World of Smallville #4 (July 1988)
World of Smallville #4 (July 1988)
Yes, it’s what we’ve all been waiting for: the last part of Lana Lang’s exceedingly dull life story, featuring even more recycled scenes! From last issue, even!
Lana’s sad tale finds her in Metropolis right around the time when Superman made his debut. She immediately recognizes Superman as Clark Kent (as should have every other person Clark went to school with) and her Manhunter bosses command her to stay in Metropolis and spy on him. Over the next few years Lana works at miserable jobs or steals food from trash cans as she devotes her life to stalking her high school crush (that’s why Luthor found so many pictures of Lana at the scene of Superman’s exploits back in Superman #2).
Eventually her Manhunter programming goes iffy and she manages to get back to Smallville, and that’s when the awkward “You ruined my life!” encounter with Clark seen on Man of Steel #6 takes place. Later the Manhunters use her against Superman again, and we saw the results on the Millennium storyline. Back in the present, Lana is relating all this to the Kents and feels terrible for having done all those things, but Clark goes “It wasn’t you, it was the space robots who kidnapped you as a baby and put a chip in your brain. Group hug? Group hug.” The end.
Plotline-Watch:
I have nothing more to add here, except that I’m glad ths miniseries is over. Next up is the World of Metropolis mini, which I’ll be reading for the first time (up till now, I’ve read everything once or usually more times) so hopefully it won’t be as offensively boring.
Plug-Watch:
My friends at Toonbarn have started collecting these Superman commentaries in slightly edited form: http://www.toonbarn.com/other-cartoons/superman-retrospective-86-99-pt-1/ A good way to catch up if you’re new here!
See comments on Tumblr: https://superman86to99.tumblr.com/post/69090889900/world-of-smallville-4-july-1988-yes-its-what#disqus_thread
Missed an issue? Looking for an old storyline? Check out our new chronological issue index!
This newsletter is free and always will be, but if you'd like to support us with $1 a month or more, you'll get access to extra articles about non-continuity '90s Superman stuff (shows, video games, Elseworlds, etc) and cool giveaways. Click here to become a paid supporter!