I'll admit it; I'm a bit cynical. 
 
I saw The Death of Superman for what it was: a marketing gimmick. A way to make Superman popular and sell books. Press coverage sold books. That's what comics became in the '90's - all about marketing and promotion. Hype. I'm convinced that the comic world was forever changed by the Crisis on infinite Earths. Everything about comics changed. There was a world before the Crisis, and then there was the world after. Focus shifted from story to marketing and promotion. Comics tend to be more gimmick oriented. Just look at the fact that we're actually talking about Archie and whether or not he should mary Veronica or Betty and what that would look like depending on who it was he chose.  
 
I followed the storyline, and wasn't really impressed with any of the pretenders. Especially the Cyborg-Superman, that ended up destroying Coast City and causing Hal Jordan to snap and ultimately become Parallax. Of all the characters i despise - Magog, Superboy/man Prime, I dislike Cyborg-Superman for the damage he did to the entire DCU.    
 
Superboy as he appears here is a little too cocky and over-confident for me. He's hooked up with con-man Rex Leech and his daughter Roxy, supervised by Dubbliex. They're all on a promotional tour that brings them to the the beaches of Hawaii; and brings Superboy bumping into Sidearm. 
 
Sidearm takes Roxy hostage and Superboy gets to show off his unique power of tactile-telekineses. He throws sand in Sidearm's face and breaks Sidearm's cybernetic appendages. The melee puts him on the wrong side of Five-Oh's Sam Makoa. His relationship with Roxy may put him on the wrong side of re-assigned reporter Tana Moon. His hijinx certainly gets him noticed immediately by Knockout. 
 
When he took over for George Perez on New Teen Titans, I wasn't a big fan of Tom Grummet. But I liked his work both over on Robin and here on Superboy. I really liked the work he did in bringing the two of them together on World's Finest. 
 
I'm a bit cynical, and from the start, Superboy, Rex and Roxy are the exact opposite of what Chuck Dixon was doing over in Robin. This is more a Jason Todd version of Superboy, with a little Booster Gold thrown in as well. Isn't one Booster Gold enough? Not my favorite characters, and not my favorite version of The Boy of Steel.                  

Clark, Lana and Pete are enjoying one last bonfire of summer before Lana and Clark leave Smallville for their first semester as freshman at Shuster University in Siegel, Florida. While Clark and Lana are stargazing and catch a meteor shower over Lake Wylie, Pete is arguing with a girl named Becky over who has the fastest car. Next thing you know, they're drag racing along Lakeshore Road; and, wouldn't you know it, Pete loses control of his car and nearly runs off the road into the lake. If not for a quick save by Clark. Lana remarks that there's been a guardian angel watching oveer Smallville. 
 
Becky and Pete drop Clark off at home, where he finds Pa Kent waiting for him on the front porch. He offers a little cryptic sage advice on what Clark is meant to do. That Clark is meant for great things. Great accomplishments that he shouldn't let anything stand in the way of. The next morning, both Ma and Pa Kent see Lana and Clark off at the bus terminal. Lana is sad that her teacher parents couldn't be bothered to see her off like Clark's parents do.  
 
When they arrive on campus, Lana remarks that she doesn't think they're in Kansas anymore. Well, d'uh! Nice Wizard of OZ reference there, but just a bit misplaced. Of course they're not is Kansas anymore! It's called Smallville for a reason! She reminds Clark that they are both 18, and that this is the first time that they are away from home - forever - in the party capital of the United States. Can you say "Spring Break EVERY DAY"? Lana loosens up her Silver Age - er, um - straight-laced, prim and proper image. She becomes the uber-hotty Stacy Haiduk. And then becomes Ma Kent when one Trevor Jenkins - TJ - White is dropped off by his Dad, the new editor of The Daily Planet. We don't actually get to see Perry White, but we do get his trademark "Great Ceasar's Ghost!" TJ is a walking, talking, human cliche. Like the lost Czechoslovakian Brother. He's a "wild and crazy guy!" 
 
