The World of Metropolis #4

Ok, so this is a slight cheat. This issue actually takes place between The Man of Steel #2 and The Man of Steel #3; the flashback scenes in the Daily Planet take place a year after Clark Kent scoops Lois at the end of MoS#2. However, a lot is going to happen in terms of this blog before we get a year after MoS#2, so for the sake of coherency and to put the World of Metropolis miniseries behind us, I'm bringing it forward. After all, it fits thematically, if not chonologically...

What the hell; my blog, my rules! :)

Friends In Need

Story: John Byrne
Pencils: Win Mortimer
Inks: Dick Giordiano & Sal Trapani
Letterer: Albert de Guzman
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Assistant Editor: Renee Witterstaeter
Editor: Mike Carlin
Cover: John Byrne
Cover Date: November 1988
Release Date: 12/07/1988

Wearing a bad wig and shades, Jimmy Olsen is drowning,. He is manacled to the floor of a boiler room of a ship that is filling up with water. Jimmy wrestles with the chains, but they are firm and secure. As the water rises above his head, he plays his 'ace in the hole' and activates his signal-watch. Superman discovers the sinking ship and saves his pal. Superman asks Jimmy why he took so long to activate his watch. Jimmy replies that as the watch is only for emergencies he wanted to be sure that he had tried everything he could to get out by himself. He then explains how he got himself into the situation, having worked his way into a drug-running organization to get to the top man, Fat Eddie Cortes. However, his cover wasn't as good as it needed to have been, as he was rumbled after a few weeks and imprisoned on the ship. Superman drops Jimmy off at the shore. Jimmy gives thanks to the signal watch, and recollects how he came to create it...

A few years earlier, and Jimmy is late for his Saturday job at the Daily Planet. His mother disapproves of the unpaid position, and refuses to let him leave until his room is tidy. After a bit of sulking, Jimmy gets on with the task, but after a short while he sneaks out of the window, climbs down a tree, and heads into work. He almost makes it to the subway, but he is hailed by Chrissie, a friend who Jimmy didn't see at the movies the night before. Althought Chrissie doesn't want to burden Jimmy with her troubles, she explains that her mother's drinking has got worse since her father returned from the road, and she feels that their troubles is her fault, as they never wanted kids. Jimmy tells her not to talk like that, and the two part company.

At the Planet, Jimmy gets on with his work as a copy boy. He catches up with Clark Kent, congratulating him on working for the Planet for a year. Lois overhears, and teases Clark about him stealing the Superman scoop from her. Clark suggests that she gets over it, and Jimmy reminds her that since the big story, she has gained most of the other Superman scoops. Lois is still frustrated that there are many unknown details about Superman, such as why his face is blurry in every photograph taken of him. Lois then ribs Clark about his lack of detail on Superman's personal life, who he was before he became Superman, and fantasises about getting that scoop on Superman's background. Jimmy is taken to thinking about a way of contacting Superman whenever he was needed. Later on, Jimmy tags along for lunch with Lois, asking her if he has any chance of being a reporter. She tells him that he is eager and bright, and hungry enough for a story, but that becoming a reporter is a long time away.

That evening, Jimmy returns home, only to discover that he has been rumbled by his mother, who proceeds to have a long and angry phone call with Perry White. Whislt this is happening, Chrissy climbs in through the window. She is not well, and tells Jimmy that she has taken a whole bottle of her mother's pills, before collapsing on the bed. Jimmy runs and gets his mother, who discovers that Chrissi barely has a pulse and is probably dying. She runs to call the emergency services, who are too busy to take her call and put her on hold. Jimmy realises that Superman could save Chrissie, and he calls Lois, who can't help. Slamming the receiver down in frustration, Jimmy breaks the phone.

Racking his brain as to how to contact Superman, Jimmy tells his mother not to bust his eardrums. Suddenly, inspiration hits, and he rushes to the entertainment system. He is able to build a crude signal generator in a short space of time that emits a signal outside human hearing, but which Superman will hear. Sure enough, at his desk, Clark Kent is unable to work due to the noise. He rushes outside and changes to Superman, and races to the source of the signal.

Superman gets Chrissie to the hospital just in time. She tells Superman that with the problems with her parents, she felt so lonely, and couldn't go on for year after year being alone. Superman reminds her that Jimmy is a good friend to her, and that he will be as well.

Back in the present day, Jimmy remembers Superman's compliments on his ingenuity around building the hypersonic signal. He looks out to the sea and sees Superman raise the sunken ship he was previously trapped on. Later that day, Jimmy goes to Chrissie's new foster home, and the two of them go out for a burger.

