1.
Bizarro
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Bizarro is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp as an image of Superman. Bizarro debuted in Superboy #68, writer Otto Binder casting the character as a Frankensteins monster pastiche that possessed all the powers of Superboy, shunned for his grotesque appearance, the teen version of Bizarro only appeared in a single comic book story. An adult version appeared around the time in the Superman daily newspaper comic strip written by Alvin Schwartz, debuting in Episode 105. According to comics historian Mark Evanier, Schwartz long claimed that he originated the Bizarro concept prior to the appearance in Superboy. The newspaper storyline introduced the strange speech patterns that became synonymous with the character, the newspaper version wore a B on his chest, as opposed to his distinctive S. Schwartz stated, I was striving, you might say, for that mirror-image, that opposite. And out of a machine which would reveal the negative Superman, the times were such that one-dimensional characters, your standard superheroes, even in comics, seemed rather simplistic, like paper cut-outs. What was demanded was the full dimensional personality — a figure that carried a shadow, I was certainly inspired to some degree also by C. G. Jungs archetype of the shadow — and Bizarro certainly reflected that, Binder introduced the adult version of the character into the Superman comic book, this time wearing an S, in Action Comics #254. Bizarro proved popular, and eventually starred in a Bizarro World feature in Adventure Comics for fifteen issues, running from issue #285-299, Bizarro was reintroduced into the DC Universe in a one-off appearance with characterization similar to his original Superboy appearance in The Man of Steel #5. He was later revived in the Bizarros World serial that ran through the Superman titles in March and April 1994, an unrelated four-issue limited series titled A. Bizarro was published in 1999. Yet another version was introduced during the Emperor Joker storyline in September - October 2000, remaining in DC Comics continuity, this Bizarro continued to make semi-regular guest appearances that firmly established the character as part of the Superman mythos. General Dru-Zod had originally created bizarro duplicates of himself to dominate the planet, the bizarros had no power because they were not under a yellow sun, but they were soldiers ready to kill and die without hesitation. This was the reason why Zod was banished to the Phantom Zone for 25 Krypton sun-cycles, the copy, quickly labeled Bizarro, is a flawed imitation as it possesses chalky white skin and childlike erratic behavior. Shunned by the people of Smallville, Bizarro befriends a blind girl, Superboy is eventually forced to kill the less than perfect clone, using the remains of the duplicating machine, which acts like blue kryptonite on the copy. The whole business proved unexpectedly easy as Bizarro deliberately destroyed himself by colliding with the duplicating machines fragment, the ensuing explosion miraculously restores the girls eyesight. Years afterward, Supermans arch-foe Lex Luthor recreates the duplicating ray and uses it on the hero, the Bizarro that is created, however, is confused, stating, Me not human. Me dont belong in world of living people, Me dont know difference between right and wrong — good and evil
2.
Batzarro
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Batzarro is a supervillain in the DC Comics Universe. He is a twisted doppelgänger of Batman, in the vein as Bizarro. Loeb secretly inserted the character into a panel in Superman #181 and his origin is unknown, but his speech patterns are almost identical to those of Bizarro. Just as Bizarro has a reversed S on his chest, Batzarro has Batmans bat-logo on his chest and he also wears a utility belt like Batmans. However, he wears it upside-down as well with the pockets open and he calls himself the Worlds Worst Detective. He uses a steel chain as a weapon and as a grappling hook. He seems to lack eyes and has yellow fangs and he was also said to have, opposed to Batmans origin, shot and killed his parents. Batzarro has a tendency to think aloud, often repeating what has just been stated in his thought boxes, in his first appearance in Superman/Batman, Batzarro introduced himself as Batzarro, the worlds worst detective to Bizarro. He is seen with dual pistols, gunning down couples who walk down Crime Alley, Bizarro feels sorry for Batzarro since he does not get out much on account of his lack of friends. Batzarro claims that he comes from the place that Bizarro does. Bizarro offers to team-up and Batzarro agrees, the two shake hands and suddenly Bizarro starts to feel strange. Batzarro is amused by this and reveals the Blue Kryptonite shard he found after the meteor shower, Bizarro flies away and returns to normal and tells Batzarro that he will be back to help him solve the murders Batzarro has just committed. Batzarro thanks him and adds that he has not touched anything so the scene is not contaminated. This entire exchange is done in the usual Bizarro negative speak, at times it seems as though Batzarro is trying to aid Batman, but his mangled dialogue and inexplicable actions make it difficult to be sure. According to Bizarro Him no come from same place as Bizarro #1 and that am why we am so different. However, this statement was reversed due to Bizarro-speak. It was revealed that the Joker created Batzarro, therefore he comes from the place as Bizarro #1. Both were created by the Joker, who had cosmic powers left over from an earlier adventure, Batzarro apparently met his end when he jumped in the path of a bullet shot by the Joker to save his idols life in Superman/Batman #24
3.
Bizarra
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Bizarra is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Bizarra first appeared in DC Comics Presents #71, in a written by E. Nelson Bridwell with art by Curt Swan. The character is a version of the superhero Wonder Woman. She is a very simple-minded being, has reversed character traits, believes women are inferior to men, bizarro-Wonder Woman is first shown as a member of the Bizarro Justice League team of social misfit heroes that inhabit Bizarro World. Their home base is a submarine at the bottom of the sea. The team consists of Bizarro, Bizarro Wonder Woman, Bizarro Yellow Lantern, Bizarro Aquaman, Batzarro had left the team to form the superhero group The Insiders, a Bizarro version of the Outsiders team. In the story, Bizarro is bored being able to defeat his fellow Justice League members so he creates a Bizarro version of the villain Amazo, Amazo steals the powers of the Justice League, including Wonder Woman, and helpfully gives them to ordinary citizens of Bizarro World. After realizing the folly of his actions, Bizarro convinces Bizarro Amazo to return the powers to the proper persons, in 1985, DC Comics introduced a storyline titled Crisis on Infinite Earths. That company-wide story arc erased the established history of almost all DC Comics characters, Bizarra was then re-introduced as part of an all new Bizarro Justice League team. They live on the cube-shaped planet Htrae which is populated entirely with Bizarro-type humans, at one point, Bizarro Hawkgirl tied up Bizarra with her own lasso. It was explained that Bizarras lasso had the ability to anyone tied by it to tell only lies. Bizarra seemed to be interested in Bizarro but the feeling was not shared as Bizarro was in love with his worlds version of Lois Lane only. During the storyline, it was shown due to exposure to Htraes blue sun. Whether Bizarra was created by Bizarro or was a character is unclear. Bizarra is later shown to be working for the villain Monarch and she, along with several other variant super-heroes, torture Tracer mercilessly. Bizarra ends the battle by hanging Tracer with her lasso from an escape by his neck. In 2005, DC Comics released the All-Star line of comics and this line is not in continuity with the other comic book titles released through DC Comics so its storylines have no impact on Wonder Womans generally established comic book history. In the title All-Star Superman, a Bizarro Wonder Woman is introduced, generally she is a 4- to 5-foot-tall statue carried around by Bizarro on various Bizarro Justice League missions
4.
Action Comics
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Action Comics is an American comic book series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters as the term is popularly defined. The publisher was known as National Allied Publications, and later as National Comics Publications and as National Periodical Publications. Its original incarnation ran from 1938 to 2011 and stands as one of the comic books with consecutively numbered issues. A second volume of Action Comics with issue #1 ran from 2011 to 2016, Action Comics returned to its original numbering beginning with issue #957. Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster saw their creation, Superman, launched in Action Comics #1 on April 18,1938, Siegel and Shuster had tried for years to find a publisher for their Superman character originally conceived as a newspaper strip without success. Superman was originally a bald madman created by Siegel and Shuster who used his abilities to wreak havoc on mankind. He appeared in Siegel and Shusters book Science Fiction, Siegel then commented, What if this Superman was a force for good instead of evil. After seeing the published first issue, publisher Harry Donenfeld dismissed the featured strip as ridiculous, originally, Action Comics was an anthology title featuring a number of other stories in addition to the Superman story. Zatara, a magician, was one of the characters who had their own stories in early issues. There was the hero Tex Thompson, who eventually became Mr. America, vigilante enjoyed a lengthy run in this series. Sometimes stories of a humorous nature were included, such as those of Hayfoot Henry. The series saw the introduction of characters and themes which would become longstanding elements of the Superman mythos. Lois Lane made her debut in the first issue with Superman, Superman was first depicted as possessing the power of flight in issue #13. Other new superpowers depicted for the first time for the character included X-ray vision in issue #18 and telescopic vision, Luthor, a villain who would later become Supermans archenemy, was introduced in issue #23. The original Toyman was created by writer Don Cameron and artist Ed Dobrotka in issue #64, by 1942, artist Wayne Boring, who had previously been one of Shusters assistants, had become a major artist on Superman. Under editor Mort Weisinger, the Action Comics title saw an expansion of the Superman mythology. Gradually, the size of the issues was decreased as the publisher was reluctant to raise the price from the original 10 cents. For a while, Congo Bill and Tommy Tomorrow were the two features in addition to Superman, the introduction of Supergirl by Otto Binder and Al Plastino occurred in issue #252
5.
DC Comics
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DC Comics, Inc. is an American comic book publisher. It is the unit of DC Entertainment, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. a division of Time Warner, the company has also published non-DC Universe-related material, including Watchmen, V for Vendetta and many titles under their alternative imprint Vertigo. The initials DC came from the popular series Detective Comics. Random House distributes DC Comics books to the market, while Diamond Comic Distributors supplies the comics shop specialty market. DC Comics and its major, longtime competitor Marvel Comics together shared 70% of the American comic book market in 2016, entrepreneur Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson founded National Allied Publications in autumn 1934. The company debuted with the tabloid-sized New Fun, The Big Comic Magazine #1 with a date of February 1935. That title evolved into Adventure Comics, which continued through issue #503 in 1983, in 2009 DC revived Adventure Comics with its original numbering. In 1935, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the creators of Superman, created Doctor Occult. Wheeler-Nicholsons third and final title, Detective Comics, advertised with a cover illustration dated December 1936, the themed anthology series would become a sensation with the introduction of Batman in issue #27. By then, however, Wheeler-Nicholson had gone, Detective Comics, Inc. was formed, with Wheeler-Nicholson and Jack S. Liebowitz, Donenfelds accountant, listed as owners. Major Wheeler-Nicholson remained for a year, but cash-flow problems continued, shortly afterward, Detective Comics, Inc. purchased the remains of National Allied, also known as Nicholson Publishing, at a bankruptcy auction. Detective Comics, Inc. soon launched a fourth title, Action Comics, Action Comics #1, the first comic book to feature the new character archetype—soon known as superheroes—proved a sales hit. The company quickly introduced such popular characters as the Sandman and Batman. That year, Gaines let Liebowitz buy him out, and kept only Picture Stories from the Bible as the foundation of his own new company, at that point, Liebowitz promptly orchestrated the merger of All-American and Detective Comics into National Comics. Next he took charge of organizing National Comics, Independent News, National Periodical Publications became publicly traded on the stock market in 1961. The company began to move aggressively against what it saw as copyright-violating imitations from other companies, such as Fox Comics Wonder Man and this extended to DC suing Fawcett Comics over Captain Marvel, at the time comics top-selling character. Despite the fact that parallels between Captain Marvel and Superman seemed more tenuous, the courts ruled that substantial and deliberate copying of copyrighted material had occurred, faced with declining sales and the prospect of bankruptcy if it lost, Fawcett capitulated in 1955 and ceased comics publication
6.
American comic book
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An American comic book is a thin periodical, typically 32-pages, containing primarily comics content. While the form originated in 1933, American comic books first gained popularity after the 1938 publication of Action Comics and this was followed by a superhero boom that lasted until the end of World War II. After the war, while superheroes were marginalized, the book industry rapidly expanded, and genres such as horror, crime. The 1950s saw a decline, due to a shift away from print media in the wake of television. The late 1950s and the 1960s saw a revival. Since the later 20th century, comic books have gained note as collectable items, Comic shops cater to fans, and particularly valuable issues have fetched in excess of a million dollars. Systems of grading comic books have emerged with plastic sleeves and cardboard backing available to maintain the condition of comic books, standard comics are 6.625 inches ×10.25 inches and about 32 pages long. While comics can be the work of a creator, the labour of making them is frequently divided between a number of specialists. There may be a writer and artist, or there may be separate artists for the characters. The process begins with the coming up with an idea or concept, then working it into a plot and story. After the art production, letters are placed on the page, the creative team, the writers and artists, may work with a comic book publisher for help with marketing, advertising, and other logistics. A distributor like Diamond Comic Distributors, the largest in the U. S. helps to distribute the product to retailers. Another part of the involved in successful comics is the interaction between the readers/fans and the creator. Fan art and letters to the editor were printed in the back of the book until the early 21st century. Comic specialty stores did help encourage several waves of independently-produced comics, the development of the modern American comic book happened in stages. The G. W. Dillingham Company published the first known proto-comic-book magazine in the U. S, the Yellow Kid in McFaddens Flats, in 1897. The 196-page, square-bound, black-and-white publication, which also includes text by E. W. Townsend, measured 5×7 inches. The neologism comic book appears on the back cover, despite the publication of a series of related Hearst comics soon afterward, the first monthly proto-comic book, Embee Distributing Companys Comic Monthly, did not appear until 1922
7.