Later, while Clark, Lana and TJ complete their class schedules,over in the research lab, a "space rock" has been delivered for testing. The rock starts "Mmmm-ing" and siphons all the power from the university, causing a blackout. Clark overhears that the hospital may lose its blood supply if the refridgerator fails, and uses his super-cold breath to save the blood. When the space rock blows a hole in the lab wall, Clark races back to his dorm room and grabs the package that Ma packed for him. Making his debut as Superboy, he takes the rock and dumps it back in the Gulf. An alien entity breaks free of the meteor and offers its greeting to the boy of steel. Say, you know, the entity looks an awful lot like Johnny Thunder's T-bolt! Quickly scanning Superboy, the entity asks if he is a fellow traveler, noticing that Clark is not native of Earth. Before any further misunderstanding, the entity is on its way. The next day, the Shuster Herald has the story, with pictures of the debut of Superboy.  
 
This new Superboy is an amalgam of just about everything that has gone before in the comics and cartoons. Not so much the Superman movies that the Salkinds made, but the classic Silver Age Superboy comic, and cartoons updated for a new generation. Everything Smallville is quickly jettisoned for this new unwritten phase in Clark Kent's life. Pete Ross, the Kent, the old-fashioned, small town roots, Lana's slightly prudish image. But, this is like the rift created in Back to the Future II; this is an alternate reality Superboy. In that in the revised DC Universe Superman never had a career as Superboy. And, that even though the Salkinds produced the series, neither the show or the book follows the film or mainstream comic continuity. Pa Kent is still alive here, even though he passed away in the film, prompting Clark to move on and make his way in the world and become Superman. The one thing it has going for it is that so far it is not trying to mimic the character designs of the show. Clark, Lana, Pete and the Kents all keep their Silver Age looks. Only TJ is based on a series design. Another highlight is inker Ty Templeton, who would go on to make his mark on nearly every animated companion comic published! From The Batman Adventures to Avengers United They Stand!  
 
For better or worse this was the companion comic for very first live-action Superboy.                  

Clark and Bruce have been left buried in a Gotham cemetary by Metallo. He was searching to find his original body. He wants to be human once again. As Bruce is running out of oxygen, Clark remembers the first time he ever encountered Kryptonite, or meteor rock. I'm thinking that this may have been around the time that Jeph Loeb had joined Smallville, having come full circle with Superman For All Seasons. So this story about falling into a well of Kryptonite and working together with Pete Ross to climb out, works on more than just a couple of levels. It's a nod to what Loeb is doing on the WB with Smallville with Clark and Pete, maybe bringing a little of that over into Superman's background in the DCU. It also works as the insight into his relationship with Bruce as The World's Finest. 
 
This is not your Dad's World's Finest. Not the traditional or the classic World's Finest. 
 
I remember reading The World's Finest in the '70's and '80's, and it was nothing like this. It wasn't nearly as good. Toward the end, when the title wrapped up around the Crisis on Infinite Earths, it just felt like it was losing steam. There were some good issues, but it just felt like it had run it's course. 
 
Now, Clark and Bruce are narrating their stories and giving a little bit of insight into themselves and yin and yang, ebony and ivory of their partnership.  
 
I like it.  
 
As Clark's life flashes before his eyes, and before Bruce passes out from asphyxiation, the Dark Knight fixes a detonator to the Man of Steel's back and blasts them out of the grave. He launches them into the sky and they come down into the sewer system. The splashpage is quite colorful. Weakened, Clark revives Bruce and together they limp through the sewer together toward the entrance to the Batcave. Which is blocked by and electrified grate. Clark musters the strength to rip the grate off. And they are greated by Alfred with a shotgun. All the while bantering about Magpie, "good" villains and whether or not Alfred should be using a shotgun or a Freeze gun. Bantering like old chums... 
 
Elsewhere, a Kryptonite meteor pases Saturn. A Boom Tube opens to deliver three missiles. Which have absolutely no effect on the meteor. In the Captain's Ready Room - er, um - President's War Room, Pi - Luthor and Ri - Captain Atom discuss the law and policy. 
 
In the Batcave, Alfred patches Clark's wound, and washes his tunic. The rest of his uniform will stink of mud and filth until the end of this story arc, but at least his tunic with the bullet hole in it will smell April fresh. Actually, McGuiness gives Clark a pretty tattered costume compared to Bruce. Maybe he pulled out a spare while Alfred was performing surgery. His indignation looks freshened up. Angry that Metallo was in Gotham the night Thomas and Martha Wayne were gunned down in Crime Alley. John Corben could have been Joe Chill/Jack Napier! And, Clark knew and didn't tell him! In the grand scheme of things this is kind of a throwaway footnote. It's a shame that it got lost in the overall grand scheme of the storyline. It's good for seven or eight panels from Alfred disposing of the Kryptonite bullet, until the older Clark arrives in the Batcave through another Boom Tube. To kill himself. 
 
