posted March 22, 2002 03:14 PM       

Or is MY memory going?

And what's the link to Superman Through The Ages? My old link doesn't work anymore, and I was afraid the site was gone.

Who ELSE besides me was severely disappointed when Julie Schwartz declared a moratorium on continued stories in the Superman titles, and we often didn't even get an issue-length tale? I always thought that policy stopped the new Luthor, Brainiac, and Vandal Savage storylines going on in the books at the time (especially the VS one)...

------------------
VISIT MY SUPERMAN PAGE: http://www.angelfire.com/mo3/gernot0/PAGES/Superman.html Thanks! ;)

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"General? Would you care to step outside?"

********************

Robin: "Holy Oleo!"

Catwoman: "I didn't know you could yodel."

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"When Polly's in trouble, I am not slow! It's hip, hip, hip, and awaaaaay I go!"

********************

posted March 23, 2002 12:52 AM    

quote:

---

BruceWayneMan wrote:
Quite possibly the funniest comic I've ever read is the second story in Action 570 (written by Craig Boldman, August 85) - "The Superman who Came to Dinner"

---

I wish I could read that comic. It sounds hilarious!

quote:

---

the reason for Superman's bizarre behaviour in this story isn't readily apparent

---

What was the reason?

quote:

---

I can't describe Howard Bender's artwork in this story but it constantly shows Superman with an oblivious, cheery grin on his face.

---

posted March 23, 2002 07:27 AM    

quote:

---

Originally posted by India Ink:
The last link to Superman Through The Ages doesn't work anymore. I've been trying to find a new link, but sofar no luck. As soon as this site is up again I'll put the link here for everyone.

---

Thanks, India.

posted April 21, 2002 09:30 PM    

----by Jim Starlin----

introduction: Is this a new slim tradepaperback collection from DC?

Well I'd like to hope. But no.

However since Marvel has just released a new edition reprinting Starlin's work on their Capt. Marvel--called The Life and Death of Captain Marvel--I got to thinking why not Starlin's Superman in DC Comics Presents?

In the space of a year, DC Comics Presents proudly boasted six Jim Starlin stories in its pages (all with Starlin covers)--from the October 1980 coverdate to the September 1981 coverdate.

I say Starlin stories, but this is a matter for some discussion, since all six stories featured the scripting talents of other esteemed writers, and just what they contributed and what Starlin created I wouldn't venture to guess. Although, I believe that Jim did all of these tales Marvel style--meaning the pictures came before the words.

contents:

DCCP 26 (Oct '80)--w. Green Lantern, "Between Friend & Foe!" (17 pages) Marv Wolfman: script; Jim Starlin: plot/pencils; Steve Mitchell: inks.

DCCP 27 (Nov '80)--w. Martian Manhunter, "The Key that Unlocked Chaos!" (17 pages) Len Wein: script; Jim Starlin & "Quickdraw": art.

DCCP 28 (Dec '80)--w. Supergirl, "Warworld!" (17 pages) Len Wein: script; Jim Starlin/Romeo Tanghal: art.

DCCP 29 (Jan '81)--w. The Spectre, "Where No Superman has gone before," (17 pages) Wein: script; Starlin/Tanghal: illustrators.

DCCP 36 (Aug '81)--w. Starman, "Whatever Happened to Starman?" (25 pages) Paul Levitz & Jim Starlin: storytellers.

DCCP 37 (Sep '81)--w. Hawkgirl, "The Stars, like Moths...!" (17 pages) Jim Starlin: plot/art; Roy Thomas: script.

posted April 21, 2002 10:30 PM    

[b]THE LIFE AND (near) DEATH
of SUPERMAN[b] (cont'd)

prologue: "Between Friend & Foe!"

Marv Wolfman was doing double duty in no. 26--not only was he working with Starlin on this issue's Superman/GL tale, he was also working with George Perez on this issue's preview insert story--a little thing called "The New Teen Titans."

Titans is a subject for another forum (but wierd that Starlin wrote about one set of Titans in the Marvel universe, while Marv wrote about another in DC's). As for "Between Friend & Foe!" it was a modest effort that had Superman taking on an impostor Green Lantern.

It all starts on "The satellite headquarters of the Justice League of America, an orbiting modern-day Camelot where 20th century knights group before the battle is begun..."

Here we find Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) relieving Superman on monitor duty. After the Man of Steel has said his adieus and departed the satellite, GL receives an incoming telepathic call of some urgency from Archon Z'Gmora, the Green Lantern of Cygnus, pleading for the Terran GL's aid.

