for asking. I spent five hours a couple of nights ago with Jon M Wilson, Zach Henderson and Tyler Crone from Teenage Wasteland: An Ultimate Spider-Man podcast, talking about the first Stuart Immonen arc on the title, The Death of a Goblin. Well, at least, we did for some of the time. Along with thoughts on DCU Online (No, I don't have it yet, I need to become more self-sufficient in Cataclysm before I start to put a second MMORPG into the mix), the rise of Joe Quesada, just how bad Ultimates 3 was (hint: very), moments in Ultimate Spider-Man that make people cry, and more vulgar profanity than the most profane episode of South Park with all the non-profanity edited out.

The episode will be up in a month or so, and I'll be sure to drop a link here if you want to check it out. I'll be interested if only to hear what Zach manages to salvage from our random mumblings.

And talking of random mumblings, how about our review for today?

Squatter!

Storyteller: John Byrne

Embellisher: Dick Giordano

Colorist: Tom Ziuko

Letterer: John Costanza

Editor: Andrew Helfer

Cover Artist: John Byrne

Cover Date: January 1987

Release Date: 23/10/1986

A Superman sighting in Metropolis turns sour when the Man of Steel starts attacking skyscrapers. As the debris hurtles towards bystanders, Cyborg of the Teen Titans appears, using his sonic weaponry to disintegrate the rubble. He then heads to confront Superman, who is ranting and boasting about his superior powers. To get his attention, Cyborg hurls a metal sheet at him. The plan works, but a little too well, as Superman attacks the Titan. Superman rips Cyborg’s arm off, heavily injuring him. Cyborg temporarily blinds Superman with a laser, but is hurled off the top of a skyscraper and crashes heavily to the ground. With his internal communications systems damaged in the fall, Cyborg makes it to a telephone box where he contacts the rest of the Titans for assistance.

Wonder Girl and Changeling respond to Cyborg’s cry for help. Changeling goes up against Superman as an elephant, but is quickly batted to one side. Wonder Girl appears to subdue Superman with a wrecked car, but Superman fights back with a broken mains water pipe. Changing tactic, Wonder Girl binds Superman with her lasso. Meanwhile, Jericho breaks off from teaching American Sign Language to children when he hears a radio report of the combat. Cyborg recovers from his beating just in time to see Superman break Wonder Girl’s lasso, and leaps in to save her. Jericho arrives, getting Superman’s attention by throwing fruit at him. He makes eye contact and jumps into him, but Superman’s alien physiology prevents Jericho from fully taking control, although his presence quells Superman’s rampage. Suddenly, a man on crutches arrives and claims that he is Superman.

Flying across Metropolis, ‘Superman’ explains to the Titans what happened, whilst Jericho ‘pilots’ Superman’s body to keep him under control. Clark Kent had taken a phone call at the Daily Planet from David Gunderson, an amateur scientist who needed Superman’s help for an experiment. Arriving at Gunderson’s lab, Superman was tricked into a trap, and Gunderson was able to switch his mind with Superman’s. Gunderson then locked Superman in his basement whilst he went on a rampage in Superman’s  body, although Superman was able to escape. The Titans take Superman to back to Gunderson’s lab, where he is able to reverse the mind-swap by tinkering with the apparatus.

 In Paris, Lex Luthor reads Clark Kent’s report of the incident in the Daily Planet. Musing on the fact that Clark Kent seems to get all the good Superman stories, he decides to discover the connection between Kent and Superman.

In his column at the end of this issue, John Byrne talks about the genesis of the three post-Man of Steel Superman titles. He writes, “it would be in Superman and Marv’s title (Adventures of Superman) that we would explore Clark Kent’s place in the universe, his attitudes to the world and Superman. In the team-up title, then, the key would be… action” This definition between Action Comics and the other titles is marked, and exemplified by the contents of this issue. With the exception of the final page, none of Superman’s supporting cast appears, and no service is paid to the ongoing plots of Superman and Adventures of Superman.

Instead, what we get is action, and lots of it, featuring the stars of DC’s most popular team book at the time, the Teen Titans. First Cyborg, then the entire team, go up against the mind-controlled Superman, and this issue is little more than a very well-executed fight scene with a superficial plot tacked on. The mind-swap plot, such as it is, is pretty basic and non-descript, although the comparisons between the crripled Gunderson and the pinnacle of super-heroic ability that is Superman had more mileage than the simple homily of “It’s not you body that cripples you, Gunderson. It’s your mind!”. Unlike the similar fallen genius of Emil Hamilton, there is no on-page redemption for Gunderson, which is probably deserved thanks to his failure to disable the mind-control machine to ensure the switch would not be reversed, before going on a power-drunk rampage in Metropolis.