When I first saw the red and black Superman, I wondered why and how the Kingdom Come Clark had come into the mainstream DCU. Okay, I was actually wondering WTF!, but this one actually had a pretty decent payoff. And it's always pretty cool to see Adam West's ride! 
 
Later, Captain Jellico - er, um - Luthor is on his way to inform the American public about the Kryptonite meteor that is coming to Earth because of Superman, when Ri - Captain Atom reminds him of some obscure Starfl- er, um formally requests that he be allowed to go ask Superman to surrender. Luthor tells Atom that he is thisclose to being either relieved of command, confined to quarters or escorted off the bridge to the brig, and Atom grudgingly falls back in line.  
 
From the Batcave, Bruce and Clark watch as President Luthor declares Superman a wanted fugitive and outlaws anyone aiding and abetting him. 
 
When all of Luthor's appearances are combined, Superman, Superman II, The Superman Adventures, Smallville, Superman Returns, along with nearly every other issue of Action Comics, Adventures of Superman, The Man of Steel, Superman, Superman/Batman Generations and even here in Superman/Batman, Luthor's not only overexposed, all of his appearances are stacked on top of one another. I'm surprised that John Corbin never made it to the Ultra-Humanite for a transplant in the first 25 issues. 
 
So far, that, and maybe the meteor are the only disappointing things about the story so far. I'm not sure I see the point of Deep Impact/Armageddon...                             

Ever wonder what would happen if all of the really nasty, evil races of the universe all banded together and headed toward Earth? If there were a forming of a cosmic Legion of Doom? Well, wonder no more 'cuz here comes that wacky Invasion!  
 
I have to admit that I never read any of Giffen's '80's era Legion of Super-Heroes. Or any of his Ambush Bug. Or much else other than a few issues of his '85 re-launch of Justice League, and The Heckler. The interest that I had for the Legion of the '70's with Paul Levitz had given way to the Titans of the '80's with Wolfman and Perez. There wasn't a whole lot of room for much else. I would imagine that The Heckler was a lot like Ambush Bug. And Ambush Bug was a lot like the Blue and Gold. I remember seeing Todd Mcfarlane's work on Infinity, Inc. - I think I specifically remember issue 14 standing out; then, seeing him launch (The Adjectiveless) Spider-Man, before he bolted for Image and Spawn. 
 
This is...something else. 
 
A collaboration between Keith Giffen and Bill Mantlo. McFarlane inked by no less than three others, P. Craig Russell, Al Gordon (didn't he go on to Wildstar fame with Jerry Ordway?), Joe Rubinstein - and then himself! Edited by Kevin Dooley and Andrew Helfer, with thanks to Robert Greenberger, Mark Waid and Tom Christopher. 
 
This is a huge, massive, all-encompassing event. This first issue is 80 pages (!) with no adds and a back page checklist that is mind-boggling. An A to Z checklist from Power of the Atom to Wonder Woman. If Zatanna is available, the Spectre is keeping her from engaging in the melee. This is in three issues what Crisis on Infinite Earths was in twelve. Plus spread out over crossovers. This was the infancy of DC trying to catch lightning in a bottle again. They had done it with Crisis, and followed that up with Legends. Now, it was becoming a brand and hallmark. This was the beginning of the event frenzy.  
 
I've never been crazy about alien races. From appearances in New Teen Titans, Green Lantern, Legion of Super-Heroes, Superman or even an episode or issue of Star Trek; if you've seen ONE alien race, you've seen them ALL. Here, you pretty much do. They are ALL evil. It's like coloring with seven black crayons. There's really no difference. How different really are the Khunds from the Warlords of Okarra from the Citadel? Or, the Dominators from the Psions? The only races that really stand out are the Thanagarians and the two Rannians. The whole point I've seen of alien races other than each one being pretty much evil, is that their basic purpose is to make humans look good, heroic and noble as we prove our unfailing, indomitable spirit of independence. All alien races want to conquer Earth for sport or terrtitory; and really every story that has ever involved an alien race had really been a retelling of the American Revolutionary War or a theoretical Soviet - American conflict. I think what puts me off to this right from the start is that all of these races have literally banded together "from across the galaxy" as a real "legion of doom!" 
  
