| Author | Topic: Superman in the 70s |
| India
Ink Member |
 posted August 24,
2002 07:02 PM 
Also the idea that Clark isn't handsome really just ticks me off. "The Second Superman the Movie Contest!" was announced in the January, 1979, issues of DC comics (Superman 331). First prize was given to only one contestant--the actual cape worn by Christopher Reeve in the movie (I suspect there were several made and used). There were 10 second prizes offered--a page of original Superman artwork. There were an unlimited number of third prizes offered--subscriptions to your favourite DC comics. There were 25 different trivia questions at the bottom of the letter columns in January, February (and in the case of Dollar Comics, March) coverdated comics. You had to answer these 25 questions (on the back of a postcard, ie. no cutting up comics this time), to be eligible for a prize. IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 26,
2002 01:36 PM
A few more thoughts about the secret identity. As I observed on a previous post, some pages back, there's a certain visual chemistry between Kent and Lane. Trying to picture Clark as NOT handsome in actuality is utterly fustrating. If Clark really isn't handsome, then the chemistry between him and Lois isn't there--it's only an illusion that I see??? No, Clark is a good looking gentleman, and next to Lois in a panel (especially as drawn by Swan and Oksner), you can't fail but to hope for some spark between the two. My feeling is that the affair between Clark and Lois had its roots in that visual chemistry first. Which made Maggin and Bates see it. Which dropped this romance in Pasko's lap. As I've also said before, Clark is like Cary Grant in a Howard Hawks movie. Archibald Leech played Cary Grant for most of his life, in most of his movies. I believe good ol' Archie even said that he really only played one character and that was Cary Grant. Yes there are some differences--sometimes he's poor, sometimes he's rich, sometimes he's British, sometimes he's American--but he's always Cary Grant. Which is probably why I enjoy his movies so much. Sometimes Grant is the fast-talking newspaperman in "His Girl Friday." But sometimes he appears a bit foolish in movies like "Bringing Up Baby" or "I was a Male War-Bride," and the humour only works because he is totally masculine in those parts. He can afford to be the fool without being an utter wimp, because we know that all-in-all he's a man's man. And that's down to him being so devilishly handsome. Same goes for Clark. Sometimes Clark is a straight-ahead newsman, but sometimes he's a bespectacled bumbler. However, we always can plainly see that he's a strong, handsome male--so he's never entirely a wimp. Watch Christopher Reeve in "Superman the Movie" playing Clark, and you see there an homage to Cary Grant in "Bringing Up Baby." Okay, enough with the movie business! IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 26,
2002 02:33 PM
Pesky's Progress--part VIII: "Who Dreams of You at Night" *** select comicography (Superman--a Pasko/Swan/Chiaramonte/Roy/Schwartz production--all covers Andru/Giordano, all stories 17 pages each): no. 331 (Jan. '79) "Lockup at 20,000 Feet!" (letters: Ben Oda) *** No, you don't know the one who dreams of you at night --"You Don't Know Me" written by Eddy Arnold & Cindy Walker, 1955. *** The two-parter in 331 & 332 continues the theme of identity that unites all of Mr. Pasko's work on this title--a natural result given the basic Superman premise. Schott goes through a transformation of personality when he believes Superman destroyed his toys. Biz also goes through a transformation when he believes his Bizarro World has been destroyed. Nam-Ek is forced to live as an outsider by his hideous immortality, when what he yearns for is to be a human being again among humanity. Amalak is transformed into a Kryptonian Killer, while an infected alien poses as a stray dog. Roger Corben is forced by Skull to become another Metallo like his dead brother. Clark can't marry Lois because he can't admit his true identity. Les Vegas trades identities with Kent. Pegleg Portia lives the illusion of a young, pretty pirate of the cosmos, but dies a forlorn old woman, last survivor of a doomed race. Solomon Grundy 2 of Earth 1 has "archetypal" memories of his "father" (E2 S.G. 1), and believes a red cape can make him fly, a red sheet can make him Superman. Dr. Albert Michaels is transformed by Skull into the Atomic Skull. Kobra seeks to destroy Superman by destroying a part of Clark Kent's timeline, what made him a Superman. General Derwent gives up his individual identity to join with the robot that it turns out caused him to lose his arm and so much more. Like most of us, when Clark looks in the mirror he sees himself as he believes himself to truly be, and cannot see himself as others see him. For the issues from 331-334, Lana Lang and her identity become the main focus of all the stories, even when it appears Lana is not the focus (even when she isn't in many scenes). As "Lockup at 20,000 Feet!" begins, Metallo is once more on the loose causing mayhem. He is swiftly brought to justice by the barefoot Action Ace. And on the channel 8 "6 O'Clock Report," co-anchors Kent and Lang bemoan the security at the prisons that allows these super-criminals to escape their jail cells. But a smiling Lana Lang announces this will all change tomorrow when the "Mount Olympus Correctional Facility" will be open for business. A maximum security prison that's "100 % escape-proof," the new facility was created by Carl Draper, who will serve as its warden. At that same time, in a well-appointed apartment, Carl Draper himself watches the "6 O'Clock Report" transfixed by the flame-haired beauty reading the news. He should be excited about his new project, but instead: "this past month--ever since I arrived in Metropolis--has been pure hell for me...because of her: Lana Lang:" Draper would never have taken the job if he knew Lana was in Metropolis--and she's become a beautiful woman. After 12 years, he's still obsessed! "It's driving me mad!!" After the newscast, Lana tries to make ammends with Lois and asks her if they might chat over dinner, but Lois blows her off, saying she has a date with Superman. "oh," says Lana Lang. As Lois leaves, Lana nurses her hurt, "'A date with Superman,' she
says--as if it were nothing! (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 26,
2002 04:59 PM
Pesky's Progress--part VIII: "Who Dreams of You at Night" (continued) *** The next day, Herbie Lewis (WGBS cameraman/pilot) and Lana Lang show up for Carl Draper's inauguration of the Mount Olympus Correctional Facility. Inmates include: Roger Corben (aka Metallo), Maxwell Raymond Jensen (aka The Parasite), and Albert Michaels (aka The Atomic Skull). Each convict is housed in his own specially constructed cell locked with a "power pack" that nullifies the specific power of each villain. Lana is bored with her news report until Superman shows up to enliven the taping. Impressed by Draper's facility, he does the prison warden one better by constructing, at super-speed, an anti-gravity platform that will allow the prison to float 20,000 feet above the Mount Olympus location [I assume that this "Mount Olympus" is situated just outside of Metropolis--the clever author may be making reference to a location already named in another story--and if so, any bright minds who know this story please point it out to your poor beleaguered fellow poster =>]. Superman also gives Draper a special signalling device to notify him in emergencies. The Man of Might refers to the floating facility as "Draper's Island" as he flies up, up, and away. "'Superman's Island' would be more like it! >sigh< That man is...something else!" Lana gasps. And Draper thinks, "Thanks Lana. Thanks a bunch!" And so Lana's report centres on Superman, cutting out Draper all together. While the morning papers declare: "TERRA-MAN TO BE MOVED TO SUPERMAN'S ISLAND" And so everyone forgot about Draper. Then a couple weeks later, at 3 am, a shadowy figure dons a macabre costume and tramps the corridors of "Superman's Island," removing the powerpacks from the prison cells while the inmates slumber. In his apartment, Clark (Superman) Kent awakens to the sound of Draper's emergency signal. At the prison he finds a half unconscious Draper who claims that his assistant, Latimer, attacked him, saying he was going to kidnap Lana Lang. Outside Lana's building, the Metropolis Marvel sees the macabre costumed villain blasting his way into Lana's apartment. But the Caped Kryptonian is stopped cold by the villain with a green energy blast. The marauder yells that Superman has always wanted "to be one up on everyone--especially me...ever since we were kids! For 12 years, my life has been misery--because of your glory grabbing! But this time...the glory will be mine!!" In Lana's bedroom the mysterious marauder puts her to sleep with one touch: "sleep--and when you awaken, I will be the only man you love--as I was meant to be!" Superman flies into the villain, but the mystery man resists him--telling him that his power comes from the power packs which get their power from the prisoners themselves. Using a combination of different villains' powers, the strange figure knocks out the Action Ace, slings Lana over one shoulder, and drags Superman off by the cape. When the Last Son of Krypton returns to consciousness he finds himself in a special prison designed by his masked foe--the Master Jailer--in reality Carl Draper! (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 27,
