Super New Year
It's a new year, both then and now. Starting in January, 1991, the Superman books adopted a new parallel numbering system which runs through all the series and makes the ongoing story line much easier to follow. These triangle numbers would soon become more important than the individual series numbering, for in a few months a 4th Superman title would be introduced and Superman would become a weekly comic for the next 10 years. In the year 2000, they would finally get the great idea of using a Superman "S" shield instead of a triangle, but these would still always be referred to as the triangle numbers.
Also of note, DC raised their cover price this month. It may not seem like much now, but this is the first price increase since 1983. The increases from 10 cents in 1938 up to 75 cents in 1983 had been gradual; there had never been a 25 cent jump before, but from this point on every increase would be 25 cent increments, and the price will have doubled at the end of the decade.
Superman stops a nuclear meltdown at a laboratory which, after Superman leaves, the reader learns was at Lexcorp in the middle of Metropolis. Superman is concerned that Lexcorp may be even worse now without Lex Luthor's supervision.
Jose Delgado's gig as Cat Grant's bodyguard is over but that hasn't stopped Jose and Cat from hanging out. The trial of Morgan Edge has mostly happened behind the scenes, more in passing reference or like here, not mentioned at all but implied. While wondering what to do for work, Jose buys a lottery ticket, but it falls out of his pocket and blows into Bibbo Bibbowski's face.
Regretting his unprofessional behavior in the office since his son died, Perry White announces a leave of absence and appoints Sam Foswell as his temporary replacement editor. Jimmy Olsen is nervous about this change, and we'll soon see he has reason to be.
A new villain named Mr. Z comes to Metropolis looking for a re-match with Superman. Mr. Z was a one-off villain from the 40's but this is first post-Crisis appearance. Mr. Z contacts Superman telepathically and tells the Man of Steel where to find him. Mr. Z reveals he first met Superman during World War II, which sounds impossible but the truth will be revealed later. Mr. Z tries to imprison Superman in the crystal on his walking stick along with other souls he's collected over the decades, but Superman's alien nature shatters it, freeing everybody inside and seemingly killing Mr. Z. On the last page, his body escapes from the morgue and he flies to Saudi Arabia with a previously reserved ticket. The next time we see him will be the first time he met Superman.
On New Year's Eve, Clark Kent goes to the county hospital in Smallville to meet the parents of a high school friend before their comatose son is taken off life support. The story is like an after school special of Smallville as Clark reflects back on a night where he, Lana Lang, and Pete Ross went to a party and had too much to drink. Clark didn't realize at the time why the alcohol didn't affect him, although the post-Crisis Kents let Clark play football in high school, and he already seems to know he has to restrain himself on the field. Their friend Scott Brubaker decides to drive them home, but he's drunk and runs into a tree. Scott never regains consciousness and Pete and Lana are injured. Back in the present, Scott's parents don't hold Clark responsible for the accident, reasoning that he had been drinking too (which they couldn't have known didn't have any effect on him). Leaving the hospital, Clark sees a drunk couple getting into a car and flies away having discretely melted their tires so they can't drive.
This cautionary tale would haunt Superman throughout the rest of the 90's. In some ways, this story is a modernization of an early Golden Age story where a friend of Superman's is killed in a car accident and he goes on a rampage for automobile safety. But rather than taking his rage out on the car manufacturers, this time the extent of his lawbreaking is the minor destruction of the tires. I would still recommend taking away the keys as a more practical alternative.
Dropping Lucy Lane off at the airport, Jimmy Olsen bumps into Plastic Man and his sidekick Woozy Winks (who flew in stowed away as checked bags). Wanting to get an exclusive story, Jimmy drives them from the airport and helps them solve a mystery. Jimmy
While passing through Suicide Slum, Jimmy discovers that Bibbo won the lottery and now owns the Ace 'O Clubs.
Plastic Man and Superman are both independently looking for an unknown Intergang operative named "T.B." Searching the pier, Plastic Man and Woozy run into a new bad guy who calls himself Time Bomb (T.B), whose power is to blow himself up. Superman and Plastic Man defeat Time Bomb, but he doesn't seem to know anything about Intergang. On the last page, Bruno Mannheim's assistant picks up her not-so-tiny sister at the airport, nicknamed Tiny Bubbles.
Despite the big engagement last month, we hardly see Lois and Clark together at all this month.
Also of note, DC raised their cover price this month. It may not seem like much now, but this is the first price increase since 1983. The increases from 10 cents in 1938 up to 75 cents in 1983 had been gradual; there had never been a 25 cent jump before, but from this point on every increase would be 25 cent increments, and the price will have doubled at the end of the decade.
Superman #51
Jose Delgado's gig as Cat Grant's bodyguard is over but that hasn't stopped Jose and Cat from hanging out. The trial of Morgan Edge has mostly happened behind the scenes, more in passing reference or like here, not mentioned at all but implied. While wondering what to do for work, Jose buys a lottery ticket, but it falls out of his pocket and blows into Bibbo Bibbowski's face.
Regretting his unprofessional behavior in the office since his son died, Perry White announces a leave of absence and appoints Sam Foswell as his temporary replacement editor. Jimmy Olsen is nervous about this change, and we'll soon see he has reason to be.
A new villain named Mr. Z comes to Metropolis looking for a re-match with Superman. Mr. Z was a one-off villain from the 40's but this is first post-Crisis appearance. Mr. Z contacts Superman telepathically and tells the Man of Steel where to find him. Mr. Z reveals he first met Superman during World War II, which sounds impossible but the truth will be revealed later. Mr. Z tries to imprison Superman in the crystal on his walking stick along with other souls he's collected over the decades, but Superman's alien nature shatters it, freeing everybody inside and seemingly killing Mr. Z. On the last page, his body escapes from the morgue and he flies to Saudi Arabia with a previously reserved ticket. The next time we see him will be the first time he met Superman.
Adventures of Superman #474
This cautionary tale would haunt Superman throughout the rest of the 90's. In some ways, this story is a modernization of an early Golden Age story where a friend of Superman's is killed in a car accident and he goes on a rampage for automobile safety. But rather than taking his rage out on the car manufacturers, this time the extent of his lawbreaking is the minor destruction of the tires. I would still recommend taking away the keys as a more practical alternative.
Action Comics #661
Dropping Lucy Lane off at the airport, Jimmy Olsen bumps into Plastic Man and his sidekick Woozy Winks (who flew in stowed away as checked bags). Wanting to get an exclusive story, Jimmy drives them from the airport and helps them solve a mystery. Jimmy While passing through Suicide Slum, Jimmy discovers that Bibbo won the lottery and now owns the Ace 'O Clubs.
Plastic Man and Superman are both independently looking for an unknown Intergang operative named "T.B." Searching the pier, Plastic Man and Woozy run into a new bad guy who calls himself Time Bomb (T.B), whose power is to blow himself up. Superman and Plastic Man defeat Time Bomb, but he doesn't seem to know anything about Intergang. On the last page, Bruno Mannheim's assistant picks up her not-so-tiny sister at the airport, nicknamed Tiny Bubbles.
Despite the big engagement last month, we hardly see Lois and Clark together at all this month.
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