SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #26 - October 1993

Blast Off!

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Albert de Guzman (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Superman faces Mongul while Steel attempts to stop the blast that will send Earth out of orbit.  Inside the engine room, Steel is attacked by mechanical objects that have been possessed by Cyborg Superman.  The Cyborg’s boasts enable Steel to realize that he needs to stop the transformer engine that creates the magnetic fields within the fusion reactor.  He destroys the engine, but the kryptonite power source remains.  Meanwhile, Mongul discovers Supergirl’s presence and knocks her unconscious.  He soon gains the upper hand against Superman.

Irrelevant Continuity:  

• Green Lantern makes a one-panel cameo, as he flies towards Earth and realizes that Coast City is gone.  Eradicator also arrives in a one-panel scene.
• The designs of Superman’s guns and his gun belt don’t match the previous chapters.
• Mongul wants to destroy the Earth, now that Superboy’s actions have prevented Earth from properly going into orbit and becoming the new War World.
• Steel unmasks and reveals his secret identity to Superman, who remembers rescuing him months earlier.
• Steel’s thoughts reveal his mother named him after the folk hero John Henry.
• Louise Simonson apparently didn’t know that “Man of Steel” has already been renamed Steel at this point, since there’s another scene that has Superman coming up with the name.

Review:  Oh, wonderful.  More fun in Engine City.  Judged on its own merits, this isn’t necessarily a bad chapter.  Jon Bogdanove’s Steel remains an imposing presence throughout the issue, and his designs for the makeshift Cyborg Superman bodies are imaginatively weird.  Steel’s lengthy fight scene with the cyborg is also livened up by Simonson’s dialogue, which emphasizes Steel’s intelligence and gives him an opportunity to think his way through a problem.  (Something we haven’t seen the heroes do in a while during this arc.)  And then there’s…not much else.  A few subplot pages of Lois and the utterly charmless Jeb Friedman, a couple of scenes to establish other characters arriving at Engine City, and a few pages of Superman and Mongul in a fistfight.  Like the previous chapters, much of the issue is dedicated to checking in on characters or getting them into place for the finale, but very few of these scenes are interesting in their own right.  If this didn’t feel like the fiftieth story I’ve read during this Engine City battle, it wouldn’t bother me so much.  Reading it within the context of the collected edition, it’s another chapter that barely accomplishes anything and just causes the story to drag.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #25 - September 1993

The Return!

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Superboy escapes the Cyborg’s custody and flies to Metropolis.  Meanwhile, Steel grows suspicious of Cyborg Superman’s claims and decides to travel to Coast City.  Lois also decides to travel there, partially to escape the romantic interest of Jeb.  They arrive at the airport simultaneously, just as the Kryptonian war-suit reaches Metropolis.  Supergirl arrives with Lex to confront it, joining Superboy and Steel in battle.  Everyone is shocked when the suit opens and Superman emerges.

Irrelevant Continuity:  

• Superboy escapes from Cyborg Superman’s device through “panicky power blasts,” another hint that his powers are telekinetic in nature.
• The stories can’t seem to decide if the giant suit of armor Superman is wearing is called a “war-suit” or a “battle-suit.”
• When Superman emerges, we see his long hair for the first time.  His hair was short when he left Antarctica in the armored suit, however.

I Love the ‘90s:  Lois is wearing…I don’t even know what to call these pants.  Those pants from the 1930s that poof out around the hips…Parachute pants?  Aviation pants?  Also, Jimmy Olsen is still wearing Spin Doctors t-shirts.

Review:  This is the issue that brings together the cast for the finale.  That requires a few coincidences, but there’s nothing here that comes across as especially forced.  The real problem with the plot involves a group of scientists working for Lex Luthor, who drop charges on the war-suit on his orders.  They’re crushed in the ensuing avalanche, which is what inspires Supergirl to fly off in the first place.  She quickly forgets about them as soon as the war-suit surfaces, and we never see Superman helping them either.  This is the kind of detail that can be easily addressed with one line of dialogue in the next chapter; but as it stands, both Superman and Supergirl look fairly awful for not doing anything to help.  Ignoring that, this is an inoffensive middle chapter that does what it needs to do to get everyone in their proper place.  “Inoffensive” if you don’t mind a distracted Lois allowing Jeb to kiss her, I suppose.  He’s yet to come across as a credible rival for Clark, and there’s no real hope for this subplot anyway now that Superman has returned.  Steel also isn't given an awful lot to do, even though this is nominally his series.  I understand that the storyline has a dozen characters to be juggling right now, but Steel is almost a background figure this issue.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #24 - August 1993

Impact!

