The Many Lives of Superman #5

The Many Lives of Superman

Surgeon!

Script by Leo Dorfman
Pencils by Al Plastino
Inks by Al Plastino

Action Comics #337
From Riches To Rags
May 1966
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Posted for no other reason...

...than for sometimes you just have to dance!


(and sometimes you may have to use the dance as an excuse to send vibrations through the floor to shatter the timing mechanism of the bomb located underneath the dance floor)

Script by Cary Burkett
Pencils by Kurt Schaffenberger
Inks by Dan Adkins
Colors by Adrienne Roy
Letters by Jean Simek

The Superman Family #196
Super-Disco Fever
July/August 1979
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #10

And so we bring our ten day celebration of the centennial issues of Action Comics to a close with today's post. Following the pattern that we've established over that last nine days would mean we're showing the cover to Action Comics #1000. We're going to have to wait another 8 years for that one, so instead we're going for a two-fer by combining day ten with this week's Weekly Panel of Steel post and take a look at what's inside the issue.

With well over twenty collaborators involved, we had a wealth of panels to choose from. Pete Woods has been a phenomenal Superman artist for the past five years now. (Geez, has it been that long since Up, Up and Away!) If anyone deserves the honor, it's him. Dan Jurgens revisited his iconic Death of Superman storyline for a page, so there was that to choose from. Rags Morales packed a whole issues worth of emotion into his one page recap of the destruction of Krypton. And then there was contributions by Ryan Sook, R.B. Silva, Gary Frank, and Brian Stelfreeze...

All of these creators made it almost impossible to choose, so I went with the sentimental pick instead.


That's right, the band's back together again!

Anyone who has been reading my blogs for the last two years knows that the Death of Superman storyline was the moment I became a lifelong Superman fan. How could I not pick the awesome two-page spread of all of the major players from that era back together in one room.

And when it's drawn by Jesus Merino, whose style I have enjoyed for well over a decade now, it's even better. I, for one, can't get enough of his work, so I was thrilled to see him helping out at the tail end of the Black Ring storyline. I'm hoping that he sticks around the Superman stable of artists for the foreseeable future (like a post-Grounded Superman gig would suit me just fine).

So there you go...Superman is back in Action where he belongs and everything is right with the world.

Life is good.

Script by Paul Cornell
Artwork by Jesus Merino
Colors by Blond
Letters by Rob Leigh

Action Comics #900
The Black Ring Finale
Reign Of Doomsday
May 2011
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #9

And finally, here's the cover for the first American super-hero comic book to reach 900 issues the honest way, in stores today.


Only one thought comes to mind...welcome back Superman!

(psst...Hey Superman editors! Can we not have another two years go by without Superman in Action Comics? Please?)

While we're celebrating, we might as well take a look at the alternate covers too!

That's Alex Ross on the left and Adam Hughes on the right.

Artwork by David Finch

Action Comics #900
June 2011
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #8

Here's a bit of a surprise...Eight days into our celebration of Action Comics and it's our first homage to the original cover.

I would've thought that that would've happened a lot sooner than with issue #800, but here it is.


I always liked the homages that play a little bit with the perspective of the original cover, and this one's no exception. A gorgeous cover for a fantastic issue (Boy, do I sure miss Joe Kelly on Action Comics).

Artwork by Drew Struzan

Action Comics #800
April 2003
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #7

Seven hundred issues in, and we finally hit the 1990's with our ten day long celebration of the longevity of Action Comics. Today's anniversary issue is #700 and I have to reluctantly say, it's the only real stinker of the bunch.

Readers of my other blog, The Random Longbox, are no doubt well aware of my admiration for the artwork of Jackson Guice. His work on Doctor Strange in the late 80's made me a fan for life. I'm just thankful that this issue wasn't my first exposure to his work.


It's a good cover concept, it just loses something in the translation. And if you can get past the woefully outdated hair styles, the inside work is actually pretty stellar.

Artwork by Jackson Guice

Action Comics #700
June 1994
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #6

We're quickly approaching Wednesday, and with it the release of Action Comics #900. Like we did for most of last week, we're taking a look at all of the centennial anniversary issues of Action. Up today is issue #600!


Like yesterday's issue #500, this one feels very anniversary-ish...what with the gold statue and all.

Readers of my other blog, The Random Longbox, may remember that I took an in depth look at this issue last year. Click on over here, here, and here if you need more than one panel of Superman excellence today,.

And readers of this blog have come to expect a Superman vs. Dinosaurs themed posting today, to which I apologize and promise the Sunday versus posts will resume next week. In the meantime, if you squint really hard and look at the cover for today, you can almost imagine that Superman is fighting a pterodactyl instead of Mat-Bat. Almost.

Pencils by John Byrne, George Perez, Kurt Schaffenberger, Dick Giordano, Curt Swan, Mike Mignola
Inks by George Perez, Jerry Ordway, John Beatty, Murphy Anderson, Mike Mignola

Action Comics #600
May 1988
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #5

We're halfway through our ten day celebration of the centennial celebrations during Action Comics long and storied history, all in anticipation of the release of issue #900 in less than a week's time.