Perry White
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Perry White is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is the editor-in-chief of the Metropolis newspaper the Daily Planet and he maintains a very high ethical and journalistic standards and is an archetypal image of the tough, irascible but fair-minded boss. The character Perry White was created for the serial, The Adventures of Superman voiced by actor Julian Noa. He appeared in the episode which aired on February 14,1940. He transitioned into the books later that year appearing in Superman #7. In The Adventures of Superman television series episode Crime Wave and the Post-Crisis comic continuity and he worked as an assistant editor in the Daily Star under George Taylor before becoming editor-in-chief of the Daily Planet. His most well-known catchphrases are Great Caesars ghost. and Dont call me chief, the earliest Superman comics shows Clark Kent and Lois Lane working for the newspaper the Daily Star and an editor named George Taylor. However, this was changed, with Perry White first appearing as the editor of a newly renamed the Daily Planet. The Perry White of Earth-Two is a reporter for the Daily Star and. Prior to the changes detailed in Crisis on Infinite Earths, Perry begins his career as a reporter for various newspapers, including a Chicago newspaper. Later still, Perrys reporting skills earn more praise after being the first to discover that Superboy has moved to Metropolis from Smallville. Finally, during Clark Kents junior year of college, Perry is promoted to editor-in-chief of the newspaper, after the retirement of the previous editor. In the early 1970s, the Daily Planet is bought by Morgan Edge, president of the media conglomerate Galaxy Communications, with much of Perrys power in running the paper overtaken by Edge. In the months just prior to the Crisis reboot in 1985, it is implied that Perry White is beginning to succumb to Alzheimers disease, manifesting in increased forgetfulness and confusion. With writer John Byrnes post-Crisis on Infinite Earths revamp of Supermans origin in the Man of Steel miniseries and his subsequent Superman comics, Post-Crisis, Perry is born in Metropolis Suicide Slum area, growing up with a father missing after heading off to war overseas. He becomes a copy boy at the Daily Planet, beginning a career that will take him up the newspapers career ladder. Perry goes to school with Lex Luthor while they are children, after Luthor becomes a successful businessman, he begins diversifying his holdings in his newly founded LexCorp company, which includes buying the Daily Planet. Luthor soon sells it after deciding to pursue technology and television investments, the entire episode, not the least of which is what Perry felt as having been forced out of his active writing career, leaves Perry bitter and angry with Luthor
8.
Jimmy Olsen
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James Bartholomew Jimmy Olsen is a fictional character who appears mainly in DC Comics’ Superman stories. Olsen is a young photojournalist working for the Daily Planet and he is close friends with Lois Lane and Clark Kent/Superman, and has a good working relationship with his boss Perry White. Olsen looks up to his coworkers as role models and parent figures, in most depictions of the character, he has a strong friendship with Superman. In many Silver Age of Comic Books, Jimmy was often seen sharing adventures with Superman and this was particularly pronounced in the series Supermans Pal Jimmy Olsen published from 1954 to 1974, which saw Olsen in a variety of slapstick adventures and strange transformations. Like most DC characters, modern portrayals of Olsen have been more serious in tone, an important part of the Superman mythos, Jimmy Olsen has appeared in most other media adaptations of the character. Olsen is a common Danish-Norwegian surname, however, there is never any reference to the character having a Scandinavian ancestry, other than the name. The character was first introduced as Jimmy Olsen in the radio show The Adventures of Superman on April 15,1940 mainly so the Man of Steel would have someone to talk to, but after a handful of appearances, he disappeared again. In addition to Larson, he was portrayed by Tommy Bond in the two Superman film serials, Superman and Atom Man vs. During the Silver Age, beginning in 1954, Jimmy stars in his own book, Supermans Pal Jimmy Olsen. This version of Jimmy Olsen even had his own fan club, Jack Kirby began by introducing a secret D. N. A. Project to create Mutated Humans for Good, adding The Hairies, superbeings from other planets, Intergang, about halfway through his run, Kirby introduced vampires, the Loch Ness Monster, and Victor Volcanum, the fire-eating archcriminal. Readership quickly dropped back to its pre-Kirby levels, kirbys tenure on the series ended with issue #148, and with issue #164 Jimmys book was folded into the anthology title The Superman Family. In that series, Olsen became a serious character who battled criminals as an investigative reporter known as Mr. Action in urban crime stories that rarely involved Superman. Jimmy Olsen appeared in new stories in The Superman Family #164,167,170,173,176,179, following Crisis on Infinite Earths, the entire Superman mythos was rebooted from scratch in the limited series The Man of Steel. Despite recent modernization efforts on Superman and his characters, Jimmy Olsen has not been significantly changed in the Modern Age. He is still a cub reporter working for The Daily Planet and his look was made over as he stopped wearing bowties, and started wearing casual clothing. An interesting alteration to the relationship was that Jimmy designed the signal watch himself, Superman briefly considered confiscating the watch, but decided to trust Jimmy to use it responsibly. He also took the identity of Turtle Boy in a series of pizza commercials, in the 1990s, Jimmy quit the Planet in a dispute over a story and went to Metropolis broadcaster Galaxy Broadcasting, where he worked as an on-air investigative reporter
9.
Morgan Edge
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Morgan Edge is a fictional character, a DC Comics supervillain, leader of the mob known as Intergang and one of Supermans enemies. Morgan Edge first appeared in Supermans Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 and was created by Jack Kirby, in his original incarnation, Edge was the president of the Galaxy Broadcasting System, the media corporation which eventually bought the Daily Planet. Following the takeover of the Planet, Edge transferred Kent to the division, making him a traveling correspondent. Although rarely integral to a plotline, Edge was a character in many Superman stories. For example, this attempted to have Jimmy Olsen, the Guardian and, incidentally, a random Daily Planet employee named Goody Rickels. In a back-up story in Action Comics #468, it was revealed that Morgan Edges birth name was Morris Edelstein, after he won his first TV station in a game of poker, he changed his name to Morgan Edge and kept the details of his past closely guarded. He was eventually exposed by the Daily Planet, in articles by Clark Kent and Cat Grant, after his release from jail, Morgan Edge returned as sponsor of the Superman Revenge Squad. Recently, Morgan Edge has resurfaced as a media pundit, with the show Edge of Reason. He is also seen in a panel in Adventure Comics #1. This version is depicted as an African American, in Lois & Clark, The New Adventures of Superman, a character similar to Morgan Edge, named Bill Church, Jr. appeared as the head of the Intergang crime organization. His father Bill Church, Sr. was played by Peter Boyle, like Morgan Edge, Bill Church, Jr. owned a TV station, which was called Multiworld Communications instead of the comics Galaxy Communications. Morgan Edge has appeared in Justice League episode Secret Society Pt.1 voiced by an uncredited Brian George. Edge is portrayed as a collector of unique oddities, but one who has no moral qualms against collecting sentient beings as if they were property. Gorilla Grodd and his Secret Society broke into his mansion to free Clayface from his prison and he attempted to flee on a boat while disguised as a chef, but Killer Frost froze the water and Morgans alligator shoes gave away his identity to the Secret Society. Gorilla Grodd had him lead them to where Clayface was stored, as the other Secret Society members enter the room, Killer Frost entraps Morgan Edge in ice, presumably freezing him to death. Morgan Edge is a villain in Smallville initially played by Rutger Hauer in the first appearance. He has appeared as a Metropolis crime lord, and old friend of Lionel Luthor, in the episode Exile, Clark Kent stole the money from a bank while one of Edges gangs were in the middle of a heist. Edge approached Clark in his apartment and offered him a job, at first Clark turned him down, but after Lana found him, he decided he could use the money to disappear and meets Edge to accept his offer
10.
Lucy Lane
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Lucy Lane is a fictional supporting character in DC Comics. She is the sister of Lois Lane, and one of several characters who have assumed the Superwoman identity. Lucy Lane was created by Otto Binder and Curt Swan and she was introduced in Supermans Pal Jimmy Olsen #36. She is the daughter of Ella and Sam Lane, and the sister of Lois Lane. In the Silver Age stories, Lucy was presented as a stewardess who was an on-again, off-again romantic interest of Jimmy Olsen. Lucys Silver Age appearances often revolved around Jimmys various attempts at romancing her, the character was believed to have died in Supermans Girl Friend, Lois Lane #120 but was later revived in a story in Supermans Pal Jimmy Olsen #160. Lucy was reintroduced into DC Comics continuity in The Man of Steel #5, Lucy was an air traffic controller, but became affected by a mysterious blindness that was cured as a side-effect of the destruction of a Bizarro clone. Lucy returned to her job and had a relationship with Jimmy Olsen. After many encounters with such as Sleez, Deathstroke, and even becoming a vampire bride. When Lucy became pregnant, her father was enraged although Lucy explained Theres not a racist bone in Daddys body. He hates all his daughters beaus, Sam Lane eventually overcame his anger when Lucy and Ron were married and their child was born. After a long disappearance from the storylines, Lucy Lane returns in the one shot Superman. Her past with Ron Troupe is unclear, they are possibly estranged and her long disappearance is explained by her joining the military, in a desperate, post-mortem attempt to appease her dead fathers desire to have a son able to carry on his career in the military. Bitter and angrier than in her appearances, she still blames Lois for General Sam Lanes apparent death during the war against Imperiex. Essentially, she thinks Lois broke his heart by putting her love for Superman before her duties as a daughter, unbeknownst to her, their father is still alive, and working with the government. Lucy first appeared as Superwoman in Supergirl #35, her costume a nod to that of the Bronze Age Superwoman Kristin Wells, Lucys identity was not revealed until near the story arcs end. During her tenure as Superwoman, she was ordered by her father, General Sam Lane, to kill Agent Liberty and she later attacked Reactron, which tipped off readers that Superwoman was not Kryptonian (in that the villains Gold Kryptonite power source had no effect on her. Supergirl unmasks Superwoman, and accidentally kills her by rupturing the containment field of her suit, causing Lucys body to contort, in Supergirl Annual #1 readers are given the current modern backstory of Lucy Lane
11.
Lana Lang
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Lana Lang is a fictional supporting character in DC Comics Superman comics series. Created by writer Bill Finger and artist John Sikela, the character first appears in Superboy #10, Lana is one of many Superman characters with the alliterative initials LL, the most notable other examples being Supermans primary love interest Lois Lane and nemesis, Lex Luthor. In Modern revisions of DC Comics continuity, she and Clark are shown to have remained friends since their teenage years, the stories varies across different revisions of Supermans origin story. She has been featured in most other adaptations of Superboy. These portrayals include the Adventures of Superboy television series, played by Stacy Haiduk, and the WB television series Smallville, played by Kristin Kreuk. In Smallville she was teenage Clark Kents principal romantic interest throughout the shows first seven seasons and she has also appeared in many adaptations of Superman stories, although her role is generally smaller. In Superman, The Movie Lana was played by Diane Sherry, in the 1983 film Superman III, she is played by Annette OToole, who would later portray Martha Kent on Smallville. In the original Superboy stories, Lana was the girl who lived next door to the Kent family in Smallville, and was a romantic interest of Superboy. In the Silver Age stories, Lana often behaved like a version of Lois Lane, spending much of her time trying to prove that Superboy and Clark Kent were one. At one point, Lana once rescued an insect-like alien trapped by a tree in Smallville. In gratitude, the gave her a bio-genetic ring which allowed Lana to gain insect characteristics. Lana created a yellow costume and mask, and took the name Insect Queen. Lana also had adventures with Superboy, and several with the futuristic superhero team the Legion of Super-Heroes. Also appearing in some Silver Age stories was Lanas uncle, Professor Potter, after Clark and Lana graduated from high school, Lana went to college, and eventually became a television reporter for Metropolis TV station WMET-TV. As an adult, Lana became a rival to Lois Lane for Supermans affection in various 1960s stories, often appearing in the title Supermans Girlfriend, during the 1970s and early 1980s, Lana became an anchorwoman for WGBS-TVs evening news in Metropolis, as a co-anchor to Clark Kent. Her attraction to Superman during this time had died off. Lana later became linked to the alien super-hero Vartox. Eventually, she and Clark Kent became romantically involved in prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths
12.
