Superman `78: The Metal Curtain #1 continues the movie Superman the Movie set the pace for every superhero film, the first limited series expanded the movie’s characters with comic book potential. The first movie took place in 1978 so the first series would be the time of Superman II, 1980. So The Metal Curtain may be 1983 in place of Superman III! The first series had Superman take on the invasion of Brainiac who miniaturizes him into the Bottle City of Kandor.
There, he reunites with his parents! All while Lex Luthor schemes The cover to the first issue by interor artist Gavin Guidry has a confident Superman with Christopher Reeve’s likeness in front of the glow of green kryptonite! There is an armored suit in the background with Lois, below her it looks like General Sam Lane, and the faces of the villains on the other side. Guidry previously worked on the Aftershock comic, There’s Something Wrong wtih Patrick Todd. Robert Venditti also wrote the previous Superman `78 limited series. The first panels shows the destruction of Krypton!
We see the familiar crystal shape travel through the galaxy as we see the credits. It heads to Earth, great pov of the crystals closing into a barn and crashing! We think at first that this is some twist on Smallville, but a man approaches in a trapper hat with his rifle and we find that it is Baruta, USSR. 1951! There was also a Superman twist landing in Russia in the Elseworlds mini-series, Superman: Red Son. He finds in the barn the green glare of kryptonite!
At a warehouse in Metropolis, a military officer and a man in shadow meeting in the glare of red cargo lights. Great work by colorist, Jordie Bellaire. There is an exchange of money by Colonel Evers at midnight. Lois Lane sneaks behind crates with her microphone, but accidentally knocks over a can! Guidry also captures the look of Margot Kidder. Colonel Evers turns and orders the truck to leave. The man in the suit takes off, suit?, seems like Luthor. Lois is captured by Evers and his soldiers. They take her away to be tied up.
Evers says he knows who is her father, General Sam Lane, and taken into a boat to be tied in chains and gagged. He takes out her tape recording and crushes it with his boot. Evers says that what will happen will be in the Daily Planet. Closeups of Evers setting the boat’s throttle and cuts the boat’s docking rope. The boat heads towards a tanker as Lois tries to call for help! It is about to crash when Lois screams under the gag, “Sspprrmmnnn!” I like the sound effect and artwork is clean with great expressions and pacing. A streak of red with the snapped chains and gag. Superman holds Lois as they fly away.
Still, the boat explodes into the side of the tanker! A crewmember cries out that they’re sinking. Superman sets Lois down at the dock and is gone in a streak of red. We see Superman with his fists forward! Superman wrenches the breach closed, uses his heat vision to seal it, and the crew is amazed. Superman checks on Lois before we shift to the Daily Planet. Lois chases after Perry White who doesn’t want to run her story. Great depiction of Jackie Cooper as Perry White. Perry is angry at the empty coffee pot blaming Steve Lombard. He is an arrogant sports reporter introducd in Superman #264 (1973). He appeared on film in Man of Steel (2013).
Jimmy Olsen brings Perry a cup of coffee. Guidry is also able to capture Marc McClure as Jimmy. Lois and Clark both say that her article would be “the story of the century”, funny! Lois gives an angry look at Clark with a red background. A great character moment. In his office, Perry insists that Lois has sources to break her story on the illegal arms sale by the army. He tells her to bring him a complete story and Lois storms away. Perry sips his coffee, stares at the cup, and then shouts about the cream and sugar, brilliant character work by Guidry. Lois tells Clark that Superman had seen the arms deal. She says that someone wants to cover up the story. Lois wonders about Colonel Evers.
Moscow, USSR. Another zoom to a “secret military bunker”, Colonel Evers’ uniform rests in a furnace in “Sublevel Red 17.” I do like having a Russian threat in the Cold War during this time. It is set on fire and the former Colonel Evers now has his Soviet uniform as Comrade Morosov. He enters a room to meet with Captain Nikolaev and tests his English. Morosov goes over his accomplishments as an officer. He also mentions that the U.S. is protected by Superman and a folder has photos of the Man of Steel. Morosov has contmpt for his motto, “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.” A comment on the recent change to “A Better Tomorrow?” Then, he reveals that they have been developing Kryptonite! The deadly crystal is tied to Nikolaev and a classic Superman villain! Superman `78: The Metal Curtain #1 brings up another comic book foe to take on the Superman of the movies!
Four Kryptonite Crystals out of Five!
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