Superboy (vol.2) #1 (1994)

Superboy (vol.2) #1 (February, 1994)
"Trouble in Paradise"
Writer - Karl Kesel
Pencils - Tom Grummett
Inks - Doug Hazlewood
Colors - Tom McCraw
Letters - Richard Starkings
Editor - Frank Pittarese
Cover Price: $1.50

Have you heard the news?  Just in case you missed everyone on social media positively tripping over one another to be the first one to "break" the news, it looks as though Kon-El is making a comeback next year in the pages of an all-new Young Justice!

Haven't the foggiest idea if/how it will fit in continuity (Oh, listen to me... talking about "continuity"), but... never let not having all (or any) of the facts stop us from "reporting" news!  Whatever the case, I gotta say... I'm tentatively looking forward to it.  So far, I've been kind of impressed by Brian Michael Bendis' take on Superman... I wonder what he can do with the young heroes.

Anyhoo, and all joking aside... let's take a look at the first issue of his ongoing series from back in the long ago!

But first, to assuage my volume-neuroticism... here's what I wrote the last time we covered an issue from this series:

From our discussion of Superboy #4 (August 27, 2017)

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We open with Superboy flying high above Hawaii... promising to, ahem, "Pump up the Volume".  He plunges back down to the islands where Roxy Leech is being held in the arms of the villainous... Sidearm.  Upon arrival, Kon is backhanded by the baddie.

Amid the distraction, Roxy breaks free.  Sidearm attempts to nab her with one of his spike-claw thingies... but Superboy manages to get between them (getting his MC jacket torn a little bit in the process).  He makes a "sacrificing virgins" comment that I'm sure was considered a little bit edgy back in ye old '94.

He explains to Sidearm that he has tactile telekinesis... if you're a fan of the original Young Justice, you'll know that this becomes something of a running joke... Conner always brags about his tactile telekinesis.

Sidearm starts blasting away when one of his... sidearms becomes a gatling-gun of sorts.  Of course, Superboy is bulletproof, so this isn't much of a problem.  As Conner saunters up all cocky-like, Sidearm's... other side-arm begins choking him.  Superboy grabs him and flies straight up into the sky with him.

Then... the police arrive, and we meet Special Federal Agent Sam Makoa.  He's not terribly pleased to see Metahumans on Hawaii... and heads over to Dubbilex and the Leech's for some answers... just as they're about to be arrested!  He orders them be let go.

It's pretty clear that Makoa trusts Dubbilex... but, maybe not so much for the Leech's.  He asks for the quick 'n dirty on how they come to arrive in Hawaii.  Rex explains that he is taking Superboy on his "Supertour" of the United States.  Dubbilex is Superboy's Cadmus-assigned "chaperone".

As Rex goes on, another officer reports in that Superboy and Sidearm are falling out of the sky somewhere near Pearl Harbor.  Makoa loads the crew into his paddy wagon so they can continue their tale.

Turns out, Rex is kinduva carny.  He has Dubbilex playing a different role in every city... and sets it up so his daughter, Roxy falls out of a helicopter... just so Superboy can "save" her in the nick of time.  He's kind of a scuzz... and looks a little bit like old-school Paul E. Dangerously.

Anyhoo, after they performed the act in Hawaii... Sidearm showed up and started causing trouble... which pretty much brings us to where the issue opened.  Over by Pearl Harbor, Superboy and Sidearm land with a THOOM.  The way they're bantering, I'd almost swear Rex hired Sidearm to be Superboy's "first" baddie... like Maxwell Lord-style.  That doesn't seem to be the case though.

They continue to battle their way through Waikiki, and Superboy finally decides to "dis-arm" Sidearm... by, well, tearing his cyborgian arms off.

Just then, Makoa and Co arrive to tie up all the loose ends.  The Special Agent calls off the military police, informing them that Sidearm is a "Federal" headache.  Superboy sarcastically thanks Dubbilex for not using any of his "brain-blastin'" powers on the baddie as well.

We shift scenes deep underground Pearl Harbor's Naval Base... where there's an explosion!

Then, we're off to a bar in Honolulu's Chinatown... where we meet a brassy redhead.  She's watching the news of Superboy's arrival... and refers to him as "cute, in a jail-bait sort of way"... which was probably edgy in 1994... but hasn't aged all that well.  She tosses her bag at a sailor, and reveals that it's full of weights.

