Tag: DC Presents reviews

Comics Reviews: Superman 404, Action 564, DC Comics Presents 78, All-Star Squadron 42, Infinity Inc 11

Superman 404 coverSuperman #404 – “Born to be Superman” – Paul Kupperberg/Carmine Infantino/Bob Oksner

This one is an imaginary story, which means I’m not too impressed by it. I prefer stories that actually happen (so to speak) in their comic book settings; imaginary stories always leave me wondering why I should care, since the stories don’t really count. (I know, I know, they’re all imaginary stories …) Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 404, Action 564, DC Comics Presents 78, All-Star Squadron 42, Infinity Inc 11”

Comics Reviews: Superman 403, Action 563, DC Comics Presents 77, All-Star Squadron 41, Infinity Inc 10

Superman 403 coverSuperman #403 – “The Greatest Thief in the Universe” – Paul Kupperberg/Curt Swan/Bob Oksner

This one starts with an alien drone ship flying down toward Metropolis, seemingly about to crash. Superman stops it, but before he can figure out where it came from, the ship takes off into space and disappears. Turns out the drone belonged to the Monitor, who was gathering information for a client, the Thief-Master of Ramox. Thief-Master traded info on his own planet for the data from the Monitor in preparation for a series of heists. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 403, Action 563, DC Comics Presents 77, All-Star Squadron 41, Infinity Inc 10”

Comics Reviews: Superman Annual 10, DC Comics Presents Annual 3

Superman Annual 10 coverSuperman Annual #10 – “The Day the Cheering Stopped” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Murphy Anderson

This one starts with Superman saving an alien planets from a meteor swarm, then gets kinda esoteric, musing on why Superman’s name is the same in so many alien languages. We get a story about a strange sword (the Sword of Superman) forming spontaneously out of the matter left over from the Big Bang. So, Superman is less a man than a universal concept? Whatever. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman Annual 10, DC Comics Presents Annual 3”

Comics Reviews: Superman 402, Action 562, DC Comics Presents 76, All-Star Squadron 40, Infinity Inc. 9

Superman 402 coverSuperman #402 – “How Do You Hide a Superman?” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Bob Oksner

This one starts with Daily Planet writer Justin Moore wandering the streets of Metropolis, suffering from a terrible affliction … writer’s block. Justin hears a call for help from an alley and finds a guy who looks and sounds just like Superman except he also looks like a homeless person. The guy swears he is Superman and that he was attacked by some guys he calls Marauders, an attack which caused him to lose most of his super-powers and almost all of his memory. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 402, Action 562, DC Comics Presents 76, All-Star Squadron 40, Infinity Inc. 9”

Comics Reviews: Superman 401, Action 561, DC Comics Presents 75, All-Star Squadron 39, Infinity Inc. 8

Superman 401 coverSuperman #401 – “Operation: False Front” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Bob Oksner

This one begins with the nightly broadcast of WGBS news being interrupted by a couple of Lex Luthor’s henchmen, who just happen to be joined at the hip. Clark Kent stands up to them and gets slapped down (or pretends to, to hide his super-powers) and the thugs relay a message on air for Superman from Luthor, who challenges the Man of Steel to meet him 5,000 feet above Metropolis at noon tomorrow … or Luthor will do something terrible. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 401, Action 561, DC Comics Presents 75, All-Star Squadron 39, Infinity Inc. 8”

Comics Reviews: Superman 400, Action 560, DC Comics Presents 74, All-Star Squadron 38, Infinity Inc. 7

Superman 400 coverSuperman #400 – “The Living Legends of Superman” – Elliot Maggin/Joe Orlando, Al Williamson, Frank Miller, Marshall Rogers, Terry Austin, Wendy Pini, Michael Kaluta, Kelly Alder, Klaus Janson, Jim Steranko

This is an anniversary issue of Superman that contains stories drawn by numerous artists with the common theme of Superman’s legend and legacy. All of the stories are set in the future and none of them is particularly earth-shattering, as far as I’m concerned, but I’ll give a brief synopsis of each one. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 400, Action 560, DC Comics Presents 74, All-Star Squadron 38, Infinity Inc. 7”

Comics Reviews: Superman 399, Action 559, DC Comics Presents 73, All-Star Squadron 37, Infinity Inc. 6

Superman 399Superman #399 – “The Man Who Saw Superman Die” – Paul Kupperberg/Eduardo Barreto/Dave Hunt

This one starts with a familiar figure leaving STAR Labs, where he’s been working as a consultant. It’s Ed Hamilton (aka Colonel Future from issue 378) and we see his powers of prediction are still working. A car almost runs him down and since it takes a near-death experience to activate Hamilton’s precognitive powers, he sees a vision of the future … Superman being gunned down. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 399, Action 559, DC Comics Presents 73, All-Star Squadron 37, Infinity Inc. 6”

Comics Reviews: Superman 398, Action 558, DC Comics Presents 72, All-Star Squadron 36, Infinity Inc 5

Superman 398 coverSuperman #398 – “The Kid Who Master-Minded Superman” – Joey Cavalieri/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with a suburban kid (Mickey Norris) finishing his paper route in Masonville and playing his favourite game … Superman. Yes, this is the same kid from Superman 388 with the weird mental powers. Mickey pretends to be the Man of Steel saving a jet falling from the sky. At the same moment over Metropolis, a jet plunges toward the city. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 398, Action 558, DC Comics Presents 72, All-Star Squadron 36, Infinity Inc 5”

Comics Reviews: Superman 397, Action 557, DC Comics Presents 71, All-Star Squadron 35, Infinity Inc 4

Superman 397 coverSuperman #397 – “The Born-Again Kryptonite Man” – Paul Kupperberg/Eduardo Barreto

This one starts with a big green dude in a spaceship traveling through space and dreaming of revenge against someone. This guy looks like a cross between Martian Manhunter and Concrete, but I guess he’s the Kryptonite Man of the title. In another part of space, Superman deals with some aliens (the Kymu) who attacked him in retaliation for defeating them a while back. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 397, Action 557, DC Comics Presents 71, All-Star Squadron 35, Infinity Inc 4”

Comics Reviews: Superman 396, Action 556, DC Comics Presents 70, All-Star Squadron 34, Infinity Inc. 3

Superman 396 coverSuperman #396 – “The Battle for Superman’s Brain” – Joey Cavalieri/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with a big fake out; it looks like Superman is rescuing Jimmy Olsen from a bomb, but it turns out to be Greg Reed making another superman movie. The real Man of Steel is on set as technical consultant, but the director doesn’t take his dialogue suggestion, saying nobody will believe Superman’s brain can calculate faster than a supercomputer. There is someone who believes it though … a goofball named Intellex, the Brain Bandit. He’s observing Superman from a spaceship that he cobbled together from other ships. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 396, Action 556, DC Comics Presents 70, All-Star Squadron 34, Infinity Inc. 3”