The action is well portrayed. Cyborg’s initial encounter with Superman is brutal and destructive. The fall from the top of the office building is painful, and the visuals of Cyborg without his cybernetic arm and leg are disturbing. The Titans fight with varying levels of success, with Changeling coming across as impulsive and a little reckless, whilst Jericho’s inventiveness to insert himself into the fight, using a piece of fruit, surely the least threatening item imaginable in the destruction of the fight, is deft and amusing.

This is a light issue, short on plot and resonance, but high on power, energy, and panache.

The Geeky Bits:

I mentioned that I would touch on this a while back, but the use of the Teen Titans as the guest stars in this issue tells us a lot about how compressed DC history is when compared to that of Superman. The last time we saw Robin was in Legends of the DC Universe #6, set between Man of Steel #4 and #5. Approximately three years or so passes between that issue and the January 1987 issues of the Superman titles, meaning that Robin has his entire career as Robin as well as some time as Nightwing, including leading the Teen Titans, in this time. Of course, Nightwing doesn’t appear in this issue, but the appearance of the Titans was intended to be contemporaneous to their current adventures in their own title, resulting in this comparison.

Talking of the Teen Titans, their hugely-popular title, The New Teen Titans, had launched in November 1980, written by Marv Wolfman and pencilled by George Perez. The success of this title meant that it was the only DC book to rival the popularity of Marvel’s Uncanny X-Men, and the two titles shared a crossover in 1982.

This issue of Action Comics was covered on episode 3 of From Crisis To Crisis.

Next Time on World of Superman: We take a look at the brilliance of Lana Lang.

The Man Of Steel #6

If it's Sunday night, then it must be time for a posting. Hey, I kept to my schedule for an entire week!

I've been having a bit of a Superman-heavy week this week. I've been re-reading the entirety of Time and Time Again to allow me catch up with 3 weeks worth of From Crisis To Crisis, approximately 7.5 hours of podcasting. I had suffered one of my periodic itunes library crashes, and in the course of attempting to restore all my user-created data, especially my playlists, I accidentally deleted my podcast folder, along with all of my active subscriptions. I've got them back, but I had a wonderful bug with FCTC that resulted in every episode attempting to download at once, even though I only clicked the 'subscribe' button. So, Michael, Jeffrey, that huge volume of downloading that made your stats look good last week? That was me. Sorry!

Anyway, I got caught up, just in time for them to release another episode, so I had to do the reading and more listening. The blog got another brief shoutout, although I am a little concerned that my last two podcast shout-outs have resulted in the hosts forgetting the name of the site! This little mishap aside, the episode was great, and a rarity for FCTC as they got to spend the entire episode working with comics that they didn't like so much, which was a nice change of pace.

All this rambling aside, I've also been looking at the final issue of The Man of Steel, also the final issue before we hit the relaunched titles from January 1987. Come and take a look with me!

The Haunting


Written and Pencilled by John Byrne
Inked by Dick Giordano
Colored by Tom Ziuko
Lettered by John Costanza
Edited by Andrew Helfer
Cover Art: John Byrne
Cover Date: December 1986
Release Date: 25/09/1986

Superman returns home to Smallville, changing to Clark Kent at super-speed to give the appearance of him arriving at the bus station. As he and his parents make small talk on the way to the farm, Jonathan is quickly silenced before he can give something away. Over dinner, Clark lays out his problems with Lois, the fact that she both resents Clark for scooping her on the Superman story, and her gentle infatuation with Superman.


That night, unable to sleep, Clark sneaks downstairs for some pie. He is surprised to see a ghostly apparition in the kitchen that speaks to him in an alien language. The apparition reaches out for Clark, and as soon as it touches him, Clark finds himself on another planet, dressed in his Superman costume, and able to speak the alien language. A figure approaches him and mistakes him for Jor-El. Realising her mistake, the figure realises that Clark is her son. As Clark tries to process this, he suddenly snaps back to Earth and sees Lana Lang in front of him.


Clark has been sleepwalking during his experience and has ended up at Lana's house. As he gets his head together, he asks Lana what she is doing back in Smallville, as she had left years ago. Lana reminds him of the last time they met, years ago. On the night he discovered that he was adopted and an alien, Clark turned up at her house late at night. They went for a walk, and Lana started to wonder if he was going to propose to her. Instead, Clark took her in his arms and flew into the sky with her. Landing, he gently kissed her goodbye, and left Smallville. Unsure of anything, Lana felt lost and confused, and it took many years for her to come to terms with what had happened.


