TITLE: Superman vol. 2, issue #74
YEAR: December 1992
COMPANY: DC Comics
STORY & ART: Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding
LETTERER: John Costanza
COLORIST: Glenn Whitmore
ASSISTANT EDITOR: Jennifer Frank
EDITOR: Mike Carlin
SUPERMAN created by Siegel and Shuster
With issue #74 of “Superman”, you have the second part of the famous “Doomsday” series which led to the death of Superman.
In this issue, which continues from “Justice League of America” issue 69, many members of the JLA got thrashed by Doomsday.
With Blue Beetle near death and Maxima about to take on Doomsday, she is also the only healer around that can help the fallen JLA members. Ice pleads with Maxima to please heal Blue Beetle and she will take on Doomsday.
Meanwhile, we are shown a broken family, a son who is upset his mother puts all her time towards the baby and he is being a punk towards his mother until we see Ice crashing through their home and is out.
Superman and Booster Gold show up and Doomsday swings a punch towards Superman which Superman is not phased. But then Doomsday kicks Superman that literally sends him through the house.
Fortunately, the JLA members, who can still fight come to join him and they all attack Doomsday, but the attack does not even affect him.
Without spoiling this issue, we have a situation that reminds me of the second “Superman” film (with Christopher Reeve), when Superman was getting his butt kicked by General Zod due to a weakening of his powers and the General and others see that Superman’s weakness are the humans.
Well, Superman finds himself in a crossroad. Fight Doomsday to prevent hundreds, thousands or million people or to save this family who are engulfed by flames? Suporman knows what he should do in his heart, but this is what this story is about.
I remember reading this back in 1992 and just to see Doomsday wipe the JLA team out and beat them is just shocking. In fact, there is one graphic scene (which I’m surprised it got by the Comics Code), where Doomsday grabs Booster Gold, puts his head between the car and the car door and he slams that car door on his head with ferocity.
Man, I’ve never seen this violence in the ’90s or before the ’90s in a Marvel or DC Comic Book.
Even loudmouth Guy Gardner, he is so black and bruised that he can’t see and can’t even point his ring because he can’t see where he’s aiming at. That’s how bad the JLA was beaten!
Needless to say, what an amazing issue!