Krypto
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Krypto, also known as Superdog, is a fictional character and superhero. He is Supermans pet dog in the various Superman comic books published by DC Comics, Kryptos breed is never specifically given in the comic books, and he is drawn as a white dog of generic pedigree. Kryptos first appearance was in a Superboy story in Adventure Comics #210 where he was created by Otto Binder and Curt Swan. On Krypton, parallel evolution led to the emergence of analogous species to Terran cats, simians, birds and dogs, as explained in his first appearance, Krypto was originally the toddler Kal-Els dog while they were on Krypton. Jor-El, testing prototypes for the rocket that would eventually send Kal-El to Earth, however, Kryptos rocket was knocked off-course, the rocket drifted through space for years until it eventually landed on Earth, where Krypto was reunited with the now-teenaged superhero, Superboy. Certain sensory abilities of Kryptos would be more acute than those of Superman, Krypto also had super-canine intelligence, the comics expressed this via the use of thought balloons indicating what Krypto was thinking. Krypto was drawn as a dog of generic pedigree. The early appearances of the character in the comics usually featured exaggerated anthropomorphic facial expressions, when fighting crime, Krypto usually wore a gold collar, a miniature facsimile of the famed Superman-S symbol for a dog tag, and a dog-sized version of Supermans cape. Whenever he was on Earth and wanted to appear as a dog, Krypto would simply pull his collar and its attached cape off. In one story, he was gifted with a collar which contained a retractable cape within the collar that could be unfurled or hidden by pressing a stud on the collar. When not accompanying Superboy/Superman, Krypto spent much of his time romping through space, while on Earth, however, he stayed with the Kent family, posing as their pet dog, Skip. Krypto had the distinction of belonging to two organizations of super-animals, the 30th century Legion of Super-Pets, and the Space Canine Patrol Agents, after the 1971 revamp of Superman by editor Julius Schwartz, Krypto made no appearances for several years. The character returned suffering from amnesia in a two-part Green Arrow backup story in Action Comics #440 and 441 and his memory was restored in Superman #287. Krypto had his own feature in The Superman Family #182 to #192, in the final pre-Crisis Superman story, Alan Moores Whatever Happened To The Man of Tomorrow. Krypto sacrificed his life to save Superman by biting the throat out of the Kryptonite Man, the villain died but Krypto was irradiated by him and died as well. In Superboy #126 Kryptos Family Tree, Kryptos fathers name was given as Zypto, his grandfather as Nypto and this was the same pocket reality from which the Matrix Supergirl originated. The second modern Krypto was a white pet dog, rescued. Originally, Bibbo had wanted to name the dog Krypton after Supermans home planet, however, the engraver of the dog tag intentionally dropped the letter n, so he was trying to extort more money from Bibbo, an angry Bibbo refused to comply and renamed the dog Krypto
13.
Justice League
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The Justice League, also known as the Justice League of America, is a fictional superhero team appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The Justice League was conceived by writer Gardner Fox, and first appeared in The Brave, the team is an assemblage of superheroes who join together as the Justice League. The seven original members were Batman, Aquaman, the Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Superman, and Wonder Woman. The team roster has rotated throughout the years, consisting of many superheroes from the DC Universe like Atom, Black Canary, Shazam, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Cyborg, the Justice League received its own comic book title called Justice League of America in November 1960. With the 2011 relaunch of its titles, DC Comics released a volume of Justice League. In July 2016, the DC Rebirth initiative relaunched the Justice League comic book titles with the volume of Justice League. Since its inception, the team has featured in various television programs. Various comic book featuring the Justice League have remained generally popular with fans since inception and, in most incarnations. A live-action film was also in the works around 2008 before being shelved, on June 6,2012, Warner Bros. announced a new live action Justice League film was in development with Will Beall hired as screenwriter. However, the project was scrapped again, after the success of the Superman reboot Man of Steel, a film titled Batman v Superman, Dawn of Justice was released in March 2016, directed by Zack Snyder. Batman v Superman script writer Chris Terrio has also penned the script for Justice League, in a story told in flashback in Justice League of America #9, the Appelaxians infiltrated Earth. Competing alien warriors were sent to see who could conquer Earth first, the aliens attacks drew the attentions of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, Aquaman, and Martian Manhunter. While the superheroes individually defeated most of the invaders, the heroes fell prey to a single competitors attack, for many years, the heroes heralded this adventure as the event that prompted them to agree to pool resources when confronted with similar menaces. When the group formalized their agreement, they suppressed news of it because of anti-Martian hysteria, while most subsequent accounts of the League have made little mention of this first adventure, the animated Justice League series adapted this tale as the origin of the Justice League as well. Secret Origins #32 updated Justice League of America #9s origin for post-Crisis continuity, differences included the inclusion of the Silver Age Black Canary as a founding member and the absence of Batman, Wonder Woman and Superman. The JLA, Year One limited series, by Mark Waid, Brian Augustyn and Barry Kitson, in Justice League Task Force #16, during Zero Hour, a then unknown superhuman named Triumph appeared. Triumph was revealed to have been a member of the Justice League and was their leader. On his first mission with the Justice League, Triumph seemingly saved the world but was teleported into a limbo that also affected the timestream
14.
Legion of Super-Heroes
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The Legion of Super-Heroes is a fictional superhero team appearing in books published by DC Comics. Initially, the team was associated with the original Superboy character. Later, the Legions origin and back story were fleshed out, eventually, Superboy was removed from the team altogether and appeared only as an occasional guest star. The team has two major reboots during its run. The original version was replaced with a new rebooted version following the events of the Zero Hour storyline in 1994, a fourth version of the team, nearly identical to the original version, was introduced in 2007. Superboy was the series in Adventure Comics in the 1950s. Their club had formed with Superboy as an inspiration. After a series of tests, Superboy was awarded membership and returned to his own time, although intended as a one-off story focusing on Superboy, the Legion proved so popular that it returned for an encore in Adventure Comics #267. In this story, Lightning Boy had been renamed Lightning Lad, the Legions popularity grew, and they appeared in further stories in Adventure Comics, Action Comics, and other titles edited by Mort Weisinger over the next few years. Even Supergirl was recruited as a member, in Adventure Comics #300, the Legion received their own regular feature, cover-billed Superboy in Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes. While they would share space with Superboy solo stories for a couple of years, Lightning Lad was killed in Adventure Comics #304 and revived in issue #312. It was the Adventure Comics run which established the Legions general workings, a club of teenagers, they operated out of a clubhouse in the shape of an inverted yellow rocket ship which looked as if it had been driven into the ground. The position of Legion leader rotated among the membership, each Legionnaire had to possess one natural superpower which no other member possessed, despite this, several members had overlapping powers, particularly Superboy, Supergirl, Mon-El, and Ultra Boy. The Legion was based on Earth and protected an organization of humans and aliens called the United Planets, the regular police force in the United Planets was the Science Police. The setting for each story was 1000 years from the date of publication, in Adventure Comics #346, Jim Shooter,14 years old at the time, wrote his first Legion story. Soon thereafter, Shooter became the writer of the Legion stories, with Curt Swan. The Legions last appearance in Adventure Comics was #380, and they were displaced by Supergirl in the next issue, the early 1970s saw the Legion relegated to the status of back-up feature. First, the stories were moved to Action Comics for issues #377–392
15.
Marilyn Monroe
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Marilyn Monroe was an American actress and model. Famous for playing comic dumb blonde characters, she one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s. Although she was an actress for only a decade, her films grossed $200 million by the time of her unexpected death in 1962. She continues to be considered a popular culture icon. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Monroe spent most of her childhood in foster homes, while working in a factory in 1944 as part of the war effort, she was introduced to a photographer from the First Motion Picture Unit and began a successful pin-up modeling career. The work led to short-lived film contracts with Twentieth Century-Fox and Columbia Pictures, after a series of minor film roles, she signed a new contract with Fox in 1951. Over the next two years, she became an actress with roles in several comedies, including As Young as You Feel and Monkey Business. Monroe faced a scandal when it was revealed that she had posed for photos before becoming a star, but rather than damaging her career. Although she played a significant role in the creation and management of her public image throughout her career, she was disappointed at being typecast and underpaid by the studio. She was briefly suspended in early 1954 for refusing a film project, when the studio was still reluctant to change her contract, Monroe founded a film production company in late 1954, she named it Marilyn Monroe Productions. She dedicated 1955 to building her company and began studying acting at the Actors Studio. In late 1955, Fox awarded her a new contract, which gave her more control and a larger salary. After a critically acclaimed performance in Bus Stop and acting in the first independent production of MMP, The Prince and her last completed film was the drama The Misfits. Monroes troubled private life received much attention and she struggled with substance abuse, depression, and anxiety. She had two highly publicized marriages, to retired baseball star Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller, both of which ended in divorce and she died at the age of 36 on August 5,1962, from an overdose of barbiturates at her home in Los Angeles. Although Monroes death was ruled a suicide, several conspiracy theories have been proposed in the decades following her death. Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson at the Los Angeles County Hospital on June 1,1926, Gladys, the daughter of two poor Midwestern migrants to California, was a flapper and worked as a film negative cutter at Consolidated Film Industries. When she was fifteen, Gladys married a man nine years her senior, John Newton Baker and she filed for divorce in 1921, and Baker took the children with him to his native Kentucky
16.
Adventure Comics
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Adventure Comics is an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1938 to 1983 and revived from 2009 to 2011. In its first era, the series ran for 503 issues, making it the fifth-longest-running DC series, behind Detective Comics, Action Comics, Superman, and Batman. It was revived in 2009 by writer Geoff Johns with the Conner Kent incarnation of Superboy headlining the main feature. It returned to its numbering with #516. The series finally ended with #529, prior to DCs The New 52 company reboot, Adventure Comics began its nearly 50-year run in December 1935 under the title New Comics, which was only the second comic book series published by National Allied Publications, now DC Comics. The series was retitled New Adventure Comics with its 12th issue in January 1937, issue #32 saw the title changed again to Adventure Comics, which would remain the books name for the duration of its existence. Originally a humor series, it evolved into an adventure series. The series focus gradually shifted to superhero stories starting with the debut of the Sandman in issue #40. A pivotal issue of the series was #103, when Superboy, Green Arrow, Johnny Quick, starmans and Sandmans series were canceled to make room for the new features, while Genius Jones moved to the comic the new arrivals had just vacated. Superboy became the star of the book, and would appear on each cover into 1969, superboys popularity in Adventure resulted in the character receiving his own title in 1949, when superhero titles in general were losing popularity. Krypto, the Superdog debuted in issue #210 in a story by Otto Binder, in issue #247, by Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, Superboy met the Legion of Super-Heroes, a team of super-powered teens from the future. The group became popular, and would replace Tales of the Bizarro World as the Adventure backup feature with #300, lightning Lad, one of the Legions founding members, was killed in Adventure Comics #304 and revived in issue #312. In Adventure Comics #346, Jim Shooter,14 years old at the time, Shooter wrote the story in which Ferro Lad died – the first real death of a Legionnaire – and introduced the Fatal Five. The Legion feature lasted until issue #380, with the next issue, Supergirl migrated from the backup slot in Action Comics to the starring feature in Adventure and ran until issue #424. The series reached its 400th issue in December 1970 and featured a Supergirl story written, as of #425, the books theme changed from superhero adventure to fantasy/supernatural adventure. That issue debuted one new feature along with three stories, the pirate saga Captain Fear. The next edition added a series, The Adventurers Club. Soon, editor Joe Orlando was trying out horror-tinged costumed heroes such as the Black Orchid, before long, conventional superheroes returned to the book, beginning behind the Spectre, first a three-issue run of Aquaman and then a newly drawn 1940s Seven Soldiers of Victory script
17.
