#team phantom moves to smallville

[puppetmaster13u]

Prompt 197

“Guys look, I got us pet rocks!” 

“That’s nice- Danny, why are the rocks moving?” 

“Ectoplasm. Obviously. They eat bad emotions, isn’t that cool?!” 

“They aren’t going to get that big though, right? I mean, we’re moving to the countryside but still.”

“I mean, they shouldn’t? Dang, maybe I should have asked Dora more questions…” 

[popculturebuffet]

Supermay! Finale: Legion of Super Heroes Episodes 1-4 (Man of Tomorow, Timber Wolf, Legacy, Phantoms) (Comissioned by WeirdKev27)

Hello all you happy legionarres and welcome to the grand finale of supermay, my monthlong tribute to the man of steel. Before we begin this final entry i'd like to thank all of you for reading this one: some reviews have done well, some not so much but your all appricated and i'd like to thank Kev, Emma, and Brotoman for their support. This event was enough of a success you can expect it back next year and please feel free to comment with things you'd like to see. Even a major cold wasn't enough to end this event on a down note.

In fact we're ending with , thanks to the schedule shakeups, one of my favorite pieces of superman lore and one I hope to revisit if this review does well, the Legion of Super Heroes!

For those less familiar a quick refresher: the Legion of Super Heroes were initially created as supporting characters for Superboy, at the time the man of steel when he was the boy of steel having adventures as a teen, and proved so successful they'd soon take over Superboy's stomping grounds of adventure comics once the boy of steel got his own book.

The Legion are a group of teenagers from a thousand years from now, idealistic teens inspired by the heroes of our present, paticuarlly superboy and later superman, all coming together from across dozens of planets. They were possibly the first teen superhero team and certainly the most succesful of their time. They've been rebooted four times, technically five, been through the wringer a lot and currently are twisting in the wind a bit, but the legion endures and I have faith they'll come back to promience eventually. They may not be one of DC's most prominent teams due to their unique setup, but their easily one of my faviorites and i'm happy I got to celebrate them this super may.

As for how it was easy: I choose the 2006 cartoon, one of the best versions of them and one of DC's best cartoons from my memory binging it over a decade ago, and i'm proud to say it held up beautifully.

The cartoon came about because, much like Superman the Animated series a decade prior.. Warner Bros wanted a tie in for it's latest superman movie.. which this time for better or worse, actually got finished: Superman Returns. Something good had to come out of that I suppose. So they wanted a series with a younger superman and luckily for us producer James Tucker was able to succesfully pitch a legion of superheroes series, which fit the criteria they wanted: focus on a younger superman fresh out of smallville, and that fit perfectly with the legion recruting a younger clark, updating that concept for a modern age as it hadn't been part of superman lore in a while and was just on it's way to being restored to continuity.

Intrestingly the cartoon was originally meant for Cartoon Network, where most other DC shows had gone at this point, but they passed for whatever reason.

But thankfully kids WB picked it up for two great seasons before it's sad collapse, and the result was one of my faviorite superhero teams got a cult classic tv show. Also just to be clear, as it's a rumor so prevelant James Tucker clearing it up shows up on the wikipedia page, while it's oft rumored the show was retooled from a DCAU version seemingly set up by a legion centric episode in Justice League Unlimited.. that was never the plan. The Kara episode was it's own thing, the timing was concidental, let's move on.

LOSH blends pieces from the first two legion of superhero continuites. The legion has FIVE diffrent continuties: the original which went away then was brought back, a soft reboot that was later deemed non canon, a full on reboot in the 90's that's wonderful and sadly stopped being collected by dc, a second reboot in the 2000's that was a bit more radical and finally a reboot a few years ago by Brian Michael Bendis

This one uses the idea of superman being recruited as a teen and being the inspiration for the group that was foundational to the original continuity, as well as the delightfully cheesy silver age names I adore, while using characterizations more in line with the more fleshed out 90's cast , as well as the more fleshed out versions of their home worlds. The result is a cartoon with silver age wonder, a well built world, and some really awesome redesigns I wish the comics would pick up, giving us a stylish well done cartoon that sadly was gone way too soon. You can see what I mean under the cut as we look at the first four episodes and see how Clark Kent Became superman.. again.

Man of Tommorow:

Man of Tommorow opens mid action, with the Legion getting their asses kicked and one of them, Lightning Lad wondering "Wher'es superman when you need him"

We cut to hours before this, centuries before this in smallville, with a young Clark played by Ben 10 and Spider-Man himself Yuri Lowenthal, who does a fantastic job. Clark is at this point a shy nerd whose unsure of his place in the world and is getting ready to start his job at the daily planet as a copy boy. Sadly in this timeline he does not have a whimsical college roomate or feisty love intrest to help push him out of his comfort zone.

He does however have the local fair which he's going to... and which Ma reminds him to be careful at as "your not like other people"

I'll admit this characterization isn't nearly AS bad as say Man of Steel. Mostly because how could you possibly worse than "You should've let them die clark instead of possibly exposing yourself and i'll throw myself into a tornado to prove it", but I hate versions of the kents that make clark feel.. bad for being different. It's one thing to caution him to not overuse them, it's another to make him feel terrible for having them or constantly remind him "your not normal". He knows ma. He knows. The Kents work best to me when their totally loving and accepting, that they worry for their boy sure.. but they love him just the way he is.

After a bit of Clark almost hitting a thing only not to hit a thing at the county fair, we get introduced to our first Legionarres, a small party sent to go recruit clark: our initial trio are Braniac 5, played by former child star Adam Wylie who really shoudl do more voice work as he's terrific here, Saturn Girl, played by voice acting legend Kari Whalgreen and Bouncing Boy, played by voice actor and ocasinal actor Micheal Cornacchia who does great work here and I wish did more voice work.

