Superman Vol 2 9

To Laugh and Die in Metropolis


 * "After all these years of mentally fencing with the Batman, dealing with a muscle-bound clod like Superman is like taking a vacation!"
 * --The Joker

Summary
Volume: 2 Issue: 9 Month: September Year: 1987

Credits
Head Writer: John Byrne Cover Artists: John Byrne Pencilers: John Byrne Inkers: Karl Kesel Colourists: Tom Ziuko Editors: Mike Carlin and Andrew Helfer

Synopsis
Cast of Characters:
 * Superman
 * Alice
 * Aggie
 * Cynthia
 * Greg
 * Jenny Hubbard
 * Jimmy Olsen
 * Joker
 * Lana Lang
 * Lex Luthor
 * Lois Lane
 * Maggie Sawyer
 * Pam
 * Perry White
 * Toby Raynes
 * Whit

Locations
 * Metropolis
 * Daily Planet
 * Metropolis Diamond Exchange
 * Stryker's Island Maximum Security Internment Center


 * Mohave Desert
 * Ralli's Diner
 * Smallville
 * Lang farm

Items
 * Kent family scrapbook
 * Star of Zaharain
 * Superman Robot

First Appearances: Aggie (waitress at Ralli's Diner); Cynthia (Lex Luthor's chauffer); Greg (of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit); Jenny Hubbard (waitress at Ralli's Diner); Pam (waitress at Ralli's Diner); Superman Robot (see notes); Toby Raynes Final Appearances: Aggie; Pam; Superman Robot (destroyed in this issue)

Synopsis: The Joker comes to Metropolis. He builds a Superman robot and programs it to rob the Metropolis diamond exchange. It uses the Joker's patented Joker gas to kill everyone in the bank. Maggie Sawyer and the SCU team arrive at the same time that Superman flies down to the scene.

Superman confronts the robot and discovers that it is carrying a bomb inside of it. He flies it high into the atmosphere, where it explodes harmlessly. When he returns to Metropolis, he learns that the Joker has kidnapped Lois Lane, Jimmy Olsen and Perry White. Each of them are encased inside of a lead coffin and Superman has thirty minutes to find their locations before their air runs out. Superman quickly deduces that the Joker is lying and that he has his three friends held up in a train car. Superman finds the car, frees the hostages and nabs the Joker. He asks the Joker why he suddenly began operating out of Metropolis. The Joker replies, "Why not?"

Back in Smallville, a small robot probe flies into Lana Lang's window and zaps her in the forehead with a laser beam. Time for Lana to become a victim again.

Nine-hundred miles outside of Metropolis, Lex Luthor goes to a run of the mill diner. He offers a waitress, Jenny Hubbard, one-million dollars if she would agree to stay with him for one month. Jenny reflects upon the opportunity, but her strong morality prevents her from accepting Luthor's offer.

Trivia

 * This comic book features advertisements for the following products:
 * &mdash;M&M chocolate candy
 * &mdash;Oxy10 facial cleanser
 * &mdash;Cox Hobbies SB-X stealth bomber snap-together model kit
 * &mdash;Magna 18-speed bicycle
 * &mdash;DC Comics – Doom Patrol comic book series debut
 * &mdash;Mile High Comics comic book back-issue catalogue

Recommended Readings

 * Batman
 * Lex Luthor - The Unauthorized Biography

Related Articles

 * Batman
 * Gotham City
 * Metropolis Special Crimes Unit
 * Metropolis Star