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Mild Mannered Reviews - Classic Post-Crisis Superman Comics

Adventures of Superman #424

Cover date: January 1987

Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciller: Jerry Ordway
Inker: Mike Machlan

"Man O' War"

The Lane family (Lois, her sister Lucy, and father Sam) sit beside Elinore Lane's hospital bed. Lois' mother was hurt in an explosion at a chemical plant she was visiting.

In a boardroom elsewhere, a man named Abu is told by a Mr. Johnson, one of several businessmen sat around the table, that the oil in his country, even his president; are all under control. Refuting Johnson's claims and suggesting that those present will find the truth a bitter pill to swallow, Abu storms out of the meeting. Outside, he activates a small device. As Johnson moves the meeting on to other business, a hi-tech hovercraft glides up to the building. Voices from within confirm the only life readings are those in the boardroom, before two grapples launch out from the craft and it opens fire with powerful ray blasts, demolishing the building. Mission accomplished, the hovercraft departs.

Clark Kent (quite literally) bumps into an attractive blonde woman in the lobby of the Daily Planet, before getting his leg caught in the doors of the lift. The two end up tumbling on to the floor together as the blonde helps to free him. They go their separate ways, both thinking that the other looked 'gorgeous'.

Clark and Lois are summoned to Perry's office to meet the newest member of the Planet staff; Catherine Grant. A popular Hollywood columnist, Cat is the mystery blonde Clark encountered earlier. She receives a warm greeting from Clark and a frosty reception from Lois, who passes comment on the methods Cat has used to get her interviews (it's insinuated she's had, ah, romantic liaisons with some of her interviewees). After speaking over the phone to a Mr. Gundersen (telling him he'll do what he can to contact Superman for him), Clark and Cat leave to work on their first story together.

Alone, Perry asks after Lois' mother. Lois changes the subject to Cat Grant, asking why Perry would hire such a scandal monger. Perry replies that Cat's a very good scandal monger who'll be perfect for the new Sunday magazine supplement and that he hired Lois when she had fewer credentials to offer. He offers to lighten Lois' workload so she can spend more time with her family. Lois refuses, not wanting to see any more work go Cat's way.

Clark and Cat drive past the remains of the office building we saw destroyed earlier. A policeman tells them it was the work of terrorists, showing them a note from 'The Freedom League' claiming responsibility for the destruction in retaliation for 'imperialist war monger's invasion'. Clark hears shallow breathing and uses his x-ray vision to locate a survivor, trapped in the rubble. He alerts the rescue services and departs with Cat to follow their story, noticing grappler marks with his microscopic vision and concluding that the building's collapse wasn't due to any ordinary explosion.

Clark and Cat arrive at Suicide Slum (Metropolis' inner inner city) and the apartment of Professor Emil Hamilton. Hamilton tells them that the government is out to discredit him and demonstrates a defense system that he was working on before his funding was cut; a magnetic wave device that imprisons Clark in a cylindrical field. The device works well, Clark fails to punch his way out (despite his super-strength) and the field stops a bullet Hamilton fires at him. Releasing Clark, Hamilton explains his funding was cut as government scientists insisted his methods were too dangerous. Clark hears a disturbance at City Hall and as Cat turns to speak to him, she finds he has gone.

A burrowing machine is opening fire at City Hall. Superman determines that the machine is being controlled from within and speculates it may have been responsible for the destruction of the office building. Swooping down, he is first blasted into a wall and then, ensnared by coils from the machine, thrown clean through a second. Voices from the machine claim that the Freedom League is seeking retribution for slain countrymen and America's 'terrorist activities'. The machine blasts Superman again, bringing several levels of a building down on top of him. Inside the machine, we see the men and women controlling it, two of them discuss the fate of a comrade, number eleven. A woman comments that despite number eleven meaning something to her, he knew the risks he was taking. She is glad that it will be her, next. Superman struggles to the surface only to be ground back into the rubble by the machine, which escapes as police stand by, watching helplessly.

Lois brushes by Jimmy Olsen on her way out of the Daily Planet. As she leaves, she is bundled into the back of a limo by its driver, who explains that Mr. Luthor insists upon seeing her. Lois fumes, drawing comfort from the fact she can press charges of kidnapping and assault and battery.

Superman pounds his way free of the debris and rescues a policeman trapped under the rubble. Unable to find either the machine or any trail left by it, he flies off to see Inspector Bill Henderson of the MPD. Henderson informs Superman that the State Department think the attacks are being carried out by Qurac terrorists. Reports come in that the Daily Planet is under attack and Superman speeds over to the Planet and engages a different, flying, machine. As he muses where the money and technology came from to finance this operation, wondering if Luthor may be involved, three other machines (two of the hovercraft and the burrowing machine that attacked City Hall) move in behind him and open fire. As Superman thinks that stopping them could be the death of him, the machines begin to link together into one, powering up ready to attack...

Lois is taken to Luthor's private concord. As the plane takes off, Lex apologizes for the manner in which Lois was brought to see him, but tells her he knew she would not have come otherwise. He has discovered that the chemical plant where Lois' mother was hurt is a minor subsidiary of Lexcorp, one that he didn't even know he owned. As he feels responsible for what has happened, Lex has spent two weeks in a lab and with the aid of his finest scientists has created a serum, which if administered every month, will save Elinore's life. All Lex asks for in return, is dinner with Lois; the chance to let her see another side to him. Lois reluctantly agrees. After dinner, as Lex's concord flies Lois home, Lex discusses events with a female member of Lexcorp staff; telling her that he has won. Indebted to Lex and confused by his noble act, Lois will have to come to him every month, giving Lex the opportunity to slowly gain what he wants; her love. She doesn't know that Lex could have created a single use serum, or even suspect that Lex caused her mother's accident in the first place...

