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Welcome back superhero enthusiasts, 20th century pop culture enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the year 1975 to take a close look at one of the many tales published through the original Superman monthly series (first launched in 1939).
When I first read the literary rivalry between Superman and Lex Luthor, it was before Crisis on Infinite Earths happened. The pre-Crisis Luthor was a criminal mad scientist (as opposed to the tycoon Luthor of the post-Crisis age) who had to use technology and smart moves during his encounters with the Man of Steel. The pre-Crisis conflicts between the two were often dynamic and fantasy inspired. Of course, there is a lot more between Superman and Luthor starting with a shared past in Smallville.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Superman #292, published in 1975 by DC Comics with a story written by Elliot S. Maggin and drawn by Curt Swan.
Early story
The story begins at the ruined Metropolis International Airport with Superman helping with the huge repair efforts. It turns out, he and Lex Luthor just had an encounter there. When Mr. Hales of the airport authorities asked him why Luthor was always evil, Superman begins to remember the friendship he had with his rival when they were both teenagers in Smallville…
Quality
To make things clear, this comic book has two stories and the first one – titled “The Luthor Nobody Knows” – is clearly the main story.
The main story has this unusual format of storytelling that resulted in an abundance of flashbacks dominating the present-day tale. In connection with the tale’s title, this is a dramatized look back at the time when Luthor and Clark Kent (then Superboy) were high school students in Smallville. The creators took their time portraying young Clark Kent as the mild and ethical student and the teenage Lex Luthor as the daring student who truly believes he can make great achievements through science.
For those who might have heard the fabled start of the rivalry between Luthor and Superboy, you will see that in this comic book as well as the negative impact the former made as time went on. Along the way, you will see the stark differences between them which were nicely dramatized by the creators. Notably, you will see a more human portrayal of Luthor in his younger self.
The 2nd story of this comic book – titled “The private life of Clark Kent” – is just a 5-page additive geared towards Superman fans wanting more of him in his civilian identity.
Conclusion
Considering the way the main story was crafted, Superman #292 (1975) is technically an origin story of Luthor who went from an ambitious young student into a criminal mad scientist. This should surprise readers who remained unaware of the shared past between Luthor and Superman before Crisis on Infinite Earths happened. In relation to what was mentioned earlier in the review, the Superboy-Luthor conflicts here looked dynamic. There is a good amount of entertainment here to see and it should resonate with long-time comic book readers who miss the pre-Crisis era of DC Comics.
Overall, Superman #292 (1975) is recommended.
+++++
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