This is a slight rework of how, traditionally, Clark's recurited to the legion in the comics, but it's one that works. In the original the three founders of the legion went: Saturn Girl, Lightning Lad and Cosmic boy, something Superman the Animated Series would do something similar to later as would Smallville. I ahven't seen smallville but you'd best belivie I know when the legion shows up in something.

Here it's reworked to better fit the cast: Cosmic Boy isn't a main character and is thus off on a mission and while Lightning Lad is, he's a bit of a bullying prick, so sending him on a recruitment mission, one he outright scoffs at later, would've been a terrible move. Instead they shift to a party that makes more sense: Brainy came up with the idea in this continuity, we'll get to the why later, and like in the original comics is the team's time travel expert and being one of the main cast and one of the most prominently used legionarres, it only makes sense to have him be one of the first to show up.

Bouncing Boy isn't as prominent, but still makes sense: He's friendly, personable, and like Brainy a tech expert, something we'll get more into in episode 2. It makes since to bring him on a recruitment mission, and on a mission where if something happens to Brainy they need someone to fix their little robot child.

Speaking of which Braniac 5 is changed a bit here, and I feel it works: instead of an alien like the original, he's robotic, ala the dcau braniac, with Colluians as a whole followint suit. This not only makes his issues with emotions a bit more literal, but also allows him to be a bit more dynamic in combat. In the original comics, he's not useless, having a powerful forcefield, but his brain is really his superpower. Here he has telescopic limbs to go with his genius, being essentially a robotic boy child reed richards.

The three head to the fair to find clark and soon find him trying to stop a faris wheel. While Clark is put off by three strangers who suddenly know his deepest secret, they prove invaulable in stopping it and we soon get a showcase of all their powers: Brainy we've covered, so let's move on to my boy, Bouncing Boy. Bouncing boy has a truly rediculous and truly wonderful power.. he turns into a giant bouncing ball. This power was seen as a tad goofy in the 90's and thus he was reduced to a non powered supporting character. The series splits the diffrence: he's still a pilot like he was in the reboot and an ace mechanic.. but he also still has his bouncing ball powers and is a reminder that said powers, as wonderfully goofy and unique as they are.. are also dangerous and useful. Here he uses them to prop up the hweel by inflating, but it's easy to forget that a gaint bouncing ball that's pretty invunerable is actually pretty damn threatning in the right circumstances. No one will call him the legion's power house, but put some respect on the name: bouncing boy can be dangerous and shows jojo levels of turning a seemingly inccous power into a threat.

Finally we have Saturn Girl, whose people are telepathic, and is thus a super taleneted telepath. The series finds clever uses for this but here she's mostly useful for tracking Clark and for crowd control. The heroes save the day but clark runs off in fear. Irma tells them not to follow as she gets Clark KNOWS he has a responsiblity and will listen to their offer more later. I love the show's version of Saturn Girl/Irma, as she's a telepath.. but rather than be closed off because of it uses it to be empathetic and kind, being the heart of the team while still being stoic on the surface.

The trio stalk clark to his house, and make their pitch: The future needs him, clark is better than he knows, and they can use him. Why they choose him at this point in his life is vauge, but I assume Brainy knew they both had a better chance of recruting him and they could HELP him become the superman he's destined to be. Stable time loop and all that.

Clark reluctantly agrees, aassured he'll be back in time for chicken and dumplings. With that our heroes go to the future where the rest of the legion are waiting.. or our main cast anyway. A nice touch I like from the series is much like the comics, they already have a pretty sizeable roster: Colossal Boy, Shrinking Violet and Cosmic Boy are all mentioned later and we see Element Lad, Blok and Tyroc in the next episode along with them. The legion in the comics usually has around 25 people max. The reason for this size orignally was simply silver age writers kept introducing more legionarres so the team kept growing and given the characters were interchangable personality wise, there was no real need to whittle it down.

They later found a clever workaround that later comics picked up on: since the team's in the future, the bulk hailing from various indvidual worlds which gave them their powers (though a few did get theirs by accident as per superhero standard), and were later confirmed to be duly deputized by the united planets, the future's highest governing body, it made sense the legion was spread out galactically. As such characters could be said to be "on mission" somewhere else in the galaxy, and thus whittle the team down to whoever was needed for a story. If the whole of the legion was involved, it was for bigger stories that were dire as hell. Stories often used squads of whoever the writer wanted to use at that moment for missions which makes sense.

The series uses this well: the team has other members, showing off it's scope and how many worlds bought into the concept, but focuses on a core cast on earth at Legion HQ: Superman, Braniac 5, Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl, Phantom Girl, Triplicate Girl, Bouncing Boy and one more we'll meet next episode. They still go across the galaxy, the adventures are still cosmic in scope, but it helps narrow focus so we can flesh out who we have.

So speaking of which our other three members. First up is Lightning Lad, a founding member as mentioned, and in this continity an egotistical hot headed asshole. He's good at what he does, being great with his powers and easily the second strongest member of the core cast, but has a MASSIVE chip on his shoulder. This is a slightly exagerated version of his reboot version, who was also a bit of a hot head but not quite the ass. It still works as he makes a good contrast to the more humble and kind clark, whose friendly to the guy despite waving his dick around constantly. Garth is voiced by Andy Milder, a voice actor and recurring actor who also voiced Jay Garrick Flash in Batman Brave and the Bold. Good for him. Like the rest of the cast he's fantastic.

Next is Phantom Girl. Phantom Girl here is the sassy one of the group, quick with a sarcastic remark, but also understanding, quickly bonding with clark in episodes after this. She may joke but it's clear she cares for the team even if she busts chops constantly and we love her for it. Easily one of the highlights of the show. She's from the planet Btzl, a phantom planet parallel with earth. As such she can phase in and out of our plane and into hers, allowing her to phase through objects, people and disappear and reappear. She's played by Heather Hogan. Hogan mostly does video game work, and I haven't seen her in much personally though she was great as Clorica in Rune Factory 4.