2002 01:47 PM
Pesky's Progress--part VIII: "Who Dreams of You at Night" (continued) *** At the end of 331, Draper reveals that he used a robot to take his place at the prison, to throw suspicion onto his assistant, Latimer, while Draper went off as the Master Jailer to abduct Lana and draw Superman into his trap. Imprisoned beneath Mount Olympus, his powers drained off with the Parasite power pack, Superman is doomed to remain in solitary confinement for the rest of his life "...as the lone inmate of my latest...'correctional facility'! HA HA HA" While Lana (still barefoot and wearing her nightgown, having been abducted from her bed) is trapped inside a glass cell in the Master Jailer's secret HQ inside the caves of Mount Olympus. The story continues in "The Eternity Cage" (332), as Superman makes his way through a mirrored maze in his specially adapted prison, scratching the mirrored walls with his belt buckle to mark where he's been. At one point in the labyrinth, partitions clang shut, trapping the Action Ace as overhead showers flood the cell. Scratching into the mirror surface, Superman crashes through into yet another phase of the meandering trap. At the same, as Draper observes his Kryptonian inmate via closed-circuit TV, Lana sobs asking the Master Jailer, "why are you tormenting him like this?" "Because I hate him--and so should you!" answers the prison-striped super-villain. "You've loved him for over 15 years--but you've got nothing to show for that misspent emotion! Has Superman ever returned your love? No! But he's never discouraged it, either! Instead for 15 years, he's strung you along...and cast his shadow over your happiness...by standing between you and the one man who does love you--and whom you could love--ME!!" Lana asks him how he knows all this--she doesn't even know who Carl Draper is! And the Master Jailer replies that she just doesn't remember him--"Moosie" Draper! Lana remembers that there was a Moosie back in high school, back in Smallville, but surely Carl can't be Moosie?! Moosie was fat and clumsy and stupid, laughed at by all the kids in school. Still, of all the kids in school, Lana was the only one who was nice to Moosie. But her attentions were elsewhere. With Superboy! Draper tells her of one day, all those years ago, when their geology club went on a spelunking trip in the caves outside Smallville. There was a cave-in, but Draper (at that time overweight and bespectacled--very different from the handsome, muscled Draper who is the Master Jailer), Draper was determined to be the hero and searched through the cave on his own, finding another way out. Yet when he returned to the group, Superboy had already broken through the cave-in and was rescuing everyone. No one had even noticed that Moosie was gone and his heroic effort went unknown. But the hurt and the rage pushed Draper to change himself. Diet, exercise, and some plastic surgery transformed him. He studied, improving his mind, becoming a master locksmith and architect. He escaped the prison of his "own grotesque body" and his "own pathetic personality." And he directed his efforts toward the social good, by designing secure penal institutions. The Mt. Olympus project was to be his crowning achievement, but instead it was Superman who grabbed the glory for "Superman's Island." "Depriving me of the affections of the woman I love...and all due recognition for my accomplishments...of that crime Superman has been found guilty--and sentenced to life imprisonment!" *** (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 27,
2002 11:43 PM
Pesky's Progress--part VIII: "Who Dreams of You at Night" *** For I never knew the art of making love, *** The mortal Superman, breaks through his watery prison into another part of the maze and emerges upon a narrow catwalk above a chasm. On the catwalk is a black panther and at the bottom of the chasm is an anaconda. And the breadth of the chasm is too far for the vulnerable Man of Might to jump. Keeping to his vow not to take a life, Superman wrestles with the panther, protected somewhat by his Kryptonian costume. Using his twisted up indestructable cape, the Action Ace applies pressure to the big "cat's carotid artery...temporarily cutting off the blood supply to its brain...knocking it out!" When Superman achieves the exit to the maze, he trips an electric eye that zaps him, rendering him unconscious. At this juncture, the Master Jailer rotates the entire maze 180 degrees, putting the Metropolis Marvel right back at the beginning of the maze. And the zap, from one of Draper's power packs, takes away Superman's memories. This is the Eternity Cage--"should Superman make it through a second time...the process will be repeated: Superman negotiates the maze...gets amnesia..and has to negotiate it again...and again...and again--if need be for all eternity! But it won't take that long, without his powers he'll die soon..." Now without memory, Superman has to figure out where he is, why he is, and who he is. He searches for a pocket and finds the only one he ha--in his cape. He puts on the clothes and dresses as Clark Kent--ah yes, that's who he is, but who else? Then he sees the 'S' on the back of his cape. Ah, he didn't recognize the symbol on his chest reflected in the mirror, but now..."now I know--I'M SUPERMAN!" And with that he smashes his fist through the mirror! At the same time, Draper has been talking to the captive Lana Lang. Asking her to see that he's the better man. But as he releases her from the glass cage to take her in his arms, she resists him. Gripping her arms hard, he claims, "I'm not insane--just...let's say optimistic...confident that you'll love me...the hard way if necessary!" And he forces himself on her, embracing her, forcing his kisses on her. But Lana uses the opportunity to grab the ring of keys suspended from his belt--the keys which are the power packs--and throws them into the monitoring system creating an explosion, destroying the trap controls and the power packs which drain Superman's powers. Thus Lang and Draper don't see Superman changing into his Clark Kent clothes, and thus Lana buys Superman the opportunity to regain his powers and escape his prison. As the Master Jailer manhandles Lana, the Man of Steel arrives and threatens that if Draper touches Lana, then Superman will touch Draper and "it's going to hurt--that's a promise!" A mighty fist pounds into a wall of the cavern hideout and a flying
rock hits the Master Jailer's head, knocking him out as he says, "Lana,
darling--whatever else you think of me...you must believe
>unnh< Her apartment demolished (in the previous issue), after taking Carl Draper into the police, Superman brings Lana to a hotel suite he's reserved for her. A grateful Lana says that the suite is beautiful, Superman is beautiful. She kisses him, but Superman puts her off. Oh she knows Superman is modest, but really the way he handled Draper was something--Draper, such an "awful man." Yet really she pities him, such a child to think he could have something just because he wanted it. "You're a fine one to talk!" Superman says. "But...but...," Lana says. Superman, "Please--let me finish, Lana! I couldn't have escaped Draper's trap without you--and I'm grateful for that! But if you think you can 'have' me...you're making the same mistake with me that Draper made with you!" "Whaat?!" "Do you think I'm blind?--Or stupid? Do you think I don't know how you've been chasing after me since you returned to Metropolis--pulling those stunts on poor Lois to ace out 'the competition'? "Look...we've been friends for years--and that won't change. But how can you honestly expect me to feel anything...more for you? If there ever was a chance for...us...you let it slip away." "What...do you...mean?" "In all the time you were in Europe, did you ever write to me? Or to Clark...or Lois..or Pete Ross..or any of your friends in the states? Just once? "No--for months at a time, we never knew if you were dead or alive!...And then out of the blue, you breeze back into town and expect everything to be like old times again! Well it won't work!" "But don't you understand? I love you!" "And I'm supposed to believe that? After all this time? No, Lana--you don't love me--you only think you do! "You're a magpie--you see something shiny and you just have to swoop down and grab it! Well I'm not yours for the grabbing--and it wouldn't be fair to let you go on fooling yourself! "You're not in love--you're starstruck! You want reflected glory...what you imagine to be the glamor of being 'Mrs. Superman'! And sometimes I think that's all you ever wanted..." The last four wordless panels, all on the bottom tier of the last, 17th, page, show Lana, alone, banging on the glass door of the suite after Superman has flown away, and then hanging her head in resignation. (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 28,