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Steel and the Eradicator land in Coast City, California.  They continue their fight, but Steel’s words cause Eradicator to pause.  He flees, declaring that Steel should go to Metropolis while he aids the people of Coast City.  In Metropolis, Lex Luthor’s agents kidnap White Rabbit.  Lex tells White Rabbit he’s going to hand her Steel, as punishment for Steel not joining his side.  Lex arranges for a jet to take Steel to Metropolis, where he’s ambushed by White Rabbit’s men.  After defeating her gigantic henchman Graham, Steel is lead to the secret plant where White Rabbit manufactures Toastmasters.  She rigs a trap, but Steel escapes, leaving her to an apparent death.

Miscellaneous Note:  The Toastmasters are being manufactured in the abandoned Ordster Motor Co. plant.  This is a reference to Jerry Ordway, who had recently left the Superman titles at this point.

Irrelevant Continuity:  Lex Luthor plans on taking over White Rabbit’s gang now that she’s dead.  Lex has also discovered Steel’s secret identity and knows that he’s on the run from a “secret operation” within the government.

Total N00B:  I don’t know if White Rabbit’s henchman Graham is an established character or not, but it seems strange that she suddenly appears with a flunky who eats jet fuel and can transform himself into an even fatter version of the Blob.

Review:  I guess we’re just supposed to forget about that “Resurrection of Superman” scene from the previous chapter, huh?  That scene isn’t even acknowledged this issue, which is instead focused on wrapping up the White Rabbit storyline.  I don’t know where Simonson was going with this plot, but the resolution this issue feels incredibly rushed.  Is everyone being told to wrap up their stories because Superman’s coming back, like, now?  I also question why Steel, who’s been presented as the only genuinely altruistic Superman so far, is directly responsible for White Rabbit’s death in the closing scene.  She planted the bomb, but he’s the one who caused the ceiling to collapse, which is what apparently kills her.  And even if he doesn’t know that she’s been crushed by the ceiling, he’s utterly unfazed when the plant explodes, which would surely kill her anyway.  We’ve been told repeatedly that Steel has the heart of Superman -- he’s even the one who gives Eradicator an uplifting speech inspiring him to become a true hero in the issue’s opening.  But now he’s killing his arch-nemesis and not batting an eye; it’s a strange creative choice.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #23 - July 1993

Ambush!

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Steel defeats a gang of Sharks while searching for the White Rabbit.  More gang violence soon erupts, drawing the attention of Superboy and the Daily Planet.  The Planet’s chopper is destroyed by one of the Toastmaster guns; Steel saves Lois, but the pilot, Frank, is killed.  Steel berates Superboy for dodging out of the way of the Toastmaster’s blast, which resulted in Frank’s death.  After speaking to Steel, Lois wonders if he actually does have Superman’s spirit.  Later, Lex Luthor arranges a meeting with Steel.  He reveals White Rabbit’s location to Steel, while also placing a bug on his armor.  Steel discovers White Rabbit is Angora Lapin, his former co-worker and lover.  She’s stolen the weapons technology Steel created and is selling it on the black market.  When he refuses to join her, White Rabbit shoots him out of the window and escapes.

I Love the ‘90s:  The camcorder footage of Steel’s battle with the Sharks is dated 5-23-93.  Also, Jimmy Olsen wears a Spin Doctors t-shirt to work.