Finally we have Triplicate Girl, one of my faviorite legionarres as the comics have found intresting thigns to do with the idea of a person who can split in three in the reboots: the 90's one had her have a distinct personality for each, and be considered abnormal because of it, with RJ BRande, the legion's backer formally adopting her as a result, and the 2000's one had her able to clone indefintely but down to the trio as three of them left the planet.. and found the others didn't accept them when they went back. Here.. she's just .. there in a go go outfit. The design, like all of these is clever, with her having tri colored hair and when split each duplicate takes on a diffrent shade (or two shades when just doing two0, and having martial arts based on their cloning technique.. but otherwise they don't... do much with her this season. Next season gets a pass as the execs told them to focus more on stuff boys would like and less on the girl characters

But here she's just... in the background. They didn't really know what to do with her. Outside of Chain of Command she dosen't get to do much plot wise and it's a shame.

The three welcome their new teammate.. and Lightning Lad and Phantom Girl are less than impressed though to her credit Phantom Girl's just a tad confused. Lightning Lad's a full on asshole doubting brainy got it right and generally being a dick.

Naturally being a dick he puts clark to the test with a bit of testing machinery to test clark's strength. Clark eventually fails and runs off upset and Saturn Girl berates Garth for being at a 10 on the douchemeter when they need a 2 and poitns out clark was lifting 500 tons.

So Saturn Girl goes to fetch Clark who while running away as fast as he can found the Superman Museum. The Museum is taken straight form the comics but adds the nice touch of using some silver age style panels to represent supes. Clark's finally found out WHY they choose him at all and what h'es destined to be, with Irma encouraging him he can become this and has it in him. She also explains when prompted why they need him so bad, something Phantom Girl covered earlier when Lightning Lad insisted they didn't need help: The Fatal Five.

The Fatal Five are on of the legions greatest threats, a group of the five deadliest criminals in the galaxy. In the comics they were brought together for a desperate mission and decided they were deadlier as a unit. Here

They are Mano, a skelington in a bubble helemet whose touch equals death, Tharok, a genius cyborg, Validus, a hulking monstrosity, Emerald Empress, a sorceress weidling the powerful emerald eye of ekron, an artifact similar to what the green lanterns use but powerful, evil and able to brainwash people and Persauder.. .he's an axe man, oh my god he's an axe man. The five are just sort of a vaugely ominous force here, still VISUALLY intresting but mostly there to provide a threat big enough to warrant clark. I haven't rewatched their other apperances to see if they get fleshed out better and in the comics I haven't read a ton of their apperances period.

So Clark heads back though Lightining Lad is reluctant to use him. Not out of jackassery for a change, but because he's genuinely concerned: Clark HAS seen action but "not like this".. and he's not wrong. Earlier it was clear clark did anonomus rescues before becoming superman, a trait i've always liked when he's not outright superboy: it fits the character and is something he should be doing. But this.. is outright combat.

Seconds into the fight Clark bounces out, seemingly abandoing the team to get smacked around. While they beat the fatal five the last time... that was with the full roster and BARELY. This time they TRIED to get reinforcements but Shrinking Violet was undercover, they seemingly coudln't reach the others, and Cosmic Boy could be there, but was far away enough he woudln't make it.

The legion seems beat.. Luckily clark was instead warming up. Granted he might of thought of doing this BEFORE but it's a fair fear response: it's one thing to say you can fight supervillians, it's another to see them. So he heads off going up up and... very slowly and awkwardly before getting his barrings, a joke I love.

He can fly though and confronts the fatal five and his sheer power gives them a chance with Saturn Girl, one of the only two still not brain zapped by emerald empress (The other being lightning lad who, douche canoe he may be DID prove himself by being the final one to go down), and encourages them to fight.

And fight they do as the ensuing fight is a gorgeous shocwase of what everyone can do, from Phantom girl nabbing persuader's axe to allow Triplicate girl to kick him in the face, to Lightning Lad teaching clark about his freezing breath, to Saturn Girl hyjacking Validus. It's an awesome fight, and ends with the five defeated. In paticualr superboy held off empress. They escape, of course, but they still won the fight and made it so they won't try that shit again. Brainy offers to take clark back but he decides to stick around... he realizes the legion can help him grow as a person and as a hero, and well. they CAN return him right where he left, so he's not exactly in a hurry. Clark adds the legion crest to his belt and gets his flight ring.

The Flight Rings are one of my faviorite legion things and weirdly I don't have a replica yet, simple golden rings that allow the user to well.. fly, and serve as proof of legion status. It means anyone in the legion can fly though some like superman CAN fly on their own. Also he's man instead of boy here, rights issues.

The Man From Tommorow is a decent episode... but is hampered by it's run time. It really needed more than the standard 20 some minutes as it had a LOT of ground to cover, and as such feels rushed: Clark grows comfortable with himself fast, the team goes down and recovers fast, and the episode could've badly used a second part to help slow it down, flesh out the rest of the legion and the story. It's still a decent opener, getting across the legion as a concept, clark's characterization for the series as an unsure rookie, and most of th elegions personaliteis to a degree, but it needed more time in the oven to truly be a great story. Thankfully the series only picks up from here and with this one doing most of the table setting, the rest of the season just leaps into the concept full speed case in point...

Timber Wolf:

The first episode was decent but the second. .is the show I remembered, with well done characters, intresting stories and balls to the walls action way ahead of it's time for this kind of show. The last part was present in the first ep but this one really let's us get to know the cast.. and adds one last member to our main roster.

The legion is on a space mission, standard stuff, with some fun banter as Superman dosen't clear it up right away because Lightning Lad wanted to "teach him something" , showing this clark has a sense of humor and a small but fun michevious streak. The team for this mission is Supes, LL, Brainy, Bouncing Boy, and Saturn Girl.

