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Mild Mannered Reviews - Regular Superman Comics

Superman #156

Scheduled to arrive in stores: March 1, 2000

Cover date: May 2000

2000 Shield No. 18

Writer: Jeph Loeb
Penciller: Ed McGuinness
Inker: Cam Smith

"The Tender Trap"

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

(Please note, this story is narrated by Perry White, though I shall be ignoring this and summarising the main story line).

Superman is back in Metropolis, and making his presence felt. His first "victims" a group of bank robbers, whom he makes short work of.

Back in Perry White's office, Perry finishes reading the report on the robbery, as Clark Kent gazes out of his window. Perry thanks Clark for covering the city beat for Lois, and reminds him that he should really be covering the avalanche in Siberia. Clark casually points out that it's on Perry's desk, as he continues to gaze out of the window. Perry puts his paper down, and closes the door to his office. And asks Clark if everything is okay at home, as he notices that Clark is wearing a crumpled shirt (a bit sexist, but then it leads to a good joke about the shirt being rolled up and put in a pocket). Perry comes straight out with it, and asks if Clark thinks Lois is seeing someone else. When Clark answers no, Perry asks if he has. The answer is no, but when Perry asks him if there is any reason why Lois might think he is, Clark pauses before saying no.

With the talk over, Clark gets back to work and calls out to Lois as she leans over her desk. As she steps out from behind her partition, we see it's in fact Lana. The pair hug, and Lana explains that she is here to see if Clark is feeling any better (see MOS #99). Clark begins to say that there is nothing to worry about when he coughs, and coughs. Does he have a cold? Clark doesn't catch colds!!!!!

Lois arrives, and is somewhat sub-zero with Lana. When Clark tries to talk to Lois, she gets all defensive and storms off, implying that Lana and Clark are having an affair.

Suddenly, Jimmy falls past the windows. Superman soon catches the young photographer. Jimmy explains that he was pushed off the top of the building because the person who did it knew that Superman would rescue him. That person being, The Parasite.

The Parasite slams into Superman moments after having put Jimmy down, and the pair fall as Superman blasts him with his heat vision and punches him. The tumbling pair, smash through a bridge, causing a bus to fall off. Superman catches the bus and uses his superbreath to push The Parasite away. He then follows it up quickly with a blast of heat vision. The Parasite soon bounces back and attacks Superman. Our caped friend begins to cough again and is pinned down when Wonder Woman arrives and punches The Parasite away.

Wonder Woman catches The Parasite in her lasso, but he quickly gets it off before she finds out the truth. Saying that he has what he came for, The Parasite jumps down into the sewer. As he goes he begins to cough!

Superman is unable to find The Parasite because of the lead in the sewers. Superman begins to tell Wonder Woman that he thinks that they should tell Lois about Valhalla, when he begins to cough violently. Then Lana arrives too, and then Lois. Lois loses her cool, and Superman begins to suggest that they go somewhere so that he and Diana can explain, and then she leaves, suggesting that it's over.

Inside LexTower, Lex has a visitor - Lois Lane and she begins to seduce him...

Story - 4: This last month has easily been one of the best months ever for the Super books, and this book was no exception. The issue begins with a bang but then soon settles down into some quality character based story telling. Then we're off again onto some more action, quickly followed by some great story telling. As with many issues recently, lots of questions have been cropping up. Why is Superman coughing? Why does The Parasite start coughing? Is it because he absorbed it from Supes, or is Superman contagious? However, there is one bad thing about this comic, Lois. As you may have guessed from my summary, I just don't see Lois' problem. Maybe it's because I'm a man. All I can say is I hope that there is some purpose behind it all. In my opinion a divorce would be very bad for the Superman image and ethos.

Art - 4: I first saw Ed in Mr Majestic, but his art is even better here! Page two is great, the bullet catching move is one of my all time faves. The colours are very nice to look at, and some of the effects (like the window on page 8) make the comic seem like more than a comic, like you are viewing the action from all sorts of angles.

Cover Art - 4: It's funny, there is nothing really special about this cover when it comes to composition, but Ed gives it real magic.

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2000

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Superman #156

Mild Mannered Reviews

2000

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