This episode, I’m reviewing DC Comics Presents Annual 4 (1:37) and a Superman cameo in The New Teen Titans 13 (29:44) before responding to your feedback (33:40)!
Also, check out Gene Hendrick’s blog post about the Superman Triangle Numbering era and its possible effect on more modern comics here: http://www.thehammerstrikes.com/2016/05/is-superman-responsible-for-state-of.html
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4 replies on “SiC 24 — Look, It’s Superwoman! (07:18:1985)”
I thorougly enjoyed this episode. I agree that DC Comics Presents Annual #4 is an inferior story to the Superwoman story in Annual #2, but I still enjoyed it, mainly because of my love for the character of Kristin Wells from Elliot S! Maggin’s Miracle Monday. I wish we had gotten more Superwoman stories, but, alas, that was not in the cards. As a result, she sort of exists as an obscure “Mary Sue” sort of character. In both of her appearances as Superwoman, we are told, but not really shown, of her future career and deeds of renown which will make her remembered for centuries. I think your idea of possible future stories showing her as a hero out-of-time is a good one, and is, sort of, an underlying idea of the later character of Booster Gold.
Even though, in Maggin’s prose novel, she is more acted upon than active, she is much more central to the story, I think. None of that matters, though, because I am absolutely taken with the possibilities of the character, and none shall say me “Nay!” A former teaching colleague of mine, who knows my love of Superwoman, and who goes to various Cons, got both of these Annuals autographed by E!SM and sent them to me, which was a delightful gesture.
Hi Jon, thanks for the latest SIC podcast. Your podcast is always enjoyable and I look forward to seeing your impressions on the waning days of the Bronze age Superman. DC Presents annual #4 was an entertaining enough book with enough nice points to balance out the weaker points. First let me say that Ed Baretto was a bit underrated , in my opinion. I first remember seeing his work in the New Teen Titans Baxter edition and he was the unfortunate person to have to follow Jose Garcia Lopez. I don’t think he ever recovered in my eyes because , unfairly , I was always comparing the two. This book was beautifully inked by Jerry Ordway. Ordway was DC’s Joe Sinnott, they always made everyone look better. I agree seeing Luthor blink out without knowing why was a bit weak, but maybe he was taken as part of the Crisis Gathering. Maybe future Crisis issues will address it. I read Crisis as it came out in 85, but I don’t remember all the details. Yes, there were a number of easter eggs in this issue in the backgrounds. . The page that had Ming the Merciless also had what looked like Julie Schwartz with a Superman comic in his hand with Wayne Boring’s name on the cover. I love those types of fun geek stuff. I have a few other Questions/comments to make about previous podcasts:
You are the first and only person I ever heard pronounce Charlton comics as Carlton and not like when you say ” Charles in charge”.
The Triangle era had its positive points and was very popular but I felt it hurt the writers. When there are 4 writers doing one storyline , no one person gets the credit. I can point to runs by Alan Moore, Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway , but I can’t tell you who wrote the death of Superman as they ALL wrote it. I feel like the careers of those writers were muddied by this system.
I never hated Steve Lombard but always saw him as comic relief and someone who was a foil for Clark Kent , but I can appreciate having a dislike for a character who is a constant bully. Many of us were bullied at one time or another. A friend of mine told me he hated the 1987 Flash series because of Wally West. Apparently he reminded him of Jerks that he went to school with that made his life difficult.
I know I’m going on and on but I want to say one more thing- I was under the impression that Supergirl died because ,at a critical moment, Dr. Light distracted her in Crisis #7. I’m thinking now that Kara was already close to death from internal Injuries inflicted by the Anti Monitor.And no matter what , she wouldn’t have survived anyway.
Jon, keep up the good work and keep doing what you do.
This was a fun episode, about a fun issue. I had vague memories of Superwoman from back in the day, and figured that I must have read this story before. However, the plotline didn’t ring any bells. I realize now that I must have read the first Superwoman story, from Annual #2. I would agree with you and Dave that this story was not quite as good, but it was still enjoyable. Kristin Wells is an interesting character, and it’s really too bad that she didn’t get used more. Like you, I would have enjoyed seeing her in an ongoing series. A pity that never came to pass. A “Super” character who had a different power set could have been fun. The fact that she was from the future, and had some knowledge of what to her were historical events, could have been used in an interesting way as well. On top of that, she just strikes me as a fun, likeable character who could have had some interesting adventures. Oh, well. What might have been…
It’s funny. Before listening to this episode, I never really knew very much about Superwoman, but now I really like her, and wish there were more stories for me to read!
As far as Elliott S! Maggin goes, I also have vague memories of having read his first Superman novel, and being puzzled that it didn’t tell the same story as the movie. You wondered why DC didn’t do a novelization of either of the first two Superman movies. If Rob Kelly over at the Fire and Water Podcast Network is right, the reason for that is the same reason that they didn’t do a comic book adaptation of either movie. It was because Mario Puzo wrote the scripts to both of those films, and Puzo had a clause in his contract stating that if his scripts were adapted into another medium, he would get a cut of the proceeds. For that reason, DC didn’t do either novelizations or comic adaptations, because they would have had to share the profits with Puzo, and they didn’t want to do that. That’s the story I heard; I have no direct evidence of whether it’s true or not.
One last point, in response to your listing of various other characters named Superwoman: they’d take away my geek card if I didn’t remind you that the criminal version of Wonder Woman, from Earth-3, was also called Superwoman.
Take care, and I’ll see you next time!
Enjoyable episode as always, Jon.
The DCCP Annual didn’t completely work for me. There were fun bits like Luthor Con and Superman replacing the actor playing him, but the Superwoman half was very hard to hold onto. The reason she didn’t have her full memory didn’t make a whole lot of sense and I couldn’t grasp what her powers were. That outfit sure was something too.
I didn’t reread the New Teen Titans issue before listening, but it did inspire me to dive back into the collections – I have 9 through 12 sitting in my stack, so I’ll get to that issue at some point.
Okay, on to reading for the new episode.