We also get to know Bouncing Boy better and get a fun b-plot with him and brainy as the two bicker: Brainy wants Bouncing Boy to use the compensators he installed and BB would prefer to fly himself. It's a nice clash of styles: Brainy is stuck to logic and routine and BB prefers human intution. Classic sci fi stuff that works great here and dosen't feel too stale as it feels rooted in character.

The Legion gets a distress call from a disant planet: Dr. Londo needs their help as a creature has gotten loose and our heroes naturally toucfh down on a spooky planet to deal with it. The doctor explains he does biological research and the creature got loose and killed his son and he needs it recaptured.

This episode is nicely horror coded, with a nice atmosphere that helps boost the story.

As you could probably guess from a mile off... the Doctor isn't being completely honest. The fact he told B and B to stick to the hangar is a clue and Bouncy learns the hard way when he eventually storms off after getting tired of Brainy micromanaging him and not trusting his ability to improvise. I also can't help but love the possibly unintetional autisim coding brainy gets, ala spock: Brainy is obnoxious in his need to order.. but genuinely dosen't get WHY he pissed his friend off when he's, in his mind right. On the spectrum myself i've been in that position before, if not to this degree and it's honestly more accurate than some attempts to tackle autisim outright i've seen.

Bouncing Boy gets mobbed by robots just for going off course, an entirely responable and not stupid security thing. Brainy rescues him as, while Bouncing Boy isn't helpless he is outnumbered, the two make up and decide to go snooping as something is clearly very wrong. Villian Pro Tip: NEVER overdo your security when your trying to keep heroic guests away from your creepy shit. Villian Pro Tip 2: Maybe don't call down super heroes to grab your son and expect it to end well for you.

And yup, while it's not the biggest twisty twist, that's what the creature is. We find out after said creature skirts saturn girl away.. but turns out, in classic monster movie fashion, he's sapient and allows Irma to pick his brain. Naturally lightning lad fucks it up, attacking him and accidnetly knocking her out leading to LL and Superboy caputting him. Thankfully by this point the brainy subplot has reached the snooping stage, and I love the gag of Bouncing Boy just.. shouting for them to join the party.

Irma has them free the monster, explaning they were idiots and with his consent getting the full story.. and helping Brynn Londo, the doctor's not dead at all son, assume a more humanoid form and maintain it and his ablility to speak.

The bad doctor shows up wanting his property back, the legion say fuck no to that and they stop him, with Brynn chasing his dad. They win the day, helped by the fact the various monsters unleshed on our heroes.. are not very fond of the bad doctor.

The Doctor brags, pointing out this isn't United Planets Space, so our heroes can't touch him. Also hammer can't sue. But his son gets the last laugh, not only pointing out what a monster his dad is but then destroying his equipment so he can't do this shit to someone else. While his dad TRIES to bait him with "how long wil you keep this form up"... it backfires as Irma vows to help and the Legion welcomes a new member. He gets a spiffy outfit I absolutely love and in a very nice touch recites the legion oath, with cameos from the other legionarres. I like getting to see my boy blok.

We stand Blok in this mojo dojo casa house.

Timber Wolf is a sharp improvement to what wasn't a bad episode, but badly needed mor echaracter. The rest of the legion gets fleshed out, the atmosphere is great and the twist, while obvious is still unsettling and provides a nice setup for Timber Wolf to join the team.

Legacy

Legacy features an intresting spin on an old foe of Supermans: Lex Luthor. It asks the bold question: What if Lex and Clark were into one another. A riddle for the ages. This being the 2000's it uses lex's female descendant but the question still stands and the episode still slaps.

While out flying around Clark rescues Alexis, a red headed thrill seeker. When he gets back to the gang their all happy he met someone. Even Brainy, which good for him not being jealous.. yet. More on that in a moment. They all soon find out he rescued Alexis, the richest girl to ever rich girl and the biggest celebrity in new metropolis apparently. Phantom Girl says she outs mopey rich girls her, which is saying something. Lightning Lad says he could never, Brainy says Superman cat get it, and Clark is convicned he won't see her again.. only to be proven wrong when she asks him out that night.

Brainy is a bit nettled though as that was their patrol night and thus

Yeah we really can't talk the legion of superheroes cartoon, this episode or brainy without addressing the elephant in the room: Brainy has a MASSIVE crush on superman. He's possibly not aware of it, emotional awareness and social awareness are not things the boy is good at and I can relate, but it's there. The producer admitted as much during an anniversary panel, citing that "some things" had to be gotten past the censors while Brainy's voice actor Adam Wylie at least flat out thinks Brainy was in love with him. Even back then when I was bad at picking up on gay subtext in cartoons, I could tell.

It's also ahead of it's time to have this so blatant.. .it's not super emphasized because network jackassery, but the fact one of the main characters is attracted to men and i'ts not hidden at all is amazing to me.

Brainy is sore because he and clark were supposed to patrol, and while part of it is again, he wants to stare at his crush for several hours, being brainy he also set out a logical pattern of patrols as the Scavengers are out there. The legion asks what we're thinking

Brainy DID send them a briefing.. but being Brainy made it 134 pages so no one , even Clark, read it. And when you can't get future journalist clark kent to read your whole ass document, you done messed up. I also like this detail with brainy: that he IS a strategic genius.. but he also over does it so much. It's better than 80 "in english poindexter" jokes". We get a few of those, it's only fair, but I like having a variety to how much Brainy overthinks things with his 12th level intellgence.

He explains: the scavengers are techno pirates, sadly not with matching costumes, and he wants to be on the lookout. However he can't resist a sad boy so he agrees to let Clark go on his super date, provided he keeps the coms on, and Clark promises to do two patrols in a row to make it up to him.

