Superman #267 (2026 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Superman in the 1970s saw several changes. His vulnerability to Kryptonite was eliminated. Sidekick Supergirl went to college and became more independent. His partnership with Batman, who was becoming more of a darker vigilante hero, weakened, seeing the World's Finest heroes teaming more with other heroes AND VILLAINS, and less with each other. But perhaps the biggest changes for the Man of Tomorrow involved his secret identity, Clark Kent.

No longer working for the Daily Planet newspaper, Kent was recruited by the paper's new owner Morgan Edge, to host the evening news for Metropolis television's Galaxy Broadcasting Station (WGBS). He was also allowed to start dating Lois Lane; although their relationship was more platonic than romantic with Lois often wondering why she hung out with such a milksop as Clark Kent. Making his relationship goals difficult to achieve, Clark found himself in a love triangle for Lois' affections against his WGBS colleague, the macho braggart sports reporter Steve Lombard.

That's where the cover story for this issue begins. Clark and Lois are enjoying time at the beach when Lombard and his nephew appear. Steve treats Clark like the wimpy guy in those Clark Atlas ads, kicking sand in Smallville's face before grabbing Lois for a swim. On shore, Clark learns from Steve's nephew that his father has been missing for several weeks. However, when a sudden whirlpool occurs, threatening the lives of Lombard and Lois, the child exclaims that his father had warned him of such calamity just the night before. Intrigued by this contradiction, Clark changes into Superman and visits Steve and his nephew where the hero learns that the boy has a telepathic link to his missing father, a famous scientist. 

The revelation takes both Superman and the lad underneath the North Pole, where they encounter a long-forgotten subterranean race of flying reptiles called the Miros. With the missing Lombard's expertise in geophysics, the ancient people have been forcing the scientist to siphon the energy of the Earth's sun to power a special device that has been warming the Miros' subsurface habitat. Now with Superman on the scene, the reptilians seek to use the Man of Steel as the new battery for their failing synthetic sun.

This issue contains a backup story. Part of the 'Private Life of Clark Kent' series of tales, 'The Man in the Public Eye!', sees Clark Kent being put on a massive public relations campaign. Station boss Morgan Edge thinks that while Kent is a top notch newscaster but he's got the personality of a cold fish. Edge arranges for the newscaster to participate in a number of sporting activities in hopes of making Clark Kent appear more manly. As much as Clark tries to appear weak in front of the WGBS cameras, dumb luck mixed with his Kryptonian superpowers have the newsman looking really 'super., like when he accidentally knocks out the heavyweight champion of the world after a sparring match. Thankfully, the audience of Metropolis is eating up Kent's antics and it's sending ratings for the 6 o'clock news through the roof. Now if only Clark can screw up royally or else somebody is going to make a connection between the reporter and Superman!

Both the secondary story and the cover tale 'World Beneath the North Pole' were written by Elliot (S!) Maggin. Curt Swan drew both tales. He was assisted by Murphy Anderson on Superman's Arctic adventure. Bob Oksner gave assistance on the Clark Kent led tale.

The cover was drawn by Nick Cardy.

Completing this review completes Task #16 (A Superman Comic From the 1970s) of the 2026 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #130 (2024 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Thanks to an encounter with a psychic, reporter Lois Lane is subconsciously informed of Superman's secret identity. Unaware to this event, Lois has a series of nightmares in which she murders her co-worker and best friend Clark Kent. In the dream, as Kent falls, his superhero costume is revealed to which the shock of murdering the Man of Steel awakens Lois in a cold sweat. As Lois tries to make sense of this reoccurring dream, she is constantly attacked by a pair of crooks. Narrowly, the journalist escapes doom. Yet as Lois composes herself, the bystanders claim that no such attacks occurred. Could the nightmares and now supposed phantom attacks be a sign that Lois Lane is losing her mind?

The feature story in Superman's Girlfriend, Lois Lane #130 was penned by Cary Bates. 'The Mental Murder' is a mystery that keeps the reader guessing most of the time. However, if you've figured out the real identity of Lois' psychiatrist, you'll realize that Superman will do anything to protect his own self interests if it means keeping the world from knowing that Clark Kent is the Last Son of Krypton. 

