In the latest reworking of Superman's origin, Geoff Johns hit part four of this six part mini series with one foot placed squarely in Roald Dahal's imagination. Had he been binging on chocolates when he started this book? At the beginning of this chapter we see the desperate and hungry masses of Metropolis thronging around the imposing gates of Lexcorp towers, where each morning Lex Luthor appears before the crowd to choose one 'lucky' individual to be whisked away from the clutches of life's cruel monopoly and given the golden handshake, the 'golden ticket' to a better world.
And who should Lex Luthor (Willy Wonka) pick today? Rudy Jones (Augustus Gloop), the fat and greedy janitor that works at the Daily Planet, that's who. Squeezed into a food stained tracksuit, several sizes too small, he fights his way to the front of the gates where Luthor's security guys pick him up on the monitors.
Before long Rudy finds himself inside Lexcorp where a teetering pile of donuts proves too much for Mr. Jones, "are these free?" he inquires, to which Luthor responds by encouraging the greedy man to help himself.
Walking and talking with Luthor, Rudy is sidetracked for a moment as he becomes aware of some men dressed in biochemical suits pushing around large barrels of radioactive material. Unfortunately he seems more concerned about a stray donut which he has just dropped on the floor.
Employing the five second rule he pops the contaminated food in his mouth, and hey presto! he is changed forever, transformed into the big purple super villain, the Parasite, who's insatiable hunger leads him to suck the life force from his victims.
As a side note, Superman is pictured on the front cover standing side by side with his Kryptonian parents, Lara and Jor-El. Is it just me, or does anyone else reckon that artist, Gary Frank, has fashioned Jor-El on country music legend and actor, Kris Kristofferson? Ooooh, it's a bit freaky!
And here's the great man himself, crooning with the lovely Rita Coolidge on the Old Grey Whistle Test in 1972. Beautiful track this.
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