Superman #660

Taking a break from the Arion/End-of-the-World/Armageddon arch that has encompassed the last five or six issues of Superman, this month's addition finds the Man of Steel in a more "comic" predicament. An absurd gangster known as Nitro G, who has the ability -- imagine this -- to magically create explosive nitroglycerin (NTG) out of thin air, seeks help from long-time Superman nemesis Prankster in order to knock over a couple of Metropolis-based banks. The Prankster's role in this comic is quite generic: create a laughable diversion so Superman comes running in to save the innocents below, all while Nitro G and his band of thugs can go and steal millions in diamonds and cash.

Fool Superman once -- shame on you. Fool him twice -- nah.

Who didn't see this ending coming? After Nitro G threatens to kill Prankster with a flaming ball of NTG, Prankster succumbs to his demands, only to (literally) expose Nitro G and thoroughly embarrass him -- with Superman's help, of course.

Ah, the hilarity of it all. Sometimes I wonder why I pay $2.99 for a couple of new comics every week, but the sheer ridiculousness of the stories and the joy I get out of reading them more than makes up for the price.