Cover and interior art was by John Rosenberger with inks by Vince Colletta 

The backup story stars the somnambulist superhero Thorn. The second character to bear the name, Thorn's secret identity was Rhosyn 'Rose' Lynee Forrest. Created by Robert Kanigher and Ross Andru, the character debuted in issue #105 of Lois Lane. In her origin story, Rose becomes distraught at the death of her father, police officer Phil Forrest at the hands of a gang known as The 100. The desire for revenge triggers something in Rose's psyche to the point that whenever she went to sleep, she would switch personalities. Instead of sweet, innocent Rose, Rhosyn would transform into the vicious, athletic street vigilante Thorn. 

'Nightmare Alley!' sees Rose changing both personas, clothes and hair color into Thorn as she finally uncovers the identity of 1 of the 3 men who murdered her father. Unfortunately, the quest for vengeance will continue for the young lady when the thug is killed by an unknown assailant before revealing the identities of his co-conspirators. 

Artist Don Heck provides pen and ink to Kanigher's script.

Completing this review completes Task #14 (Main Character is a Woman) of the 2024 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Rating: 4 out of 10 stars.

DC's Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun #1

Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun is the title of this Halloween oversized special from DC. I love the punny title and I love the main cover by Alvaro Martino Bueno. That prancing monstress dressed as Mary Marvel was just so cheerful. The dragon off to the left wearing a Flash mask is just adorable. And the looks on Lois and Clark's faces was timeless.

But was the interior just as fun as the cover? How about I describe some of the stories and you decide? Here's a run down of my favs...

• Adam F. Goldberg, the creator of ABC's The Goldberg's crafts a tale in which Lobo comes to his daughter Crush, to help him find a costume for a Halloween party at the House of Secrets. Crush recommends that her pop goes as a certain Hugh Jackman character. What she's hinting at is going as Wolverine. What Lobo hears is a whole bunch of other characters played by the Aussie actor.
• Lois tasks Clark to help her with a Halloween deadline, which means exploring an abandoned mental hospital. What Superman uncovers is a closet full of ghosts, all waiting for long overdue justice.
• Animal Man spies on his daughter on her first Halloween trick-or-treating since the death of her brother.
• A woman goes out for her nightly walk on the dangerous streets of Gotham. Her hope is to run into the Batman. Instead, she comes face-to-face with a Man-Bat!
• Hal Jordan battles an escaped inter-galactic villain. He also comes head-to-head with the demon, Etrigan. It's good cop vs. bad cop. If they work together, will this fiend they stop?

There were a couple of stories I liked but I hated the ending.

• In Bludhaven, Nightwing battles a werewolf. In order to stop the beast, he'll have to team up with Jason Todd, the Red Hood. It's a story of bad blood that ended with the promise of more. Only there wasn't any sort of blurb telling readers to catch the rest of the story in some other issue. As much as I hate having to read the rest of a story in the pages of another book, I hate it just as much when a story ends without really completing anything.
• On the anniversary of the first time the world thought that the Doom Patrol died, Robotman is haunted by the ghosts of fallen teammates. I love the classic Doom Patrol. There's a whole lot of modern characters that I just don't know. I probably would like this more if I had more of a connection to most of the ghosts.

And then there was one story that I didn't hate, but I wasn't completely sold on it either

• Renee Montoya investigates a number of murders during Gotham's annual Halloween Fashion Week. When she realizes that several of the models she's been questioning have been dead for a while, Montoya becomes the Question to complete her investigation as a pair of villains from Batman's Rogues Gallery prepare to take the catwalk for one final act of terror. The story wasn't so bad. Art was actually good. The first act was intriguing. I just didn't buy the team-up of the 2 baddies. It just didn't make sense to me their motivations.

5 stories were winners and I loved that Lobo tale from Adam F. Goldberg. I want a Lobo/Crush series written by Goldberg! I would buy each issue new on the day it came out! 2 stories were good but could've been better. Technically that Question story could have been better but I think only if 2 different antagonists were teamed together, could it truly have worked. 

For one of DC's holiday specials, there were 2 noticeable omissions. Harley Quinn is absolutely absent from this book and Batman is only represented by members of his family. I thought it was a law that DC had to include both characters in everything the House That Superman Built published these days. Not that I didn't miss either character. I'm an original member of the Gang of Harleys and Batman plays into a lot of my posts. I'm just surprised DC left both heavy hitters out of this book.

