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Earth-Prime: Superman & Lois (April 2022)

We’re taking another time jump because we couldn’t resist talking about Tom Grummett’s return to Superman comics! For one issue, but still! This is a tie-in comic set in the world of the current Superman & Lois TV show, and we’ve known for some time that we have at least one fan of the ‘86-’99 era in the writing staff (there’s no other logical explanation for including freaking Sam Foswell). So, we were delighted but not surprised to see some shout outs to our favorite era in this issue. The comic includes three stories:

The Anniversary

Clark and Lois tell their kids the story of their first anniversary, which happened several days after it should have because one of them is a busy investigative reporter and the other is a busy investigative reporter AND a superhero. References we spotted:

We find out that this Clark shaves by reflecting his eye lasers on (presumably Kryptonian) metal, just like ours does, as established way back in 1986′s Man of Steel #4. Don Sparrow says: “Tyler Hoechlin (who plays Superman) has joked about how fine-tuned Superman’s heat vision would need to be to get his signature 5 o’clock shadow look, and here we see it in action.” Maybe he wants to do a full shave but his heat vision isn’t just as strong as comic book Superman’s?

Also, we see the Planet offices in the panel above and that’s obviously Ron Troupe there, but I wonder if the blonde is Andrea the intern, a secretly fascinating minor ‘80s-’90s character we gotta write an article about at some point (”Andrea” was a fake name; she was actually a supporting character in another comic who ran away to Metropolis).

Don: “Page 10 is a treasure trove of triangle era terrors, as we see not only Toyman, but also Hi-Tech, Killgrave, Barrage, Loophole, (another personal fave) Sleez, and Supergirl TV series Vigilante Philip Karnowsky all in one shot.” Barrage and Karnowsky being there is funny because Barrage’s name in the comics IS Philip Karnowsky, but the Supergirl show turned him into Vigilante. Also, are you sure that’s Professor Killgrave in the back, Don? Kinda looks more like Roger Stern to me.

Don again: “Superman also later faces off with Lobo (making me wonder if it’s the Irish SyFy version of the character, who I’d love to see on a proper Arrowverse show -- along with the excellent Brainiac from that series, while I’m dreaming). Lobo in turn makes reference to a female ‘redhead’ who has hired Lobo to track down Superman, which must be Maxima, given how often one of this issue’s writers talks about her on Twitter.”

Lobo then takes Superman to a place he “borrowed” from an old drinking buddy. Don: “This is it, ladies and gentlemen! Our first Arrowverse reference to Bibbo Bibbowski, albeit in the form of a Bubba Gump shrimp like restaurant, which Lobo steals entirely, Carmen Sandiego-style.” Wait, is this really the first reference to Bibbo in this universe in 10 years?! For shame. I would have started there.

Lois investigates a crooked politician who turns out to be in league with Intergang and the late (in our continuity) Bruno “Ugly” Mannheim. Also, just noticed that the cabbie below looks an awful lot like Professor Hamilton, who perhaps had a harder time finding work after his prison stint in this universe. (It was a missed opportunity not having him say the cab ride was $6,50, but I guess those prices are no longer realistic.)

Finally, the last page continues the long tradition of ending stories with a shot of Superman flying away from the Kent farm, started in Man of Steel #1. Don says this “should have been the issue’s cover” and I agree!

Father’s Day

A short story revealing how Pa Kent (and Robert Redford/Dustin Hoffman) inspired Clark to become a reporter and help people. No specific ‘86-’99 shout outs that we could spot.

Controlled Burn

The previously unrevealed origin of the evil Superman from the reality the show’s version of John Henry Irons hails from, who wears a black costume reminiscent of our Superman’s post-resurrection suit. Speaking of that storyline, we see a familiar scene regarding the DCU’s unluckiest city... Don: “Man, Coast City just can’t catch a break!”

This story includes an important appearance by “Morgan Edge,” but if you’ve watched the show you know the character is very different from his comic book counterpart. Also, a cameo by Magog, but since we’re living in 1994 we don’t know who that is (yet).

Don has much more to say on this issue, including references to other Superman eras and movies! Incidentally: Those who have read this issue, try to guess which page Don had signed by his personal friend/fellow Canuck Tom Grummett...

Art-Watch (by @donsparrow):

We begin with the cover by Kim Jacinto, and it’s… bad. Not good at all. I do appreciate that they included Tyler Hoechlin’s signature stubble, but otherwise, it’s a complete turnoff, especially in an issue where the interiors are drawn by the legendary Tom Grummett. To get pedantic: neither Hoechlin, nor Bitsie Tulloch have brown hair in the series. Tyler’s hair has no spit curl, his eyes are green, not blue. Jordan Elsass has light brown hair, not bright yellow, and no human being has faces like the super-sons are shown to have here. But I get that there are just as many readers who would prefer this cover over the interior art, and art appreciation is totally subjective. (And I admit, it’s entirely possible, and likely, even, that I’m just flat out envious, and wishing I could do a cover like this one.)

