Random Smallville Episode - "Lexmas"

Hmm... Lex and Lana together? I can kinda see that... if Lex wasn't such a butthead in later seasons.

Next up is a familiar friend/foe from last year: Lex Luthor! Yeah, I’m putting him in this month too! Remember that Lex was once Superman’s friend long ago. Also, even when he’s been a foe for Superman, he’s been a supporting character in the different TV shows. Heck, he was pretty much a supporting character in the comics themselves. In the post-Crisis, he’d show up randomly and he wouldn’t even be the villain of the piece.

As I said back in my villain post last year, Lex first appeared in Action Comics #23. He had been traditionally a villain for Superman, but it wasn’t until the 50’s where we basically got an origin for Lex. It turned out that he used to live in Smallville and was a scientist. He even was an okay guy until a lab experiment went wrong. Superboy saved him, but Lex ended up hating Superboy for what happened and went down a bad path. I think other stuff may have happened, but I’m not too sure. The friendship was removed in the 80’s (Lex was an older man and lived in Metropolis) then reinstated when Superman: Birthright became the new origin in the 2000’s. I think the friendship is still in play currently with the newer origin.

I was originally going to look at Lex Luthor: Man of Steel, but I decided to go back to Smallville since it did highlight the friendship between Clark and Lex. I was going to talk about the season 6 episode, “Nemesis,” but I’m going to hit something else this time. “Lexmas” was the ninth episode of Season 5. At this point, Clark and Lana are finally dating, Chloe knows Clark’s secret, and Clark and Lex’s friendship has gone sour. Also, Jonathan Kent somehow got roped into running for state senator. Lex is also running, so some of the season has been dealing with that. I’ll mention the Kryptonian plot going on here since it really doesn’t play into this episode.

Random Justice League Episode - Hereafter

Well, I got three more posts for this month, so I’m going out some of the big ones. Next up, we got one of my favorite superhero teams: The Justice League. You can throw “of America,” “Elite”, “International,” “Task Force,” or “Dark” at the end of that phrase. Just don’t use “Extreme” and we’ll be good. The team first appeared in comics in The Brave and the Bold #28. The idea DC had was to reintroduce a then-modern version of the Justice Society of America. They just changed the name and threw in all of the major heroes like the Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Aquaman, Superman, and Batman. Over the years, a lot more heroes were added. They eventually got put into their own book, Justice League of America, and the rest was history.

The team also made it to TV and movies. They’ve been in stuff like The Super Friends, they headlined their own show for years, and they’ve had a lot of animated movies done about them. They’ve also been put in live-action. There was the recent 2017 movie, Smallville, and some weird variety show from 1979. In 2007, there was a movie that was in production called Justice League: Mortal, but that never came to be. There’s also the failed pilot from the 90’s. They’ve also made it to the video games and have had quite a few games released featuring them.

Since Superman is the theme of the month, I thought I’d look at an episode from Justice League. “Hereafter” was a season 2 episode. Season 2 is probably one the best seasons for the show overall. It was written by Dwayne McDuffie, a cool writer who is unfortunately no longer with us. So, what happens to the League when a member is lost?

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #239

Next up for the month is the superhero team from the 31^st century: The Legion of Super-Heroes. You could say that they’re the first superhero fanboys/fangirls in comics. They were inspired by Superman to become superheroes. They were first introduced in Adventure Comics #247 as they made Superboy into a LOSH member. They spent a few years in that book until they were put into backups for Action Comics. They were then put into Superboy’s book and eventually, that book became theirs. They were probably at their height during the 70’s and 80’s. The team also had a lot of different characters with different powers. The characters would also age, die, and get married.

Things changed for the Legion when they hit the post-Crisis era. Since Superboy was removed from continuity, things got weird there. That team would go for a few years until the Legion was rebooted after Zero Hour. For LOSH fans, this would become a repeating pattern especially in the 2000’s. I think there were three Legion teams in that decade. I can kind of see why they’ve been shelved since the New 52. The Legion has also appeared in the DCAU, Smallville, and Supergirl. They also had a cartoon on the WB that lasted for a couple of years.