And then there's the missing story. According to Previews, Mary Marvel and Psycho Pirate were supposed to star in a story together in this book. As I had mentioned earlier, there's a ghoul dressed like Mary Marvel on the cover. So are monsters dressed on Man-Bat, Animal Man, Lobo and the Flash. Other than Flash, the other 3 characters do appear in this book. What happened to Mary Marvel? And was the Flash supposed to be in this special too and he got bumped for some reason as well?

Once again, this special was $9.99. That's been the price for these holiday specials for several years now. I know of some fans that say with conviction that paying $10 plus tax is too much for a comic book. In the past some of these books have not been that good. That's not the case here. Ghouls Just Wanna Have Fun was one of the best DC oversized releases I've read in years. More fun and exciting than preachy and political. I didn't feel like any of these stories were trying to talk down to me. In fact, that Lobo story felt like something my own warped sense of humor would come up with. Plus- no ads! 

It was definitely money well spent.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars

Superman: For Earth

What Superman IV: The Quest for Peace was to nuclear disarmament, this book is to the ecology.

Lois Lane is tasked to cover a conference on global sustainability issues and it causes her to have some serious concerns about the viability of the Earth. Thus, Superman tries to take on conservation and cleaning up the planet. But he finds that it's a task impossible for one man, even if it's a Superman, to do alone. 

A lot of folks claim that between DC and Marvel, DC Comics is the less preachy of the big two. Well, this book would be a good example to prove folks wrong. 

At one point, Superman takes on some loggers in Brazil. And the head honcho, despite being a giant douche, makes a good point. He tells The Man of Steel that it's hypocritical for the hero to tell other countries what to do with their natural resources but the hero does nothing to the Americans. 

Well, that scene got me thinking. Is DC practicing what it preached in this 1991 graphic novel? Superman: For Earth is a book that needed trees to print it. And yes, this book was printed on recycled paper. While that's good for the sake of this book, I don't think DC Comics kept up with the practice for very long. 

The recycled paper makes for this book to look way older than it is. The inks have an almost sepia tone to them. If not for the prestige format, which I know began in the mid-80s, I would have said that this book was from the mid-70s. (Yes, that recycled paper seemed to degrade that much.)

At the end of the book, there's 2 pages of eco-charities listed for people to contribute to and such. Being nearly 30 years old, I wonder how many of these still exist. I'd actually be interested to research that one day.

An okay book that does explore some important aspects of Clark and Lois' impending nuptials in terms of their decision about children. But above all, this was a propaganda piece. 

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Superman: Sunday Classics 1939-1943

The first in a very long line of editions collecting the long running Superman comic strip of 1939-66. This volume has the first 3 years of the Sunday strips which comprised of a different story than that in the dailies.

I would love to eventually own all the these. But they're not cheap. Nor are all of them still in print. But when I can find them affordably, I'll snatch them up in a heartbeat. And no, unlike other series, I won't wait to read them until I have the complete in- order set!

This book reprints Superman's cosmic origin, following the Man of Steel through his first appearances in Metropolis. These early adventures have Superman battling giant robots, two-bit hoods, femme fatales and a half villain named Luthor.

Before the close of this volume, the United States and Superman enter the war effort against the Nazis and Imperial Japanese. Clark Kent and Lois Lane travel the nation covering the sale of war bonds and creation of new war machines only to stumble upon Nazi saboteurs! Good thing that the Man of Tomorrow is here to ensure freedom and democracy for today!

Superman creators Jerry Siegel and Joel Shuster present their greatest creation in all of his art-deco glory. It's very much a product of its time. The men are all drawn to look like Jerome Kerr and the women are illustrated as the ever so sultry Veronica Lake and Dorothy Lamour. I love the 1930s style of the Superman logo. It's really classic stuff.

One thing that didn't transfer so we is the lettering. It's very pencil thin and tiny. Thus it's extremely hard to read. Seeing as these are nearly 80 year old reprints, the lettering is quite faded. You'd have thought that the editors of this omnibus would have doctored up the dialogue. But they didn't. Could it be that with so small a font any repair work would have damaged the artwork?

This is a great collection of early Superman comics. The art is breathtaking. But you need a magnifying glass to read these beauties. Aspirin too!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Scooby-Doo Team-Up Volume 2

It's like this: I absolutely love Scooby-Doo Team-Up. But I came to the show a little bit late. In fact, I didn't even fully commit to this series until around issue #17. It was then that I wised up and subscribed through my favorite comics shop so I didn't miss an issue.