Parting on good terms, Clark changes to Superman and returns to the field where the birthing matrix crashed. He is surprised to discover that the matrix has disappeared. As he starts to investigate vehicle tracks, the apparition appears again. He touches Superman, causing him to collapse in pain as images and information streams into his mind. Jonathan and Martha arrive, having spent the day searching for Clark in the truck. Seeing the apparition apparently attacking Superman, Jonathan grabs a shovel and whacks the apparition, causing it to disappear in a flash. Superman reveals that the apparition called him 'his son', and flies away to think about what just happened.


As he flies, Superman realises that the apparition and the woman were his real mother and father, Lara and Jor-El. He discovers the story of Krypton, its tragic end, and the fact that he is the last survivor of his world. He can now speak Kryptonian, and has knowledge of Krypton's culture. He lands on a mountain and decides that although his true parents are Kryptonian, and it is his heritage that grants him his powers, it is his upbringing that makes him who he is.

And so it ends as it began, in the fields of Kansas. There's a lovely circular feeling to this issue. After spending most of the series in Metropolis cementing Superman's role in the city and the wider DCU, it's a strong choice to bring him back to Smallville and participate in what is ultimately a very small-scale story that completely defines Superman for years to come.

This issue has three objectives: Introduce and define Lana's place in the new Superman mythos, grant knowledge of Krypton to Superman, and redefine Superman in light of this new knowledge. The Lana scenes work very well. It is revealed that Lana is the person Clark goes to visit back in The Man of Steel #1, and we see what happened that night. Lana's conflict is well-portrayed. Her confusion comes across, even as she rationalises it with the benefit of hindsight. Hers is only a small scene, but it is one of the most important in the whole mini-series. Their discussion concerning Clark's dual responsibilities define his approach towards Lois Lane for the next few years, as he balances both sides of his life. It also helps give Lana definition beyond 'Superboy's Girlfriend', allowing her to move beyond her teenage attraction to Clark and be a strong supporting character in her own right.

The second objective is rather clever, and leads directly into the third. By this point in the series, the reader knew everything that there was to know at the time about Krypton, but Superman hadn't really confirmed that was extra-terrestial. The way that Byrne introduces this knowledge to Superman is deliberately non-specific, allowing for future revelations about Krypton's past, such as the contents of the World of Krypton series, to be available to Superman. It is this info-dump that most likely provides the information for Superman to relay to Lois Lane in that series. But this is more than just dropping the knowledge of a dead people into Superman's mind. The moment where he glimpses Lara and realises her identity is beautiful but brief, whilst the appearances of Jor-El plays into the fears we have seen across this project that Superman's presence on Earth is part of a larger plan (such as J'onn's fears in Martian Manhunter #20, and the drive Superman has exhibited at times to define his origins). Although we have seen that Jor-El's intentions are benevolent, Superman walks away from this issue unsure about his biological father.

The key scene of this issue is the climax where Superman flies around whilst debating the information he has just discovered. The final panel, where Superman declares that although Krypton made him Superman, it is the Earth that makes him human is the single most defining moment for the post-Crisis Superman. In effect, Superman is stating the key principle for Byrne's rebooting of Superman, that the human side, Clark Kent, is the primary definition of character; the hero, Superman, is one part of this character. For many fans, a story that deviates from this simple statement of principle is one that they would prefer not to read, and quite often I am one of them.

The art in this issue is fantastic. Byrne is at the top of his game. The contrasts between the futuristic Krypton and the urban Smallville are strong, and the faces of the characters, especially Lana, sell the words with utter conviction. But it is the final pages again that are the real highlight of the book. Byrne has given himself the opportunity to draw Superman in his element, flying across the globe. The panel at the bottom of page 20 where Superman briefly enters orbit is beautiful to look at, but even this pales in comparison to the final image of Superman standing tall on a mountain top, having reconciled his alien and human origins. Iconic is a word that is used far too frequently, but it applies to this image absolutely. Superman has rarely looked better.

The Geeky Bits: One plotline bubbling throughout The Man of Steel, the mysterious figure who observed Clark encountering the matrix for the first time, who took photographs of Superman in Metropolis, and who stole the birthing matrix, would be resolved in Superman #1.

The placing of this issue in context of the rest of The Man of Steel is hard to do, as no dating information is given within. However, Superman: The Man of Steel Annual #4, published in 1995, recaps this issue, and suggests that these events take place seven years after the events of The Man of Steel #3. Some people have taken this to mean that the span of the entire Man of Steel mini-series is 7 years from the first appearance of Superman at the end of The Man of Steel #1, but this actually suggests that the series lasts for the best part of 8 years, as Superman's encounter with Batman in The Man of Steel #3 takes place 8 months after Superman's first appearance. Ah, dating, ya gots ta luv it! However, I subscribe to the idea that no more than 7 years occurs between Superman's first appearance and the events of this issue, mainly because the idea that Superman was active for 7 years without encountering any major super-villains with the exception of the pseudo-Bizarro feels like stretching credibility enough without adding the best part of another year on!