This is an odd issue. There's a good story in here, the tale of Chrissie, but its simplicity means that the story only takes a few pages up. There's some good observations on the nature of reporting on Superman, flavoured with the Kent/Lane rivalry from the first couple of years of the post-Crisis era. There's a nice snapshot of Jimmy Olsen, trying to make an impression at the Daily Planet. There's also a fairly dull Jimmy-in-peril wraparound, livened only gently by Jimmy's noir-ish narration. And here's the problem - the individual elements of his book fail to connect as a cohesive whole. As good as some of these elements are, none of them are strong enough to carry the issue.

To my great dismay, even the basics of storytelling break down here. The moment where Jimmy builds the signalling device is horribly fudged. It isn't established what he makes the device out of; the art suggests that it's a hi-fi, but it could equally be the kind of computer bank that wouldn't look out of place in the batcave. Of course, there's then the wonderful leap in logic that sees Jimmy build a device that emits a signal strong enough to broadcast into the center of Metropolis at teh right frequency to get Superman's attention all within a matter of minutes... why exactly does Jimmy want to be a reporter and why doesn't STARLabs or LexCorp snap him up for their R&D divisions? Oh, and let's face it, the biggest problem with this issue is that nowhere is it mentioned how the crude signalling device is refined into the handy wristwactch that Jimmy wears.

There are bits that I do like. I like the callback to Superman vibrating gently to prevent his face from being seen clearly in photographs. I also like the reference to the speed of sound, and Jimmy's hope that Superman isn't too far away to respond to the signal watch in time. These 'realistic' elements were a big part of my respect for this era of Superman, and their inclusion here pleases me. I enjoyed the moment at the end of the lunch scene, where Jimmy's naievete punctures his ambitions, when he tells Lois that Lex Luthor is the greatest man in Metropolis. I also really like how Win Mortimer manages to draw Jimmy even younger than normal for the flashback scenes.

The World of Metropolis has been a mixed bag of a mini-series. For the architect of modern Superman, John Byrne has dropped the ball on a surprising number of occasions, such as the mis-characterisation of Lex Luthor in #1 and 2, and the poor writing in #4. The use of Win Mortimer as penciller also feels like a mistake. Mortimer is a classic Superman penciller, but his heyday on the character was several decades previously, and while the work is good, certain details, such as his depiction of Superman, feel too much like they come from the pre-Crisis era rather than helping to build the post-Crisis Superman and his world.

It appeas that The World of Metropolis has not been collected in trade paperback, certainly not anytime recently. If you want to know more, check out the From Crisis To Crisis episode here, as they spend the bset part of two hours discussing the series.

Next on World of Superman: Clark Kent goes on holiday and falls in love.

The World of Metropolis #3

Mr Kent Goes To Metropolis


Writer: John Byrne
Penciller: Win Mortimer
Inkers: Dick Giordano, Sal Trapani
Letterer: Albert de Guzman
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Assistant Editor: Renee Witterstaetter
Editor: Mike Carlin
Cover: John Byrne
Cover Date: October 1988
Release Date: 14/06/1988

Deep beneath the Metropolis financial district, three crooks use a stolen LexCorp laser to tunnel through the rock to a bank vault. Suddenly, the laser stops boring through the rock. The crooks turn it off and see a familiar 'S' shield in the hole they have created. Superman has been tipped off and swiftly apprehends the crooks. As he flies away, he remembers his first time living in Metropolis...

Having just arrived in Metropolis, Clark checks into a cheap hotel then takes off to do some sightseeing. Making sure that he won't be noticed, he uses his flight powers to see the city from above, but quickly notices shots being fired at policemen from a building. The gunmen have stolen a LexCorp weapon shipment, and are setting up a heavy-duty assault cannon. With everyone distracted by the gunfire, Clark is able to fly in through a window without being noticed. Manipulating his flight carefully, Clark is able to fly inside for the first time, reducing his chances of detection. He is discovered by one of the gunmen, and is forced to knock him out. However, even one of his softest punches has enough power to break the gunman's jaw, and Clark resolves to get more practice to allow him to use his power without causing unnecessary injury.


Using his x-ray vision, Clark sees that the gunmen have finished assembling the assault cannon, and are ready to fire. Clark dives out of the window and is able to catch the missile as soon as it is fired. Both the police and gunmen are confused at this, as Clark was moving at super-speed and wasn't seen by them. The gunmen fire again, and again Clark catches the missile. The police start to move in on the building, and the gunmen respond with more machine-gun fire. From the roof, Clark uses his heat vision to melt the bullets, protecting the policemen. He then throws one of the missiles at the building to flush the crooks out. Heading inside, he helps an old staircase collapse, and the gunmen literally tumble out of the building into the arms of the police.