Jerry Siegel
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He was inducted into the comic book industrys Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Jack Kirby Hall of Fame in 1993. Siegel was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest of six children of Jewish immigrants from the Russian Empire and he was preceded by sisters Minerva and Roslyn, both in Lithuania, brothers Harry and Leo, and sister Isabel. His father was a painter who opened a haberdashery and encouraged his sons artistic inclinations. Mitchell died of an attack brought on by the robbery of his store. Siegel was a fan of movies, comic strips, and especially science fiction pulp magazines and he became active in what would become known as fandom, corresponding with other science fiction fans, including the young future author Jack Williamson. In 1929, Siegel published what might have been the first SF fanzine, Cosmic Stories and he published several other booklets over the next few years. Siegel attended Glenville High School in Cleveland, Ohio and worked for its student newspaper. He was a shy, not particularly popular student, but he achieved a bit of fame among his peers for his popular Tarzan parody, at about age 16, while at Glenville, he befriended his later collaborator, Joe Shuster. Siegel described his friendship with the shy and bespectacled Shuster, When Joe and I first met. Siegel and Shuster created a bald telepathic villain referred to as the Superman and he appeared in the short story The Reign of the Superman from Science Fiction #3, a science fiction fanzine that Siegel published in 1933. Tossing and turning in bed one night in 1934, he thought of the familiar character by that name. Siegel and Shuster then began a four-year quest to find a publisher, titling it The Superman, Siegel and Shuster offered it to Consolidated Book Publishing, who had published a 48-page black-and-white comic book entitled Detective Dan, Secret Operative No.48. Although the duo received a letter, Consolidated never again published comic books. Shuster took this to heart and burned all pages of the story, Siegel and Shuster each compared this character to Slam Bradley, an adventurer the pair had created for Detective Comics #1. The following year, Siegel & Shuster initiated the syndicated Superman comic strip, Siegel also created the ghostly avenger The Spectre during this same period. As part of the deal which saw Superman published in Action Comics, Siegel and Shuster sold the rights to the company in return for $130, Siegel and Shusters status as children of Jewish immigrants is also thought to have influenced their work. One scholar has argued that they crafted an immigrant figure whose desire was to fit into American culture as an American, in 1946, Siegel and Shuster, nearing the end of their 10-year contract to produce Superman stories, sued National over rights to the characters. In 1947, the team had rejoined editor Sullivan, by now the founder and publisher of the comic-book company Magazine Enterprises, when he sued DC over the Superman rights again in 1967, his relationship with the hero he had co-created was again severed
18.
Lex Luthor
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Alexander Joseph Lex Luthor is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, Lex Luthor first appeared in Action Comics #23 and has endured as the archenemy of Superman. The character is a wealthy, power-mad American business magnate, engineer, philanthropist to the city of Metropolis, given his high status as a supervillain, he also comes into conflict with Batman and other superheroes in the DC Universe. Lex Luthor has traditionally lacked superpowers or an identity and typically appears with a bald head. He periodically wears his Warsuit, a battle suit giving him enhanced strength, flight. Lex Luthor is the owner of a corporation called LexCorp, with Mercy Graves as his personal assistant, Luthor has carefully crafted his public persona in order to avoid suspicion and arrest. He is well known for his philanthropy, donating vast sums of money to Metropolis over the years, funding parks, foundations, and charities. The character was ranked 4th on IGNs list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time, Luthor is one of a few genre-crossing villains whose adventures take place in a world in which the ordinary laws of nature are slightly suspended. In his first appearance, Action Comics #23, Luthor is depicted as a genius and is referred to only by his surname. He resides in a city suspended by a dirigible and plots to provoke a war between two European nations. Lois Lane and Clark Kent investigate, which results in Lois being kidnapped, Luthor battles Superman with a green ray but Luthor is ultimately defeated by him, and Lois is rescued. Superman destroys Luthors dirigible with him still on it, implying Luthor may have died, Luthor returns in Superman #4 and steals a weapon from the U. S. Army that is capable of causing earthquakes. Superman battles and defeats Luthor, and the device is destroyed by Superman. The scientist who made the device commits suicide to prevent its reinvention. In a story in the issue, Luthor is also shown to have created a city on the sunken Lost Continent of Pacifo and to have recreated prehistoric monsters. Superman thwarts his plans, and Luthor appears to have killed by the dinosaurs he created. Luthor returns in Superman #5 with a plan to place hypnotic gas in the offices of influential people and he intends to throw the nation into a depression with the help of corrupt financier Moseley, but the story ends with Superman defeating him. Luthors obsessive hatred of Superman came later in the characters development, in Luthors earliest appearances, he is shown as a middle-aged man with a full head of red hair
19.
Elseworlds
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Elseworlds was the publication imprint for American comic books produced by DC Comics for stories that took place outside the DC Universe canon. The Gotham by Gaslight graphic novel, featuring Batman, is considered to be the first official Elseworlds story, the Elseworlds name was trademarked in 1989, the same year as the first Elseworlds publication. These out-of-continuity stories eventually came to be called Imaginary Stories, the title page of Superman, Cartoon Hero. In addition to things, when the opening credits roll and state that the cartoons are based on DC Comics. Clark Kent then wonders if the people there are clairvoyant, in the final panel, Clark Kent exchanges a knowing wink with the image of himself as Superman on the movie screen. Craig Shutt, author of the Comics Buyers Guide column Ask Mr. Silver Age, states that true imaginary stories differed from stories that were dreams, dreams and hoaxes were gyps on account of not having happened whilst true imaginary stories were canonical at least unto themselves. Also, since they were just imaginary and thus had no bearing on the characters’ regular stories, imaginary stories could show things like people dying, most of these imaginary stories featured alternate histories of characters, such as The Amazing Story of Superman-Red and Superman Blue. There, readers saw possible pasts that could have happened, one such story has Superman being raised by apes in imitation of Tarzan, an idea that would be recycled into a later Elseworlds tale where Tarzan and Superman were switched at birth. Possible present times were shown, such as one story where Jonathan and Martha Kent, touched by pity, adopt a recently orphaned Bruce Wayne and raise him along with their own son, Clark. In keeping with the fact that imaginary stories allowed for much grimmer stories that usual, possible futures that could very well happen were explored, such as Clark Kent revealing to Lois Lane his secret identity and marrying her. Futures that perhaps never will happen were also examined such as the permanent death of Superman, a few Imaginary Stories appeared in other DC publications. Batman editor Jack Schiff supervised stories in which the Dark Knight starts a family or loses his identity, schiffs stories were notable for the first appearance of the original Bruce Wayne Junior. Writer/editor Robert Kanigher supervised Wonder Womans own series of Imaginary Stories called Impossible Tales which featured the same principle, there, Wonder Woman appeared along with her younger selves, Wonder Girl and Wonder Tot. However, the majority of Imaginary Stories were published in various Superman comics under the guidance of Superman editor Mort Weisinger and this was in part because, according to Shutt, Weisinger aimed for younger readers instead of older ones. Later editors such as Julius Schwartz rarely used the Imaginary Stories concept, alan Moores Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow. Two-part story in Superman #423 and Action Comics #583 in 1986 was the last pre-Crisis story to use the Imaginary Stories label. The title was not originally published as an Elseworlds comic, but its success led to the creation of the Elseworlds imprint, the first book to feature the Elseworlds logo was Batman, Holy Terror in 1991. In 1994, the Elseworlds imprint was used as the theme for the annual comic books of that summer
20.
Krypton (comics)
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Krypton, a planet in the DC Universe and the native world of Superman, is named after the element krypton, which is abundant in its atmosphere. Krypton is also the world of Supergirl, Krypto the Superdog. It has been described as having been destroyed just after Supermans flight from the planet, although the exact details of its destruction vary by time period, writers. Kryptonians were the dominant species on Krypton, the planet was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and was first referred to in Action Comics #1. The planet made its first full appearance in Superman #1, Krypton is usually portrayed in comics as having exploded as a result of a nuclear chain reaction caused by the planets unstable radioactive core. Kryptonian civilizations reported level of advancement has also varied. Some works, such as Kevin J, in its first appearance, Krypton was only depicted at the moment of its destruction. Soon, beginning in the Superman comic strip, Krypton was shown to have been a similar to Earth, only older by eons. In the early version of Krypton, Supermans parents were named Jor-L. The Golden Age Krypton would be revised into another form almost as soon as it was defined, however, after the introduction of DCs multiverse in the 1960s, this version of Krypton was declared to be the Krypton of the Earth-Two universe and its Superman. After the emergence of Earth-Two as an alternate universe within the DC Multiverse. It was later established that she was brought up by Earth Twos Superman and Lois Lane, kal-L and Kara Zor-L were the only known survivors of Krypton-Two, unlike the Silver Age analogue. Presumably, Jor-L never discovered the Phantom Zone on Krypton-Two, nor was it used to imprison Kryptonian criminals by exiling them to that extra-dimensional prison. In the Golden Age, Superman was unaware initially of his origins, in Superman #61, Superman discovered the existence of Krypton for the first time. He later encountered other survivors prior to Karas arrival in the form of three criminals, U-Ban, Kizo, and Mala, who were exiled by Supermans father before Kryptons destruction. Over the course of the 1940s and 1950s, various alterations and additions to the makeup of Krypton were made in the comics, among them was an explanation of why the natives of Krypton perished if they had possessed superpowers on their native world. Thus, it was explained by the early 1950s that Kryptonians were powerless on their own planet and this matched the correct theories being published that when man reaches the Moon he will be able to lift great masses and leap great distances. In the early 1960s, added to this was the need to be exposed to the rays of a sun to gain super powers
21.
Crisis on Infinite Earths
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It was produced by DC Comics to herald a simplification of its then 50-year-old narrative continuity. The series was written by Marv Wolfman and illustrated by George Pérez, Mike DeCarlo, Dick Giordano, the series removed the multiverse concept from the fictional DC Universe, depicting the death of long-standing characters Supergirl and the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash. Continuity in the DC Universe is divided into pre-Crisis and post-Crisis periods and it inspired the titles of four DC crossover series, Zero Hour, Crisis in Time. Infinite Crisis, Final Crisis, and Convergence, before Crisis on Infinite Earths was published, DC storylines had many continuity problems, no characters backstory was entirely consistent and reliable. DCs oldest superhero, Superman, could not originally fly, his strength came from evolving on a planet with stronger gravity than Earths and he was later depicted flying, with his powers explained as deriving from Earths yellow sun. Supermans history later incorporated his exploits as Superboy, more Krypton survivors were introduced, contradicting the original premise that Superman was the sole survivor of Kryptons destruction. Issues also arose about the age of some characters, batman retained his youth and vitality well into the 1980s despite his World War II heroism, and his sidekick Robin took over 30 years in real time to graduate from high school. Characters such as the Flash, the Atom and Green Lantern appeared in conflicting storylines, with differing origins, the biggest perceived problem was DCs vast array of parallel Earths. Beginning as a story in Flash #123, the Silver Age version of the Flash met his Golden Age counterpart. Marv Wolfman and Len Wein saw Crisis as a chance to clean up DCs convoluted continuity, the term Crisis denoted an inter-dimensional crossover, similar to the annual Justice League–Justice Society crossovers that began with Crisis on Earth-One. Early in planning, a list was made of characters that were part of the DC Universe, the crossover was fleshed out and coordinated at a meeting attended by president Jenette Kahn, Paul Levitz, vice president and executive editor Dick Giordano and DCs editors. According to writer Steve Gerber, Crisis on Infinite Earths got virtually no promotion, how many handouts did you see. How many posters did you see in peoples windows, how much information was really distributed to the press and how much was gotten just by individual reporters going to Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. Despite this the series was successful, renewing interest in the books and attracting readers with the slogan. During a lull in the war the villains unite under Brainiac, the Anti-Monitor tries to use an antimatter cannon to penetrate the limbo universe and destroy the five partially merged Earths. The Flash dies stopping this attempt, a furious Anti-Monitor vows to travel back through time to prevent the creation of the multiverse. The villains fail, and Krona continues his experiment, the five Earths merge into a single shared universe, and the superheroes return to the present, only those present at the dawn of time remember the original realities. A cosmically empowered Anti-Monitor attacks again, transporting the new Earth to the antimatter universe and he falls in a carefully planned counterattack culminating in a battle with Kal-L, Alexander Luthor of Earth-Three and Superboy of Earth-Prime, with help from New Gods adversary Darkseid
22.
