This is the most expected comic for me, Superman `78, with the return of Christopher Reeve’s Superman! There were two specials; Superman the Movie in All-New Collector’s Edition C-62 and Superman II as part of the DC Special Series #25 (1981) that were tabloid sized magazines based on the film without any comic book adaptations. Superman III Movie Special #1 (1983) is by Cary Bates and Curt Swan. It was the first Superman adaptation in comic book form. Then Superman IV: The Quest for Peace #1 (1987) by Bob Rozakis and Curt Swan. Next was Superman Returns The Movie Adaptation (2006) with Martin Pasko and Matt Haley. There were a series of prequels to the movie; Krypton to Earth, Ma Kent, Lex Luthor, and Lois Lane released in 2006. The story was by director Bryan Singer and screenwriters Michael Doughtery and Dan Harris. There was no Man of Steel comic that I’ve seen, but there were four issues of General Mills Presents Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) found in cereal at the time.
Superman `78 #1 has a cover by interior artist, Wilfredo Torres, of Superman flying up with Brainiac’s skull ship behind him. It first appeared in Action Comics #544 (1983) and showed up in live action form in the series Krypton (2018-2019). Torres was the artist for the Batman `66 comic book. The foreground has a large figure of Lois Lane, the very good Margot Kidder version, on the bottom is Gene Hackman’s Lex Luthor, and above him is Brainiac. Torres on Twitter said that he based Brainiac on the likeness of Yul Brenner, who was in Westworld (1973). The supervillain was an early foe for Superman from Action Comics #242 (1958). He was played by James Marsters in Smallville and Blake Riston in Krypton. Super powered villains really weren’t in movies and tv at that time so it’s great to see Brainiac. Torres is clever in having the background broken with Metropolis on the left and Krypton on the right. “Brainiac Chapter One” is written by Robert Venditti and art by Torres in this sex issue limited series. Venditti wrote for Justice League. The first page is a tribute to Richard Donner, not only director of Superman the Movie (1978), but co-writer of “The Last Son” storyline in Action Comics #844-845 (2007) and Annual 11 (2008) and then Action Comics #855-857 (2007) had the “Escape From Bizarro World” stories.
Jor-El’s message to his son is heard as his capsule leaves Krypton which we are told is 21.7 light years from Earth. We have moments with Lara and Jor-El, they have cartoony likenesses of the actors, in which she wonders if Kal-El is safe. It’s great that they have words before the destruction of Krypton. The fragments of the planet pass and a ship is there, monitored by the robotic voice of Brainiac, seen in closeup. He calls it a dangerous civilzation. Then, we get the streets of Metropolis, Clark is trying to catch up to Lois. He is worried about a meeting with Perry White while she is busy getting breakfast, turns out to be hot dogs from a cart vendor. He notices a purse snatcher running away, he lowers his glasses, this panel is a perfect likeness of Reeve. He uses his heat vision to give the thief a literal hot foot, burning the sole of his shoe. The thief jumps into an alley puddle next to two Metropolis P.D. officers! Later, at the Daily Planet, Perry White is angry at Clark for his story on a dog show while Jimmy Olsen stands next to him. I like the artwork for Jackie Cooper and Reeves’ characters here. While they are talking, an object falls from space, Perry and Clark feel the explosion, actually Clark would detect the object well before its descent.
The impact in Metropolis is the arrival of the robotic Brainiac! This form was also introduced in Action Comics #544. The robot, apparently a drone, accesses the planet and begins blasting apart the area including Shuster Station. The first movie basically had New York landmarks and not many references to Superman’s creators. Clark begins to run getting ready to turn into Superman, shouldn’t this be at super speed? Then, he flies into the scene. Lois and Jimmy are trying through the crowds to witness Brainac’s rampage. Superman flies in along with a heat vision blast. Then, checks with officers before the robot grabs Superman’s neck and slams him down. It tries to analyze Superman before he introduces himself.
The robot determines that he may be Kryptonian and sends a blast that sends Superman smashing through an office building until striking an alley wall. The scene is very much like Superman II (1980). The Brainiac bot had used yellow sun radiation and concludes Superman is Kryptonian, while full charged Superman bashes the bot until he loses his head like Rock `Em, Sock `Em Robot! The drone has sent a distress signal to the mother ship and Superman, Hamlet-like, holds up the head and wonders what is a Brainac? The deadly villain will be headed to Earth soon! Torres’ artwork sometimes has the actors’ likeness, other times, they are rendered simply, but with many lines on the face. Superman `78 #1 brings back the action and the setting of the original movie, but with the unlimited resources of a comic book!
Four Drones out of Five!
#Superman78, #RobertVenditti, #WilfredoTorres, #RichardDonner, #ChristopherReeve, #MargotKidder, #JackieCooper, #Brainiac
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