With the situation resolved, Clark heads across town to meet with the Dean of Metropolis University, Dean Reynolds. Reynolds is happy to accept Clark into the university, until he discovers that Smallville High doesn't have the necessary accreditation. As Clark is a promising student, the Dean promises to see what he can do about the situation. Leaving the University, Clark ponders on a comment made about his accent by the Dean, and decides to see what he can do about losing it. As he wanders past a diner, he notices a 'Help Wanted' sign, and before long he has a job as a washing up boy.


After a week, Clark is promoted to short-order cook, and uses his heat vision to speed up his orders. A redheaded waitress named Ruby complements him on his speed. Ruby has a bit of a crush on Clark, and offers him a lift home. When she drops him off, she gives him a kiss on the lips, and promises more.


The next night, Clark is flying above the city when he notices a lady being chased by a car. He dives into the sewers, popping up underneath the car and disabling it by wrenching the back axle off. The car comes to a halt in a narrow alley and the crooks are unable to get out. The lady climbs over the car and gets away. As she does so, she taunts the crooks by telling them that she will be filing her story on their crime ring at the Daily Planet - the lady is Lois Lane. Clark overhears her taunt and is intrigued by the thought of working for the Daily Planet.


The incident has made Clark late for his appointment with Dean Reynolds. Despite being late, Reynolds allows him to take the tests that will allow him entrance to Met U, but his time to complete them has been shortened. By writing at super-speed, Clark is able to complete the exams in time, and is granted entrance as a student. Leaving the university, he is met by Ruby, who had followed him throughout the morning. Worried that his secret has been exposed, Clark is releaved to discover that she had lost him almost immediately, and was only at the university on a hunch that he would be there. They go for a burger, where Ruby expresses her concerns that Clark may overwork himself as a student and holding down a job. Clark reassures her that he will be fine. Over the next two years, Clark and Ruby grow close, but eventually Clark's time as a student and diner worker come to a close. He bids an emotional farewell to Ruby and the diner, and heads off into the world.


Back in the present day, Clark goes to visit Ruby and her family.

This is probably the most satisfying issue of World of Metropolis. The looser structure to the story, based around a series of events rather than one notable incident, allows the characters to come through more noticeably, and gives more of a sense of the earlier life of the spotlighted character than either of the previous issues have done. This issue is also stronger through the lack of Lex Luthor as a primary antagonist. Although his influence can be felt in the background of the issue and the city, it is more befitting that Clark Kent should not meet or even be aware of the malicious nature of Luthor at such an early stage in his career.

A lot of time is spent in this issue working with the fact that Clark is not used to using his powers in immediate or prolonged situations. He struggles to fly indoors, and breaks a mans jaw by punching him too hard. The whole sequence with the gunmen really feels like Clark is flying (no pun intended) by the seat of his pants, hurtling from one challenge to the next. He feels more comfortable with his powers in controlled situations, like super-cooking burgers or aceing college entrance exams. Although the gunmen fight sequence gives a good insight into his learning process, it would be great to revisit this era to see him become more comfortable with his powers and gradually becoming the Superman we know today.

The not-quite-an-encounter between Lois and Clark is also a nice touch, even if the inspiration for Clark wanting to work at the Daily Planet seems a little sudden and baseless. Again, this major decision in Clark's life feels like it needs more grounding, and that there is unexplored territory. One thing this scene does is confirm Lois as the binding thread between the issues of the miniseries. The one consistent character throughout all four issues is Lois, from her cameo in #1 to her full blown focus in #2, to another cameo in #3 and her supporting role in #4. This makes a lot of sense; outside of Superman she is the most important character in the Superman books. Whilst Clark has an established history in Smallville, Lois has never been given such an established younger life, and touching base with her at different points in the history of the characters spotlighted in this story grounds her nicely in the run-up to Man of Steel.

Although I'm not a fan in general of this World Of... miniseries, this issue is a great reminder of the potential of the miniseries, and of the general idea of a pre-Year One set of stories. Sadly, much like Clark's relationship with Ruby (surely doomed due to the lack of an 'LL' name), events within this issue have little to no resonance outside of its covers, a running theme for the early life of Clark Kent which, notable Superman-related moments aside, rarely get referenced beyond their original appearance. Sometimes that's a good thing, but when the story is as strong as this, it can sometimes be a shame.

Next on World of Superman: The Secret Origin of... The Signal Watch!!!

The World of Metropolis #2

(Apologies for lateness, a busy week at work combined with the refusal of blogger to save my drafts properly have put me back a little. If the synopsis seems a little off, it's because it's my fourth or fifth attempt at getting it written.)