Review:  I’ve noticed that Louise Simonson’s plots tend to be much denser than the other Superman writers; a technique she absorbed while working for Jim Shooter, perhaps?  This issue continues the gang war/White Rabbit storyline, provides Steel’s origin, features his first meeting with Lois Lane, has Lex Luthor discovering Steel’s secret ID, and throws in the new Superboy as a guest star.  There’s a lot going on, but it’s never confusing and the pages don’t feel as if they’re crammed with too much information.  We discover that Steel’s motivation is similar to one that’s been grafted on to Iron Man (and now just an accepted part of the canon, thanks to the movies):  he made some weapons, the wrong people got a hold of them, and now he has to make amends.  Attaching this to inner-city street violence is slightly absurd, but I guess it’s somewhat defensible within the context of a superhero comic.  Steel continues to be presented as a likable, easy to root for hero, although I think Simonson goes too far during the Lois scenes.  Yes, John Henry Irons has the “spirit” of Superman, but why would Lois think that he literally has the spirit of Superman?  Has Lois ever been established as someone who would believe in reincarnation?  

The real problem with the issue doesn’t relate to Steel at all, however.  Superboy, in only his second real appearance, is directly responsible for someone’s death.  That’s supposed to be a pretty heavy burden for a hero, especially in this era, so it’s strange to see it attached to the cool, carefree Superboy so soon after his introduction.  That kind of angst point doesn’t suit his character, and the event isn’t even occurring in his own title.  Steel’s lecture to Superboy is well-written and a nice way to dramatize how Steel is a different hero from the other Supermen, but the scene still feels terribly misguided.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #22 - June 1993

Steel

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Henry Johnson entertains a group of kids with the story of John Henry.  Nearby, the gang war between the Sharks and Dragons continues.  One of the kids, Zoid, is killed in the crossfire.  Henry tries to stop the killers’ car but is knocked against a wall.  After recuperating, Henry designs a steel armor.  Inspired by Superman, who once saved his life, he vows to clean up Metropolis.  Agents of the White Rabbit, angry at his interference in the gang war, set his apartment building on fire.  Henry uses his armor to rescue his psychic neighbor, Rosie.  She speculates to the media that Superman’s spirit is in the Man of Steel’s body.  Steel soon interrupts an arms deal between the gangs, but his potential informant Dutch is killed from afar by White Rabbit.  Meanwhile, Lois runs into Jeb Friedman, as Lex Luthor contemplates recruiting Steel to his side.

Irrelevant Continuity:  

• Steel won’t gain his true superhero name until later in the event.  For now, he’s referred to as “Man of Steel.”  Steel’s real name seems to have been retconned over the years.  “John Henry Irons” is a nickname the local kids call him, while his real name is Henry Johnson.  His online profiles today identify him as John Henry Irons, however.
• White Rabbit recognizes Henry inside the Steel armor.
• Henry is familiar with the “toastmasters,” which are high-tech, military weapons (Liefeld guns) that have somehow appeared on the black market.  In the future, we’ll learn Henry’s connection to the weapons, and the White Rabbit.
• The debut issues of the four new Supermen must be happening simultaneously.  Steel makes his public debut in the middle of this issue, even though Lex Luthor has already seen news reports of all four Supermen in the previous chapter in Action.

Total N00B:  I have no clue who Jeb Friedman is.  He dresses like a cowboy and he’s already actively pursuing Lois just a few weeks after Clark’s apparent death.

Review:  Everyone seems to have accepted Steel as a character over the years, but I wonder how he would be received if he were created today.  Would DC face criticism for having two white creators launch a new black hero from the inner city?  Would we see editorials on the major comics sites, listing all of the minority creators who could’ve received the job?  Is establishing Steel as an inner city hero fighting gang violence already too much of a stereotype?  Would there be internet backlash for assigning Jon Bogdanove, the most cartoony of the Superman artists, to draw the black hero?  These questions weren’t likely to be raised in 1993, or if they were, the internet (as we now know it) wasn’t around to give much of a voice to them.  Yes, Steel is widely viewed as a positive role model now, but I would be curious to know if readers today would give him a chance before dismissing him as either a stereotype or a token.  

Reading his first full appearance today, it’s obvious that Steel is intended as the most likable of the new Supermen.  The John Henry parallel is easy to make, and addressed in the very first pages, but Steel isn’t defined by the old folk tale.  He helps local kids, he’s kind to his neighbors, and he’s an engineering genius, but he also has a secret from his past, one that’s driving him to make amends.  Future issues will reveal Steel’s origin as a blend of Iron Man and the Prowler, which is a decent enough starting place as far as heroic motivations go.  The visual of Steel is great, one I wish DC had never abandoned.  I love the giant hammer, and Bogdanove does a fantastic job incorporating Superman imagery into an armored suit.  It’s a shame Shaq never got to wear the real Steel costume; I’m sure the Steel movie would’ve sucked anyway, but at least the trailers might’ve looked cool.