Up today is issue #500 and for the first time we get a cover that looks like a real celebration.

Pencils by Ross Andru
Inks by Dick Giordano

Action Comics #500
October 1979
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #4

Another day, another anniversary cover for Action Comics, counting our way up to issue #900! Today's cover comes from issue #400, and to help celebrate they brought in the incomparable Neal Adams to do the honors!

And its got a gorilla!


(Technically it's half a gorilla, but I'll still count that as a win)

Pencils by Neal Adams
Inks by Dick Giordano

Action Comics #400
May 1971
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #3

Day three of the countdown to issue #900 and believe it or not, things are getting even less exciting around here.


Come on, anniversary covers, you need to start picking up your game a little bit. We're supposed to be building to some sort of climax in seven days time.

Pencils by Curt Swan
Inks by George Klein

Action Comics #300
May 1963
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #2

Continuing the countdown to Action Comics #900 and it's day two, which means we're looking at the cover for issue #200.


Wow, that's two anniversary issues in a row with Superman walking. Maybe JMS was on to something after all, eh?

Artwork by Win Mortimer

Action Comics #200
January 1955
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Ten Days of Action Comics #1

To help celebrate the upcoming release of Actions Comics #900, we're going to be counting down the days until its release by looking at the previous eight centennial issues of this title. It all started right here, with issue #100.

Cover art by Wayne Boring and Ed Dobrotka

Action Comics #100
September 1946
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Modest Justice of the Golden Age

That may be just a tad bit of an understatement.

Script by Jerry Siegel
Pencils by Joe Shuster

Superman Sunday Newspaper Strip #21
March 24, 1940
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Sunday versus #6

Superman vs. Highly Evolved Dinosaur

Nowhere in the rules for Sunday versus posts does it say that I can't use a panel that features highly evolved dinosaurs returning to Earth to reclaim their birthworld from the usurping human race.

Script by William Woolfolk
Artwork by Kurt Schaffenberger
Colors by Gene D'Angelo
Letters by Milt Snapinn

Action Comics #576
Earth's Sister Planet!
February 1986
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Will Eisner

Here's a great pin-up by Will Eisner himself, for your Saturday viewing pleasure.



This particular piece is from Superman #400, which celebrated it's 45th anniversary in 1984.

The Spirit, ever the polite guest, made sure he brought along a present or two. Although I think he misread the invitation as it said B.Y.O.B., not B.Y.O.D.B. (Bring Your Own Dead Bodies, of course).

Artwork by Will Eisner

Superman #400
October 1984
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Overly complicated solutions to simple problems #1

And how will two steel girders shaped like the letter L help these two love sick fools choose which one of them marries which girl with the initials LL?

That's easy...they'll just hold them high up in the air on a remote mountaintop and wait for lightning to strike either one. Whoever's L gets struck first gets to pick between either Lois or Lana.

I suppose a heart-to-heart would've just been too easy.

And I'm sure the girls will be fine with whoever the lightning tells them they should marry.

Script by Leo Dorfman
Pencils by Curt Swan
Inks by George Klein

Superman #162
The Amazing Story Of Superman-Red And Superman-Blue
July 1963
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Characters Continuity Forgot #3

It's Valdemar of the Flame!

The viking leader from the isolated woods of...Maine?

Keeping the world safe from environmental disasters with the help of his huge golden falcon and flaming sword.

Script by Elliot S! Maggin
Pencils by Curt Swan
Inks by Murphy Anderson

Superman #260
Keeper Of The Eternal Flame!
January 1973
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Pushing the definition of "daring"

Daring?

Using Superman as a human shield is not what I'd call daring.

Reckless for sure, but not daring.

Although maybe she's talking about trying to pull off an all-white jumpsuit. Now that, is daring!

Script by Cary Bates
Artwork by John Rosenberger

The Superman Family #166
The Murdering Arm Of Metropolis
August/September 1974
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Super-Puzzle

Inspired by Bob Rozakis, I made my own Super-Puzzle.

L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L
L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L
L L L L L I L L L L L L L L U L L L L L
L L L L L L G L L L L L L L M L L L L L
L L L L L L L H L L O I S L A N E L L L
L L L L L L L L T L L L L L L L L L L L
L L L L L L L L L N L L L L Y L L L L L
L L L O L L L L L L I L L L N L L L L L
L L L R L L L L L L L N L L A L L L L L
L L L I L L L L L L L L G L I L G L L L
L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L N L L L L
L L L E X L U T H O R L L L A L L L U L
E L L M L L L L L L L L L L L D L L C L
L L L A L L L L L L L L A L L L L L Y L
A L L R L L L L L L L N L L L L L L L L
K L L I L L L L L L A L L L L L L L A L
L L L S L L L L L L L L L L L L L L N L
L L L L L L L L L L R O H T U L A N E L
L L I N D A L E E L L L L L L L L L L L
L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L

Can you find all ten double L names that I've hid in here?

