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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Letters Page (featuring a familiar face):
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New Titans #86 (May, 1992)
"If This Be Chaos!"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Pencils - Tom Grummett, Curt Swan & Kevin Maguire
Inks - Jerome Moore & Al Vey
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Letters - Bob Pinaha, Pat Brosseau & John Costanza
Editor - Jonathan Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75
It's been a few months since we discussed Titan's Hunt... figure I might've shaken enough of the burn-out off so we can pop back in on the post-Titans Hunt/pre-Total Chaos era.
Here's a question: What's better than an epilogue to an overlong story? How 'bout a whole bunch of epilogues?!
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We open during an ordinary day inside an ordinary office building. New has spread throughout the company that a mysterious fellow walked in, talked to the C.E.O., and within a matter of minutes... talked himself into the top gig! For those of us who read Total Chaos, we already know who this dude is. Anyhoo, he calls the entirety of his new staff into his new office... and fires 'em all! Once they're gone, he takes on his more "godly" form, and promises to kill Donna Troy.
Speaking of whom, we shift scenes and join Donna and the rest of the Titans as they stand bamboozled around the Baby Wildebeest they rescued from the Society at the end of Titans Hunt. Pantha is keen on just gutting the little bastard... which is certainly one way to go. The rest of the Titans (and the Beestie itself) put a stop to her homicidal urges.
The Baby begins to wail, and the Titans haven't the foggiest idea what to do with it. Thankfully, Steve Dayton wanders into the scene, carrying a tremendous (like comically large) jug of milk... this, conveniently, winds up being the ticket to getting the Beestie to quit kvetching.
Pantha still wants to kill it. If you recall, the Wildebeest Society conducted experiments on her... gotta figure, the last thing she wants to look at is yet another 'Beest. Donna suggests that the Baby is just as much a victim of the Society as Pantha was... after all, the thing was created to be the vessel for Azarath, or whatever-the-hell. Pantha's all "screw you guys, I'm going home", and reminds the Titans that they're going to have to start buying diapers. Our man, Terry realizes that she's right.
We rejoin "the C.E.O." (we're just going to call him "Lord Chaos", is that cool?), as he vows to kill Donna Troy... again. Talk about a one-track-mind. Anyhoo, he recoils in pain... and at that very same moment, Donna is in the middle of some "flu-like symptoms", including puking her guts up. Terry knocks on the bathroom door to check on her, which... probably doesn't help to settle her stomach.
Back at Dayton's, Gar and Steve are having a bit of a heart-to-heart about Vic's condition. If you recall, he was 'sploded and put back together during Titan's Hunt... and, when he was reassembled, they left out his personality. We can see that this chat is being observed... by Terra!
We shift scenes to Dick watching Kory stand by a stream. He thinks to himself how much he loves her... but, of late, she views his "love" as smothering... coddling, even. He goes to approach her, and gets a rather frosty reception. This little back-n-forth is being observed... by Mirage!
We jump ahead to Donna, Terry, and Red Star visiting S.T.A.R. Labs to check in on Victor. As they approach his room, Donna doubles over... more "flu-like symptoms". Oh, and at the very same time, Lord Chaos also doubles over... so, there's that.
Dr. Sarah Whatsherface plops Donna onto a gurney and wheels her off to take a look at her most-definitely-not "flu-like symptoms". This leaves Red Star alone to check on Cyborg. He learns that Vic is stronger than ever, but fears that his new cybernetic parts might actually be killing him. This visit is being observed... by Redwing!
From here, we jump into a trio of epilogues... that's an awful lot of epilogues for an epilogue issue itself! Anyhoo, during the first, we get more of Gar and Steve's chat. After they part company, Terra decides that the time is right to reveal herself. Gar, as you might imagine, is beside himself with disbelief.
In our second epilogue, we follow Dick Grayson... as he follows Starfire. He hops off his motorcycle and, distracted by a bemulleted Terry Long, bumps into an individual wearing a full-on flasher outfit... ya know, trenchcoat and hat.
After a few confusing panels (which will make sense down the line), Dick both leaves Kory's apartment... and knocks on her door. Veddy interesting. Or not.
Then, in our third (and final epilogue)... Dick Grayson is stood at the wreckage of Titans Tower. He is joined by Deathstroke the Terminator... and they exchange pleasantries. Dick's upset that Slade didn't even attend his son's funeral. We know he was there, but Dick doesn't.
What's more, Dick really lays into Slade for the whole "murdering his own Son" thing. I mean, someone had to, right?
Dick and Slade fight for a bit... well, actually... Dick fights, Slade really only defends himself. After swatting Dick into some wreckage, he reminds him that after everything that happened... and everything he did, he still lost a(nother) Son. Dick wonders aloud how and why people like Slade (and Bruce) keep things bottled up inside of them. One of those rare moments where we're reminded that Slade knows "the" secret.
