Superman: The Man of Steel #4 (October 1991)
Superman: The Man of Steel #4 (October 1991)
A pseudo-Hulk wants to kill Superman’s father-in-law for turning him into that pseudo-Hulk. As usual when science experiments gone wrong are involved, this issue starts with Professor Hamilton screwing up: Hambone is doing some electrical work for S.T.A.R. Labs and has left cables hanging from the ceiling all over the facility, because what’s the worst thing that could happen? It’s not like there’s a supervillain who feeds from electric power. Just then, some S.T.A.R. employees bring in the (recently captured) Parasite – a supervillain who feeds from electric power.
“This is why you don’t work at S.T.A.R. full time, Hamilton.”
The Parasite causes a ruckus and is promptly re-captured by Superman, but the electrical failure he caused allows another S.T.A.R. prisoner to escape: Joe “Angstrom” Angst, a U.S. army private who volunteered for an experiment to turn soldiers into super-weapons by exposing them to a crapload of radiation. Unfortunately, whatever war he was supposed to fight in ended before he could be deployed (dammit, John Lennon!), so the army just dumped him at S.T.A.R. and forgot about him. Now that he’s out, he goes looking for the army captain who convinced him to volunteer: Sam Lane, Lois’ dad. Angstrom attacks Sam just as Lois drops in for a visit, so she tries to save his sexist ass with her karate moves.
In the end, it takes Superman and like three guys with mechanical gizmos from S.T.A.R. to contain Angstrom… though the fact that he’s quickly dying from radiation poisoning helped, too. Poor Joe is taken back to S.T.A.R., where Professor Hamilton neglects the Parasite just long enough for him to reach over and suck Angstrom’s powers – thus turning Joe back to normal and curing him of the radiation poisoning! Hambone’s ineptitude saved the day!
Character-Watch:
I’ll let Don Sparrow handle this one: “It’s here. Superman faces his most evil villain of all. No, not Angstrom. Not Parasite. Of course, I’m speaking of Jeb Friedman, in my book, the most hateful new character until we get to the era of Kancer and Ignition (which will fortunately be beyond the 1999 scope of this blog, which means, Jeb is as bad as it gets).” Jeb is a strike organizer (really? that’s a job?) who has a “past” with Lois Lane, so she tries to interview him about Intergang’s involvement with the Daily Planet strike. Jeb insists the interview take place in a jazz joint called The Jazz Joint and tries to hit on Lois, but her fiancee shows up and ruins everything.
Don continues: “Even in his first appearance, almost immediately, when he’s accused of collusion with the murderous Intergang, he can only offer a smarmy ‘I haven’t had clean hands since I started to play this game.’ Then adding, 'Yeah, I have a ponytail, too, just in case there wasn’t enough reason to dislike me.’ And OF COURSE he likes Jazz, especially from The Jazz Joint, whose motto is 'We Took Less Than A Minute To Think Of Our Name.’ Man. I hate this dude. Also, 'down and dirty’? What sort of past does Jeb have with Lois? I think– I think I’m going to be sick.” We have found Don’s Jimmy Olsen!
Plotline-Watch:
Lois tries to cover the story of Superman vs. the Parasite, only to find out someone beat her to the scoop: that Clark Kent guy who always gets all the Superman stories. (In fact, that’s how he got his job at the Planet.) After years of losing headlines to him, Lois finally calls bullshit and challenges Clark to get a particular story without using his powers. What story? Oh, you know, one of those irrelevant human interest pieces: unmasking the entire Intergang criminal empire. That plot will continue next week in Superman #60.
Speaking of which, the menace of Intergang’s Sweet Leilani and Tiny Bubbles is already back on the street (on bail) after Superman and Thorn captured them the previous week in Action #669. Bubbles’ face being hidden at all times a la Mary Jane Watson is an in-joke that dates back to her first appearance, but Don says perhaps they just hadn’t decided what she looks like without her mask.
S.T.A.R. Labs is getting a weird amount of protagonism lately. Besides the multiple fights with the Parasite at S.T.A.R., there’s a Newstime story about their fancy headquarters (which displaces Lois’ expose of the Angstrom situation from the front page). Sure hope nothing happens to that place soon!
The Jimmy Olsen Misery Hour: Remember that story Jimmy… I mean, “Jock O. Ruby” wrote for the National Tattler in Adventures #481? It got rejected, because even shameless tabloids have standards, it turns out. As a result, the still unemployed Jimmy can’t afford to pay his rent. Next: homelessness!