DC Comics Presents
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A recurring back-up feature Whatever Happened to. Had stories revealing the status of minor and little-used characters. DC Comics Presents debuted with a July/August 1978 cover date and was edited by Julius Schwartz, the series was launched with a team-up of Superman and the Flash by writer Martin Pasko and artist José Luis García-López. The winner of the DC Comics Presents letter column name contest appeared in the Superman/Hawkman story in issue #11, backup feature began in issue #25 and would appear in most issues for the next two years until its last installment in issue #48. Issue #26 included an insert introduction story to the then-upcoming New Teen Titans series by Marv Wolfman, len Wein and Jim Starlin co-created the supervillain Mongul in issue #27 as part of a three-issue storyline. Another insert in issue #41 previewed the new direction Wonder Woman, in issue #47, Superman traveled to Eternia and met the Masters of the Universe. Ambush Bug made his first appearance in issue #52 and made appearances in issue #59. The Superman/Challengers of the Unknown tale in issue #84 was drawn by Jack Kirby, the series also contained the Alan Moore Superman/Swamp Thing story The Jungle Line in DC Comics Presents #85, pencilled by Rick Veitch and inked by Al Williamson. Issue #87 featured the first appearance and origin of the divergent Kal-El of the Earth Prime reality, who would become known as Superboy-Prime. The final issue is an exception to the format, instead featuring Superman in an Untold Tale involving the Phantom Zone, by Steve Gerber. In 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for eight one-shot issues, in July 2010, DC announced the launch of a new DC Comics Presents, a line of 100-page reprint issues reprinting stories that have not seen print since their original publication. Writer Mike Tiefenbacher had several proposals for other Whatever Happened To and these included Captain Action, Blackhawk, Genius Jones, Nighthawk, Ragman, the Sea Devils, the Silent Knight, and Wildcat. In September and October 2004, the title DC Comics Presents was revived for a series of eight issues, each a tribute to DC editor Julius Schwartz. In July 2010, DC announced the launch of a new DC Comics Presents series featuring stories that have not seen print since their original publication, DC Comics Presents, Brightest Day #2, which spotlights Martian Manhunter and Firestorm, and reprints Martian Manhunter #24 and Firestorm #11–13. DC Comics Presents, Ethan Van Sciver, which spotlights the art of Ethan Van Sciver and reprints Batman and Catwoman, DC Comics Presents, The Flash and Green Lantern, Faster Friends, which spotlights Kyle Rayner and Wally West, and reprints both issues of the titular mini-series. DC Comics Presents, Green Lantern, which spotlights Kyle Rayner and Jade, DC Comics Presents, Jack Cross, which spotlights Jack Cross and reprints issues #1–4 of his self-titled series. DC Comics Presents, J. H. Williams III, which spotlights the art of J. H. Williams III and reprints Chase #1 and #6–8. DC Comics Presents, Legion of Super-Heroes, which spotlights Dan Abnett, reprints Legion of Super-Heroes #122 and 123 and Legionnaires #79 and 80
23.
World's Finest Comics
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Worlds Finest Comics was an American comic book series published by DC Comics from 1941 to 1986. The series was initially titled Worlds Best Comics for its first issue, issue #2 switched to the familiar name. Most likely the reason for the change was that DC received a cease and desist letter from Better Publications. Virtually every issue featured DCs two leading superheroes, Superman and Batman, with the earliest issues also featuring Batmans sidekick, Robin. The idea for Worlds Best #1 originated from the identically formatted 1940 New York Worlds Fair Comics featuring Superman, Batman, and Robin with 96 pages and a cardboard cover. The year before there was a similar 1939 New York Worlds Fair Comics featuring Superman but without Batman and Robin because Bill Finger, the series was initially a 96-page quarterly anthology, featuring various DC characters - always including Superman and Batman - in separate stories. Comics historian Les Daniels noted that Pairing Superman and Batman made sense financially, the title often depicted Batman gaining superpowers as a way to avoid having him be overshadowed by Superman. Lex Luthor and the Joker first joined forces in issue #88, a new super-villain, the Composite Superman was introduced in #142. Noted Batman artist Neal Adams first drew the character in a story in The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads in issue #175. The title briefly featured Superman teaming with other than Batman in the early 1970s beginning with issue #198. That issue featured the first part of a two-issue team-up with the Flash, nick Cardy was the cover artist for Worlds Finest Comics for issues #212-228. Metamorpho was the feature in issues #218-220 and #229 after the character had a brief run as the backup in Action Comics. The series reverted to Superman and Batman team-ups after issue #214, initially with a unique twist, featuring the children they might one day have, Superman Jr. and Batman Jr. These characters, billed as the Super-Sons, were co-created by writer Bob Haney and artist Dick Dillin in issue #215. Super-Sons stories alternated with tales of the original Superman and Batman through issue #263, with issues #215-216, 221-222,224,228,230,231,233,238,242, and 263 featuring the sons. Haney frequently disregarded continuity by scripting stories which contradicted DCs canon or by writing major heroes in an out-of-character fashion and he introduced Batmans older brother, Thomas Wayne Jr. in Worlds Finest Comics #223. This story was used a basis for a detail in the Court of Owls story arc in 2012. Issues #223 to #228 of the series were in the 100 Page Super Spectacular format, with issue #244, Worlds Finest Comics became one of the first 80-page Dollar Comics
24.
John Byrne (comics)
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John Lindley Byrne is an American comic-book writer and artist. Since the mid-1970s, Byrne has worked on many major superheroes, Byrnes better-known work has been on Marvel Comics’ X-Men and Fantastic Four and the 1986 relaunch of DC Comics’ Superman franchise, the first issue of which featured comics first variant cover. During the 1990s he produced a number of creator-owned works, including Next Men and he scripted the first issues of Mike Mignolas Hellboy series and produced a number of Star Trek comics for IDW Publishing. In 2015, Byrne and his X-Men collaborator Chris Claremont were entered into the Will Eisner Award Hall of Fame, Byrne was born in Walsall, West Midlands, and raised in West Bromwich, England, where he lived with his parents and his maternal grandmother. The Batman story hooked me for life, a couple of years later my family emigrated to Canada and I discovered the vast array of American comics available at the time. His first encounter with Marvel Comics was in 1962 with Stan Lee and he later commented that the book had an edge like nothing DC was putting out at the time. Jack Kirby’s work in particular had a influence on Byrne. Besides Kirby, Byrne was influenced by the style of Neal Adams. In 1970, Byrne enrolled at the Alberta College of Art and he created the superhero parody Gay Guy for the college newspaper, which poked fun at the campus stereotype of homosexuality among art students. Gay Guy is notable for featuring a prototype of the Alpha Flight character Snowbird, while there, he published his first comic book, ACA Comix #1, featuring The Death’s Head Knight. Byrne left the college in 1973 without graduating, a Rog-2000 story written by Stern, with art by Byrne and Layton, had gotten the attention of Charlton Comics editor Nicola Cuti, who extended Byrne an invitation. Written by Cuti, Rog-2000 became one of several alternating backup features in the Charlton Comics superhero series E-Man, while that was Byrnes first published color-comics work, My first professional comic book sale was to Marvel, a short story called Dark Asylum. Which languished in a file somewhere until it was used as filler in Giant-Size Dracula #5. The story was plotted by Tony Isabella and written by David Anthony Kraft, after the Rog-2000 story, Byrne went on to work on the Charlton books Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch, Space,1999, and Emergency. And co-created with writer Joe Gill the post-apocalyptic science-fiction series Doomsday +1, Byrne additionally drew a cover for the supernatural anthology The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves #54. Byrne said he broke into Marvel comics after writer Chris Claremont. saw my work, when Pat Broderick missed a deadline on the Iron Fist series in Marvel Premiere, John Verpoorten fired him and offered the book to me. I turned around the first script in time to meet the deadline, Byrne soon went on to draw series including The Champions and Marvel Team-Up. Byrne first drew the X-Men in Marvel Team-Up #53, for many issues, he was paired with Claremont, with whom he teamed for some issues of the black-and-white Marvel magazine Marvel Preview featuring Star-Lord
25.
The Man of Steel (comics)
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The Man of Steel is a 1986 comic book limited series featuring the DC Comics character Superman. Written and drawn by John Byrne, the series was presented in six issues which were inked by Dick Giordano, the series told the story of Supermans modern origin, which had been rebooted following the 1986 series Crisis on Infinite Earths. The seriess legacy persisted, as it set the new status quo for all of the ongoing Superman comic series for years after it was published. The story stayed in DC Comics continuity as the origin of Superman until it was expanded upon in the 2003 limited series Superman, Birthright, the title is a reference to one of Supermans nicknames which touted his invulnerability making him the Man of Steel. It was later used as the title of a comic series. The character of Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and they originally intended for the character to star in a daily newspaper comic strip. He first appeared in the book, Action Comics #1. This book gave his origin, however it was cut down to one page, in the next few decades, Supermans story was expanded to include new characters and storylines. After Siegel and Shuster left, new writers and artists added their own ideas to the Superman mythos, eventually, these new details began to conflict with earlier stories, especially with the transition of comics from the Golden Age of Comic Books to the Silver Age of Comic Books. These conflicts were resolved in an issue of The Flash #123 and this created an infinite number of worlds on which any number of conflicting stories could occur, which resolved many of these conflicts in the Superman mythos. The multiverse, however, turned out to be too complicated for casual readers of comic books, DC Comics wanted more readers for their comics and decided that they would ease the confusion of new readers by getting rid of the multiverse. They would accomplish this in the 1985 limited series, Crisis on Infinite Earths, DC decided that with the series they could reboot the history of many of its characters, including Superman, leading to The Man of Steel. In the years before Crisis on Infinite Earths led to the reboot of the DC Universe, DC editors, nothing was ever developed until then-publisher and president Jenette Kahn asked for revision proposals from various writers. However, regardless of wanting the same things, how each writer wanted to approach the revision was different, after time had passed with no revision being granted the green light, Wolfman found out John Byrne had left Marvel Comics in May 1985. Because both of them had shared the same ideas and feelings on the character, Wolfman felt that Byrne would make it sell, Byrne accepted and presented DC with his proposal. With DC agreeing with 99% of the revision, Byrne was given the go-ahead for what became The Man of Steel, the mini-series was designed to reboot the Superman mythos using the history-altering effects of Crisis on Infinite Earths as an explanation. Thus, for comics, The Man of Steel is the dividing point between the previous canon of the Silver Age, and the Modern Age. The pre-Crisis stories were drawn to a close in Alan Moores Superman, the story was published in six issues from July to September 1986
26.
Reboot (fiction)
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In serial fiction, to reboot means to discard all continuity in an established series in order to recreate its characters, timeline and backstory from the beginning. The term is used with respect to different forms of fictional media such as comic books, television series, video games. The term is thought to originate from the term for restarting a computer system. Reboots remove any non-essential elements associated with a franchise by starting the franchises continuity over, for audiences, reboots allow easier entry for newcomers unfamiliar with earlier titles in a series. With reboots, filmmakers revamp and reinvigorate a film series in order to new fans. A reboot can renew interest in a series that has grown stale, reboots also allow directors and producers to cast a new set of younger actors for the familiar roles of a film series in order to attract a younger audience. Unlike a remake, however, a reboot often presupposes a working familiarity on the part of the audience with the original work, reboots are common in the video game industry, particularly with franchises that have multiple entries in the series. Reboots in video games are used to refresh the storyline and elements of the game, comic books sometimes use an in-universe explanation for a reboot, such as merging parallel worlds and timelines together or destroying and recreating a fictional universe from the beginning. Artistic license Canon List of modernized adaptations of old works Prequel Reset button technique Retroactive continuity Sequel
27.
Tom Peyer
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Tom Peyer is an American comic book creator and editor. He is probably best known for his 1999 revisioning of Golden Age super-hero Hourman, an editor at DC Comics/Vertigo from 1987 to 1993, he served as assistant editor on Neil Gaimans groundbreaking Sandman. Peyer has also worked for Marvel Comics, Wildstorm, and Bongo Comics, with John Layman, he wrote the 2007-2009 Tek Jansen comic book, based on the Stephen Colbert character. Peyer started drawing cartoons and illustrations for various student underground newspapers in his hometown of Syracuse, New York. His professional career began as a newspaper cartoonist for The Syracuse New Times, in this role, he came to the attention of Roger Stern, a Syracuse resident. Peyer was an editor at DC Comics/Vertigo during the time as Mark Waid. Another long-time collaborator is writer Hart Seely, with whom Peyer created a collection of poetry based on the calls of baseball icon Phil Rizzuto. E. G. I. O. N. E. B. E. L. S. Tom Peyer and Hart Seely, eds, the Selected Verse of Phil Rizzuto. CS1 maint, Uses editors parameter Peyer, Tom, ronald Reagans Contradictionary of the American Language. Sideshow, Cartoons from the Syracuse New Times
28.
