Superman: The Man of Steel #91 (August, 1999)
"Nemesis"
Writers - John Rozum & Mark Schultz
Art - Charlie Adlard, Doug Mahnke & Tom Nguyen
Letters - Phil Felix & Ken Lopez
Colors - Glenn Whitmore
Separations - Digital Chameleon
Associate Editor - Maureen McTigue
Editor - Joey Cavalieri
Special Thanks - Scott Koblish
Cover Price: $1.99
We've got a weird one today... one that kinda feels like the result of "dreaded deadline doom"... but, very fun nonetheless.
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We open with Lois returning home to find her husband typing away at the computer... with his tights uniform on! She asks him what he's working on, and he explains that it's a "story"... one which he was unwittingly a part of. He prints out a copy so she can give it a (not-so-analytical) scan... and we hop right into it ourselves! We meet a man named Musgrove, who is speaking to a counselor named Dr. Samenpur... remember that name. Musgrove is convinced that Superman... is out to get him.
Ya see, it all started not too long ago, when Musgrove worked for Wackyland Toy Company. He was an "idea man", who came up with new concepts for board games and the like. He worked for a man named Morgan, who had no issue taking complete credit for Mussy's ideas. As you may imagine, this rubbed our man the wrong way.
And so, he decided from that point on to never to share an idea until it was ready to go into production... this way, he'll be able to get full credit. The paranoia is setting in... only compounded by the fact that he's noticed Superman flying past his apartment window three times in a single hour. He's convinced that Morgan has hired Superman to "keep an eye on" him.
The next day, Morgan visits Musgrove's cubicle and asks what he's working on. Tight-lipped, our man doesn't say much... to which, the boss comments that he's sure, whatever it is, it's bound to be "Super". Uh-oh. According to Musgrove, the way he said "super" was very suspect.
And so that evening, Musgrove returned home to his apartment... and realizing that he didn't have the resources to completely line his apartment with lead... he lined a box for his game ideas instead. He then worried that maybe Superman could read his thoughts, meaning he'll still be able to steal his game idea... and so, it's tinfoil (and lead) hat time!
He became so obsessed with his new game idea, that he quit Wackyland Toys and devoted all of his time to it. Some time later, his game was finally done... and ready to be shopped around. Wouldn'tcha know it, while on his way to try and sell the thing, he finds himself stuck in the middle of a(n on-foot) jewel heist getaway! Superman takes up the tail, and catches the baddies... but not before all of Musgrove's notes are flung all over da place! Superman does his thing to recover them... but, as far as Musgrove is concerned, all Superman wanted to do was get a peek at his idea.
Dr. Samenpur asks Musgrove what his game's all about, and we learn that it's called "Invasion Earth"... and get this it's based on what he believes Superman is up to! He explains that the game is sort of like Risk... only, instead of countries, it's a battle between planets. So, yeah... it's exactly Risk, with a re-skin.
Ya see, Musgrove isn't convinced that Superman was the sole survivor of Krypton... and, ya know, judging by how many Kryptonians are running around at this time, it's hard to tell him that he's wrong. What he's actually thinking, is that the Kryptonians are laying in wait for Superman's "signal" to invade and take over. That's where "Invasion Earth" comes in. Musgrove compares Generals using Chess as a means to employ strategy, and he figures that once "Invasion Earth" gets some play, folks will be able to fight off the supposed Kryptonian invasion. Ya follow?
Only one problem with that plan though... ya see, kids ain't playing board games anymore. Upon visiting with Felix Walton of Brad Lee Norman Games, our man discovers that it's all about the video games nowaways. Which, I mean, if he could turn "Invasion Earth" into a video game, it might actually "train" people to fight off the aliens, right? I mean, the military uses 'em, don't they?
While Musgrove is getting the bad news, he notices a copy of the Daily Star on Walton's desk. He learns that Superman will be at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Children's Hospital, and decides that might just be the place to confront his foe.
