Tag: Action Comics reviews

Comics Reviews: Superman 423, Action 583, DC Comics Presents 97, JLA 254

Superman 423 coverSuperman #423 – “Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?” – Alan Moore/Curt Swan/George Perez

This is an imaginary story (but aren’t they all?) about Superman’s supposed death, or disappearance, or retirement, depending on how you look at it. The Superman comics were ending in anticipation of John Byrne’s reboot of the character and this (very famous) story is a way of saying farewell to the Silver Age Superman before his history was radically altered. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 423, Action 583, DC Comics Presents 97, JLA 254”

Comics Reviews: Superman 422, Action 582, DC Comics Presents 96, JLA 253

Superman 422 coverSuperman #422 – “Dark Moon Rising” – Marv Wolfman/Curt Swan/Larry Mahlstedt, Tom Yeates

This one starts with a guy being chased into the subway by a bunch of well-dressed men with guns. They corner him, but get a surprise when he turns into a werewolf and pounds them. Despite his bestial instincts, the werewolf refrains from killing any of his assailants. The oncoming subway scares him and he attackers the driver, but again stops short of killing him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 422, Action 582, DC Comics Presents 96, JLA 253”

Comics Reviews: Superman 421, Action 581, DC Comics Presents 95, JLA 252

Superman 421 coverSuperman #421 – “Imp TV” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with various people (Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen, Perry White, Lana Lang) seeing a disturbing sight on their televisions … Superman lying unconscious in a strange room. Turns out Superman’s plight is being broadcast on every network and cable channel in the vicinity. As Superman’s friends gather at the Galaxy Building, they speculate on who could be behind this. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 421, Action 581, DC Comics Presents 95, JLA 252”

Comics Reviews: Superman 420, Action 580, DC Comics Presents 94, JLA 251

Superman 420 coverSuperman #420 – “And We Are the Dreamers of Dreams” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with superman seemingly in some kind of Paradise, surrounded by his long-gone family and other friends. Superman runs into a kid named Chris Parker Hunt, who’s a little strange, but their meeting is cut short when soldiers on winged horses swoop down to attack. Superman soon finds out the soldiers’ weapons can hurt him and his powers are acting weird, but by exerting his will power he manages to re-activate his powers. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 420, Action 580, DC Comics Presents 94, JLA 251”

Comics Reviews: Superman 419, Action 579, DC Comics Presents 93, JLA 250

Superman 419 coverSuperman #419 – “The Man Who Murdered Evil” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This story gets into some metaphysical ideas about good and evil. It’s narrated by a guy called Iago, who serves some greater master of evil (who isn’t shown, but from the hints it looks like Satan). Iago was once a human named Arnie Alpert, a very nice person who went out of his way to help people and was kind and charitable to everyone. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 419, Action 579, DC Comics Presents 93, JLA 250”

Comics Reviews: Superman 418, Action 578, DC Comics Presents 92, JLA 249

Superman 418 coverSuperman #418 – “The Replacement” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with Superman being shanghaied into space by some aliens. But these aliens aren’t attacking him, they need his help. A strange entity has attacked their planet, consuming its atmosphere, and they need Superman to stop it. Since he knows their race to be a peaceful one, he agrees and they beam him to their planet. The aliens decide they’d better leave a replacement on Earth to do Superman’s job while he’s away (although they don’t tell Superman that). Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 418, Action 578, DC Comics Presents 92, JLA 249”

Comics Reviews: Superman 417, Action 577, DC Comics Presents 91, JLA 248

Superman 417 coverSuperman #417 – “Warrior of Mars” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

It seems like the Superman comics were in a bit of a holding pattern at this, probably because DC knew Superman was going to be revamped after Crisis and figured there wasn’t much point in starting new storylines. So they ended up doing a lot of inventory stories and imaginary tales like this one. As the title suggests, this is about what might’ve happened if Superman’s rocket had landed on Mars instead of Earth when he was a baby. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 417, Action 577, DC Comics Presents 91, JLA 248”

Comics Reviews: Superman 416, Action 576, DC Comics Presents 90, JLA 247

Superman 416 coverSuperman #416 – “The Einstein Connection” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Al Williamson

This story actually starts a few years ago (on March 14), with Lex Luthor arriving in a motorboat at the New Jersey shore. Superman shows up to grab him (although Lex’s only crime so far is breaking out of jail), and we learn that there’s something about this particular day that has a particular meaning to Lex. He seemingly teleports away, but Superman figures out that he’s hiding invisibly and follows as Lex hitches a ride to Princeton University. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 416, Action 576, DC Comics Presents 90, JLA 247”

Comics Reviews: Superman 415, Action 575, DC Comics Presents 89, JLA 246

Superman 415 coverSuperman #415 – “Supergirl: Bride of—X?” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Al Williamson

This one starts with Superman searching for oil deposits under the ocean when he gets an emergency signal from the Fortress of Solitude. Someone has broken in and set off a particular signal, one that was used by Supergirl. (Supergirl was recently killed in Crisis on Infinite Earths.) Superman zooms to the Fortress and finds an alien taking a strange object from beside Supergirl’s statue. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 415, Action 575, DC Comics Presents 89, JLA 246”

Comics Reviews: Superman 414, Action 574, DC Comics Presents 88, All-Star Squadron 52, Infinity Inc. 21

Superman 414 coverSuperman #414 – “Revenge is Life—Death to Superman” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Al Williamson

This basically continues the story from DC Presents 87, where Superman was shanghaied to Earth-Prime and met the Superboy of that world. Since he’s missing from Earth-1, the Superman Revenge Squad (well, two alien members of the Squad) take the opportunity to invade the Fortress of Solitude, wreck the place, hack the computer, and take off. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 414, Action 574, DC Comics Presents 88, All-Star Squadron 52, Infinity Inc. 21”