Unfortuantley Brainy once again messes up as he keeps calling every two minutes. Might want to take about ten percent off there Squirrely-ac five. His report.. is there's nothing to report so Clark eventually mutes him. The Legion Communicators PROBABLY shoudln't have a mute button, but they probably only due because of this.

Clark feels out of place with all the judgy rich people but Alexis arrives and really just wanted to put in an apperance and hang out with her boy. The two sneak into her lab at Luthor International. I like to think Maxwell Lord made a deal with Luthor's daughter and the companies merged.

AT any rate Alexis does relate to clark, as she's not sure what she wants to do with her life and like clark has a lot of pressure to be great NOW. While Clark's romancin and relatin, the rest of the legion gets slammed by the scanvengers. They do fine AT FIRST.. but eventually are overwhelmed and clark dosen't answer and OH NO BRAINY'S ARM GOT SHOT OFF

and... OH NO.... it's.. fine the next scene as he easily repairs it. The Legion's a bit miffed, ESPECIALLY Brainy.. but Clark genuinely apologizes and explains... and they all instantly forgive him aside from Brainy. Turns out even when Brainy dosen't have a crush on you he dosen't know how not to overmessage. Again can relate. But I like this nuance. That it wasn't "oh they can go without you one night" from alexis or clark making a mistake: Clark had a reson to turn his badge on silent and shoudln't have, but Brainy did abuse the coms and overthink it in a way he apparently does a LOT. Clark is genuinely sorry and cancels plans for tommorow.

Alexis is able to talk him into an hour of fun, but Clark is upset he's late and has to go. He misses patrol, brainy's upset, but Clark's gneuinely contrite.

Alexis.. then takes things a step too far as she fakes an attack to get Clark's attention. To his credit. while Clark DOES try to just let the sp handle it to not annoy brainy.. brainy tell shim to go save her. It's what superman would do. But Clark is rightfully pissed: the legion NEEDS him and while he would like to hang for days he simply can't and Alexis is too lonely and isolated and to a degree selfish to get that saving the world comes first. So she decides fine if he has to pick one.. she'll take away the other option. It's like super great grandpap always said from his perserved brain in the basement always said: if they love something else, kill it , kill everything else they love so they only have you.

So Alexis teams up with the scavengers, gives them an upgrade, and lures clark away so she can siege the legion's clubhouse. Unfortuantely for her, Brainy is not only as smart as her, but the legion aren't pushovers and while she does get them on the ropes , Clark arrives having figured out the ruse and a fight breaks out, cumilating in Alexis deciding "if I can't have you i'll just kill you" just like super great grandpap would, and ending up bald like him.

In Jail Alexis reassembles Woodhouse.. because of course her robot is named woodhouse, and plots revenge... then we never see her again because the execs decided the show needed more BOYSSSS SAND TO APPEAL TO BOYS AND APPEAL TO ALL THE BOYSSSSS. God I wish Warner Bros execs werne't grown in a lab somewhere.. and that they let David Zaslav finish baking.

Legacies is an excellent episode, tapping into clark's need for normalcy, giving us a truly standout villian, and having some great jokes. The last part isn't important to an action show like this but I do like it. Tara Strong gives a stand out performance as Alexis and it's a damn shame we didn't get to see her again. Speaking of Cool Villians we never saw again..

Phantoms:

Our final episode for the day and this one's a bit intresting as it's actually 6th in production order, the 4th is the 6th aired episode fear factory. I would've kept it there but this is another superman centric one and it IS superman month, so it made sense. if this review does well, I might do the next batch including fear factory in october.

Clark has been visting the superman museum a lot, trying to find some clues about who he'll be. It's.. not super healthy. Also at the Museum is someone I forgot to mention during the first museum scene in the pilot, Booster Gold. Yes in a nice Cameo Booster is there... probably going to steal that legion ring eventually. That's how he flies. We also get a cameo from either lobo's descdeant or the main man himself in the previous episode as Alexis steals his bike.

Clark finds something and figures if it's his museum he can touch things: the Phantom Zone projector.. and accidently unleashes a prisoner.

It's here we meet Drax, vocied amazingly by character actor Greg Ellis, and his two pets, Eeny and Meany. Drax trashes the place with the awesome line "I see the altar but where's the god" and escapes. Lightning Lad is naturally the one to berate clark , but the rest of the legion is kind enough not to rub it in. The bigger issue is another kryptonian is now loose and he's bad.

Drax is an intresting character, in part because of what we know about him: he was created by Zod, something heavily implied by the z on his suit and the fact Zod is a terrible father every damn time, so it's no suprise he genetically eneeered a son just to murder superman, constantly has thoughts pumped into his head that he's evil and always has been always will be and said thoughts pump in with sharp pain if he gets off course trying to kill superman. You can see WHY the guy is such a monster when he hasn't really been given the choice not to be. He instead doubles down. He also has a swagger that's just.. unedeinable. I don't know what it is abotu Superman and british villians but it just works.

The episode is mostly the team tracking Drax down, but the cat and mouse works as their chasing someone as strong as superman, with no morals and two pet monsters. The ep is largely a showcase for the series great fight coreography

It does have some godo character stuff as we get the start of the sorta romance between Phantom Girl and Timber Wolf. They never offically hook up, but the tension is there as he spends the episode trying to protect her and she proves she can handle herself, but also has to learn in a team it's okay to have someone watch your back... just in moderation. The two weren't a thing in the comics.. but it works really well here, his blunt nature matching hers and his less than happy background nicely contrasting her being richer than god and her mom being president of the united planets.

