Written by Dan Jurgens
Art by Ron Frenz; Joe Rubinstein; John Costanza; Glenn Whitmore; & Digital Chameleon
Cover Art by Ron Frenz; Joe Rubinstein; & Patrick Martin
SUMMARY:
Published for October 1996 by DC Comics, “Sacrifice for a Superman” concludes the three-part Bottled City. As ordered by his boss, whiny (and pony-tailed) Clark Kent faces far more responsibility and scrutiny at The Daily Planet, with Perry White on medical leave. Filling in as Perry’s substitute is one thing, but Clark immediately opts to chase after the dangerous imp known as Tolos.
To combat Tolos (who also shares Brainiac’s hobby of collecting alien specimens and trapping them in the bottled city of Kandor), the Man of Steel relies upon Professor Hamilton’s gadgetry in a clash vs. a mentally-possessed Daxamite prisoner of this imp. Tolos is determined to add a captive Superman — body, mind, and, most likely, his soul.
Note: This issue is # 37 in in terms of ongoing continuity with four other Super-monthlies of the time – specifically: Action Comics, Adventures of Superman, Superman: Man of Tomorrow, and Superman: The Man of Steel.
REVIEW:
This issue’s artwork is appreciably above-average, but the same compliment doesn’t cross over to an utterly ho-hum plot. DC Comics was clearly opting for quantity-over-quality by cranking out such forgettable efforts, just to keep up with five Superman titles a month. While scripter Dan Jurgens’ run-of-the-mill tale is kid-friendly, its total lack of impact makes Superman # 116 instantly eligible for the one-and-done stack.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There’s a single-page “Metropolis Mailbag” letters-and-answers column. Serving as # 22, the single-page “Watch This Space” column honors late Superman artist Curt Swan. The classy last page is a further tribute to Swan’s legacy.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