How I Spent My Summer Vacation


Writer: John Byrne
Pencils: Win Mortimer
Inks: Dick Giordiano, Sal Trappini
Lettering: Bill Oakley
Coloring: Tom Ziuko
Assistant Editor: Renee Witterstaeter
Editor: Mike Carlin
Cover: John Byrne
Cover Date: September 1988
Releae Date: 17/05/1988


Lois Lane rushes into a burning building, climbing up to find Wanda. She bursts into an apartment and finds Wanda, a pet dog. She breaks the window and throws the dog out to the waiting firemen, before jumping herself. Superman catches her and uses his heat vision to destroy some falling rubble. Returned safely to the ground, Lois is reuinited with Wanda and her owner, her sister Lucy Lane. That night, Lucy stays with Lois. As they eat pizza and watch old movies, Lois is reminded of how she first went after a job at the Daily Planet...

Instead of babysitting, the 15-year old Lois Lane drags her sister along to the Daily Planet newsroom. She approaches Perry White, reminding him that they have met before, even though Perry does not remember. She attempts to impress Perry, demanding a job as a reporter, and lying about her age. Lucy blows the lie, and Perry ushers the two girls out of his newsroom, telling Lois to come back in ten years. As they leave the building, a rejected Lois overhears two reporters talking about wanting to get dirt on Luthor, and comes up with a plan.


That night, Lois sneaks out of the Lane family home, having conscripted Lucy to help cover for her. Lois makes her way off the army base and onto a bus bound for Metropolis. She emerges in the city in front of the LexCorp building. She uses a nearby statue to climb up to a low-hanging window-cleaning cradle, then uses the cradle to ascend to the penthouse level. The cradle stops a few feet away from the balcony, but one death-defying leap puts Lois on the balcony, hiding behind a plant and planning her next move. However, teh cradle swings from the momentum of the jump, crashing into the building. Lex Luthor and his companions rush onto the balcony to see what has caused the commotion.


Lois rushes in behind them and immediately starts stuffing papers from Lex's desk into her pockets. Unsurprisingly, Lex notices this, and he and his companions give chase. Lois quickly gets lost in the corridors, and finds herself confronted by Lex. Lex is surprised that the intruder is so young, and hands her over to his female security, who strip-search Lois and recover the papers. Lex beats Lois with his cane and evicts her from the building, before settling down to watch the tape of Lois' search. Out on the street, Lois coughs up a piece of paper she had swallowed to prevent it from being discovered. She returns home, and watches old movies with Lucy, eating ice-cream.


Back in the present day, Lois tells Lucy that she gave the stolen paperwork to Perry White. Although it was stolen property and it couldn't be used as the basis for a story, Perry was impressed with her initiative and kept an eye on her. Years later, when Lois started becoming a famous reporter, Lex sent her a copy of the search tape to remind her of where she came from.

This second installment of World of Metropolis stands on its own more than the first. The notion that Lois and Lex have a history that pre-dates Superman's arrival is one that is returned to time and again, even in the current Secret Origin reboot. Although the idea was pushed to the background once the regular titles got going following Man of Steel, a lot is made of the idea that Lex has an obsession with Lois, especially during Man of Steel #4. As her experience of Lex starts here with her being forcibly strip-searched and beaten with a cane, it's not surprising that Lois constantly rebuffs his advances.

If the manic-laughter-Lex of the previous issue felt out of character, then the dominating-paedophile-Lex who retires to watch a tape of the 15-year old girl being forcibly strip-searched is a particularly dark edge to the character that, thankfully, has been left behind. I'm not a fan of this element of the issue or of Lex. It's too blunt and on-the-nose, and for such a serious encounter, it shapes too little of Lois' future life. Her anti-Lex reporting always seemed to come from a place of distrust of the powerful, rather than from a prior abuse.

Random things that I like about the issue include the extended sequence of Lois gaining entry to the LexCorp building, and the fact that Lois' plan is just so bad (run in, grab some stuff, run out, hope that something stolen is worth something to Perry). A real annoyance is the way that the issue wants to have a great anti-Lex payoff, but just comes across as.. well... wrong. Lois seems to find it funny and a bit of a victory that the only way Lex can get her is to watch a video of her 15-year old self being brutally strip-searched... yeah, that works Lois, you got the irony of the situation just right. The closing page just seems to decelerate the issue to the point where it screeches to a complete stop, without providing a sense of closure to Lois' story. It feels like there's a second part out there where an adult Lois wins the day, regaining the moral high ground conceded by her when she broke into LexCorp.

Next on World of Superman: Mr Clark Goes To Metropolis!