The other notable runner in the episode is the science police: their the police but you know, science, present in every legion incarnation..a nd here their just the plain worse. Which tracks for police but begs the question why we still have them. THey don't like the legion which isn't a new take: the 90's version didn't exactly care for them either, and even preboot there was some friction, it just slowly lessened as some of the legion dated some of the science police. As you do. Here.. THEY FIRE ON THE LEGION WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT to try and kill the monsters

But wait this is somehow dumber! Not only are they firing on teenagers, if implied to be older teens mostly.. but as this episode mentions, Phantom Girl... is the president's daughter. If that wasn't enough, while it's not mentioned directly in this episode, the legion is formally sponsored by the united planets here, as they are in most versions, and unlike the UN the UP is more of a galactic senate and thus has a LOT of power. So their not just shooting at teens.. but teens who shooting at could cause a dipolmatic incident, and teens who outrank them!

Good lord. Anyways eventually Drax out manuvers them, using his monsters as a distraction.. while he goes for the Headquaters with only brainy left behind. It's here we find out something intresting: Brainy has a bit of kryptonite. He tries using it on Drax.. but Zod was smart enough to make sure that woudln't work, and Drax.. actually makes a point: That Clark DOSEN'T know about this, and ponders why brainy has this and dosen't tell him. It's understandble to have a fail safe.. much less to not tell him and hints to a darker side to our boy, a more pragmatic one we'll see more of in season 2.

For now the legion arrives.. and Drax finds the projector, using it to send them away. Clark explodes, utterly laying into Drax in a truly awesome fight, slamming the guy down bellow and even grabbing guns. Clark demands answers.. but Drax laughs, realizing Superman REALLY dosen't know and he won't tell him because well dick.

Thankfully while the fight is even the Legion narrowly escape, and in an awesome way as their stranded in the phantom zone at first, where the phantoms can hurt them.. but they can't touch them. Phantom Girl shows her awesomeness as she CAN and judo kicks a bunc hbefore brainy gets them to saftey and they find a hail mary: Brainy uses his shield generator , with a power boost from Lightning Lad, to punch their way home, and Phantom Girl phases them all. This comes with the massive risk of her possibly not being able to phase back.. but they have no other option and she bravely completes the circuit. Drax goes back, the kryptonite thing goes with him and Clark is left unaware... Brainy's happy to be rid of the ball and Clark's happy to find out the answers the fun way.. but there's still the unease that he didn't TELL clark what it was or why Drax was about to use it. That even as much as he loves clark.. Brainy can't ultimately be honest.

Phantoms is a solid episode. It's mostly a LOT of action, but it's fun well paced action and the climax's knock down drag out fight and darring escape is amazing. It's a well done episode with a great villian we sadly don't see again, though in this case it was likely the show getting cut short rather than executives being stupid pod persons.

And with that supermay is done. IT was a fun ride and the bigger likes than usual tells me ya'll would love to see this again next year, so you shall. Until then keep hope for a better world, look up too the sky, and thanks for reading.

[thefaeriefeatherdark]

I think a core belief on Kon-El that I have is that if you are giving him something similar to Kal-El exploring a Kal-El Superboy concept with him it needs to be a harsh contrast.

Giving him a dog named Krypto? That dog shouldn’t have Super Powers and also hates him.

Having him meet Mon-El? He thinks he’s a villain and they fight for the first half of the comic. There’s still the amnesia element, there’s still the phantom zone, but Kon’s version is distinct.

He and the core of the Legion of Superheroes need to not get along very well. They respect him, they might invite him around but they don’t want him on the team full time.

Etc.

That’s where the 03 and onwards stuff falls flat to me, a lot of the ideas feel very Silver Age Superboy shaped. That’s not actually right: They feel Smallville (2001) shaped. A thirty something in tight clothing playing a teenager (becayse that’s what Kon from that era looks like) who fights monsters of the week but it’s all about the drama between them and their friends (but it isn’t really).

One of the issues is that Kon’s separation from Clark is treated like a problem. Kon doesn’t like Krypto or Smallville so he ends his “character arc” liking them.

But also he starts pretty Kal shaped: He wears glasses, is raised by the Kent’s, he lives on a farm. It just feels like a rough attempt to make him Clark because that Superboy was off limits.

Heck! Even his supporting cast was Best Friend Science guy who might grow up to be evil (which is both very Smallville and sort of Birthright). In fairness to the era they did make every character someone who might grow up to be evil (which in itself feels like a bland concept for creating angst).

Kon-El moves to Smallville and lives with the Kent’s can work if we take a radical shift with it. He can’t be a Clark Clone (both literally and metaphorically). He can’t have a Superdog. He needs to be a separate distinct character with his own supporting cast and adventures and locations. If he isn’t then he’s being failed by the writer.

[dc-earth53]

#0001: Superman (Clark Kent/Kal-El)

Age: 45

Occupation: Reporter, adventurer

Marital status: Married

Known relatives: Jor-El (father, deceased), Lara Lor-Van (mother, deceased), Jonathan Kent (adoptive father), Martha Kent (adoptive mother), Lois Lane-Kent (wife), Jon Kent (son), Conner Kent/Kon-El (clone “brother”), Zor-El (uncle, deceased), Alura In-Ze (aunt, deceased), Kara Zor-El (cousin), Karen Starr (clone “cousin”), Lucy Lane (sister-in-law), Sam Lane (father-in-law, deceased). 

Group affiliation: Justice League of America

Base of operations: Fortress of Solitude, the Arctic

Height: 6’3”

Weight: 235 lbs.

History: 

45 years ago:

Jor-El and Lara send infant Kal-El to Earth to escape the destruction of the planet Krypton.

Kal-El’s rocket is found by Jonathan and Martha Kent near Smallville, Kansas. The Kents adopt him as their own son, naming him Clark.

33 years ago: 12-year-old Clark befriends Lana Lang and Pete Ross.

29 years ago: 

16-year-old Clark’s latent Kryptonian abilities including super-strength, flight, and invulnerability begin to emerge, thanks to time spent underneath Earth’s yellow sun. The Kents reveal to him his alien heritage, and he begins doing good in secret.