As Superman delivers his speech, he realizes that there is a building on fire nearby. He cuts the ribbon with his heat vision, however before he can take his leave, Musgrove runs up to shake his hand. While shaking, Mussy pins a tracer to Superman's sleeve. He also whispers that he's "on to" him. A confused Superman flies off.
Musgrove checks in on his tracer... and is shocked to learn that Superman is actually headed directly for his apartment building... ya see, that's the building currently on fire. Musgrove runs in for another confrontation... and, assuming Superman burned down his building to keep "Invasion Earth" from hitting the public, even throws a punch at the Man of Steel's jaw...
Superman warns the fella that he's got a few broken digits, and suggests he see the paramedics before taking off. When he does, however, Musgrove stabs one of them in the eye... and bites off the thumb of another. Uh-oh... dude's lost it. Ya see, this session with Dr. Samenpur, is actually court-ordered.
Musgrove is starting to lose his patience, and asks that Samenpur deliver his message... get his game out into the ether. Frightened, and perhaps looking to diffuse the situation, the Doc agrees. Then, Musgrove thinks on it a bit... ya see, Samenpur... is just Superman with the letters rearranged!
Enraged, Musgrove throws Samenpur out the window! Lucky for her, Superman just happened to be flying by.
Next thing we know, Musgrove is being wheeled into the Mount Hope Home... where he tries to pitch his game to some other troubled souls.
We wrap up with Superman and Lois, having finished going through this weird story... and Superman taking inventory of just what it means to be a "symbol".
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What a strange little story! Had a lot of fun with this one.
Ya know, concepts like "paranoia" can be pretty fascinating... and perhaps don't get enough play in superhero comics. I mean, if we look at this story, and consider that Harvey Musgrove is just one guy... gotta wonder just how many Metropolitans are there that are constantly looking over their shoulder expecting that Superman is watching them?
Now paranoia isn't an altogether alien sensation for me... I've been known to partake in delusional worries and irrational frame of mind myself. I think we all do to an extent... which is why a story like this might resonate so well, even if it's amped to the nth degree. I'll concede that I've looked over my own shoulder a time or two... but, I promise you that I've never bit anyone's thumb off.
Now Superman as a "symbol"... not the ending I was hoping for. I wanted there to be introspection, sure, but the symbolic nature of Superman kind of hinders the nuances that this story could have. I mean, lets take Superman out of the equation altogether...
... I think it's safe to say we all have certain people in our lives that we really don't want to look foolish in front of, right? And doesn't it always wind up being those people who see us screwing up or looking foolish? There's this confluence of coincidence... almost a joke on a cosmic level, that the people we want to look our best for are the ones who see us at our worst. It's almost without fail!
Let's look at Harvey Musgrove. Superman just always happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time to feed into his delusions, his paranoia, and his victimization. He feels as though he's a target... perhaps a bit like how many of us feel on the highways and expressways when we notice a "speed trap". We feel singled out, even though there are hundreds of vehicles passing the Officer every minute. Though, perhaps I'm paranoia-ly projecting!
Maybe it's because I grew up in New York... I mean, who didn't feel like they were being watched by... this guy?
Though, with Musgrove... there sure was an awful lot of coincidences, I'm not sure even a rational person in his position wouldn't become a bit unnerved. Though, a rational person probably wouldn't lock themselves in their apartment to work on a game to stop a supposed alien invasion... but, whattayagonnado?
Anyhoo, It's rare that an issue that so clearly feels like a fill-in can be so captivating. This was an interesting transitional period in the Superman books... one that I'm always tempted to go back and re-experience. Maybe one'a these days, when I discover the 25th through 30th hours of the day! This issue is well worth a look, and is available digitally.
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Superman: The Man of Steel #109 (February, 2001)
"World Without Superman"
Writer - Mark Schultz
Penciller - Duncan Rouleau
Inkers - Jamie Mendoza & Marlo Alquiza
Colors & Separations - WildStormFX
Letterer - Ken Lopez
Assistant Editor - Tom Palmer, Jr.
