Man of Steel (Part the First) and more...
Good day, and I hope summer is treating you well. Thursday was an exciting day for me as my Kickstarter finally arrived, a collection of strips from the webcomic Irregular Webcomic!. Created by noted physicist and avid gamer Dr. David Morgan-Mar of Sydney, Australia, the strip itself features Lego mini-figurines and gaming figs as protagonists for various subjects such as Fantasy theme (which was the subject for the first collection which I also purchased), Space theme, Mythbusters, Steve Irwin vs Cthulhu, Pirates, Star Wars, and the like. But the theme that this book was based on was from the Indiana Jones franchise,which he has named Cliffhangers. The title of the collection I have received is Prepare for the Wurst!. It is hilarious and I recommend people check out this strip at: http://www.irregularwebcomic.net/. It's worth it.
Now on to our topic for the day, the Man of Steel serieses. (I don't know what the plural here is. Is it series, like the singular, serieses like every other noun of this type (spellcheck does not recognize so probably not.)) First, let's begin with a bit of background. It was 1985 and it was DC's 50th anniversary as a company and comic book publisher (starting with New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine in February 1935) and they had realized that their continuity was all over the place what with multiple Earths (and characters with the same name on at least one of them) and the various lines of defunct comic companies (like Charlton Comics) they had just purchased the rights to adding more dimensions to the potential product line and such. So the decision was made to simply the DC Universe into a new, more compact and easier to grasp universe. Thus Crisis on Infinite Earths was born. (Still flipping mad at Wolfman and Perez.)
1985 was an interesting year to be at DC. The company was celebrating it's 50th anniversary and there was optimism at headquarters. But there was some pessimism too. The comic department had realized how unwieldy that the continuity of the books were getting. There was great confusion for all the comics fans out there as there so many Earths and multiverses that it was hard to keep track of everything. Even on Earth-One (considered the main Earth for the events of the majority of DC Comics. I think All-Star Squadron was the one regular title at the time that wasn't main Earth-One.) A decision was made to: make continuity easier again by eliminating all but one Earth; and rebooting the main character histories so that they could be restarted.
With regards to Superman, the decision was made that Superman would truly be the Last Son of Krypton. Gone would be just about everything else from the background. No more Phantom Zone Villains, Dev-Em, Lost stories of Krypton, Krypto, Beppo, Kandor, and the worst of all, no more Supergirl. It is with this decision in mind that Kara Zor-El was killed in Crisis on Infinite Earths 7 (and why Barry Allen was killed in the next issue.)
DC also got lucky from a creative side of the ledger as well. Marv Wolfman managed to convince recent Marvel alumnus John Byrne (at this time famous for his work on the X-Men, Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight, all top sellers over at "the other company") that he was the guy to work on Superman and give him the ne story. Most of what he wanted to do was accepted by management and thus the green light to revamp Superman was given. First though, there as the matter of rapping up the current Superman's adventures, and this is where the embarrassment of riches continued. The legendary Alan Moore was tapped to write the final story, with art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. This story published, in Superman #423 and Action Comics #583 (both cover dated September 1986 but came out at the beginning of July.) finished the story of the Silver/Bronze Age Superman just before the release of Man of Steel #1
The story titled "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" begins in 1997, when reporter Tim Crane arrives to interview Lois Lane-Elliot find out hat exactly happened when Superman disappeared (and was presumed dead.) In flashback, Lois tells the story of how Superman returned from space to find Bizzaro killing himself. If that wasn't enough, the Toyman and the Prankster have tortured Pete Ross to find out who Superman's secret identity is. After getting the information and killing Ross, the two manage top reveal the secret to the world on live television. (Thus leading to the second death of a friend of Superman: Clark Kent.) Meanwhile, Lex Luthor comes across the missing headpiece of the Brainiac android, which he has been looking for in order to steal the technology. Luthor miscalculates, because as soon as the head is powered up it manages to take control physically and mentally of Luthor. They then pick up the Kryptonite Man and head towards the Fortress.
The Daily Planet is then assaulted by an army of Metallos and they manage to destroy the building, but Superman manages to get his remaining friends to safety at the Fortress of Solitude. Krypto arrives and suddenly they are joined by some of the members of the Legion of Super-Heroes, including a young Supergirl. The Legionnaires give Superman a statue of him holding a Phantom Zone projector inscribed with the words "His Supreme Hour." They leave, and Superman fears he is going to die too. (Thus ends part one.)
