Review: Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #92

I have been going down a little rabbit hole here on the site, looking at the origin of Comet the Super-Horse. It started with my review of the children's book Comet!, a remarkably faithful adaptation of the Silver Age origin. With that done, I thought I'd look at the actual origin in Action Comics #293.

With those out of the way, I thought I would take a look at one of the wackier books from the early Bronze Age, Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #92. Leave it to writer E. Nelson Bridwell to take a look back at DC's history and faithfully stick to the details. And leave it to the early Bronze Age to have Lois undergo a rather Olsen-esque transformation into a centaur and a horse. Also, leave it to this time era to make things be a little cringe-y and weird. 

The art really sings here. We start out with a Curt Swan/Neal Adams cover with the Lois centaur while Superman look on shocked. The inside art is Swan again, this time inked by Mike Esposito. Esposito really overpowers Swan's work here. Still, things are truly gorgeous here. 

But please, buckle up. Like many stories from this era, there are more plot turns in this one than in years of current comics. It is a wild ride ... no pun intended!

On to the book.

Back Issue Box: Super Friends #31

Welcome to another segment in my look at Black Orchid and the fan theory that she was Supergirl in disguise. While I haven't  been able to discover the origins (or even the publication) of this theory, I have found it intriguing. 

So far I looked at the original story where Orchid purportedly used X-rays to reprogram a computer. Next I looked at her Who's Who page where the use of X-rays was swept away as hyperbole.

Today I look at Super Friends #31. While Super Friends has never been considered in continuity, writer E. Nelson Bridwell was a continuity wonk and often wove elements of DC history into his story. No big surprise, Bridwell beings in some Black Orchid continuity into this story and definitely touches on the rumor I am exploring. The cover screams it! Orchid is weakened by Kryptonite. But why is Superman unaffected?

Ramona Fradon brings her clean style to the proceedings. While her Orchid isn't as exotic as the original stories or the Phantom Stranger backgrounds, there is a certain elegance. 

As for the ultimate answer to the rumor, this issue might answer it ... if you think Super Friends is in continuity. 

On to the details!

Back Issue Box: Adventure Comics #394

Every so often I need a little bit of a breather from reviewing critically modern comics. Every so often I need to slip back into the silliness of the Silver Age.

I wanted to cover a Supergirl this issue to keep the focus of the site intact. I was going to delve back into the world of the Earth Angel Supergirl. But as I was thumbing through the Supergirl collection I realized I hadn't covered an Adventure Comics story in quite some time. And boy, I could use a little bit of the insanity that was in these books.

I thought for sure I would review the cover story, 'Heartbreak Prison'. I mean, who can resist the girl prison cover by Curt Swan. 

But then I read the other story in this issue which is so insane that I needed to cover it.

If I was looking for a simple and fun diversion, this was it.

"The Mysterious Motr of Doov" was written by E. Nelson Bridwell with art by Win Mortimer. 

Readers surely picked up the gist of the story just based on this opening panel but there is an even bigger clue there if you look for it.

But Supergirl walking with a metal humanoid, an anthropomorphic beast, and an electric man? All while following the Crimson Trail? Yeah, this all looks familiar.

Back Issue Box: The Krypton Chronicles #2

The SyFy series Kryton is going to start in about a week and with that in mind I decided to review The Krypton Chronicles, a look at the history of the El family, published in 1981.

This is a great series to review all the minutiae of Krypton lore and Superman's ancestors in one sitting. What is clear to me after reading this is that Superman comes from an amazing family as it seems every generation has had some member which ultimately changed the destiny of the planet.

Krypton Chronicles #2 has us look even farther back as we get to see several of Superman's ancestors explore the planet, develop to most rudimentary of tools, and lead a movement to free the planet from other worldly oppressors. Seriously, the Els get stuff done.

What I like about these first two issues is that they aren't just historical flashbacks. There is a subplot taking place in the current time, an enemy trying one again to thwart one of the super-cousins. As we move along, you'll see why this holds a special place in my heart.

Last week I reviewed the first issue.  So let's move on to this one.

Back Issue Box: The Krypton Chronicles #1

We are just over two weeks away from the SyFy Channel television show Krypton, a show focusing on the El Family generations that lived on the doomed planet before it exploded. Supposedly the show will look mostly at Superman's grandfather and the politics of the planet during that time.

With this look back on the small screen as well as the recent time travel trip by Superman in the recent Booster Shot arc in Action Comics, I thought taking a look back at the El Family and their history on Krypton was timely. And what better comic to look at than 1981's Krypton Chronicles.

This three issue mini-series really took a deep dive into Superman's family history as well as the culture of Krypton itself. As you'll see, the El Family were really destined for greatness, in the middle of seemingly ever major event on the planet there was. No wonder Superman is of such high stock and merit. And, no wonder Supergirl is so noble as well. One thing to say about this mini-series, Supergirl definitely is an appropriately big part of it. This is her family as well.

The mini-series is written by E. Nelson Bridwell, famous for his encyclopedic mind for Krypton history and Superman minutiae so that makes sense. The art is by the legendary Curt Swan with inks by Frank Chiaramonte. While there is a plot weaving through the lessons, this really is a sort of historic text as we learn about what transpired on Krypton.

On a personal note, posts like these remind me how long I have been running this site as I have plenty of links within this site that go to prior posts.

On to the book.

Streaky And His Powers

Last month, in Superman #1, Jon Smith accidentally immolated his bet cat Goldie.

After that, I was talking to friends about how back in the day, the super-pets were beloved colleagues in family adventures. And that has led me to do a couple of posts about Supergirl's cat Streaky. First, I reviewed the original Streaky's first story in Action Comics #261.And then I covered the appearance of the second Streaky in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl.

That review made me wonder what actually happened to the first Streaky? 

Well, luckily, by some cosmic karma, the answer was given to me on Twitter. There, @PCabezuelo posted a letter he had read in 1972's Supergirl #2.

It pains me that I have this issue in my collection and didn't remember this.

In the letter column, Maryann Farrell from Wolcott, Connecticut asked what happened to the original Streaky. Why didn't Linda bring him to San Francisco (where Supergirl's Adventure Comics stories were set)?

Well, legendary Superman editor and aficionado, E. Nelson Bridwell has a legitimate answer. Streaky is no longer super and is living out his normal feline life with the Danvers. The X-Kryptonite, which was based on a green Kryptonite nugget, was turned into iron. This is a continuity riff based on the 'Kryptonite Nevermore'/Sand Superman arc which started in Superman #233.

To put this in context, according to Mike's Amazing World of Comics, Superman #233 hit the stands on November 5,1970. Supergirl #2 came out almost exactly two years later on November 21, 1972. Now, by then, many Superman writers had simply forgotten about the Kryptonite ban and the weaker Superman. But others held to it.

Now I suppose you could say that Streaky could have still moved to San Franscisco and been a normal cat loved by Kara. I mean, why does he need powers? My guess is that comics were getting 'mature' and a flying cat with a cape may have fallen out of favor.

At least this is some Streaky I closure. And I am not surprised that Bridwell with his encyclopedic knowledge would think of this.