SiC 15 — A Time to Live (05:09:1985)

I really enjoyed this episode! Thank you! I always love those stories that are crammed full of characters from many different Earths, and from various time periods, with those big spreads showing everyone in one location, so I can try to comb through and see if I can identify all (or at least most) of the characters. I think this issue of the “Crisis” series was when I finally began to get a good sense of what was going on, and understood, finally, that the Monitor was NOT the bad guy (which, to me, was not entirely clear for quite some time). In retrospect, I probably should have realized that the Enemy (eventually to be called the Anti-Monitor) was an evil version, possibly from a different universe, since there were already different versions of many of the familiar heroes from Earths One, Two, and Three, at least. Sometimes, I’m just slow on the uptake. In any case, your coverage has really helped me make more sense of the Crisis than I could at the time of its original publication.

To answer your question from your Feedback segment, yes, I do kind of like Super-Ventriloquism. I get that it’s not like real ventriloquism, but I accept that a super-power isn’t necessarily just an “amped up” version of a normal human ability. Humans can jump, but not fly under their own power, and flying (including increasing speed and changing direction while flying, to say nothing of hovering) is not just “amped up” jumping. Shooting beams of heat or X-rays out of our eyes are not “amped up” vision. Sometimes super-powers really are different from normal human abilities, and I’m okay with that.

By the way, I also like the Super-Mobile, as long as its use is limited to a non-powered Superman. I’d also prefer that it not be decorated with the “S-Shield”, myself. That level of branding is really Batman’s schtick, I think.

Hey Jon, been enjoying the show a lot! Besides having listened to Russel’s DC Comics Presents show a few years ago, I really know next to nothing about this era of Superman comics. The only things I have read are Legion and Crisis itself (and the Swamp Thing issue of DC Comics Presents).

I can see while many loved the Pre Crisis stories, why DC felt like the character needed a reboot. From your descriptions, most of them feel like early Silver Age stories that are about Superman teaching a lesson or telling us why he can’t smoke. Books like the Titans and Legion are dealing with huge stories and Superman is doing public appearances? Nothing wrong with having some small stories like that but unless they are just trying to burn through their inventory stories I’m not surprised that DC wanted to reboot.

As a bizarr(o) counterpoint to that last paragraph, put me down as liking Super Ventriloquism. Perhaps I didn’t read enough stories where it was used badly but my experience with it is mostly Superman (or boy) using it just to communicate with others from a distance. Beats having to always mention another character giving him a communications devise.

Finally, if you or anyone else wants more on Crisis #5, might I suggest checking out The Crisis Tapes Episodes 19 to 22 from Comic Geek Speak. Peter Rios and Adam Murdough go deep deep DEEP into the issue, with episode 19 just covering the cover!

Take care buddy.