As a side-note, one of the more interesting comparisons between Superman and Batman is that within months of Batman's first appearance, his major villains were starting to appear, both the psychos and the metas. In contrast, Metallo, Superman's first recurring super-powered villain, took seven (or eight, see above) years to appear. I find that an interesting statement on the nature of both Superman and Batman, and their respective cities.

This issue, along with issues 3-5 were covered on the second episode of From Crisis to Crisis, which can be found here.

The most recent printing of The Man of Steel in TPB form was the first volume in the six-volume series collecting the early issues of the post-Crisis Superman. (Yes, that's not the cover, but Amazon was being a pain and kept linking this, and I rather like its simple iconography).

Next on World of Superman: Phase one of the blog is over. Phase two begins. Superman #1. And at some point over the next few weeks, a special post for continuity nuts that will re-order some of the issues that slot in between individual issues of The Man of Steel. I've been busy!

The Man Of Steel #5

Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday dear worldofsuperman.blogspot.com,
Happy birthday to you.





Yes, believe it or not, it's been a year since the World of Superman snuck onto the blogging scene. In that time, we've covered the death of Krypton, affairs with Lex, the birth of the Heroic Age Silver Age, Superman joining - and leaving - the Justice League of America, some very bad comics, and most of all, the introduction of Superman to the DC Universe. We've also suffered some dramatic delays to posting, which I very much hope will be a thing of the past. Sadly, I missed my self-imposed target of completing The Man of Steel by the time the first anniversary came around, but that was as much down to me having my dates all wrong as anything else.


So, we're back with The Man of Steel, and we're going to finish it in the next few posts before moving onto the regular series. Well, apart from a couple of diversions. But it wouldn't be the World of Superman if we didn't detour along the way...


The Mirror, Crack'd...

Script and Pencils: John Byrne
Inking: Dick Giordano
Lettering: John Costanza
Coloring: Tom Ziuko
Editing: Andrew Helfer
With special acknowledgement to the work of Otto Binder
Cover Artist: John Byrne
Cover Date: December 1986
Release Date: 11/09/1986

Superman returns a LexCorp-built battle armour suit to Lex's penthouse. Luthor claims that the suit was registered as stolen, and that the pilot was fired from LexCorp weeks ago. Sadly, the pilot cannot corroborate Lex's story as prolonged exposure to the suit has left him brain-dead. As Superman flies away, Lex heads into his laboratory and talks to Doctor Teng, who tells him that his scans have revealed that Superman is not a mutated human, but an alien. Lex asks how this will affect the duplication process, and Teng replies that they will see. A chamber opens, and an exact replica of Superman steps out. After a few seconds, the replica collapses, its body crystallising. Luthor is disappointed and orders that the duplicate be destroyed.


In Metropolis, Lois Lane prepares to leave for work. She argues with her sister Lucy, who is bitter about her blindness. Outside, an ambulance gets stuck in traffic. Suddenly, it is lifted above the streets and dropped off at the hospital. The EMTs prepare to thank Superman, but are shocked to see that a monster has saved them. As 'Superman' flies away, he saves the life of Lucy Lane, who has thrown herself off of Lois' balcony. 'Superman' flies away, as Lucy wonders why he was so dusty.


At the Daily Planet, a disturbance in the lobby causes Clark to run out of the newsroom. He confronts the source of the disturbance, the distorted Superman who has partially disguised himself as Clark Kent. 'Clark Kent' wallops Superman, sending him flying out of the Daily Planet building. As the two fight, 'Superman' uses his heat vision on Superman, causing him intense pain. As they fight, Superman notices Lois watching, and uses his heat vision to destroy 'Clark Kent's clothing to protect his identity.


'Superman' grabs Lois Lane and flies away with her. In the air, he gives her a kiss, before taking her to her sister. As Superman arrives, Lucy explains that since 'Superman' saved her, she has been able to see shapes and shadows. The two Superman fight some more. Superman analyses the dust that falls off 'Superman', and discovers that his foe is not an organic creature. Deciding that he is not truly alive, Superman charges him with all of his might. The impact causes 'Superman' to explode, showering the neighbourhood with dust. Exposure to the dust restores Lucy's sight. Superman wonders if 'Superman' knew of the healing powers of his dust when he died.

