Has-Been Superman!

 

cover art by Neal Adams

The first page of World's Finest #178 (September 1968) features Batman speaking directly to the audience, telling us that the stroy we are about to read is "imaginary."

Of course, aren't they all? But that's the term used by DC Comics during the Silver and Bronze Ages to tell us this story does not take place within DC's regular continuity. Later, DC would adopt the term Elseworlds for such stories, while Marvel would call them What If?

It's a good way for Cary Bates (script) and Curt Swan (pencils) to begin the tale. It involves Superman losing his powers and, because the story is imaginary, we don't automatically expect him to regain those powers. When we are told the loss is permanent, we have no reason to disbelieve this.

The story starts in space. Several powerful bomb tests have opened up a portal to another dimension. After several space probes are lost while attempting to explore the portal, Superman is asked to investigate.

He pilots a spacecraft into the portal and discovers a giant cave floating in interdimensional space. Inside the cave, he finds the probes stuck in a white goop. After Superman is himself sprayed with the goop, he feels himself weakening and only just manages to fly back to Earth before losing consciousness.

Superman learns the power loss is permanent. He doesn't take this news well, freaking out for a minute or two before Batman shows up to calm him down. Batman does this by punching Supes in the jaw. 

Clark does calm down and try to deal with his new situation, but when he's unable to help Bruce take out a mugger, he doesn't feel good about it. But later, while watching Green Arrow and Speedy give an archery demonstration, he realizes there's a way to continue to fight crime despite having no powers. All he needs is a gimmick, like G.A.'s trick arrows. 

 His gimmick turns out to be a cape made of fabric that allows him to glide on wind currents--something given to him as a gift by Leonardo Da Vinci when Superman once time traveled back to the 15th Century. Despite a run-in with Batman, who takes him fairly easily in the inevitable fight, Clark feels he can still fight crime. All he needs is a little practice.

But when he does get in a fight with crooks, he's soon in trouble. He's so used to having super powers that his timing is off and he keeps instinctively pulling his punches. He's knocked out and captured, then taken to a crime boss named Mr. Socrates. This guy has a "master plan," but needs to get Batman out of the way before carrying out that plan. So perhaps he can use the Hero Formally Known as Superman to kill the Dark Knight.

The story ends on this cliffhanger. I like "Has-Been Superman" a lot. First, Swan's art is typically excellent. That interdimensional cave was pretty awesome. The design of "Nova"--Superman's new identity--is good. Also, Swan has some fun with unusual panel designs this time out.

And the script is strong. It does have Superman acting a little too impulsively. I think Kal-el would realize he needed time and training to adopt to a gimmick-hero with no inherent powers. But it's also fair to say that being suddenly deprived of his powers--and his usual means of helping people--might very well drive him to acting on impulse rather than with his usual wisdom. It's made perfectly clear from the start that Superman might be biting off more than he can chew, perhaps most notably through a line of dialogue from Robin, who says how difficult it was for him to get the hang of despite being a circus acrobat.

The detail of his cape being a gift from Leonardo is a minor detail and isn't really essential to the story, but it's an awesome idea that adds to the overall atmosphere.

And, finally, as I noted above, making this an imaginary story was the right decision. Will Superman adapt to his new life? Will he sacrifice himself to save Batman? Because we don't need to worry about continuity, we simply don't know.

The next issue would be an 80-page giant with all reprints, so we'll look at the rest of this tale with a review of World's Finest #180 next week.