Which strikes Hal as odd since "Archon's never been all that friendly...not since that matter on Altair-Four!"

After charging up his power ring, Hal pops into a lost dimension in the timestream where the Cygnian is hunched on one of many floating planetoids in this cosmic spacescape. Only it turns out it isn't the Cygnian GL, but an impostor who has taken Archon's form.

The impostor is in reality N'Gon, a big lump of an alien. N'Gon used to "soar through the star studded cosmos as a singular entity...," but when he/it reached the solar system of a green sun, that sun's energy caused N'Gon to divide in two. The two N'Gons instantly hated each other and turned upon one another in fierce battle, but the two found that neither could best the other for they were too evenly matched in power.

So each set off on its own journey through the cosmos, in search for more power with which to destroy the other. This N'Gon "sought out beings possessing incredible power..." and with each being it vanquished, the N'Gon assumed that form of its last victim before moving on to yet another conquest. Until it found Archon.

But the Cygnian GL ordered his ring to destroy itself in the heart of an exploding star before N'Gon could seize that powerful object. Fatally wounding Archon, N'Gon assumed the form and memories of the Cygnian, and with those memories realized that there were other GLs it could trap and hopefully gain one of their rings.

And thus Hal was brought into this trap, and in short order he is felled by N'Gon who obtains the ring of power.

Now, with Hal's memories, N'Gon seeks to conquer the mightiest champion in the universe, the Son of Krypton, the Metropolis Marvel, the much heralded Man of Steel, the Action Ace, the Starchild, he who fights for Truth, Justice, and the American Way, the legendary Superman!

Meanwhile, in Metropolis, the Man of Tomorrow is about to save a man from falling to his death, when suddenly Superman finds himself inexplicably transported from Metropolis to this wierd lost corner of the universe.

Previously, however, when N'Gon struck at the Earth Green Lantern, Hal Jordan was quick enough to separate his astral body from his physical form (Green Lantern readers will remember that Hal sometimes travelled in his astral body to Oa when summoned by the Guardians of the Universe).
And now it is a phantom Jordan who looks on, while Superman has no suspicion that the Emerald Gladiator before him is none other than his friend, Hal.

The real Hal Jordan decides to rejoin his astral form with his physical body, and rises to contradict the false Green Lantern.

The N'Gon Hal tells Superman that he is the true "Green Lantern, in reality Hal Jordan!" But Superman knows that Hal would never disclose his secret identity to Superman where a third party could also hear, and so deduces who the impostor truly is.

But with the power ring at his command, N'Gon is not so easily defeated. Cleverly Superman wraps his cape around his arm, stretching the yellow S shield of the cape over his forearm to fend off the devastating blasts from the impostor GL's ring. (Do I need to say that, due to a necessary impurity, the power ring has no effect on anything yellow?)

However, N'Gon uses the ring to create a planetoid sized chunk of green Kryptonite and, exposed to its radiation, Superman is nearly done for. Yet, good and faithful friend, Hal, though without his ring, hurls a large rock with all his might, which strikes the impostor in the back of the head.

The momentary distraction causes N'Gon to lose his concentration, the will-powered Kryptonite phases out, and recovering Superman lands a punch that sends N'Gon flying off into the cosmos.

Supes hopes that the alien has learned his lesson and will not come back for more, but Hal notes that N'Gon is pretty stupid and will need a few lessons before he/it knows whats good for 'em. Surely, as long as the impostor has the ring, N'Gon will keep trying.

And sure enough the impostor comes back for more. Now the battle is on and Superman doesn't hold back. Using all his strength with one mighty blow, the World's Greatest Super-Hero renders the alien unconscious, and N'Gon reverts to that old lumpy form. Now, Superman easily removes the ring of power from the tendrils of the dormant creature.

But what of the man Superman was about to save when he was teleported to this other dimension? Surely he plunged to his death!

No. Hal knows that this dimension exists outside the regular timestream, and so the two champions of Earth emerge in Metropolis the very moment after Superman was teleported away. A green power-ringed mattress saves the falling man just in time.

--

posted April 22, 2002 04:03 PM    

"With power present in lantern's light,

No force shall stay my hand this night!

Let those who do prepare to fight,

Dare no man challenge N'Gon's might!"

