Comics Archeology

Superman #247 (1972)
written by Elliot S. Maggin & Curt Swan

I have two particularly controversial opinions on the Superman of the 70s.
The first is that I don’t particularly care for Elliot S. Maggin as a writer… he’s not bad by any stretch of the term, but I don’t see why he’s often praised as one of the best Superman writers.
The second is about this issue.
It’s pretty consistently ranked among the best Superman stories ever told… and I kind of hate it.

The teaser page is exaggerating for dramatic effect: the Guardians Of The Universe are not literally putting Superman on trial for crimes against humanity…

…although if we were talking 60s Superman, they might have had a point.

We truly begin with Superman dealing with a cosmic menace, a bunch of orange spores that threaten to wreak havoc in the Galaxy.

One of the effects of DC’s effort to limit the use of Kryptonte is that red sun radiation is a more frequent weakness in the 70s.

Just in case you were wondering if the comics were still going to make any use of the concept of Superman now being weaker, his solution is to build a new planetoid to trap the spores.

This leaves him unconscious thanks to the effects of the red sun, but one of the Green Lanterns manages to save him.

There are two reasons for the Guardians to have recruited Superman for the job.
The official one was that, since the spores were yellow, the Green Lantern Corps couldn’t handle them.

But the UNOFFICIAL reason is to take this occasion to mess with Superman’s head.

Knowing the Guardians, it’s only a matter of time before this decision ends up endangering the entire universe. That’s basically what always happens with those guys.
This is not a criticism of the story. Quite the opposite, one of the reasons why I love the Guardians is how they are judgmental and hypocritical manipulators who n-e-v-e-r learn from their mistakes.
To be specific it’s why I love to READ them; they deserve to be punched daily for a couple billion years straight.

Although… what is even the point of implanting ideas in his subconscious if you’re ALSO putting things in his head by just talking?

The Guardians have an example of what they’re talking about.

Specifically it’s a JLA story from 1970, written by Mike Friedrich and with one of the most melodramatic covers of the era.

That’s a story where the JLA saves a planet from its pollution.

The speech is taken directly from the JLA story, and keep in mind what Superman is saying here.
He’s saying that for trouble of this magnitude, superheroes can only provide a temporary solution, buying time for regular people to fix their own society.
The difference between how the JLA story and this issue present their message will be crucial for why I don’t like this story.

Having successfully put doubts on Superman’s head, the Guardians are quite happy with themselves.

While thinking this over, Superman returns to Earth. Specifically California, where he witnesses a guy mistreating his workers.

I do have some positive things to say about this story. Specifically this scene, where Superman calling out the other workers for only being brave while Superman is around.
After all this doesn’t look like a situation entirely out of hand for the other workers: they COULD have helped the kid even without Superman.
So the story COULD go for a “everyone can be a hero if they do their part” angle, which is a fantastic idea for Superman.
It won’t exactly do that.

Another part I really like: Superman seeing more than a little of himself in the kid, ESPECIALLY with that artwork!
This part is REALLY good.

But then…

…we reach the part I hate. Because it’s YET ANOTHER occasion, and likely the most famous one, that showcases a very frequent attitude for Superman in the 70s.
The idea that since Superman can’t fix EVERYTHING wrong with society, he should DO NOTHING.

Sure he can deal with an earthquake…

…and he can rebuild the houses destroyed by the earthquake.

But that’s it: unless there is a natural disaster or an alien invasion, it’s not that Superman can’t do anything… the story argues that Superman SHOULDN’T do anything!!!

Superman plays this off the previous scene with the kid.

The title of the story is “Must there be a Superman?”, and the answer given by the story is a very explicit “nope!”.

I could understand it if the workers were making unreasonable demands, but we were shown only TWO requests to Superman:
1) stop our employer from beating us and exploiting us
2) build us now homes because we’re living in squalor

Now I could get behind Superman’s position if, after this, he made a public speech supporting the rights of the workers or pushed public opinion in favor of the rest of the country to help.
I could even accept if he wanted to do this as Clark Kent… but he just moves to dealing with another emergency.

But Superman, if you keep helping boats in danger, how will humanity learn to deal with storms without relying on you to always save them from drowning?

Congratulations, Guardians Of The Universe, you have successfully convinced a hero that he can ONLY work against natural events and absolutely nothing else.

Historical significance: 0/10
I don’t think this has in-universe significance. I don’t count real life events in the score of this category, but this story is consistently included in volumes reprinting “the best Superman stories”.
Somehow.

Silver Age-ness: 8/10
Casual planetary construction.

Does it stand the test of time? -5/10
I have exactly the same problem with this story that I had with Action Comics #393, but I don’t think it’s as bad because at least Superman does have moral doubts about the situation and genuinely struggles to reach the conclusion… even if I still think it’s a bad one that betrays what Superman is supposed to stand for.
As mentioned there ARE good things in this: Superman relating to the kid is great, with Curt Swan’s artwork even better in those panel than in the rest of the story, which is saying something given that he’s amazing throughout it.
I still think this story has a TERRIBLE message.
The workers were not asking something unreasonable to Superman! While there are several arguments against him just rebuilding the houses and leaving… he takes this way too far by deciding to do ABSOLUTELY NOTHING except giving an empty speech.
Not even going to the employer to tell him he should treat his employees better? REALLY?

And if you’re thinking that this is me applying 2026 sensibilities to a 1972 story when I ask for a story where Superman cares for the well-being of workers, facing their employer and teaching him a lesson on how to treat them better… that’s THE PLOT OF ACTION COMICS #3.

This isn’t me trying to be a contrarian, I have genuinely tried to get what everybody sees in this issue.
If you’re one of those who consider it among the best Superman stories, by all means try to convince me in the comments. I promise to keep an open mind.