SUPERMAN versus BLOODSPORT

Bloodsport! (DC)
Where: Superman #4 When: April 1987
Why: John Byrne How: John Byrne

The Story So Far...
December 23rd: A day for merry-making and last minute shopping in the bustling city of Metropolis -- but what do you get the man who has everything? For billionaire businessman Lex Luthor the answer is simple: the death of Superman!

To make Luthor's dream come true a man named Robert DuBois is anonymously outfitted with state of the art technology to grant him instant access to an arsenal of any weapon he can imagine. He's more than happy to spit in the eye of Superman, but Lexcorp got more than they bargained for -- a violent and troubled loose cannon!

DuBois is putting the people of Metropolis on notice for squandering their hard-earned freedoms. Embittered by the struggles of American soldiers during the Vietnam War, he's bringing the frontline to the unappreciative masses -- guns blazing! In a burger joint full of massacred patrons, Jimmy Olsen activates his watch in a desperate call to bring Superman to the rescue!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Superman 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speed)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Draw 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)
Total: Superman 33 (Super)

It looks like the deck is heavily stacked in favour of Superman, but the stats only tell part of the story. Bloodsport may be completely outmatched in a physical confrontation, but his ability to conjure weapons makes him a deadly adversary!

Robert DuBois received his firepower from Lex Luthor, who hoped to direct his technology against Superman under a veil of plausible deniability. Exactly how the tech works isn't specified, but subtext suggests that a teleportation device delivers weapons from an unspecified Lexcorp arsenal -- rather than inventing the them out of pure imagination.

A gun cabinet might not sound so impressive against a man whose body is famously bulletproof, but these aren't ordinary popguns. Lex Luthor has applied his brilliant mind & fortune to build destructive weapons specifically designed to hurt Superman -- and although he's tasted defeat -- Lex is still pretty good at it!

Luthor was able to effortlessly defeat Superman's cousin when they clashed in Supergirl (Vol.5) #3. Key to his victory was his famous powersuit, but also the means to access and synthesize kryptonite: the radioactive space mineral that inflicts a variety of illnesses and weakness on exposed Kryptonians.

Batman used a kryptonite bullet against Superman to devastating effect in Justice League: The New Frontier Special #1, and deployed man-made explosives, via The Flash, with effective results in The Dark Knight Strikes Again #1.

Saviour showed similarities to Bloodsport in Action Comics #713, conjuring a gun from thin air that was capable of blasting Superman deep into concrete. In other words: just because Superman can take a bullet -- doesn't mean it won't hurt!

Like Saviour; Bloodsport also has a disturbed psychological profile, exhibiting tendencies of a violent psychopath. He's already shot into a heavily populated burger restaurant, and that means Superman will have to be mindful to keep casualties to a minimum when he catches up with him elsewhere in the city.

This seems like it should be a slam dunk for Superman, just like when he and Batman shut down a shootout between Bloodsport and Deadshot, but there's no denying there are complicating factors. Let's take a look...

The Tape: Superman Ranking: Superman (#4)

What Went Down...

Chunks of ceiling fall across the alleys of Kenmoore bowling as Bloodsport grips his hand over a woman's mouth and fires his futuristic hand-cannon towards the sky.

He pulls his hostage close to his chest and berates the terrified patrons lying face down on the floor. "You creeps! You stupid, crawling creeps! Look at you! Soft and wet and useless! All of you!! Me an' Mickey bought your liberty with our lives!"

His vague tirade is interrupted when a bowling ball clinks onto the ball return and draws his attention. He looks up to find Superman standing in the alley, tossing a heavy black ball in one hand like a baseball. After the day's earlier mass shooting, Superman isn't in a very good mood.

"Okay, big mouth, you can let the lady go now, and drop that pea-shooter. Then I'll give you about three seconds to come up with a good reason why I shouldn't bowl a few frames with your head."

Bloodsport presses the barrel of his gun to his hostage's head and warns his true target not to come any closer.

Stone-faced, Superman glares sternly through Bloodsport who scowls right back at him. The massive gun hovers by the hostage's head, her eyes looking wide toward the danger, he mouth still covered. A stand-off.

Superman begins to take a step and Bloodsport's finger tightens against the trigger -- but the Man of Steel moves so fast he's able to pull the hostage clear while pushing the firing gun harmlessly towards the ceiling!