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.25
Well, we never seem to be able to go very long without tripping over our old friend Superman, eh?
Today we're going to discuss an issue early in my "return" to reading Superman... actually my first time collecting the series's's's without a large event going on in the background, like say... a death.
Let's check out a story in which every time a bell rings, a meta-human gets a cape.
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We open in John Henry Irons' SteelWorks lab, where Superman is stress-testing Emil Hamilton's new cybernetic arm. Ya see, in the wake of the Y2K-B13 thang, the Prof was taken to an underground world below Metropolis... into the Virus itself. While there, he saw some strange things... including a strange Phantom Zone entity... more on that in a bit. Upon return he had himself one whopper of a cybernetic mitt.
After the test, Superman takes his leave. He is still feeling the effects of Lex Luthor's ascension into the White House. Steel offers Emil the SteelWorks as a workspace while the Prof's lab is rebuilt. He also gives him the "nickel tour", and shows him a strange meteor that had been delivered to him by Superman for study.
We rejoin Clark Kent as he lounges on his couch. He's flipping stations on the TV between classic Christmas movies, and the 24-Hour news cycle which, at this point is "All Luthor, All the time".
He finally dozes off... however, is awakened by Liri Lee of the Linear Men! Now, the Linear Men have always bored me to tears... but let's keep an open mind, perhaps she's here for something that will wind up being entertaining. Well, if the cover blurb didn't give it away, she's here to take him on a tour of a future without Superman... kinda like "It's a Wonderful Life"... or, uh... "It Will Be a Wonderful Life", I guess... because future.
And so, we hop fifteen years into the future. Superman's gone, and Lois, Perry, Jimmy, and Natasha Irons (now going by Iron Maiden) are part of the resistance against Lex Luthor (who must've passed an amendment on term limits). For the past six years, however, they have posed as part of the President-for-Life's Public Relations detail.
Their plan is to record a dicey interaction between Luthor and a representative from Pokolistan... which I can only hope has a capital called Palookaville... to which, you can only ever buy a "one way ticket". They will install a retinal camera to record the discussion... then broadcast it to the world to show everyone just how bad'a dude Luthor really is. Sounds like they didn't put nearly as much thought into this as they should... I wonder how it's going to turn out.
Anyhoo... Liri takes Superman on a quick tour of this new world. Funny, if this were "real time", the Earth he'd be looking at would be that of The New-52! There's a reason to panic, right? Where were the Linear Men to warn us when all that was going down?! Okay, okay... she informs him that many of his fellow heroes have either perished, retired, or joined up with Luthor. Also, that LexCorp's B13 tech has pretty much taken over the entire planet.
Speaking of Lex... our next stop is in a Savannah, where he is planning to meet with the Palooka from Pokolistan. He is flanked by his Press Gang and security detail, featuring Plastic Man, Booster Gold, and Huntress. The landscape looks really cool... as the trees have a bit of the B13 virus in them. Really dig this.
Finally the Pokolistan Colonel arrives, and to celebrate they each kill a tiger. Well, when in Rome...
They start talking details of their nefarious plan... but Luthor stops before getting into the "juicy" stuff. He turns and instructs his security team to detail the press gang. Because, ya know... a video camera contact lens is a really dumb idea, and Lex knew about it all along. Probably because his company invented and manufactured the damn things.
Lex and company kill Lois, Perry, and Jimmy... all the while Superman is powerless to stop him. Liri then pulls him away to show him this Pokolistan. He says he's never heard of it... to which, she says "you will." Pokolistan is destined to be the hub of the B13 Virus... and they will eventually take over the world. Not even President Lex will be powerful enough to stop them. From there, the Earth will fall before the Pokolistan Dynasty... and never recover.
Liri returns Clark back to the "present", asks that he not abandon his adopted home planet... and wishes him a Merry Christmas. Oh yeah! This is a Christmas issue... almost forgot about that!