I was going to review their show’s first season today, but that DC Universe app kept freezing on me. I also thought about reviewing Justice League of America’s “The Lightning Saga,” but I’ll save that for later. So, I’m going to go back into the day and talk about a random LOSH issue. Superboy and Legion of Super-Heroes #239 was released May 1978. The writers were Jim Starlin and Paul Levitz. Starlin also handled the pencils for the issue. Joe Rubinstein handled the inks. So, what happens when a LOSH member is accused of murder?

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Action Comics #761

Next up for the month is someone who has been a friend, an ally, and even a lover to Superman: Diana Prince, aka “Wonder Woman.” If you don’t know who Wonder Woman is, just Google her. It’s all out there. Diana first appeared in All-Star Comics #8 (1941). She’s from the Amazonian island of Themyiscara (I’m not going to spell that right). Whatever origin you follow (born from clay or Daughter of Zeus), she’s been endowed with godly strength and abilities. Her main mission is to promote peace on Earth. Yeah, she’ll have to bust some heads sometimes, but she is a superhero, after all. She’s had her own book for years and has even been a part of the Justice League and the Justice Society of America. I’m not even going to mention all the different media outlets she’s been in. That is what Wikipedia is for, folks.

Her connections to Superman have been there. They’ve been teammates, they’ve been friends, and they’re part of that whole “DC Trinity” thing. By the way, when did that become a thing? Anyway, they’ve also been lovers in various stories. We’d get stories in the Silver/Bronze age about them possibly hooking up. When the post-Crisis started, they had a mutual crush on one another, but it never amounted to anything (Action Comics #600). There have been non-canon stories like Kingdom Come that have played with them being in a relationship. Then, in 2012, DC played around with the relationship in the New 52. They even had a book with them together. I do wonder why that went the way of the dodo when “Superman Reborn” happened, though.

Today’s issue doesn’t play around with the New 52, though. It’s Action Comics #761 from 2000. I had heard about this issue years ago since it had Superman and Wonder Woman questioning some things. Joe Kelly was the writer. Handling the pencil chores is German Garcia. Joe Rubenstein handles the inks. So, what happens when Superman and Wonder Woman are transported to Valhalla to meet Thor? Monster-slaying as well as the worrying of a wife.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Steel #1

Next up for this last week is another one of Superman’s replacements from the 90’s: Steel or “The Man of Steel.” John Henry Irons (nice name, by the way) was introduced in The Adventures of Superman #500. He initially was… a steel-working man that Superman once saved. He created his own armor and fought crime. As time went on however, we found out that he used to work on military weaponry for corporations. He got tired of it and faked his own death. After Superman returned from the grave, Irons kept the armor but ditched the ‘S’ and the “Man of” part.

He had his own series that spun out of the Superman books.  It only lasted four about four years. He even was on the JLA for a bit. He eventually made his way back to the Superman books in the 2000’s as a supporting character. His niece, Natasha Irons, even took up his mantle. Irons was also one of the main characters in the pretty cool max-series, 52. He was retooled for a bit in the New 52, but it looks like they’ve gone back to his original origin. These days, I think he’s even dating Lana Lang in the Rebirth era.

As for any other appearances, he’s been seen in the DCAU, he’s been in a couple DCU animated movies, and there’s the Shaquille O’Neal movie to consider. Yes, the 1997 movie is bad, but it’s a good type of bad. Thankfully, I can talk about some that’s probably better. Steel #1 was released during February 1994 and it was written by Louise Simonson, Steel’s creator. While Jon Bogdanove did the cover, the pencils were handled by Chris Batista. Inks were done by Rich Faber. So, what happens when John returns to Washington D.C.? A whole lotta trouble, that’s what!

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superboy #8

Next up for the month is the Boy of Steel: Superboy. Yes, you read that right. While Clark Kent was once Superboy, the name has been passed around a bit. Right now, Jonathan Kent, Clark’s and Lois’s son, is Superboy. Another one held title for years, though, and his name was Conner ‘Kon-El’ Kent. Well, he didn’t have a name until a few years later. I think folk just called him “Superboy,” which was something he didn’t like at first. We all know how teenagers can be and Superboy was no different.

