Written by Karl Kessel
Art by Ron Wagner; Josef Rubinsten; Linda Medley; & Albert DeGuzman
Cover Art by Walt Simonson
SUMMARY:
Published in 1995 by DC Comics, this 56-page, Year One-themed annual is entitled “Truth and Justice.” Set a decade ago (during Issue # 2 of John Byrne’s 1986 Superman-rebooting Man of Steel mini-series), a rookie Superman’s tentative alliance with the Metropolis Police Department is explored. While The Daily Planet’s Lois Lane is repeatedly thwarted in her efforts to track down the Man of Steel for an exclusive interview, Intergang schemes to take a Metropolis hotel hostage to force Superman’s showdown with their hired gun from Apokolips. It’s left unexplained how/why Intergang has established contact with Darkseid’s world.
Among the first encounters Superman experiences are cops Dan Turpin, Maggie Sawyer, SWAT commander Greg Reagan, & Captain Henderson; Intergang’s Mannheim; Kalibak; and, in a replay from Man of Steel # 2, Lois Lane. Meanwhile, Clark Kent hopes to find a Metropolis apartment and possibly his first scoop as The Daily Planet’s newest addition.
REVIEW:
It’s a decent excursion, particularly re: how Superman establishes his stance towards both the police and the media. Also, the Dan Turpin vs. Kalibak face-off is somehow well-played, as Superman is busy tangling with Intergang. In that sense, the art squad’s visuals don’t let down writer Karl Kessel, as they are consistently above-average. Of note: coincidentally (or maybe not), a Daily Star reporter, Toby Raines, briefly appears a few times, and she resembles the traditional Lois Lane far more than the abrasive Lois seen here (with a brown bob-and-bangs hairstyle).
More significantly is that Kesel includes a grim crime scene where Superman helps investigates a triple-homicide. While the art team doesn’t play up gore, one still sees a murdered cop clearly shot in the forehead as background in one panel. It’s really only this questionable Law & Order-like sequence that keeps Adventures of Superman Annual # 7 from being a kid-friendly visit to Superman’s first days in Metropolis. In the end, this comic is really meant for Superman die-hards for that era, while offering a likely one-and-done proposition for casual readers.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
None.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