We wrap up back at the SteelWorks, where Emil and John Henry are checking into that Phantom Zone presence. Listening close they can hear someone speaking... in Kryptonese! Without a translation... grr... okay. They're saying, "I will surrly". Ahh, that clears it all up! Glad I took the time to do that. Anyhoo, from this... they deduce that their might just be a Krypton in the Phantom Zone. We know where this is headed.
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Not a bad issue. Not nearly as fun as the previous two Christmas romps we'd just read... but, for the time, a really good "imaginary story".
I'm not sure how "on board" I am with the idea that Superman would abandon the Earth following Luthor's Presidential victory. I mean, we hear people all the time (on both sides) saying they'll leave the United States if such-and-such candidate they don't like wins... and 99.9% of them never follow though. I can't see Superman actually leaving the Earth as a whole simply because he didn't like the result of an election.
There are many ways we can take that conversation, but in the interest of... well, not doing any of that... we'll just let it lay. I think what bugs me most is that not only did Superman leave... he left Lois behind as well! I just can't see that happening. I mean, check in on New Krypton for a little while, sure... walk across the freaking country... dumb, but okay... leave the Earth forever? Just don't see it.
I don't remember off the top of my head if the Pokolistan threat ever became a "thing". Maybe they had something to do with Imperiex and Our Worlds At War... but it's been a lifetime since I sat down with that.
The art here... well, I'm of two minds. I like it, and feel like it fits in with a lot of "turn of the century" art... while at the same time, I can't help but to be distracted that Rouleau draws everyone to kinda look like Antonio Inoki.
Overall, a fine issue... which lays the groundwork for some fairly monumental stories to follow. It might not have been as "Christmassy" as I'd have liked, but I'm glad I revisited it nonetheless. Worth checking out!
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On the Third Day of Christmas on Infinite Earths, I give to you Superman: The Man of Steel #109, Green Lantern: Larfleeze Christmas Special, and a Red Hood and the Outsiders Annual #2 Review.
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Superman: The Man of Steel #75 (January, 1998)
"The Death of Mr. Mxyzptlk"
Story & Pencils - Jon Bogdanove
Script - Louise Simonson
Inker - Dennis Janke
Letterer - Ken Lopez
Colorist - Glenn Whitmore
Computer Separations - Digital Chameleon
Assistant Editor - Maureen McTigue
Editor - Joey Cavalieri
Cover Price: $1.95
I was thinking about saving this one for April Fool's Day, considering the subject matter. That just feels like a "Mxy kinda day" to me... but, I'm also sorta-kinda in a Mxy mood now (go figure, right?). Plus with hundreds of Mxyzptlk appearances throughout the better part of the last century... I'm sure I'll be able to dig an appropriate one up for April 1.
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We open with Lois and Clark arriving at a surprisingly crowded funeral. Of note, they haven't been sent to cover it by the Planet, they just happened to be passing by and decided such a crowd might warrant something newsworthy. As they approach the casket they hear somebody crying... bawling, actually. Must've been really close to the deceased, right? Well, no... it's Mxy!
Lois and Clark grab the imp, and try to inform him as to the gravity of a funeral... his explosive and cartoonish bawling might be taken as somewhat rude by those who are actually grieving. Mxy doesn't quite get it, however is all ears for the Kent's explanation... he even whips up a tub of popcorn to enjoy while they speak. Clark impresses upon the imp that death is... ya know, final. When someone dies... they do not come back. Mxy ain't buyin' it... after all, didn't Superman come back from the dead? Hmph... he's gotcha there, Clark. What he's also got is six platinum copies of Superman (vol.2) #75... unopened!
This next bit is really funny. Clark "supes" up, changing into his electric-blue duds. Mxy can't stop laughing at the new costume... and even asks if the sh-- er, suit comes in red too. I can't be the only one that had to read that a couple of times to make sure it it didn't say SH--... er, said "SUIT", right?
Mxy continues pondering the importance of death... and goes a bit meta on us. He mentions that before Superman died he was an afterthought... taken for granted. It wasn't until he was "offed" that the world took notice of him again. Hmph... can't really argue with that. And so, Mxy decides that if he wants to be a bigger deal, he too... must die! Sounds legit...