For one reason or another, this series is on fire. Kids and adults love it. The series is actually more popular than the regular DC kids Scooby comic. SDTU is a monthly issue. Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? is a bi-monthly release.

For this very reason, (plus this is a kids comic book), it is nearly impossible to find back issues of Team-Up. That's why I broke down and finally bought this trade release despite having a couple of the issues in reprinted inside. It was more important to me to get to read all of the issues in this series than getting double-helpings of some tales. In fact, when I reread those issues, I still had a ton of fun reading them!

Along with a costume swapping caper involving Jimmy Olsen as Elastic Lad and Lois Lane as Superwoman, this volume contains the critically acclaimed 2-parter in which the Mystery Inc. gang go back in time to meet the Flintstones and then forward in time to pal around with the Jetsons. 

Writer Sholly Fisch is a master at this genre. And I just love Dario Brizuela's art-style. The characters are superior and his repetitive use of backgrounds and certain characters has grown on me. It's not that he's a lazy artist. Instead, Brizuela is trying to capture the feel of those early morning Hanna-Barbera cartoons of the 60s, 70s and 80s.

Very Much Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #4

It’s election day for the DC Universe. The culprit behind the attacks has been caught. The heroes have reeled in their political ambitions. And the American People are about to make their voice heard.

   However, before any of this can transpire, the Man of Steel grants Lois Lane an exclusive interview in order to do some damage control.

    I really enjoyed Superman’s speech. Here, it’s the Man of Tomorrow at his most humblest. He’s not some demigod among men, he’s an alien like we are all, only his homeland is light years away. I missed this version of the Big Boy Scout but I think I miss his idealism more.

   A great ending with some super creepy twists and one finely inspiring ending.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Universe Decisions #3

  The race for President is heating up. Under the guise of showing their support Bruce Wayne and Wonder Woman are able to embed themselves into more campaigns. But when a secret service agent turns on the politician he is assigned to protect, the stakes get higher. Ironically, this event helps Batman to figure out who is behind these mind controlled acts of terror. Now to bait the trap…

   Decisions returns to its political intrigue roots. When it clicks as a thriller, it’s like Marathon Man, but with superheroes.

    It’s not just a thriller. There are some very funny moments, especially thanks to the Flash, whose very perturbed that the media isn’t covering the assassination attempts as in depth as they are the circus of superheroes who are throwing their support behind a wide open field of candidates.

   One thing off with this issue is some of the art- in particularly, that of Lois Lane. Her eyeballs look like they take over all of her forehead. And there was one scene where is looks like she broke not only both arms but her wrists and all ten fingers. Really freaky looking.

  Worth Consuming

  Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman

First of all, I love this book. The stories are great. The art is classic 80s/90s. I love the writing and there’s not a weak story in the bunch. I very much consider this book worth consuming, but there is a catch. This isn’t a collection of comics about the 90s TV show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. It’s a collection of post-Crisis tales that inspired the show. Even though the back cover explains this, the front is devoid of this info, thus, I felt like it’s false advertising.

With Superman being added to the CW's Supergirl, I'm really digging the Man of Steel in a major way that's been missing with the Zack Synder movies. I didn't hate them, but having Superman be more of a god among men than a super-powered alien just isn't my style of Superman. Plus, having Dean Cain as Supergirl's adopted father, I've been nostalgic for Lois & Clark. Corny as it may have been, it was a cool show.

If I had all the stories contained in this volume, it would mean I spent money on books I already had. Adding to the problem is that the book doesn’t have an index to let you know what issues are collected within. So, if you have an extensive late 80s Superman collection, this may not be the collection for you if you are looking for never before collecting material. Buyer Beware- but keep in mind I am a big fan of John Byrne, Jerry Ordway, and Dan Jurgens and think the material within is top notch.

However, the cover sucks rocks. Kidding! I actually miss Teri's Lois Lane too!

Worth Consuming

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #3

   Betrayed! Lois Lane and the Resistance find themselves up a creek without a power when one of the group is revealed to be a double agent. 
    The finale was okay but it wasn't as action packed as some of these other endings of the  Flashpoint tie-ins. 
    Note to perspective Flashpoint readers- read this issue before you read Wonder Woman and the Furies #3. The Flashpoint checklist actually switched the reading order of those two books and they got it wrong!

