Superman #659

(February 2007)

Angel (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 22 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Kurt Busiek; Fabian Nicieza (co-plot])

Pencils:

Carlos Pacheco (pages 1 and 22); Peter Vale (pages 2-21)

Inks:

Jesus Merino

Colors:

Bruno Hang

Letters:

Richard Starkings

Content Information

Genre:

Superhero

Characters:

Superman; Subjekt 17 (cameo); Arion [of Atlantis] (cameo); Barbara Johnson (intro, flashback); Challengers of the Unknown (photo); Aquaman (photo); Clockworks (flashback); Perry White (flashback); Lois Lane (flashback); Bay Lords gang (flashback); Michael Leon Polk (flashback); Bret Bradley (flashback)

Synopsis:

Superman flashes back to early in his career; a woman named Barbara Johnson is about to be run over by a drunk driver, calls on the Lord to save her, and Superman appears and does so. She thinks he's an angel sent by heaven (even though he denies it). She goes home to watch the news, sees a train derailment occurring live, and prays for help. Superman arrives again to save the day. Several nights later, she runs across an armored car robbery, prays, and then physically intervenes herself. Sure enough, Superman arrives to save the day. She bows in front of him, calling him an angel, but he again says he just heard the explosion, and came to help, and says to keep out of harm's way. As he leaves, he overhears her still calling him an angel, and thinks that could be trouble. Sure enough, she keeps tracking down evil in Suicide Slum, and Superman keeps intervening to save her. Finally, she gets bold enough to take people from her church with her to confront the local gang, the Bay Demons, in their hangout. She confronts the leader, and goads him into shooting at her, expecting Superman to arrive again. Superman, although he hears her, is tied up saving an energy being that was tied up in Earth's magnetosphere, and can't come. Two days later, he finally makes it to the hospital where Barbara is recovering, and hears what happened. She tells him that, even though he didn't appear at her command, her actions still had a purpose; the neighborhood is outraged at the shooting, and cleaning out gang themselves. Back in the present, Superman looks into what Barbara has been doing since then (much good) and reflects on his influence in her life, and doubts Arion's message that he is influencing mankind in a bad way.

Reprinted:

• in Superman: Redemption (DC, 2008 series) #nn ([January] 2008) [minus the credits and the next issue blurb]

DC Nation: #44 [January 17, 2007] This column is a clue! (Table of Contents)

DC Nation / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Dan Didio

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Indexer Notes

Dan discusses 52, and provides a clue (the first character of every third word reveals "The secret of fifty-two is that the multiverse still exists"). Ads for Superman #660, Batman Confidential #2, Justice Society of America #2, and Tales of the Unexpected #4. Appears on page 34 in this issue.

[House Advertisements] (Table of Contents)

promo (ad from the publisher) / 2 pages (report information)

Indexer Notes

House ads for: Wonder Woman and Aquaman Sword of Atlantis #50. Appear in various places in the issue.

[Ads] (Table of Contents)

advertisement / 10 pages (report information)

Indexer Notes

Total of 6 one-page and 2 two-page ads for: Castlevania Portrait of Ruin (video game, Konami), Children of Mana/Magical Starsign (video games, Nintendo, 2 pages), Magic the Gathering (card game, Wizards of the Coast), Death Junior (video game, Konami), Final Fantasy V Advance (video game, Square Enix, 2 pages), Killzone Liberation (video game, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe), Destroy All Humans 2 (video game, THQ), and abovetheinfluence (Partnership for a Drug-Free America). Appear in various places in the issue.