Book Review: Superman: Dark Knight Over Metropolis

Book: Superman: Dark Knight Over Metropolis by various authors and artists

Source: Library

Description:

A MYSTERY IN GOTHAM LEADS BATMAN TO METROPOLIS...AND A TEAM-UP WITH SUPERMAN!

When a dead body in Gotham City turns up with a Kryptonite ring and a bus ticket from Metropolis, Batman has no choice but to follow the clues where they lead -- the home of the Man of Steel!

But Superman is busy with a case that may be more than he can handle. His friend Cat Grant is the material witness in a trial that could help to bring down the notorious Intergang. but that makes her and everyone she cares for a target -- including Clark Kent and Lois Lane!

To get to the bottom of the Kryptonite ring killings, the world's finest superheroes will have to team up to take on Intergang enforcers, supervillains and the notorious Lex Luthor, all while learning to trust each other.

Classic Superman creators Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, John Byrne, Roger Stern, Art Adams, Bob McLeod and more present Superman: Dark Knight Over Metropolis, an action-packed Superman and Batman team-up! Collects Action Comics #653-654, Adventures of Superman #466-467, Superman #44 and Action Comics Annual #1


Rating: 5 stars

Review:

This was great group of old stories that are from the late 80s to the early 90s. Four stories were included in this book.

In the stories, you get to see Superman and Batman working together to try to solve a few mysteries as well as trying to stop Intergang from going after Cat Grant. Some of the stories also show Lois and Clark's relationship growing into something more.

The first story "Skeeter" (Action Comics Annual #1) followed Batman as he tried to figure out what was going on in a small town called Fayerville. His investigation is connected to several dead bodies which were found drained of blood in Gotham city. After running into a bit of trouble with the towns people Batman called in some reinforcement, the Man of Steel.

But once Clark got there he couldn't find Batman who had gone to help a young lady who said she needed help but what he found was more than he bargained for. As Superman searched the town he found a lot of strange occurrences especially after talking with the local law enforcement. The town was dealing with a Vampire problem.

This was an interesting story especially with the way the story opened.


In the second story "The Limits of Power" (The Adventures of Superman #466-467), Clark's dinner with Lois was interrupted by not only Perry White and his wife Alice showing up at Lois' apartment but also by a disturbance over at Lexcorp. Four astronauts who were suffering from the effects of radiation were trying to get to the Lexcorp research lab to see if they could stop the radiation from killing them.

While Lois, Perry and Alice ran off to investigate the situation, Clark did the same as Superman. In a small scene Cat Grant had found herself with Gangbuster (Jose Delgado) as her new bodyguard. He was hired by her ex-husband to keep her safe as the Morgan Edge get underway.

I like this issue because it had Clark telling Lois how he felt about their relationship and didn't want to waste time trying to figure out how they felt because life was too short. 


In the third story "Love & Death" (Action Comics #653-654), Lois and Clark's relationship may be the gossip of the day at the Daily Planet but Clark doesn't let it stop him from enjoying a great day. Now that he's a freelance writer he's not stuck with a schedule so he enjoys the day from helping a little girl with her kite to stopping a robber. He even helps a stalled ship that was caught in a storm.

But unfortunately while he was doing all of that Intergang had figured out their plan to keep Cat Grant from testifying against Morgan Edge and to get rid of reporters Lois Lane and Clark Kent. Also a former Lex Luthor employee has figured out that Clark Kent is Superman and has set a trap for him so she can prove it.

However, the tragic ending sets up the last story.


The fourth story "Dark Knight Over Metropolis" (Superman #44, The Adventures of Superman #467 and Action Comics #654) finds Intergang stepping up their plan to go after Cat Grant but thankfully she has her body guard a few others looking out for her.

This story also has Batman trying to figure out how the death of man in Gotham is connected to a woman's death in Metropolis. An also the importance of a ring with a glowing green gem.


I really miss these old stories because they were fun and exciting and the stories were great. I like that in these stories you could see that despite Batman and Superman being different as well as using different methods to fight crime they were starting to see each other as a potential ally and possible friend.