The next morning, the Legion of Super-Villains arrive to join Brainiac, and they place an impenetrable force-shield around the Fortress. In the battle that follows, having found artifacts allowing the reserve members of the Legion of Super-Heroes regain their super powers, Lana Lang and Jimmy Olsen join the fight. Lana subdues the Kryptonite Man and kills Luthor at his request; Jimmy breaks the force field generator, dying in the process. Cosmic King then neutralized Lana's powers, and Lightning Lord kills her. This is where we see Superman get extremely angry in a comic book where he might actually kill someone, and the Legion of Super-Villains flee back home in terror.
Then comes one of the most powerful sequences I have ever seen in a comic book (as pictured above). After a nuclear blast finally breaks the walls of the Fortress, the Kryptonite Man rushes in to kill Superman only to meet....Krypto. The dog gives his life to stop him.
When Brainiac finally stops as Luthor's body has gone into full rigor, Superman finally realizes that it is Myxzptlk who is behind everything that is going on. Showing himself in his true form (a fifth dimensional creature) and stalks Superman to kill him. Inspired by Lois, Superman finally realizes the significance of the statue that the Legion brought and gets the Zone projector. As Myxzptlk realizes what Superman has planned, he tries to escape as Superman turns on the projector, ripping him apart into at least three dimensions and killing him. As Superman has broken his code and taken a life, he decides to expose himself to Gold Kryptonite, losing his powers, and he walks out into the Arctic cold.
Later we see that Superman is Lois' husband and that they have a super powered son.
Next time, we will get into how this series came about and review the series.
Ottawa News and Notes: A friend of mine who went to the Kids Sale Day at the Comic Book Shoppe at Bleeker Mall this past weekend wanted me to give a shout out to them for the gret job they did organizing things. His kids enjoyed themselves.
August 19, 2018 brings us another Ottawa Geek Garage Sale, this time in Nepean at 86 Knoxdale Road (see details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/269932357146253/ ). After missing the downtown one I should be able to make this one, and I encourage you to get out so that the event can be a success. Remember, there events only work if we support them.
That is all for today, the next time we will continue our look into the Man of Steel mini serieses. Part 2 will be about Man of Steel 1986, Part 3 about Man of Steel 2018, and Part 4, the comparison and what is in store next for the Man of Steel himself. Until next time...
Now on to our topic for the day, the Man of Steel serieses. (I don't know what the plural here is. Is it series, like the singular, serieses like every other noun of this type (spellcheck does not recognize so probably not.)) First, let's begin with a bit of background. It was 1985 and it was DC's 50th anniversary as a company and comic book publisher (starting with New Fun: The Big Comic Magazine in February 1935) and they had realized that their continuity was all over the place what with multiple Earths (and characters with the same name on at least one of them) and the various lines of defunct comic companies (like Charlton Comics) they had just purchased the rights to adding more dimensions to the potential product line and such. So the decision was made to simply the DC Universe into a new, more compact and easier to grasp universe. Thus Crisis on Infinite Earths was born. (Still flipping mad at Wolfman and Perez.)
1985 was an interesting year to be at DC. The company was celebrating it's 50th anniversary and there was optimism at headquarters. But there was some pessimism too. The comic department had realized how unwieldy that the continuity of the books were getting. There was great confusion for all the comics fans out there as there so many Earths and multiverses that it was hard to keep track of everything. Even on Earth-One (considered the main Earth for the events of the majority of DC Comics. I think All-Star Squadron was the one regular title at the time that wasn't main Earth-One.) A decision was made to: make continuity easier again by eliminating all but one Earth; and rebooting the main character histories so that they could be restarted.
With regards to Superman, the decision was made that Superman would truly be the Last Son of Krypton. Gone would be just about everything else from the background. No more Phantom Zone Villains, Dev-Em, Lost stories of Krypton, Krypto, Beppo, Kandor, and the worst of all, no more Supergirl. It is with this decision in mind that Kara Zor-El was killed in Crisis on Infinite Earths 7 (and why Barry Allen was killed in the next issue.)