His first appearance was in The Adventures of Superman #500. He was a clone created by Cadmus just in case Superman “gave up the ghost,” which he did in “The Death of Superman.” Superboy was one of the four replacement Supermen from“The Reign of the Supermen.” He tried to keep Metropolis safe until the original, genuine Superman returned. After that, he was spun off into his own title, Superboy, and it lasted for years.

He’s been a part of teams like Young Justice and the Teen Titans. Like most heroes, he got retooled during DC’s New 52 phase. To put it kindly, what the ########!@$^@%#^@%#^#^##### happened? That’s all I’ll say on that matter since I still don’t get what was up with those decisions. He also made it to TV shows like Young Justice and Smallville.  He was also kind of homaged on the WB’s Legion of Super Heroes cartoon. Lately, he’s been seen in the new DCAU movie, The Death of Superman.

Today’s issue will be coming from his series from the 90’s. Superboy #8 was written by the MVP of the month, Karl Kesel. Yeah, he’s been showing up here this month. The pencils are handled by Tom Grummett. Doug Hazlewood and Dan Davis handled the inks. This issue directly ties in to an event I covered years ago: Zero Hour. So, what happens when Superboy meets… Superboy? Find out below!

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - The Adventures of Superman #429

Next up for the month is another lady who was once a love interest for Clark: Catherine ‘Cat’ Grant. I thought I was done with this section, but nah! I even got another love coming in a couple of days. Anyway, Cat Grant first appeared in The Adventures of Superman #424. She was the gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. She and Clark even dated in those days, but they only stayed as friends. She would be a supporting character in the books for years. She even had a son named Adam, who unfortunately met his fate at the hands of Toyman. Yeah, they killed one of Superman’s  supporting character’s child in the 90’s.

Cat did disappear from the books in the 2000’s for a bit. She was brought back during Geoff Johns’ run of Action Comics and even featured in Supergirl at that time. She’s been retooled in the New 52 and the Rebirth era. As for other media, Cat was in the first season of Lois and Clark: the New Adventures of Superman… eh. Then, she appeared in the last season of Smallville for a couple of episodes… eh. Lately, she was a supporting character on the TV show, Supergirl… well, the third time’s the charm! Yeah, Cat hasn’t been done well when it comes to live-action. As for the animated side, she’s been seen here and there but only in spots.

Today’s issue won’t be her first appearance, but it will be the first issue that centered on her. It’s The Adventures of Superman #429. The writer is Marv Wolfman. Alongside John Byrne, he helped shape what the post-Crisis Superman would be like even though he wasn’t around for long (about 13 issues). Jerry Ordway handled the pencils and inks. So, what happens when Clark and Cat go on a weekend getaway?

TV Talk - Supergirl's "The Adventures of Supergirl" and "The Lost Children of Krypton"

Now, I’ve gotten to the superhero allies of Superman. He’s got a lot, so I’m only concentrating on the ones with an ‘S’ and a few others. “That should narrow it down,” I sarcastically say. Today, it’s one of the important ones: Supergirl. Kara Zor-El is Kal-El’s older cousin from Argo City. While her story shifts here and there, she too was launched from a doomed world and placed in suspended animation. That’s why Superman’s older than her when she awakens years later. Her first official appearance (DC played around with other “Super-ladies" before Kara)  was in Action Comics #252.

Supergirl then would sometimes appear in Superman’s book and appear in her own book for years. Then, she had her moment in Crisis on Infinite Earths where she was killed by the Anti-Monitor. While Kara didn’t come back after the event ended, there were other Sueprgirls. The was the Matrix-Supergirl, the Linda Danvers one from Peter David’s run, some weird one from the future, and Power Girl (a Supergirl from another Earth). Kara officially made her return to the comics during Jeph Loeb’s run on Superman/Batman and she’s stayed ever since then. Things have changed a bit since that run, but she’s still Superman’s “young” cousin from Krypton.