Back at Police Headquarters, Special Agent Makoa finds that he's been delivered an emerald cube.  From it erupts a projection of a dragon... and a message, from the Silicon Dragons gang.  They ain't pleased in the slightest that Superboy has shown up on their turf.

We wrap up back on the beach, where Superboy is about to be interviewed by KONA-TV's newest reporter... Tana Moon!

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Not a bad first issue!  Lots of fun... setting up Kon's locale... and his cast of characters.  Several subplots bubbling away on the side to build up his first few threats.  Feels like there was a real effort made to make this Superboy actually feel like a kid of the 90's.

Some of the chatter (and attempts at "edge") hasn't aged all that well, but I do appreciate it being here.  Heck, we see today how writers attempt to evoke "teen speak", which is to say make a lot of references to smart phone dating apps... regardless as to whether or not they make sense.  I swear, if I see another reference to "swiping" one direction or another, I'm gonna vomit.

The banter was pretty cool... and definitely sets Superboy apart from the rest of the Super-Family.  My only sorta-kinda irk about it is, the way Superboy and Sidearm were talking after arriving in Pearl Harbor... it almost seemed like they were working together... putting on "a show".

I wanna mention Tom Grummett's art.  Feels like every time we chat him up here, I dig his work even more.  I've said it before... he brings all of the "excitement" of a 90's artist... without all of the "extreme" trappings usually associated with 90's artists.  Just some wonderful work here.

Overall... really, the "right way" to kick off an ongoing series.  Whereas today, we'd more than likely be getting a "Chapter 1 of 6", here we get a standalone story, during which our hero gets to flex his muscles and show off his powers.  We also get to meet his cast, and get a look at his environment... while seeing what (and who) might be lurking around the next corner.  Very well done!  If you can get past some definite 90sisms, this issue is certainly worth a look.  This issue is available digitally.

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Superboy (vol.2) #4 (1994)

Superboy (vol.2) #4 (May, 1994)
"Superboy: The Animated Series"
Writer - Karl Kesel
Pencillers - Mike Parobeck & Tom Grummett
Inkers - Ande Parks & Doug Hazelwood
Colorist - Tim McCraw
Letterer - Richard Starkings
Editor - Frank Pittarese
Cover Price: $1.50

Well, here's another series I'd put off due to my "what volume is this?" neuroticism.  Ya see, this is usually referred to as Superboy, Volume Four... but that includes the series' New Adventures of Superboy, and Superboy: The Comic Book based off the syndicated television show (which would later become Adventures of Superboy)... making this volume technically the second to simply be called Superboy... and so, for the purposes of this blog... I'm gonna refer to it as Volume Two.

Yeah, I'm thinking too hard... but it's kinda what I do.

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We open with a retelling of Superboy's origin, told in very dramatic fashion!  It was the world's darkest hour... and all that jazz, when Superman was killed in battle with Doomsday.  Then, was lit a spark of hope... in the form of Cadmus Labs and their hankering for a hero via the magic of cloning.  Now the world looks to the skies to see... a very stylish (for the time... c'mon, you had that haircut back then too) young hero... Superboy!  It turns out, as if the cover wasn't a dead giveaway, that we're watching the opening credits to the pilot of Superboy: The Animated Series... along with the cast of this comic book!  We've got (a sick) Kon-El, surrounded by Tana Moon, Roxy, Dubbilex, and his agent, Rex Leech.

Tana takes Kon's temperature... and finds it normal, whatever "normal" might be for a Krypto-clone anyway.  He blames his illness on breathing in volcanic gases, and doing battle with Brimstone with The Ray (hey, we read that one!)... though, certainly Roxy blowing cigarette smoke in his face ain't helping matters either.  Dubbilex is dubious of Kon's self-diagnosis... as he knows there are some clone-centric diseases that he may be suffering from.  Rex don't have time for none'a this, however... he's got a cartoon to watch!

In toon-town, we are introduced to a pair of very Peter Davidesque villains going by the names Lock and Lode.  They have mistakenly broken into LexCorp Tower... thinking it to be where super agent Rex Leech lives on a count that it's shaped like a giant letter L.  They argue a bit... and throw a pair of "rent a cops" out the window... likely to their inky celluloid demise.