As for the larger event, the issue gives a somewhat half-hearted effort to sell the idea that Steel could be Superman reincarnated in another body.  The premise is that Henry Johnson possibly died during the Doomsday rampage, and that his empty body became a receptacle for Superman’s soul after he was killed defeating Doomsday.  The theory is advanced by a psychic already portrayed as a bit nutty, however she does seem to have some paranormal knowledge, so the theory isn’t totally discounted.  I guess DC felt the need to at least open the door for Steel to be the real Superman, but it’s obvious that the true red herring in the titles is the Eradicator.  The reincarnation bit feels like it’s tossed out there in order to fulfill some editorial mandate.  The story would work better without it, to be honest.

THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #500 - June 1993

Life and Death

Credits:  Jerry Ordway (writer), Tom Grummett (penciler), Doug Hazelwood (inker), Albert de Guzman (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Jonathan Kent has a near-death experience in the hospital.  He sees Superman walking towards the light and tries to talk him back.  Jonathan pursues Superman and in the process, relives traumatic events from his own life.  The entity Kismet sets Jonathan on the proper course, and he soon finds Superman in a Kryptonian funeral procession.  When Jonathan tries to awaken Superman, the Krypotonians are revealed as demons.  Jonathan and Superman escape into a tunnel.  When Jonathan wakes in the hospital, he’s convinced his son is alive.  On Lois’ plane ride home from Smallville, she sees a flying caped figure.  Various news reports later claim Superman has returned.  She visits Superman’s tomb with Henderson of the Metropolis police.  They discover his casket is empty.

Irrelevant Continuity:  Subplots this issue include Vincent Edge sexually harassing Cat Grant (who doesn't seem terribly offended since she later accepts his dinner invitation), Jimmy Olsen avoiding the filming of his “Turtle Boy” TV show, the Prankster annoying his cellmate, and the Metropolis police attempting to arrest Gangbuster after he blows an undercover sting operation.  A homeless man helps him get to safety.  Also, Gangbuster has a warrant for his arrest because a group of drug dealers he previously busted filed charges against him.  A footnote points to the Legacy of Superman one-shot.

I Love the ‘90s:  Cat Grant tells Vincent Edge that “this is the nineties” and she doesn’t have to accept his sexual harassment.  Even though she does.  Later, the Prankster’s cellmate tells him that “Turtle Boy” is so bad it’s good.  “It’s, y’know, very nineties.”

Production Notes:  This issue was published after a two month gap in which the Superman titles suspended publication.  The World without a Superman trade only reprints the main story in Adventures #500.  The next trade in the series, Return of Superman, reprints the final stories, which are all vignettes introducing the four new Supermen.

Gimmicks:  Three versions of this issue exist.  A standard newsstand edition, and two collector’s editions, one in a white polybag and one in a black polybag.  The collector’s editions have a holographic cover. According to comics.org, the newsstand version didn’t have eight story pages that were in the collector’s editions.  The Fortress of Baileytude blog has a collection of the "deleted scenes."

Review:  Adventures #500 was the first big issue following the death of Superman, although apparently the sales didn’t live up to the hype.  How do you follow up on the death of your most famous character?  DC was stuck in an impossible position; this stunt was only supposed to be a temporary replacement storyline to delay Superman’s wedding, but now a large portion of the general public actually believed Superman was dead.  DC rode the wave of controversy, embraced the publicity, and went out of its way to sell the death as being genuine, but how exactly could the creators get out of this hole?  Feeding the hype only made Superman’s inevitable return a larger problem for the creators to handle.  Adventures #500 is a logical choice to feature Superman’s return, since it is the next anniversary issue, but how exactly should Superman be revived?  Bringing Superman back to the living and just returning to normal so soon after his death would be perceived as a cheap move.  Maybe DC could’ve gotten away with that if only comics fans had been paying attention, but when you’ve made the New York Times and the CBS Evening News?  Can you backtrack so quickly with the world watching?  DC’s solution ultimately turns out to be this: hint that Superman’s alive, introduce a gimmicky storyline with four replacement Supermen, kill time, and finally, bring back Superman.