Kevin O'Neill (comics)
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Kevin ONeill is an English comic book illustrator best known as the co-creator of Nemesis the Warlock, Marshal Law, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. ONeill began working for the publishing company IPC at the age of 16 as a boy for Buster. By 1976 he was working as a colourist on Disney comics reprints and British childrens comics such as Monster Fun and Whizzer, ONeill initially provided art for pin-ups and covers, including the centre image of Tharg on the cover of the first issue of 2000AD. After a period of being nurtured by Mills, he started branching out drawing short Tharg the Mighty strips, Future Shocks. However it was not until he started work on Ro-Busters in 2000AD issue 88 that ONeill started work on his first major ongoing strip for the title. Mills and ONeills next major work was a story called Terror Tube in issue 167 which was said to be inspired by the song Going Underground by The Jam. The story proved popular and the pair followed Terror Tube up with a two part story featuring Nemesis called Killer Watt and this proved to be even more popular and by now ONeills grotesque style was winning over more and more fans who also wanted to see more of Nemesis. In issue 222 they would get their wish with the first book of an ongoing Nemesis the Warlock series, the strip would eventually rival Judge Dredd in terms of popularity but ONeills art would get him into trouble with IPCs censors who considered his work too violent and disturbing. However ONeill was one of 2000ADs most popular artists and would not only working on Nemesis the Warlock. This meant stopping work upon Nemesis and becoming freelance, although he would return for the occasional one-off episode of Nemesis, the story Shok. was involved in controversy when it was realised that it was the basis of Richard Stanleys 1990 film Hardware. Only after a case, which Stanley lost, were the two given writing credits on the film. Hardware is now considered the first 2000 AD stories to be adapted into film and this proved to be instantly controversial as the Comics Code Authority objected to ONeills art. When DC asked what was wrong and if anything could be changed to get approval, DC pointed out that his art had been passed previously but the Authority stuck by their decision. DC decided to print the comic without the Comics Code Authority stamp, the controversial short story has established continuity points in the DC Universe on which the 2009 storyline Blackest Night was based. 1986 also saw the release of the graphic novel Metalzoic by the team of Mills and this was highly acclaimed and one of the first creator owned stories published by DC. The story would later be reprinted in 2000AD, Mills and ONeill created a six issue mini-series for Epic Comics called Marshal Law which would be their take on superheroes. The pair decided to take Marshal Law from Epic to the newly formed Apocalypse Comics for a one-off special before launching a new weekly comic titled Toxic. with Marshal Law as its flagship character, after 31 issues the title was cancelled and Apocalypse Comics went bankrupt shortly afterward. After this Mills and ONeill took Marshal Law to Dark Horse Comics where the story started in Toxic. was completed, Dark Horse also published several mini-series featuring Marshal Law, and Epic Comics published a two issue series pitting the character against Clive Barkers Pinhead character
29.
Search for extraterrestrial intelligence
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There are great challenges in searching the universe for signs of intelligent life, including their identification and interpretation. As various SETI projects have progressed, their claims have been criticized by researchers as being too euphoric. Scientific investigation of the phenomenon began shortly after the advent of radio in the early 1900s. Focused international efforts to answer a variety of questions have been going on since the 1980s. In 2015, Stephen Hawking and Russian billionaire Yuri Milner announced a well-funded effort, There have been many earlier searches for extraterrestrial intelligence within the Solar System. In 1896, Nikola Tesla suggested that a version of his wireless electrical transmission system could be used to contact beings on Mars. On August 21–23,1924, Mars entered an opposition closer to Earth than at any time in the century before or the next 80 years. In the United States, a National Radio Silence Day was promoted during a 36-hour period from August 21–23, with all radios quiet for five minutes on the hour, every hour. The program was led by David Peck Todd with the assistance of Admiral Edward W. Eberle, with William F. Friedman. A1959 paper by Philip Morrison and Giuseppe Cocconi first pointed out the possibility of searching the microwave spectrum, and proposed frequencies and a set of initial targets. In 1960, Cornell University astronomer Frank Drake performed the first modern SETI experiment, named Project Ozma, a 400 kilohertz band around the marker frequency was scanned, using a single-channel receiver with a bandwidth of 100 hertz. The Soviet scientists took a strong interest in SETI during the 1960s, in the March 1955 issue of Scientific American, John D. Kraus described an idea to scan the cosmos for natural radio signals using a flat-plane radio telescope equipped with a parabolic reflector. Within two years, his concept was approved for construction by Ohio State University, with a total of US$71,000 in grants from the National Science Foundation, construction began on an 8-hectare plot in Delaware, Ohio. This Ohio State University Radio Observatory telescope was called Big Ear, later, it began the worlds first continuous SETI program, called the Ohio State University SETI program. In 1971, NASA funded a SETI study that involved Drake, Bernard M. Oliver of Hewlett-Packard Corporation, the resulting report proposed the construction of an Earth-based radio telescope array with 1,500 dishes known as Project Cyclops. The price tag for the Cyclops array was US$10 billion, Cyclops was not built, but the report formed the basis of much SETI work that followed. The Ohio State SETI program gained fame on August 15,1977, when Jerry Ehman and he quickly circled the indication on a printout and scribbled the exclamation Wow. in the margin. In 1980, Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman founded the U. S, Planetary Society, partly as a vehicle for SETI studies
30.
Infinite Crisis
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The main miniseries debuted in October 2005, and each issue was released with two variant covers, one by Pérez, and one by Jim Lee and Sandra Hope. The series storyline was a sequel to DCs 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths and it revisited characters and concepts from that earlier Crisis, including the existence of DCs Multiverse. Some of the characters featured were alternate versions of comic icons such as an alternate Superman named Kal-L, Infinite Crisis #1 was ranked first in the top 300 comics for October 2005 with pre-order sales of 249,265. This was almost double the second ranked comic House of M #7 which had sales of 134,429. Infinite Crisis #2 was also the top seller in top 300 comics for November 2005 with pre-order sales of 207,564. DC officially began leading up to the new Crisis with a one-shot issue Countdown to Infinite Crisis, followed by four limited series that tied into. Once the Crisis was completed, DC used the One Year Later event to move the narratives of most of its DC Universe series forward by one year. The weekly series 52 began publication in May 2006, and depicts some of the events occurred between Infinite Crisis and One Year Later. In June 2008, a third and Final Crisis began a run and this Crisis has thus been referred to in DC continuity as the middle Crisis. Infinite Crisis was announced in March 2005, the event was kicked off with the release of Countdown to Infinite Crisis. These first four limited series each had a special tie-in issue, as with many large-scale comic crossovers, Infinite Crisis featured a large number of tie-ins. Before the event was announced, books such as Adam Strange, after Countdown, several books were identified as tie-ins to the four mini-series. Thus, although Infinite Crisis itself is only seven issues long, DC Comics executive editor Dan DiDio stated that Infinite Crisis was being hinted at in various stories for two years prior to its launch, starting with the death of Donna Troy. With Countdown to Infinite Crisis, Infinite Crisis began to visibly affect DCs editorial policy, mark Waid signed an exclusive contract with DC, receiving a similar editorial role. DC replaced its official logo with a new one that debuted on the first issue of DC Special. Kal-L seeks out his cousin, Power Girl, also a survivor of Earth-Two, believing Lois health will improve on her native world, he hopes to replace the current Earth with Earth-Two, which he considers perfect. Kal-L tries to enlist Batmans support, stating that the Post-Crisis Earths inherent bad nature caused Batmans recent mistrust, Batman refuses and tries to use his Kryptonite Ring, but as this is not native to Kal-Ls Universe it fails and is destroyed by heat vision. Afterward, Batman learns Superboy-Prime destroyed the JLA Watchtower, Alexander reveals to Power Girl that he and Superboy-Prime had been leaving their paradise for some time, manipulating events to help create an inter-dimensional tuning fork
31.
The New 52
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The New 52 was the 2011 revamp and relaunch by DC Comics of its entire line of ongoing monthly superhero comic books. Following the conclusion of the Flashpoint crossover storyline, DC cancelled all of its existing titles, among the renumbered series were Action Comics and Detective Comics, which had retained their original numbering since the 1930s. The relaunch included changes to the format, for example, print. New titles were released to bring the number of ongoing monthly series to fifty-two, various changes were also made to DCs fictional universe to entice new readers, including to DCs internal continuity to make characters more modern and accessible. In addition, characters from the Wildstorm and Vertigo imprints were absorbed into the DC Universe, the New 52 branding ended after the completion of the Convergence storyline in May 2015, although the continuity of The New 52 continued. In June 2015,24 new titles were launched, alongside 25 returning titles, in February 2016, DC announced their Rebirth initiative with the release of an 80-page one-shot on May 25,2016, and continuing through late 2016. Following the conclusion of the Flashpoint limited series, all set in the DC Universe were cancelled and relaunched with new #1 issues. The new continuity features new outfits and backstories for many of DCs long established heroes, while many characters underwent a reboot or revamp, much of the DC Universes history remained intact. DC editorial has also constructed a timeline that details the new history, on August 31,2011, Midtown Comics Times Square held a midnight event at which they began selling Justice League #1 and Flashpoint #5. On hand to sign the books were DC Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, the new titles were dubbed the Second Wave, Dial H, Earth 2, G. I. On June 8,2012, DC announced that in September 2012, in addition, the Third Wave of titles was announced, Talon, Sword of Sorcery, Phantom Stranger, and Team 7. With these additions to the line, Justice League International, Captain Atom, Resurrection Man, in October and November 2012, DC announced new titles Threshold, Justice League of America, Katana, Justice League of Americas Vibe, and Constantine. Threshold would be published in January 2013, Constantine in March 2013, DC later consolidated these new titles as the Fourth Wave of The New 52. Grifter, Blue Beetle, and Legion Lost were cancelled as a result, young Romance, A New 52 Valentines Day Special #1 was published as the 52nd title in February 2013. In January 2013, DC Comics announced the cancellation of I, Vampire, to celebrate the 60th birthday of Mad Magazine mascot Alfred E. Neuman, DC solicited variants drawn by Mad artists for 13 titles being published in April 2013. Starting with titles released on January 28,2013, all printed New 52 publications featured advertisements for fictional news channel, Channel 52. The two page back-ups, titled Channel 52, appear in all books, starting in February 2013 and this news feature stars Bethany Snow, Ambush Bug, Vartox, and Calendar Man as reporters and anchors on the fictional in-universe news show. The art is provided by Freddie E. Williams II, each week brings new content regarding the current or future goings-on in the DC universe
32.
Jonathan and Martha Kent
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Jonathan Kent and Martha Kent, often referred to as Pa and Ma Kent, are the fictional adoptive parents of Superman. They live in the town of Smallville, Kansas. The Kents are usually portrayed as caring parents who instill within Clark a strong sense of morals, in a few continuities, Martha is also the one who creates Clarks superhero costume. In DC Comics continuity before John Byrnes 1986 reboot of the Superman story, in post-Crisis continuity, they both remain alive even after Clark becomes an adult, with the Kents as supporting characters until Pa Kents death during an attack by the supervillain Brainiac. Ma Kent remains a character in Superman comics until 2011s the New 52 continuity reboot. The Kents first names vary in stories from the 1940s and this issue firmly establishes that it is the Kents who discover the infant Kal-El. The Kents take him to a home for foundlings and express an interest in adopting him and this story also establishes that Clark is Mary Kents maiden name. Oddly, no mention of Superboy is included, though that feature had already been established, Pa Kent is first named Jonathan in Adventure Comics v1 #149. Ma Kent is first named Marthe in Superboy v1 #12 and Martha in subsequent appearances and her full name is given as Martha Hudson Clark Kent in answer to a letter writers query in Superman v1 #148. The Kents made few appearances in Superman stories until the introduction of the Superboy comic book series in 1949, in this series, they are regular supporting characters of the teenage superhero. The Superboy stories establish the Kents backstory, Jonathan, a former race car driver, is a farmer on a farm just outside Smallville. After he and Martha find the toddler Kal-El in his rocket, they take him to the Smallville Orphanage and later adopt him. They soon discover that Clark possesses an array of superpowers. Around the time Clark starts school, the Kents sell their farm, and the moves into Smallville. During Clarks early grade school years, Jonathan trains young Clark in the use of his superpowers to the best of his knowledge while urging him to keep the use of his powers a secret, at the age of eight, Clark begins a superhero career as Superboy. The Kents assist their son on many adventures as Superboy. In Superboy vol.1 #145, Jonathan and Martha are rejuvenated physically, after this, Jonathan and Martha were drawn by artists as late middle-aged — as opposed to elderly — in appearance until Supermans 1986 reboot. Before dying, Jonathan reminds Clark that he must always use his powers for the benefit of humanity, Clark mourns his parents and moves to Metropolis to attend college
33.