________________

THE LIFE & (near) DEATH

of SUPERMAN (cont'd)

chapter I: "The Key that Unlocked Chaos!"

quote:

---

DC COMICS PROUDLY PRESENTS
SUPERMAN and MANHUNTER FROM MARS

--face-to-face in mortal combat... with the fate of a universe hanging in the balance!

It begins here, in the quiet third floor apartment of reporter Clark Kent--as a far-famed figure strips down to his working clothes...only to suddenly find he has an uninvited audience!

---

In a flash of pink smoke, an orb appears floating in Clark's apartment, and in the orb is the visage of a new nemesis for the Man of Steel, a being who identifies himself as Mongul. Aware of the Kryptonian's great power, Mongul is in reality safely far away, on board his spaceship, transmitting his message over a scrambled signal that Superman cannot trace. The jaundiced giant has made this communication in order to enlist the aid of the Man of Tomorrow "to retrieve an item which by rights belongs to me!"

Kal-El, brash and self-assured, responds, "I'm Superman--not some errand boy!"

Then Mongul plays his trump card, his "three diminutive 'guests'"--Jimmy Olsen, Steve Lombard, and Lois Lane, shrunkedn down and trapped inside a transparent cube which threatens to crush them to death unless Superman cooperates.

Mongul tells Superman that he searches for a crystal key "locked away in an isolated crypt."

Then Superman is instantly teleported to the fifth planet in the star-system of Cygnus. The same system that the deceased GL of the previous issue hailed from (although this is not referenced in this issue's story), while the fourth planet from the sun in this system is "New Mars"--adopted planet of J'Onn J'Onzz and his fellow displaced Martian compatriots.

Superman realizes that this Mongul cannot be up to anything good, but playing for time he goes to the crypt on the barren fifth planet, only to be confronted by his former Justice League friend, J'Onn J'Onzz, who worns Superman off, forbidding him to obtain the crystal key.

Demanding an explanation, Superman listens as the Martian Manhunter relates the history of the key:

Hundreds of years ago there was a race of aliens called the Warzoon (red-skinned, bug-eyed, Khund like beings) who lived their lives of war, conquest, and destruction. In their ultimate effort to make themselves masters of the universe, the Warzoon constructed a satellite of enormous size.

quote:

---

"Nuclear missiles several miles high dotted the satellites surface, flanked by macro-laser cannons capable of incinerating entire worlds...

"Monstrous engines made the satellite mobile, allowing it to traverse space at incalcuable speeds...

"They called this satellite--Warworld!"

---

However, before they could employ their great weapon in their ultimate conquest of the cosmos, all of the Warzoon died mysteriously.

Then another race of alien came to Warworld, called the Largas (tall metallic skinned beings with smooth faceless heads), a peace loving people who discovered the last of the Warzoon seated at the controls of the massive satellite and quite dead.

As destruction was foreign to the Largas, they could not bring themselves to destroy Warworld, but merely reprogrammed its defenses so that no one might enter the satellite again, except by using the sonic vibrations of a crystal key.

The ancient race of Largas, however, were slowly dying off. Over the centuries after their discovery of Warworld, their numbers dwindled until there was but one left.

Realizing that his life would soon end, the last Larga sought out those in the galaxy who might continue the sacred trust of his people. At last he found the Martians of "New Mars," who he believed held the same non-violent philosophy. This last survivor of an ancient race entrusted the crystal key to the care and safekeeping of the Martians--then the last Larga died.

And so the Martians have protected the crystal key since.

J'Onn's tale having ended, Superman is still undeterred in his errand and will stop at nothing to get the key. The two champions fight each other with all the powers at their command. The barren landscape rings with the sound of their devastating blows. Kryptonite-tipped missiles are deployed at J'Onn's initiative, but the Man of Steel deflects them with his super-breath. The fight continues. Superman uses his heat vision to ignite a ring of fire on the ground surrounding them. Weakened, J'Onn continues to struggle, never admitting surrender, but with one final blow the Kryptonian sends his friend crashing to the ground.

Now inside the crypt, Superman obtains the crystal key, and then emerging outside he sees a spaceship the size of a "small city" hovering above the barren surface of the fifth planet. Mongul's ship.

When the brute alien demands the key from Superman, the Man of Tomorrow (with some sorrow) refuses, knowing that he has sentenced his friends to death. From their cube prison, the diminished three urge him to sacrifice them rather than allow Mongul to enslave the universe.

