Now, on to today's entry!
Superman #64
"Metropolis Mailbag"
February 1992
Writer: Dan Jurgens
Artist: Jackson Guide
This issue begins with Superman meeting Lois Lane at the Metropolis Post Office. Also there are two postal employees that guide Superman to a rather large room. The world's biggest boy scout is visibly dismayed, despite the Christmas season, as he walks with the others. Lois is there to document today's events, which are an annual occurrence. It's become such a big deal that the large room they're going to was specially set aside. Inside is a metric ton of mail, all addressed to the big man himself.
You see, every year around Christmas, Superman comes to this post office to answer and read mail addressed to him and, in some cases, even lend a hand. Sounds great, doesn't it? So, why's Supes so upset?
Easy, this guy's got the world on his shoulders. He feels obligated to help as much as possible and some people's needs are great; some are within his power; some are get rich schemes. The good, the bad, and the ugly. It's all within the letters.
The first letter he's able to actually help with he sets off to reunite two long lost sisters, separated during World War II. He flies the sister living in the United States to a rest home in Germany where the sisters see each other for the first time in decades.
The next letter he responds to is a bit different. A child asks Superman to remove a tumor from his dad's brain. He decides to visit the child and tell him that he's unable to. Upon arriving he finds the boy's mother, who tells him the father has just passed. The boy eventually sees Superman and is mad at him for not helping.
While Superman is talking to the child, a nurse comes by and asks if the father was a donor. He wasn't, but Superman convinces the wife to make him one. He does this and takes the heart to a patient in need of one that had written him earlier. It was long shot the donor heart would match the patient, but miraculously it does!
Superman goes back to the post office and speaks more with Lois, who asks him to help out at the Daily Planet's Christmas party for disadvantaged children. There's a strike and no Santas are available, but Superman has an idea.
He visits Professor Emil Hamilton, who whips up a quick invention to help. Superman jets over to the Metropolis Zoo to gather a couple more things and we cut to the Christmas Eve party where the children are being led to the rooftop of the Daily Planet.
That's Supes in a black suit, carrying Emil, a sleigh and deer! He wants to make the evening more about the children and Santa than about himself, so once he drops the sleigh off, he disappears out of sight and has a brief moment with Lois. Shortly after, he heads back to his apartment where he finds an invitation to the wedding of Lana Lang and Pete Ross!!
The End.
I wouldn't exactly call this one a tearjerker, but it's pretty close. Seeing Superman go out of his way to help your average citizen is a great thing. It's a peek into his world; his frustrations, his joy; his sadness that even the Man of Steel can't do everything.
Dan Jurgens, you're the man. Jackson Guice? Amazing!
There's a sequel to this story in Superman #76, also written by Dan Jurgens. It's post-Death of Superman, so his allies fill in the void. It's also awesome!
Find these in your back issue bins!
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