2002 01:14 PM
I have to say a few more words about the Master Jailer two-parter, before moving on. Upon reflection, I feel that this was the author's most accomplished work during his Superman run. That might not have occurred to me at the time--no doubt I was impressed by it, but I didn't put it into a context, and as far as I knew Marty Pasko would continue to write Superman for the rest of his days. Certainly the Nam-Ek/Amalak four parter had a lot going on, and an amazing final scene. But maybe there was too much going on. The author hadn't yet learned to control his enthusiasm--unleashing more super-stuff than could reasonably fit into four issues--while 331 & 332 find the same writer having progressed in his abilities to tell a well-made story. He intercuts scenes of action with scenes of exposition and dialogue; he moves to restrict the cast to just these three characters--Lang, Draper, and Superman; and he paces the story in such a way that it builds and takes a turn that isn't expected in the end. The two-parter is a visual triumph--proving that comics are truly a medium of expression unto themselves, using techniques that could be practiced nowhere else--not in cinema, not in prose, not in theatre. I like the colourless look of the Master Jailer. Drab black, white, and grey--his face is entirely obscured by a grey mask, his torso is framed by black prison stripes, and metallic white bands encircle his forehead, neck, forearms, and calves. Contrasted with the primary colours of Superman, the Jailer makes for a striking villain (quite different from all the gaudy costumed freaks who battled Superman over the years). Perhaps more importantly, while the captive flame-haired Lana wears a simple magenta nightgown that drapes her form, the Master Jailer presents a subdued (yet imposing) captor. In flashback, Moosie is an ordinary, overweight kid with glasses (the adolescent counterpart of many comic shop owners and comic book creators), while grown-up Carl--his shirt open, wearing chains around his neck, GQ model looks--is ready for the disco nightlife. There are many great scenes for Curt and Francisco to illustrate--the chilling scene in Lana's bedroom, the cavernous lair of the Master Jailer, the labyrinthine eternity cage, the struggle with the black panther--but the most effective is that final scene with Lana in the hotel suite (Lana, with her orange coloured hair, in a green and purple outfit--the exact opposite colour scheme to Superman's primary colours--the two characters clash). As the Master Jailer's captive, Lana is caught in a rectangular glass cage--about the size of a phone-booth. Framed inside this glass, she spends much of 332 listening to Draper's rants, staring out at him from behind the glass. When Superman is in the mirrored labyrinth, he spends a lot of time staring at himself framed in the glass surfaces. (Of course, the mirror is also a symbol of Draper's angst--his damaged self-image, his warped reflections on his life). It's significant that Superman breaks through the mirrored glass when he realizes his true identity. At the end of 332, Swan and Chiaramonte picture Lana in those four final panels, behind the rectangular glass. They picture her full form in the frame of the panel and the frame of the glass. She's trapped inside each panel, behind the glass. She's trapped just as much in those panels as she was in the glass cage. Powerless--trapped not by Draper, but by her own self and her feelings. Trapped within her life, within that moment of her life. Pounding on the glass, and then with her hands pressed to the glass, resigned. IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 28,
2002 02:34 PM
Pesky's Progress--part VIII: "Who Dreams of You at Night" *** You give your hand to me and then you say hello, *** Hee, hee. "Happy New Year...Rest in Peace!" opens on Bizarro World. Too bad my keyboard can't type letters turned backward--as with some of the spelling on Biz World. There's a Mr. Edge bizarro, too, and he finds Bizarro-Kent (Biz no. 1) tearing copy off the future scope teletype (with some letters turned backwards, this is labelled "FYOORCHUR SKOPE" ). Kent works for double-u MNS (UUMNS), at the Molekule Secrecy Building, home of the Molekule Narrowcasting System. Biz Kent has a big scoop from the future scope (instead of reporting what has happened--on Bizarro World they report what will happen). As big as Edge's scoop? "Dog Bite Bizarro is Big News!"--"Naw," Kent answers, "Future scope only predict Superman's friends get killed today--that all!" Since it isn't much news, Bizarro will go to Earth to report on it--Biz changes to Bizarro Superman in front of Edge. Edge is so pleased he will fire Kent. Meanwhile it's New Year's Eve and the real Edge plans to fly his entire party of Galaxy staff across the continent chasing after New Year's eves in the Galaxy-One supersonic aircraft--celebrating the new year four times as they touch down in different time zones. But not long after the merry-makers have taken flight, Bizarro Superman No. 1 tears through the fuselage in search of Superman's friends. As the cabin depressurizes, Lois Lane is sucked out of the plane--and Clark Kent pretends to be sucked out also so he can save her...as Superman. Doing the old flying so fast he seems to be in two places trick, Superman pretends to save Clark and then rescues Lois. Back inside the plane, Superman throws Biz outside with one mighty toss, then seals up the rent in the cabin. With his super-breath he re-pressurizes the plane, and then using some loose pieces of metal he creates a metal partition, sealing off a section of the plane, so he can leave from that part of the plane without de-pressurizing the rest of the plane again. It just so happens, after his ordeal, Clark is being sick in the lavatory at the forward section of the cabin, and thus is divided from the rest of the GBS staff. As Lois and Lana watch Superman engaged in battle with Bizarro outside the plane, Lane declares her absolute faith that Superman will take care of everything. While Lang has no such blind faith--in anything. She thinks to herself that maybe Superman is right to doubt her love, because she can't have total trust like Lois. So maybe he's right, "because how can you totally love someone without total trust?" Meanwhile as the Man of Tomorrow and Man of Bizarro battle it out in the forests of Pennsylvania, the absurd menace declares that he is there to save Superman's friends, as he knocks Superman back so hard that the Action Ace falls back into the prehistoric past. Or so Supeman believes. In fact, the Metropolis Marvel has been knocked into the future. When he tries to fly forward into the present, he actually arrives at a point in time in the future when Earth no longer exists--Superman recognizes that place in time from his adventure into the future with The Flash over in DC Comics Persents no. 2. Finally returning to the present, Superman sets up a hoax that will trick Bizarro into going back to his cubed planet. Reasoning (according to Bizarro logic) that when Biz says he's come to save Superman's friends what the Absurd Ace really means is he's come to kill Superman's friends--Superman needs to make the Caped Crazy believe that he's actually succeeded. Furthermore, Superman deduces that as some of Bizarro's powers were transformed by a cosmic storm (back in the last encounter in Supeman 305 & 306), these powers work in ways opposite to those of Superman (for instance Bizarro's micro-vision makes things microscopic). Biz had to burst through the plane, because he couldn't see through it with X-Ray vision. Bizarro Superman No. 1 can't see through anything except lead! Superman attaches a lead container to the Galaxy-One aircraft, inside of which is a 3-D diorama showing Lois and Lana dead. Since Bizarro can only see through lead, he see's through the container and sees the dead girl friends. Yes, he's already killed Superman's friends. The Caped Kryptonian says, "You've saved my friends beautifully Bizarro--by killing them! How can I thank you?" Bizarro replies, "No mention it, Superman! You am welcome! Now that mission accomplished, me go home!" And he leaves. After Superman sets the plane down, he and Lois have a talk about this latest case--while the snow falls around them. As they talk, Superman says, "...So many people--so many depending on me to show them that someone cares if they live or die! And I want them--I need them to need me! But sometimes I wonder if there's enough of me to go around--and if someone has to get short-changed of my feelings...If there have to be people who can't be told how important they are to me...then it has to be the people I love--because I have to hope they already know how I feel! I know I don't say it often enough...I can't even remember the last time I told you...but...I love you." At this we see Lana looking on, and hearing those words--"I love you"--and seeing Superman embrace Lois, kiss Lois. As Superman flies off into the sky, Lois says to him, "Go...go show someone you care! I'll still be waiting for you when you get back..." While in the foreground we see Lana's face (Swan is amazing here, with just some basic lines, he's able to convey the inner