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Project Superman #3

   

Subject Zero has finally escaped from the Phantom Zone and has his eyes set on Kal-El! In a dramatic battle in the streets of London, it's a fight to the finish between Supermen with Resistance fighter Lois Lane stuck in the middle and no-one to tell her how many P's are in rapist! (See the first Superman movie for that reference.)
    Really great finish to a very unique and interesting take on the Man of Steel. I loved the very last panel of this issue. It's got a great iconic twist vibe going and I don't want to spoil the ending but the ending was truly epic.
   One of the best tie-ins of the Flashpoint bunch. Project Superman should be required reading for any DC fan interested in alternate takes of some of the most iconic characters in the entire DC Universe. Plus, the artwork by Gene Ha is fantastic. Why he isn't utilized more by the folks at DC is a mystery to me.
  
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #2

 Continuing from the pages of Flashpoint: Canterbury Cricket, the supernaturally powered members of the Resistance finally meet up with Lois Lane. But more of Wonder Woman's Furies have also discovered Cyborg's only spy behind the enemy lines of New Themyscira. Which side will prevail resulting in Lois Lane revealing the whereabouts of Resistance leader Penny Black? And even more important, who will discover the location of Penny's enchanted suit which has the power to finally turn the tide of the Atlantis/ Themyscira war in the favor of the human race!

   Where the stand alone issue of Canterbury Cricket was confusing as all get out, this issue of Lois Lane and the Resistance answered all sorts of questions. it even made me appreciate the Canterbury Cricket story that much more.

    Lots of twists- lots of turns abound in this issue, including a shocking cliffhanger that I really should have saw coming a mile away. But I didn't! Kudos to writer Andy Lanning for penning enough centrifuge that I wasn't able to put my finger what was going to happen until too late!
 
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Flashpoint: Lois Lane and the Resistance #1

  You often hear that Lois Lane is an excellent investigative journalist. But you don't really get to witness her going off the grid by herself much because Superman is always there to bail her out. In Lois Lane and the Resistance, she finally gets that chance as in the Flashpoint, there is no Superman to answer her calls for help. 
    Stranded in Paris during the fall of Europe, Lois Lane is contacted by the Flashpoint's greatest hero, Cyborg, to make contact with a resistance leader in London, now the home of the Amazon's New Themyscira! But in order to win the right to move freely throughout the new nation, Lois must undergo loyalty training or face becoming an Amazonian science project that often result in hideous mutations. If Lois is to connect with the resistance, Cyborg is going to have to act fast as tomorrow is the day of Lois' turn on the operating table.
     Issue #1 was an action packed look at the underground movement in Europe following Aquaman's destruction of most of the continent. Now with the Amazons controlling the British Isles, it looks like the war between Atlantis and Themyscira is heating up. I felt like I was reading a DC Comics version of Mission: Impossible what with secret operatives, crazy gadgets and tons more espionage and trickery than I can count. 
    Writers Andy Lanning and Dan Abnett, the duo behind Flashpoint: Wonder Woman and the Furies, were the right choice to chronicle further escapades surrounding the Amazons. But something was missing to make this as good as an opening chapter as the work they did in Furies #1. This series doesn't have that breathtaking art that Furies does. But I don't think that it the only reason I wasn't 100% satisfied with this issue. Hopefully, by issue #2, I will be able to put my finger on it. All I can say for now is that I get the feeling that my objections have something to do with the cover...

   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Lois Lane: Fallout by Gwenda Bond

Marvel might get all the kudos for it's numerous titles starting female superheroes, but it is DC whose making strides in recruiting the next generation of new girl readers. Last month DC launched the DC Superhero Girls line on their website. With weekly minisodes, activities, and a toy and comic book series coming up next year, the message of DCSH Girls is clear- girls can save the day as well as any boy!

   But 'Girls' isn't what I am reviewing for this post. No, what I am reviewing today is another series geared towards young girls, though boys could enjoy it too! What I am talking about is the Lois Lane mystery series for young adult readers.

    This series is written by author Gwenda Bond and is a reimagining of Lois Lane's days in high school. Lois is an army brat whose been all around the world thanks to her dad's military career as a general. The Lanes have finally settled down in Metropolis, hopefully for good. Things at Lois' new school should go great for the 16-year old if she can follow her dad's advice to not rock the boat. But in typical Lois fashion, her pursuit for justice and truth will make her instant enemies with the Principal when on her first day the young lady sticks up for a fellow student whose being bullied.