The only unique thing about this first issue is that unlike what you might see later in Independence Day or Mars Attacks! The story is told entirely from either the Dominators, or the Alliance point of view. The invasion of Australia is told completely from the alien perspective. When the Tasmanian Devil is shown taken captive, it's more of an, "Oh yeah, Australia. That's where Tasmanian Devil is from." We see "Snapper" Carr briefly, Adam Strange has a role he plays; but we don't really see much from Earth perspective until a few quick cameos in the final chapter of the issue. Amanda Waller, Maxwell Lord and J'onn J'onzz; Perry White and Jimmy Olsen. I'm sure that this was done for a reason, that in the next two issues the human super-heroes will be seen repelling the invasion and it will all be from their point of view. My favorite alien stories have alway been told from the human perspective. Alien. Predator. Excellent on their own from the human point of view for suspense and thriller. 
 
But here, not so much from the alien perspective. especially the cheesy roll call, and Austin Powers way of explaining and describing each race. Hopefully this will pick up and improve over the next couple of issues. Otherwise this is a pretty forgettable mini-series.                      

What Starman has going for it is a good sense of setting and geography. What annoyed me in the first few issues of Erik Larsen's Savage Dragon, was that his Chicago could really have been anywhere. And that was before I realized he was excellent as far as characters, but landscape and scenery and background, not so much. I grew up on the south side of Chicago, and schooled in the Patented Perez Rubble. His detail was unmistakable. Last issue, San Antonio got some good detail from Tom Lyle, Roger Stern and the crew. This issue starts with a really clear focus on Superior, Arizona. Just the idea of a clear picture of a city or a town is cool. There's not much detail, because Will shows up to help firefighters battle a chemical factory blaze and resue a couple of firefighters. I wonder if there is a pattern in Will's rescuing either police or firefighters - so far it's in pairs - 'cuz that's how they roll; never leave a man behind. Will spends all night helping the fireman fight the fire, never once losing steam. He does surprise and amaze them that he doesn't feel the need or urge to breathe. This becomes bothersome for Will as he is washing the soot of himself at Roosevelt Lake. He's discovering clues that he may no longer be human. No heartbeat, no "circulatory" systems to speak of. Tom Lyle does some great work with what he is given from Roger Stern as far as setting the scenery and the geography.  
 
In Utah, Dr. Melrose briefs his test subjects on Starman; and, we are brought up to speed on how he used the Stellaron-5 satellite in an effort to channel cosmic radiation to power a new kind of true, real American hero. Kind of DC's attempt at the Fantastic Four. I've read Wolfman and Perez' classic New Teen Titans, Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo's Batman and The Outsiders, Roy Thomas' All-Star Squadron, Infinity, Inc. and Invaders before that; as well as the late '70's and '80's Justice League - but then, who hasn't? If you haven't that's some good stuff. What they all have in common is the super-villain team. The Titans had the Fearsome Five; The Outsiders had the Force of July, Masters of Disaster, Maxie Zeus' Olympians and the Nuclear Family; Infinity, Inc. had Helix, and All-Star Squadron and The Invaders had different Axis or Nazi ubermensches. By the time the Power Elite make their debut - in their prison orange jump suits - they might look like Steve Dayton's Hybrid, all kinda non-descript and bland. and we all know that the Hybrid was kinda Mento... 
  
There's a guy hothead, a lady hothead, a couple of earnest eager beavers, a brain and a cyclops. None of them are really given much of a personality. As individual as they may be, they're all cult followers that have drunk the Kool Aid (R) (TM) that Melrose has been serving. It's not very clear if these are military, civilian, reality series or anything but psychotic volunteers. It's not clear if this laboratory in Utah is a sub-system of anything but a grant that Melrose has gotten fot his work - it doesn't appear to be a part of any military branch or research branch of S.T.A.R. Labs or Cadmus. Unless Melrose is independently wealthy, which doesn't seem likely. Most of these teams all form around a core of five character types, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern. Y'got yer guy and girl with incredible strength, yer brainy guy, yer fast thinker, and yer cocky hothead. To keep things fresh, you make one or more of them a woman, black or asian; and another one you make Keyop.  
 
So, while the Power Elite is forming a strategy for Starman, Will Payton is proof-reading a manuscript for his new job. His sister, Jayne, suprises him with her new look for fall classes, and he tells her of a nightmare he's been having. The start of the nightmare sequence is probably some of Tom Lyle's best stuff so far: splitting a panel into three seperate segments, Will describing the dream, the visual on the dream and Will sleeping. 
 