struggle inside Lana Lang--we see no tears, but rather the struggle to stop her tears--just amazing). *** Other than its importance to Lana, there's another reason I feel that snowy scene between Lois and Superman is important. When I read it all those years ago, I had been longing for some kind of answer to the marriage proposal scene in 314. And maybe I never got a real answer, but this came close--in its own twisted logic, which is just as twisted as the logic of Bizarro World. As I read between the lines--it seems that Superman is saying, look you know and I know the truth of things (the things we can't say--like the fact that Clark is Superman), but we can't say the truth because I am Superman. And being Superman means something--it means giving your heart to the whole world and not just one person--and as Superman I need to know that you understand, that while I never put you first, I always put you first. That's the crazy logic of my existence, and I need to know you accept those conditions and that you know I love you. And Lois is saying, I know, if I didn't know it before, I know it now, and I'm willing to sacrifice one truth for a greater truth. The world needs Superman more than I need to know that Superman is Clark Kent. The trust we have surrounds this truth--even though you can't entrust me with the truth, you trust me just the same. And I release you to the world. *** (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 28,
2002 04:32 PM
Pesky's Progress--part VIII: "Who Dreams of You at Night" (concluded) *** You give your hand to me and then you say good-bye; *** Apparently there was an estate sale on Death-Man skeleton costumes (Death-Man was the guy who wouldn't stay dead in Batman 180, March '66--"Death Knocks Three Times"), because ex Skull agents seem to have gotten a whole bunch of them. I guess Deadman picked up the full-face Death-Man masks, but the ex Skull-ers have gotten the skeleton costumes (black and white costumes that give the illusion of a skeleton), and they've dressed them up with some fancy purple capes and white cowls, and now they're calling themselves "Skeleton"--some new secret society of villains. Lana has been discovered by them after she's tracked them to their HQ in an abandoned section of the Metro subway system. But Superman has been tracking Skeleton for weeks, and now Lana has tipped his hand. The Man of Might arrives in time to save Lana from the Skeleton agents, but the leader of the group jumps onto the third rail of the subway track, which is actually a transporter device that allows the leader to escape Superman's clutches. later at a GBS meeting, Superman has gathered together Edge and his staff to announce the testing of a new security system for the Egyptian exhibit at the Metropolis Museum of History. The Last Son of Krypton wants Lombard and Asherman to cover the event, but he wants the ladies to stay away. With all the serious threats to the lives of the women in his life, Superman wants to protect them from any possible criminal activity. But, of course, Lana Lang can't stay away and stows away inside the Galaxy Communications car. She steals out of the trunk of the car, when they arrive at the test site (in the forests south of Mount Olympus). However the new security system is a disaster as it blows up. Next a wierd flying saucer hovers over the scene and begins blasting at the trees. Superman flies toward the craft, when a space-suited being descends from the iris opening of the saucer. Dressed in a purple space-suit with an eyeball like helmet--the strange vistior is Opticus. In pitched battle, Opticus blasts Superman full in the face with a beam from the iris of its eyeball helmet. A devastated Superman is blinded, as Opticus suddenly leaves--and the Man of Steel reveals that he has no eyes. Wrapping his cape around his head to cover his affliction, Superman hears Lana's voice, revealing that she has stolen onto the test-site. Meanwhile from a remote location, Skeleton agents are listening in, their leader having planted a bug on Lana at their last encounter. They hear Superman's plans as he pretends to still have his sight while guarding the Egyptian exhibit, even though he no longer has his vision powers, and even though the special security system for the exhibit doesn't actually work. As Superman flies away, using his other super-senses to guide him--Lana thinks, "there's something fishy here!" It just doesn't all add up. And so Superman is at the opening for the new exhibit, and pretends to activate the security system that doesn't really work. Later, Lana is outside the Galaxy Communications building, when two Skeleton agents take her into their car (confident that Superman will not see them). At the same time--Superman, who has his vision powers afterall it seems, flies above the museum and sees inside where Skeleton agents are stealing the exhibit, but he also sees the agents driving off with Lana--and so he has to make a tough decision. At an area outside town, training their guns on Lang, the agents order her out of the car. But she can't open the door. Little do they realize, Superman is ontop of the roof, holding the doors shut. Then one super-fist comes punching through the roof and knocks out one agent. The other agent tries to escape, but Superman's suction-breath pulls him toward the Metropolis Marvel's fist. Superman flies Lana to the museum, where Opticus has taken care of the other Skeleton agents. Opticus? Yes, it turns out Opticus was really Lois Lane in a specially outfitted suit. Superman and Lois reveal to Lana that it was just an elaborate ruse to fool Skeleton into thinking that Superman had no eyes, to flush out the gang. Superman knew all along that the leader had concealed a bugging device in Lana's wristwatch. So Superman staged all this, counting on Lana to ignore him and come to the testing site anyhow. "You...you..pompous jackass! How dare you second-guess me that way! How dare you assume I'd be uncooperative--and decide you couldn't trust me!?" But Superman couldn't trust her, as her actions showed. Which is why it would never work out between the two of them--because Superman can't trust Lana. Superman could trust Lois in his hoax, but not Lana. "I may never find a way to share this crazy life of mine with a woman--but if I ever do...it's going to be with Lois!" Lana gets the message--Lois is a lucky woman--and Superman won't get anymore trouble from his Smallville sweetheart--"even if I have to leave Metropolis to see to it!" *** (end of part VIII) IP: Logged |
| Aldous Member |
posted August 29,
2002 03:09 AM
quote:
quote: I have the Opticus story too. Don't you find it interesting that M.P. transfers attributes more commonly associated with Lois to Lana, giving them a very negative slant in the process? If one were to thumb through dozens of older Superman stories -- mainly Golden Age, I expect, but also Silver Age, perhaps -- one might find a Lois who frequently disobeys Superman, and complicates one situation after another. These are the characteristics of Lois Lane from an earlier time -- and they're characteristics that (supposedly) gave rise to Superman's admiration of Lois: her spunk, her courage, her persistence, her insatiable curiosity and sneakiness. (The TV show "Lois & Clark" captured this side of Lois rather well, and we could all see it's why Clark got his cape all knotted up over her.) But now we have Lana pulling very Lois-type stunts, and it leads to rejection. IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 04:30 PM
Pesky's Progress--part IX: "Up, Up, and Away..." *** During the events of Superman 310-314, I think, as others have suggested, that the author was imposing some of Lois Lane's old bad habits onto her character once again. Even in Superman Family no. 185 (Sept.-Oct. '77), "The Great Superman Locked-Room Puzzle," he seems to be working on the premise that Lois might display some of those old characteristics once more. But then--if I can speculate much further on the behind the scenes possibilities--Pasko or Schwartz or someone (could be Bridwell for that matter) hits on the idea of bringing Lana Lang back into the mix. It's perfect casting, because Lana was a TV personality long before Clark. Lana is a much better foil than the briefly glimpsed Terri Cross--Lana's back story gives the author a lot to work with. And with these ideas percolating, Pasko realizes he can say what he wants to say much more effectively through the character of Lana Lang (who afterall isn't weighed down by all that extra continuity that's come along since the Weisinger era--nor does she have to be a perfect heroine, since unlike Lois she doesn't have her own ongoing series in Superman Family). This gives the writer a lot of room to move around in. Of course he takes some liberties. I personally feel that Lana for most of her life (pre-reboot that is) was a stronger counterpart to Superman than Lois. Lang and Kent/Superman had parallel lives. He had interesting parentage, so did she. He grew up in Smallville, so did she. He took a certain university journalism program, so did she. He was a member of the Legion, so was she. He was a TV newsman, so was she. Even though Lois is a Daily Planet reporter, like