    This spunk will put Ms. Lane on several other party's radar. Her anti-bullying cause will make Lois the target of the bullies collectively known as 'The Warheads' who spend all their time playing a virtual reality game and eerily act and talk as if they were of one mind. Lane's attitude also garners the attention of a certain editor of the Daily Planet as well. It will also land the young lady a new job!

   Now a cub reporter for an online reporter for The Scoop, online sister publication of the Planet aimed at teens, Lois will use her new clout to expose the wicked ways of the Warheads. When the attacks start getting personal, the young reporter will need the help of her new friends at the Daily Planet including cyber genius Devin and indy rock fashionista Maddy. But can she trust her new colleagues or is the only person she can truly rely on a budding reporter from the MidWest that she only knows from chatting with on the Internet with the screen name of SMALLVILLEGUY?

    Fallout was an interesting read. I really wanted to get to the bottom of the mystery and I really wanted the bad guys to get what was coming to them. For a young adult mystery novel, it was pretty fresh and new. There were a few cliches, like the ubiquitous evil principal and Lois' parents being the kind that just don't understand what it's like to be a kid anymore.  Overall, the book was quite good and I'm looking forward to the next book which drops early May 2016.

    Before I go, I want to talk to the established fans of DC for a minute. I know you will hate that in this book Lois is a young girl, that she got her start on a kid's feature at the Daily Planet, and that the book takes place now and not during the 90s or even the 80s. The book is geared toward young readers- readers who might one day want to pick up a comic book about Lois Lane and maybe start collecting them. These are the very same potential readers that could one day save the print industry because they got hooked on superheroes thanks to a novel such as this. 

    I was willing to overlook the modern twist. In fact, I like that Clark Kent is involved in the story without physically being a part of Lois' life. I am sure that his presence will send some purists into a fit of rage. But what won this book over for me was that Lois Lane, for how hip and modern she was presented, still was a curious sort who got herself into trouble and is a terrible speller. ('How many 'P's in Rapist?') Take away her iPhone, her plaid skirt, and love of video games, boiled down this is the same Lois that we (and Superman) fell in love with over the past 77 years and that makes this young adult book WORTH CONSUMING!

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Showcase Presents: Superman Family, Volume 4

  When I was a little kid, it would be a special treat when my father would bring our his collection of comics from when he was a youngster. Born in 1955, my dad's collection was from the Silver Age of comics. So  most of my introduction into comics were titles from about 1956-1968. That's not a bad tutorial for a kid born in 1977 to have.

   My pop had things like the first appearance of the Barry Allen Flash, the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and the Black Panther. (I later inherited these gems only to have them stolen by an older high school 'friend.') But my favorite comics were the ones that starred Superman, particularly those adventures that starred members of Superman's Family. Those titles included Superman's best friend Jimmy Olsen and the Man of Steel's best gal, Lois Lane.

    This collection reprints some of those gems from the Olsen and Lane titles. Ranging from 1959-1960, this book includes the first appearance of Jimmy as Giant Turtle Man, the beginning of the Imaginary Tales stories that pondered what would happen if Superman finally married Lois, and numerous cameos from another Superman Family favorite of mine- Supergirl!

    Featuring art from Silver Age legends Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger, these stories are true American treasures. Sadly, just who wrote most of these classics has become lost to time or poor record keeping but you can see the deft handiwork of iconic DC editor, Julius Schwartz. The only thing missing would be a few ape covers because hey- gorillas sell books, kids!

   Besides being an anthology of some of the lesser known Superman titles, this was a time capsule to my childhood. It's been almost exactly 2 years since this title was published and a fifth volume in this series has yet to be issued. I hope DC hasn't given up on this series as there are at least another 10 years worth of stories left to be retold.

  Sometimes hokey, with some archaic views towards women and teens, but never boring, this is great stuff from the Silver Age that's totally Worth Consuming!

  Rating: 9 out of 10 stars

Legends of the DC Universe #2

Someone is targeting Lex Luthor! Whoever it is, they’re the bravest person in Metropolis. Hoping to catch this ‘killer’ before it’s too late, the head of LexCorp security asks to team with the Man of Steel. As much as Superman would love for somebody to finally take Luthor out of the picture once and for all, his code of ethics prevent him from allowing an innocent life be taken, even if that life belongs to the city’s biggest dirt bag.