For an issue of one of the most notable Superman mini-series ever published, there doesn't seem to be a whole lot to say about it. Of all the issues, this is the most 'business-as-usual', with its notable first occurrences being rather understated.

I think the problem with this issue is how little has carried over into the continuity of the comics. Lucy Lane has her blindness cured and stops being suicidal in this issue, and her blind period is rarely referred to again. Of course, in terms of things about Lucy Lane that are never mentioned again, her blindness comes in a distant third to her marriage to Ron Troupe and her child. We also have the revelation to Lex Luthor that Superman is not human in any way, that he is an alien. Having Luthor in a position where he knows more about Superman's origins than Superman does is potentially an interesting status quo, but this doesn't last beyond the next issue.

Superman faces a being whose powers match his own for the first time here. Although he has fought aliens and encountered New Gods, this is the first time that he feels his own powers being used against him. He is concerned for his well-being, and feels pain, possibly for the first time, when 'Superman' unleashes his heat-vision on him. However, this encounter is soon forgotten. When Metallo attacks in Superman #1, he wonders when the last time he was hit so hard was.

Perhaps the biggest event in the issue which fails to carry over into the ongoing series that followed The Man of Steel is the bogus 'Superman', or as fans know him better, Bizarro. He is never named in this issue, and it's another eight years until the character returns. The character is also played down in a more muted fashion. Most of the bizarre elements associated with the character, from the reverse-speak to the literal Bizarro-world, are missing. Instead, this version of Bizarro is very much a Frankenstein's monster, misunderstood and unable to comprehend the results of its actions, except possibly in one moment of realisation and sacrifice. However, the encounter doesn't seem to phase Superman at all. Having deduced that 'Superman' is an artificial being, Superman shows no signs of following up his appearance. He seems to accept that such warped doppelgangers exist, and that having got rid of one, he has faith that there will be no more.

There is an interesting moral dilemma for Superman that occurs during his fight with 'Superman'. Realising that only one of them will walk away from the fight, Superman examines the dust that 'Superman' sheds wherever he goes and theorises that he is an artificial being, and thus, not being alive, can be killed. Once Superman has made this distinction, he is able to use levels of force that he would otherwise be unable to use against a living being, no matter how dangerous that being may be. In short, Superman is able to terminate 'Superman' for the greater good without any of the guilt that would follow the next time he decided to kill.

These issues aside, there are some strong moments in the issue. We get a good look at how Lois and Clark function in the Daily Planet newsroom, and we also get the first instance of Clark abandoning the newsroom to address a problem as Superman. Lucy's suicidal tendencies, whilst melodramatic, are a hint to a darker type of storytelling to that normally associated with Superman. The same goes for the implication that Luthor deliberately caused one of his henchmen to suffer brain damage in one of his schemes to better Superman. And whilst Superman's fears for his mortality in his fight with 'Superman' aren't as pronounced as the ones he felt whilst stranded in space in Action Comics Annual #7, the art and writing effectively communicates the feeling that Superman is out of his comfort zone.

The Geeky Bits: The Special Thanks credit for Otto Binder refers to the fact that this issue's plot owes a lot to the original appearance of Bizarro in Superboy #68 from October 1958. There, as here, Bizarro is very much cast in the Frankenstein's Monster role, and the subplot involving a blind girl is shared between the two stories. The more familiar version of Bizarro wouldn't appear until Action Comics #254 in July 1959.

This is the first of three post-Crisis version of Bizarro. 1994 saw the publication of the Bizarro's World story, in which Lex Luthor II recreates the duplication experiment, but with similar failure. The current version of Bizarro debuted in the Emperor Joker storyline from 2000, where he was a creation of The Joker, who had been infused with Mr Mxyzptlk's powers, and this incarnation has regularly appeared in the Superman books since then.

Next on World of Superman: A mere six months after reviewing The Man of Steel #1, we finally reach the conclusion veer off one more time to examine the first post-Crisis appearance of Superman.

The Man Of Steel #4

Enemy Mine...

Story & Pencils: John Byrne
Inks: Dick Giordano
Colors: Tom Ziuko
Letters: John Costanza
Editor: Andrew Helfer
Special Thanks to Marv Wolfman
Cover Artist: John Byrne
Cover Date: November 1986

Lois Lane unexpectedly arrives early at Clark Kent's apartment, taking him by surprise as he hasn't finished getting ready yet. He invites her in, and she takes a good look around, taking in the neatness, and the mementoes of Clark's High School football days. The two have another argument about Clark's scooping of Lois, even though it was eighteen months ago, and in frustration Lois gives up, allowing Clark to finish getting ready. Clark shaves using his heat vision and a fragment of metal from the ship he arrived on Earth in, and in no time at all is dressed up in his finest evening wear. Lois leads Clark to the roof, where a private helicopter from Lex Luthor is waiting to escort them. The chopper flies out over the bay and lands on a giant yacht, where Lex Luthor is holding a fundraiser.


