Written by Louise Simonson
Art by Paul Pelletier; Terry Austin; Ken Lopez; & Glenn Whitmore
Cover Art by Jon Bogdanove; Dennis Janke; Marjorie Straus; & Android Images
SUMMARY:
Entitled “Flight!,” this issue was released by DC Comics for October 1995. Continuity-wise, it also serves as ‘Issue # 38’ amongst DC’s abundance of inter-locking Superman titles. A winged young girl’s theft from two armed hoods leads Superman to believe that the ghastly Skyhook has returned to Metropolis. Superman is haunted by nightmares of a doomed Krypton.
Encountering this winged girl named Darlena, Perry White’s young adopted son, Keith, and his two pals follow her into a lead-lined section of the city’s sewer system. With Jimmy Olsen secretly trailing him for a hot scoop, it’s up to Superman to recover the mesmerized children in time from Skyhook. Meanwhile, Lois Lane is assigned to interview the Man of Steel’s local rival, Alpha Centurion.
REVIEW:
It’s a decent yet predictable read from writer Louise Simonson. While neither Superman nor Lois do anything remotely out of the ordinary, it’s the poignant final scene between Perry and Keith that compensates for a forgettable tale. More so, the consistently above-average artwork (including a decent cover image) holds up well a quarter-century later. While Superman: Man of Steel # 49 clearly belongs to the one-and-done pile, it’s still a decent option for younger Super-fans.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There’s a two-page “Tempered Steel” letters-and-answers column, which include upcoming issue synopses for Superman-related titles.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