I really enjoyed this second issue. The duo of the security guard and Superman is a team-up that I’ve never really seen before. At least involving the Last Son of Krypton. The only thing is that Luthor’s thugs neat beat the crap outta Lois Lane and the security chief admits it as well as goes out and confirms that LexCorp had something to do with the scientist’s death in issue #1. Why Superman does just arrest Luthor is beyond me! Other than that, I really like this storyline.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #3, (corrected)

 

How I got my hands on 2 issues of Superman Family Adventures is a common story in my blog. I found them at the library. As a fan of Art Baltazar and Franco, I would love to add  their DC titles to my collection. But since they keep turning up at my local library, it allows me to savor them for free and spend my money on other harder to find (at the library) titles.

  In this issue, Superman has bestowed his pal Jimmy Olsen with a special watch that will summon the Superman family in the event of an emergency. Eager to show his classmates that he is indeed buddies with the man of Steel, Jimmy uses the watch to alert the superhero of an assortment of troubles. The only problem, the watch keeps summoning the Super pets!

   Another laugh riot that’s geared for kids but has something adults will enjoy. Like a Disney film, there’s a little something for everyone. Thus, these books by Baltazar and Franco are perfect for parents to read as bedtime stories.

  

Worth Consuming.

 

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Superman Family Adventures #6

The dynamic team of Art Baltazar and Franco has done it again. First it was Tiny Titans- it’s a series that I must confess has turned me into a fan of the Teen Titans. Then the creative dup did this series- Superman Family Adventures. The title is in homage to Superman Family, a series in the 70s that contained original stories and reprints of not just Superman, but him as a boy, his cousin Supergirl, his best bud Jimmy Olsen, and his girlfriend Lois Lane. Sometimes, you get stories starring his myriad of villains, super pets, and friends and family. It was a Superman lover’s dream. And I had he first issue, I might add. It was awesome.

  This all-ages tribute to the Family of Steel captures that classic series perfectly. But instead of everyone starring in their own tales, the entire gang has adventures together. Added to the mix are more current Superman allies such as Steel and his niece Natasha. Also, we’ve got STAR labs and some of schoolyard chums of Kara and Connor Kent. Plus Ma and Pa Kent are alive in the DC Universe at the time of this publication and appear whereas they were both dead in the pre-Crisis 70s.

  The art might be childish but the Easter eggs and stories themselves bolster the all-ages appeal that will make kids and their parents enjoy this series for hours and hours. In this issue, the character of Metallo is introduced as an astronaut who becomes infected by sub-orbital kryptonite. Though he’s big and bad, he’s not as bad as his criminal counter-part in the adult comics. But that’s okay. It’s a forgivable tweak to a characters origin that won’t cause fans when they get older to hate. Plus, it makes for the issue to be more all-age friendly and parents of children wanting to become engrossed in comics will find this story more acceptable.

  It’s a real tragedy that with the coming of the New 52 universe, series like this and Tiny Titans got the heave-ho.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Special #14 (1968-1977, 1st series)

This special is a 70s era collection that reprints the exploits, if not the origin of 4 DC super-villains. You’ve got Toyman kidnapping Lois Lane in a toy castle of death, Penguin using his array of umbrella’s to trick Batman and Robin into getting trapped in an abandoned factory and then fire and ice take on the Scarlet Speedster as Heat Wave and Captain Cold join forces for the first time ever.

Yeah, it’s a reprint book and I’ve read at least one of these story’s before. But, the cover was awesome, it’s at least 40 years old, and I found it for a buck in a long box.

This is a fun gem, especially for those who like the bad guys!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

DC Retroactive: Superman - The '70s #1

The 70s were an unsung era for the Man of Steel. There was Kirby taking over Jimmy Olsen and introducing the New Gods, Cadmus, and the Forever People. Then you’ve got the creation of Intergang and the possible link of new Daily Planet owner, Morgan Edge, being the ringleader. Finally, the 70s proved a man can fly with Christopher Reeve starring as Superman.

 

Here, we have a great-Earth 2 reprint that tells how Clark Kent/Superman and Lois Lane got hitched. Along with that tale is a lost story in which a very overworked and underslept Superman is confronted by phantom versions of his greatest enemies. Could a certain imp from the 5th Dimension be behind all this?

A real fun read. Though the ubiquitous love triangle between Supes, Lois, and Lana Lane is childish and takes away from the action elements of the forgotten tale.

Brings back great memories though. 

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.