When Mongul attempts to make good on his threat, however, he finds that the controls for the cube have been shattered. Olsen, Lombard, and Lane at once emerge on the planet's surface, full-sized and free.

Believing that Superman destroyed the controls somehow, Mongul flashes his powerful eyebeams at the Man of Tomorrow--sending Superman flying, as the key falls out of his hand.

Mongul bends to pick up the fallen key, as J'Onn phases out of invisibility--for it was he who destroyed the controls to the crushing cube and freed Superman's pals. Now J'Onn launches forward at Mongul, but the giant alien throws him aside. Superman next attempts to wrestle the key away from Mongul, but the merciless alien disappears in a flash, gone without a trace, taking the crystal key with him.

J'Onn J'Onzz now angrily turns on his friend:

"The entire universe...will have to pay the price of your failure! I warned you that you were dealing with forces beyond your comprehension--but you were just too overconfindent--too egotistical--to listen!"

Chastened by J'Onn's remarks, Superman makes a solemn vow, "I'm going to track down Mongul, no matter where in the univers he may be hiding--and recover the crystal key...or die trying!"

next: Supergirl and "Warworld!"

posted April 22, 2002 11:19 PM    

Superman through the ages:
http://theages.superman.nu/

Now on with

posted April 23, 2002 12:19 AM    

quote:

---

DC COMICS PROUDLY PRESENTS SUPERMAN AND SUPERGIRL

--together in an adventure that spans the universe!

They soar through the infinite vastness of space--as if it were their natural element--and perhaps in a way it is!

For their home was a planet light years distant from our own--a world destroyed in a shattering paroxysm of pure primal fury.

And now the galaxy's two greatest defenders hurtle across the void to prevent their adopted planet Earth--and untold other worlds as well--from suffering a similar fate!

---

With her vision powers, the Maid of Steel picks up the sub-atomic particle trail of the nuclear powered Warworld. Supergirl is ready for action, but Superman cautions his cousin to be careful--Warworld is unlike anything they've come up against before.

Then the Man of Steel spots the rogue satellite a couple of light years away. They think that it is passing in front of a dwarf star only to realize that the dwarf star is passing in front of it, and Warworld is larger than the star! Nor does the intense gravity of the dwarf star have the slightest effect on the satellite's trajectory.

Discretely the two use their vision powers to scope out the contents of Warworld--"an armored landscape studded with the instruments of war--all controlled by a vast computer system that forms the artificial planet's core!"

Its vast city is empty, while on at the boundary of the metropolis is a funeral mound of graves--a silent testament to the pervasive death of all the Warzoon.

Then their gaze spies the command console which controls the entirety of Warworld--unoccupied. Next, outside the control room, they spot one other grave. And striding past it, at last, they spot Mongul.

But Superman's gaze is too narrow. Supergirl cautions him to widen his view and look past Mongul. A succession of panels widen out from Mongul, to the city, to a vast background, to finally reveal a warhead that dwarfs the urban landscape.

Meanwhile the alarm systems have alerted Mongul that there are intruders on its perimeter. He takes his seat in the command console and puts the control device over his head, with which his thoughts control all the malevolent machinery of the artificial planet. His mind is expanded, allowing him to see the far distant Kryptonians approaching.

Then Mongul launches into a soliloquy, telling of how he once was overlord of billions on another world--misunderstood by the masses, labelled as a "tyrant." The populace revolted, taking up the cause of "the ancient Arkymandryte who came suffling down out of the mountains..."

Stirring up religious fervour in the people, the Arkymandryte unseated Mongul from his throne. Mongul fled in his spaceship, while the Arkmandryte became an even worse despot than the overlord he had overthrown.

But now Mongul will taste revenge as he becomes ruler of an entire universe!

Rousing from his brief reflection, Mongul launches an assault of massive weaponry upon the daring duo. Standing in the path of one great missile, Superman narrowly escapes its destructive might and realizes that he and his cousin would never survive such a direct blast.

But then he devises a clever plan. "Are you game?" he asks Kara Zor-El. And she answers Kal-El with these prophetic words, " Are you kidding? Who wants to live forever anyway?"

Now the two survivors of Krypton face down a swarm of missiles and a barrage of macro-laser cannons. Time and again they expertly dodge the deadly assault. Provoking Mongul to give full expression to his blood-lust as his mind controls the satellite's vast array of firepower through the comman console.