A short punch with his free left hand knocks Bloodsport off his feet and away from the hi-tech gun.

Presuming the gunman is safely disarmed, Superman makes plans to take him downtown to a prison cell and psychiatric evaluation -- but Bloodsport keeps grandstanding and talking war hypotheticals like Superman owes him something.

To Superman's shock -- another weapon materializes in Bloodsport's grip!

He presumes there's no handgun on Earth that can harm him, but he's drastically under estimated Bloodsport's resources once more. This gun, though small, was designed with Superman in mind, and carries Kryptonite ammunition!

Bloodsport's aim isn't as impressive as his weaponry, but a Kryptonite needle buried in Superman's shoulder is enough to start his powers failing! He drops to one knee and clutches the wound, holding a chair for support.

The would-be war veteran gloats over his wounded opponent: "Ha ha ha ha! Not so smug now, eh, Supes-baby? Not so high and mighty after all!"

Bloodsport cocks the dart-gun and presses the reloaded barrel against the base of Superman's skull, but before he deliver a killing blow -- Jimmy Olsen announces himself with Bloodsport's other high-powered gun in hand!

The photog' plays the part of the tough guy just fine, ordering Bloodsport to drop his gun and Superman to stay low, in case he's forced to open fire.

Bloodsport isn't quite sold, claiming he used to "eat twerps like you for breakfast" in Vietnam. He doubts Olsen even knows how to fire the gun, but Jimmy\s counting on the destructive power and close range to make-up for any deficiencies in the particulars of his gun etiquette.

The tête-à-tête is enough to convince Bloodsport to "drop it", but what he drops is summoned to his hand behind his back -- a gas bomb to cover his escape!

Bloodsport high-tails it out of the bowling alley, leaving Superman's pal Jimmy Olsen to see to it that Superman is taken to the emergency room.

The Hammer...

It might sound sensational to say Bloodsport sent Superman to the hospital in their very first encounter -- but that's exactly how it ended!

It's not quite the claim being circulated by the 2021 Suicide Squad movie. They put it that Idris Elba's Bloodsport sent Superman to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). That would imply a more severe, longer lasting injury, but hey. It's still a rare occurance!

A Dr. Sanchez is attending when Superman is brought in to the emergency room, and successfully removes the fragments of Kryptonite from the wound -- instantly restoring Superman's invulnerability and recuperative powers. That swiftly negates any need for a longer stay in the ICU.

In fact, the doctor was forced to re-expose Superman to some of the Kryptonite fragments just to finish suturing the wound. Such are the impressive recovering powers of Kryptonian physiology drenched in the Earth's nourishing yellow sun!

As for Bloodsport: he was free to continue his campaign of terror across Metropolis in the name of waking up America's gluttonous consumers.

He accuses the people of being indifferent to the sacrifices he and his brother Mickey made while fighting in Vietnam, but there's one small problem: Bloodsport never went to Vietnam.

Robert DuBois was actually a draft dodger who fled to Canada to avoid being called into service. That left his younger brother Michael to be drafted and shipped off to Vietnam in his place, where the soldier lost both arms and legs in the line of duty. Or at least what passed for duty in such a controversial conflict, which Michael DuBois calls a war people just want to forget.

It's a pretty prickly subject, but it certainly gives Bloodsport a bit more edge than your average Metropolis gunman. I shouldn't call criticism of the Vietnam War in popular culture a non-controversial exercise, but it was certainly not uncommon.

"Bloodsport" and DuBois might have you thinking of Jean-Claude Van Damme, but his star-making Bloodsport film was still almost a year away, and his character in The Quest, Chris DuBois, closer to a full decade. Superman #4 is, however, five years behind the release of another major action movie: First Blood -- Sylvester Stallone's most nuanced portrayal of troubled veteran John Rambo.

The influence seems pretty clear, right down to the red bandana, Rambo II style wardrobe, and French sounding surname. Rather than carrying the trauma of having fought in war, Bloodsport subverts expectations with a sort of survivor's guilt for what became of his brother by his absence from war.

It might seem a little frivolous for a Superman  comic, but it isn't a story without merit or sympathy, touching on the far reaching effects of war, and even gun violence in modern America. It speaks truth, couched in the tropes of superheroes, and sometimes that makes for some of the best concepts.

If there's ever been a better metaphor for the type of gun control laws that exist in the majority of other countries -- I don't know what it is. Bloodsport is clearly not someone who should have unlimited access to high-powered weapons. Sadly, a concept that has only become more apparent decades later. Rambo as bad guy.

