Mild Mannered Reviews - Regular Superman Comics

Man of Tomorrow #15

Superman: The Man of Tomorrow #15

Fall 1999

1999 Triangle No. 45

Writer: J.M Dematteis
Penciller: Ryan Sook
Inker: Jeff Gan

"Heart of Hell"

Reviewed by: Gareth Baker (GHLBJEDI@aol.com)



On Krypton, Kal-El works busily with his father, experimenting apon a lower life form. When the tests are completed, they move onto the next. It's a human female. A female called Lois Lane. Suddenly Superman is himself and he remembers everything. He smashed open Lois' cell, and Krypton dies.

Superman knows exactly where he is. Hell, and Neron is his tormentor. And he knows why he's here. To rescue his wife's soul.

We flashback to Metropolis, shortly after hell had frozen over. Superman meets The Silver Banshee, who passes on the message that Neron has his wife's soul. Superman follows the route he is shown and travels down into the depths of hell, where he is bombarded with all sorts of twisted images.

Having defeated Neron, Superman finds himself in a wheat field in Kansas, with his son. The two Kent's head back to the farm to be with the family. Clark is married to Lana Lang. Their meal is interrupted by a woman called Lois Lane who's investigated alleged UFO sitings. Clark takes her outside, and tells her the truth about his alien heritage. Lana comes out into the field where Clark took Lane, and tears him away from Lois, literally. Neron reveals himself.

Superman rushes home, to his pregnant wife, Lois Lane and tugs his daughter into bed. Whilst watching the TV, Lois' waters break. On the way to the hospital, Lois has problems and Clark is forced to fly his wife to hospital or she'll die. Later when the doctor comes to tell Superman the bad news, Superman attacks. It's Neron.

It is now that Neron reveals the fact that it is only Superman's soul that is in hell. His body, which is leading a to relight hell, is being controlled by Neron's soul. Superman is left alone in the void. Superman eventually breaks free, and manages to find Lois. The Silver Banshee is guarding her, and she attacks The Man of Tomorrow. Superman Soon wins the fight and takes his wife's soul out of hell, and to reclaim his body.

3Story - 3: A bizarre tale, and one that I quite enjoyed but for two reasons. The main one being that we have had very similar storylines for about the last two years. Supes is in a fake reality, and his love for Lois gets him out. Sound familiar? The other is art based, so see below. Quite frankly there is nothing else to say, it's a familiar format, but good nonetheless.

2Art - 2: The art was terrible. Could they have not found a real Superman artist for this last ever issue? Jurgens, that bloke who drew for AOS and Superboy. What's his name? Even Ordway? Instead we had this awful mess. I've said it before this style doesn't go with Superman.

2Cover - 2: I quite liked the border, and the actually picture of Superman breaking free is quite nice, but it's just a little tooooooo green for me.


Mild Mannered Reviews

1999

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic was on sale.

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