Later, following a newspaper story, Alan Madison - Melrose's assistant that previously hired Bolt - draws Will into a trap. The Power Elite ambush an unsuspecting Starman, and over-power him. Obviously, they have him by surprise, and they outnumber him and they just keep hammering and hammering until they wear him down for the "kill" stroke. The scene is well-choreographed. The tranformation of the one member named  Samantha, from a little girl into her muscular (butch?) form is almost frightening. She looks more powerful than her male counterpart; almost as buff as Schwarzenegger. Ewwww.  
 
The storyline in this issue continues in Invasion and in Firestorm 80 and then in the next issue. 
 
I'm just waiting to be amazed. Originally, I only picked up the first issue and never gave Starman a look over the next 44. That may have the case for Starman. Not enough eyeballs.   
 
 
                           

Exactly how painful is it being Starman? That cover looks pretty painful. Lone Star Takedown starts with a cover of Starman in pain from a bolt from Bolt, and the promise of Starman VS. Bolt.  
 
Seriously, Bolt? What? Deadshot was busy with more important things to do? Deathstroke wasn't available? That's a real shame. 
 
Will visits Glen Wharton, the officer that was injured by the serial killer's grenade, who is with his wife Sylvie. It's a meeting of the Mutual Admiration Society as the officer thanks Starman for capturing the serial killer; and Starman thanks the officer for 24/7/365 hard work. His partner, Sgt. Sal Cooper stops by with flowers. She lets Starman know that a crowd of reporters has gathered outside. Next door, on the top level  of the parking garage, Bolt and Alan Madison, Dr. Melrose's assistant, are watching Will from an unmarked truck. Madison uses a small hanheld remote like device to record Will's energy signature for Bolt to follow, when he leaves Wharton's room by the window. 
 
Back at home, Will is still job-hunting and thinking that a vehicle would make the search go smoother. As his sister, Jayne, denies him her Jeep, he gets a letter inviting him to a job interview in San Antonio. While congratulating him on the interview, his mother and Jayne are sad that he would have to move to take the job. Jayne drives him out into the desert, where he takes off flying under his own power to the interview to save a few bucks on airfare! The frugal super-hero! Or is that meta-human? 
 
Not only is Starman a lesson in southwestern US geography, but music appreciation as well. Jayne apparently is a Sting fan, and Will a fan of The Monkees. On his flight, he sings What Am I Doin' Hangin' 'Round. And then Bolt attacks. I'm surprised that Panel One of page eight isn't used for the cover. Or some variation of Bolt waiting to zap Starman. Bolt is unsuccessful in subduing Will with either his powers or his fists, so he pretty much bolts. Leaving Will wondering why he was attacked by a D- lister villain. Back at his lair, Bolt is confronted by Madison, but the mercenary thinks he knows where Starman will turn up next. 
 
Will gets to San Antonio and makes his interview at Alamo Press with Chuck Irwin. The interview goes well, Will is hired, and relieved to find out he can work from Phoenix. Leaving the interview, he spies Bolt flying over downtown. And no one else notices! In fact, when he starts racing through the crowd a guy stops him and tells him that nothing's worth being in a big hurry! I'm sorry did he just step into 1968? Duder, what's the rush; chillax and take it easy! So, he walks slowly to where he can change into Starman.  
 
And, he literally bumps into Bolt! The splash on page 16 would have been another great cover! Bolt standing on the roof of one of the downtown buildings zapping Starman out of the sky above. Not bad work from Tom Lyle, Bob Smith, Bob Pinaha and Julie Ferrtier. I'm not sure what's up with Roger Stern and Robert Greenberger, but the house ads show that this was the same DC where Phil Foglio did a four-issue Plastic Man mini-series and J. M. DeMatteis and Shawn McManus re-invented Dr. Fate. This was a lighter, brighter DC. 
 
Bolt tries to melt or decapitate Starman, but, Will melts the mercenary's equipment before socking him into a poultry truck. He won't tell Starman who hired him. Back in Utah, Dr. Melrose and his team are almost ready to confront the issue that is Starman.  
 
I miss letter columns! I'd take three gushingly positive letters praising Starman and the creative team than a flaming post on a message board any day. But I'm old school. the letters at the end of this issue are amusing because at least the first letter writer likes the very things that I can't stand about the first issue and the series so far. But then a black and white preview was sent to regular DC letter column writers to generate letters early on the series. 
 