For Superman has realized that the Warzoon died one by one, as each took his turn utilizing the conrol helmet. One by one they died of a cerebral hemorhage as the command console took its toll. Until the last one, too, died and was discovered by the Largas still seated in the console.

The pain is too much for Mongul, and he throws off the helmet and collapses unconscious to the floor.

Now while he is down, the Kryptonian cousins must take the opportunity to destroy Warworld.

Supergirl flies off a galaxy away. Then abruptly turns and soars at full power directly toward Warworld. And as she traverses the galactic distance she gains in speed, passing light speed, going faster than seems humanly possible. Speeding straight into Warworld--going so fast that its defenses can't detect her, let alone stop her, and speeding straight through the other side, and onward to who knows where.

The Maid of Tomorrow has cleared a path for Superman, who immediately follows after her into the satellite before the defenses can close up the hole--speeding toward the computers and programming Warworld to launch an attack upon itself, directing all of its weaponry inward. Before the great cataclysm of destruction, Superman goes to the control room in search of Mongul, but the alien has gone, and Superman has no time to search for him before everything goes "KWA-WA-WA-WHOOM!"

posted April 23, 2002 01:03 AM    

Anyway let's not waste space with the niceties. It's time for...

chapter III: "Where No Superman Has Gone Before"

quote:

---

DC COMICS PROUDLY PRESENTS SUPERMAN AND THE SPECTRE--

together in a confrontation that will redefine mortality!

---

A brief description really doesn't seem possible for this truly awe inspiring story.

So rather than try, I'll just hit the highlights. The actual comic has to be read to be fully appreciated...

Superman sets out to find Supergirl. He had a wonderful brain in those grand old stories. Already you've seen it put to good use in the three previous stories. This time he uses his mind to calculate the exact trajectory of Supergirl from the Warworld. As soon as the answer comes to him he's off like a shot, following the exact same path.

Superman pushes on at speeds beyond anything he's ever done before (I'd contradict this with a reference to a Cary Bates story, but who wants to slow things down? so let this stand). Past all barriers of time and space he goes, yet still he hasn't caught up with Supergirl.

Testing his endurance, breaking down all barriers, past "the very bonds of infinity!" And here Superman is shown flying through space in the shape of the infinity symbol. Until at last he spots Kara (who is unconscious). And he speeds toward her. Only smack up against an oversized Spectre, hitting him right against the bread basket.

And then talk talk. Argument, argument. Superman was going where no mortals may ever go. Superman is only intent on getting to his cousin. Spectre is unbeatable and Superman can't get past. Cosmic landscapes.

Then the Spectre shows Superman Krypton as it was (all in a cosmic sort of way of course). All the times Superman tried to change the past--save Jor-El, Lara, all his people. But he never could. He grabs hold of the Krypton sphere before him and it explodes in his embrace. Then he sees Jonathan Kent, someone else he could not save. And then the Grim Reaper itself stands before him--Death. "Death is everywhere, child!" it says.

Then Spectre tells Kal-El that even a Superman with all his powers has his limits. Then Superman's dark self appears and the two fight, and Spectre tells Superman to open his eyes--and at last Superman realizes his foolishness.

Then big John Costanza words appear in the heavens before Superman:

quote:

---

And admitting your foolishness is the first step on the path to true wisdom, my son!

---

Then Spectre gives away the big secret, "by pursuing" Supergirl "you risked the destruction of civilizations beyond numbering" because Superman was travelling so fast, shattering so many barriers, "until only one remained...that golden veil beyond which living man may trespass!"

And Superman realizes what he would have done if he had shattered that last barrier between the living and...

quote:

---

Aye, my good and faithful son, know your heart speaks true..and rejoice!

---

And Superman pleads with the Voice for his cousin's life.

And Spectre tells him all he had to do was ask. And Supergirl materializes (sleeping) in the arms of the Spectre. Superman takes hold of her gently and confesses to the Spectre that he has learned "Power for power's sake is utterly worthless! Power is meaningless until it is tempered with conscience!"

Then Spectre is gone and Supergirl awakens and asks her cousin to tell her what happened, saying, "Tell me about it! I've got all the time in the universe!"

posted April 23, 2002 02:49 PM    

Mike Burkhalter: "...'Where No Superman Has Gone Before" was remarkable because it was so different. It had a different style and tone; it did not progress naturally from the two previous issues. Instead, you sort of twisted everything around. Superman's and Supergirl's powers defeated Mongul in # 28, but soon they would be in a realm where physical powers were meaningless..."

