By Roger Stern, Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, Bob McLeod, Dave Hoover, Curt Swan, John Byrne, Kerry Gammill, Brett Breeding, Dennis Janke, Art Thibert, Scott Hanna & various (DC Comics)
ISBN: 978-1-56389-275-2 (TPB)
Although largely out of vogue these days as many varying decades of Superman mythology are assimilated into one overarching, all-inclusive multi-media DC franchise, the stripped-down, gritty, post-Crisis on Infinite Earths Man of Tomorrow – as re-imagined by John Byrne and marvellously built upon by a stunning succession of gifted comics craftsmen – produced a profusion of genuine comics classics.
Although controversial at the start, Byrne’s reboot of the world’s first superhero was rapidly acknowledged as a solid hit and the collaborative teams who complemented and followed him maintained the high quality, ensuring continued success. Over following years a vast, interlocking saga unfolded across a spread of titles which has only sporadically – and far too infrequently – been collected into graphic compilations. One of the best is this scarlet-themed selection gathering a key cross-title storyline plus a couple of choice solo stories in that fabled “never-ending battle”: presenting the contents of Action Comics #659-660, Adventures of Superman #472-473, 464-465 and Superman #49-50, and including a crossover component from Starman (volume 1 #28), all collectively occurring through cover-dates November and December 1990.
Almost as soon as the Byrne restart had stripped away most of the accreted mythology and iconography that had grown up around the Strange Visitor from Another World over 50 glorious years, successive teams spent a great deal of time and ingenuity putting much of it back, albeit in terms more accessible and agreeable to a cynical, well-informed audience far more sophisticated than their grandparents ever were.
One such was this notional tip of the hat to many memorably madcap tales revolving around both an irritating 5th Dimensional Imp and the bizarrely mutagenic mineral from Krypton which peppered and perplexed the Silver Age Superman’s life. However, the main story arc also served to advance two major plot threads which had grown from the soap opera styled stories: the imminent demise of Lex Luthor thanks to self-inflicted Green K poisoning and a blossoming romance between Clark Kent and dynamic fellow journalist/rival Lois Lane.
Those background details and more are discussed in Roger Stern’s Introduction before the stunning saga starts with ‘Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite: Part One’ (courtesy of Jerry Ordway & Dennis Janke in Superman volume 2, #49) wherein Luthor – following the death of his only “heir” – ponders mortality in a cemetery until a talking red rock bops him on the back of his big, bald head.
The incensed billionaire quickly stifles his outrage as the scarlet stone resolves into cruelly devious trickster-sprite Mr. Mxyzptlk. Although currently preoccupied with another realm, the malign mischief-maker sees a chance to manufacture more mayhem in Metropolis with the Red Kryptonite he has magicked up: promising Lex it will make Man of Steel and mortal multi-millionaire “physical equals”…
Lex activates the rock expecting to gain the powers of a god – and just possibly a new lease on his rapidly expiring life – and is furious to realise he is still just human. However, across town Superman – having defeated bionic bandit Barrage – is transporting the supervillain to metahuman penitentiary Stryker’s Island when his abilities vanish and he plunges into vilely polluted Hobs Bay.
Crying foul, Luthor is again visited by Mxyzptlk who pettishly teleports the drowning Action Ace to Lex’s penthouse office where the evil industrialist can see what the spell has actually wrought…
After a brutal and strictly human-scaled tussle, a badly beaten, powerless Superman is ejected from Luthor’s HQ and staggers back to Kent’s home where he finds Lois waiting. The normally resolute reporter is badly shaken: her mother is dying from an apparently fatal illness – and Luthor is somehow responsible…
Dan Jurgens & Art Thibert’s ‘Clark Kent… Man of Steel!’ (Adventures of Superman #472) picks up the pace with our simply human hero about to be slaughtered by lethal lummox Mammoth. Kal-El is undergoing tests conducted by scientific advisor/close confidante Emil Hamilton into the cause of his malady, but when news of the giant thief’s robbery spree reaches him Superman dashes off to assist, equipped only with a hastily configured force field belt. It’s not nearly enough…
In the end wits, raw nerve and a simple bluff save the day, but with no solution in sight the Metropolis Marvel must admit he needs superhuman assistance if he is to survive…
At least on the domestic front his new fragility brings him closer to Lois…
The scene switches to Arizona where a recent acquaintance gets a phone call before ‘Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite: Part Two/A: The End of a Legend?’ (Roger Stern, Dave Hoover & Scott Hanna in Starman volume 1 #28) sees Stellar Sentinel Will Payton flying to the City of Tomorrow for a top secret rendezvous. A sun in human form, Payton had reenergised the Kryptonian’s cells with solar power once before when Superman’s powers were drained, but this time the sun-bath has no effect and almost fries desperate Kal-El during the process. With crime spiking, Starman sticks around and keep the peace, using his shapeshifting powers to perfectly mimic the Man of Steel. He even fools Luthor who, confronted by the somehow resurgent “Superman”, furiously throws the useless Red K at him…
With the mineral in Hamilton’s hands, stringent testing proves the mineral is only red rock with no radioactive properties and Superman is forced to think outside the box if he is to protect his city.