Clark and Lana begin dating, and Clark reveals the secret of his powers to Lana.

24 years ago: 21-year-old Clark graduates from journalism school at the University of Kansas and sets off to see the world, doing freelance reporting during his travels. Clark and Lana amicably end their relationship.

20 years ago: 

25-year-old Clark stops an experimental spacecraft from crashing in front of a crowd of people, and the incident leads him to decide that it’s time to come out from the shadows. Martha fashions a costume for him from his baby blanket, emblazoned with the family crest of the House of El.

Clark moves to Metropolis and gets a job at the Daily Planet as a reporter, meeting reporter Lois Lane, editor Perry White, and intern Jimmy Olsen.

Dubbed “Superman” by the media after saving Daily Planet staff from a helicopter crash, Clark makes his costumed debut while his identity remains a secret. 

Superman makes an enemy of billionaire Lex Luthor, who believed him to be an extraterrestrial threat to humanity.

19 years ago:

Superman meets Batman, and the pair team up to solve a series of murders.

Superman has his first encounters with opponents such as Mr. Mxyzptlk, Metallo, Toyman, and Rampage.

Clark and Lois begin dating.

Superman becomes a charter member of the Justice League of America after helping to repel an alien invasion of Earth.

18 years ago:  Superman meets the Eradicator, a Kryptonian artificial intelligence dedicated to the preservation of Kryptonian culture and driven to turn Earth into a second Krypton. The Eradicator builds a citadel in the Arctic, which Superman repurposes as his Fortress of Solitude.

17 years ago: 

Superman discovers the body of his cousin, Kara Zor-El, in suspended animation, when a rocket similar to the one he arrived in crashes to Earth. Kara takes on his colors and symbol and joins the fight for truth and justice as Supergirl.

Superman first encounters Brainiac, a rogue artificial intelligence from the planet Colu, when one of his probes arrives on Earth in pursuit of Kara’s rocket.

The shrunken Kryptonian city of Kandor is recovered from Brainiac and taken to the Fortress of Solitude.

16 years ago: Superman releases Dru-Zod and Ursa, Kryptonian war criminals, from imprisonment in the Phantom Zone, but is forced to re-imprison them when they attempt to take over Earth and turn it into a new Krypton. 

15 years ago: Superman is abducted by Mongul, the ruler of the artifical planet Warworld, and forced to compete in gladiatorial combat. He leads a revolution among the slaves on Warworld, and escapes, forcing Mongul to retreat. 

14 years ago: Superman first encounters Darkseid, despotic ruler of the planet Apokolips.

13 years ago: Mongul returns to Earth on Superman’s birthday, attacking him with the parasitic Black Mercy plant and trapping him in a world of his own fantasies.

12 years ago:

In the wake of Checkmate’s offensive on the Justice League, revealed to be a plot by Brainiac, Superman moves to disband the team.

Clark proposes to Lois, revealing to her his secret identity as Superman.

11 years ago: 

Superman, along with the rest of Earth’s heroes, fight against the Anti-Monitor. Supergirl perishes in the battle.

Superman encounters Bizarro, an early, flawed result of an attempt to replicate Kryptonian DNA.  

9 years ago:

Superman falls in battle against the living weapon Doomsday.

The Eradicator places Superman in a Kryptonian healing matrix hidden within the Fortress of Solitude, restoring him to life after a few months of hibernation.

Clark and Lois are wed.

8 years ago:

Clark and Lois’s son, Jon Kent is born.

Superman comes into conflict with pragmatic vigilante Manchester Black and his Elite.

7 years ago:

Superman fights against the Joker, who had stolen Mr. Mxyzptlk’s powers and twisted the Earth into his own image.

A third Kryptonian rocket crashes on Earth, containing Krypto, a dog-like creature belonging to Jor-El and Lara. Krypto comes to reside at the Fortress of Solitude.

Superman and Earth’s heroes fight against the allied forces of Imperiex, Brainiac, and Darkseid.

5 years ago: After a battle against Lex Luthor, who had given himself Kryptonian powers, Superman loses his powers from heavy exposure to red sunlight and temporarily retires.

4 years ago:

Superman’s powers return, in time for him to foil a new plot from  Luthor.

Superman foils an attempt from Brainiac to bottle Metropolis, restoring Kandor to its proper size in the process and locating it in the Arctic. Around the same time, Jonathan Kent passes away of a heart attack.

3 years ago: 

After failing to integrate with humanity, the citizens of Kandor use Brainiac’s technology to relocate Kandor to a new planet opposite Earth’s orbit - “New Krypton.”

New Krypton, led by Zod and Ursa, declares war on Earth as the new planet proves to be unstable. Superman and Earth’s heroes drive them off, but not without suffering many losses, which leave Superman as the true last son of Krypton.

2 years ago:  The Kent family leaves Metropolis for an extended period of time, taking a trip across America to reconnect with ordinary people. Eventually, they settle down in Hamilton County, Pennsylvania, a rural area west of Metropolis.

1 year ago:

Superman defeats Darkseid,  who had returned to Earth in search of the Anti-Life Equation, removing his threat from the universe seemingly for good.

Superman receives a warm welcome back to Metropolis when he’s attacked by Hank Henshaw and his Superman Revenge Squad.

Present Day: Clark helps 8-year-old Jon deal with his sudden development of powers similar to his father’s.

Commentary:

Superman’s origin is so iconic that Grant Morrison summed it up in just eight words: “Doomed planet. Desperate scientists. Last hope. Kindly couple.” In light of this, I see no reason to mess with a good thing. That being said, the story of Superman’s public debut has been retold with major differences four or five times now between the various Crises, and that makes things tricky to pin down. 

