This is the last batch of DC stories in this weird retrospective. It’s Marvel all the way after this.
Superman Selezione #17 (1981)
Published by: Cenisio
This was a sort of anthology book (the title translates to Superman Selection) towards the end of Cenisio’s publications.
The cover is NOT from any stories published inside! If anyone has a clue on where this is from, it would be much appreciated.
Action Comics #426 (1973)
by Cary Bates & Curt Swan
Don’t know why they didn’t go for THIS cover, it’s not bad.
This was 0.20 dollars in 1973, about 1.41 dollars in 2024.
The Italian version was 500 lire in 1981, which would be about 1.32 dollars in 2024.
It contains three full stories, but once again many pages are in black and white.
As per the cover, it begins with Superman saving a plane after it’s been hit by meteorites.
But the meteorites didn’t come from space: they’re moon rocks that suddenly disappered from S.T.A.R. Labs.
S.T.A.R. Labs are even given a translation: the acronym is translated as Ricerche Avanzate Tecnologiche e Scientifiche, which IS accurate… but it results into the unfortunate acronym R.A.T.S.
Yes, they do use the acronym.
No, it doesn’t sound funny unless you know English.
The story wastes NO time becoming ridiculous, because we are now introduced to Earth Supremacists.
I only wish I could say nothing this dumb happened in reality.
I mean if it turns out there actually is an Anti-Lunar League… I wouldn’t even put them among the top ten dumbest cults on the planet.
But things can always get dumber in a Cary Bates Superman story, so the new leader of the Anti-Lunar League turns out to be Terra-Man.
This story is partially responsible for making me think for several years that Superman stories were really dumb, and directly responsible for making sure I will NEVER take Terra-Man seriously.
The entire reason why Terra-Man took control of the Anti-Lunar League is that he has a new gun that is powered by moon rocks.
Terra-Man, YOU HAVE A SPACESHIP!!! There’s an entire satellite made of the stuff!!!
If you thought I was being harsh on Terra-Man… he’s DEFEATED BY A SHOE.
Terra-Man has one last trick up his sleeve… and being Terra-Man, it doesn’t work.
Again: YOU HAD THE ENTIRE MOON TO WORK WITH!!!
Historical significance: 0/10
Would YOU bring it up again!?
Personal significance: 6/10
Sadly this DOES end up influencing me… into not even trying to pick up new Superman stories for several years.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Even in the Silver Age they would’ve tried to give SOME convoluted explanation to how the lunar gun would’ve affected Superman.
Does it stand the test of time? 1/10
A story with Curt Swan pencils would have a hard time getting a complete zero, but this one came VERY close. Basically no other redeeming qualities.
World’s Finest #217 (1973)
by Bob Haney & Dick Dillin
Not much to say about the translation, it’s a faithful one.
The Soviet Union stand-in is not called “Slavia”, however, but the equally fictional “Moglavia”.
Historical significance: 0/10
Silver Age-ness: 30/10
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
As per the original review.
Personal significance: 4/10
I remember this one quite vividly. Also this is the only comic I own with black and white pages where I bothered coloring some panels… with markers. Truly a crime against comics.
I found Metamorpho’s use of powers VERY interesting and cool! But for YEARS I misremembered this as being Composite Superman.
Superman Family #195 (1979)
by Jack C. Harris & Don Heck
I wish I could say I left this out of the Supergirl retrospective on purpose, but the truth is that this is very boring.
It’s always interesting to keep track of how much time is supposed to pass between the Superboy and Superman years.
If he was Superboy 15 years ago, at this point how much time has passed since Supergirl arrived on Earth? She was 15 herself and she’s gone to college… five years maybe?
However “Superboy” is actually just a robot built by the assistant of Supergirl’s foster father… Snapper Carr of Justice League fame!!!
I had absolutely no idea that A) he was in this comic B) he knew anything about science.
Snapper is not the scientist responsible for this story’s threat.
It’s some other guy who is trying to redeem himself from his gang past.
Not a good sign when the first thing your sentient robot does is SCREAM.
Time to check on Supergirl.
One of the most frustrating parts of Supergirl’s evolution is that once she goes to college she attends the most random classes. Now she’s into ESP class!!!
Another baffling decision on the Italian edition: the second balloon is completely missing.
The lesson consists of just two balloons, but they’re completely skipped in the Italian version!
The first panel is translated as “Today I will explain the transmission of brain waves”, and the second as “As we have smell, hearing, taste etc, we also have another sense”.
