Review: Superman '78 #3

This issue picks up right where the last issue left off, with Brainiac's robots accepting Superman's surrender. The citizens of Metropolis attempt to defend Superman, but he reasons with them not to invite danger. Superman hears Lois' heart racing, and bids her farewell.  Luthor congratulates Brainiac and pats Superman on the the back (perhaps slipping him something to help him escape later?).  On Brainiac's ship, Superman sees a collection of shrunken civilizations in bottles, including Thanagar with a cameo by Hawkman and Hawkgirl.  Brainiac shrinks Superman and he find himself face to face with his very much alive parents in Krypton's bottle.  Back in Metropolis, Lois writes the article of Superman leaving earth, and there is an Easter Egg of Bruce Wayne returning to Gotham and a mysterious Bat-Man terrorizing Gotham.  However, the magazine cover with Bruce looks nothing like Michael Keaton.  In the bottle city of Kandor, Kal-El hangs up his Superman costume and dons traditional Kryponian garb, and speaks with his mother, telling her- via Superman The Movie flashbacks- how he was raised by the Kents.  Then she tells him how Brainiac captured and shrunk Kandor just after they launched Kal-El's rocket.  Jor-El asks Kal-El to assume the leadership role he has held, and Kal-El agrees.  Back in Metropolis, Lois receives a message that someone knows where Superman is.  She finds out it is Luthor (that pat on the back must have been to plant a super-GPS), and Luthor is going to bring Superman back.

Once again, writer Robert Venditti and artist Wilfredo Torres deliver.  One can imagine the Salkinds delivering this movie with the return of Marlon Brando as Jor-El. Now, having Jor-El and Lara surviving Krypton's explosion messes with the comic book legend, but again, I can definitely see the Salkinds doing something like this to get Brando back for another film, had they had the opportunity.  Issue 3 keeps up the high standard of this series, and earns another A.