The real revelations about Bloodsport come when Superman catches up with him for a better-informed rematch. You can bet your bottom dollar we'll document that one sometime in the future.

If you'd like to expedite the rematch process, you can let me know in the comments, or become a Patreon subscriber at the Tier 4 level to request your choice of featured fight. The lower levels begin at $1 and help support our ever-growing archive of superhero smackdown and comic book reviews.

Secret Wars on Infinite Earths has featured more than 600 battles and ranked well over 1000 characters! You can find all your Suicide Squad favourites and more by diving into the Secret Archive for a complete index of battles by publisher, series, and issue number. Or just follow links throughout this post and others to discover more from your favourite subjects!

You can get the jump on Bloodsport's first appearance by checking out today's featured issue collected in the Superman: The Man of Steel Vol.1 hardcover, or the earlier softcover edition of Superman: The Man of Steel Vol.3. Use the Amazon purchase links provided and you'll not only find yourself a good deal, but you'll also be supporting the site at no extra cost to you! Take that, Bezos!

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Winner: Bloodsport
#407 (+541) Bloodsport
#4 (--) Superman
#190 (+118) Jimmy Olsen [+1 assist]

JIMMY OLSEN versus SUPERMAN

The Superman/Olsen War! (DC)
Where: All-Star Superman #4 When: July 2006
Why: Grant Morrison How: Frank Quitely

The Story So Far...
A daring solar rescue mission has left Superman with a genetic death sentence! PROJECT think tank director Leo Quintum is in a race to find a cure for the Kryptonian's sun soaked cell degeneration, and while he's away, Daily Planet columnist Jimmy Olsen will step in as Director For a Day -- and what a day it will be!

Happy to help out with a wayward experiment, Superman finds himself accidentally exposed to a chunk of Black Kryptonite embedded in the perilous Underverse! The mysterious mineral appears to have no effect, but looks can be deceiving!

PROJECT is about to find itself with a bad case of bad Superman! Everything's going topsy-turvy in the Man of Steel's brain, which means Director Jimmy Olsen and the rest of humanity is enemy number one! Looks like desperate times will call for desperate measures -- but will Diretor Jimmy be able to survive what lies behind the door that says Do Not Open Until Doomsday and complete his column before deadline?!

Tale of the Tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Superman 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Superman 6 (Mach Speeds)
Stamina: Superman 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting: Superman 3 (Street Wise)
Energy: Superman 5 (Lasers)


Not a hoax! Not a dream! Not an imaginary story! He may be his best pal, but Daily Planet photographer Jimmy Olsen is about to find himself in a set of circumstances where he'll have to beat down The Man of Steel: Superman!

This may sound like an absurd premise, but there are a few factors you need to know! For starters: Superman's got himself into a bit of a pickle!

During a rescue mission into the sun, Superman saturated his cells in so much solar energy they're bursting from within - slowly killing him! It sounds bad, but it means some unusual side effects that include new and increased powers. Believing one of them to be immunity to Kryptonite - Superman doesn't even suspect anything is wrong when he's exposed to a weird piece of Black Kryptonite extracted from the Underverse! Its effects? Gradual Bizarrofication of the brain! Superman's seeing things in opposite and it's making him a jerk!

The Underverse experiment is conducted by PROJECT - a super-science initiative monitored by dandy genius Leo Quintum from their base on the moon. Jimmy Olsen thought running PROJECT for a day would punch up his weekend column, but its meant he's the reason Superman was exposed to the Black K, and is about to become Superman's worst enemy - very literally!

How will Jimmy achieve that? PROJECT's origins are founded in the US Army's Cadmus Division -- housing experimental weapons of extremely hostile nature. One such formula contains a stem cell accelerator that'll turn a soldier into the ultimate living weapon! A dangerous mutation delivery system stored only in case of Doomsday! A super-charged Superman running amok is as good as - and PROJECT Director for a day: Jimmy Olsen is gonna pull out all the stops to bring his best pal in before he does something everyone will regret!

Can Jimmy possibly pull it off? As you'll soon see - the Doomsday gene weapon is no joke! With the risks attached, the real question may be - will Jimmy be able to come back, or is this going to be the death of Superman?

The Tape: Superman Ranking: Superman (#6)

What Went Down...