Mark LaGasse: "'Where No Superman Has Gone Before' has gone where no comic book has gone before. In clarification: Superman travels beyond the reaches of infinity, presumably to the edges of what we Christians call Heaven. That is probably the best was to describe DCCP # 29 too--its excellence went beyond infinity and, after reading it, we readers were in heaven.

"Superlative is a weak adjective to describe Len Wein's script. It caps off a perfect three-parter. The supercilious, egotistical arrogance displayed by Superman in # 27 was fully and satisfactorily taken care of in this issue. Although the Man of Might was not too overbearing in # 28, I was glad to see him temporarily resume his 'stronger than thou' attitude this month. The Spectre changed all that. In what amounted to a deep psycological drama, the story showed an omniscient Spectre teaching an unreceptive Superman how to use his great powers. Through images of an exploding Krypton, the Grim Reaper's vist to Pa Kent, and finally, Superman's 'dark side,' The Spectre succeeds in his mission to teach Superman some humility.

"What ultimately does the trick, though, is the 'dark side' business. Superman must fight, if you call it that, a representation of his own unrestricted power, one without conscience or remorse. When Superman realizes its mindlessness, he has learned his lesson: 'Power is meaningless...until it is tempered with conscience.'

"All in all, an abnormal story for DCCP, but abnormally spectacular!"

Randy Miller: "It's hard to believe that DCCP # 28 and 29 had the same writer/artist team. A storyline that started out on a typical but competent hero-against-an-arsenal bent ended with the most startling team-up of this or any other year: Supeman and God!

posted April 23, 2002 04:13 PM    

cover:

A FULL-LENGTH NOVEL
________________________

| (DC) COMICS PRESENTS | [50c]
_________________________ALL NEW!

THE ULTIMATE COSMIC CONFLICT NO.36
_________________________AUG.

SUPERMAN AND STARMAN
_________________________

VERSUS MONGUL THE MERCILESS!
_________________________

.

.

.

.

__________________________

A UNIVERSE TORN ASUNDER!
__________________________

first page heading...

quote:

---

Born Kal-El on the doomed planet Krypton, he grew up as Clark Kent on Earth and is now famed throughout the universe as the greatest hero of all time...

SUPERMAN and

Born Prince Gavyn of a far-flung interstellar empire, he was executed as a sacrifice to a stable throne--reborn a hero, he lives on as...

STARMAN

---

Although The Spectre story is probably one of the best Starlin associated stories, for Starlin's Mongul I would pick this one over the "chapters I" and "II." In the team-up with the Manhunter from Mars, Mongul is simply the engine that moves the plot forward. While, other than in his soliloquy, Mongul doesn't get much panel time in the Superman/Supergirl "Warworld" story.

But here with 25 pages to work with, despite the fact that the first part of the tale is mainly given over to Prince Gavyn's story, Starlin really displays the true brutishness of the Mongul character (with the help of Mr. Levitz, of course).

And this version of Gavyn/Starman reminds one more than a little of Starlin's Capt. Marvel. Ditko and Levitz already had made a character who had more than a passing resemblance to Mar-Vell, but with Starlin's full illustrations and a new costume (blue/black with yellow accents, instead of red & yellow) the similarities are compelling.

The story begins on an asteroid graveyard, the final resting place of one hundred and twelve residents--the royal line of those who have worn the "crown imperial." Only Lord Sharakan and Starman are here to mourn the passing of Clryssa, Empress of a Thousand Days and sister to Prince Gavyn.

In revery, Gavyn remembers his sad history. How he was ejected into outerspace (without a spacesuit), so to oust him from the line of succession, leaving his sister as claimant to the throne. But while he was supposed to die, he had certain mutant abilities that prolonged his survival his survival in outerspace. Mn'Torr came and saved him, trained him, gave him his solar powered gauntlets. Then Starman served as secret protector to his sister, with the assistance of Jedian Rikane, security officer to the Empress. While his lady love, Merria, supported her disguised prince.

Then Mn'Torr was sentenced to death by his own people for intruding upon the fates of other lifeforms. And Gavyn inherited Mn'Torr's mystic staff. Meanwhile, when Starman off of Throneworld trying to save Mn'Torr, Clryssa was murdered. And now the prince is about to assume the throne.

Returning to Throneworld from the asteroid gravesite, Starman finds the place in ruin--the result of the destructive rage of a monstrous alien invader, who made off with Merria.