While Mxy prepares to... well, die... Superman is alerted to an emergency he has to attend to. Lois is left to deal with the menace from the fifth dimension... and she ain't buying his newfound death wish. She plays along, suggesting that he get rid of all his powers if he's truly serious. He considers it... but then has a better idea! He constructs his own killing machine... Bada-Bing-Bada-Boomsday! Yep. Covers'em in bony protrusions too... and boy, do I mean "covers".
Superman returns and is shocked to see a reanimated Doomsday lurking about. Even more surprisingly, Mxy challenges the beast to a fight... Doomsday doesn't seem to wanna waste his time with an imp where there's a Superman around!
And so, for the next few pages... Boomsday battles Superman while Mxy tries to get into the mix. While he whines that he's being ignored, Lois suggests that the monster isn't paying him any mind because Mxy surely wouldn't create the instrument of his own demise, right? Everybody's got a sense of self-preservation... even a seemingly-suicidal imp from the fifth dimension. Mxy calls her bluff, and renounces his powers! He then hands her his bucket of popcorn, complaining of a slight bellyache from his binge. That's a call-forward, by the way...
With renewed ambition, Mxy hops into the fray... and wouldn'tcha know it, he's still being ignored. He falls back and asks Lois for his popcorn back. Unfortunately, she dropped it... meaning, it's gone forever... kinda like people who die. Ohhhh... now he gets it!
Moments later, walking "Expositional Plot Device" Emil Hamilton (Hey, Mxy's words... not mine) arrives on the scene to... well, deliver a bit of juicy exposition. He posits that the only way to stop Bada-Bing-Bada-Boomsday is for Superman to release 100% of his energy! Mxy doesn't like the sound of that...
... and so, he heads back into battle... and, remember two paragraphs ago I mentioned a call-forward? Well, his belly is'a gurgling. He attempts to get Boomsday's attention, and when that doesn't work... he, um... breaks wind.
This offends Boomsday's sensibilities... something fierce. Mxy finally gets his wish, when the monster slams him into the pavement!
Our imp then proceeds through the darkness into a white light... before arriving on editor, Mike Carlin's desk! Whoops.
We wrap up with a call-back to the closing pages of Superman (vol.2) #75... fold-out and all! Don't worry yourselves none, Mxy still lives!
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Welp... that was a ton of fun, wasn't it?
I think I can safely say that this is the kind of Mxy that I dig the most. I like him more as a thorn in the side and annoyance than an actual threat... though, I am open to the possibility that my mind may change. I should admit that have precious little experience with pre-Crisis Mxy, so my frame of reference might be considered a tad narrow.
This was a silly little story, which as luck would have it... is something I was totally in the mood for. I'm not sure I'd be so gushy and glowing if I were looking for something a bit more serious. Though, one look at the (absolutely awesome) cover would give you a pretty good idea of what's underneath. You know what you're in for when you crack this one open. While on the subject, I really can't say it enough... this is one helluva cover. Bog does incredible work all throughout this issue (story and pencils), but dammit... this cover needs to be blown up, framed, and on my wall ASAP.
The interaction between Mxy and the Kents was great... like, all of it. You gotta figure that Clark is breaking out something akin to a "teacher's voice" trying to explain mortality to the imp... while trying his hardest not to just lose it! Lois being a bit of an agitator, convincing Mxy to actually renounce his powers was an entertaining bit too!
The ending... while low-brow, isn't totally offensive. I'm not much of a fan of toilet humor... especially in my comics, but when an issue builds up to... what it built up to, I can hardly fault it for crossing the finish line. I will say, they managed to take a pretty crude subject and actually make it organically fit into a Superman book. I certainly wasn't expecting it!
Overall... great little issue. One that Superman fans really owe it to themselves to check out if they haven't already. In light of current events, Rebirth-Supes fans might wanna see the softer-sillier side of Mr. Mxyzptlk. As luck would have it, this issue (and series) has been made available digitally.
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