It’s hard to imagine any scenario where Adventures #500 doesn’t disappoint some portion of the readership.  Anyone who actually thought Superman was dead wouldn’t want to see him revived so quickly, and the readers who wanted him to return probably didn’t appreciate being teased in such a fashion.  Luckily, hindsight makes it easier to simply judge the issue on its own merits.  And it’s actually a strong anniversary issue.  Jonathan Kent is the real star of the issue, with Ordway taking the reader on a tour of his life, reliving traumatic moments from his childhood on to his stint in Korea.  I’m not familiar enough with Superman continuity to have a feel for how Jonathan Kent was normally portrayed in this era, but Ordway does a great job of making Jonathan fit the mold of what you’d expect Superman’s dad to be while also giving him a bit of a specific personality.  He’s not just a generically nice old man, he’s a veteran who’s lived a hard life filled with loss.  When Jonathan is pitted against Superman’s birth father in this ethereal recreation of Krypton, you’re genuinely rooting for Jonathan to win.  There’s also a great idea about Superman accepting his “death” and entering the afterlife simply because he was taught by the Kents to believe in an afterlife.  As a yellow sun charged Kryptonian, who’s to say his mortality is analogous to a human’s?  Superman's been conditioned to believe he has to go into the white light, but how can be entirely certain that he's dead yet?

As always, Tom Grummett’s contributions can’t be overlooked.  Everyone’s on-model while being slightly stylized, the panel layouts are creative, and the action scenes look just as good as the conversation scenes.  Doug Hazelwood also does an incredible job on the added tones during the afterlife scenes.  I’m not sure if he’s using the same technique John Byrne used on Namor, but it’s a very similar look.  I love the unique texture zip-a-tone provides, and it’s a shame that look has died out over the years.  I have no idea if Photoshop can recreate it, but I wish someone would try.

First Sighting…

Credits:  Louise Simonson, Roger Stern, Karl Kesel, & Dan Jurgens (writers), Jon Bogdanove & Tom Grummett (pencilers), Jackson Guice & Dan Jurgens (breakdowns), Dennis Janke & Doug Hazelwood (inkers), Denis Rodier & Bret Breeding (finishers), Bill Oakley, Albert de Guzman, & John Costanza (letterers), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Steel emerges from the debris of Metropolis during a gang fight between the Sharks and Dragons.  The Eradicator kills a carjacker.  Superboy escapes Project: Cadmus with the help of the Newsboy Legion.  Cyborg Superman flies into Metropolis and destroys a Superman memorial plaque in front of a family of tourists.

Irrelevant Continuity:  The back-ups in Adventures #500 introduce the four replacement Supermen.  Since DC was unwilling to admit in the beginning that none of these characters actually is Superman, it takes a while for some of them to develop code names.  For simplicity’s sake, I’ll be referring to them by the names they’re now associated with.

Review:  Overlooking the debate over whether or not transferring the titles to four fake Supermen was a good idea, I do think it was a pretty smart decision on DC’s part to give a teaser for each new character in Adventures #500.  It makes the anniversary issue feel like an even bigger event, and of course, serves as a commercial for any curious fan about what’s happening in the rest of the line.  In retrospect, it’s impressive that DC has continued the “event” sensation for so long after the start of the Doomsday storyline.  Obviously there’s no way this issue was going to sell the same numbers as Superman #75, but I remember that a lot of enthusiasm remained for the books at this point.  People who would never look at the Superman comics were openly debating over which Superman was the “real” one; a great hook for the next chapter of the story, even if the resolution is ultimately a copout.

