Have you guys heard that I like Superman?

As if you couldn't tell by the two hundred and twenty little daily fanfics, my obsession has become a little...obsession-y, lately. For instance, my go-to show for background noise and entertainment while I work on other things has been the first season of "The Adventures of Superman," what with George Reeves and all. Taking a bit of a break today, I picked up the last disc of season 3 of "Lois & Clark." And I was hit with an interesting bit of synchronicity.

See, I remarked on Twitter about the "Adventures of Superman" episode I watched last night, where Perry took Jimmy on a fishing trip. Maybe I just haven't had those formative relationships with my employers, but I've never been on a fishing trip with anyone I've worked for. Or with. But hey, if Perry wants to take Jimmy under his wing, that's great. It just feels like a detail from a bygone era, real Andy and Opie stuff.

But then I watch this "Lois and Clark" episode, and Perry's handing out assignments. At the end of the spiel, he says that he wants Lois and Clark to get their story in by one, because nothing is going to stop him and Jimmy from going on their fishing trip.

I swear, if the next Superman comic I flip through has Perry and Jimmy on a fishing trip, I might take it as a sign that I need to cut back. Just so you know.

Walking with Superman: Day 222

Dakota City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, Pine Heights, Chicago, Little Rock, Louisville, Indianapolis, Cleveland, New York, Metropolis: all across the country, neo-Nazis and white supremacists of every stripe--some metahuman, others just well-armed--are waging a sudden strike on aliens, minorities, and so-called race traitors! And the man behind it all, Kentucky's senior Senator, Matt Riggs, has taken control of Capitol Hill with a handful of like-minded politicians and a truckload of explosives! Superman and Steel are rocketing toward Washington, D.C. as fast as they can, but the threat of detonation may mean that all hope for the future of the American government may be decided by the actions of Ron Troupe and Jimmy Olsen! The question remains, however--if Riggs' plan succeeds, what will there be left to govern?

Walking with Superman: Day 221

Alex Trent was a small-time member of the Aryan Brotherhood until a demon called Bloodthirst implanted teleportation devices into his chest and hand. With them, Trent became the second Bloodsport, able to instantly acquire any weapon from a vast arsenal. He was defeated handily by Superman, and was killed in prison by his own Brotherhood.

Until he rose again. During the event called the Blackest Night, Trent left his simple grave to exact revenge and extract emotional energy from his Aryan brothers. But despite his Nekron-augmented abilities, he was overcome by their firepower, and they were able to steal away his cybernetic implants. Several months later, the Aryan Brotherhood sent schematics to a small arms manufacturer, detailing the construction of an ammunition clip that could transport bullets directly into the chamber, providing near-infinite ammunition for any gun fitted with the device. When these "cheat-clips" hit mass production, along with other weapon designs culled from various sources, supremacist groups across the nation were first in line to order them, tipped off by their partners in purity.

And as Superman and Steel raid a militia compound near Elizabethtown, KY, they discover that this is only one small piece of a much larger, more sinister picture--one that is continuing to unravel as Aryan, Neo-Nazi, and KKK groups form a united front, ready to wage a war of racial purity across the nation. And, to Superman's horror, it all began with an attempt to create metahuman Klansmen over sixty years ago--an attempt that he foiled while lost in time!

Meanwhile, in Washington, DC, senators from Kentucky, Indiana, and Mississippi, along with a handful of Representatives, have decided to filibuster Senator Reilly's bill--with deadly force! The Capitol is locked down and taken hostage as the first strike in this racial holy war!

Walking with Superman: Day 220

In this issue, Mister Troupe goes to Washington! Following the attempted assassination of a Congresswoman, Senator Lorraine Reilly and a few of her colleagues have introduced legislation to make sale and possession of so-called "cheat clips," small single-subject teleportation units that can provide near-infinite ammunition to a variety of personal arms. Debate begins today, and Ron Troupe and Jimmy Olsen are on-hand to cover it!
Meanwhile, Clark Kent and John Henry Irons have traced the "cheat clips" and knockoffs of Irons' Toastmaster guns to a small firearms manufacturer in North Haven, Connecticut, and they're planning to have some stern words with the owner! But the interview reveals that this isn't the end of the trail by a long shot. Lachesis Firearms received the schematics anonymously a few months prior, and the weapons quickly became their most popular product, selling particularly well online. The customer list shows deliveries all across the country, with the earliest adopters near Louisville, Kentucky. As the Men of Steel race toward the Bluegrass State, Superman can't help but feel a twinge of déjà vu...

