The World's Greatest Superheroes Part 4: The Gravity Magnifier
Superman makes a point. After three extravagant story arcs starring a broad selection of DC’s top heroes, The World’s Greatest Superheroes – appropriately enough for Recession-prone 1979 – economizes . The mysterious benefactor who provided Dr. Giles Manning with his amazing inventions in the previous arc is revealed to be criminal super-genius Lex Luthor , and he does not tolerate failure. Dumping the disgraced Dr. Manning into a pit of hungry alligators in his secret sewer headquarters, Luthor chooses to make his next play against the forces of good a solo effort. While the strip still says World’s Greatest Superheroes on the masthead, WGSH from this point on is effectively a Superman comic in everything but name. Despite cameo appearances by Wonder Woman and Batman , the action takes place exclusively in Metropolis , with Superman’s supporting cast and chief villain taking center stage. Speaking to my own tastes, it’s great when Luthor has henchmen , and even better when he has...