Daily Planet
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The Daily Planet is a fictional broadsheet newspaper appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. The newspaper was first mentioned in Action Comics #23, the newspaper is based out of the fictional city of Metropolis, and employs Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen, with Perry White as its editor-in-chief. In the Batman, Hush storyline, it is named a subsidiary of Wayne Entertainment, the buildings original features appear to be based upon the Old Toronto Star Building, where Superman co-creator Joe Shuster was a newsboy when the Toronto Star was still called the Daily Star. Shuster has claimed that Metropolis was visually inspired by Toronto, however, over the years, Metropolis has served as a fictional analogue to New York City. The newspaper is said to be located in the heart of Metropolis, at the corner of Fifth Street, one story claims the Planet began publication in 1775 and that George Washington wrote a guest editorial for the first daily edition. The Daily Planet buildings most distinguishing and famous feature is the globe that sits on top of the building. When Superman first appeared in comics, his alter ego Clark Kent worked for an named the Daily Star. It was not until later years that the paper became the Daily Planet. While choosing a name for the newspaper, consideration was given to combining the names of the Globe and Mail. But when the strip appeared, the newspapers name was permanently made the Daily Planet to avoid a name conflict with real newspapers. In Superman #5, the publisher of the Daily Planet is shown to be Burt Mason, in Superman #6, Mason gives free printing equipment to The Gateston Gazette after its editor, Jim Tirrell, is killed and its equipment is destroyed by racketeers that Tirrell insisted on reporting. The Clark Kent of Earth-Two eventually became the editor-in-chief of the Daily Star, the story resulted in Perry earning a Pulitzer Prize. During Clark Kents years in college, Perry White was promoted to editor-in-chief upon the retirement of the Daily Planets previous editor, after graduating from Metropolis University with a degree in journalism, Clark Kent went to work at the Planet, and quickly met Lois Lane. After Clark was hired, Jimmy Olsen joined the papers staff, in 1971, the Daily Planet was purchased by Morgan Edge, president of the Galaxy Broadcasting System. Edge proceeded to integrate Metropolis television station WGBS-TVs studios into the Daily Planet building, eventually, Clarks former schoolmate from Smallville Lana Lang joined Clark as a co-anchor. After the 1985–1986 miniseries Crisis on Infinite Earths, many of these elements, in the post-Crisis comics canon, years before Clark or Lois began working for the paper, Lex Luthor owned the Daily Planet. When Luthor, deciding to sell the paper, began taking bids for the Planet, Perry White convinced an international conglomerate, TransNational Enterprises and they agreed to this venture with only one stipulation, that Perry White would become editor-in-chief. White had served as the Planet editor-in-chief ever since, barring the few times he was absent, during those times people such as Sam Foswell and Clark Kent have looked after the paper
34.
Cat Grant
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Catherine Jane Cat Grant is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. Introduced as a love interest for Clark Kent, her character added a new dimension to the Clark/Lois Lane/Superman dynamic. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist Jerry Ordway, Cat Grant first appeared in Adventures of Superman #424 as a gossip columnist for the Daily Planet, Cat Grant arrives in Metropolis taking a position at the Daily Planet. She is well known for her syndicated column, which until this point was written in her native Los Angeles. Recently divorced from Joe Morgan, a husband who had driven her to drink, Cat was now a mother with a young son named Adam Morgan, trying to get a fresh start. Cat is instantly attracted to Clark Kent, Jimmy Olsen in turn is attracted to Cat, but she seems to either not notice or not care. Her behavior around the office upsets both Lois and Perry White at different times, feeling that she needs to prove to Perry, Clark, and Lois that she can be a real reporter, Cat goes undercover at Galaxy Broadcasting to help Clark expose Morgan Edges links to Intergang. Following this she needs a bodyguard and Jose Delgado takes the job, the two become romantically linked, but Jose is resented by Cats son Adam, who still hero-worships her ex-husband, Joe Morgan. Cat joins TV station WGBS for real, and becomes an on-air reporter, Superman gives Cat an interview on her show, which is cut short by the rampage of Doomsday. Later, Cat is on the covering the events of Supermans battle with Doomsday live on television. Cat continues to work to the Daily Planet while she works at WGBS. By this time, Cat has earned the respect and friendship of Lois Lane, Cat also gets Jimmy Olsen hired by WGBS and works closely with him there. Cat later becomes WGBS station manager, there are rumors that she got the position thanks to a relationship with Morgans father Vinnie Edge, her new boss who sexually harasses her constantly. Cat ends the rumors at WGBS when she has Edge charged with sexual harassment, Vinnie Edge is removed from the board of WGBS, and Cat is given his position. Cats son, Adam, is one of children abducted by the Toyman. Cat deals with the loss by focusing on her work, when the Justice League of America unveils a new roster, various members of the press are invited to the JLA Watchtower in order to cover the story. Cat receives an invitation, but is apparently incapacited offscreen by Catwoman, during Lex Luthors tenure as President of the United States of America, Cat serves as White House Press Secretary. Following President Luthors impeachment she returns to her hometown of Los Angeles, Cat returns to Metropolis following new developments about Toymans involvement in the death of her son
35.
Lar Gand
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Lar Gand, known primarily as Mon-El, is a fictional character in DC Comics universe who is associated with the Legion of Super-Heroes, Superboy, and Superman. A precursor to the Lar Gand character appeared in the story Supermans Big Brother and he was named Halk Kar, and had a logo-less costume almost identical to Supermans, but with the red and blue colors reversed. He was created by Otto Binder and artist Al Plastino, in the story, Halk Kar crash-lands on Earth in a rocketship and is rescued by Superman, who discovers that Halk Kar suffers from amnesia. This plan backfires, as Halk Kar begins to assume an attitude to Superman and even begins to make romantic advances on Supermans girlfriend. Finally, Halk Kar recovers his memory, and explains that he is from the planet Thoron, years ago, while on a pioneer voyage into space, he landed on Krypton with his damaged rocketship. There he met Jor-El, who explained that Kryptons destruction was imminent and repaired Halk Kars rocketship, Krypton exploded shortly afterward, causing Halk Kar to be put into suspended animation until he drifted to Earth to meet Superman, the grown-up son of Jor-El referred to in the note. Halk Kar returns to Thoron in his repaired rocketship, leaving Superman with the experience of briefly having had a brother. The Halk Kar plot was reused in Superboy #89, in a set during Supermans career as Superboy. The characters name was changed to Lar Gand, his homeworld was changed to Daxam and he was an explorer who had landed on Krypton, where Jor-El warned him of the planets imminent destruction and gave him a map to Earth. He suffered amnesia upon landing on Earth, where he met Superboy and he adopted a human secret identity to integrate into Superboys hometown of Smallville. However the character was shown to be immune to kryptonite. Believing that Mon-El has been deceiving him, Superboy tries to him with a fake kryptonite meteor made of lead. Furthermore, exposure to lead is irreversibly fatal to Daxamites, which Mon-El explains and this provided for a means to use the character in contemporary stories set in the 30th century with the Legion of Super-Heroes. Brainiac 5 later creates a permanent antidote, and he becomes a full member, during his long career, he is written as one of the Legions three most-powerful members along with Superboy and Ultra Boy, and serves two terms as leader. Mon-El apparently dies after failing to take a dose of Brainiac 5s anti-lead serum in a timely fashion, eltro Gand, a distant descendant of his older brother, sacrificed his life force to restore Mon-El to life. He marries fellow Legionnaire Shadow Lass, with whom he has a romantic relationship. In 1985, DC Comics revamp of their superhero universe Crisis on Infinite Earths removed Supermans adventures as Superboy from the characters history. The Time Trapper later revives him, hoping to use his body to preserve his own waning existence and this wipes Superboys pocket universe out of existence, and alters the timeline
36.
Supergirl (comic book)
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Supergirl is the name of seven comic book series published by DC Comics, featuring various characters of the same name. The majority of the titles feature Supermans cousin Kara Zor-El, the first series featured the original Supergirl, Supermans cousin Kara Zor-El. It began publication in 1972 following a 44-issue run of Supergirl stories in Adventure Comics, the series lasted for 10 issues until 1974, after which the character began appearing regularly in The Superman Family commencing with issue #165. The release of the last issue of Supergirl was delayed for months due to a nationwide paper shortage. During its first year of publication, the second Kara Zor-El series was titled The Daring New Adventures of Supergirl, with issue #13, the name was shortened to Supergirl, and the title continued monthly publication for a total of 23 issues. In 1994, DC Comics published a limited series featuring a new Supergirl who was introduced early in the post-Crisis on Infinite Earths era. Sometimes referred to as Matrix, this new character was a duplicate of an alternate universe Lana Lang. Having been brought to the mainstream DC Universe by Superman, she became involved with the mainstream Luthor. This limited series resolved many of the remaining from that plotline. The fourth series featured a third Supergirl and this character was a fusion of the Matrix Supergirl and Linda Danvers. The series ran for 81 issues, ending with the main character journeyed to an alternate universe, in 2004, DC Comics introduced an updated version of Kara Zor-El in the pages of Superman/Batman. The following year, she began appearing in her own ongoing series, sterling Gates took over the title in late 2008 with issue #34. Amy Reeder Hadley was announced as the new cover artist for the series in May 2010, DC Comics relaunched Supergirl with issue #1 in September 2011 as part of The New 52 reboot. A new Supergirl series written by Steve Orlando and incorporating elements of the Supergirl television series began in September 2016 as part of the DC Rebirth relaunch
37.
Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)
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Supergirl is a fictional superheroine appearing in comic books published by DC Comics and related media. The character was created by writer Otto Binder and designed by artist Al Plastino, born Kara Zor-El, Supergirl is the biological cousin of DC Comics iconic superhero Superman, created by writer Jerome Siegel and designed by artist Joseph Shuster. The Supergirl character first appeared in a story published in Action Comics #252 titled The Supergirl from Krypton, since the characters comic book debut, Kara Zor-Els Supergirl has been adapted into various media relating to the Superman franchise, including merchandise, television, and feature film. Supergirl was thus killed during the 1985 limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, in the decades following Crisis, several characters unrelated to Superman used the alias Supergirl. The title paid homage to the original characters 1959 debut, as the current Supergirl, Kara Zor-El stars in her own monthly comic book series. With DCs 2011 relaunch, Kara, like most of the DC Universe, was revamped, until early 2015, when the title was cancelled, she featured in her own series Supergirl, as well as related comics like Superman. DC relaunched the Supergirl comic series in August 2016 as part of their DC Rebirth initiative, although Kara Zor-El was the first character to use the name Supergirl, DC Comics tested three different female versions of Superman prior to her debut. The first story to feature a female counterpart to Superman was Lois Lane – Superwoman, in the story, a hospitalized Lois Lane dreams she has gained superpowers thanks to a blood transfusion from the Man of Steel. She begins her own career as Superwoman, complete with a version of Supermans costume, in Smallville, Clark claims to be Claire Kent, an out-of-town relative who is staying with the Kents. When in costume, he appears as Superboys sister, Super-Sister, once Superboy has learned his lesson about feeling more respect for women, Shar-La reveals the episode to be a dream which she projected into Superboys mind. At her insistence, Jimmy wishes the girl out of existence. DC used this story to gauge public response to the concept of a completely new super-powered female counterpart to Superman, the Kara Zor-El version of Supergirl finally appeared in Action Comics #252. Otto Binder wrote and Al Plastino illustrated her début story, in which Kara was born and raised in Argo City, a fragment of Krypton that survived destruction. When the city is doomed by a shower, Kara is sent to Earth by her parents, Zor-El and Alura, to be raised by her cousin Kal-El. Supergirl adopted the identity of an orphan Linda Lee. Supergirl promised Superman that she would keep her existence on Earth a secret, so that he may use her as a secret weapon, Action Comics #255 published readers letters-of-comment to Supergirls first appearance, she had allegedly generated a sizeable and mostly positive reaction. Supergirl, from her début onwards, became a regular backup strip in Action Comics and she joined the Legion of Super-Heroes, like her cousin had done as a teenager, and in Action Comics #279 she was adopted by Fred and Edna Danvers, becoming Linda Lee Danvers. Supergirl acted for three years as Supermans secret weapon, until she was at last introduced by her cousin to an unsuspecting world in Action Comics #285
38.