The World of Metropolis #1

A Reporter's Story


Writer: John Byrne
Penciller: Win Mortimer
Inkers: Frank McLaughlin & Dick Giordano
Letterer: Todd Klein
Colorist: Tom Ziuko
Assistant Editor: Renee Witterstaeter
Editor: Michael Carlin
Cover: John Byrne
Cover Date: August 1988
Release Date: 12/04/1988

Pictures of Superman defeating an green-skinned monster adorn the front page of the Daily Planet. Perry White congratulates Lois and Jimmy on their winning story, whilst Lois teases Clark on losing out on the Superman scoop. Dismissing the trio, Perry's attention is caught by a headline announcing the latest expansion of LexCorp, which triggers some memories...


Returning from a tour of duty in Korea, a young Perry White is disappointed that no-one greets him at the airport, and takes a taxi for one to his home. His departure is monitored by Bertram, one of Lex Luthor's goons, who reports to his boss. Overhearing the conversation, the future Alice White realises that she has been manipulated into missing Perry's homecoming. Angrily confronting Luthor, she storms out, fed up with his games involving her heart. Luthor gives secret instructions to another female employee, then laughs maniacally.


In his apartment, Perry gazes at the Metropolis skyline, focusing on the Daily Planet globe. Angry at Luthor's lack of reception for his 'number-one man', Perry is about to make a call when Alice arrives. The two embrace and spend time together. That night over, dinner, Alice tells Perry that Lex is planning to dump the Daily Planet, shutting it down for good. Angry, Perry confronts Luthor, who confirms his plans and offers White a job as the lead anchor for his brand new TV station, WLEX. Perry refuses and is ready to storm out. Lex chooses that moment to have an employee return Alice's earring that has been left in his room, revealing to Perry that the two have been having an affair.


The next day, a group of schoolchildren including a very young Lois Lane are being shown around the Planet when they overhear Perry confront the Planet's editor-in-chief over Luthor's plans. Perry refuses to let the paper die, and attempts to raise the capital needed to buy the paper outright. Most of his contacts are afraid to go head-to-head with Lex Luthor, but an Asian businessman named Ling agrees to consider the offer, if White agrees to become the Planet's editor.


At home, Alice comes clean with Perry over the affair, revealing that Luthor had led her to believe for some time that Perry was dead. Alice confirms her love for Perry, saying that for all his money, power and influence, there are things that Luthor cannot buy, including Perry and Alice. The two reconcile. The next day, Ling comes through, and the Planet's front page carries the news of its reprieve. Inside, a further headline announces the marriage of Perry and Alice, which causes Lex to laugh maniacally. Later at the Planet, Alice announces her pregnancy to Perry. As Perry and the staff celebrate, Alice gazes sorrowfully at the LexCorp Towers.


In the present day, the Lane's eat out for dinner with their son, Jerry.

Wow. This is a comic that shows its age. Perry hasn't had a private life since 2003, the last time his wife Alice appeared. His adopted son Keith hasn't appeared or been mentioned in years, and I really can't recall the last time his deceased son Jerry was ever mentioned. Much like the World of Smallville series that preceded this, the events of this issue are very tied up in the continuity of the day. In this case, we see the circumstances that led to Perry becoming Editor of tha Daily Planet and, more importantly, how Luthor came to father Alice's child and why Alice concealed this from her husband.

I like this story. We don't get to see Perry passionately fighting for a cause very much in the comics, and this is one of those times where you really see some fire in what he does (at least, beyond gently abusing Jimmy). His love the Daily Planet as an institution is clear, and is something we're only just starting to see again in the pages of Superman: Secret Origin.

The Lex Luthor seen in this story is a strange one. On the one hand, he fits in nicely with the characterisation of the early Man of Steel issues. His casual manipulation of Alice White, keeping her in the dark as to Perry's survival, is a wonderfully dark example of the power he holds over Metropolis. At the same time, his penchant for bursting into fits of manic laughter whenever doing something evil feels very out of character and far too cliched for this version of Luthor.

The revelations in this story may no longer fit in with current continuity, but the focus on Perry is something not seen in the books for some time, and re-reading this issue is a welcome return to the days when the Daily Planet was more than just a place where Superman went to work when he wasn't saving the world.

Next on World of Superman: Teen Lois in Raiders of LexCorp!

The World Of Krypton #4

Family History


Story: John Byrne
Pencils: Mike Mignola
Inks: Carlos Garzon
Colors: Petra Scotese
Lettering: John Workman
Editor: Michael Carlin
Cover Artists: John Byrne, Walt Simonson
Cover Date: March 1988
Release Date: 10/11/1987

A missile streaks across the Metropolis skyline. Its target: The Daily Planet. Before it can strike, Superman grabs it and throws it into space where it explodes harmlessly. Landing in a side-alley, he changes into his Clark Kent clothes and walks back to the Planet building. Lois and Jimmy come running out of the doors, looking for the story behind the missile. Lois is upset to find Clark on the scene, confronting him over his ability to scoop Superman stories, demanding to know details of his special relationship with the super-hero. Clark dismisses her accusations, pointing out that she has more bylines on Superman stories, and that Jimmy, as 'Superman's Pal', has a more public relationship. However, in order to calm her down, he tells her that Superman was planning to stop by her apartment that evening to give her an exclusive.