There isn’t a lot of story in the backups, just enough to give readers a sense of what to expect in each character’s respective title.  Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove are going urban in Man of Steel, Roger Stern and Jackson Guice play off the ‘90s vigilante cliché in Action, Karl Kesel and Tom Grummett are exploring a lighter tone with Superman’s teenage clone in Adventures, and Dan Jurgens provides an ominous introduction for the Cyborg Superman that’s taking over Superman.  It seems rather obvious that two of these characters are explicitly not Superman, regardless of what the pre-release hype might’ve lead us to believe.  The two most likely candidates as the real Superman are given the most mysterious introductions, indicating that DC wants at least a few more months to string us along.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing, if you’re not turned off by excessive hype and just willing to accept the “Reign of the Supermen” era as simply the next chapter of the story.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #21 - March 1993

 

Ghosts

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Lois dreams of Superman’s death, while in real life, the flooding in Underworld reaches the streets of Metropolis.  Lois investigates and soon discovers Superman’s tomb is empty.  With the help of the Underworlders, she infiltrates Cadmus.  The Newsboy Legion helps her take photos of Superman’s corpse, but she’s forced to flee when Dubbilex sounds an alarm.  When the story of Superman’s stolen body goes public, Jonathan Kent is overcome with grief and collapses in Smallville.  

Irrelevant Continuity:  Dubbilex acts as if he doesn’t know how Superman’s personality is going to be recreated in the clone, even though he’s already come up with a solution in Action Comics #686.

Total N00B:  Batman has a subplot scene, flashing back to the day Superman gave him a piece of Kryptonite, to be used if Superman were ever mind-controlled.  Given how acrimonious their relationship has been portrayed in recent years, I was surprised to see that Batman’s Kryptonite stash was Superman’s idea in the first place.

Review:  Simonson continues to be the writer most willing to pull at your heart strings, even though the forward momentum of the titles is forcing her to also participate in this month’s Cadmus and Underworld storylines.  I don’t think I like the Underworld characters as much as the creators do, and I still can’t quite grasp the appeal of using the Newsboy Legion in a modern day setting, so much of the issue leaves me cold.  I also question why anyone thought it was a good idea for Lois to don a wetsuit and actually play superhero this issue while in the middle of her mourning process.  (Jon Bogdanove’s Lois in a wetsuit looks like ‘80s Bridgette Nielson!)  The human element is communicated well, however, with numerous pages dedicated to how various characters are dealing with Superman’s death.  Jonathan Kent flashing back to the special moments of his son’s life, and eventually blaming himself for suggesting the Superman identity to Clark, provides some genuinely touching moments.  The final page of Martha discovering Jonathan’s body in the field is easily one of the most memorable scenes from this storyline.  I’m not in favor of killing off one of the Kents, but I could see the justification if the creators decided to make Superman’s death an actual tragedy that carries on after his resurrection.  This entire event is one long exercise in “illusion of change,” but the creators could’ve instituted real upheavals in the supporting cast as a result of Superman’s fake death.  At the very least, the books wouldn’t be returning to the exact status quo seen pre-Doomsday.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #20 - February 1993

Funeral Day

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Superman’s body is taken to Centennial Park.  A large crowd gathers to watch the funeral procession.  A member of the Kanad Liberation Force attempts to kill the president of Kanad, who is walking in the funeral procession, but he’s stopped by Batman.  Nearby, Robin protects Jimmy Olsen from the armed guards of an agent who’s trying to buy Superman’s death photo.  The crowd grows unruly, but eventually settles down.  In space, Lobo hears a rumor of Superman’s death but refuses to believe it.  In Smallville, the Kents have their own funeral for Superman.  After receiving a call from a distraught Lois, the Kents promise to visit her.

Irrelevant Continuity:  The agent attempting to buy the licensing rights to Jimmy’s photo appears to be Rex Leech, who will later appear in this storyline as Superboy’s manager.

Mom, Apple Pie, etc…:  The mourners watching the funeral procession are inspired by Superman’s example to stand up to bullies and to reach out to those who are hurting.

I Love the ‘90s:  One of the mourners has a high-top fade and the Superman logo shaved into his hair.  Also, Bill and Hillary Clinton speak at the funeral.

