Superman: The Man of Steel, vol 2

Superman: The Man of Steel, vol 2 

By various (DC Comics)
ISBN 1-84576-390-4

After the six issue miniseries (see Man of Steel ISBN: 1-84576-128-6), volume 2 begins the more or less (narrative permitting) chronological reprinting of the regular monthly titles, (Superman 1-3, Action 584-586 and Adventures of Superman 424-426) – plus relevant pages from the DC Who’s Who Update 1987.

Beginning with ‘Heart of Stone’, a new origin for Metallo, the Terminator-style Cyborg with a human brain and a Kryptonite heart (Superman vol. 2 #1), and rapidly progressing to a team-up with the Teen Titans (Action #584), the accent is completely on breakneck pace and action.

Superman #2 brings ‘The Secret Revealed’ as Luthor makes the biggest mistake of his life, and this is followed by Marv Wolfman and Jerry Ordway’s ‘Man O’ War’ and ‘Going the Gauntlet,’ which introduce the tragic Dr. Emil Hamilton to the mythology, from Adventures of Superman #424 and #425. These high-tech and socially aware dramas would become a truer and more lasting template for the modern Man of Steel after Byrne’s eventual retirement from the character.

The Phantom Stranger guests in ‘And the Graves Give Up Their Dead’ (from Action #585) before the last three chapters are given over to the Superman segment of the multi-part crossover event Legends. Superman #3 produced ‘Legends of the Darkside’, Adventures… #426 gave us an amnesiac Superman on Apokolips in ‘From the Dregs’ and the narrative concludes with ‘The Champion’, as Action Comics #586 guest stars Jack Kirby’s legendary New Gods.

As I’ve previously mentioned, a major problem that most non-fans have with super-hero comics (apart from them actually having super-heroes in them) is the insane convolutions of in-house continuity. This All-Readers-Start-Here opportunity to show doubters how good this genre can be is one all comics missionaries should exploit to the fullest.

So that’s your wife/partner/girl-friend/mother/dad/kid’s next present sorted then, no?

© 1987, 2005 DC Comics. All Rights Reserved.