Clark also was at times--she's a contrast to Clark. And the Planet is the only main connection between Lois and Superman. She doesn't have super-powers--on occasion she has had powers, but not on a regular basis like Lana or Jimmy. Lois is really just a down to Earth girl. Mind you, she does know Kryptonian martial arts, she is a trained nurse, and she has won a few Pulitzers--but on the Superman scale she represents your average Earth girl. While Lana has been to the 30th century on many occasions, is forever going on archaeological digs, and seems to catch the eye of more than a few alien suitors. The differences between Lana and Lois aren't always made obvious, but still they are there. Depending on the writer, I think some might prefer Lana with Superman because she makes for a better counterpart, whereas others would prefer Lois because she makes for a better contrast. In the case of Pasko, I think he has certain limited goals for his storyline. And he manipulates the reader into seeing the characters in certain ways. We are always a bit too close to the scene to truly judge for certain what the true nature of each character is. We see Lana as scheming and a bit shallow--but we also can't help but feel for her. Are Superman and Lois really so justified in their actions toward Lana? I think the couple are pompous. They're kidding themselves if they really believe everything that they say to Lana. Maybe they overstate their case because they don't want to admit the threat that Lana Lang could pose to their relationship. Trust? How can there ever be true trust between Lois and Superman if they can't be entirely honest about EVERYTHING. That's the big chink in their relationship. And they have to know it--it's the elephant in the room. I think they protest too much. Superman wants to cling to the idea of his love for Lois so he can push Lana away. And why does he do this to his best friend? The girl who was always there in his early years. The one person who knew Jonathan and Martha Kent almost as well as he did. Who sat at table with him, eating Ma's supper, hearing Pa's tall tales--whenever Lana's parents were out of town, which was often. The girl who knew the promise of poor Lex. The girl who stood by him, at the graveside of the only real parents he ever knew. Why? Because he loves her still. But she left. She left Metropolis. She dared to live an independent life. And that hurt him more than he's really willing to admit. That's why, even before Edge made the announcement, when Clark only half expected it might be Lana Lang who would be his new co-anchor--he was already scared of what would happen. He must have rehearsed in his mind the talk he would have to have with her. What he would say, how he would drive her away. Because he had to push her away. She had too much power to hurt him. He didn't want to go through that hurt again. He didn't want to give her that power. Aldous, you say that Lana has all the characteristics that made Lois a dynamic personality and someone whom Superman desired. And you're absolutely right. It's hard to judge if the writers were misogynists or if they just meant Superman to be. But there does seem to be some ambivalence toward female power here. That's not entirely meant as a criticism--it's the frailties both in characters and in the people who create them that make for interesting stories. I doubt that any perfectly well-adjusted, reasonable person could tell a good comic book tale to save their life. *** IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 05:32 PM
test? IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 05:35 PM
Pesky's Progress--part IX: "Up, Up, and Away..." (continued) select comicography: DC Comics Presents no. 9 (May '79, cover: Andru/Giordano) Superman & Wonder: "Invasion of the Ice People!" (story: Martin Pasko; art: Joe Staton & Jack Abel; letters: Ben Oda; colors: Jerry Serpe; editor: Julius Schwartz; 17 pages) The Superman Family no. 195 (May/June '79, cover: Andru/Giordano) Superboy: "The Curse of the UN-Secret Identity!" (story: Martin Pasko; art: Alex Saviuk & Joe Giella; letters: Ben Oda; colors: Gene d'Angelo; editor: Julius Schwartz; 12 pages) *** Although it's probably best to leave the reboot Superman out of this thread (and I've managed to stop myself from talking about those matters that are beyond the concern of this seventies thread), I find it intriguing what happened to Lana Lang after the reboot. It seems to me that Byrne and Wolfman had limited vision. They saw only so far as certain storylines would take them. And so they used Lana Lang's character to fit those limited storylines without really giving thought to her in the larger context. She was useful as the girl that Clark knew in his youth. The girl that he revealed his powers to. But her character was contained to just those parameters. And as such--as the girl who knew the truth about Clark--she had to be kept out of most of the following action. She had to be held in a kind of stasis until she could be dropped into the storyline at the right moment--as the girl who knew the truth about Clark. That meant essentially freezing Lana's character. She couldn't grow as a person. She couldn't be involved in the rest of Clark's life. And all of the functions she fullfilled in the pre-reboot stories were now impossible. And so Byrne and Wolfman searched for other characters that could play the role that Lang had once played so well. So we get Cat Grant--a kind of hybrid of pre-reboot Lana, Terri Cross, and Lola Barnett (with maybe some aspects of other characters like Lyla Lerol or Sally Selwyn). But surprisingly Cat Grant just sorta faded out as a character. She didn't really have the dynamism of the old Lana Lang. Another character that has had a much longer life as a contrast to Lois Lane is Wonder Woman. Where Lana was a comrade in Smallville and in the 30th Century--where Lana was the super-powered Insect Queen in the LSH--Wonder Woman was now a comrade in various adventures with Superman. Just as all of the exotic qualities of Lana served as contrast to Lois--now the exotic qualities of Diana, the Amazon Princess, served as contrast to Lois. This is all just as pre-amble to the stories by Pasko that all came out around the same time in three different Superman mags, with cover dates of May or May-June, 1979 (which would be around February of that year). Even though Martin Pasko was projected to be the regular writer on DC Comics Presents, no. 9 is the first one he worked on since no. 2--and after that he wouldn't return to the title for a few years. Given it's a 17 page team-up between Superman and Wonder Woman there's not a lot of room for character development just action. There are no romantic sparks here as the two JLA members square off against a pair of aliens who have transmitted their essence into two giant ice sculptures. Over in Superman Family 195, Pasko crafts a short tale of a time when Lana found out that Superboy was really Clark Kent. Riding along with Lana as she drives her car, Clark has to become Superboy when an out of control car threatens to collide with Lana's automobile. No time for any pretense, he flies out of the car and lifts it out of the way. But now Lana knows who he really is and tries to prove her usefulness by supplying an excuse for him to leave when they're at the Smallville observatory, as a student using the giant telescope spots an alien spacecraft hit by a meteroid. Superboy rescues the stricken space-ship, and the grateful aliens (a race of super-sorcerors) offer to give him one wish. He wishes that Ma and Pa could be invulnerable to all harm, so that he could safely reveal his secret identity to the world. But the white-hot heat of public attention makes ordinary life unbearable for the Kents. Meantime, Lana's nose is out of joint because Superboy didn't trust her with his secret identity and that's why he made his parents invulnerable and all. The whole situation becomes impossible and Superboy decides he has to leave his parents and Smallville for good--it's the only way to restore some normalcy to everyone's lives. As he flies off with his suitcases, Superboy wishes he had never made that wish in the first place. And then he realizes that he's still on the space-ship--none of it actually happened. The wise alien sorcerors, realizing that hasty wishes can have disastrous consequences, have allowed Superboy to live out his fantasy in his mind to see where it would lead. With sober second thought, Superboy wishes instead that Lana had no knowledge of his secret identity. *** (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 07:08 PM
test? IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 07:12 PM
test? IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 07:22 PM
test? IP: Logged |
| Aldous Member |
posted August 29,
2002 07:54 PM
I quite like those sort of stories where the hero, without him being conscious of the deception, is given a real-life set of experiences (a "divergence" from his usual path) to help him judge the merits of a certain course of action. My favourite example of this is in "The Ultimate Battle" where it seems Superman and his gritty doppelganger have lain waste to the entire planet...