Walking with Superman: Day 219

While John Henry Irons examines the fragments of a hi-tech bomb that nearly slaughtered celebrants in Portland, Clark Kent covers a Representative's town hall meeting in Tucson, AZ. The forum takes a decidedly negative turn, however, when someone opens fire on the crowd! Quick action by the disguised Superman prevents any serious injuries, but stopping this would-be assassin is only the beginning! After arrests have been made, Superman gets a closer look at the assailant's handgun, finding not a typical clip, but a small teleportation device, designed to transport bullets directly into the chamber! Further investigation at the attacker's home reveals reams of white supremacist propaganda and a virtual arsenal of similar hi-tech weapons--including guns that look an awful lot like John Henry's old Toastmaster designs. Clark can't help but think that these attacks are related, and he's determined to get to the bottom of it.

Walking with Superman: Day 218

Superman is not the main attraction in Portland, OR, today, but the Man of Steel is happy to sit out of the spotlight as the city celebrates Black History Month with a parade and festival. Unfortunately, it appears that not everyone is so thrilled with the celebration--and they're voicing their displeasure with a roadside bomb! Superman finds the bomb in time to save the parade, but this is no ordinary explosive. The advanced technology involved in the bomb's construction would have devastated Portland if not for Superman's timely intervention, and now he's taking its remains and schematics to an expert for analysis. Tracking down these twisted terrorists is going to take two Men of Steel--enter John Henry Irons!

Walking with Superman: Day 217

Superman arrives in Dakota City, MI, and the local Teen Titan, Static, offers to sho him around. They don't get far, though, before a strange reaction with Static's powers turns everything upside-down. Suddenly Superman and Static find themselves on an alternate Earth, facing the fascist mastermind called Idol, his sidekick Missile, and their allies, the Lightbox! Now the only way home for the lost heroes is through the evil counterparts of Dakota's superhumans! Meanwhile, back on New Earth, Icon and Rocket lead the fight against the evil Ultraman and his new ally, Blitz!


Dedicated, of course, to Dwayne McDuffie.

"Escape is impossible until one perceives all of the barriers."

Dwayne McDuffie has died and the worlds of comics and animation are less as a result.

McDuffie was one of the best. He was the mastermind behind Milestone Comics, an incredibly underrated imprint that has given us quite a lot of interesting characters and poignant stories. He was a key component of the awesomeness of the DCAU shows, and I think he understands the core DC characters better than most.

And I think he may have been too good for DC. At the very least, he deserved better than what DC gave him. Milestone as an imprint was shuttered with several finished issues still to be printed, issues that would have provided closure to their respective titles. When DC finally had the sense to hand him what ought to have been their flagship title, "Justice League of America," they tied him up in so many editorial mandates and crossovers that the book was never able to find its feet. When DC integrated the Milestone Universe characters into the DCU proper, the early hype of how much would be done with them eventually petered out into a few appearances in Brave and the Bold and JLofA, and Static joining Teen Titans (apparently the only Milestone character DC actually cared about). As if to add insult to injury, DC censored McDuffie's "Milestone Forever" for unknown reasons.

And all the while he kept working on DC's characters, in one form or another, putting out some of the best stories ever told with them. I haven't been able to watch "All-Star Superman" yet, but after "Crisis on Two Earths," I think it's clear that McDuffie is one of the few people who could faithfully and excellently translate a Grant Morrison/Frank Quitely epic into a screenplay.

And now, he's gone. I wish his family and friends the deepest of condolences, and I hope that, perhaps, DC will finally do right by his characters even if they didn't do right by the man.