It started with a change in expression. An arrogant glance. A heat vision burned S shield on a table. Black Kryptonite has taken effect and it's making Superman bad! He fires a beam of heat vision at his pal Jimmy Olsen, before a final clear moment. He asks for help. What could Jimmy do? Nothing. He's going to Earth to do what ever he wants and Jimmy's going to do nothing!

PROJECT's Voyager Titans and Bizarro Clones are no match for the powered up Man of Steel. Director for a day Jimmy sounds the alarm. A contingency weapon of Superman's own design is inoperable. The Phantom Zone Cannon is taking too long and has no undo. The threat of an evil Superman is great, but Jimmy isn't about to give up on his friend. Option three it is - Doomsday is upon us!

In Metropolis, Superman touches down and disrupts traffic. Lifts a limousine. Still strong as ever. Looking for Lois Lane. Jimmy's on Earth, too. He won't let his hero embarrass himself because of a little poisonous radiation! Superman doesn't seem please to see him. Uh oh!

His mind slipping away; Superman hoists the limo above his head and peppers the street with heat vision. The car's heading his way any second now - Jimmy's gonna have to jump. Touch and go as PROJECT G-Type Agatha warns Jimmy of the dangers of the course he's about to take - the Doomsday option!

Superman spots the "gun" Jimmy's brought with him and gets real mad! He's gonna take the hand with a focus beam of heat vision - but quick thinking Jimmy uses the invincible signal watch Superman gave him to reflect it back to the source! Superman cops it in the throat and Jimmy commits to his plan.

The gun isn't for Superman! It's the Doomsday delivery vessel! Meek Mister Olsen puts the needle end to his neck and pulls the trigger! Say bye-bye bow tie, hello hulking mountain of muscle! "Oh, no." Oh, yes! Jimmy is Doomsday!

His skin greys and his muscles quadruple! Boney protuberances grow around his body. Still has the ginger on top! "Hurrr. Cool." he says. Not for Superman! Doomsday Jimmy leaps into action - driving Superman's head into the road with a brutal punch!

His mental state deteriorating: Superman is stunned to feel pain - confused even! No fun. He's gonna make Jimmy feel pain - a left uppercut to the jaw!

On the moon, PROJECT continues preparing the Phantom Zone Cannon. Jimmy's got thirty seconds before Doomsday overloads his nervous system and he's lost forever. Superman's punch didn't phase him. Thirty seconds is all he needs!

Jimmy sends Superman hurtling across the street with a blast of his own Doomsday heat vision! He smashes through a nearby storefront. The Man of Steel is getting weaker! Scared! He's losing the fight, losing his grip.

Doomsday Jimmy stalks toward his downed opponent. The moment is familiar. In his black kryptonite addled brain, maybe Superman thinks so too. He fears his death at the hands of this creature. He's scared. He doesn't want to die.

Jimmy won't let him die. His invincible Superman signal watch starts to sound. Not a bad substitute for a hypnotic trigger. Time's up! Doomsday is over!

As Superman curls up in a weak and frightened ball, the boney protrusions begin to retract. Jimmy's bulging muscles start to shrink, and the color starts to come back in his skin. Still has the ginger on top! No clothes, though. It isn't weird, though. Just another day in the life of Jimmy Olsen - Director of PROJECT, Daily Planet weekend columnist, and Superman's best pal!

The Hammer...

Woo! Did you see that one coming? The winner by knock out, submission, and unanimous decision is: Jimmy Olsen!

I feel like I'm a winner, too! I thoroughly enjoyed that! It was a last minute switcheroo. Probably the only opportunity we'll have to talk about this issue before a similar concept finds its way to theatres in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

I like this issue because it's how Superman comics should be. A definitive mix of elements, juggling contemporary savvy with the wonderful wisdom of accepting Silver Age imagination. When some writer/artist teams dip their quill in the past, it's pure nostalgia. When Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely did it - it was the future we never got. A rollicking good time like the good old days, with a layer of sophistication that exploits madcap sci-fi and fantasy to a fuller extent.

I wish this was the Superman Warner Brothers chose to show the world in their high rolling attempts to build a superhero movie universe. It is not.

In All-Star Superman, the hero and his world are at the height of their powers -- an accumulation of gains assumed over almost seventy years of adventures. Anything is possible! In 2013's Man of Steel - nothing was possible. Time and its fruits are the enemy. There is no miracle of science, daring, or imagination to save the day. It's kill or be killed. Base instincts. A simplistic level of storytelling equal or greater to what moviemakers, and even conditioned audiences, would consider hokey, old fashioned "comic book" style.