I want to like Will Payton as Starman, I really do. But he has so much going against him.

If you're like me and you remember English class and foreshadowing, this will be an issue of Starman that will prove to be important some time in the future.  
 
The previous issue of Starman had a couple of text pages on the history of the name and character of Starman. This issue has Who's Who pages on the creative team. 
 
This issue starts with Will flying over his rocky mountain Colorado campsite for some idea as to how he got his amazing, fantastic powers. He can't really get close, because the deputy he escaped from at the morgue last issue is supervising a team of investigators. One of them has a camera and manages to get a picture of Will. 
 
Later, he meets his sister Jayne back outside Phoenix. Without thinking he rockets back so fast he has her ears, and Muggs', ringing from the sonic boom. She watches him show off his strength, heat and brightness. You would think that there would be a bigger surprise that he doesn't have a heartbeat, but no, the "button" on the scene is that he hasn't had the urge to use the bathroom in more than a week. Obviously much more shocking than not having a heartbeat. He's been transformed into something more than human.  
 
In Utah, we see Melrose looking over the next generation of real, tue American heroes. A pair in radiation therapy; a pair in an enzyme bath (written just like that all bold and everything, too); and a pair that he's been told by his assistant Alan that are exhibiting signs of super-human ability! When another assistant brings the picture of Starman to Melrose's attention, one of the test subjects, Hale, suggests that they find Starman and use the scientific method of beating the misdirected abilities out of him. Obviously the psych profiling was a little different pre-Survivor. 
 
Will is at his Mom's angsting over the job search. He's gotten a rejection letter. Disappearing for a month and not being to explain why can really hamper emplyment opportunities. He wonders if he can use his abilites in construction or as a football player; then reality sinks in and he feels compelled to use his new abilties to give back to society. With great something comes something, something. He picks up the newspaper and sees a story about a serial killer still on the loose. He also sees a story on the authorities looking for him. So, he decides to introduce himself and offer his services to the Phoenix police. He introduces himself to Captain Estevez and his department. A radio call comes in on the serial killer eluding pursuit, and he takes off after him. The killer has downed a couple of officers and their squad car with a grenade.  
 
The killer crosses the border into Mexico, and as he's about to dispose of his latest victim, Starman arrives and spills him out of his SUV. Will tosses the vehicle away, and bullets bounce off his chest as the killer empties a clip on him. After untying his victim, he melts the killer's gun and flies him back to the Phoenix police...Leaving the woman he saved stranded out in the blazing Mexican desert until the authorities arrive. Starman is applauded in the media for his efforts so far, although, Estevez' department is divided over him.  
 
It must really suck to be the serial killer caught by Starman. Not only does he get embarassed by this newbie hero, but he doesn't even rate a name. He's just referred to as a serial killer or just as a killer.  
 
Back at home, Jayne is very supportive, saying that Will could be a role model. Every other Tuesday, when all the other bigger name heroes have their staff meeting and need someone for role model duty in addition to monitor duty. Will's Mom comes home and asks how the job hunt is going. Buzz kill. 
 
Melrose is following the news and wonders if his assistant Alan has been able to make that contact he was suggesting could help with the Starman issue. Alan meets with Bolt in the New Mexico desert and arranges the contract. 
 
It's a shame that Will has such a generic origin and launch to his career. He's not fighting for a specific cause. This isn't like The Flash's origin; or Green Lantern's; or even Booster Gold's. There really isn't any idea of what Will stands for as Starman other than doing the right thing. That's nice 'n' warm and fuzzy. Heck, even Guy Gardner stand for kickin' some serious @$$. Batman stands for fear and revenge - I mean justice.  A hero needs to stand for or against something. As yet, Will doesn't seem to. Maybe when he eventually is confronted by Melrose and his team, he will.  
 
What kind of scientists are these guys anyway, that they have contacts with super-villains. How doesn that not get past screening. These guys just lie on the application. These guys must be Cadmus or S.T.A.R rejects.  
 
Will doesn't even get a serial killer with a cool name or anything. As dangerous and as threatening as this guy seems to be, he uses what looks like an Uzi or an AK-47 style machine gun. No knife, no piano wire? Oh, wait that might scare the kids off. It's also a shame that Infinity, Inc. disbanded after Sylvester Pemberton's death. Even though Starman is a great geography lesson of the American southwest, Will really could have been helped along by other next generation heroes. 
 
