Superman Vol 2 9
From DC Database
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
Appearing in "To Laugh and Die in Metropolis"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Alice
- Jimmy Olsen
- Lana Lang
- Lois Lane
- Maggie Sawyer
- Perry White
- Toby Raynes (First appearance)
- Whit
Villains:
- Joker
- Lex Luthor
- Manhunters (Behind the scenes)
Other Characters:
- Aggie
- Cynthia
- Greg
- Jenny Hubbard
- Pam
Locations:
- Ralli's Diner
Items:
- Kent Family Scrapbook
- Superman Robot
- Star of Zaharain
Vehicles:
Synopsis for "To Laugh and Die in Metropolis"
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.
Notes
- Superman appeared last in Adventures of Superman #431.
- The Joker was last seen in Doctor Fate (Volume 1) #2. He appears next in Swamp Thing (Volume 2) #66.
- Lois Lane appeared last in Booster Gold (Volume 1) #19.
- Lana Lang appeared last in Adventures of Superman #430. She appears next in Action Comics #595.
- Maggie Sawyer appeared last in Superman (Volume 2) #7.
- Behind the scenes appearances by the Manhunters.
- First appearance of Jenny Hubbard. She will make one more appearance in Superman (Volume 2) #163.
- First appearance of Toby Raynes, a reporter for the Metropolis Star. She appears next in Superman (Volume 2) #15.
- This is the 1st appearance of the Stryker's Island Penitentiary. It is loosely based on the Riker's Island prison outside of Manhattan Island in New York City. Riker's Island penitentiary does in fact exist in the modern DC Universe.
- Clark finally opens the package that was delivered to him in issue #2. The contents are the Kent Family Scrapbook.
- The Superman Robot that appears in this issue is a weapon utilized by the Joker. It is not to be confused with the robotic simalucrums that Superman keeps in storage at the Fortress of Solitude.
Trivia
- This comic book features advertisements for the following products:
- —M&M chocolate candy
- —Oxy10 facial cleanser
- —Cox Hobbies SB-X stealth bomber snap-together model kit
- —Magna 18-speed bicycle
- —DC Comics – Doom Patrol comic book series debut
- —Mile High Comics comic book back-issue catalogue
See Also
Recommended Reading
Links and References
- Superman #9 entry at the Grand Comics Database
- Superman #9 entry at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
- DC Atlas