Deathstroke reveals to Dick that he must constantly tell himself he didn't kill Joey... but instead, he freed him. Otherwise, he'd go crazy. All he wants now, is to go home... which is something Dick isn't even sure he has anymore.
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Ya know, when we cover an issue like that, it shines a light on one of the weaknesses of this blog's format. It's hard to feign ignorance or surprise, when we've already discussed how all of this is going to wind up during Total Chaos! So, let's just cover a few bits and pieces here...
I mean, we know what Donna's "flu-like symptoms" are going to wind up being... though, even without hindsight, anytime a woman gets "stomach sick" in media, there's like a 99% chance that she's pregnant.
The addition of Baby Wildebeest to the cast... ehh, whatayagonnado, right? Seems like another instance of adding an a "Cousin Oliver" (oddly enough, not too far removed from the last time... when they added pretty much the embodiment of "Cousin Oliver"). Unfortunately Baby-Beest, like Danny before, suffers from... a rather unpleasant to look at design. It's not like this could be the Titans "cute" mascot, when it isn't terribly cute to begin with.
The Team Titans lurking on the sidelines was pretty neat... kinda made me flashback to a time when subplots would bubble alongside the primary narrative... though, it's pretty clear here that the Teamers will be the focus before long. If you ask me, Terra revealing herself to Gar (minds outta the guttah), probably should have been the last page of the issue. I feel like ending on a cliffhanger rather than a maudlin Dick muttering on about "home" would have been more satisfying.
Actually... I probably could have done without the Dick 'n Deathstroke scene at all. Felt like a way to justify the cover... which was misleading at best. "--And Only One Shall Lead!" sayeth our cover copy... though, leadership of the team was never even in question. Oh well, ya gotta sell copies, and Dick 'n Deathstroke on the cover would probably more more units than anything else going on in this book!
Overall... a pretty decent issue, which I gotta figure fans of the day found a welcome change from the seemingly never-ending Titans Hunt story. There is a real feeling of progression here... something that I feel was seriously lacking during the second-half of "Hunt". This issue is available digitally.
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Green Lanterns #17 (April, 2017)
"Darkest Nights, Part 2"
Writer - Sam Humphries
Pencils - Eduardo Pansica
Inks - Julio Ferreira
Colors - Blond
Letters - Dave Sharpe
Assistant Editor - Andrew Marino
Editor - Mike Cotton
Group Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99
Yesterday, we discussed the first half of this Darkest Nights team-up between the Lanterns and Batman, and upon sharing it on the medias of social, I received a few (very few, this is still me) responses. The issue was called it out as having weird characterization, rough dialogue... it really wasn't the reception I was expecting (despite mentioning issues with the characterization and dialogue in the piece myself!).
It made me wonder why I came away from the issue with a "net-positive" reaction... and then it hit me... did I really let the mere mention of Blackest Night (read: something from pre-Flashpoint) dull my more critical/analytical side?
As a fan of a certain ilk/age... am I willing to give a pass, consciously or not, to stories that might not be all that great... so long as they drop a few "continuity breadcrumbs"?
We'll put a pin in that for now... and meet back up after the spoilery synopsis.
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We open with the Scarecrow rambling on about how much he loves and needs "fear". I mean, this goes on for three pages, which is good in that it brings everyone up to speed on what happened last issue... but is kinda "ehh", in the fact that it took three entire pages to do it! If you read yesterday's piece, you'll know he's got a bunch of Gothamites in cubicles watching fear-infused "Bad Batman" videos online. Speaking of Batman, right now he's watching as his butler, who is also "infused wit da fear", holds a gun up to the dome of Green Lantern, Simon Baz!
Batman leaps toward Alfred, and spouts a "precautionary post-hypnotic trigger phrase" to diffuse the situation. That might be up there with "Bat Shark Repellent" in the list of very convenient remedies. Alfred is back to normal, though probably has a bit of a headache... and Batman glares at Simon for daring to bring a gun into his cave. Now... I get that Batman really can't get Baz to "not carry" when he's out in the world... but, is there ever a situation where he'd allow a firearm into his own Batcave? I guess if he hadn't, we wouldn't have gotten our cliffhanger, so there's that.
Batman doesn't even yell at Baz, which makes him feel even worse. This is the one element of this whole "partnership" I'm actually liking. Simon spouts out that he only carries the gun because he's scared the Ring won't be good enough. Batman corrects him, claiming that Simon doesn't think he's good enough. Then he (and we) look on while Batman does his thing, and it isn't long before he's deduced that these videos all have that one cubicle farm in common.
After staking the place out for a bit, the heroes decide to make their move. Well, Batman decides, and the other two follow suit, but why split hairs when that's the way it probably ought to have been all along? Inside, they see the spooked cubicle farmers... and their "supervisor", the Scarecrow!
