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Superman's Metropolis is a DC Comics comic book Elseworlds trilogy, based on German Expressionism cinema, written by Jean-Marc Lofficier, Randy Lofficier and Roy Thomas (first volume only) and illustrated by Ted McKeever.
Supermans Metropolis (1996) The story of Superman's Metropolis is patterned after Fritz Lang's original Metropolis film. In an undetermined future, the giant city of Metropolis is starkly divided between upper classes who live in luxury and lower classes who toil under harsh conditions. Clark, son of Jon Kent, the Great Architect and apparent Master of Metropolis, becomes aware of the Social inequality after meeting Lois, a teacher from the undercity. He joins the workers to experience their daily lives, then begs his father to improve their lot, but in vain. In reality, the city is in thrall to the scientist Lutor, an old colleague of Jon Kent from before the "time of smoke and soot" that came before the foundation of Metropolis. Both Jon and Lutor fell in love with the same woman, Marta. When she chose Jon over Lutor, the scientist killed her, then used advanced hypnosis to turn Jon into his mind-slave. Concerned about a potential revolution, Lutor identifies its leader, Lois, who prophesies about a coming savior who will reunite the city. Later, Lutor captures Lois and uses her to create a robotic duplicate that will lead the workers to their doom. Meanwhile, Clarc discovers that he was a foundling adopted by Jon and Marta, and that Lutor, who fears his power, also tried to blank his memories, turning him into a social drone. As the robot Lois leads the workers to a doomed rebellion, Clarc, now the Super-Man, the savior of Metropolis, intervenes. He fights, and defeats, the robot. Meanwhile, Lutor reveals his metallic body powered by a kryptonite heart. He kills Jon Kent who, in the end, sacrifices his life for Clarc, but is later destroyed by Clarc after a fierce battle. Clarc and Lois become the new, enlightened rulers of a reunited Metropolis. DC characters which appear in the story (in order of appearance): Clark Kent, Lana Lang, Lois Lane, Perry White, Jonathan Kent, Jimmy Olsen, William Henderson, Lex Luthor/Metallo, Martha Kent, Dan Turpin. Batman Nosferatu (1999) The story of Batman Nosferatu is patterned after The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Nosferatu. Under Clarc and Lois' enlightened rule, Metropolis has begun to progress. However, some resist that progress, such as Dr. Arkham, the head of a lunatic asylum, who holds "psychomantic" seances for the entertainment of depraved rich of Metropolis. The star of these is the "Laughing Man", a white-faced, murderous creature, a prototype cyborg built by Lutor from one of Arkham's patients. When Eschevin Gordon tries to close Arkham down, the doctor sends the Laughing Man to kill him. Attorney Dirk Grayson becomes suspicious of Arkham, but he, too, is killed by the Laughing Man. Dirk's friend, Bruss Wayne-son, is then drawn to investigate Arkham, after being turned down by the Police and ignored by the Super-Man, who has greater concerns that require his attention. Wayne-son discovers Arkham is in league with the new Chancellor, Hender-son. But he is captured and thown into a great pit, at the bottom of which lie vast, sentient computers who once built Metropolis, still sustain it, and watch over humanity. They turn Wayne-son into the "Nosferatu" and send him back to the city above. The Nosferatu kills the Laughing Man, then goes after Arkham. But he is then confronted by the Super-Man, who believes there is no place for creatures of the night in his city of light. The battle is inconclusive however; the ancient machines reveal themselves to the Super-Man and he realizes that there can be no light without shadows. The Nosferatu's job is to catch these shadows. Bruce Wayne-son ends up in charge of the Asylum where Arkham is now a prisoner. DC characters which appear in the story (in order of appearance): Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, Alfred Pennyworth, Arkham Asylum, James Gordon, William Henderson, Jimmy Olsen, Hugo Strange, Vicki Vale, Barbara Gordon, The Joker, Lex Luthor (flashback), Bane, Clark Kent, Lois Lane, The Penguin, Man-Bat, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, the Scarecrow, the Ventriloquist. Wonder Woman: The Blue Amazon (2003) The story of Wonder Woman The Blue Amazon is patterned after The Blue Angel and Doctor Mabuse the Gambler. Metropolis is at peace. Lois researches the history of the city with the help of Trevor-son. They discover information about the three founders of Metropolis, Jon Kent, Lutor and Paula von Gunther, who crossed the "black sea" after the "time of smoke and soot" to create the city. Trevor-son, meanwhile, is in thrall to the exotic dancer Diana, known as the "Blue Amazon", who appears at Dr. Psykho's Palace of Sin, the last remnant of Lutor's criminal empire. Psykho exploits the amnesiac Diana, who was given to him by Lutor, but cannot divine her origins. When Trevor-son tries to free her, he is taken prisoner. Meanwhile, a creature, the Cheetah, has come to Metropolis looking for Diana. After a brief encounter with the Nosferatu, the Cheetah locates Diana. Psykho uses his mental power to learn the truth. Metropolis is on a terraformed Mars, where the survivors of Mankind, led by Jon Kent, Lutor and Paula Von Gunther, resettled after Earth was wrecked by pollution. Biologist Paula von Gunther later left the others and created her own artificial, flying city, known as "Heaven", where she used her knowledge of genetics and the genes of the Earth animals she saved, to create her own race of beast-like Amazons. Diana is her perfect clone. Later, needing new gene stock, Paula sent Diana to Metropolis below, where she was captured and had her memories erased by Lutor. In Heaven, the Cheetah led a rebellion and killed Paula. But now, she, too, needs Diana in order to save the Amazons. Psykho makes a deal with the Cheetah: he will give her Diana if she kills the Super-Man. The Cheetah leads her Amazons in a battle royale against the Super-Man, who is then assisted by the Nosferatu and the inmates from the Asylum. When Psykho tries to kill Trevor-Son, Diana's love is enough to restore her memories. She becomes the Wonder Woman, challenges the Cheetah to a duel and wins. Peace is restored to Metroplos; the three "worlds", above and below the city, are reunited; the truth about the past has at last been learned. DC characters which appear in the story (in order of appearance): Lois Lane, Steve Trevor, Wonder Woman, Dr. Psycho, The Cheetah, Lex Luthor (flashback), Bruce Wayne, Jonathan Kent (flashback), Baroness Paula von Gunther (flashback), Clark Kent, Arkham Asylum, Bane, Two-Face, The Penguin, Poison Ivy, Killer Croc, the Ventriloquist. Trivia Writer Jean-Marc Lofficier had a fourth and final volume, entitled The Green Light, planned, which would have introduced counterparts of The Flash, Green Lantern and the Martian Manhunter (based on Leni Riefenstahl's The Blue Light (1922) and Arnold Fanck's Weiße Rausch - Der Neue Wunder des Schneeschuhs (a.k.a. The White Flame) (1931) (which also starred Leni Riefenstahl), and a female Aquaman (based on Georg Wilhelm Pabst's Die Herrin von Atlantis (a.k.a. The Mistress of Atlantis) (1932)). The book would have dealt with the rediscovery of Earth. | ||||||||
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