Watch your back, 21st century. The future waits to judge you harshly.

We first opened the vault to Doomsday during last month's 10th anniversary of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths. It was a left-of-centre flashback to the definitive, Death of Superman incarnation of the original character [Superman #74].

While acknowledging the lasting significance and intrigue of the villain-as-event, I also lamented the limit to its impact. Doomsday as he was conceived makes sense to me. I like the idea of a mindless, unstoppable, brutal monster whose mere appearance signals a major event. It's just a shame the best idea gets less interesting the more you see it. Or does it?..

All-Star Superman #4 really challenges my notions about the best way to get the most out of Doomsday. Repurposing the evolutionary concept of his origin into a stem cell, super-soldier mutation is a cool idea. It is helped along by the subtleties of the entire series, though.

Frank Quitely's lumpy naturalistic lines walk a curious line of credibility and fantasy. For all intents and purposes, the figures are all wonderfully expressive, slightly puffy human beings. The streets of Metropolis are consistent and real. Yet the fantastic is right around every corner. Jamie Grant deserves a lot of credit for his inks and colors. Colors go a long way to grounding All-Star Superman's dancing feet in realms of reality and fantasy, from bubble gum brightness all the way back to Kansas as nature intended. No place like home.

This blanket of color simply helps to sell the bouncy, unabashed playtime of classic concepts laid out by Morrison. It's like playing hopscotch with reduced gravity. From the 50s, to the 60s, to the 90s, and beyond. It all has integrity, but it breezes by effortlessly like clouds of fun. Jimmy's Doomsday injection is an event of protein pill proportions. Superman's best pal in his worst enemy's clothing, carrying his death shroud. The world stops just like the first time, but only for a few minutes. It's as serious as hell while it lasts, but all fun and games in the end. Do American teeth grind? Puritans need not apply. This ain't pretention - it's interesting and cool!

Like the original concept; injecto-Doomsday could get real old, real fast if abused by creators with less finesse. Does Morrison know that? It's too dangerous, Agatha says. Jimmy's seconds from disaster as the doomsday clock counts down. They would've had to Phantom Zone him (and Superman) had his plan failed. Do you think Scott Snyder and Jim Lee have anything to worry about? 2014 was a while ago. Maybe the cannon's still warming up?

I hope you enjoyed this one as much as I did. If you're waiting to make the All-Star Superman jump - I strongly recommend it. Expect nothing, accept everything. Amazon purchase links are provided for your convenience [embedded right].

 

I'm sure we'll revisit the series in the future. Next Friday - a fifth week spectacular with an unstoppable villain making a return!

Winner: Jimmy Olsen

(--) #6 Superman
(new) #276 Jimmy Olsen

SUPERMAN versus PREUS
Old Man, New World (DC comics)
Where: Action Comics #824 When: April 2005
Why: JD Finn How: Ivan Reis

The story so far...
Suffering the stress of a clash with Gog and a synthetic yellow form of Kryptonite, and the lurking threat of Doomsday; an aged Superman struggles against the xenophobic charge of Kandor's General Preus.

Having captured both the inquisitive Jimmy Olsen and the Justice League's Martian Manhunter, Preus uses Olsen's signal watch to lure Superman to his desert base where he commands an army of zealous white-supremicists.

Facing overwhelming physical odds, Superman will courageously do combat with his disillusioned Kandorian counterpart, but at the end of the battle, Preus' greatest weapon may prove to be humanity's own capacity for self-destruction.

Previous Form:
Superman (#7): Holds victories over Mongul, Saviour and Juggernaut.
Preus: Making his debut in the Infinite Wars.

Tale of the tape...
Strength: Superman 6 (Invincible)
Intelligence: Preus 4 (Tactician)
Speed: Draw 6 (Sound Speed)
Stamina: Draw 6 (Generator)
Agility: Superman 3 (Acrobat)
Fighting Ability: Preus 4 (Trained Fighter)
Energy Powers: Superman 5 (Lasers)


- Earth's yellow sun powers Superman's Kryptonian make-up to expand his powers exponentially. Among them; flight, invulnerability, super strength, super speed, heat-vision, x-ray vision, and a keen intellect.

