Superman '78: The Metal Curtain

[Hypo]

SUPERMAN ’78: THE METAL CURTAIN #1
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art and cover by GAVIN GUIDRY
Variant cover by WILFREDO TORRES
1:25 variant cover by DOUG BRAITHWAITE
1:50 variant cover by ADRIAN GUTIERREZ
Blank sketch variant
McFarlane Action Figure variant
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 11/7/23

When the planet Krypton exploded, its last son was rocketed across the cosmos and came to settle in a small town in Kansas. But what else came with him, and what if a piece of his home landed somewhere we never knew about? As Superman has become a symbol of strength and pride for America, the Soviet Union looks to crush that image with a creation of their own, built by their own might and forged by their own power! Robert Venditti returns to the Man of Steel with new artist Gavin Guidry!

SUPERMAN ’78: THE METAL CURTAIN #2
Written by ROBERT VENDITTI
Art and cover by GAVIN GUIDRY
Variant cover by MICHAEL CHO
1:25 variant cover by MAX DUNBAR
$3.99 US | 32 pages | Variant $4.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 12/5/23

Superman brings Lois to the Fortress of Solitude for a private interview. Meanwhile, the Russians launch their first assault with their mighty Metallo in hopes of drawing the Man of Steel out into the open. Witness as the power of the people breaks Superman!

[Hypo]

Little disappointed they didn't get Torres to do the sequel.

[Vordan]

Yeah it’s a bit of a bummer, Torres had kind of hinted he wouldn’t be back however, but I am excited to see Venditti’s take on Metallo since I really digged his Brainiac!

[All Star Superman]

I hated Batman 89 (the comic), so I won't be bothering with the sequel. As for Superman '78, I loved everything except the ending. I feel it undoes some of Clark's struggle with loneliness. I don't want to write more in case someone has yet to read it.

I'm excited for the sequel since Venditti is one of the few writers at DC who has managed to not disappoint. If I was in charge, Waid, Johns, Venditti, and Adams would be the braintrust. I'm catching up on Adams' Flash run and reading his GL run and I think the guy can write anything. His superheroes are actually super and heroic: no navel-gazing, no brooding, no uber-dark grim and gritty garbage. I'd love to see him write Superman in some capacity.

[superduperman]

What now? They made another one? Did someone say "ongoing"? They didn't? Is there any way we can get them to?

[Vordan]

Keeping Metallo’s soldier background but making him a Soviet is a cool idea. “Red Son”-ing him has potential. Who are the other guys under Superman in the first cover? I’m guessing the one under Lois is General Sam Lane, but no clue about the other two.

[GamerSlyRatchet]

Pretty cool stuff. Superman 78 was fun, but I didn't feel like it took enough advantage of being set in the movie's universe. Metallo being reimagined as a Soviet answer to Superman already feels like an improvement.

[Kuwagaton]

I didn't think I would touch '78 but with a sequel coming back around and this cool cover, maybe I will.

Was actually more interested in trying that Batman, what a strangely ironic situation.

[Thor-Ul]

Keeping Metallo’s soldier background but making him a Soviet is a cool idea. “Red Son”-ing him has potential. Who are the other guys under Superman in the first cover? I’m guessing the one under Lois is General Sam Lane, but no clue about the other two.

"General Lane" makes me think a lot of James Coburn.
From the other two... one of them could be Ivan Corbinisnky.

[Vordan]

Character sheet for Metallo.

I didn't think I would touch '78 but with a sequel coming back around and this cool cover, maybe I will.

Was actually more interested in trying that Batman, what a strangely ironic situation.

FWIW I found the Superman ‘78 book to be the better of the two. It was a simple and straightforward if still enjoyable story with one twist at the end that made things potentially very interesting going forward. You liked that Tony Bedard New 52 Brainiac story right? Venditti has a similarly “Morrison” take on Brainiac that leans in to him as an evil Jor-El/misaimed savior take.

[Frontier]

Character sheet for Metallo.

Looks like they're basing him off of Lex's Warsuit.

[Vordan]

Looks like they're basing him off of Lex's Warsuit.

Apparently the artist based his face on Clancy Brown, so that would be fitting.

[The Frog Bros]

While I am kinda bummed that Torres is not along for this, the plot sounds incredibly awesome. Love me some 70s/80s era Cold War stuff. Pretty big shoes to fill after the first season though. Which for me is ironic because I generally don't like nostalgia for nostalgia sake alone but they knocked the first book out of the park, blowing away all my expectations in the process.

[Vordan]

[Frontier]

Good depiction of Donner Supes .