Supergirl has also made to other media as well. There was her 1984 movie. Even though that thing was far from decent, Helen Slater filled that role well. Supergirl’s been seen in the DCAU, as well as a few animated movies and a couple of video games. Then, there’s the live-action TV show on the CW. Right now, it’s going well into its fourth season and I’m behind on it. I was going to originally review all of Season 2, but that ain’t happening anytime soon. So, I’ll be looking at the first two episodes of Season 2, “The Adventures of Supergirl,” and “The Last Children of Krypton.” So, what happens when Kara’s cousin finally decides to show his trunkless butt up on this show?

Tales from the 50 Cent Bein! - The Adventures of Superman Annual #7

Next up for the month, I had to get away from the Daily Planet and look at a couple of Metropolis’s Finest: Maggie Sawyer and Dan Turpin. These two were a part of Metropolis’s Special Crimes Unit. They were the cops who tried to handle the bigger threats the city would face. They were a major part of the Superman books in post-Crisis era.

Now, Maggie first showed up in Superman #4 (1987). She was a tough-as-nails cop who took no gruff from anyone. She was also a lesbian, something that was always there but not stated until the 90’s. After the 90’s, she was put in the Batman books for a long bit in the 2000’s. I guess Batman wanted another cool cop on his end too? Anyway, she’s recently made it back to the Superman books. Maggie has also been featured in the DCAU (it’s where I saw her first), Smallville, and most recently, Supergirl.

As for Dan Turpin, he’s a little more complicated but he was created by Jack Kirby. He first appeared with the Boy Commandoes as the character “Brooklyn” in Detective Comics #64 (1942). Then, he was brought back in 1971 for Jack Kirby’s DC run (New Gods #5). The story’s he’s probably most known for is Final Crisis where he was used as a new body for Darkseid. He’s also appeared in a few shows like Superman: The Animated Series and Smallville. He probably had one of the more memorable moments from STAS. I won’t spoil it, though.

Today’s issue is another one from 1995. I told you I got that era down, man! It’s The Adventures of Superman Annual #7. During this time, DC would try to do something with their Annuals for each year. In 1995, they did a Year One theme that showed the early days of the heroes. Once more, we have Karl Kesel as the writer. The funny thing is that I’m not done with “The Kesel Run” yet. Ron Wagner handles the pencils while Joe Rubinstein does the inks. So, what did happen during that second issue of 1986’s The Man of Steel? Apparently, a lot.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superman: The Man of Steel #47

Next up for the month is the Daily Planet’s Editor-in-Chief, Perry White. For those who don’t know, Clark used to work for the Daily Star when he first debuted. George Taylor was his Editor-in-Chief. Then, someone’s wires got switched and the Daily Star became the Daily Planet.  Perry White officially made his appearance in the Superman radio show in 1940 and then transitioned over the comics. The comics even explained the Daily Star business as being on Earth-2, so Perry’s been Clark’s main boss in mainstream comics. He’s been there since then running then pages of the Daily Planet.

He’s had got a lot of stuff added to him throughout the ages. He got a wife named Alice, a twerp of a son named Jerry, and even an adopted African-American son named Keith. He even served as a surrogate father to the staff. He even at one point got lung cancer for a bit. He’s been in a lot of the various shows and movies just like Lois and Jimmy too. He even hooked up with Martha Kent on Smallville… for some reason.

Today’s issue is another one from the 90’s. Hey, I got that era pretty much down. It’s Superman: The Man of Steel #47 form 1995. The writer is Louise Simonson who was the writer for that book for years. Jon Bogdanove handled the pencils and Dennis Janke did the inks. So, what did Perry White and Franklin Stern (the owner of the Daily Planet) get up to in the 1950’s/1960’s? A lot messed up stuff that involves racists.

Tales from the $3.99 Bin! - Superman #39

Next up for the month is the Daily Planet’s photographer, James “Jimmy” Bartholomew Olsen. He’s been a supporting character for Superman for the longest time. While some say he showed up in Action Comics #6, he officially made his first appearance in the Superman radio show. Jimmy then made his way to the comics then disappeared for a bit. When Jack Larson played the character on the George Reeves’ Superman TV show, Jimmy was brought back to the comics and he even got his own book called Superman’s Pal: Jimmy Olsen. Yes, Jimmy had a book and that thing lasted for years. Even Jack Kirby wrote on it when he came to DC! Since then, Jimmy has been a constant supporting character in the books. Whether he’s a reporter, photographer, being “Peter Parkered”, a man of action, an annoyance, or a cool black dude, Jimmy’s been around.