Inside, we’re thrown immediately into familiar surroundings, as we see the Kent farm in the moonlight, and it’s a great, comforting image to kick off the first chapter.

Everything we see is screen accurate, somehow without just looking like they’re tracing still images from the show. The cast here is a perfect blend of actor resemblance, and classic cartooning, so that you know who each character is, without slavishly looking identical to the performers. If pressed, I’d say Tom’s Lois looks the most like on-screen, but there’s not a wrong note for any character. The page layouts take a repetitive rhythm as you read the book, with the layouts being so similar page to page that it almost reads like an animatic as you turn the pages. The left page always has an action splash page taking up about 3/4s of the page, with a three-panel sequence of either Clark or Lois missing the other as they cover the tumultuous events of their lives as heroes and journalists, while the right side has a similar grid of the couple making plans, and doing their usual sleuthing. There’s no shortage of Easter eggs throughout, especially for a blog as devoted to the triangle era as this one! Page 4 has Superman taking on the Mechanical Monsters, looking for all the world like the ones in the old Fleischer cartoons (even the font on the newspaper on the following page matches the one from the cartoon).

Clark’s outfits and posture generally look more like Tyler Hoechlin than a traditional comic book version of the character. Page 8 is my personal favourite, as Superman goes toe-to-toe with Superman IV’s Nuclear Man, a character I love, as I’ve shown my young children that movie more than any of the other, more sophisticated Reeve films. That’s why I chose that page to be signed by none other than Tom Grummett himself at a recent signing. I did ask if I could buy the page, but he's hanging onto it for now!

Page 10 is a treasure trove of triangle era terrors, as we see not only Toyman, but also Hi-Tech, Killgrave, Barrage, Loophole, (another person fave) Sleez, and Supergirl TV series Vigilante Philip Karnowsky all in one shot. Superman also later faces off with Lobo (making me wonder if it’s the Irish SyFy version of the character, who I’d love to see on a proper Arrowverse show—along with the excellent Brainiac from that series, while I’m dreaming). Lobo in turn makes reference to a female “redhead” who has hired Lobo to track down Superman, which must be Maxima, given how often this issue’s writer talks about her on Twitter.

The story ends with a couple of great splash images, none better than Superman flying his bride to sunny Hawaii, in a spectacular image, which should have been this issue’s cover.

The next story, “Father’s Day” short though it is, is filled with still more great stuff. The opening page grabbed some headlines, perceived by many as a rejection of the over-protective Kevin Costner version of Jonathan Kent, as the TV Jonathan praises his son for saving a young boy, symmetrically from a bus disaster.

Grummett does a great job on the second page, with a glimpse at an unnamed Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman in their roles as Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein in All The President’s Men. While I normally eschew real world politics in these pages, the leader of the free world being brought to justice through journalism is a fitting inspiration for this generation’s Superman, no matter which party to which he belongs.

We get another Easter egg as the helicopter Superman rescues (in a great image—dig the shadows falling from his arm, and bent leg!) recalls the red one from the Lois rescue/meet-cute in the first Reeve film.

The final story in this issue is well-drawn throughout, as loathe as I am to see yet another evil Superman. The story not only hints at the now-revealed Magog as the big crossover villain for this comic series, but also indicates that (spoilers from last season here…) John Henry’s red sun missile didn’t actually kill the Kal-El of his and Nat’s Earth. [Max: Is it me or would this story have rocked if they’d gotten Jerry Ordway to ink it? I’m a big fan of Norm Rapmund but I feel like Ordway’s shades could have added a lot to the atmosphere here.]

STRAY OBSERVATIONS:

It’s a cute callback to both Action Comics #1, and the first appearance of the Tyler Hoechlin Superman, that a green toy car is responsible for shutting down the press at the Daily Planet.

There’s some equal opportunity sex appeal, as both Clark, then Lois, then Clark, then Lois again are featured in a steamy shower conversation to move the plot along. I feel like a lesser story would only have Lois.

I wonder if Lobo’s comment about preferring Superman’s old outfit is a voodoo-doll like nod to fans like me, who miss the trunks on the otherwise perfect Hoechlin suit.

Superman & Lois is by far the best show on TV for my money, and my favourite part of the show is Lois’ journalism (indeed, the only thing lacking from the show is Clark-as-reporter, but you can’t have it all). So naturally, I love Lois in an Alias-like wig to get the scoop on the mayor’s dalliance with another triangle-era figure, Ugly Mannheim.

Plastino’s restaurant is of course a reference to longtime Superman artist, Al Plastino, perhaps best known specifically for his work on Supergirl, the character that birthed this TV show!

There’s an interesting symmetry with the Father’s Day story and the Controlled Burn story—the Clark Kent we know champions the meek reporters defending the world with holding the powerful to account, while the black-suited Superman of the alternate Earth still enjoys the support of the people, despite his growing authoritarianism, at least until he teams with his half-brother and destroys Metropolis.

The inverted newspapers with the cube “globe” are a wonderful and subtle nod to the Bizarro world storyline, even if “square” is misspelled on that second one.

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