There’s a new killer in town, and they’re ‘aving a larf
You likely recognise WGBS sportscaster Steve Lombard, but the redhead, that’s Vicki Vale visiting from Gotham City, swapping stories over a drink with fellow hacks. ‘Jack’ is Jack Ryder, secretly the Creeper, while also there is Clark Kent, and he is not amused.
The reporters dismiss the idea that the Joker is also on a visit from Batman’s city – no signature. So who is it? And who’s next to face Death By Silliness?
It’s Perry White, Daily Planet Editor turned Mayor of Metropolis, under attack as he throws the first ball at a sports game.
Spoiler. He survives. So who’s behind the attacks? Classic Superman foe the Prankster, outsourcing his work.
If I asked you to imagine a Dan Slott-created villain, this is likely what you’d come up with – silly meets deadly. With good tailoring. We don’t officially get his name but also he seems to be going by ‘Prankster’, keeping it in the family. Which seems a waste, we already have the original, right there in all his Golden Age glory, and he’s perfectly capable of setting up some embarrassing murders. Also, there’s a bit of an Ambush Bug vibe, I’d prefer to see the real thing,,
Still, the new guy doesn’t directly go up against Superman this time, that’ll likely come in next issue’s wrap-up. This issue, as well as entertaining set-up – I enjoyed the bar-scene hugely, journalists really are, mostly, this awful – we get the continuation of Superboy Jon Kent’s Smallville subplot. He’s reporting for a mini-Daily Planet, and hanging out with Super Family inventor John Henry Irons.
Putting the boots on, we see what you did there…
Now surely Clark would pick up on the clue here. Something popped up? Mr Mxyzptlk isn’t in Metropolis? He should have arrived in Smallville before his son put down the phone. Instead, Jon welcomes his surprise guest alone.
Mr Mxyzptlk has an interesting warning for Jon, while back in Metropolis Clark is presented with the aforementioned key, only to find the outer paint covers a large amount of green kryptonite. His reaction?
Gah… is it too much to hope writer Dan Slott either quickly wraps up, or silently dumps, the Green K Everywhere and Shiny Supes bit? They’re really dragging this book down.
The other negative with this issue is the business with Smallville being a ‘chaos nexus’. Holy Sunnydale, Batman!
Superboy had stories every month for decades, superheroes, supervillains, superdogs and monsters were constantly showing up in Smallville and no one needed an explanation. These are comic books, every city or town we ever see is awash with things those of us in the real world would consider weird.
Otherwise, I liked the script, even when we do get Perry White contradicting himself in the space of three panels.
‘The menace of the ‘Mannheim crime family’ whose most prominent non-jailed member is ‘strictly a small-time crook’?
The art this time is by Mike Norton, last seen providing gorgeous illustrations in the Deprossoverse Krypto series. His work here is just the ticket, bright and open, exaggerated where it needs to be, such as on the new Prankster, naturalistic elsewhere. I particularly like the regular folk, Norton’s characterisations match Slott’s breezy script perfectly. Were Slott and Norton to team up regularly on a Tales of Metropolis book, I’d be there.
Letterer Dave Sharpe always delivers the goods, though I didn’t recognise his work here as there are a lot of uncharacteristically big scratchy display yells. The colours by Marcelo Maiolo are fine, if a bit green about the gills at times.
The cover by Dave Johnson is decently executed, but a tad dull in conception, there are several interior scenes that would’ve make for a more exciting opening image.
Overall, Superman Unlimited #9 is a fun read and I’ll be back in a month for the conclusion, but please DC, get rid of the overarching plot.
Too Dangerous For a Girl 2 