Action Comics #865

(July 2008)

The Terrible Toyman (Table of Contents)

Superman / comic story / 21 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Geoff Johns

Pencils:

Jesus Merino

Inks:

Jesus Merino

Colors:

Hi-Fi

Letters:

Rob Leigh

Content Information

Genre:

Superhero

Characters:

Superman (cameo); Toyman [Winslow Schott]; Jimmy Olsen; Mary Schott (flashback, destroyed); Walter Dunhill (flashback, dies); Prankster (flashback); Adam Grant (flashback); Toyman (predator, destroyed); Toyman [Hiro Okamura] (cameo); Toyman [Toyboy] (cameo); Toyman [Jack Nimball] (cameo); Toyman [Grandpa] (cameo) Batman; Mr. Zsasz (flashback, cameo); Scarecrow (flashback, cameo); Catherine Grant (cameo); Arkham Asylum; signal watch

Synopsis:

The Toyman has escaped from Arkham Asylum, and kidnaps Jimmy Olsen. He wants Jimmy to tell the truth about him; that he'd never hurt a child. He tells how he and his wife were happy, but she was killed in an accident, and he made an arrangement with Walter Dunhill to join his company. After finding out Dunhill was using his skills to design weapons, Toyman has Dunhill killed. Superman then enters the picture. Toyman tells Jimmy he hurts people because they deserve it, and that's why he did NOT murder Cat Grant's son. He reveals a bunch of Toyman robots, including one he calls the predator, which is the one that he lost control over and it killed Adam Grant. He then takes a baseball bat, and destroys that robot. He then says he trusts Jimmy as he's still a child at 16; Jimmy will tell the truth. But Jimmy grabs a Superman doll, uses it to escape, and tells Toyman that he is 22. He then grabs his signal watch from a nearby workbench, and signals Superman. Just then, Batman arrives, and Toyman sends the remaining robots to fight him. As Batman and Jimmy are escaping, Superman arrives and finishes the battle. Jimmy reveals he has researched Toyman, and he was never married (revealing that his "wife" was a robot). Cat Grant finds out her son was killed by a robot only, and decides to return to Metropolis.

Indexer Notes

The various Toyman robots resemble versions from the Golden Age, Bronze Age, Superman/Batman book, Byrne era, and Busiek era. The Superman/Batman Toyman (Hiro Okamura) has since appeared again, so that character may not have ONLY been a robot.

DC Nation #115 [May 28, 2008] In Crisis Mode (Table of Contents)

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

Credits

Script:

Eddie Berganza

Pencils:

J. G.Jones

Inks:

J. G.Jones

Colors:

?

Letters:

typeset

Indexer Notes

Eddie discusses the Final Crisis miniseries and the associated comics. Ads for Action Comics #866, Action Comics #865, Teen Titans #59, and Final Crisis #1. Appears on page 34 in this issue.

[House Advertisements] (Table of Contents)

promo (ad from the publisher) / 8 pages (report information)

Indexer Notes

House ads for: Envy (Hush), Batman R.I.P. (checklist), Final Crisis Rogues' Revenge, Tor, Rann/Thanagar: Holy War, World of Warcraft action figures, Starman Omnibus #1, and Heroes softcover. Appear in various places in this issue.

[Ads] (Table of Contents)

advertisement / 5 pages (report information)

Indexer Notes

Total of 3 one-page and 1 two-page ads for: Top 10 Ways to Tell if your Home has an Energy Hog (advice, Ad Council/7-Eleven), Speed Racer The Video Game (video game, WB Games, 2 pages), Wonka Laffy Taffy (candy, Nestle), Get Up and Play An Hour a Day (Department of Health & Human Services). Appear in various places in this issue.