Superman: The Odyssey...

[thelazyreader]

Many years ago I read an ad for a Superman story with the tagline: 'Before the name, before the cape, there was just a man, searching for the truth.' and was greatly intrigued. I later read the actual story, Superman: The Odyssey, written by Chuck DIxon and Graham Nolan, which explores the period when Clark was traveling around the world prior to settling in Metropolis. It's collected as a TPB, in case any of you find it as touching as I did.

(BTW the TPB I have is 52 pages, so this many scans should be fine. Nevertheless a warning to those with dial-up net connections)


The story begins in the present, with Superman displaying a rare degree of badassery(He even has a few wisecracks!) as he busts up a Kobra hideout.



The ass-kickery is momentarily interrupted by a news report about the execution of one Terri Chung, the 'Rhana Bhutran', by the Chinese army invading the (fictional) country of Bhutran. Before we proceed further, yes, this story involves a thinly-veiled allegory of China's invasion of Tibet. Try not to let that dissuade you from reading it.

Superman apparently recognizes the name, because it we cut to a flashback of a young Clark traveling in Paris.



Unfortunately another tourist whipped out her camera and took pictures of the incident. She's a hot Oriental gal named Terri, who decides to follow Clark around so that she can see more interesting moments. And Clark gains a new lady friend.



Hmm. Isn't this relationship going a little fast?



Hot damn! Unfortunately, their fun is interrupted by the untimely arrival of... masked assassins. And Clark discovers that he doesn't need to dodge bullets.



Turns out Terry's been hiding a few things from her new friend. She's not just an average Bhutran tourist. Her father is the Dalai Lama Rhana Bhutran, the spiritual leader of TibetBhutran. She ran away from home because of daddy issues(Her father wanted her to join a monastery and prepare herself to lead the country, she just wanted to be normal and have fun). Clark, being the responsible young man he is, insists that she needs to return home. So, dodging a few more assassination attempts, they make their way to Bhutran.



Bhutran is as peaceful as you'd expect a remote Himalayan country to be. As they head to the palace, Terry prepares to meet daddy(and introduce her new male companion).



Now I must ask you to brace yourself, because Clark about to meet a certain stranger.



I suppose you all know who that was. No? Well, apparently it was another young American visitor, who had come to study under the Rhana Bhutran and was expelled for saving the Rhana from an assassination attempt. Strange? Well, the Rhana is a little different from your average Buddhist monk...



Thankfully for the story's sake, he behaves acts a little more rationally with Clark and thanks him. Later Clark consults him for a little spiritual guidance.



So Clark stays at the palace for a while, tries a little Buddhist meditation and gets closer to Terri. But as with all such stories, the bliss doesn't last.



Yup. The nasty Chinese Commies are finally here. Peaceful attempts at annexingintegrating Bhutran have failed and the Red Army is marching.



Oh... sad but not unexpected. Having killed the Rhana the soldiers aim their guns at Terri next. Clark is so enraged by their aggression that he does something which many here would find questionable but which I remember fondly to this day.





Wow.

The invasion is routed, but Terri resolves that with her father dead she must perform her duty as the next Rhana Bhutran. Clark's destiny leads him along a different path, and he leaves Terri.




I guess Clark felt he owed Terri one more miracle.

I always find stories regarding the formative years of superheroes interesting. In Superman's case I only read a couple of other stories of this sort(disregarding Origin reboots). If anyone here has any recommendations please let me know.