Story - 5: The first thing that really strikes me about this story, looking back at it 19 years on, is how (sadly) relevant aspects of it are today with acts of terrorism on American soil. I'm not wanting to go into politics here, but with current world events, this storyline; published in 1987 and as such predating even the first Gulf War, can be seen as scarily predictive.

More importantly for the first issue of a revamped title, we get a good first look at the supporting cast and main character. I think that all of them are well-written, giving us an insight into their character. Clark slightly bumbling, Superman thoughtful and acting positively, Lois a driven, hard bitten (I'm avoiding using the word b***h here) reporter, Perry very much the man in charge, whilst being caring at the same time, Jimmy (in his brief two panel appearance) being polite, somewhat ineffective and all "Jeepers, Miss Lane!", Cat Grant vivacious and sexy. We catch brief glimpses of Sam, Elinore and Lucy Lane, are introduced to Inspector Henderson and Professor Hamilton (I won't ruin anything here for you at this point about either of them, heh-heh) and get a subtle introduction to many of Clark's powers, beyond the obvious flight and strength.

I particularly liked the dialogue between Inspector Henderson and Superman, with Supes asking after Henderson's family by name and him replying that Superman will have to come over for dinner again. Little touches like this and the fact that when buried under rubble, Superman has to try and forget about the pain and dig his way an inch at a time, served to humanize the character for me and bring him down to earth a little. I also found it refreshing that Clark looked at Cat Grant and basically thought 'phwoaarr" - an honest reaction. I've got to wonder though. Clark meets a woman he finds attractive and less than a minute later, he's 'accidentally' fallen on top of her. Hmm. And with all his abilities, Superman couldn't find any trace of the Freedom League's large, orange burrowing machine. Not anything?

Still, our hero is in place, l feel I can relate to him and even sympathize with this super strong, flying alien being. This issue sets the scene, gives you some good action sequences, a serving of mystery and the chance to really go 'boo' and 'hiss' at the top of your lungs at a marvelously sinister Lex Luthor; a man you can just love to hate.

As a kid, I liked Superman, but he wasn't my favorite superhero. I felt he was just... too powerful. He could drink oceans, push planets and do, well, pretty much anything. I preferred a certain web-headed hero at the time, whom I found more vulnerable and, dare I say it... more interesting. Then I saw Superman: The Movie at the cinema with my Mother when I was seven and I'll never forget coming out afterwards, ready to go home. I just felt like I could fly. That film has always been very special to me. It made Superman an unforgettable part of my childhood. I'll always remember that feeling of elation, of... possibility which I had whilst holding onto my mum's hand and waiting for the bus home. So years later, when a friend tells me they've re-launched the Superman comic books, I was interested, but only mildly. Then my friend told me "No, I think you'll like it. This Superman is different. It's all about a bit less of the super and more of the man." I found out John Byrne was one of the driving figures behind the relaunch. I'd really enjoyed his work on Alpha Flight and so, curious; I borrowed a few issues from my friend. (Thanks, Rich!) A month later I'd tracked down the Man of Steel mini series, all three or four back issues of the post-crisis Superman, Adventures and Action titles and had a standing order in place for each. I was hooked. A more realistic Superman, a mild mannered but much more likable Clark Kent, an intriguing Lois, great supporting cast and really good artwork. So, nineteen years later, I've stuck with all the Superman titles through thick and thin, buying them even when I've thought ' man, this is getting really poor' and always hoping for that writing team, or change of direction that'll make me sit up and go 'wow, this is super again'. And now our big blue cheese is stuck in the middle of an Infinite Crisis and I can't remember the last time when I've enjoyed reading Superman comics this much. I feel that my loyalty to this character has been justified and rewarded.

(My favorite sound effect this issue was 'ZZZWWHHCCCHHHMM' as the hover tank glides menacingly up to the office block.)

Art - 4: Why not a full five out of five? Well, some panels just look a little... off. Take, for instance; Sam Lane on page 1 and Cat Grant on the last panel of page 5. I feel that the inking lets the pencils down in places. That said, I think there's some really good art here; our splash page first look at Superman on page 12, watching him crouched down on top of the cinema, squaring off against the linked Freedom League machine. All the characters look recognizably different, Superman looks particularly powerful (almost a little too chunky in places) and there's lots of nice background detail in the panels. So, all told? A good first look at the art team of Ordway and Machlan, with just the odd minor let down here and there. (I'd give the art 4.5 out of 5, but I'm sticking to whole numbers)

Cover Art - 5: What can I say? A simple, striking and iconic image. The painted effect in the background helps this cover to jump out at you and the lighting on Superman's cape and uniform is a nice touch. There's also the added subtlety of the whole 'Truth, Justice (and the American Way) sentiment with the Eagle. There could perhaps have been a bit more detail on the buildings, or Supe's musculature, but for me this doesn't detract from what I think is one of the best Superman covers ever. Way to go, Jerry!