That night, Superman arrives to give Lois her story. She baits him, asking if the story isn't good enough for Kent. Although Superman doesn't rise to that particular bait, he does get her to confess that Kent is starting to get to her, finding him adorable at times. Superman starts to tell her his tale, the story of what happened to his homeworld Krypton.


In the aftermath of the 'clone wars', Kryptonian society became more fragmented, with each individual Kryptonian living alone, communicating by hologram, and only physically meeting at times of great importance. The warsuits were refined and enhanced until they became slim webbed garments, worn next to the skin. Eventually, they became so enhanced that they were fitted to a child at birth and grew along with the infant. Children were produced to order, only to replace a deceased adult, most of whom only died in old age.


He then describes his father, Jor-El, an untypical Kryptonian who replaced his obsession with his planet's history when he became the first Kryptonian in countless generations to fall in love, with an archivist named Lara. Following these feelings, he made the unsual choice to visit the gestation chamber where his son was growing. Whilst there, he named his son Kal-El. Upon his return, he confesses to his robots that he is completely dissatisfied with his life.


A few weeks later, a series of tremors rock Krypton, followed by a general weakening of all of Krypton's inhabitants. His father, Seyg-El, tells him that he feels that he is dying. Jor-El sets up a secret chamber staffed by his robots, and starts collecting data. He makes two significant discoveries - that over 20 million Kryptonians have died in the last day, and that their deaths are related to the tremors. Researching further, he comes across an image of Van-L, and remembers the day that his viewing of the historical tapes was interrupted. Returning to the tapes, he discoveres the Black Zero detonation, and fears the worst.


Jor-El departs the city and heads into the wilds of Krypton. After a long journey, he arrives at the former site of the Black Zero facility. There, a short scan confirms his worst fears, and he returns home. Upon arriving back, he is informed by his robots that Kal-El has been taken from the gestation chamber and placed within a birthing matrix. Lara confronts him, and Jor-El tells her everything. When Van-L detonated the nuclear device, he saved Krypton from an instant death, but condemned it to a lingering one. The energies passed into the planet's core have been slowly turning it to a new, unidentified, green material that emits a radiation that has killed countless Kryptonians and will eventually kill everyone. More importantly, the conversion is building up energy that will soon destroy the planet.


Jor-El shows Lara his plan - to send Kal-El away from Krypton in the birthing matrix to a planet called Earth, where he will live. Lara is repulsed by the image of a bare-chested farmer, calling humans savage and brutal, and despairing of the hell that her son will be sent to. Jor-El shows her the yellow sun that the Earth orbits, telling her that Kal-El will be gifted with great power by this sun and live as a God there.


More explosions rock Krypton. As the birthing matrix is finished being converted to a rocket, the crust of teh planet starts to crack. The rocket is launched and sent to Earth. As Krypton starts to fall apart, Jor-El and Lara hug for the first time, and Jor-El tells Lara of his love for her.


Back in the present, an emotional Superman tells Lois that his father's gift to him wasn't the powers which he uses, but rather the fact that he has not been raised on Krypton - he has been given the gift of humanity.

This a really dense issue, packed with multiple plot threads, that wraps up the story of Krypton's history and ties it all into the then-current Superman comics.

For the first time in the World Of Krypton, we open on Earth, with the Daily Planet taking the place of the Kryptonian city featured on the first panel of each preceding issue. It's also the first issue to take place in the release schedule present, taking place at any point in the immediate runup to the recently-concluded Millennium crossover, specifically Adventures of Superman #437 where Lois discovers that Superman and Clark Kent grew up together. The present-day scenes are lively and funny, my particular favourite moment being the suggestion that Lois dragged Jimmy out of the loo to go snap pictures of the missile aftermath. The Superman/Lois scene fits neatly into the pre-millennium story, with Lois admitting that Clark is getting to her.

The narration of the last days of Krypton feels a little stilted. The status of Krypton at the time of its death takes a lot of setting up, and there are two pages in the middle of the issue that are pure info-dump exposition. Added to this, the final six pages cover the exact same ground as the opening eight pages of The Man of Steel #1, published two years earlier. There is feeling that Jor-El's story ran out of steam between the end of the previous issue and the discovery of the doom of Krypton. But at the same time, the series is called The World of Krypton, and whilst adding little to the narrative, details like the evolution of the battlesuits into skin-tight bodysuits do provide more information about the Krypton, even if it has little to do with story itself.