Grant Morrison
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Grant Morrison, MBE is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright, and occultist. Grant Morrisons first published works were Gideon Stargrave strips for Near Myths in 1978 and his work appeared in four of the five issues of Near Myths and he was suitably encouraged to find more comic work. Morrison spent much of the early 1980s touring and recording with his band The Mixers, writing the occasional Starblazer for D. C. Thomson and contributing to various UK indie titles. In 1982 he submitted a proposal involving the Justice League of America and Jack Kirbys New Gods entitled Second Coming to DC Comics, after writing The Liberators for Dez Skinns Warrior in 1985, he started work for Marvel UK the following year. There he wrote a number of strips for Doctor Who Magazine, his final one a collaboration with a then-teenage Bryan Hitch, as well as a run on the Zoids strip in Spider-Man. 1986 also saw publication of Morrisons first of several two- or three-page Future Shocks for 2000AD, Morrisons first continuing serial began in 2000 AD in 1987, when he and Steve Yeowell created Zenith. Morrisons work on Zenith brought him to the attention of DC Comics, after impressing with Animal Man, Morrison was asked to take over Doom Patrol, starting his surreal take on the superhero genre with issue No.19 in 1989. Morrisons Doom Patrol introduced concepts such as dadaism and the writings of Jorge Luis Borges into his first several issues, DC published Arkham Asylum, A Serious House on Serious Earth in 1989 as a 128-page graphic novel painted by Dave McKean. While working for DC Comics in America, Morrison kept contributing to British indie titles, St. Swithins Days anti-Margaret Thatcher themes proved controversial, provoking a small tabloid press reaction and a complaint from Conservative MP Teddy Taylor. The controversy continued with the publication of The New Adventures of Hitler in Scottish music and lifestyle magazine Cut in 1989, the strip was unfinished when Cut folded, and was later reprinted and completed in Fleetways 2000 AD spin-off title Crisis. Morrison returned to Batman with the Gothic story arc in issues 6–10 of the Batman title Batman, the early 1990s saw Morrison revamping Kid Eternity for DC with artist Duncan Fegredo, and Dan Dare, with artist Rian Hughes. Morrison coloured Dares bright future with Thatcherism in Fleetways Revolver, in 1991 Morrison wrote Bible John-A Forensic Meditation for Fleetways Crisis, and based on an analysis of possible motivations for the crimes of the serial killer Bible John. Covering similar themes to Alan Moore and Eddie Campbells From Hell, the work utilised cut-up techniques, in 1993 Morrison, fellow Glaswegian comic writer Mark Millar and John Smith were asked to reinvigorate 2000 AD for an eight-week run called The Summer Offensive. Morrison wrote Judge Dredd and Really and Truly, and co-wrote the controversial Big Dave with Millar, DC Comics launched its Vertigo imprint in 1993, publishing several of Morrisons creator-owned projects, such as the steampunk mini-series Sebastian O and the graphic novel The Mystery Play. 1995 saw the release of Kill Your Boyfriend, with artist Philip Bond, in 1996 Morrison wrote Flex Mentallo, a Doom Patrol spin-off with art by Frank Quitely, and returned briefly to DC Universe superheroics with the short-lived Aztek, co-written with Mark Millar. In 1996, Morrison was given the Justice League of America to revamp as JLA and this run was hugely popular and returned the title back to best-selling status. With the three volumes of the creator-owned The Invisibles, Morrison started his largest and possibly most important work, the Invisibles combined political, pop- and sub-cultural references. Tapping into pre-millennial tension, the work was influenced by the writings of Robert Anton Wilson, Aleister Crowley and William Burroughs, the title was not a huge commercial hit to start with
39.
The Multiversity
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The Multiversity is a limited series of interrelated one-shots set in the DC Multiverse in The New 52, a collection of universes seen in publications by DC Comics. The one-shots in the series were written by Grant Morrison, each with a different artist, the Multiversity began in August 2014 and ran until April 2015. In the conclusion to the 1985 comic book crossover, Crisis on Infinite Earths, Hypertime, although infrequently used, was a replacement and explanation for the multiple timelines and histories DC had published through the years. Prior to the publication of Infinite Crisis, editor Dan DiDio revealed that Hypertime no longer exists in the DCU, following Infinite Crisis, the year-long weekly maxi-series 52 led to the revelation that Multiverse still exists, in the form of 52 alternate universes. Author Grant Morrison stated that the return of the Multiverse was intended to launch new franchises, explaining, if you think you recognize and know any of these worlds from before, youd be wrong. If you miss Vic Sage as the Question, you should be able to follow the adventures of Vics counterpart on the Charlton/Watchmen world of Earth 4, the idea behind the Megaverse is to basically create a number of big new franchise possibilities. Each of the parallel universes should exist in its own separate stream with no contact from the others – not until we have a story worthy of bringing them together. In 2007–08, as a follow up to 52, and lead-in to DCs next line-wide crossover Final Crisis, another weekly series began publication, Countdown and various spin-off titles featured the new Multiverse. The Multiverse plays a part in the Final Crisis series. The series introduced a new Superman from Earth-23, Calvin Ellis, Grant Morrison based the character on Barack Obama. The character would appear in Grant Morrisons Action Comics #9 and was a central character in The Multiversity. In Wizard #212, Morrison detailed his project, The Multiversity, Morrison states that the series, will pick up a bunch of strands from 52 and Final Crisis. Each of these would be the bible for what could potentially be a comic line for each of these Earths. Originally, his co-writers on 52 would have had a hand in the project, in 2010, it was revealed that Morrisons frequent collaborators Cameron Stewart and Frank Quitely were, at the time, the only artists chosen for The Multiversity. Quitely would illustrate Pax Americana, featuring Morrisons reworking of the Charlton characters, stewarts one-shot would be Thunderworld, focusing on Captain Marvel of Earth-5. Artist Frazer Irving stated that Morrison reserved a part of my soul to do work on The Multiversity. In 2011, DC Comics announced that its line of publications would be cancelled following Flashpoint. The finale of Flashpoint #5 saw three distinct universes from the Multiverse—WildStorm Universe, Vertigo, and the DC Universe—merge into one universe, Dan DiDio clarified that there is still a Multiverse, but gave no details on how it has changed and suggested The Multiversity might provide answers
40.
Hawkman
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Hawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, most incarnations of Hawkman work closely with a partner/romantic interest named Hawkgirl or Hawkwoman. These versions of the character have starred in series of various durations. Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, and was a character in that title throughout the 1940s. This Hawkman was Carter Hall, a reincarnation of the ancient Egyptian prince, Hall discovered that the mysterious ninth metal could negate the effects of gravity and allow him to fly. He donned a costume with wings to allow him to control his flight and became the crimefighter. He also had a hawk named Big Red that assisted him in fighting crime. An archaeologist by profession, Hall used ancient weapons from the museum that he curated, Hawkman was a charter member of the Justice Society of America, beginning with All Star Comics #3. In issue #8 he became the JSAs chairman, a position he would hold until the end of the JSAs run in All Star Comics and he was the only member of the JSA to appear in every adventure during the Golden Age of Comic Books. He romanced his reincarnated bride, Shiera Sanders, who became the crimefighter Hawkgirl, along with most other superheroes, Hawkmans Golden Age adventures came to an end when the industry turned away from the genre in the early 1950s. His last appearance was in All Star Comics #57, later in the decade, DC Comics, under editor Julius Schwartz, decided to revive a number of heroes in new incarnations, but retaining the same names and powers. They adopted the names Carter and Shiera Hall and became curators of a museum in Midway City and this Hawkman became a member of the Justice League of America in issue #31, where he often verbally sparred with the iconoclastic liberal hero Green Arrow. In the 1960s it was revealed that the original Hawkman lived on the world of Earth-Two. The JLA and JSA had an annual meeting throughout the 1960s and 1970s during which the two often met. The Silver Age Hawkman had his own series for a few years in the 60s, Atom and Hawkman lasted only another year or so before cancellation. In the late 1970s in Showcase and Worlds Finest Comics, Thanagar went to war with the planet Rann and this led to Hawkman and Hawkwoman severing ties with their homeworld, and later fighting The Shadow War of Hawkman as Thanagar tried secretly to conquer the Earth. The landmark 1985 series Crisis on Infinite Earths resulted in a revision of much DC continuity. Hawkman was to some of the greatest confusion as successive writers sought to explain his various appearances
41.
Mars
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Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun and the second-smallest planet in the Solar System, after Mercury. Named after the Roman god of war, it is referred to as the Red Planet because the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance. Mars is a planet with a thin atmosphere, having surface features reminiscent both of the impact craters of the Moon and the valleys, deserts, and polar ice caps of Earth. The rotational period and seasonal cycles of Mars are likewise similar to those of Earth, Mars is the site of Olympus Mons, the largest volcano and second-highest known mountain in the Solar System, and of Valles Marineris, one of the largest canyons in the Solar System. The smooth Borealis basin in the northern hemisphere covers 40% of the planet, Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, which are small and irregularly shaped. These may be captured asteroids, similar to 5261 Eureka, a Mars trojan, there are ongoing investigations assessing the past habitability potential of Mars, as well as the possibility of extant life. Future astrobiology missions are planned, including the Mars 2020 and ExoMars rovers, liquid water cannot exist on the surface of Mars due to low atmospheric pressure, which is about 6⁄1000 that of the Earths, except at the lowest elevations for short periods. The two polar ice caps appear to be largely of water. The volume of ice in the south polar ice cap, if melted. On November 22,2016, NASA reported finding a large amount of ice in the Utopia Planitia region of Mars. The volume of water detected has been estimated to be equivalent to the volume of water in Lake Superior, Mars can easily be seen from Earth with the naked eye, as can its reddish coloring. Its apparent magnitude reaches −2.91, which is surpassed only by Jupiter, Venus, the Moon, optical ground-based telescopes are typically limited to resolving features about 300 kilometers across when Earth and Mars are closest because of Earths atmosphere. Mars is approximately half the diameter of Earth with an area only slightly less than the total area of Earths dry land. Mars is less dense than Earth, having about 15% of Earths volume and 11% of Earths mass, the red-orange appearance of the Martian surface is caused by iron oxide, or rust. It can look like butterscotch, other common colors include golden, brown, tan. Like Earth, Mars has differentiated into a metallic core overlaid by less dense materials. Current models of its interior imply a core with a radius of about 1,794 ±65 kilometers, consisting primarily of iron and this iron sulfide core is thought to be twice as rich in lighter elements than Earths. The core is surrounded by a mantle that formed many of the tectonic and volcanic features on the planet
42.
Martian Manhunter
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The Martian Manhunter is a fictional superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and designed by artist Joe Certa and he is one of the seven original members of the Justice League of America. Jonn Jonzz has featured in other DC Comics-endorsed products, such as games, television series, animated films. He was ranked #43 on IGNs greatest comic book hero list, David Harewood portrays a human form of Martian Manhunter on Supergirl. The Martian Manhunter debuted in the back-up story The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel in Detective Comics #225, written by Joseph Samachson and illustrated by Joe Certa. The character is a green-skinned extraterrestrial humanoid from the planet Mars, the Martian tells Erdel where he is from, and is told that to send him back will require the Computer Brains thinking plot to be changed. The shock of the encounter kills Dr. Erdel and leaves Jonn with no method of returning home, the character decides to fight crime while waiting for Martian technology to advance to a stage that will enable his rescue. To that end, he adopts the identity of John Jones, a more significant difference is that at this time, there is no suggestion that Mars is a dead planet or that the character is the last of his kind. Many of the tales of the time feature either Martian technology or the appearance of other Martian characters, Detective Comics #236, for example, features the character making contact with the planet Mars and his parents. Jonzz eventually reveals his existence to the world, after which he operates openly as a superhero, the Martian and the archer inaugurated the team-up format of The Brave and the Bold. Jonzz appears there one time, working with fellow JLA member. In some stories he is travelling through space at near-light speed or to other planets. The detective John Jones is ostensibly killed in action by the Idol Head of Diabolu, Jonn abandons the civilian identity as he decides fighting this new menace will take a great deal of his time. At this point his feature moves to House of Mystery, where Jonn spends the next few years in battle against the Idol Head. Shortly after its defeat he takes the persona of Marco Xavier in order to infiltrate the international crime cartel known as VULTURE, as Superman was allowed by DC to become fully active members of the Justice League, Jonzzs appearances there dwindled. He last participated in a mission in his tenure in #61. In #71, his people came to Earth for him. Over the next fifteen years Jonn appeared sporadically in various DC titles, in 1972, Superman was teleported to New Mars
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