Tag: Superman reviews

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”

Superman 395, Action 555, DC Comics Presents 69, All-Star Squadron 33, Infinity Inc 2

Superman 395 coverSuperman #395 – “The Power and the People” – Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

Last issue, a guy named Bucky Berns started writing a column for the Daily Planet and by some weird quirk of fate, everything Bucky wrote about actually happened. Bucky is now running for President (with Superman’s endorsement) and advanced polls show he has a good chance of winning. Unfortunately, Bucky’s popularity (and predictive powers) are due to some Russians who have been bombarding him with “actualization” rays from a satellite that made whatever Bucky wrote about come true. Continue reading “Superman 395, Action 555, DC Comics Presents 69, All-Star Squadron 33, Infinity Inc 2”

Comics Reviews: Superman 394, Action 554, DC Comics Presents 68, All-Star Squadron 32

Superman 394 coverSuperman #394 – “The Man Who Would Be President” – Eliott S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with some guy giving a lecture to a group of people about how great Superman, then ending by calling for his destruction. In Metropolis, Superman saves a woman from a burning building and a bystander named Bucky Berns watches with concern. Apparently, Bucky is a newspaper columnist and just wrote a column about how old tenements should be burned down. Bucky concludes this fire is just a coincidence and goes to meet his friend Perry white for lunch. Perry offers Bucky the chance to write his column for the Daily Planet. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 394, Action 554, DC Comics Presents 68, All-Star Squadron 32”

Comics Reviews: Superman 393, Action 553, DC Comics Presents 67, All-Star Squadron 31, Infinity Inc 1

Superman 393 coverSuperman #393 – “The Day They Nuked Superman” – Bob Rozakis, Joey Cavalieri/Irv Novick/Dick Giordano

This one starts with Clark Kent and Lana Lang doing their nightly newscast (and we learn that former sportscaster Steve Lombard is now a used-car salesman, which seems perfect for him). One of the people watching the news is Carl Draper (Master Jailer) and he’s still hung up on Lana, wondering why she’s going out with a loser like Clark. Master Jailer has been planning revenge on Superman (who he doesn’t know is actually Clark) for a while, studying up on Krypton and even recording the light from Krypton’s explosion when it finally reached Earth. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 393, Action 553, DC Comics Presents 67, All-Star Squadron 31, Infinity Inc 1”

Comics Reviews: Superman 392, Action 552, DC Comics Presents 66, All-Star Squadron 30

Superman 392 coverSuperman #392 – “If a Body Meets a Body” – Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

Last issue, Lana Lang was kidnapped by Vartox, her old flame, who turned out to be a scumbag alien who took over Vartox’s body. Superman doesn’t know that, so he thinks Vartox has gone nuts. There’s also a goofy guy named Wallace Gurkheim who has a thing for Lana and was urging Superman to get her back. This issue starts with the fake Vartox taunting Superman, daring him to find where he’s keeping Lana. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 392, Action 552, DC Comics Presents 66, All-Star Squadron 30”

Comics Reviews: Superman 391, Action 551, DC Comics Presents 65, All-Star Squadron 29

Superman 391 coverSuperman #391 – “Who Stole the Newswoman of the Year?” – Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one follows from last issue, with Lana Lang receiving a broadcasting award at a banquet as her date, Clark Kent, looks on. But Lana’s ex (Vartox) phases through the wall and he’s apparently lost his mind. He grabs Clark and almost exposes his secret identity, but Clark uses his super-breath to suction the words out of Vartox’s mouth before anyone can hear. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 391, Action 551, DC Comics Presents 65, All-Star Squadron 29”

Comics Reviews: DC Comics Presents Annual 2, Superman Annual 9

DC Comics Presents Annual 2 coverDC Comics Presents Annual #2 – “The Last Secret Identity” – Elliot S! Maggin/Keith Pollard/Mike DeCarlo, Tod Smith

This is one of those goofy Silver Age-type stories that old time fans seem to like so much. I’ve never been a huge fan of those, although this one’s certainly well told. It could even fall under the category of “Imaginary Story”, but it’s presented as if we’re meant to take it seriously. I can’t imagine it being canon post-Crisis though. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: DC Comics Presents Annual 2, Superman Annual 9”

Comics Reviews: Superman 390, Action 550, DC Comics Presents 64, Warlord 75

Superman 390 coverSuperman #390 – “Lost on a Comet” – Cary Bates (plot), Elliot S! Maggin/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with Vartox, in a deep state of unconsciousness, inside a comet in the far reaches of space. The comet runs into an alien spaceship, dislodging Vartox, who can’t remember who he is or how he got there. His heroic instincts are intact though, and he immediately tries to help the stricken ship. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 390, Action 550, DC Comics Presents 64, Warlord 75”

Comics Reviews: Superman 389, Action 549, DC Comics Presents 63, Warlord 74

Superman 389 coverSuperman #389 – “Brother Act” – Cary Bates (plot), Paul Kupperberg/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with some guy in a phone booth trying to call Clark Kent at WGBS. Someone in a crane sends the wrecking ball toward the phone booth, trying to pulverize the guy. Since this is Metropolis, Superman shows up to save him. Supes assumes it was an accident until the crane operator is found half-conscious, claiming someone hit him from behind. The would-be victim disappears (shedding a disguise) before Superman can question him. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 389, Action 549, DC Comics Presents 63, Warlord 74”

Comics Reviews: Superman 388, Action 548, DC Comics Presents 62, Warlord Annual 2

Superman 388 coverSuperman #388 – “The Kid Who Played Superman” – Cary Bates/Curt Swan/Dave Hunt

This one starts with Lois Lane returning to WGBS after her time off. She heads straight for Perry White’s office and gives him hell for replacing her with Lana Lang on the big Middle East story she’d been working on. Perry lets her say her piece, then reminds Lois that she’s the one who walked away when it looked like the assignment had fallen through, and since she decided to take extra time off and not tell anyone where she was, Perry had no choice but to send Lana to salvage the story. Continue reading “Comics Reviews: Superman 388, Action 548, DC Comics Presents 62, Warlord Annual 2”