Now Starman takes off through the cosmos in search of his lady only to be stopped by the ethereal vision of Mn'Torr, dispensing wisdom to his student. Giving this cryptic prophesy: "The Crown Imperial shall not survive."

Gavyn sets off again and finds Merria in a lush pasture on a distant planet. But she warns him off, as a monstrous shadow approaches. And Starman now confronts Mongul!

The battle is all too short as Prince Gavyn is no match for one so powerful and he awakens later to find himself diminished and trapped inside one of those transparent cubes (the same prison that held Jimmy, Lois, and Steve back in 27).

Mongul leaves with Merria, while a robotic guard stands watch over the imprisoned Starman. An unknowable amount of time passes, and then a strange and silent visitor arrives, melting the robot and turning off the prison mechanism--freeing Starman who emerges full size again.

Of course the strange visitor is Superman, summoned apparently by Mn'Torr, who told him where to find Mongul.

The two exchange histories and then Starman explains the origin of Throneworld and its interplanetary empire.

The first emperor was Rilsom, the first one to wear the Crown Imperial. He delivered an ultimatum to one world, demanding their surrender. When the leader of that world defied Rilsom, his planet paid the price as it blew up. Under the threat of such power, many other planets soon joined the empire.

Superman thinks that this empire isn't much better than what Mongul intends to create. But Gavyn explains that not all emperors who have worn the Crown Imperial were despots, some made great contributions to the planets under their reign.

The Crown Imperial is the key to power, for in the coronation ceremony it becomes attuned to the thoughts of those who wear it, and that link cannot be severed unless by death.

The two cosmic champions set off through outer space and Superman arrives on Throneworld to challenge Mongul. One big slugfest breaks out--of Star Trek proportions, with Mongul's shirt torn from his chest, revealing his Shatnerian yellow form--until after a few pages Superman is beaten down.

Meanwhile, Starman has entered into the solar system's sun, in search of a crystalline object, the doomsday device controlled by the Crown Imperial.

Having left Superman for dead, Mongul goes into his inner sanctum communication room, where he is in contact with all the leaders of the planets in the empire. He demands their allegiance and announces that first they will go after his old homeworld, striking back at the Arkymandryte who dethroned him, and then they'll take over the universe.

But the leaders will have none of it. As one leader tells Mongul, "According to our sensors, the doomsday machine you emperors have blackmailed us with has been destroyed."

Then Mongul threatens that he will use his own powers to destroy them. But he never realized that all the planets in the system have their own stardrive. They simply leave the system.

Next Superman and Starman confront the big, giant, ugly hairless ape and for a moment Mongul thinks he'll fight them, but then he decides otherwise and goes poof.

Prince Gavyn explains to Superman that he knew it was his destiny to destroy the doomsday device once he saw it, for he recognized its crystalline structure--the same type that Mn'Torr's people used. It must have been them who gave the device to Rilsom. And it was Mn'Torr who selected Gavyn to erase this wrong.

posted April 26, 2002 12:51 AM    

epilogue: "The Stars, Like Moths..."

As realized by Roy Thomas through his script, Hawkgirl (Shayera aka Shiera Hall) is the reason I love this tale so much. Plot wise it's not as grand as the previous tales that Starlin worked on, although the tie-in to Superman's geneology makes it of interest.

Told in the first person, from Shayera's docu-diary, after teasing us with a splash page shot of Superman being pulled into a fiery red sun, the story let's us into the Hawkwoman's world. By rights she should be called Hawkwoman here, since she campaigned for that right over in JLofA a couple of years before this story--the Hawkgirl references must be a chronicler's error.

Shiera gets a call from a male archeologist who wants to talk to Carter, but she keeps telling him Carter isn't there and her credentials are just as good as her husband's, seeing as they work together on everything. But the archeologist is hesitant to talk to her, expressing his wish to talk with her husband.

To quote Shayera

[QUOTE] "What fools these Earthmen be...to paraphrase one of their own more perceptive poets. But perhaps I'm being unfair, since the good professor couldn't have known that, as one originally sent to this planet to study certain aspects of its people, I know more about archeology than most of its Ph.D.'s.

She flies to the Amerindian site where Dr. Irwin Wright (the old archeologist) has found something definetly "not of Earthly origin." Shiera recognizes an inscription on the antechamber that Wright has unearthed--it's Kryptonese although not any sort she's seen before.

