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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Sunday, June 12, 2005
We're making with the celebration of Superman's anniversary again. The Man of Steel first appeared in ACTION COMICS #1 [June, 1938] and we've worked our way across the decades to ACTION COMICS #301 [June, 1963]. The above cover was drawn by the super-team of Curt Swan (pencils) and George Klein (inks). The editor was Mort Weisinger. And our hero was on trial for the murder of Clark Kent, his alleged rival for the affections of Lois Lane.
How can this be?
"The Trial of Superman" was written by science fiction veteran Edmond Hamilton and drawn by Al Plastino. Here's what Michael L. Fleisher had to say about the story in THE GREAT SUPERMAN BOOK, his aptly-named tome from 1978:
In June, 1963, Superman matches wits with COUNT X. [The Count is] "a much-wanted master spy" - the mastermind behind the recent theft of "the Navy's new secret air-torpedo" from a local Navy yard - whose capture by the Metropolis police at "an obscure waterfront warehouse" comes as the culmination of an elaborate ruse in which Superman pretends to have murdered Clark Kent in a fit of jealousy over Lois Lane so that Count X's underworld cohorts, who know that Kent has learned the scheduled date of their next secret meeting with the Count, will allow the date and place of that rendezvous to remain unchanged in the belief that Kent is dead and their secret safe.
Silly crooks. The Superman of 1963 loved to outfox criminals. Especially since the Comics Code now frowned on his tried-and-true interrogation method of throwing the bad guys high into the air and threatening not to catch them if they didn't talk. Sometimes, he'd also take their lunch money.
Here's something I did not know...
This story is a rewrite of my pal Alvin Schwartz's "The People Vs. Superman" from SUPERMAN #62 [January-February, 1950]. Here's what Fleisher has to say about the earlier story, which was drawn by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye:
In January-February, 1950, Superman matches wits with THE ACE, the leader of a gang of smugglers whose capture by the Metropolis police comes as the culmination of an elaborate ruse in which Superman pretends to have murdered Clark Kent in a fit of jealousy over Lois Lane so that the criminals, who know that Kent has learned the scheduled date of their next secret meeting, will allow the date and place of their rendezvous to remain unchanged in the belief that Kent is dead and their secret safe.
While I didn't know "The Trial of Superman" was a rewrite, it didn't come as a surprise. Weisinger was notorious for taking the ideas of one writer and, passing them off as his own, giving them to another writer. Sometimes, as in this case, he took an already-published story. Other times, he would tell a current writer that his idea was no good, give that writer another plot, and then give the first writer's plot to a second writer.
SUPERMAN #62 is better known for its cover story, whose writer has not yet been identified, in which actor/writer/director Orson Welles teamed up with Superman to prevent a Martian invasion of our planet. That story was also drawn by Boring and Kaye.
Getting back to ACTION COMICS #301...
Superman shared the title with his cousin Supergirl. In this issue, she starred in "The Secret Identity of Super-Horse" by Leo Dorfman (writer) and Jim Mooney (inks).
Comet (Super-Horse) was Byron the Centaur until he drank some bad magical potion. He turns into a human being whenever a comet passes through the solar system or some such and, in this issue, unbeknownst to Supergirl, who doesn't realize her stallion has the hots for her, he assumes the identity of rodeo cowboy Bronco Bill. Supergirl riding her wannabe boyfriend, that the Comics Code never had a problem with. Superman playing catch with a low-life crook or two, that was cause for concern.
It's a funny world, isn't it?
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 06/11/2005 | 06/12/2005 | 06/13/2005 >>
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
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