Episode 22: May 1988 or Superman’s Golden Anniversary
Welcome to the twenty-first episode of From Crisis to Crisis: A Superman Podcast! This podcast has a simple premise; examine just about every Superman comic published between Man of Steel #1 in 1986 to Adventures of Superman #649 in 2006 in an informative and hopefully entertaining format.
Part index. Part commentary. Part history lesson. All podcast.
After a week’s absence due to Mike coming down with what was either Kryptonian Leprosy or a really bad flu the boys are back in town to discuss the Superman books that came out with the cover date of May 1988. This was a big one too as not only was it the month where DC celebrated Superman’s fiftieth anniversary in the comics but also because Action Comics hit the big 6-0-0. Before getting into that 80 Page Giant Jeff and Mike discuss the return of the Silver Banshee in Superman #17 and the giddiness of Superman as he flies to his date with Wonder Woman in Adventures of Superman #440, which led into the main story of Action #600. That epic anniversary issue had a number of stories in it, all of which get some kind of commentary. The boys even talk about the pin-ups included in Action 600, so that book gets a top to bottom examination. Also Mike clues you in on some of the ways the real world was celebrating Superman’s fiftieth anniversary including the exhibit from the Smithsonian Institute. It’s a long one, but Superman’s golden anniversary deserved it.
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Seriously, let us know what you think.
I understand Dan Didio’s (and, by extension, DC editorial’s) reasons for not wanting Superman to appear “dated” by celebrating Action Comics #1’s 70th anniversary in 2008, but nonetheless, I think it’s a terrible blow to mainstream comics in general. I still fondly recall Engle & Dooley’s SUPERMAN AT FIFTY, among other books/magazines devoted to the occasion in 1988 and, of course, smiled to hear Michael talk about the Smithsonian exhibit. Given that today’s Superman titles are seeing eroding sales in the Direct Market — well below Spider-Man or Batman, for instance — why worry that “Oh, by the way, Superman is 70” would scare anyone further away? Or, rather, who’s left to scare away? When comics (of any kind or content) become *that* fearful of the medium’s history, we’ve moved beyond anti-nostalgia (i.e. attempts to remain “hip” by denigrating or denying the past has any value) and into the realm of sheer irrationality. If nothing else, how much free media attention did DC (and the mainstream industry) lose by not taking advantage of the opportunity, especially in a culture now dominated by movies/TV shows about Spider-Man, Iron Man, Batman, etc.?
It’s nice having you back. Waiting any longer would have felt like … a crisis!!!