Artist representation of DC’s current treatment of Clark.
Action Comics vol. 43 #505
(it was an odd volume system back then)
DC Comics (March, 1980)
“The Creature That charmed Children!”
WRITER: Cary Bates
PENCILER: Curt Swan
INKER: Fran Chiaramonte
COLORIST: Adrienne Roy
LETTERER: Ben Oda
EDITOR: Julius Schwartz
Coming home from the previous issue, Superman is unaware that something has followed him to Earth. It crash lands in a small out outside of Metropolis and mentally draws the children towards it before leaving just as Superman arrives. Having a friendly dinner with Lana, Clark is forced to interrupt things by a mental warning of the creature appearing in a park in Metropolis. Superman fights the creature, who turns out to be as strong as he is. However the kids in the park cheer the creature, which it calls Jorlan and unlike the kids in the previous town they still seemed transfixed on it when it leaves. Superman heads to the Fortress, realizing the mental communication came from the Phantom Zone, and he talks to the Kryptonian scientist Orn-Zu, who created Jorlan, which is what got him tossed in the Phantom Zone. Orn-Zu warns that if Jorlan isn’t stopped the children of Earth will face a horrible death!
What they got right: We have a story where a creature plays pied piper with the kids and shows more of the sins of Krypton. It’s a good build-up for the first part of the story.
What they got wrong: The dialog is kind of stiff at times, especially for the children. They don’t really talk like real kids.
What I think overall: Sadly I didn’t get the second issue when I bought this one. I don’t remember seeing it in the bin even though we’ll have another issue next week. As a part one this was pretty good and hopefully I’ll get to see how it ends.
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