Superman #156

SUPERMAN #156 (1962)
by Edmond Hamilton & Curt Swan

Superman #66 was such a Golden Age gem that the story got a remake 90 issues and 12 years later. It’s also a Legion story that SOMEHOW I skipped when covering the Hamilton era.
This was published the same month of Adventure Comics #301; while Jerry Siegel was still the regular Legion writer at the time, this was written by Hamilton himself.

I think I might have skipped originally because I was under the impression that this was an Imaginary Story. Despite the fact that the cover boast that this is “not a hox, not a dream, but real!”.
Well, as real as any Superman can be.

While this is not exactly a remake (as it has to incorporate a lot of the Superman mythos that hadn’t been introduced in the original story), whenever there are similarities I will see which version I like the most. Starting with the teaser page!

Still great, but… sorry Curt Swan, I’m still going with the original.
Golden Age 1, Silver Age 0.

Both stories begin with Superman being exposed to Kryptonite… but the original had a random piece of Kryptonite used to make a gem, and the remake has Superman saving some astronauts.
There’s just no contest there. Golden Age 1, Silver Age 1.

The piece of Kryptonite is actually a chest (which looks more like a coffin) with a message written in “unknown language”. Only Jimmy Olsen would wonder what kind of language it could possibly be.

And here’s the reason why I’m reviewing this: the box has a sample of Virus X, a deadly Kryptonian disease that will pop up in a 1968 storyline.
A disease so dangerous, in fact, that Superman asks Jimmy to close the box before the wind can blow the virus in his direction.

So let me get this straight: Superman, who can create tornadoes with his breath and who can move FASTER THAN TIME ITSELF, needs Jimmy Olsen to close the box to keep the virus away?

Sounds legit.

And naturally Jimmy f##ks this up, because what else is new?

This is THE major difference between the Golden and Silver Age versions. The original had a made-up Earth disease as a red herring, but the remake has a deadly alien virus that will have some impact on future stories.
While the original was a perfectly suitable idea, this is a vast improvement.
Golden Age 1, Silver Age 2.

Just like in the original, Lois Lane is distraught at the thought that a love interest will die in 30 days. This time it’s not Clark, though… which is a step down, considering how refreshing it was to see her root for Clark for once…

…but the remake has the trademark Silver Age Hilarious Unintentional Innuendo.
Golden Age 1, Silver Age 3.

Both stories have a gloomy image of Superman reflecting on his fate as a thunderstorm fails to do any damage to him. Both are great, so I consider this a tie.
Golden Age 2, Silver Age 4.

This story has to juggle the part of the Superman mythos that hadn’t been introduced in the original, and I have to say it makes a really good job at giving Supes believable reasons for the way he acts.
It wouldn’t be fair to compare the two versions on this, but still, kudos to the remake to keep the story focused but still referencing everything.

I’m a little conflicted about how he handles the Clark Kent side of his life, though. On one hand it’s commendable to avoid making them mourn the loss of two people… but this way they will still have to do it once he dies, plus they will have to live with the fact that he never told them the truth.
And it really cements the idea that the Silver Age version thought of himself as Superman first and Clark Kent second. I vastly prefer the original on this.
Golden Age 3, Silver Age 4.

In the original, Superman’s large scale project was solving a potential energy crisis, whereas in the remake he’s irrigating the desert. One feels more relevant to the modern day than the other, but I can’t hold it against the original so it’s another tie.
Golden Age 4, Silver Age 5.

In the original, the thought of Superman dying was a powerful possibility since he was so unique. But by 1962 there are already so many potential alternatives that it seriously dilutes the impact.
Golden Age 5, Silver Age 5.

We interrupt this Superman story for a Legion of Super-Heroes adventure.

As well as the Legion of Super-Villains apparently, because Cosmic KING gets a shout-out instead of Cosmic BOY. Whooops.

But wait, is it possible Brainiac 5 has been *choke* a bad guy the whole time!?

Nah. Jumping ahead in the story a little bit, we’ll later discover he was actually trying to redeem his family’s name by curing Superman.

And now, ladies and gentlemen, is when the story goes BONKERS.
The fact that Supergirl and the Superman robots irrigate the deserts is just the beginning!!!

