Extra: 40 Pages Only 75 Cents
Every month of the Superman books is starting to look like a programmed event, with a theme or gimmick of some sort in all the books. This month each series gets an extra 8 pages of back-up content, although not necessarily stories. What really stands out on these issues, however, are the full-process colors on the covers, a precursor to the advanced color separations and improved printing processes that would consume the 90's in just a couple years with the advent of new publishers like Image Comics and Valiant Comics.
In the main story, Superman encounters Firewolf, a native American shaman of the Oto tribe, who rescues Clark's old friend Pete Ross from some of his fellow tribesmen who held him hostage when it seemed their land rights were being threatened. Firewolf's magic-based fire powers are more powerful than Superman, and he resolves the situation without the aid of the Man of Steel. Unfortunately, he never appears again. Lana Lang rushes to Pete Ross as soon as he's freed, which hints at a possible future relationship if things with Clark don't work out.
Although she was fine when she first came back from the Evil Factory, Jimmy Olsen's mother is now catatonic and unresponsive. Jerry White's girlfriend breaks up with him (again?) when he gets a job promoting at a deconsecrated church converted into a nightclub, which also bears a striking resemblance to the Limelight that was popular in New York at this time.
Lastly, Superman struggles to tell Lana Lang that he's in love with Lois Lane, but she slaps him and runs away. Later as Clark Kent, they reconcile their differences and Lana tearfully acknowledges that she and Clark will never end up together. This issue is painful for #TeamLana fans. While Lois and Clark's relationship would be the focus from then on, in pre-Crisis continuity Lana was more than just a rival to Lois; at one point in the 70's Lana was actually more romantically involved with Clark than Lois was.
The last 8 pages are "Jimmy Olsen's Diary," a mostly prose re-telling of Jimmy's story and relationship to the Man of Steel so far.
Hank Henshaw returns! Henshaw was the only surviving astronaut who didn't manifest super powers in the previous encounter, but it turns out he's now able to re-assemble himself with parts of electrical devices. Hank tries to reunite with his wife, but inadvertently shocks her into a coma. With nothing tying him down to Earth anymore, he searches NASA's computers and finds a secret in space that will be his ticket to get off the planet: the lab where Superman found his stolen matrix chamber that Superman left in orbit (back in Superman #1!). Superman fails to stop Henshaw from using a piece of the Kryptonian ship to blast himself into space, but he decides to put what's left of it in the Fortress of Solitude for safer keeping. This is the last we'll see of Hank Henshaw until Reign of the Supermen.
Jimmy Olsen takes Lois' sister Lucy out again, and he bumps (literally) into Jerry White on the way to the new night club.
Clark Kent had planned for Lois Lane to come to Smallville to meet his parents (if that tells you how fast their relationship is moving now). However, when he sees here again as Superman he accidentally tells her they'll talk later that night at dinner. Back in Smallville, Lois doesn't show up at the airport and poor Clark assumes she stood him up for a Man of Steel.
While at the Fortress, Superman starts to keep a journal, which we get to see it in the 8-page back-up story.
We find out Lois didn't stand up Clark, she missed the flight because she was working on a story on stolen army munitions. Unable to reach her, Superman follows her trail (pursuing her residual heat trail, a technique that isn't shown using much and almost seems like cheating) to a secret hide-out that resembles the Wild Lands outside of Cadmus. Superman shows up just in time to stop the thieves but unfortunately the government kills Lois' story. Lois apologizes to Clark for missing dinner and they make it up at breakfast instead.
Lucy Lane isn't enjoying Jerry's club, Blazes. She leaves, sensing that something just isn't right about the club, or about Jerry; what exactly is wrong will unfold in the coming months.
In the back-up story, Ma and Pa Kent reflect on the life of Clark Kent in Ma's scrapbook.
Superman #45
Although she was fine when she first came back from the Evil Factory, Jimmy Olsen's mother is now catatonic and unresponsive. Jerry White's girlfriend breaks up with him (again?) when he gets a job promoting at a deconsecrated church converted into a nightclub, which also bears a striking resemblance to the Limelight that was popular in New York at this time.
Lastly, Superman struggles to tell Lana Lang that he's in love with Lois Lane, but she slaps him and runs away. Later as Clark Kent, they reconcile their differences and Lana tearfully acknowledges that she and Clark will never end up together. This issue is painful for #TeamLana fans. While Lois and Clark's relationship would be the focus from then on, in pre-Crisis continuity Lana was more than just a rival to Lois; at one point in the 70's Lana was actually more romantically involved with Clark than Lois was.
The last 8 pages are "Jimmy Olsen's Diary," a mostly prose re-telling of Jimmy's story and relationship to the Man of Steel so far.
Adventures of Superman #468
Jimmy Olsen takes Lois' sister Lucy out again, and he bumps (literally) into Jerry White on the way to the new night club.
Clark Kent had planned for Lois Lane to come to Smallville to meet his parents (if that tells you how fast their relationship is moving now). However, when he sees here again as Superman he accidentally tells her they'll talk later that night at dinner. Back in Smallville, Lois doesn't show up at the airport and poor Clark assumes she stood him up for a Man of Steel.
While at the Fortress, Superman starts to keep a journal, which we get to see it in the 8-page back-up story.
Action Comics #655
Lucy Lane isn't enjoying Jerry's club, Blazes. She leaves, sensing that something just isn't right about the club, or about Jerry; what exactly is wrong will unfold in the coming months.
In the back-up story, Ma and Pa Kent reflect on the life of Clark Kent in Ma's scrapbook.
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