A steward leads Clark and Lois to Lex, as the two reporters discuss Lois' relationship with Luthor. They enter Lex's suite, and meet Lex, the first time for Clark. Luthor congratulates Clark on the Superman story, but when news of Mayor Bewkowitz's arrival on the yacht reaches him, he asks Clark to leave so that he might have a private word with Lois. After Clark has left, Lex complements Lois on her dress, which he has gifted to her. Lois is surprised, as she thought it was just a loaner. The two argue, and Lois storms out, pausing only to step out of the dress and to grab Clark's jacket for decency, and to take a cheap shot at Lex's balding head.


As Lois charges down a corridor, she comes face to face with an UZI. A bunch of hijackers have taken control of the ship. Clark gets between them and Lois, but is pistol-whipped unconscious, and is dumped over the side. Panicking about Clark, Lois is manhandled up onto the deck and is placed with the other passengers. Luthor is nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, the deck tilts, and the ship rises out of the water. Lois takes advantage of the situation to overpower one of the hijackers, grabbing his gun and using it to keep the hijackers at bay. Superman is underneath the ship, carrying it to the harbor of Luthor's private island, the ship's original destination. Setting the yacht down in the water, Superman races to the deck, just in time to save Lois from one of the gunmen that she had overlooked.

Lex Luthor appears on deck, ecstatic at Superman's intervention, and brandishing a cheque for $25,000. Superman refuses, as he is not for hire. Lex continues to press his offer, pointing out that Superman won't be a private security guard, as Lex has his own security force. Lois wonders where they were during the attack, and Lex reveals that he not only knew that an attempt might be made on the yacht, but that he ordered his own security to hold back to allow Superman to show what he could do. Superman, Lois, and the Mayor are outraged at Lex's casual attitude to the life-threatening situation they were all in, but Luthor is uninterested - after all, he is the most powerful man in Metropolis. 'Not any more', says the Mayor, who authorises Superman to arrest Lex. Luthor is taken to Metropolis, photographed, and thrown in a cell.


Three days later, Superman flies into the subway to locate and help a pregnant woman who had gone into labour on a train. After getting her to hospital and making sure that she is OK, he walks out onto the street, where suspects that he is photographed, even though he cannot locate the photographer. He is accosted by Lex, who warns him that he has made a mistake. The people of Metropolis have forgotten who their master is, and he intends to remind them. From this moment on, Superman is a dead man.

Ah, this is more like it. Of all the issues of Man of Steel, I feel that this is possibly the most important of all. Without this issue, nothing that follows over the next decade makes as much sense. It is here that the seeds of Luthor's hatred of Superman are sown (and, indeed, said seeds take root, put forth shoots, and blossom, even though the harvest would be long and fruitful... enough with the seedy metaphors!) in a logical and compelling fashion. Prior to the Crisis, the only lasting explanation for Luthor's hatred of Superman was that Superboy was involved in a lab accident that caused Lex to lose his hair. Here, Lex is already not a nice person, but his mis-judgement of Superman's character and morals leads to a very public and embarassing downfall, one he blames entirely on Superman, and which fuels his decades-long obsession with the Man of Steel. Of all the changes made in Man of Steel to established continuity, this one was possibly the greatest and most impactful. In all major Superman media produced since 1986 (Like Bryan Singer, I'm discounting Superman IV), Lex Luthor is a man of business who has made his fortune legitmately (well, mostly legitimately...), who develops an obsession with Superman when he realises that he is no longer the top dog in town. As someone who came into Superman through the Death, going back and watching the original Superman film is tough, not because the effects and style of storytelling is from a different era, but because Lex Luthor just doesn't match up with my knowledge and expectations of the character.

This is completely Lex Luthor's issue, his introduction to modern continuity, and his first very public fall from grace. He's on sparkling form here, exalting in his power and his perceived untouchable status. His threat is very much that of a shark - graceful and powerful but with a distinct feeling that he could turn on your in a second and destroy your life. He is callous and manipulative, toying with Lois Lane more for the sport of toying with her than for any other reason. Although he appears shocked by Lois' baldness quip, he seems to relish in his destruction of her assumptions as to the intentions of the dress. And just watch how his face drops into a deep, menacing scowl when he is placed under arrest, and how that scowl stays in place right through to the end of the issue.

