There have been many Superman/Bizarro encounters over the past decades. Some are humorous, some are not great, but one thing is prevalent; every story shows the Bizarro character degrade right down to a pretty stupid character, despite his opposite way. In Superman #181, both Supes and Bizarro have their brains switched. Superman is stuck in Bizarro’s body, while Bizarro is stuck in Supes’ body. After cases of mistaken identities, the two fight and then things go back to normal… that is, until the next time these two meet.
The idea of switching brains usually results in some interesting stories and this story is no exception. The book is intended to be funny and to some extent, it is. Other than a couple of minor plot-points, the issue is void of one. That’s okay, because this is a Bizarro story. A Bizarro story isn’t suppose to feature a relentless killer or a “confused” clone. It’s about a character who is not only the complete opposite of Superman, but is also a complete idiot. The visual work of McGuinness and Smith is the standard fare, but the facial expressions of a Bizarro-minded Superman is classic. This is as close to seeing absent-minded Clark as you’re going to get.
There are no faults in Superman #181 that I can think of. But although it had nothing to do with the issue’s plot, I would have liked to see a scene or two with Lex Luthor. Now that the guy knows his arch-enemy’s greatest secret a few issues ago, what happens next? It’s something that needs to be focused on soon and not as a mere afterthought later on.
If you enjoy a good, light-hearted comic, Superman 181 is a nice choice.
dtm666 