NEAL ADAMS Was Actually the Co-Writer of SUPERMAN VS. MUHAMMAD ALI
The artist did the heavy lifting on 1978’s All New Collectors Edition #56, which is being released as a Facsimile Edition… We brought you the news the other day that 1978’s All New Collectors Edition #56: Superman vs. Muhammad Ali will be re-released by DC Comics in August as a Facsimile Edition, in full treasury size. The thing about Facsimile Editions is that they’re published as they originally were, credits included. In this case, the writer is listed as Denny O’Neil. We’re enormous fans of Denny and his work, but the credit isn’t quite accurate: artist Neal Adams was actually the one who brought the story home. Here’s columnist Pete Stone, Neal’s son-in-law, with the background. — Dan By PETER STONE Superman Versus Muhammad Ali — one of the greatest Superman stories of all time. The average person would say it’s a one-punch fight: Superman could destroy an average human with a single jab. Unless… he was under a red sun, right? Then he loses his powers. OK, NOW who wins the fight? My money is on Muhammad Ali. Sure enough, in the story Muhammad Ali smoked Superman to the point where the Man of Steel was almost dead. Neal Adams knew that, so when he started to lay out the story he knew he had to make it incredible. In fact, when DC Comics did the Superman is killed by Doomsday story, Neal said, “Well, I had done that twenty years ago. Muhammad Ali brought him to the brink of death.” Only yellow sunlight saved his life…and then he saved the earth. The art is spectacular. The writing is wonderful and the story is fantastic. The Facsimile Edition will reprint the original version exactly as it was all those years ago. However, after the 1978 publication, Neal fought hard to change the credits slightly. Denny, unfortunately, got sick near the beginning of the story so Neal stepped in and volunteered to finish it. DC agreed to change the credits in the future, but with this Facsimile, the old credits remain. Neal wrote most of the story and I, personally, think this is the best story he’s ever written. His dialogue for Muhammad Ali is brilliant. Neal was a huge fan of Ali’s for his stand against the Vietnam War and his outspoken comments about racial equality. The art...
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