Today, I thought I’d look at something from the New 52 era of DC. Yes, it wasn’t all that bad, guys. Don’t let the trunkless era scare you off like that! The “Big G” himself, Geoff Johns, returned to the Superman books for a small period during that time. He was accompanied by John Romita Jr., a Marvel legend, and Klaus Janson. I’d say it was a match made in heaven, but it wasn’t. Still, their arc. “Men of Tomorrow,” was fine and it ended with today’s issue, Superman #39. This was Johns’ last issue for on the book while the other two would continue on for a bit. So, what happens when Superman is powerless? Not much but that’s not bad.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - The Adventures of Superman #532

Next up for the month is yet another love and maybe the last love. I’m not sure yet. I guess I got love on the mind or something. This time, it’s the mermaid known as Lori Lemaris. Yes, Clark Kent actually fell in love with a mermaid and that mermaid went to college. It’s like Splashed and Stomp the Yard got mixed into one plot or something. She first appeared in Superman #129 from 1959. She and Clark dated when he was enrolled at Metropolis University. He even wanted to marry her but Lori told him that couldn’t happened and returned to her home of Tritonius. She did come back a bit during the Pre-Crisis era. I first ran into her in Superman: The Secret Years from 1985. She even died in Crisis on Infinite Earths.

When we got to the post-Crisis era, things mostly remained unchanged. Lori and Clark still had their fling in college. Also, Lori had another mission in finding other cities from the continent of Atlantis. She popped up every so often during the 90’s with her longer stint coming in 1996. Lori ended up returning in The Adventures of Superman #532. We got the usual team of Kesel, Immonen, and Marzan doing their thing. It seems like I’ve been coming back to this title a lot. That’s not too bad. So, what happens when a hot, sometimes scantly clad, former girlfriend comes into town? A bit of jealousy.

Tales from the $2.99 Bin! - Superwoman #1

Next up for the month is technically the first love on Clark Kent’s life: Lana Lang. She was first introduced in Superboy #10 (1950). She was pretty much a Lois Lane copy right down the attitude of liking Superboy over young Clark Kent. She even had adventures with Superboy. In the Bronze Age, she came to Metropolis, became an anchorwoman, and even started a relationship with Clark. Things did change in the post-Crisis, though. She and Clark dated in their youth but he only cared for her like a sister. This led her to ultimately marry Pete Ross, Clark’s friend. She was also pretty much a normal lady.

Post-Infinite Crisis, the writers tried to fold her back into book by having her be CEO over Lexcorp. Then, the New 52 happened and she basically became an adventurer. She and Clark still had their past. She even became a superhero in the Rebirth era. The lady’s been everywhere in the media. I think my favorite version is from Superman: The Animated Series. I don’t know where Kristen Kreuk would be on that list, though. Maybe if she wasn’t so… “meh” in Smallville’s later seasons, me, my sister, Liz (she likes Smallville too), and plenty of Chloe/Clark shippers would like her more.

I did think about looking at Action Comics #597 since the cover is pretty funny, but I think I’m going to hit something more modern. Remember when I said that Lana was a superhero? Well, there’s a story behind that. At the official end of the New 52, that version of Superman died and somehow transferred his powers to New-52 Lois and Lana. They then got pulled into their own series called Superwoman. The first issue was written and penciled by Phil Jimenez. Matt Santorelli inked the issue. So, what happens when two of Superman’s loves get powers? Some unexpected stuff.

TV Talk - Smallville: "Delete"

Next up for the month is another love of Clark Kent’s. Unlike the rest on the list, she didn’t originate in comics. It’s Chloe Sullivan from the TV show, Smallville. Yes, she’s on the list since she was a supporting character for Clark. Plus, she eventually made her way to the comics for a bit, so take that, Internet Elite! I got all my bases checked!