She calls in Superman (via JLA communicator) and at night they stealthily investigate in their superheroic identities. Superman recognizes the inscription as being of an older time in Kryptonian history. He then uses his knowledge of Kryptonian architecture to open a secret panel which enters upon a laboratory--a Kryptonian lab as might appear a century before the planet's explosion, but yet in some ways more advanced than even Jor-El's lab.

Then they find a projectron, a 3D recorder, which when turned on plays the image of Var-El--Superman's great-grandfather! Who relates the story of his great discoveries.

On Krypton Var-El developed his theory of the "Universal Solar Energies Storage System," but he was unable to test his theories because of the laws prohibiting such experiments. He then devised a teleportation ray which sent him to Earth, where he became super-powerful of course (although the powers he displays in the flashback seem more in keeping with the 40s Superman--no vision powers or other abilities of that sort).

Var-El built his hidden lab with his powers and created a dimensional device that connected with an X-dimension where the energy of exploding stars passes into and collects there in storage.

Superman opens the iris of this sort of Stargate device and is sucked into the X-dimension and pulled into a fiery red sun. Although, because this dimension collects solar energy from ALL suns, there's also bits of yellow sun energy in there as well, so that Superman is weakened but not yet entirely powerless or vulnerable.

posted April 26, 2002 05:59 AM    

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Posted by India...
But with the power ring at his command, N'Gon is not so easily defeated. Cleverly Superman wraps his cape around his arm, stretching the yellow S shield of the cape over his forearm to fend off the devastating blasts from the impostor GL's ring. (Do I need to say that, due to a necessary impurity, the power ring has no effect on anything yellow?)

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posted April 26, 2002 06:10 AM    

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Posted by India Ink:
A brief description really doesn't seem possible for this truly awe inspiring story.

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posted April 26, 2002 06:43 PM    

For Starlin art, however, DCCP 37 is not the best example. I think issue 36 is the most Starlin of them all. And what is Starlin art? Well for me it's not really professional. I think of the young Chaykin and Simonson when I see artwork by Jim Starlin, and, unlike Howard and Walt, Jim never really matured as an artist. Which might be a bad thing with most artists, but there's something about the fan-boyish nature of Starlin's work that makes me giddy. Or maybe it's because his work reminds me of all the pictures I drew with my ballpoint pen in my school notebooks when I was supposed to be listening to the teacher.

Frank Brunner is a good contrast. His work reminds me of Starlin, too, but where Frank is very professional, Jim is not. And Alan Weiss had an inking style that was very much suited to that Starlin style.

When Starlin gives full play to that fanboy look there's nothing above it--no matter how professional other artists might be. And that's issue 36. Total Starlin.

Whereas 37, although credited to Starlin, only has that look for the first few pages. It seems obvious to me that Romeo Tanghal inked some pages, while someone else or someones else likely inked other pages (Steve Mitchell seems a good guess).

posted April 27, 2002 01:29 AM    

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Posted by India Ink:
....all the pictures I drew with my ballpoint pen in my school notebooks when I was supposed to be listening to the teacher.

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posted April 28, 2002 05:24 PM    

These days the development from one story A) crystal key to B) warworld would be expected, although this would play out over several months. Superman would go back to Earth after A) and spend his time arguing with Lois and Batman before finally setting off in a space arc loaded with DC characters that other editors had agreed to lend out for the expedition. Then over the summer there would be a major battle with Warworld. Although it's more likely that Warworld would be in our solar system since DC characters don't very often traverse the cosmos these days.

But it's the C) of the plotline that's the kicker. After taking care of Warworld, instead of a mournful episode on Earth as the heroes bury their dead, we get essentially "My Dinner with Andre" in the realm beyond infinity, featuring Superman as Wally and The Spectre as Andre.

And this is THE SPECTRE. In those days the Spectre meant something. He was an agent of the cosmos and so perfectly fit into the story. I would never think about Spectre actually being Jim Corrigan when I read these stories. Yeah, in the back of my mind I knew that there was this other identity, but it wasn't a concern. These days when you see "The Spectre," you think--that's Hal Jordan-- first--and then you think that he has the power of The Spectre. Today's Spectre/Hal does have a lot of these kind of "My Dinner with Andre" talks in his own book, but he's unable to function as THE SPECTRE, wielding cosmic power, without reminding us that he used to be Parallax. So the Spectre can't function as that ultimate agent of the cosmos in the current DC books, because he's overloaded with too much baggage.