quote: I agree. They make for unsettling moments. Superman and Lois come off as right smarmy. It all has that superficial air of convenience... Superman taking the opportunity to give Lana a decisive push-off, and Lois as co-conspirator in quite a demeaning role, clinging to a moment where she can play at being Superman's confidante and get one over on Lana. After this episode, I imagine Lana actually feeling better than Lois. I can imagine Lois, once away from Lana and Superman, feeling used. Lana's hurt and anger is raw and real, and that's good. And she's not afraid to tell them what her feelings are. Lois's feelings must surely putrefy under the facade. IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 08:38 PM
S'truth. As you can see I've been fustrated in attempts to post what I would've posted. All the internet would let me do is post "test?" I guess it serves me right for trying to post at a time of high traffic. I shall give it another go, but if I don't succeed this eve, then I'm not sure when... IP: Logged |
| Aldous Member |
posted August 29,
2002 09:41 PM
Well, I hope you're composing your posts elsewhere (eg. in Word) then pasting the text to the message board. IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 29,
2002 10:43 PM
I've done that now (only after having posted--without saving--in the reply screen before and lost everything), so I've saved my new draft of the post that will not post to disc. The internet is still giving me troubles, so I'll give it one more try and then give up for the night. IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 30,
2002 12:34 PM
b]Pesky's Progress--part IX[/b]: "Up, Up, and Away..." *** select comicography: Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane no. 73 (April '67, cover: Schaffenberger) "Lois Lane's Fairy Godmother!" (story: Leo Dorfman; art: Kurt Schaffenberger; editor: Mort Weisinger; 10 pages) Superman no. 335 (May '79, cover: Andru/Giordano) "Mxyzptlk Spelled Backwards is T-R-O-U-B-L-E" (story: Martin Pasko; art: Curt Swan & Joe Giella; letters: Ben Oda; colors: Adrienne Roy; editor: Julius Schwartz; 17 pages) Before I (finally) get around to the last issue of Superman where Martin Pasko wrote the lead feature--that other comic that came out in February of 1979, like the others I’ve mentioned--I feel the need to preface that story with another story that came out much earlier. I posted on it last week over in the "Superman in the Sixties" topic—but I’ll post it up here (with a few minor edits)...
quote: *** ------------------------------- 335 begins as if things haven't changed much in the interval. Superman is on the couch with his babe--his arm around his honey--his dogs of steel up on the coffee table--a heartshaped box of candy also on the coffee table. It's Valentine's Day, and he's with his sweetie in her apartment, just kicking back. He’s been such a fool, not realizing what he had, ignoring Lois. They
make a great team. If only-- Superman knows. He's tried to find some way to give her super-powers, so he wouldn't worry and they could get married, but "I’ve failed miserably every time!" Still maybe he should try again. And with that resolve--to think is to do for the Boyfriend of Steel--and he’s off out the window. What's a girl to do with a big lug like that! The next morning, in the 5th dimension, in the land of Zrfff, Mr. Mxyzptlk can be found grousing with his lawyer. He’s due in court and irate about it. Practical jokes are an art form, how can they be charging him—"Only if the joke is harmless--and very funny...but what you did wasn’t either one!" the lawyer states. And this is Mxy's 127th offense. But the Infernal Imp is supposed to be married the next day! To that cutie, Miss Bgbznz. She’ll think he jilted him. (Apparently Mxy has thrown over Miss Gzptlsnz, and traded up for his raven-tressed young bride-to-be). "You should've thought of that before you turned the mayor's children into chickens," states the lawyer, ever the wet blanket. Before the judge our mischievous Mr. is sentenced to indefinite banishment and exiled to the 3rd dimensional world of Earth until he has atoned for his misdeeds by performing some good act. Meanwhile, in the Fortress of Solitude, the intrepid Ace of Action is in his interplanetary zoo. He believes that the venom of a crocodile-like beast from a red sun system could give an Earth person super-powers. But at an inopportune moment, the beast munches down on the Caped Kryptonian's arm—releasing its venom. Streaking from the Fortress to put out a tower fire emergency in Metropolis, and then into the Galaxy Building to become Clark Kent, our hero discovers that his hand has turned green and scaley. At the same time, outside, Mxy in an attempt to get Superguy’s attention, turns a flying Flying Newsroom into a giant egg-beater—and Herbie Lewis and Lana Lang find themselves riding on its handle. By this time, Superman has become almost completely a lizard-man. Rescuing Herbie and Lana (I guess Lana decided not to leave Metropolis, afterall), the Man of Might streaks toward the 5D imp. Mxy tells him he needs his help, but observes that Super-poop seems to be having his own problems--and produces a mirror to show our hero his spit-curled lizard face. Superman wonders if this isn't Mxy's doing. But our friend from another dimension tells him he can’t even get back to his own dimension by saying his name backwards--and this time he really wants to get back. The Man of Scales offers to help the imp if Mxy will first change him back to his super-self. But Mxy will only change him back if Superman first takes him to the 5th dimension. It’s a deadlock. Mxy threatens that if Superman doesn’t help him, then he'll do some really bad things. So he turns the Galaxy building into a building of newspapers--and the floors begin to pancake. Superman flies at super-speed to rescue all the people inside. But he's supremely mad because Lois was in that building--and she could have died. The Caped Crocodile-man makes out like he might really kill Mxy this time. Mxy pleads with Superman not to hit him--"You gotta understand it’s a woman that’s making me crazy, too! You see, I'm supposed to be married tomorrow…" And he babbles the whole thing to the freaky-headed Man of Tomorrow--about Miss Bgbznz and all. “Yes...I can see her--I’ve trained my super-vision on Zrfff—and she is lovely! And she’s—oh, no! That’s horrible!" Superman yells. Mxy says, "What? What??" And Superman tells him that she’s crossing the street and about to be hit by a car. The imp from 5D, fighting for his sweetie, insists that the crocodilic Kryptonian do something. But at that moment, powers fading, the Man of Scales falls from the sky. Superman is powerless to save Mr. M.'s bride-to-be, unless the Infernal Imp transforms Supes back to his old smooth-skinned super-self. With an "allakawampas!" Mxy does just that. But then Superman confesses Miss Bgbznz never was in danger--he was just bluffing--his vision powers had cut out before that. But Mxy pops back into the 5th dimension, just the same. Having performed a good deed, by helping Superman, it turns out Mxy has atoned for his crimes And so Superman puts his arm around his honey. He’ll have to put off trying to give her super-powers for now. And Mr. Mxyzptlk stands with his honey in front of the J.P who pronounces them, "Imp and wife!" Now that they’re hitched, Miss Bgbznz leans over and gives her Mxy a kiss, and says, "I know how much you love a good joke-- >giggle< so here’s one you’ll adore. I figured you’d never marry me if you saw what I really looked like..." And the cutie transforms into a, er, not-so-cutie. As a wedding guest, the judge who sentenced the imp says Mxyzptlk still doesn't know what's funny "or else he’d appreciate the fact that his wife's joke is...a veritable work of art! HA HA HA!" *** (end of part IX) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 31,
2002 03:08 PM
quote: Pesky's Progress--part X: "It's the End of My World!" *** select comicography: Superman no. 195 (April '67, cover: Swan/Klein) "The Fury of the
Kryptonian Killer!" (story: Jim Shooter; art: Curt Swan & George
Klein?; editor: Mort Weisinger; 15 pages) *** I guess I've put off the whole Amalak problem long enough--and I know my answers won't satisfy Continental Op--but my theories run in the direction of the Holy Coincidence! scenario. Well, I figure that Pasko intended to reveal the secret of how Superman knew about Nam-Ek's entire life story in issues 311 - 314 (somewhere in there--probably in 313). He wouldn't have had Supergirl ask about it in that TFWOK story back in issue 282's "The Loneliest Man in the Universe," unless he already had worked out the answer. So bringing Nam-Ek back in his first four-parter gave the author the best chance to do just that. But he didn't do that! Nor did he explain about Amalak being the Kryptonian Killer (when we know that in 195's story, Jim Shooter had Amalak set up Rinol-Jag as a Kryptonian Killer). And we know that he didn't do that--even though he had a ready explanation--because he just couldn't fit it in. Which leads me to suspect that the two explanations hinge upon one another. Pasko didn't want to give the Nam-Ek explanation because it hinged upon the Amalak explanation. Since the two were interrelated--I surmise--the author chose not to try and fit either in (hoping perhaps to do so on another occasion that just never arose). The explanation for Nam-Ek seems easy to me--and I thought of it before I tried to figure out the Amalak scenario. The author knew of Cary Bates' story about Krypton-Two, from 255. It had to be in his mind. Why do I say this? Well I can't say for certain what was in the writer's mind, but there's enough clues to reasonably state that it was in his mind...Here's what I know-- 1) Kryptonite is already showing up strangely enough on Earth in issue
