The Engagement
Not an imaginary story. Not an Elseworlds. Clark Kent finally pops the question to Lois Lane, establishing a new status quo in their post-Crisis relationship which has persisted through deaths, breakups, and reboots. And that's not even the only dramatic turn of events this month.
Clark Kent tries to get into Lexcorp to speak with Luthor, but he's thrown out of the building just as Superman was last month. The Guardian and Gangbuster are helping fight crime while Superman is rumored to be powerless.
Ma Kent gives Clark a ring that's been in the family a long time to give to whomever he decides to marry (no pressure there, right?), and on their next date Clark asks Lois to marry him. But being Lois Lane, she needs some time to think about it first. Their date is interrupted by a phone call from Lex Luthor, who wants Lois to write his official autobiography as a favor for the serum he provided to her dying mother. She declines, but Clark takes the phone and informs Lex that he has the Red Kyrptonite, which gets him the face-to-face meeting with Luthor he's been after.
Clark gives Luthor the Red Kryptonite and tries to get information on its origins off the record. Luthor reveals to Clark that he's dying of Kryptonite poisoning and although he had promised Mr. Mxyzptlk he wouldn't tell Superman, he sees no harm in telling Clark Kent who gave it to him. With the rules of the game broken, Mr. Mxyzptlk comes back from another dimension (where apparently he's been moonlighting as the Impossible Man to annoy the Fantastic Four) and Superman's powers magically return. After Superman sends the imp back to where he came from, he finds Dr. Kelly tending to an unconscious Lex Luthor.
The rumors on TV change from Superman's missing powers to Lex Luthor's failing health. Perry and Alice White are still not speaking after the death of their son. Jimmy Olsen's mother awakens from her coma. Finally, Clark goes to the hospital to check on Lois and her mother, Lois says she's decided she wants to marry him. He puts the ring on her finger and they kiss. How would they ever top this in 2 years for the 75th issue?
Lois and Clark share the news of their engagement with Jimmy Olsen, who starts to tell everybody. A giant Green Lantern symbol followed by a giant Superman symbol appear in the sky above, which leads Superman to think Green Lantern may be trying to reach him. Not knowing how to find him though, he seeks out another Green Lantern, Guy Gardner, whose ring helps locate the missing Lantern in Wyoming.
The Green Lanterns are just now coming back from a 2-year gap without their own series. At this point in continuity, Superman and Hal Jordan are said to have had a working relationship, although in post-Crisis continuity they hadn't been on the Justice League together (although a year later Superman and Guy would both be members of the same League). Guy accidentally says Jordan's real name and is shocked Superman didn't already know it.
They find Hal Jordan below a military base where coincidentally a giant alien has been buried in the Earth for centuries. The Celestial-like alien just wants to out of the Earth, but unfortunately he's willing to destroy the planet to do it. The annoying villains Dreadnaught and Psi-phon are also involved and Superman has had enough of them (as have the readers). He offers to dig out the alien and send him home on the condition that he takes Dreadnaught and Psi-phon with him. Unfortunately, they have been seen again a few times.
The Death of Luthor!
Lex Luthor dreams that the spectre of Death has come to take him, but of course his vision of Death without the hood turns out to be Superman. Regaining consciousness, he's more determined than ever to cheat death. Days later, he calls a press conference at the airport to announce he'll be piloting an experimental aircraft to set a new speed record.
Clark feels guilty about concealing his secret identity from his fiance and knows he'll have to reveal it sometime soon. Lois and Clark walk into a surprise party at the Daily Planet to celebrate their engagement. Suddenly the party is interrupted with the news that Luthor ejected his co-pilot and crashed the plane in the Andes in an apparent suicide. Clark sneaks away from Lois and Superman flies to examine the wreckage, but only finds the remains of Luthor's prosthetic hand.
It's fitting that this is my last entry for this year. Not only were these issues coincidentally cover dated from December, 1990, but this also completes my first short box of comics in the collection. I'm already looking forward to reading the new year's comics. Next month will introduce a new triangle numbering system that will assist with the reading order for the next decade. On the horizon we have stories like Time and Time Again, Panic in the Sky, the Death of Superman, the Reign of the Supermen, the Fall of Metropolis, and by this time next year, the Death of Clark Kent.
Superman #50
Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite part 4
Ma Kent gives Clark a ring that's been in the family a long time to give to whomever he decides to marry (no pressure there, right?), and on their next date Clark asks Lois to marry him. But being Lois Lane, she needs some time to think about it first. Their date is interrupted by a phone call from Lex Luthor, who wants Lois to write his official autobiography as a favor for the serum he provided to her dying mother. She declines, but Clark takes the phone and informs Lex that he has the Red Kyrptonite, which gets him the face-to-face meeting with Luthor he's been after.
Clark gives Luthor the Red Kryptonite and tries to get information on its origins off the record. Luthor reveals to Clark that he's dying of Kryptonite poisoning and although he had promised Mr. Mxyzptlk he wouldn't tell Superman, he sees no harm in telling Clark Kent who gave it to him. With the rules of the game broken, Mr. Mxyzptlk comes back from another dimension (where apparently he's been moonlighting as the Impossible Man to annoy the Fantastic Four) and Superman's powers magically return. After Superman sends the imp back to where he came from, he finds Dr. Kelly tending to an unconscious Lex Luthor.
The rumors on TV change from Superman's missing powers to Lex Luthor's failing health. Perry and Alice White are still not speaking after the death of their son. Jimmy Olsen's mother awakens from her coma. Finally, Clark goes to the hospital to check on Lois and her mother, Lois says she's decided she wants to marry him. He puts the ring on her finger and they kiss. How would they ever top this in 2 years for the 75th issue?
Adventure of Superman #473
The Green Lanterns are just now coming back from a 2-year gap without their own series. At this point in continuity, Superman and Hal Jordan are said to have had a working relationship, although in post-Crisis continuity they hadn't been on the Justice League together (although a year later Superman and Guy would both be members of the same League). Guy accidentally says Jordan's real name and is shocked Superman didn't already know it.
They find Hal Jordan below a military base where coincidentally a giant alien has been buried in the Earth for centuries. The Celestial-like alien just wants to out of the Earth, but unfortunately he's willing to destroy the planet to do it. The annoying villains Dreadnaught and Psi-phon are also involved and Superman has had enough of them (as have the readers). He offers to dig out the alien and send him home on the condition that he takes Dreadnaught and Psi-phon with him. Unfortunately, they have been seen again a few times.
Action Comics # 660
Lex Luthor dreams that the spectre of Death has come to take him, but of course his vision of Death without the hood turns out to be Superman. Regaining consciousness, he's more determined than ever to cheat death. Days later, he calls a press conference at the airport to announce he'll be piloting an experimental aircraft to set a new speed record.
Clark feels guilty about concealing his secret identity from his fiance and knows he'll have to reveal it sometime soon. Lois and Clark walk into a surprise party at the Daily Planet to celebrate their engagement. Suddenly the party is interrupted with the news that Luthor ejected his co-pilot and crashed the plane in the Andes in an apparent suicide. Clark sneaks away from Lois and Superman flies to examine the wreckage, but only finds the remains of Luthor's prosthetic hand.
It's fitting that this is my last entry for this year. Not only were these issues coincidentally cover dated from December, 1990, but this also completes my first short box of comics in the collection. I'm already looking forward to reading the new year's comics. Next month will introduce a new triangle numbering system that will assist with the reading order for the next decade. On the horizon we have stories like Time and Time Again, Panic in the Sky, the Death of Superman, the Reign of the Supermen, the Fall of Metropolis, and by this time next year, the Death of Clark Kent.
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