Just remember this issue's story for the future. The Shade will, in Opal City one day. One very important day.                   

I'd picked up the first issue of Starman when it hit the stands in '88. It was okay. I'd never gotten around to picking up another issue. After reading James Robinson's Starman 36, I started to wonder about Will Payton. I'd read a few of the Prince Gavyn stories in Adventure. I was more interested in Plastic Man and Aquaman. Since Robinson was tying all of the Starmen together, I thought I would piece them all together myself. 
 
Will Payton is easy to track down. 
 
Dr. Melrose is a scientist in western Utah, using the Stellaron-5 satellite to power a new team of true; red,white and blue American heroes. This was the Reagan '80's. Nationalism was high. The Justice League had just gone Iternational and admitted Rocket Red 4. In hindsight, only Barry Allen and Hal Jordan were United States citizens. As an urban legend, Bruce Wayne was pretty much in the shadows; and all the other members of the original league were aliens or immigrants of one sort or another. Unfortunately, the satellite exploded and the beam Melrose was counting on went off target and hit hiker Will Payton in the Colorado Rockies. 
 
Payton is found dead by a couple named Dan and Sandy. There is a burn mark around the body but no marks on the body. Will wakes up in the morgue startling Duncan, the coronor, and the deputy. The deputy thinks he's being pranked, and is about to draw his gun, when Will escapes by jumping out the window and flying away. He lands on a semi and rides to a diner where he discovers that he has lost a whole, entire month of his life. He leaves the diner, wondering where the missing 34 days went, and walks right into the middle of a bank robbery. As the gunman runs from the bank to the getaway car, he shoots at Will, but the bullet bounces off his arm. It still stings, and Payton begins to shine, blinding the getaway driver. The car crashes and the two robbers climb out guns drawn. Will melts both guns. The police show up and arrest the two. Will flies off and heads home to Arizona.  
 
Outside Phoenix, he meets his sister Jayne and he dog Muggs. Jayne is sitting on the hood of her Jeep, singing a Police song. He license plate is STING. Will shows off his new powers to his sister, who is thrilled and amazed. She takes Will home, where he cleans up. Will and Jayne's mother comes home from bowling and is pleased by her son's visit. But he is a typical ne'er-do-well slacker and his mother lays down the law; if Will intends to stay, he has to get a job. He promises that he'll start looking first thing in the morning.  
 
While he starts making calls looking for work, Jayne is costume designing. They see on the news that a crane has toppled, pinning a construction worker. With hours to go waiting for the right equipment to show up to rescue the man, Will Payton puts on the costume his sister made for him and zooms off to the rescue. Spectacularly, he lifts the crane and the construction worker is pulled free.A guy in the crowd yells, "Way to go, Starman!"  
 
Back at home, Jayne encourages Will to continue his identity as Starman; while in his office in Utah, Melrose's assistant  shows him a newspaper story on Starman. They recognize the powers Will has. Melrose is now determined to get back the powers for his team from Will. 
 
I may have read one or two of Roger Stern's Cap stories, Avengers or maybe Amazing Spider-Man, but this is really the first thing I've read by him. It's okay. Tom Lyle would be pretty much doing the same thing later on in re-imagining The Comet for DC's Impact Comics. While there is some suspense, there really is no excitement. There's no super-villain.  Not even a hint of one. Just a generic scientist. In a generic lab in Utah. This isn't Cadmus or S.T.A.R. Labs. Not even any connection to Lex Luthor or the Ultra-Humanite. Or any other nefarious evil, mad scientist in the DCU. Right from the start, Will Payton is stuck on his own, out in left field. Completely disconnected from the DCU. Right from the start, Starman gets off on the wrong foot.  
 
(In hindsight, it may be easy to knock a cancelled book. I like it for nostalgia. I like it for the groundwork it lays for what comes later on. But I'm realistic enough to know that if there had been something there, this book would have lasted - a lot longer than it did.)  
  

Mikaal meets Clarence in the ruins at the top of the Chandler building. The latest, good incarnation of Solomon Grundy is gone, and the blue Starman misses his friend and wishes he had gone with Ted, Jack, Alan and The Batman. He's moved out of the observatory to find his own place in the world. Remember kids: after three days houseguests and fish both start to grow stale.  
 