- Having been introduced to a new strain of yellow synthetic Kryptonite by Gog, Superman is suffering the effects of rapid aging and corresponding weaknesses.

- Preus is affected by Earth's atmosphere in many similar ways to Superman, with some subtle differences.
Comparable are their strength, speed and flight capabilities, likewise Preus' vision is enhanced in similar ways, visualised instead with a dark black, or purple quality, as opposed to Superman's familiar red.

- Preus has the additional ability to fire concussive blasts of energy focused through his fist, and tap into telepathic conversation. He also wears armor that is fused with his physical being, making it both a strength, but a potential weakness.

The Math: Draw The Pick: Superman

What went down...
It's about damned time Superman went head to head with energy efficient hybrid vehicles! That's right, it's a cheap gag to open as Superman speeds across the American desert, hoping desperately Jimmy Olsen has run afoul the likes of Kite-Man, given his ailing situation as a senior super-citizen.

A barrage of rocket fire makes for a disappointing response as Superman plummets to Earth from the blast only to find the unlikely sight of Preus, hovering before the gathered army of supremicist group, God's Peake.

A woman runs from the group, screaming for Superman's help. He promptly positions himself between the army and the woman, only to see the young lady reveal the scarred symbol of Preus tatooed on her chest above a waistcoat of explosives. She detonates them.

Superman manages to save the girl from herself, but it is a minor victory.
Preus commands his army of the willing to throw themselves at Superman, willingly giving their lives in the name of a like-minded genocidal philosophy.

Superman struggles to combat the mob without causing lethal harm. Prompting cries of cowardice, he leaps into the air, peeling himself from the army, only to come colliding back down to Earth with a speed that sends a shockwave through the surrounding zealots.

Desperate to stop the gun-toting xenaphobes killing each other, Superman sinks to depths uncomfortable, knee-capping a sizable percentage of the crowd with his heat vision. Preus joyously taunts Superman with informal references to the pleasure derived from harming the lesser humans. Enraged, Superman flies like a speeding bullet at the hovering Kryptonian, only to be knocked back to Earth.

Preus summons his dark energy, firing a blast from his fist before swooping down to catch Superman in mid-air and toss him across the battlefield.
Fearing he may be suffering a heart attack, the aged Superman helplessly bursts through the roof of Preus' base of operations, stumbling upon the missing Jimmy Olsen and J'onn J'onnz.

Preus soon follows, still shouting his purist claims.
Superman calls upon his experience with the effects of the yellow sun, using his intimate knowledge of flight to out maneuver the newly affected Kandorian.

Superman hops on the inexperienced Kryptonian's back, inflicting damage while controlling the course of their flight. Preus blasts wildly, damaging the restraints that hold Olsen as they head skyward once more, out of the fortress.

Intent on using their comparable weaknesses, Superman reaches for his belt to produce the mythic Kryptonite ring once used by Lex Luthor. It does well to momentarily stun Preus, but ultimately has little to no effect on the armoured native of Kandor.

With Superman's heart struggling under the stress of battle, Preus crushes his hand and sends him plummeting back into the fortress below with a mighty swing. Preus descends close behind, lording his plans to reshape the Earth in his purist image of New Krypton.

Having been freed from his flame torture by Olsen, Martian Manhunter is able to clarify a telepathic message to Superman, "The arm... or-- Armor near the heart..."

As Preus looms to deliver the final blow, Superman follows his Martian contemporary's advice. With Preus' hand around his neck, Superman reaches for the damaged shield and rips it away from Preus' chest.

Preus slumps back, the trauma stopping his heart, while Superman's returns to a normal rythmn. Ever the boyscout, he hoists Preus under his arm and defies Martian Mahunter's advice in the hopes that STAR Labs can save both he, and his enemy, even though they find themselves in the line of fire from Doomsday.

Struggling to stay afloat, Superman leaps his way to STAR Labs, where he will find the Justice League in tatters, and an old enemy waiting to kill him.

The hammer...
With another super-villain to his tally, we gladly declare Superman winner, with the vital assist from J'onn J'onnz.

Y'know, it's popular theory that the decades only make Superman more difficult to write, distancing him from a time when all-powerful aliens were cool, and the danger was real.

I, of course, do not subscribe to this particular opinion, but would agree there are some things that aren't helping. Like villains. Superman, arguably the most prevelant superhero in popular culture, has a pretty average cast of villains.
If they aren't hulking aliens with a desire to fight, they're Lex Luthor, Metallo, and a handful of other rare exceptions.