Lois is also on top of her game in this issue. We see just about every facet to her character, from the feisty reporter standing her ground in an argument with Clark, to the righteous fury when she realises that she has been played, culminating a superb moment where she strips off in front of Lex, leaves the five thousand dollar dress on the floor, grabs Clark's coat, and storms out dropping insults in Lex's path. We also see her army brat upbringing coming to the fore when she proves more effective at reacting to the hijacking than anyone else on the boat.

Although Lex steals the show, and Superman himself is relegated to only a few pages, there is a lovely moment when Superman confronts a gunman. Instead of heating up his gun, or disarming him at super-speed, Superman slowly crumples the machine gun from the barrel right down to the grip, where it is suggested that the stunned gunman lets go. It's a great, subtle moment, where Superman is completely in control, and doesn't need to make a big show to resolve the situation. We also get some insight into the difficulties of maintaing a dual-identity for Clark, as he realises that his weight really were just for show, and vows to replace them with heavier versions to help support his Kryptonian physique. Nice to see more nuance and subtlety beyond the 'I'd better be afraid of this bee so everyone thinks that Clark Kent is a real wimp and no-one will suspect that he is Superboy' approach of the Superboy comics of the 1960s!

I just love this issue. I have a memory of reading it and being aware of the plot long before I actually read The Man of Steel as a trade; it possibly may have been printed in the same treasury that contained The Man of Steel #2. This version of Lex, and the confrontations between Lex and Superman in this issue, are so much more interesting to me than any amount of Lex being dolled up in his battle-armour with kryptonite gloves beating up on Superman could ever be.

The Geeky Bits

Although the businessman Lex is a key part of the Byrne reboot, Marv Wolfman, depending on which source you read, had either significant input or was completely responsible for the reinvention of Luthor, hence his Special Thanks credit on this issue.

Next on World of Superman: It's been a year since the death of Harrison Grey, and for one night only, Superman goes to Gotham.

The Man of Steel #3

One Night in Gotham City...


Written and Pencilled by John Byrne
Inked by Dick Giordano
Colored by Tom Zuiko (misspelled in the issue)
Lettered by John Costanza
Edited by Andrew Helfer
Cover by John Byrne
Cover Date: November 1986

One night in Gotham City, and a thug named Bull is on the run, chased by the Batman. Batman corners him in an alley, and questions him as to the next strike by his boss. Bull throws garbage in Batman's face and makes an escape. Batman gives chase, using his batarang to swing between the buildings, musing on the fact that Bull is more intimidated by his boss than he is by Batman. Suddenly, the batarang line start pulling Batman. He looks up to see that Superman has caught the line and is towing him through the skies of Gotham. Superman intends to deliver Batman to the police, calling him an outlaw, but Batman lets go of the line and escapes. Superman tries to find him, confused as the reports he had read suggested that Batman had no super-powers.


Batman reappears on the roof of a nearby building. As Superman moves in to grab him, Batman tells him to look at him with his inra-red vision. Superman does so, and discovers that Batman is surrounded by a force-field. Since reading of Superman's appearance, Batman had suspected that their paths would cross, and had come up with a failsafe to keep Superman at bay. Batman explains that the field will detect super-dense material, such as Superman's body, and if the field is penetrated then a radio signal will detonate a bomb in Gotham, killing an innocent person. Superman is shocked at Batman's tactics, but listens to Batman, who explains the latest series of crimes to hit Gotham. Over the past few nights, a series of jewel heists have occured, each one with a different and fatal twist that resulted in the deaths of several workers in the jewellery industry. Batman's investigations had led him to the goon named Bull, and he had just discovered the name of the lady behind the murders - Magpie.

At her base, Magpie is furious with Bull for not taking the opportunity to give misinformation to Batman. She needs Batman off her tail so that she can steal a collection of Fabergé eggs that are due to arrive in the morning. To punish Bull, she injects him with a paralytic poison, before placing a lit stick of dynamite in his mouth, a trick she calls the 'Happy Birthday'. The resulting explosion attracts Superman's attention, and he and Batman race across Gotham. Batman recognises the source of the explosion as the now-closed Museum of Antiquities. Magpie's goons pick up the approach of the heroes on CCTV, just before Superman bursts through the wall. The goons open fire, but Superman just shrugs off the bullets. As Batman moves in on Magpie, she breaks a glass vial, releasing a highly corrosive acidic gas. Superman inhales all of the gas and flies into space, releasing it. The gas freezes and Superman confirms with his microscopic vision that the crystals are no longer harmful.