Review:  The most emotional issue yet, the story is granted almost an entire issue of mourning, although a few action sequences still have to be shoehorned in.  Simonson is well chosen as the person to handle the funeral issue, since she seems the most at ease with writing human emotions and the least interested in fight scenes.  Jon Bogdanove uses the issue as an opportunity to play with different caricatures, which is something I doubt we would’ve seen from any of the other artists.  He doesn’t go so cartoony it hurts the sentiment, but if you’ve watched the documentary on the Superman: Doomsday DVD, you can easily spot which random citizens are creators he’s snuck in.  My favorite scene is the one that has Roger Stern (or is that Jackson Guice?) cast as the street vendor selling t-shirts and “bagged” newspapers with memorial armbands.  Bibbo initially wants to kill the guy, but when he realizes that the vendor’s trying to provide for his family, Bibbo buys his entire stock and offers him a job at his bar.  

The issue is great at scenes like this, which manage to be touching without crossing the line over into cheese.  The Kents have a genuinely poignant moment when they bury some of Clark’s belongings in the crater they found him in as an infant.  They’re not invited to the attend the funeral because they’re not “big shots,” and they’re sickened by the media coverage of the event, so they have their own ceremony in honor of him.  Lois, who refuses Perry White’s offer to represent the Daily Planet at the funeral, has her own drama.  Calling the Kents and confirming Clark’s death will make it real, which she’s trying to avoid at all costs.  She knows it’s the right thing to do, but she can’t bring herself to do it.  When she finally summons the courage, she breaks down, and for the first time in the storyline so far, Lois’ pain actually feels authentic.  This is the kind of issue you need in order to properly execute a high-profile death.  Ideally, the flagrant attempt to pull at heart strings should be reserved for characters intended to be dead, but if you’re willing to buy into the storyline’s premise, this is a solid funeral story for Superman.

SUPERMAN: THE MAN OF STEEL #19 - January 1993

Doomsday is Here!

Credits:  Louise Simonson (writer), Jon Bogdanove (penciler), Dennis Janke (inker), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)

Summary:  Superman follows Doomsday to Metropolis. His next attack is to fly Doomsday into the Earth’s atmosphere.  Doomsday kicks himself free, and their fight continues into the Underworld.  After Doomsday triggers an explosion that destroys much of the community, Professor Hamilton attempts to stop Doomsday with a gigantic laser cannon.  Doomsday recovers quickly.  After Supergirl and the Metropolis PD also fail to stop Doomsday, Superman continues his fight against the creature.

Mom, Apple Pie, etc…:  Superman uses his body as a shield to protect Keith and the other orphans after Doomsday destroys their orphanage (which just so happens to be in the path of destruction).

Total N00B:  Dubbilex appears as a psychic manifestation to Guardian, with no explanation of who or what he is.  The three characters manning the giant laser cannon are only identified as Mildred, Professor “Ham,” and Bibbo.  The Underworlders are apparently keeping some representatives from Warworld captive; the story does very little to explain anything about these concepts.  Finally, Supergirl’s face turns into a pile of mush after she’s punched by Doomsday.  Her body then collapses and morphs into a purple Play-Doh person.  I’m vaguely aware that the Supergirl of this era is supposed to be a shapeshifting blob of protoplasm (or something), but I can’t imagine how this scene read to the average person brought in by the intense media hype.

Review:  We’re down to only two panels per page, and while Jon Bogdanove does an admirable job of not making the layout scheme obvious, the storyline’s padding is becoming more noticeable by the issue.  Superman is still resorting to punch punch punching Doomsday repeatedly, and only given one tiny sliver of imagination during the story, as he tries to fly Doomsday into space.  Unfortunately, this happens as the issue opens, and he’s thwarted by the fourth page.  So, instead of trying to develop another creative way to stop Doomsday, Superman just goes back to futilely punching the monster again and again until the issue is over.  There is some effort to show Superman protecting the citizens from the destruction, and to give the supporting cast something to do, but none of the scenes are engaging enough to stand on their own.  And, as mentioned above, they’re virtually incomprehensible to someone not versed in the specific continuity of this era of Superman.  

It’s hard to understand why DC was so committed to making this crossover a relentless slugfest, to the point that every chapter essentially has the same plot.  Couldn’t one chapter at least be dedicated to some other character doing anything else?  A scientist working to find Doomsday’s weak spot, an average citizen discovering his own heroism while helping others survive the disaster, Superman's friends and family watching the TV footage and reflecting on what Superman means to them…wouldn’t any diversion be a welcome relief at this point?