Among the greatest Superman villains, Bizarro and Zod, who are not only two of the most overworked antagonists in the franchise, but also extremely derivative of the central character, which can quickly turn poignancy to boredom.

Preus makes an effort to add to the pile, but likewise comes out smelling a bit too much like Zod, another Kryptonian General with a desire for conquest. Which probably raises the serendipitous subject of intention. For those that paint Superman with the broad stroke of 'unfeasible,' goals may represent grand poignancy rather than a satisfaction with successful on-going superheroics.

Fractured storytelling and conflicting characterization amongst stalwarts like Zod help further complicate the problem, while never quite setting the balance back in place. One can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be a good idea just to let these characters exist in a similar formula to the oft discussed chess board concept I've applied many times to the criminal underworld of Marvel and DC comics.

As if by serendipity we go from discussing Saviour [Action Comics #713], a man who believes Superman is a deceiver and is obsessed with championing his cause -- to a character like Preus, who has lost faith in Superman, and intends to succeed him on the basis of his own twisted interpretation of the symbol.

Building characterization on conflicts like that seems like such a delicious opportunity for a title like Action Comics, giving Superman the absorbant benefit of conflicts and personalities acting independent to his own infallible heroism.

What could be more fun than bridging a throwaway fight with someone like Solomon Grundy to a brand new threat. Superman's struggle culminates with a crash-landing in STAR Labs, where Preus is housed under the dampening power of a red sun.

Inadvertantly freed, Preus prepares to resume his quest of ethnic purity and conquest, only to be interrupted from an ominous whisper coming from off panel, "... deceiver..." -- Enter a likewise freed Saviour!

From there you can move the characters around in ways they haven't yet been seen, offering opportunities to develop and reshape characters. Self-reflection seems like the most likely developing course of action for a man like Saviour, who almost literally represents what he opposes. Does this nullify the all-powerful villain, or make him all the more dangerous? Does the desire for distraction lead Saviour down a path of destruction, or could salvation come from self-evaluation, allowing him to fullfil his own self-proclamation?

Likewise, a recurring theme of the Infinite Wars over the past month has been the so-called scale of justice. We've been talking a lot about the moral value of superheroes, particularly characters from the DC Universe. Developments in a character like Saviour offer a canvas upon which Superman's own personality, strengths and failings can be distorted, examined and reflected.

Morality proved to be a major part of today's entry, presenting both the moral conflict of overwhelming necessity (militia killing each other), and the outstanding good that Superman represents (attempting to save Preus).

I think if Wonder Woman represents the harsher end of the scale, willing to snap a man's neck in the name of justice; Superman is probably the other end.
It's displayed to quite well to an extreme in Frank Miller's work, [Dark Knight Returns, Dark Knight Strikes Again], where Superman's moral fibre holds so strong it guides him into the employ of his mortal nemesis, Lex Luthor.

Obviously Miller's take is almost at the point of being a parody, relevant to the sattirical containment of the DKR future. Even so, I think it at least alludes to Superman's role in the moral scale of justice. He is a character who can bring total justice to Metropolis, but is bound by a code of ethics in much the same way most local law enforcement agencies are. So, although he can see through concrete and bend steel, it would be a moral choice not to do so.

It was a situation similar to this that was highlighted a few years ago in The Question; a mini-series by Rick Veitch and Tommy Lee Edwards that justified the stay of a character like The Question in Metropolis through the crimes that could exist beneath Superman's all-seeing eyes.

I like the idea of Superman as a wholesome, idealistic figure. An icon.
I think accepting this role and presenting it in exciting Action Comics, with a backdrop of interesting on-going developments is almost certainly the way to go with a title like that. I think we've seen that at various intervals in the past, and may perhaps even see it again in the future, lest we breech the subject of late releases...

I don't think it's radical ideas that Superman needs.
Just a consistent approach, and a competent influence.

The Fight: 5 The Issue: 5.5
[Supposedly published under a pseudonym for fan-reviled writer, Chuck Austen, this issue makes for a surprise. While not the most spectacular comic on the shelves, it serves up a dynamic, well-presented issue that reads exceptionally well on it's own. The combination of Reis, Marc Campos (inks) and Guy Major (colours) is the perfect example of all parts working in successful harmony!]