ACW #612 – Superman

Action Comics Weekly #612 (Superman)
“Where Lurks the Evil?”
Writer – Roger Stern
Pencils – Curt Swan
Inks – John Beatty
Letters – Bill Oakley
Colors – Tom Ziuko
Editor – Mike Carlin

A few weeks ago, I shared a most depressing story about the awful truth I learned when I last bought a pack of Bazooka Gum.  Gone were the classic comics, replaced with some trash “codes” to type into their website, and receive Lord knows what (the code from my piece was invalid).


Not content to let this go, and being a bit of an obsessive fella myself, I’ve taken to the streets in search… of Bazooka Joe.  Way I figured, “retro” is kind of a thing right now, and I assumed (emphasis on that first syllable) that there might be some “real” Bazooka at one of the many Retro Candy stores around town.  I mean, it stands to reason, don’t it?


Well, every now and again I’ll share my “journey” with you in this here pre-ramble… starting, right this second!


I popped into the Retro Candy Shop by Arizona State University in Tempe about a week ago… from the looks of the photos online, this seemed like as good a place as any to start my search.  Wasn’t happy having to pay for parking… but, the things we do for obsession.  While I was there, I figured I might as well try a Zagnut Bar as well.  Never had one, and I’m a pretty big coconut fan.

It was rather underwhelming… and I actually feared it would turn to powder as soon as I opened the wrapper.  It tasted okay, but it’s a very poorly “put together” candy bar.  Then again, I live in Arizona.  A great place for comics, but an awful place for candy.


Anyhoo, as I scanned the area, I found… NuZooka.  The same sorta “hip” “with-it” pack I grabbed at the gas station.  And so, I went up to the register to inquire about real Bazooka… and the poor teen-aged cashier hadn’t the foggiest idea what I was talking about.  To be honest, at this point I wasn’t entirely sure what I was talking about.


She eventually gets the jist of what I’m saying, and points me over to a less-traveled corner of the store… right around where the meager selection of Sugar-Free stuff sits.  She tells me that’s where the individual pieces of Bazooka are.  Could this really be it?  Could our journey have already come to a conclusion?

No.  No it didn’t.  More friggin’ NuZooka.


Welp.  We mustn’t let this deter us… and so, the search continues.  We will find you, Bazooka Joe.


—

Galt’s mental transmission continues to play, which really freaks Perry White out.  He doesn’t seem to understand that none of what’s before him is actually playing out.  Galt ends the transmission before Perry can start wildly swiping at thin air.


White inquires as to why Galt never contacted the authorities about this apparent massacre, to which he claims that the surviving members feared that somehow going to the authorities would cause reprisal from their attackers… and, the only person who can be trusted is, naturally, Superman.


Clark wonders aloud who might be behind all of this… which facilitates a segue to the West Coast, where a boardroom full of… I dunno, business-illuminati folks (?) are discussing current events.  They are wildly displeased that one of the Fellowship members has “made contact” with Superman… and they realize that, from here, they can only do one thing to “save the world”: Kill Superman?!


—

So, we trudge ahead a good minute, minute-and-a-half this week.


Not gonna lie, this is pretty dull stuff.  While it’s difficult to tell too much of a story in only two pages, this is just dreadfully slow.  Almost painfully slow… especially if you are a person who tasked himself with writing about it!


Not much to see here.  The Cadre of “Men in Suits” on the other coast ain’t pleased… and maybe they’re about to do something about it?  I dunno.  Honestly, I’m pretty sure I don’t even care.


Tomorrow: Is Selina down to Eight Lives?!