310 and subsequent issues--when all K on Earth became iron in
233; 4) Pasko would know of this letter of comment and he was writing about Amalak, afterall, in that four-parter, and 195 is about Amalak, too; 5) & just as a further note of interest, in 195's "Metropolis Maibag," there's a letter from Cary Bates of Dayton, Ohio--and in his response to that letter, the lettercolumn editor (which would be Bridwell) says, "Readers will be interested to know that Cary Bates, a young college student, dreamed up the cover we used on this issue, which provided the springboard for Jim Shooter's story, 'Fury of the Kryptonian Killer' (another letter-writer in that same lettercol was Mark Evanier, by the way). >phew< Bridwell, Bates, Evanier, Shooter, Morrissey, Pasko--that's quite the lettercolumn league of cross-influences. Okay. So the author is thinking about 255 and he knows of the sun-thrivers. These energy beings created the planet Krypton--they observed its entire history from the vantagepoint of the sun, Rao. (I kind of like this mythological idea of the sun being a silent observor--in Greek myths, people go to Helios--the sun--when they want to know what's really going on.) So the sun-thrivers knew the history of Nam-Ek, also. And they witnessed the explosion of Krypton--saw the rocketship leave the solar system with baby Kal-El--and watched the cosmic dust clear, to see Nam-Ek hanging in the void. It's not hard to imagine that sometime, in between panels in 255, the sun-thrivers told Superman about Nam-Ek. That's the first part of the puzzle solved. Now onto Amalak. But if the two explanations hinged upon each other, then it follows 255 had something to do with Amalak also. And here I conclude that the connection is Krypton-Two. It blew up (after issue 255, but before issue 310) hurling chunks of itself across the cosmos (maybe a chunk even hit Bizarro on the head). The sun-thrivers were able to move their sun through space (at terrific
speeds, travelling light years, which would suggest they moved through
hyper-space) and approached our solar system to get Superman's attention
(again in "The Sun of Superman," issue 255, by Bates). When the Caped
Kryptonian leaves that red sun, Rao, who knows where in the cosmos it
might be! Probably not Krypton's old part of the galaxy, but somewhere
else. I considered the possibility that Rinol Jag later died and then possessed Amalak's body (which would explain a few things about Amalak's altered state in Pasko's story), along the lines Continental Op suggested, but this seems too far to go--too complex even for Pasko--it would mean motivating Rinol Jag to revert back to a Kryptonian Killer, in death if not in life which entirely betrays the ending of Shooter's story. No. Although Op might not like it--it's Pasko's style to force characters into becoming certain villains. Circumstances force Winslow P. Schott back into being the Toyman. Skull forces Roger Corben into becoming another Metallo. So Amalak returns to his home planet, having escaped the interplanetary prison where Superman sent him (in 299), only to arrive just as a planetoid-sized chunk of green K from the exploded Krypton-Two destroys his planet. From his rocketship Amalak sees the destruction, and is nearly killed himself. But survives--although not without being hit by a blast of K radiation--or something along those lines. And he's driven mad by the cosmic irony of it all. Coincidence yes--a cosmic conspiracy of destiny against Amalak (as the egoistic space pirate would see it). The irony of the universe is a motif in Pasko Superman stories, reflecting the over-arching irony of the Weisinger era stories that influenced him. The same thing happening to his planet as happened to Rinol Jag! And now Amalak becomes the Kryptonian Killer--thinking himself to be essentially Rinol Jag, fated to be Rinol Jag by divine comedic karma. Even establishing his headquarters in Rinol Jag's original asteroid base. Driven into a kind of madness by the ironic twist of fate. *** (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 31,
2002 03:38 PM
Pesky's Progress--part X: "It's the End of My World!" (continued) *** select comicography: Action Comics no. 500 (Oct. '79, cover: Andru/Giordano) "The Life Story of Superman" (story: Martin Pasko; art: Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte; letters: Gaspar Saladino; colors: Adrienne Roy; editor: Julius Schwartz; 64 pages) *** I'm ambivalent about the Weisinger era. I think of it as the true glory days of Superman. Even though I prefer most of the seventies Superman on the whole, there seems to be something missing--something that one can only get from those great Weisinger era epics. Yet did we really need so much clutter in Superman's life? So many super-powered people & animals, so many survivors of Krypton, so many forms of Kryptonite! It's a dubious distinction that Martin Pasko--in his zeal to re-introduce the glory of the Weisinger Superma--was also the one who re-introduced Kryptonite to Earth. Green K can be useful in certain stories, but too much of it and it becomes an easy story device to hobble Superman. When all of the K on Earth became iron (and most of the other stuff in space became part of Krypton-Two), the writers were challenged to find other ways of momentarily defeating Superman. Which made for better stories, I think. Well, at least Marty Pasko didn't bring back all those other forms of Kryptonite! Or did he? Actually...all the forms of Kryptonite are on display at the Superman pavillion for the Metropolis World's Fair in Action's big 500th issue celebration--written by Pasko--and these are all the real deal--no fake rocks for display purposes, but actual Kryptonite--green, red, blue, white, gold, jewel... The basic story for that 500th milestone reads like one long extended "Secret Files & Origins" story. There's a plot involving Luthor, where the renegade scientist obtains a skin sample of Superman's DNA, with which Lex grows a clone (at a rapid rate)--a Superboy which is fed memories of Superman's past existence. The one flaw in Luthor's plan is that he leaves out certain memories that would have the clone hate his creator and replaces those with thoughts that justify Luthor's vendetta. Thus distinguishing the full-grown clone from the real Superman. For it was Luthor's plan that the clone would simply take over Superman's life forever. Interesting since Luthor doesn't really want to change reality--the world would have gone on just as it was with a Superman having (almost) all the memories of the real Superman--while Luthor had his own private vengence by killing the real Superman. In other words, Luthor only wants personal vengence on Superman--he's not out to destroy the world or to gain infamy by publicly destroying Superman. So long as Lex knows what's he's really done, then that's enough for the twisted genius. But most of the story is a tour of the Superman pavillion--with the Metropolis Marvel himself guiding the special guests for the pavillion's opening--which allows us to read about the entire life story of the Man of Steel, as he pauses at each display to either tell his guests about this part of his life or have his own private interior monologue. I would some day like to find all the origin stories of Superman and compare them. It seems that everytime the editors stop to tell Superman's origin they take that opportunity to take stock. They decide what to put in and what to leave out. Certain new embellishments are added, while other bits of business are left out. No. 500's origin story is probably one of the most complete. Many end with the death of the Kents and Clark starting his new life in Metropolis. This one takes us right up to the present moment in the Man of Tomorrow's existence. And past and present are even players in the story, given that the clone is being fed all these memories, being that it is the past which is motivating Luthor in the present. As complete as 500 is, it does omit or change details while adding others--making it a new origin, a new redefinition of Superman for the EIGHTIES. I suspect E. Nelson Bridwell was an uncredited consultant for a lot of these redefinitions. Here are some random bits that stick out for me: --Baby Kal-El is a mere toddler, with only a few words ("Mama")--making him younger than other origins have showed him--just before he's rocketed from Krypton. --The rocket has warp drive which opens a rent in space and pulls bits of exploded Krypton along in its wake--Kryptonite and Kryptonian artifacts--accounting for why so much of these ended up on Earth. --Jonathan and Martha Kent are not really old, but they're not really young either, when they find the rocket--some of their dialogue reflects dialogue from "Superman the Movie". --The rocketship was wrecked--it didn't land in perfect condition--its fuel tanks having exploded, which allows for things like the windowglass fragments. --Superbaby demonstrates certain super-powers (eg. x-ray vision), which in other origins were shown to be demonstrated later in life. Although the list of these