DC Comics Presents Vol 1 52

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"Negative Woman Goes Berserk!"

Gallery

DC Comics Presents Vol 1 #52
December, 1982

Cover Artists

Keith Giffen, Dick Giordano

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DC Comics Presents #51

DC Comics Presents #53

Catch that chick, willya! She's going berserk... smashing everything in sight without rhyme or reason! She's absolutely nutsy-coocoo! Come back baby -- I love you!

-- Ambush Bug

Appearing in "Negative Woman Goes Berserk!"

Featured Characters:

Supporting Characters:

Villains:

Ambush Bug (First appearance)

Other Characters:

Arthur J. Harris (First and only known appearance to date)
District Attorney Syms (Only appearance; dies)

Locations:

Fortress of Solitude (Behind the scenes)
New Jersey
Metropolis

Michigan

Midway City

Items:

Ambush Bug's robotic insects

Vehicles:

Synopsis for "Negative Woman Goes Berserk!"

Superman prevents a New Jersey power plant from overloading and causing a statewide blackout. After rescuing the plant workers, he notices the cause of the overload, a black energy shape in the form of a woman. The shape flies off before Superman can catch it.

Later that afternoon, Metropolis celebrates its 309th anniversary with a parade procession leading down 30th street. Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen are on the scene covering the event. Suddenly, a strange villain calling himself Ambush Bug appears and seemingly murders one of the parade guests, District Attorney Syms. Before anyone can react, the criminal teleports away.

Adding to the chaos, the black energy being also appears in Metropolis and begins wreaking havoc. Clark changes into Superman and begins chasing the entity all throughout the city. While doing so, he encounters the new Doom Patrol who explains to him that the energy being is actually their ally, Valentina Vostok. Robotman tells him that Vostok has absorbed the Negative being that was once a part of his late colleague Larry Trainor. Unfortunately, fusing with the entity has driven Negative Woman berserk.

Superman and the Doom Patrol attempt to contain Negative Woman while also trying to capture the elusive Ambush Bug. Superman discovers that the Bug's teleportation capabilities are linked to a group of tiny, robotic insects that are always flying about him. Superman quickly gathers up all of the micro-insects and destroys them. With Ambush Bug unable to teleport, he becomes an easy target for Robotman's haymaker.

Now the only thing left to take care of is the frenzied Negative Woman. Superman dashes off to the Fortress of Solitude to fetch a giant lead container. Upon returning, he traps the Negative Woman inside until she returns to normal. Valentina Vostok's condition stabilizes, but she laments the fact that she must wear specially treated bandages or else risk losing control of herself once again.

Notes

This is the first appearance of Ambush Bug. He appears next in DC Comics Presents #59.
Superman appeared last in Superman (Volume 1) #377. He appears next in Superman (Volume 1) #378.
The Doom Patrol appeared last in Superman Family #193. They appear next in Daring New Adventures of Supergirl #7.

Trivia

This issue establishes that the city of Metropolis is 309-years-old and the Daily Planet is 150-years old.
Some of the famous personages represented as parade floats include Skyrocket from Elfquest fame, Cerebus the Aardvark and Judge Dredd.

Links and References