DC also got lucky from a creative side of the ledger as well. Marv Wolfman managed to convince recent Marvel alumnus John Byrne (at this time famous for his work on the X-Men, Fantastic Four and Alpha Flight, all top sellers over at "the other company") that he was the guy to work on Superman and give him the ne story. Most of what he wanted to do was accepted by management and thus the green light to revamp Superman was given. First though, there as the matter of rapping up the current Superman's adventures, and this is where the embarrassment of riches continued. The legendary Alan Moore was tapped to write the final story, with art by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. This story published, in Superman #423 and Action Comics #583 (both cover dated September 1986 but came out at the beginning of July.) finished the story of the Silver/Bronze Age Superman just before the release of Man of Steel #1
The story titled "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" begins in 1997, when reporter Tim Crane arrives to interview Lois Lane-Elliot find out hat exactly happened when Superman disappeared (and was presumed dead.) In flashback, Lois tells the story of how Superman returned from space to find Bizzaro killing himself. If that wasn't enough, the Toyman and the Prankster have tortured Pete Ross to find out who Superman's secret identity is. After getting the information and killing Ross, the two manage top reveal the secret to the world on live television. (Thus leading to the second death of a friend of Superman: Clark Kent.) Meanwhile, Lex Luthor comes across the missing headpiece of the Brainiac android, which he has been looking for in order to steal the technology. Luthor miscalculates, because as soon as the head is powered up it manages to take control physically and mentally of Luthor. They then pick up the Kryptonite Man and head towards the Fortress.
The Daily Planet is then assaulted by an army of Metallos and they manage to destroy the building, but Superman manages to get his remaining friends to safety at the Fortress of Solitude. Krypto arrives and suddenly they are joined by some of the members of the Legion of Super-Heroes, including a young Supergirl. The Legionnaires give Superman a statue of him holding a Phantom Zone projector inscribed with the words "His Supreme Hour." They leave, and Superman fears he is going to die too. (Thus ends part one.)
The next morning, the Legion of Super-Villains arrive to join Brainiac, and they place an impenetrable force-shield around the Fortress. In the battle that follows, having found artifacts allowing the reserve members of the Legion of Super-Heroes regain their super powers, Lana Lang and Jimmy Olsen join the fight. Lana subdues the Kryptonite Man and kills Luthor at his request; Jimmy breaks the force field generator, dying in the process. Cosmic King then neutralized Lana's powers, and Lightning Lord kills her. This is where we see Superman get extremely angry in a comic book where he might actually kill someone, and the Legion of Super-Villains flee back home in terror.
Then comes one of the most powerful sequences I have ever seen in a comic book (as pictured above). After a nuclear blast finally breaks the walls of the Fortress, the Kryptonite Man rushes in to kill Superman only to meet....Krypto. The dog gives his life to stop him.
When Brainiac finally stops as Luthor's body has gone into full rigor, Superman finally realizes that it is Myxzptlk who is behind everything that is going on. Showing himself in his true form (a fifth dimensional creature) and stalks Superman to kill him. Inspired by Lois, Superman finally realizes the significance of the statue that the Legion brought and gets the Zone projector. As Myxzptlk realizes what Superman has planned, he tries to escape as Superman turns on the projector, ripping him apart into at least three dimensions and killing him. As Superman has broken his code and taken a life, he decides to expose himself to Gold Kryptonite, losing his powers, and he walks out into the Arctic cold.
Later we see that Superman is Lois' husband and that they have a super powered son.
Next time, we will get into how this series came about and review the series.
Ottawa News and Notes: A friend of mine who went to the Kids Sale Day at the Comic Book Shoppe at Bleeker Mall this past weekend wanted me to give a shout out to them for the gret job they did organizing things. His kids enjoyed themselves.
August 19, 2018 brings us another Ottawa Geek Garage Sale, this time in Nepean at 86 Knoxdale Road (see details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/269932357146253/ ). After missing the downtown one I should be able to make this one, and I encourage you to get out so that the event can be a success. Remember, there events only work if we support them.
That is all for today, the next time we will continue our look into the Man of Steel mini serieses. Part 2 will be about Man of Steel 1986, Part 3 about Man of Steel 2018, and Part 4, the comparison and what is in store next for the Man of Steel himself. Until next time...
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