For art analysis (and, as usual, all the important stuff I didn’t notice/forgot to mention), continue reading Don Sparrow’s section below the cut:
Art-Watch (by donsparrow):
We begin with a very Bogdanove cover, all muscle and hatching, as the monstrous Angstrom strangles Superman. There are a few characters like this, that are visual precursors to Doomsday (a few of whom we’ll see in the upcoming “Panic in the Sky” storyline), but with the veiny arms, the gray skin, and the Riff-Raff haircut, Angstrom has a strong visual connection to what’s to come.
The story begins with a very Tina McGee-looking scientist (who is not Tina McGee, but looks very much like Amanda Pays, who was playing that character on TV at the time) as well as Professor Hamilton working on containing the parasite on page 1. (Speaking of Doomsday visuals, what about those lab assistants? And the cords above Parasite? Do I have Doomsday on the brain, or is there a lot of similar design in these pages? [Max: Foreshadowing!]) And since Hamilton is involved, of course things go wrong, and there’s terrible danger to everyone around. I know scientists are supposed to have a certain detachment, but if I saw the life being drained out of my co-workers, I think I might be able to muster more than an “Oh dear…” you’re cold, Dr. Ward.
[Max: You know, all this time I was sure that lady was Kitty Faulkner but you’re right, Lois calls her Dr. Ward.] Page 4 has a pretty cute Lois,pouting determinedly as she passes right by walking rock and roll billboard,Jimmy Olsen (who, in his Van Halen leather jacket can hardly even afford a Crystal Pepsi, his bank account is so low!)
I have to continue to give Jon Bogdanove credit–he seems to put real thought into each character’s outfit,and especially gives the women in the story some nice, retro touches, like Lois outfit in the early part of the story, or her mother’s shopping outfit on page 10 (might Bogdanove be basing her visually off of the classic Lois Lane actress Noel Neill?).
The courthouse scenes on page 13 are also well observed (and apparently, Tiny Bubbles and company got the same Judge Wexler from Ghostbusters II for their hearing) as is the dynamic leap to flight on page 14.
The terror at the Lanes’ apartment seems very real, and the way that Angstrom is decaying is pretty scary. At times, Bogdanove seems to draw Sam Lane looking like Marine-turned-actor R. Lee Ermey, which is a good fit. He also manages to humanize Angstrom, as well, really showing expressions of emotion under his disfigured appearance.
[Max: What does the army scientist’s sexuality have to do with anything, Sam?]
The details on his rapidly decaying body is very realistic, as is the light effect when Parasite leeches the radiation from Angstrom (he is able to do this because of the time Hamilton and Ward waste bickering, and not treating either highly dangerous patient).
Stray observations:
What’s with the guy reaching ominously at Lois on page 6? I hope he’s after her purse?
I know he’s a drug dealer, but no one cares that Angstrom snapped that hard-sell drug pusher’s neck? That’s just totally fine with everyone? [Max: It’s just a gentle neck massage!]
How monstrous is Jeb Friedman? Well take a look at what he ordered at the Jazz Spot–a bowl of HUMAN EARS! Perhaps even worse, he thinks swear words when Clark arrives. I wonder which ones? [Max: “Jeb Friedman”.]
Is Lois clutching her collar in surprise above, or was she worried about Clark catching her using her feminine wiles–and décolletage–to “fluster” Jeb?
I like Lois to be plucky and even prickly at times, but I think she’s pretty far out of line in this issue with her treatment of Clark. Her barb attacking his talent was pretty mean-spirited, especially after hearing how important journalism was to his identity back in Superman #59. Furthermore, I’d guess she herself has benefited from her relationship with Superman over the years with just as many stories as Clark has.
These harbour front names make me laugh. Grump? Skag? Can Captain Horatio Peter McCallister be far behind? [Max: I love Skag, the Intergang operative who is apparently also an old timey pirate. He’s been showing up for about as long as Sweet Leilani and Gillespie. I should have chronicled his appearances, but now I feel like it’s too late.]
The storyline possibilities of a“healing” Parasite are interesting, and as far as I’ve seen,untapped. Couldn’t Parasite be used to treat victims of radiation exposure? It would be interesting to see a story like that.
Clark Kent with a bat-rope looks kind of awesome.