Batman and Scarecrow wrestle around a bit, when the baddie turns his attention toward the Lanterns... he fills them both with fear, which appears to be especially tough on Simon (as compared to the girl with the crippling anxiety, of course).
Simon must act, and naturally goes to reach for his pistol. Ya see, he's scared the Ring will flake out on him in the best of times (though doesn't appear to have much of a problem letting it carry him through space...), now that he's been infected with fear, he doubts the ring (and himself) even more. Batman calls out to him to fight his temptation, and to use the ring instead.
And he does! Simon uses the ring to take down the Scarecrow and his machine. Jessica wraps the baddie in a construct somethin'r'nother until the police can arrive. Batman checks in with the folks who were watching the videos and assures them he's here to help... he's always here to help.
We jump ahead to the crew closing out their mission atop the GCPD Building with Commissioner Gordon. He thanks the Lanterns on behalf of the city... but tells them to get their weird rings outta there just as soon as possible. That seems a bit extreme considering the stuff Gordon must deal with on a daily basis... why would Green Lantern Rings be a "bridge too far"?
Jessica wonders aloud about what ought to happen to Crane... Batman excuses the baddie's behavior by stating that he's an addict. That seems a bit "off". Anyhoo, Simon uses this moment as an opportunity to announce that he's off the "gun habit"... he'll never carry again. He goes to hand his piece to Batman... who doesn't want it, Gordon winds up taking it.
Before parting company, Batman asks Baz to stick around for a minute. While he normally doesn't like Lanterns (he and Hal never saw eye-to-eye, and Guy is... well, Guy), but he can see himself working alongside Simon again in the future... and so, he prepares him to be ready for that eventual call. Gotta ask... Batman has met John Stewart, right? Also, Jessica is like right there, and she's been nothing but helpful during this adventure! This is like Gerry Conway-writing-Firestorm levels of "Veteran Hero Endorsement" here.
We wrap up with the Lanterns being called away by... a rather gaudy Guardian!
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Alright, so Gotham City is saved... and, most importantly, Simon Baz gets his Bat-Endorsement. All told, as much as I'm telling myself I shouldn't dig this (and I did have a bit of fun with it during the synopsis), I come away from this with another "net-positive" reaction.
Now, that's not to say it was perfect... or, honestly, even all that great. That said... I'm left sitting here, wondering to myself whether or not I'm giving this little arc a "pass" because it refers to pre-Flashpoint continuity? I mean, I'm the idiot who spent hundreds of dollars on Convergence back in 2015 simply based on the "promise" of pre-Flashpoint stories being told. No joke, I bought the entire thing! I even weighed it!
So, to the question... and it's a question I wanna pose to anybody who might happen across this blog, present and future. Do fans of a certain age or ilk maybe give a pass to lackluster stories if they adhere to (or even hint toward) our idea of proper continuity?
I'm not a fan of "number scores" when it comes to reviewing comics... I've seen too many "retweet baiters" (they know who they are) toss their analytical integrity away and dispense with 10/10 scores willy-nilly, but if this were a book I was reviewing for a site that used a number-system... would the briefest mention of Blackest Night bump my score up? Ya see... I'm kinda scared to answer that, because I'm not sure.
We, those fans of a certain age and ilk, have been dragged along so such a long time by the "big two", through reboots, relaunches, and restarts... that we hardly know which was is up. I feel like we react to things that are "comfortable"... and for me, if we're talking about DC Comics, "comfort" comes in the form of the pre-Flashpoint status quo. Since the Fall of 2011, everything has been so nebulous... some months Doomsday did kill Superman, other months it never happened... some months Blackest Night happened, other months it didn't. Hell, I might be giving them too much credit when I say "some months", I'm sure there were probably contradictions in the same week!
So here... it's confirmed (at least for cover-date April, 2017), that Blackest Night was a thing that happened. Ya know, it's not like I'm asking for an All-New History of the DC Universe or anything... I just need breadcrumbs like this every now and again. Besides, a book like that would probably be a terrible idea, because I guarantee within the first couple of months it'd be contradicted six-ways to Sunday... and any fan who dares point it out will be mocked by the pros (and those fans desperately seeking pro-retweets) for caring.
Oh, yeah... we were talking about Green Lanterns, weren't we? I had the same issues with this chapter as I did the first... characterization is unsubtle to the point of perhaps being a bit "severe", and the dialogue comes across as unnatural. I see no reason why Batman would choose Baz as "his" Lantern, when Jessica was right there... really feels like a hollow and forced endorsement. That said though, I kinda enjoyed it... and whether that's because something about the story resonated for me... or the callback to the pre-Flashpoint DCU, I suppose at the end of the day... we oughta just chalk it up as a "win" and leave it at that. Available digitally (at full price).
I'll throw this two-parter up on our Collected Editions Page too.
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