Comics Reviews: Superman 337, Action 497, DC Comics Presents 11

Superman 337 coverSuperman #337 – “Too Many Crooks” – Len Wein/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with some people watching Superman fly by; not an unusual occurrence in Metropolis, but this time Superman is on fire. It turns out he just came from putting out an oil-rig fire and was covered in oil, so he used the friction from his flight to burn it off. He goes to the Daily Planet, where he changes to Clark Kent and runs into Jimmy and Lois, who tell him Morgan Edge expects them all in a meeting to discuss the falling circulation of the newspaper. Before they make it to the meeting, they hear a ruckus outside and see Terra-Man attacking a plane. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 337, Action 497, DC Comics Presents 11”

Comics Reviews: Superman 336, Action 496, DC Comics Presents 10

Superman 336 coverSuperman #336 – “A Rose By Any other Name” – Len Wein/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with some guys robbing a jewelry store. They’re jumped by the vigilante known as Thorn, who kicks the crap out of them and leaves when the cops show up. Thorn heads home and changes back to her alter ego, Rose Forrest. But unlike most costumed crimefighters, Rose and Thorn aren’t aware of their alter egos because they have a split personality. So when Rose wakes up the next morning, she’s weirded out from the “dream” she had of being Thorn and beating the shit out of the crooks. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 336, Action 496, DC Comics Presents 10”

Comics Reviews: Superman 335, Action 495, DC Comics Presents 9

Superman 335 coverSuperman #335 – “Mxyzptlk Spelled Backward is T-R-O-U-B-L-E” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with Superman and Lois Lane hanging out at her place, discussing marriage. No, it’s not an imaginary story, they’ve just been getting closer lately and it’s a natural topic. Superman points out that it would be too dangerous for Lois to be his wife, since his enemies might go after her, but she points out all the times her life has been in danger before. Superman says he’s been trying to find a way to give her super-powers, but hasn’t had any success. He vows to keep looking until he finds a way, then takes off. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 335, Action 495, DC Comics Presents 9”

Comics Reviews: Superman 334, Action 494, DC Comics Presents 8

Superman 334 coverSuperman #334 – “The Man Who Stole Superman’s Eyes” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one opens with Superman searching for Lana Lang, who’s apparently run off half-cocked again and gotten herself in trouble. We see Lana in an abandoned subway station, being held by a bunch of costumed weirdos calling themselves Skeleton. They’re the remnants of SKULL, the gang of high-tech thieves that Superman put away back in issue 325. Superman told Lana about the dregs of SKULL regrouping as Skeleton and she tried to investigate, but got caught. They think Superman sent her to spy on them and they knock her out just as she yells for help. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 334, Action 494, DC Comics Presents 8”

Comics Reviews: Superman 333, Action 493, DC Comics Presents 7

Superman 333 coverSuperman #333 – “Happy New Year … Rest in Peace” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This issue continues the holiday theme that’s been running this month, although this is set during New Years not Christmas. This one actually starts out on Bizarro World, a planet where imperfection (and stupidity) are practically worshiped, and where everything is the opposite of Earth. Bizarro has gotten a message from the Future-Scope Teletype (the opposite of Earth teletypes, which only report what’s already happened) that Superman’s friends Lana and Lois are going to die. His editor is so happy he fires Bizarro, who heads to Earth to check things out. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 333, Action 493, DC Comics Presents 7”

Comics Reviews: Superman 332, Action 492, DC Comics Presents 6

Superman 332 coverSuperman #332 – “The Eternity Cage” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

You may remember last issue Lana Lang’s old classmate Carl Draper (who’s had a weirdly obsessive crush on her since high school) designed a new escape-proof prison for super-villains. Superman made some improvements, putting the prison miles up in the atmosphere, and had the prison named after him. Draper, already jealous because of Lana’s crush on Superman, went a little nuts and used the technology that drains the powers from the villainous inmates to attack Superman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 332, Action 492, DC Comics Presents 6”

Comics Reviews: Superman 331, Action 491, DC Comics Presents 5

Superman 331 coverSuperman #331 – “Lockup at 20,000 Feet” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts with Superman confronting Metallo, who has broken out of prison. Metallo has replaced the radium that was powering his artificial body while he was in prison with his preferred power source, kryptonite. He’s attempting to steal some solar mirrors from some energy collector on the roof of STAR Labs—apparently looking for yet another alternate source of power for his bod. His kryptonite heart gives him an advantage over Superman, but the Man of Steel uses the old “empty boots hanging off the ledge” trick to fake Metallo out and turn the tables. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 331, Action 491, DC Comics Presents 5”

Comics Reviews: Superman 330, Action 490, DC Comics Presents 4

Superman 330 coverSuperman #330 – “The Master Mesmerizer of Metropolis” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

Have you ever wondered why nobody can tell that Clark Kent and Superman are the same person? After all, a pair of glasses is hardly a convincing disguise. We’ve all laughed about it at some point, and we’re not the first ones to do so. I can only imagine that this particular story was cooked up in response to all the people saying “Glasses? That wouldn’t fool anyone!” We start with a satellite falling from orbit and heading straight for the WGBS Building. Lois Lane, Lana Lang, and Jimmy Olsen urge Clark to change to Superman and stop the satellite from killing them all. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 330, Action 490, DC Comics Presents 4”

Comics Reviews: Superman 329, Action 489, DC Presents 3

Superman 329 coverSuperman #329 – “I Have Met the Enemy—And It Is Me” – Martin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts pretty much where last issue left off, with Superman wrapped up by a lamp-post. We get a recap of what led to this moment: years ago on Krypton, Superman’s father helped create some nanobots to aid people with disabilities, but the nanobots gained sentience and started taking over the people they were in contact with. The nanobots were frozen and shot into space (which seemed to be Krypton’s solution to everything) and ended up on Earth, where they thawed out and merged with a Superman robot. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 329, Action 489, DC Presents 3”

Comics Reviews: Superman 327, Action 487, DC Comics Presents 2

Superman 327 coverSuperman #327 – “The Sandstorm That Swallowed Metropolis” – Marin Pasko/Curt Swan/Frank Chiaramonte

This one starts where last issue left off, with Clark Kent being accosted in his apartment by a dude dressed in a snake outfit (and his henchmen). The guy is Kobra, an international high-tech terrorist who appeared in his own mag for seven issues, then fought Batman and Aquaman a couple times. Kobra explains that his high-tech weapons are looted from ancient civilizations and UFO crash sites. The teleporter device Superman took from SKULL last issue was one that SKULL stole from Kobra, and when Kobra tracked it to Clark Kent’s apartment, he accidentally found out Clark was Superman. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 327, Action 487, DC Comics Presents 2”