Superman Adventures #14
DC Comics (December, 1997)
“Stop The Presses”
WRITER: Mark Evanier
PENCILER: Neil Vokes
INKER: Terry Austin
COLORIST: Marie SEvering
LETTERER: Lois Buhalis
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Maureen McTigue
EDITOR: Mike McAvennie
While Angela is doing a man-on-the-street interview, a man refuses to let himself be filmed and is quite insistent on it. Rather than let it go, thanks in part to another fight with Perry over newspaper versus TV news, Angela is sure he has something to hide and insists on tracking him down. And he does have something to hide: himself and his wife, after testifying against Intergang. This only helps the assassin sent to make an example of the man, but luckily Superman saves the day, and they work out a way for the couple to go back into hiding, while Angela and Perry make peace. For now.
What they got right: Angela doesn’t get a lot of focus. She’s like Metropolis’ answer to Summer Gleeson but in better spirits…mostly because she lives in Metropolis instead of Gotham City I’d wager. So it’s nice to see her get a story that lets her do something, and despite how badly she acts here (even her cameraman calls her out for invading someone’s privacy) she goes have some conscience and proves to Perry she is a reporter while Perry tries to be less judgemental of TV and the internet.
What they got wrong: However, a lot of Perry’s subplot just feels forced in to make some kind of character moment between Perry and Angela. And we get yet another assassin doing the “it’s nothing personal, just business” like it makes things better. Nimrod, you are trying to kill them. THEY ARE GOING TO TAKE IT PERSONALLY AND IT’S PROBABLY COLDER THAT TAKING AN INNOCENT LIFE IS JUST A BUSINESS ACTION TO YOU! I want to see these people called out for that line more often but it’s rare if ever that anyone does. He doesn’t even get to tell them that and laments not being able to tell them, so the whole thing is unnecessary. I’m getting tired of this trope.
Recommendation: A fair but decent story. Worth adding to complete the collection but not worth going through too much trouble to hunt down.