Anyway, Chloe was pretty much a mainstay on the show. Other than Clark, she stayed on that show for over nine seasons (she was a guest star in season 10). She was the Lois Lane of that show before Lois showed up. She was a reporter at Smallville High’s newspaper and eventually the Daily Planet. She also filled other roles on the show too. She was Clark’s confidant, a hacker, a healer (she had powers for a while), a vessel for Brainiac, a crush for Clark Kent (and probably a better girlfriend than this show’s Lana), and an Oracle homage. She pretty much did it all except for get Clark’s powers since that would have been a little too far for the Chloe fans.

For today’s post, I’ll be looking at the Season 3 episode, “Delete.” At this point, a lot of stuff has happened. Clark’s and Lana’s relationship has gotten weird. Lex actually found out Clark’s secret, went crazy, and then had his brain screwed with in a mental hospital so he can’t remember it. Jonathan made a deal with the Old Testament God--- I mean, A.I. Jor-El that actually doesn’t come into play here. Then, there’s Chloe who had teamed up with Lionel Luthor to keep tabs on Clark earlier in the season. That did stop after a while, but things have been weird between Clark and Chloe. Lionel is also a bit of an ass, so Chloe’s not doing too well.

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - The Adventures of Superman #525

Next up, in my look at the important women of Superman’s life, there’s Lois Lane. She’s pretty much the most important one of all. She was there right in the pages of Action Comics #1. She worked alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet/Daily Star (Golden Age) and has been on many adventures with Superman. If there’s been one constant supporting character in the books, it’s Lois Lane.  Heck, she even had her own book at DC, Superman’s Girlfriend: Lois Lane.

There were points where she was… well, how do you put “annoying crone” nicely? Yeah, she wasn’t that great in the Golden and Silver Age at least in my opinion. I’ve only read a few Golden/Silver Age stories, but she wasn’t that pleasant in them. She pined for Superman and loathed Clark Kent. To be fair, that version of Clark was a bit wimpy, but she would take it too far at times. It kinda made you wonder what he saw in that version. Over time, Lois would become less… crone-y (I’m trying not to use any other words). She still had the drive to get the story and the truth. She was still pretty aggressive but in a good way. She even gained a few defense moves. Ultimately, she became someone who I could see Clark (and most guys) falling for.

For today’s issue, I thought I’d hit the 90’s for Ms. Lane. It’s The Adventures of Superman #525 from 1995. At this point, the Superman books had just come out of a major crossover called “The Death of Clark Kent.” To make a long story short, Kenny Braverman, aka “Conduit,” found out Clark’s secret and tried to make his life hell. He struck out at his family and friends and even made Clark throw away the secret identity. Ultimately, he was defeated, but things still needed to wrap up. Karl Kesel handled the story. Stuart Immonen handled the pencils while Jose Marzan Jr. did the inks.

TV Talk - Smallville: "Blue"

Supergirl, meet Supergirl.

Next up for the month is the Kryptonian matriarch of the El family: Lara-El  or Lara Lor-Von. Like Jor-El, she too first appeared in 1939. Her name was even a little different too. While she is the wife of Jor-El, that hasn’t been her only occupation. Yeah, she mostly stands around in the movies/TV shows, but the comics tried to make her more than the standard house wife. She’s been a scientist, an astronaut, a historian, and a skilled fighter. Let’s thank Scott Lobdell for the fighting part since that’s probably one of the only cool things he brought to the table. In some iterations, she even helped Jor-El build the ship that Kal-El traveled to Earth in.

Outside of her times with Jor-El, I don’t think there have been many solo stories with her. I could be wrong on that, though. So, it’s to season 7 of Smallville, an okay season for the most part. At this point, Clark is on the farm alone since Martha’s gone to the Senate or something. Luckily, he’s not lonely since he has Lana, Chloe, and a distant cousin named Kara. Yep, we got Supergirl on the show and she can also fly unlike her supposedly younger cousin. Anyway, Lara does show up a couple of times this season, once in a flashback (“Lara”) and once for real (“Blue”). Today, it’s “Blue,” the eighth episode of the season and Lara is being played by Helen Slater (Supergirl).