It's hard to imagine what the intention was with this issue. The opening of The Man of Steel remained fundamentally unaltered by the addition of a scene where Jor-El discovers that his father is dying, or that his ancestor was closely tied to the events that have doomed his planet. The story of Jor-El as presented in MoS#1 is that of a man realising too late that his world is doomed, and choosing to save his only son, and ultimately, at the end of this issue, this story is still the same. Even the addition of a couple of panels where Superman cries and tells Lois about his father's true gift seems rushed, glib, and a pale reflection of the much stronger finish to The Man of Steel #6.

The World of Krypton was an interesting mini-series. Krypton had been shown as radically different to the Silver Age version in The Man of Steel #1, and for readers at the time, this series was a great reveal of where Kal-El had come from. The narrative tricks in the series, with each issue taking the reader away from the events within, from following first-hand in #1, to the flashbacks in #2, recordings in #3, and finally narrated memories in #4, work well and, despite the differences in each issue, work to create a strong identity for the series. The series falls down in the final issue with the lack of a strong resolution, and by not bringing anything new to the familiar 'death of Krypton' scene.

The World of Krypton has been collected several times since its first printing. The most recent printing was the Superman: The World of Krypton TPB which collected several notable Krypton stories, both pre- and post-Crisis.

The From Crisis to Crisis podcast episode covering The World of Krypton can be found at this link, and covers all four issues in just over 1.5 hours.

Next time on World of Superman: We dip our toes into the Golden Age as we take a look at the origins of several stalwarts of Superman's supporting cast - The Guardian and the Newsboy Legion.

The World of Krypton #3

History Lesson


Story: John Byrne
Breakdowns: Mike Mignola
Finishes: Rick Bryant
Colors: Petra Scotese
Lettering: John Workman
Editor: Mike Carlin
Cover Artists: John Byrne, Walt Simonson
Cover Date: Febuary 1988
Release Date: 13/10/1987

A thousand centuries later...


Jor-El intently studies recordings of the final battle of the Clone Rights War. Two servo-bots, including the original Kelex, express their concern over Jor-El's pre-occupation with events of the past, and note that Jor-El posseses a great heart, unlike most Kryptonians. As Jor-El studies, visitors arrive at his building - his father Seyg-El, the Master of the Gestation Chambers, and Nara, grandmother of the young Lara who has been selected to become Jor-El's wife. Seyg-El berates his son for not greeting them, and Jor-El begs to be able to finish studying his recordings.


The recordings pick up just after the events of the previous issue. Van-L and the scarred lady to whom he gave his warning to have traveled across Krypton in battle-suits to the stronghold of Black Zero. The battlesuits easily penetrate the defences, and the two Kryptonians are surprised when the terrorists readily agree to take them to their leadership. Proceeding on foot, Van-L is confused when his companion alludes to having met him before, even though he is unable to recognise her.


As they enter the inner chamber of Black Zero, they are taken aback to discover a giant silver egg-shaped device suspended over a shaft that appears to lead to the core of Krypton. As they wonder over the engineering skills required to build such a device, they are greeted by the leader of Black Zero - Kem-L, who has lost his mind following his murder of his mother and her clone. 

At this point, Seyg-El's patience wears thin and he forces his son to come and meet their guests. As Jor-El leaves, the recording continues.

The silver egg houses a nuclear device that he plans to fire into the core of Krypton, destroying the planet. The scarred lady shows her mechanical arm to Kem-Z, showing him that Kryptonians have moved beyond cloning to maintain their bodies. Although this seems to pacify him, Kem-Z takes the opportunity to activate the device via a concealed control panel. Energy shoots out, injuring all in the chamber. Van-L is able to summon his battlesuit and enter it, using its weaponry to prematurely detonate the device, destroying it and the entirety of the Black Zero compund. 

In the aftermath of the explosion, Kryptonian troops led by Jan-L, son of Kem-L, find Kem-L's battlesuit. Although weak and unsteady, Kem-L leaves his suit and finds the broken body of his scarred companion. He promises to take her to a hospital, but she tells him that she can't be put back together this time. As she dies, he realises that she was Vara, his long-lost love. The recording ends as he cradles her body.


Back in the present, Jor-El is informed of the untimely death of another Kryptonian, which has created the space for a new child. He is introduced to Nara and told that he is to produce this new child with her granddaughter. Defying Kryptonian tradition, he asks to see the face of his mate, and upon seeing her proclaims her 'beautiful'.