At "stately" Leech Manor, a very svelte Rex is conducting business with Police Commissioner Henderson... and, this is pretty neat.  In the comics Henderson is a white dude, but in Superman: The Animated Series, he is a black man... so, here, he's a black man.  What a fun touch!  Dubbilex makes his toon-debut as Rex's loyal (and wacky) telepathic D.N.Alien Butler... which is a hoot.  Rex's daughter Roxy is also introduced... as a mass of primordial slime!

As you might imagine, these portrayals are not well received by their real-world inspirations.  Dubbilex doesn't take kindly to being made to look like a silly servant... Roxy damn sure doesn't like the idea of being a puddle of ooze... while Superboy's just annoyed he hasn't shown up yet!

Back onscreen, Lock 'n Lode arrive on the scene and easily neutralize both Henderson and Dubbilex.  In the skirmish, the former's pistol goes flying... crashing through the globe that "held" Roxy's drippy oozy form, spilling her all about the room.

We shift scenes and finally meet, the man of the hour... Superboy!  He's hanging with a young lady at his Super-Grotto... which is sorta like the Batcave, only grotto-ier.  As he shows her his mysterious mineral spring, he notices... well, she notices... some slime dripping in from the ceiling.  Superboy knows that can only mean one thing... Rex has been attacked by super-assassins!

He bursts through the ceiling into the Manor above (way to give it all away, kid!) and finds Dubbilex and Henderson cuffed and seated... and Rex laying spread on a table while a laser pendulum swings above him... growing closer with each pass!

Superboy gets to fighting... and talking about his tactile telekinesis.  Man, I'd love to see a scene of Kon and Mercury from the Metal Men hanging out.  Liquid at room temperature versus tactile telekinesis... ay yai yai.  Everything looks to be going fine, when Superboy finds himself trapped in a super-hard resin... that the baddie lied and said was knock-out gas.  What a jerk!

It doesn't prove to be too detrimental to the Metropolis Kid... just momentarily slowing him down.  He breaks out of the crud... just in time to be ensnared in Lock's whip.  Lode steps in and begins applying the magnetic pressure to it when... Rex, now freed from the trap shoots the baddie in the shoulder.  Wow, what kinda violent cartoon is this?  Police thrown from skyscrapers... good guys using guns... blood (!) wild stuff here!

The day is saved... and we learn that it was all due to Rex's laser-reflective tie-clip (wonk wonnnnk).  Dubbilex enters to interrupt Kon and Rex's... soup feast (?) to inform them that something's going on in the Super-Grotto.  It turns out that Roxy has evolved... into a fungus (wonk wonnnnnk, again).

Back in the real world we wrap up with Kon excusing himself to head to the fridge... and with a TH-UNK, he hits the floor.  Tana Moon runs in to see him sprawled out... and fears him to be dead!

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Well, this was a lot of fun.  Looking back it's hard to believe this issue came so early in the run!  I'd figure a story like this would've come a bit later on... but, here we are!  Such a fun concept to play with... if I'm remembering right, DC did something similar in a later issue of Guy Gardner Warrior.

As much fun as this issue was... there really isn't a whole lot to say about it.  We see that Rex Leech's cartoon self is a suave dude, rather than a frumpy con-man... and he views himself as the "real" hero.  It's silly, and further shows what kinda goofball jerk he is.

I don't feel like the cast is established enough to have these "amped to 11" cartoon versions to be as funny as they're meant to be.  Of course, reading this well after the fact, after having a better idea of who these characters are... it's easy to have the proper appreciation.  It's difficult to say how I would have received this had I read it in 1994.  I'm sure I'd have dug it... but, maybe not as much?  I dunno... my Kon-El mileage was a bit different back then.  Too be honest, he annoyed me... and I was hoping he'd be temporary.

The non-cartoon story here is focused on Superboy's illness... which everyone but Dubbilex writes off as his just being under the weather.  I can't remember what becomes of it... but I'm guessing it's taken care of within the next couple of issues.  The story within a story gives the Kon-is-sick bits some time to organically breathe... and not shove it in our faces.  His collapse at the end was actually a bit of a surprise, simply due to how nonchalantly it was treated up to that point.  Really clever storytelling here... a silly cartoon framed by a serious situation.  Great misdirection.

Overall... this is one I'd definitely recommend.  Though, I would posit that a basic familiarity with Kon's Kast would yield a better appreciation for the exaggerated animated takes.  The art alone, however, makes this more than worth a read.  Grummett's (relatively) realistic take contrasted with Parobeck's "lighter" animated style comes across great!  For your convenience, this is available digitally.

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