TV Talk - Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman - "The Foundling"

Next up for the month, it’s time to look at the one who sent young Kal-El to Earth: Jor-El. Jor-El was there from the beginning. Action Comics #1 literally starts out with Jor-El sending his son to Earth. He actually didn’t appear in it, though. We had to wait a year to see Jor-El and Lara (I’ll get to her next time) in person. We all know his story in that he was the scientist who predicted that Krypton would be no more. It’s been his main mode in the comics and the media. He’s also been a man of action, a teacher, a ghost (figurative and literal), and a villain. I’m not touching on what he’s currently doing in comics, though. Yeah, he’s somehow back thanks to Naked Blue Boy aka, Dr. Manhattan.

I did think about looking at a Smallville episode that featured Jor-El, but I’ll save Smallville for later. Today, it’s an episode from Season 1 of Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Since the show was based off the Post-Crisis era, we didn’t get a lot of Krypton. Heck, the only alien thing we main saw was Superman which was kind of a problem with that show. Clark did get to find out where he came from in episode 17, “The Foundling.”

Tales from the 50 Cent Bin! - Superman in "The Day of the Krypton Man"

This week for Superman Month, it’s all about family. Clark’s got two sets of parents, so I thought I’d center on the ones who influenced Clark the most: The Kents. Yeah, the Els may have birthed them and maybe taught him stuff in the Fortress of Solitude, but the Kents were the ones who raised. They were the ones who instilled Superman’s morals in him. Considering how Clark turned out, I think they did a good job.

Jonathan and Martha Kent (or Pa and Ma Kent) were actually introduced a year after Action Comics #1 was released. You could say that they were there in the beginning, but they had no name yet and Superman’s history was still in flux. Their names weren’t set in stone until much later either. The Kents also didn’t live long in the pre-Crisis era since they died when Superman was still Superboy. The idea of the Kents living and interacting with adult Clark didn’t come to pass until the Byrne reboot in 1986. The Kents being alive was then undone with the reboot in 2011. They been all over the different media as well.

Today’s story is one I’ve wanted to get to for some time. “Day of the Krypton Man” was a multi-part story that took place in Superman #41-42, The Adventures of Superman #464-465, and Action Comics #651-652. At this time, the Super books started to fit more in line with one another. This took place during a time where Clark was having issues. Ever since he returned from his exile, stuff has been weird. He accidentally got Jimmy sick, he and Lois have been getting close, and he quit his job at the Daily Planet to become the EiC at Newstime. He’s also been dealing with that pesky Eradicator device and that’s going to hit him big time in this story. So, what happens when Clark turns a stogy, cold, violent (?) jackass? A lotta stuff, ‘yo!

“The Day of the Krypton Man”

Writers: Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, and Roger Stern

Pencils: Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens, George Perez, and Kerry Gammill

Inks: Dennis Janke, Art Thibert, and Brett Breeding

Colors: Glenn Whitmore

Letters: John Constanza, Albert DeGuzman, and Bill Oakley

Editor: Mike Carlin and Jon Peterson

Superman Month - Time to Meet the Family and Friends

It’s another year and another Superman Month. He’s one of my favorite characters and has had many stories over these 80 years. While I’ve devoted a month to a few other things over the years, Superman (and martial arts) is one of the consistent topics. Every September, I try to have a certain theme for the month. Even when the theme is a bit vague, it’s kind of there. I don’t know what I was going for a couple of years back. I think the theme may have been “Divisive Works” or something since I looked at some things that folk are still divided over.

"Hey, what's Steve Harvey doin' back there?"

Last year, I looked at the many villains. This time, I decided to devote some time to another big aspect of Superman: the people in his world. It’s Family and Friends month. I’ll try to cover stories and episodes that look at Superman’s supporting cast as well as characters most associated with him. You may even see someone important from last year get a spotlight on his bald, shiny head. So, come around during the month of September, grab some of Ma’s apple pie, help Conner feed the cows, hang with Lana in the loft, and stay away from that Luthor boy. He’s been no good since he stole those 40 cakes, I tell ya!