I guess it’s because the lesson itself doesn’t really have an impact on the plot?
Who is coming up with the curriculum of this class???
But Supergirl has to slip out of class to fight a robot.
Not her proudest moment.
Also, weird translation: in the Italian version she says “Strange, my leg shouldn’t hurt!” which sounds way lamer.
The robot is basically immune to all of her powers.
Don’t make jokes about Supergirl having cramps don’t make jokes about Supergirl having cramps…
The robot manages to escape, so she’s back to class.
Where THIS horrific scene happens!!!
Really lost in the Italian version because this was on a black and white page that doesn’t give it justice.
During this, the robot is keeping busy. Its design isn’t bad at all!
Once Supergirl is out of class and changes into her costume, we have another unnecessarily abbreviated translation.
The first balloon is simply changed to roughly “What a curious malaise! Let’s take things slowly!” which is REALLY underplaying what happened.
Don’t make jokes about Supergirl having cramps don’t make jokes about Supergirl having cramps…
If you’ve ever read a comic book in your life, you’ve probably figured out that the robot is feeding off her powers.
Also, yet another baffling translation: in the Italian version the cop exclaims “She can fly?”, which… SHE’S SUPERGIRL, COME ON!!!
Since when the robot uses her powers she feels pain, she hopes the reverse is also true.
This works, because it’s not really a robot: it’s actually its inventor.
One last translation weirdness: in the original he just stole a hundred thousand dollars, but in the Italian translation the cop says the HE STOLE BILLIONS.
Considering the story includes devices that transmit thoughts, you would think they would factor into the story… but NOPE! He was just brainwashed by the robot brain!!!
Historical significance: 0/10
Why did you think I skipped it?
Personal significance: 4/10
I do remember thinking this one was unsatisfying, and that’s still true. What a terrible way to be introduced to Supergirl. Also, I now realize this is the worst translation job out of the three Cenisio books I read.
Silver Age-ness: 10/10
Okay the robot’s scream made the scientist insane. How does that connect to transferring Supergirl’s powers to the robot!?!?
Does it stand the test of time? 0/10
What a mess. This era doesn’t do any favors to Supergirl. Even as a redemption story it sucks, because the roboticist isn’t even REALLY responsible for anything he does in the robot suit.
In hindsight, no wonder I became a Marvel fan and wouldn’t touch DC for several years.
It’s not just because DC books were much harder to find: most of the first stories I was exposed to sucked!
I just realized: according to the Terra-Man story cover, Superman suddenly leaped into the air while shouting “SUPERMAN!!!”, which is quite funny.
I avoided Superman stories for most of the ’70s. I thought it was because the character was too fricking popular. Everybody loved Superman, so I had to be different. While that’s partly true, I also now realize that the few Superman stories I read were of the same quality as these. I did like the character when he appeared in JLA or, as Superboy, in the Legion. DC did have good stories, but not, strangely, in titles featuring their most famous character.
Regarding the time span of Superboy, Superman, and Supergirl: While it’s fun to work out the chronologies of superhero universes, DC was frustratingly inconsistent. Brave & Bold # 181 (1981) featured Batman teaming up with Hawk and Dove and gave the Hawk’s age as 27 when he was supposed to be about the same age as Robin (then about 18-19). It was a wonderful story about the differences between the two brothers and the love that binds them despite those differences. However, a lot of fans, including me, couldn’t get past the inconsistency. As I recall, DC caught a lot of flack for inattention to detail, which obscured the story’s other remarkable qualities.
The first Superman cover seems to have been created for the French “Superman Giant #9”, published in July 1980 by Sagédition. The bottom likenesses of Lana Lang and Clark Kent feel like Dick Giordano work to me.
With no further evidence, I will for the moment assume that the cover was built by the French publisher using stock images from Giordano for the bottom part, with some unnamed artist providing the center Superman picture – or at least Superman face.
Since this issue is apparently subtitled “L’homme catastrophe” (“The Catastrophe Man”) and given the date, I assume that it features a story of Superman against Major Disaster, of which there were very few at the time – so probably a version of the contents Superman #341 (DC, 1979), which as it happens I have read in Portuguese by Ebal back in the day. It is possible but unlikely that it instead or also has the TRS-80 Computer ad/story from Action Comics #509.
I agree, these are not the very best comics DC published, even for that specific time period and Superman specifically.
https://www.bdovore.com/serie-bd-10746-superman-geant-sagedition-2eme-serie
https://www.bedetheque.com/serie-10833-BD-Superman-Geant-Sagedition-2e-serie.html