Re: Actions
Credits: Roger Stern (writer), Jackson Guice & Denis Rodier (art), Bill Oakley (letterer), Glenn Whitmore (colorist)
Summary:
Westfield wants Superman’s body for study at Cadmus’ headquarters, but
he faces resistance from the Metropolis police. Lex Luthor sends
Supergirl and Team Luthor to the city morgue to stop the conflict.
Soon, Luthor and Mayor Berkowitz arrive with an order from the
President, declaring that Superman will have a proper burial in
Metropolis. As the world reacts to news of Superman’s death, Supergirl
patrols Metropolis and stops a robbery. That night, Bibbo closes his
bar and reflects on why he’s alive while Superman is dead.
Irrelevant Continuity:
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Guardian remarks that Westfield has held a grudge against Superman since Superman #58. Jimmy remembers Lois named Superman in Man of Steel #1. Citizens rescued by Superman in the past reflect on the events of Action Comics Annual #1 and Superman #27.
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In Adventures #498’s final page, Jimmy walks Lois home. This chapter presents the same scene, although much of the dialogue doesn’t match, and Lois actually refuses to let Jimmy walk her home.
Total N00B:
Guardian says that Westfield’s actions are the kind of “lunatic stunt”
that Dabney Donovan would’ve pulled. We all know what a nut that
Dabney Donovan was, right?
Review:
This issue is far more focused on mourning than the previous chapter,
although the plot still leaves room for numerous action sequences. The
issue opens with a standoff with Cadmus agents, goes quiet for a few
pages while everyone reflects on Superman’s passing, then returns to the
action when Supergirl takes over Superman’s patrol over Metropolis.
The twist is that her lover (?) and employer Lex Luthor, Jr. is
actually using her for publicity purposes. Luthor’s furious that
someone else killed Superman, but he’s willing to accept the adulation
that comes with being “chief mourner” and the person behind Metropolis’
new protector. That’s not a bad concept to explore, and the prospect of
Supergirl taking over this title also have potential. It turns out to
be a brief gimmick, however, as Supergirl is pushed aside in favor of
the “Who’s the Real Superman?” mystery in just a few issues. Stern does
a credible job of showing how Superman’s death is affecting Metropolis,
giving the point of view of everyone from the average citizen to some
of the supervillains he’s faced over the years. It’s thorough in a way
I’d expect Roger Stern to handle such an event; not overly sentimental,
but thoughtful enough to do what the story needs to do.
Dabney Donovan did all these weird Cadmus clones, monsters and other weird crap. He (I think) also created the monsters that are living underground, a la the Morlocks. He also had his hand in creating the young Luthor clone body, though that will be revealed later, I think. He was pretty prominent in post-Crisis Superman comics.
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