Returning to Earth, Batman reveals that Magpie escaped during the confusion. He retrieves a fibre from the scene and analyses it with the computers in the Batmobile. Discovering that the fibre is over five thousand years old, Batman is able to trace her location to the Gotham Museum, home to a set of Egyptian mummies. There, they find Magpie having a tantrum and apprehend her. Batman unmasks her, revealing her identity to be Margaret Pye, an employee of the museum. Magpie has a mental breakdown, collapsing in tears. Superman feels sorry for her. Batman does too - she isn't the kind of criminal scum he normally deals with, rather a fragile woman with an obsession with collecting pretty things - but feels more sorry for her victims.


The two heroes watch the police arrest Magpie from a nearby rooftop. Superman concedes that Gotham is a very different town from Metropolis, and that different styles of crimefighting are required. As Batman makes to leave, Superman confronts him over the bomb. Batman reveals that the bomb was concealed on his person; Superman would be able to tell if he was lying about the bomb, and he was unwilling to place anyone else in danger. Superman leaves, promising to keep an eye on Batman. Batman muses that in different circumstances, they might have been friends.

The third step in the re-working of Superman for the post-Crisis world is to establish his relationship with the one other hero in the DCU with the iconic power of Superman - the Batman. It's not exactly the logical choice, certainly not when key elements such as Lex Luthor, kryptonite, and Superman's regular villains have yet to make anything other than cameo appearances. And yet, it's an important choice, and certainly the right one. For many years (1941-1986), Superman and Batman had shared a title called World's Finest Comics. Although it took them thirteen years and seventy-one issues to actually star in a team-up, once they had done so, they would continue to do so for almost every issue up to its cancellation at the start of 1986. For a large portion of that run, Superman and Batman were the best of friends, happy with each other's company, and perfectly fine with meeting up regularly to defeat dastardly villains. In fact, whenever I think of the pre-Crisis Superman and Batman relationship, it's illustrated with the cover to World's Finest Comics #3, with big smiley happy-faced heroes.

In 1986, a Frank Miller comic called The Dark Knight (now more commonly known as The Dark Knight Returns) was released. Featuring an aged Bruce Wayne returning to the role of Batman after a twenty year absence, the series was a big hit, and was one of the titles that heralded the Modern Age of comics. The final issue of this series featured a knock-down, no holds barred one-on-one battle to the (almost) death between Batman and Superman (with a little assistance from Green Arrow). Although later issues of World's Finest would introduce a less-cosy relationship between Superman and Batman, this was pretty much the first time they really went for each other, fighting not just for the sake of fighting but for their different (albeit future) ideologies.

Here, Byrne strikes a bit of a balance between the two extremes. Whilst not full of loathing for each other, Superman takes issue with Batman's methods and his position of being above (or at least outside) the law. The issue resists the temptation to wrap up their relationship nicely at the end; whilst Superman accepts that Gotham requires a different type of super-hero to Metropolis, he is concerned that Batman could 'spoil it for the rest of us' and promises to keep an eye on him. From Batman's viewpoint, he does not like being told what to do by a super-human, and is concerned that Superman could (and indeed attempts to) apprehend him without giving him a chance to defend his position. By creating the bomb scenario and actually presenting himself as more villainous than he actually is, he puts himself in a position where he can prove his skills without being handed directly over to the police. Perhaps the biggest turning point in how Superman views Batman is in the moment where Superman expresses pity towards Magpie, and Batman reveals his human side by showing his sorrow for her victims.

Magpie is a bit of a non-starter as far a a villain is concerned. On the one-hand, she's a Joker-styla madwoman, giving dynamite cigars to paralysed henchmen and setting complex, lethal traps to cover her jewel heists. On the other hand she's a fragile, mentally confused compulsive thief. The two sides are hard to reconcile, especially as it's never quite explained how a shy, retiring museum curator gained the technical expertise to synthesise an acidic cloud or create chess pieces that fire miniature razor blades. It's telling that the character is barely revisited in either the Superman or Batman titles until she is murdered at the start of One Year Later. However, by pitting Superman and Batman against a 'low-rent' villain, someone who isn't one of Batman's regular nemeses, the story is forced to focus more on the interaction between the two heroes, and makes Superman's experience in Gotham less black and white.

The Geeky Bits: The first post-Crisis appearance of Batman. Well, sorta... it's the first in the context of Superman, but Batman never experieced a definitive 'Post Crisis Begins Here' moment that Superman and Wonder Woman did.

Magpie's non-exploding-head henchmen are designed to look like Mark Gruenwald (the one with the Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses) and Mike Carlin (the one with the beard who cries 'Not "Happy Birthday!"').

Next on World of Superman: The first of many re-tellings of the first meeting between Batman and Superman.