Because then Supergirl and the Legion have to save Earth from Space Fungus…

…which is achieved by GIVING EARTH A RING…

…and thus defeating the Space Fungus with its natural enemy. MAGNETS.

Not insane enough for you? Supergirl and the Legion TERRAFORM ANTARCTICA.

That was the classic fun absurdity I expect from a Legion story by Hamilton… but since it has little to do with Superman, it ends up feeling like padding. Since the original stayed FAR more focused, I’m giving a point to the Golden Age story.
Golden Age 6, Silver Age 5.

Another scene from the original that makes it into the remake is preventing a rogue planet from crashing into Earth, by slamming it with a different planet. It’s Supergirl who does it in the remake, which gets an extra point for the awesome artwork AND the lack of sound.
Golden Age 6, Silver Age 6.

But now the focus goes back to Superman, who in his last moments decides to go back to Smallville one last time. That’s a nice moment; we rarely see Smallville outside of Superboy stories.

And he’s contractually obligated to remember Lyla Lerroll from Superman #141, though he’s misremembering her as a brunette while she was blonde.

This is the most direct reference to the original story, and BY FAR the most famous iteration of the concept… it’s a relatively famous panel.
The message is the same of the original, but I’m giving a point to the remake because it’s a much better panel and the message is far more legible.
Golden Age 6, Silver Age 7.

Superman is really on his dying breath now, but there’s a last ditch effort: maybe Supergirl can find a cure in Krypton’s time?

Nope! It’s a completely pointless diversion that wastes a full page. Plus it raised the problem of Supergirl obviously keeping her powers on Krypton! Which wasn’t really necessary, since the Legion had a Time Bubble RIGHT THERE to use!!!

Except maybe it wasn’t useless after all, because once Supergirl tells Superman about her mini-adventure he points out the obvious flaw.

The one to explain the contradiction is none other than the 20th century version of Mon-El, still in his Phantom Zone exile.

Mon-El meeting Saturn Girl here is one hell of a mindf##k, because THIS is the chronology of events:

A) Mon-El is exiled to the Phantom Zone in Superboy’s time because of lead poisoning, back in Superboy #89
B) he meets the Legion, and Saturn Girl, in this story
C) ONE THOUSAND YEARS LATER, Saturn Girl gives Mon-El the antidote in Adventure Comics #300… which was published a month before THIS story. Remember this moment?

Why is that a mindf##k? Because from Mon-El’s perspective, the above events are in the A-B-C order.
But for Superman (who was Superboy during the Legion story), the Legion and the readers it’s A-C-B. Isn’t time travel confusing fascinating?

Anyway, the story has yet another parallel with the original: the twist is that Superman isn’t sick at all, but he’s been poisoned by a little piece of Kryptonite embedded into a camera.

On one hand, it’s neat to have Jimmy be the one with the camera instead of a random photographer.

On the other hand… the original had the advantage of Kryptonite being around for a year, so it was believable that Superman wouldn’t notice the repeated exposures. But this time he’s had TONS of experiences with Kryptonite, plus there are all these characters running around with super-senses and super-science and nobody noticed anything!? The original holds up better.

Golden Age 8, Silver Age 7.

In a final throwback to the original, Superman erases the “Clark Kent” portion of the message on the Moon… but this time he’s too weak to do it himself and instructs Supergirl and Krypto to help.

Reasonable but kinda lame. Which makes the original take the lead in this totally objective and not tiresome final tally.

Golden Age 9, Silver Age 7.

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Historical significance: 3/10
Superman will catch the ACTUAL Virus X in the 1968 storyline I’ll eventually review… so you’d think this would have a higher significance. Except this story is not reference directly, plus the enormous projects carried out by Supes and Supergirl go completely unmentioned in any future story.

Silver Age-ness: 10/10
TERRAFORMING ANTARCTICA!!! Defeating a space fungus with magnets!!!

Does it stand the test of time? 6/10
While the contest between the Golden and Silver Age versions was mostly for fun, I seriously do consider the original to be the superior story. But that doesn’t mean this was bad, quite the contrary in fact! It’s very well written and entertaining. Its only fault is losing a bit of focus and trying to do too much at once, but it’s mostly nitpicking.