Thursday, July 27, 2006

Super Covers Week: He's Dead, Jimmy!

Continuing our week-long look at Superman covers, today's theme is It's Worse Than That--He's Dead, Jimmy!


As with getting married, the other thing that Superman can't stop doing is dying.


Superman #75

We all know that Superman famously 'died' at the hands of Doomsday in Superman #75.


Adventures of Superman #498

It was probably the most protracted death story ever, with the funeral and its aftermath taking up two whole months of the four regular titles, including Adventures of Superman #498.


Superman: Day of Doom #2

Deadman: Dead Again #3

It was a huge seller for DC, so you can hardly blame them for going back to the well and reliving it again and again, as in Superman: Day of Doom #2 and Deadman: Dead Again #3.


Superman #149

Of course Superman has died a lot over the years. Most famously in Superman #149--which I highlighted back on Monday--an 'imaginary story' in which Lex Luthor pretends to reform in order to get close enough to Superman to kill him with a Kryptonite Death Ray.




It was not the first time someone tried that trick on Superman, although note that the random bad guy here is no Lex Luthor, having to use a Rube Goldberg-like contraption rather than a sleek Kryptonite Death Ray--ol' Luthor may not have had any fashion sense, but he knew the importance of using a keen-looking weapon!


Action Comics #365

Action Comics #365 just seems a bit morbid. Superman is in his 'space coffin,' but isn't even fully dead yet?


Action Comics #366

Then in the following issue, Supergirl is holding auditions for a new Superman. Doesn't she realize that she's supposed to be his replacement?


Action Comics #399

In Action Comics #399, Superman dies not once, not twice, but three times. Good thing thay've got that crypt lying around, huh?


Action Comics #655

Years later, in Action Comics #655, that crypt would come in handy again!


Superman #213

Paging Geraldo Rivera!


DC Comics Presents #51

Superman dies, and the only one stepping up to avenge him is The Atom? No offense to Ray, but dude didn't even know that his own wife was a psychopathic killer. I think I'd rather have Batman on the case...


Superman #204

How badass is Lex Luthor? He can kill Superman using only his flaming initials!


Superman #399

Lex Luthor? Sure. Doomsday? Okay. But being taken out by some punk in a back alley? That's a lame way to go out!


Adventures of Superman #499

One thing is always a constant though: whenever Superman dies, there is always a gigantic memorial statue erected to his memory.


That wraps up out look at Superman's deaths throughout the years. Come back tomorrow as Super Covers Week continues!

2 comments:

Bully said...

I know not many people are commenting, but I wanted to make sure you knew I was digging Super-Covers week. A lot of bloggers do the "covers on a theme" posts (yours little stuffed truly does a sometimes-Sunday feature called "Ten of a Kind") but it's your commentary and riffing that set yours apart. Seriously, I was overcome with a fit of giggles about the flaming initials of Lex Luthor. Well done...in fact...Super.

Dave Carter said...

Thanks Bully. I'm having a good time doing it!