Elsewhere, outside Meskin Medical, The Batman actually surprises by revealing his favorite Woody Allen movie. Crimes and Misdemeanors.  
 
Alan and Ted reminisce; Jack and Sadie catch up; and Hope slugs Matt, before Clarence summons them all together to confront the Infernal Dr. Pip at the top of the Chandler building. Jack's cosmic rod and Alan's powers are gone due to the effects of Genesis. Captain Marvel, Superman and Impulse are seen affected by it as well.  
 
The Shade makes a timely appearance and stuns everyone gathered by his solution to Pip. The issue really moves along pretty well, almost too quickly. Even though it is almost an epilogue to the Grundy story, it feels like a prolugue to the denoument of the Pip story. Almost like an interlude...Like a drum solo or a guitar solo to cover while the band towels off, grabs a little water before coming back out for the final song before letting the crowd go nuts for an encore. If it's stretching, I don't mind it. Steve Yeowell does a pretty decent job as warm-up act to Tony Harris. 
  
What I enjoy most about Starman is how each event from Underworld Unleashed to Genesis has been dealt with by seemingly almost not dealing with it. Most books will become really bogged down and mired in an event storyline. I appreciate that James Robinson and his crew are able to keep the event mania at the Opal City limits. The story that he is telling isn't hampered by the ripples of an event. He manages to turn it around, where the ripples are a subplot, or background to the more important events of his story, as it should be. Robinson's team has staked out a claim in Opal, a small corner on the fringe of the DCU, where no one else will bother them.  
 
Good deal.  

Okay, I'll admit to being old school. I'll blame Frank Miller's The Dark Knight Returns and Year One, along with Alan Moore's The Killing Joke, and pretty much anything and everything that Dennis O'Neil has done in Gotham City since 1985. I don't deny that it's been landmark, groundbreaking, defining stuff that has both re-invented and re-imagined The Batman and his place in the DCU. I just like what's been done in twenty-two minutes first by Bruce Timm and Paul Dini and now by the producers of Batman: The Brave and the Bold. I get that The Batman is a scary, intimidating freak - outstanding! If you're enjoying what's been going on there, God bless you. I'd given up, packed my bags and moved to The Opal. The choice between Alan Scott's Green Lantern/Sentinel and The Batman, I'll go with the Emerald Gladiator any day. Just like Jack. Pre-Crisis, Bruce Wayne was so much more hip and in touch. 
 
Here he's the proverbial stick in the mud along with Jack, Alan and the Floronic Man; confronted by the many different versions of Solomon Grundy inside the beast's mind. They meet Cyrus Gold, who has a little bit of Alec Holland in him. Grundy's origin is retold and never-ending battle with Alan Scott, along with the Justice Society and The Batman is revisited. Gold plays sphynx and poses a riddle to lead the group to the latest version of Grundy. Finding him, they must battle all the other versions to save him. Ted Knight seizes the opportunity to join the fight and swing the battle to victory. And then, Grundy is gone.  
 
For a few brief, shining issues, Solomon Grundy was given a soul and conscience and was a pretty interesting character. maybe Grundy is DC's version of The Hulk. I stopped reading The Hulk when Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno brought the character to television, so don't quote me. 
 
The highlight for me is page ten. When Jack answers Gold's riddle, he answers with Woody Allen films. After giving his favorite, Alan Scott tells us a little about himself through his choice, and so does the Floronic Man. THUD. Yep, that was The Batman, staying on point and reminding everyone that life is not always about Woody Allen films. Sheesh! "Buy a sense of humor, Bruce." You can afford it. How can you pretend to be this shallow, insincere playboy/philanthropist and not develop some sort of facade material. You know everything! Everything eventually turns into what you need to fight crime and bring down villains and rogue heroes! A Woody Allen film might be the very thing you will eventually need to bring Jack Knight to his knees should he ever go rogue. Just like all of the contingency measures you have for the Justice League. Remember that! You can bring him down with a cello player in a marching band, or a gun carved out of soap covered with shoe polish! Important information. Compartmentalize it somewhere. Make a utility belt pouch for it! Or just say that Allen's early films exhibited a raw unhibited muse, while his latter films disintegrated into head-scratching confusion. That's better than saying you don't watch films...unless it's Joel Schumacher films you're talking about... 
 
But, if I were going to go tromping around Solomon Grundy's mind, I'd sure want both Batman and Alan Scott along, and probably the Floronic Man to guide.