This third chapter in the history of Krypton wraps up the 'clone wars' story whilst simultaneously bringing us closer to the destruction of Krypton and introducing us to Jor-El. The closure to Van-L's story is effective, if unspectacular. Of the two surprise reveals, one works and one doesn't. The revelation of Kem-Z as the leader of Black Zero is gently surprising, partly because he hadn't been seen firsthand in the series since he killed his mother, and partly because the story could have allowed for anyone to lead Black Zero. Vara's reveal is less effective, mainly because the mystery around her identity is basically a whodunnit with only suspect, the other 'eligible' character having been killed offscreen and revealed as a clone in the opening of this series.

With the introduction of Jor-El into the series, we are invited to make comparisons between him and his ancestor Van-L. However, this issue and the next make it hard for us to do so. We are told so much about Jor-El, either from Seyg-El, Kelex or, in the next issue, Clark Kent, but all we witness him do firsthand is watch some videos in a darkened room then fall in love with the first girl he sees. This doesn't exactly compare favourably with the leader of Krypton who risked his life to save his planet but lost his love in the process. We are told that Jor-El is something of a rebel, and un-Kryptonian, but we see so little of modern Krypton that we are unable to see this for ourselves. The changes to Kryptonian society in the wake of Infinite Crisis and that we see in the current New Krypton storylines make it even harder to see this difference - if anything, Jor-El is restrained and stoic compared to the inhabitants of New Krypton. It's also a shame that the climax to the issue is Jor-El's proclomation of Lara's beauty, without a reaction from the traditional Kryptonians.

As a side note, Seyg-El is far less testy and forgiving of his son that the semi-maniac seen in Starman #51, even though the two stories would appear to take place fairly closely, going by the fact that Jor-El describes himself as still a child.

Next time on World of Superman: We take a jump forward again, as Superman tells us all about the last days of Krypton.

The World of Krypton #2

After The Fall

Writer: John Byrne
Breakdowns: Mike Mignola
Finishes: Rick Bryant
Colours: Petra Scotese
Letters: John Workman
Editor: Mike Carlin
Cover Artist: John Byrne, Walt Simonson
Cover Date: January 1988
Release Date: 15/09/1987

Many years later…

Krypton is now a deserted wasteland. A battlesuit lumbers across the desolation, heading towards the city seen in the first issue. Inside, a foetal Kryptonian remembers the past…

A time-delayed suicide message from Kan-Z is broadcast to Krypton, revealing Nyra’s actions regarding her clone. The violence from Kandor spreads across the planet, as young Kryptonians, following the historical protests of anti-cloning campaigner Sem-L, press harder for clone right. Returning to their family, Van-L and Ran-L learn of the destruction of Kandor, the result of a nuclear explosion set off in the heart of the city by a terrorist group called Black Zero. Vara and Van-L argue over the cloning issue. Vara reveals her distress at having her life saved with cloned parts, and leaves Van-L.

At a later point in the conflict, Van-L leads a squadron of Kryptonian soldiers against Black Zero rebels. During the fight, he discovers that one of the terrorists is Vara. They tussle, and Vara escapes into a building which explodes.

Back in the present, the battlesuit arrives at its destination, and ejects its passenger, Van-L. Having been encased and protected by the suit for over a century, Van-L is unable to walk unaided, and is unable to talk to the soldiers who approach him. Van-L is taken into the compound where, after a time, he is able to introduce himself as President of the World Council, and brings warning that Black Zero has reformed, and has the power to destroy Krypton.

At the time of release, the timeframe of the first two issues relative to the ongoing Superman series and the destruction of Krypton was not revealed until issues three and four. This creates a good deal of ambiguity around the issue’s cliffhanger. Although the Krypton seen in issue 1 is clearly not the Krypton of Jor-El, there is little to suggest in issue 2 that Jor-El is not concurrently discovering the fate of Krypton and making plans to save his unborn son.

Vara’s change of opinion rings both true and untrue. The body-horror aspect works well, as Vara wishes to remove her cloned implants. However, the tight time-frame of the flashbacks, where we are led to believe that Kandor is destroyed within hours of Kan-Z’s broadcast, marks a sudden change of mind for Vara, having been patched up with her implants less than a day previously with no misgiving. Indeed, her main cause of conflict while recovering in issue one is around the fuss being made for her coming of age ceremony.

Each issue of World of Krypton opens with the same shot of a tower, altered by time or location. It’s a lovely way of linking each issue together, despite the large gaps of time and space between them.

The next part of this issue occurs closer to modern Earth times, happening in Jor-El’s early life. It is revealed that the conflicts seen so far happen many millennia in Krypton’s past. As a result, in trying to keep things as chronological as possible, the next entry in this blog will examine a chapter of Superman’s history grounded in Earth history.