powers that Jonathan Kent prepares would suggest that the powers were extraordinary but not god-like (eg. runs faster than the pick-up truck). --One of the last powers Superboy perfected was sustained flight--using balloons tied to his body to help in controlling his body as he trained with Pa's guidance. --Actually Superboy sometimes calls Pa "Dad." --The Kents "sold their farm and moved into downtown Smallville to open a general store" where Clark worked part-time when he was still a young boy. [Personally I see no reason for the Kents to sell the farm outright--lots of farmers maintain a home in town, as well as on their farms, and work two jobs (money being tight). The Kents could have hired a hand to run their farm while they were in the town--and they could have leased a lot of their land to other farmers (a common practice).] --Jonathan designed the S-shield and Superboy did some of the sewing of the costume. --While the glasses are made from the rocketship glass fragments, there's no mention of super-hypnosis! --Kryptonians are more powerful due to evolution on a larger planet--and they process solar energy the way we process vitamin D from the sun--yellow sun rays are more intense than red sun rays, super-energizing Superman's body. --Krypto was the best friend a boy could ever have (he's now roaming somewhere out in space). --Ma & Pa were in their late fifties when Clark was a teen, then they got much younger (thanks to an alien rejuvenation serum) looking thirty-ish, then their youth slowly wore off before their deaths. --"The biggest city near Smallville . . . was Metropolis." --Clark spent four years at Metropolis U, and graduated with a B.A. in journalism, Magna *** Laude. --Supergirl arrived on Earth shortly after Superman had established his Fortress of Solitude in the Arctic. --Kandor has now been enlarged (in Superman 338, Aug. '79, "Let My People Grow" [groan], by Wein/Swan/Chiaramonte), but Superman keeps a model of the bottled-city in his Fortress. --Clark & Lana were "too young to be really serious about each other..." --The four major villains shown on display in the pavillion (there likely were others, but these are the ones we see) are Toyman, Parasite (whose alias is given as "R. Maxwell Jensen"), Luthor, and Brainiac (yes, Terra-Man didn't make the cut). --Koko the space monkey does appear on Brainiac's shoulder on page 46 (sigh). --Luthor believes Superman is jealous of his genius and he blames the Man of Steel for deliberately fouling up one of his greatest experiments. The story has the clone Superman falling on the display case of Kryptonites. The rocks go flying and the gold K removes the clone's powers (the story doesn't say if the other rocks affected the clone as well--or just what happened to him). The cover for Action 500 has one of those covers inside a cover inside a cover shots. And while Andru & Giordano contributed the new art (showing Superman, Lois, and Supergirl on the front and Kal-El's rocket leaving exploding Krypton on the back of this wraparound cover), the background art is actually a montage of important [i]Action[i] covers from over 40 years. The inside front and back covers contain a long text by ENB which mainly details all the back-up series that appeared over the 500 issues. The 64 pages of content make up the entirety of the pages between those covers--there are no ads, and this comic was packaged in the same format as the Dollar Comics of that time. *** (to be continued) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 31,
2002 04:38 PM
Pesky's Progress--part X: "It's the End of My World!" (conclusion) *** select comicography: Superman no. 367 (Jan. '82, cover: Andru/Giordano) TFWOK (USOSNP): "And Not a Drop to Drink" (story: Martin Pasko; art: Gil Kane; letters: Shelly Leferman; colors: Tom Ziuko; editor: Julius Schwartz, 8 pages) *** It does seem a bit far-fetched that Superman would be able to tell such a fully detailed tale of Nam-Ek to his cousin, Supergirl, based just on what the sun-thriver's might have told him. Even if, between panels, he had kicked back with the pinky pulsing energy entities for a week, it's doubtful that they would know EVERYTHING related about "The Loneliest Man in the Universe" in issue 282. Of course it's a convention of almost all first-person narratives in comics that the narrators seem to know more about the story than they ought to from their limited subjective point of view. And we shouldn't question it--anymore than we should question the point of view in "Sunset Boulevard." But it's interesting to think of Superman as a guy who likes to embellish his stories. He is a journalist--and while that should mean he sticks just to the facts, it's probably the case that he knows how to embroider the truth. Fancy Superman as a teller of tall tales. There's evidence for this in a lot of stories. He's telling stories of Krypton and his own life all the time. He's telling tales to the guests on the tour at the Superman pavillion in Action 500, he's telling tales in various Fabulous World of Krypton back-ups (most of these back-ups had some kind of framing device, and Superman was most often used as the narrator). I like to think that Clark got this talent from his father, Jonathan Kent. In a smalltown, farmers may come into town after a long period spent on their farms--especially in winter when travelling is almost impossible. A farmer would spend the better part of the day in the general store or at the local eatery shooting the breeze--telling anecdotes, embroidering on the details of their past experience--jawing away. Although, Pasko contributed to several issues of Superman Family & DC Comics Presents in the early eighties, the last and only time he paid a visit to the Superman title, after a long absence, was to write the TFWOK back-up, "And Not a Drop to Drink." This one has Superman dropping in on Morgan Edge and telling Edge a tale of Krypton. Edge is at his summer home washing his 1959 Alberghetti classic car. Superman flies down to remind Morgan that he's wasting gallons of water, when the state is suffering its "worst drought ever." Edge says he's been coming up to his summer home, now, for fifteen years--he can't change his routine now. So Superman tells him a story that his parents told him when he was a child on Krypton... He tells of a time, centuries ago, when Krypton's oldest city Erkol was in the grips of a drought. And the waters in their aquifiers had become contaminated. Two ecologists ("kurlans" in the Kryptonian language), named Kro-Na and Zara, came before their council and asked to investigate the aquifiers in the northern hills. There, in the northern hills, the two kurlans discovered a strange race of people living inside the hills. Clearly alien, yet able to speak Kryptonese. They make contact with the strange civilization, which they find are hybrids of Kryptonians and aliens who once came to Krypton long ago. The hill-dwellers are descended from a desert people--these aliens avoided excess water, it being harmful to them, and they performed a ritual of burning a fungus type substance which mixed with their water to sustain them. Burning this substance releases a smoke into the air which prevents rain. While the ashes of the burnt fungus fall into the ground water, contaminating the aquifiers. Thus the hill-dwellers are the cause of Erkol's problems. The priests of the hill-dwellers perform this ritual now in the hope of saving one of their own Tala-A, a young woman of their kind, who is dying for some mysterious reason. When Zara and Kro-Na destroy the ritual site, they are threatened by the priests to be burnt at the stake. But Zara has a plan to save Tala-A. And now that the smoke has stopped, the clouds of Krypton release a deluge of rain. Zara carries young Tala-A out into the rain--which the hill-dwellers fear would mean certain death, so ingrained is their fear of water. But instead the rain restores Tala-A. Because as Zara deduced, Tala-A was a mutant, more fully Kryptonian than the other hill-dwellers, and needing water to subsist--the water of the contaminated aquifiers was poisonous to the young woman. But even the other hill-dwellers are hybrids, and need not fear the rain or the pure water. And for their own good and the good of all on Krypton, these people must now abandon their old ways, their old routines. "A cute little fable, Superman! But what's the point?" Edge asks as the Last Son of Krypton finishes his moral tale. "You say you can't change your habits---? But here was a case where change was not only essential to the development of a culture, but to its very survival!" (end of part X) IP: Logged |
| India
Ink Member |
posted August 31,
2002 05:12 PM
By the way, for those looking for early seventies Swanderson Supermans, Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest no. 12, May '81, reprinted five of my favourite Swandersons in one issue (plus an 8 page Al Plastino from the 50s to fill out the 96 pages plus cover). While the shrunken digest format makes one think one is reading stories contained in the bottle city of Kandor, it's a great way to sample the stories without debagging older more valuable comics. So any collectors (like Village Idiot) might want to try finding this digest before tracking down the more expensive single issues that it reprints. "Starry Eyed Siren," "Sun of Superman," "Bus-ride to Nowhere," "Planet of Angels," and "Superman, You're Dead, Dead, Dead" all in one digest! IP: Logged |
