I haven't been looking forward to this collection quite as much as the upcoming Superboy one, but still I'll likely get around to reading it sooner rather than later, hence the stub. (If anyone else wants to delve into it ahead of me, please feel free to do so.) This one includes Action Comics #266 & #277-278, Adventure Comics #287, Superman #142-143 & #147, Superboy #87, #90 & #92, Lois Lane #19-28 and Jimmy Olsen #47-56. I don't know why these issue in particular, but at least their choice demonstrates that someone has put some thought into it.
I used to like those b&w DC Showcase and Marvel Essential collections... at least I liked the idea of them. Although I would have preferred color, I bought the ones I didn't have and didn't expect to see reprinted in color any time soon, including the DC Showcase edition of Superman Family. I am pleased to report there there is very little duplication between the DCF volume and the four Showcase editions:
- Vol. 1 - Jimmy Olsen #1-22 and Showcase #9
- Vol. 2 - Jimmy Olsen #23-34, Showcase #10 and Lois Lane #1-7
- Vol. 3 - Jimmy Olsen #35- 44 and Lois Lane #8-16
- Vol. 4 - Jimmy Olsen #45-53 and Lois Lane #17-26
That's only 15 issues of duplication, and only with Showcase volume four.
(All covers illustrated by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye unless otherwise noted.)
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It's a pretty lightweight story with so many coincidences and plot holes that it seems petty to list them. And I still hate Streaky's cartoon eyes.
I will say that when I was a kid I'd question some of the use of super-powers that seemed unnecessariy complicated, like heat vision rearranging a bust so that prospective adopters won't adopt Linda. (What, they hadn't met her yet but already agreed to adopt her? What, she couldn't just say no? What, she couldn't just act the brat and drive them away?) Now, as an adult, I realize that (like with Green Lantern) there was an attempt -- maybe even an editorial edict -- to use super-powers in new ways every issue, as if spectacle or surprise, rather than story logic, was the main goal.
I do have one question: Didn't Supergirl wonder where Streaky's powers were coming from? Did she make any effort to find out? She's pretty blase about an Earth cat suddenly demonstrating super-powers.
...like heat vision rearranging a bust so that prospective adopters won't adopt Linda.
My comment from two years ago: "Once again, I find myself questioning the integrity of the prospective foster parents. These changed there minds because they didn't like Linda Lee's soap sculpture of one of her teachers. 'You mean thing! You deliberately gave that bust ugly, sneering features!' 'We don't want to adopt a brat! The adoption's off!' Just as well, Good riddance. They could just as easily concluded, 'Look at the ugly, sneering features she gave to that bust of her art teacher. I wonder if that's her way of saying he's abusing the children?'"
What, they hadn't met her yet but already agreed to adopt her?
Several years ago, a good friend of ours decided to adopt a teenage girl. She considered many different ones, but didn't meet or interview any of them in advance, not until she had made up her mind, because she didn't want them to feel as if they were "auditioning" or become insecure if they didn't "pass." Only after she had made her choice did she meet the girl face-to-face. The adoption went through and the girl is now in college. Perhaps the parents in the story made a similar choice (although, frankly, they don't seem like the type to take the orphan's feelings into consideration.)
(although, frankly, they don't seem like the type to take the orphan's feelings into consideration.)
As we've discussed before, the adoption process as shown in Silver Age Supergirl stories was horrendous.
My observations on "The Giant Turtle Man!":
These are all great questions!
If Superman was always planned to go on a space mission, why go with Jimmy and Lois to the West Indies? Why not just stay in Metropolis or say he's going someplace else?
Add this to the list of reasons Clark Kent shouldn’t be there, except for the real-world reason of saving on exposition to get all the characters together in the South Seas.
Jimmy uses the enlarging ray on a snail, a sea sponge and, of course, the turtle. Did Superman track them down and shrink them back to normal? Or did he figure they're Aquaman's problems now?
I wondered about that, too. Maybe the ray will wear off? But snails and sponges aren’t predators and don’t live long, so maybe it doesn’t matter.
They made a big deal about Jimmy's signal watch being destroyed. I wonder why? It wasn't really part of the plot.
Good question!
When Superman learns about the enlarging ray, he could have just taken it instead of leaving it with Jimmy.
Yes … taken it to the Fortress and enlarged Kandor!
Did Lois intend to carry a turtle with her the entire trip?
We had turtles when I was a boy. I don’t know if it’s applicable, but we sure didn’t think of them as pets in the way we thought of our dog.
While Superman is in space, Supergirl is eight months away from revealing her existence to the world which probably the reason she doesn't help. It's a flimsy reason but still a reason. (I won't even bring up the Justice League!)
Another good point.
So the Atlantean villain, Goxo, planned for someone to find his enlarging ray and use it on themselves so he could control their minds? The whole Turtle thing was an accident! And what happened to him?
I heard he was eaten by a giant snail.
Superman uses Brainiac's shrinking ray to get Jimmy to his normal size but it also expunged the turtle out of him. Did Superman plan for that to happen or was it yet another lucky accident!
Wow, that sure was lucky!
Speaking about luck, it's lucky Jimmy didn't kill anybody! And the enlarging ray was left on the ship...with Lois! There could have been two menaces for the price of one!
They made a point of saying and showing the sailors getting away safely, because it’s the Silver Age, where nobody dies. (Except the occasional alien who smokes a cigar.)
When Superman learns about the enlarging ray, he could have just taken it instead of leaving it with Jimmy.
There are a lot of stories in which Superman leaves something dangerous with Jimmy, who of course does his worst with it. (Subconsciously. Is he trying to rid himself of him?)
No, my personal theory is that Jimmy (and Lois) are like Superman's private reality show and they amuse him to no end!
"Here's another souvenir, Jimmy -- a fast-acting poison from another planet with no earthly antidote. I'll just put it here on the table and leave."
"And it looks like an apple! I'll leave it next to the fruit basket!"
Bwah-ha-ha!
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