… And on Stryker’s Island, another old enemy is laying lethal plans to finally end the Man of Tomorrow…
Tension ratchets up in ‘Breakout!’ (Action Comics #659 by Stern, Bob McLeod & Brett Breeding) as Superman resorts to technological battle armour when murderous maniac Thaddeus Killgrave frees the inmates and takes control of Stryker’s, luring Starman-as-Superman into a deadly trap the neophyte hero cannot escape from. Meanwhile, in the highest corridors of financial power, Mxyzptlk personally briefs baffled bewildered Luthor on what’s happening…
Brave but not stupid, Superman calls in back-up for his raid on the penitentiary. Whilst cloned champion Golden Guardian and street vigilante Crimebuster tackle rank-&-file felons, the armoured Action Ace heads straight for Killgrave and a blistering confrontation which is mere prelude to the fateful finale of concluding chapter ‘The Human Factor’…
Superman volume 2, #50 was a super-sized special by Ordway & Janke with celebratory anniversary contributions from Byrne, Curt Swan, Kerry Gammill, Breeding & Jurgens, opening with Clark unceremoniously ejected from Lexcorp Tower only to stumble upon the billionaire’s personal physician Dr. Gretchen Kelly acting oddly…
Heading home, the powerless hero is saved from a mutant rat by The Guardian and, after seeing Crimebuster thrashing street thugs, comes to a painful conclusion. Maybe Superman isn’t necessary any more. Maybe now he can have his own life and even ask Lois to marry him…
First though, there’s a little unfinished business and a simple phone call to Luthor gets the ball rolling. Offering to trade the Red K for a story, Clark inadvertently causes Lex to break the terms of his infernal pact with Mxyzptlk, thereby negating the whole power-sapping deal.
Ticked off, petulant and impatient to get back to mischief-making in another universe, the imp makes a personal appearance in monstrous form, but loads the blistering battle in the fully restored Man of Tomorrow’s favour just to get out of his self-imposed arcane contract quickly – albeit not without an astounding amount of collateral damage to Metropolis…
With the crisis over, however, Superman has made a life changing decision. Following the red-tinged resumption of his super status, the Action Ace is joined by a brace of green guest stars in ‘Rings of Fire’ (Jurgens & Thibert in Adventures of Superman #473). Even as Clark and Lois announce their engagement, Superman is fretting. He has been unable to tell his intended about his secret life, but is quickly distracted and drawn away when unconventional Green Lantern Guy Gardner blows into town looking for missing mentor Hal Jordan.
Earth’s “real GL” has been captured by a monolithic alien who has siphoned off his emerald energies to power a long-delayed return to the distant stars. Of course that departure will eradicate half of Wyoming…
After foiling the scheme, freeing a mesmerised Army General and defeating the alien’s thralls Psi-phon and Dreadnaught, Superman and the GLs are able to arrive at a far less destructive solution for all parties involved…
This titanic tome concludes with ‘Certain Death’ (by Stern, McLeod & Breeding from Action Comics #660) which seemingly ushers in the end of an era. For years Luthor has masqueraded as a billionaire philanthropist whilst dominating Metropolis and the world. Few people knew the unsavoury truth and the cunning villain kept Superman literally at arms-length by wearing a ring made from Green Kryptonite.
Subsequent stories revealed that K radiation gradually poisoned Luthor, initially causing the loss of his hand and eventually fatally irradiating his entire body. Now as his power and vitality wane, Luthor – knowing that his pitiful condition must inevitably become public knowledge – puts a final desperate plan into operation. During a high profile publicity stunt attempting to set a new air-speed record, the manipulative mogul seemingly commits suicide in a spectacular manner which only marks the beginning of a stupendous 7-year long extended plotline…
To Be So Continued…
Superman is comics’ champion crusader: the hero who originated the genre and, in nine decades since his spectacular launch in June 1938, one who has survived every kind of menace imaginable. As such, it’s always rewarding to gather up whole swathes of his prodigious back-catalogue and re-present them in specifically-themed collections.
Thrilling, funny action-packed and exquisitely entertaining: what more could dedicated Fights ‘n’ Tights followers want?
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