I'll post the answers in the comments section tomorrow, for all of you playing along at home.

Puzzle by Bob Rozakis

The Superman Family #168
December/January 1974/1975
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Understated exclamations

Why does this panel make me laugh?


Ouch?

No "great galaxies" or "great Rao" or "moons of Krypton"?

Nope, just plain "ouch". That one must've really hurt!

Script by Mort Weisinger
Pencils by Al Plastino

Superman #147
Krypto Battles Titano!
August 1961
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Sunday versus #5

Superman vs. Dinosaur Skeleton

It's best to try not to figure out what kind of dinosaur that actually is, as I believe it started out as a standard T-Rex and then sprouted wings?

I say we just roll with it and enjoy the great panel!

Script by Cary Bates
Pencils by Curt Swan
Inks by Murphy Anderson

Superman #243
The Starry-Eyed Siren Of Space!
October 1971
Copyright (c) DC Comics

The Many Lives of Superman #4

The Many Lives of Superman

Barrister!

Script by Leo Dorfman
Pencils by Al Plastino
Inks by Al Plastino

Action Comics #337
From Riches To Rags
May 1966
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Problems us normal people don't have to worry about

I guess it's the normal person equivalent of leaving the house with no pants on?

Script by Dan Mishkin & Gary Kohn
Pencils by Curt Swan
Inks by Kurt Shaffenberger
Colors by Gene D'Angelo
Letters by A. Kawecki

DC Comics Presents #50
When You Wish Upon A Plnetoid!
October 1982
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Superman Sketchbook #3

Today's sketch comes courtesy from one of the masters of the modern age, Darwyn Cooke! This particular piece was done for PJ Wahlquist during the 2003 VegasCon. Click over here to see it in its full size glory and for a little story on its creation.

Artwork by Darwyn Cooke

And then there was the time...

...that Superman sucked up burning oil from an oil tanker crash on a bridge into his lungs, which he then exhaled into his cape which he had previously used to collect a bunch of popcorn, thus creating a large beanbag slide that people trapped on the bridge could use to get off.


What can your superhero do?

Script by David Campiti & Kevin Juaire
Pencils by Alex Saviuk
Inks by Eduardo Barreto
Colors b Gene D'Angelo
Letters by Helen Vesik

Action Comics #573
If I Were Superman...
November 1985
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Problems with suspension of disbelief

Why does it seem easier to believe that a man can fly, than to believe that Clark Kent has a fan club...much less 23 of them!

(I also think his fans need to get together and work on a catchier chant, as this one neither rhymes nor has good cadence.)

Script by Elizabeth Smith
Pencils by Dick Dillin
Inks by Tex Blaisdell
Colors by Bob LeRose
Letters by Moe Waldinger

Action Comics #477
One Of Those Days!
November 1977
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Well, this is embarassing...

You know you're having a bad day when you get hog tied by a villain.

But by a C-lister like Terra-Man? That's rough.

Script by Cary Bates
Pencils by Curt Swan
Inks by Tex Blaisdell

Action Comics #469
The Night Superman Was Buried In Boot Hill
March 1977
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Sunday versus #4

Superman vs. Plesiosaur

So apparently, 1991 was a very, very good year for fighting dinosaurs!

Script by Roger Stern
Pencils by Kieron Dwyer
Inks by Brad Vancata
Colors by Glenn Whitmore
Letters by Bill Oakley

Action Comics #671
Missing In Action
November 1991
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Awesome Bolland Cover

So here's a cover by an artist who doesn't do near enough straight super-hero work, and even less Superman stuff.

Luckily for us, however, Brian Bolland did give us this awesome cover.


I love that oblivious smile, and how he's adjusting his glasses ever so slightly while the left side of his head has been blown to smithereens.

The flaming wreckage on his shoulder is a nice touch as well.

Artwork by Brian Bolland

Action Comics #571
September 1985
Copyright (c) DC Comics

Famous' Firsts - Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale

We've been lucky enough to have three or four legendary Superman tales that have been released over the last twenty years. One of those modern-day classics is Superman For All Seasons, by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale. The two creators have since made themselves a nice little cottage industry, working together to tell out-of-continuity stories from both Marvel and DC.

Their first work together was the reintroduction of The Challengers Of The Unknown to a post crisis world. Their eight issue mini-series is one of the lost gems from the 90's that doesn't get nearly enough recognition as it should. But isn't that always the Challengers' fate?

But you know what? This isn't a Challengers of the Unknown blog. Luckily for us Superman made an appearance in the second issue, giving the world its first published Superman work by Loeb and Sale.

Script by Jeph Loeb
Artwork by Tim Sale
Colors by Lovern Kindzierski
Letters by Bob Pinaha

Challengers Of The Unknown (Vol. 2) #2
Tell The Truth!
April 1991
Copyright (c) DC Comics