The version I ended up writing is mostly inspired by Superman: Birthright by Mark Waid. (Sorry, anyone who’s a fan of Clark as Superboy. While I don’t hate the concept, it raises the question of “why doesn’t anyone associate Superboy and thus Superman with Clark?” it doesn’t really bring anything valuable to the table that can’t be put elsewhere in the timeline: the Legion is more associated with Supergirl in this timeline, and Krypto is moved to later on.) His post-Crisis history is mostly intact, although with a few notable omissions, mainly Superman Blue. I hope nobody will miss that too much.

Superman’s history sets the timeline for the rest of the universe - while other heroes’ origins occur before his public debut, he’s the first of the major figures of the Age of Heroes to debut, twenty years prior to the present day. The rest of the Trinity follows within a year of his appearance, along with most of the iconic Silver Age DC heroes. This Superman is forty-five years of age at the current point in the timeline: a seasoned superhero who has saved the world time and time again, but who also lives a simple life as a family man with Lois and Jon.

He may be a Kryptonian by genetics, but at his core, thanks to his upbringing from Ma and Pa Kent, he’s a human - one who happens to have to balance his extraordinary powers and responsibility to the world (wait, is this Spider-Man all of a sudden?) with his alien heritage and the complications derived from such. He’s a champion of the oppressed, standing up for the “little guy” and those who can’t defend themselves against powers both great and small. Out of the Trinity, he best embodies hope - when the situation seems at its most dire, Superman’s the one to keep the faith and rally for one last push. He’s the hero who lands on a rooftop beside someone who’s about to jump and just sits beside them while they make their decision.

As for Superman’s costume, he’s currently sporting the Reborn look, sans trunks. I’m not saying the trunks are outright bad or silly, and envision them as being part of his original costume for certain, but the costume in the header is what he currently uses in this universe.

Have any questions about Superman or anything else? My asks are open!

[legionnairelass]

A Guide To The Legion of Super-Heroes For CW Fans

(@shadowofcroft​ @peskydoodles @denofgeek @karamelshakes @nerdyfancupcake @querlsdoxs @lenakluthor I haven’t spoken to nearly any of you, but could y’all somehow get this out to the people who’d read it?)

WHAT is the Legion of Super-Heroes? A bunch of futuristic losers who nerd out so hard about 21st/20th century heroes they decided to be heroes too.

WHEN is the Legion of Super-Heroes? Either the 30th or the 31st century- take the publication date of whatever comic you’re reading, add 1,000 years, and there you go!

WHO ARE THE MEMBERS of the Legion of Super-Heroes? Please don’t make me answer this. There are a lot. There was once a membership-cap of 25, but that got thrown away because more Legionnaires.

WHO INSPIRED the Legion of Super-Heroes? In the comics, it’s Clark Kent, Superboy at the time. Back when he lived in Smallville with Ma and Pa Kent, the Legion’s founders went back and time to prank him and take him to the 30th/31st where he got really good at the hero thing and  eventually evolved into (wait for it) SUPERMAN.

WHO FOUNDED the Legion of Super-Heroes? (This is gonna come as a huge shock, I know, but) Not Mon-El! The original founders of the Legion, sometimes known as the Legionnaires Three, were actually Imra Ardeen (aka Saturn Girl), Garth Ranzz (aka Lightning Lad), and Rokk Krinn (aka Cosmic Boy). The three of them sorta accidentally saved a rich, old, fun dude named R.J. Brande and he was like “huh, superheroes are cool”. Thus, the Legion was formed.

HOW DOES the Legion of Super-Heroes WORK? The Legion is a democracy, with a whole ton of rules called the Legion Constitution. Every year or so, the Legion holds elections for their leader, and whenever it is convenient they hold try-outs for new members.

WHAT is the Legion of Super-Heroes ABOUT? The Legionnaires come from all over the galaxy in order to defend peace, democracy, and freedom. They are optimistic, sometimes to a fault, and believe in Superman’s virtues above (almost) all else.

WHAT IS THE APPEAL of the Legion of Super-Heroes? Well, the Legion is normally really optimistic, really diverse, and really teenage. Characterization and inter-personal relationships are always a heavy focus, not just superhero, bam, pow, fisticuffs.

HOW DOES the Legion of Super-Heroes CONNECT WITH SUPERGIRL? The Legion has, historically, always been very involved with the Super Family. Supergirl became a member (alongside Clark Kent) way back in the Silver Age (those are the really old comics with story lines that read like crappy old fanfics off of Fanfiction.net and pages that reek of LSD which all the writers were on at the time). She’d come from the past to the future to join in with the lighthearted shenanigans, and help save the day. In fact, the Legionnaire Brainiac 5 was her most consistent love interest throughout the decades of Supergirl comics.

WHAT DOES MON-EL HAVE TO DO with the Legion of Super-Heroes? Remember how Mon got stuck in the Phantom Zone because of lead-poisoning? Yeah, so a thousand years in the future, Brainiac 5 developed a cure and saved him. With nothing better to do, Mon joined the Legion. It was pretty cool. He even had the most badass girlfriend- Tasmia Mallor aka Shadow Lass.

WHO IS THIS BRAINIAC 5 DUDE in the Legion of Super-Heroes? Brainiac 5, aka Querl Dox is a native of Colu, and a descendant of Superman’s villain Brainiac. He’s basically the smartest person ever to exist, and he knows it. Although he’s a sarcastic, antagonistic bitch most of the time, he’s one of the Legion’s greatest assets. Plus, he’s had a ton of love interests, most notably Supergirl, but also Laurel Gand (aka Andromeda), Lyle Norg (aka Invisible Kid), Nura Nal (aka Dream Girl), and (if we’re sorta counting the cartoon) Clark Kent (aka Superman).

HOW IS SATURN GIRL INVOLVED in the Legion of Super-Heroes? Well, let’s start off by saying SHE”S NOT MON-EL’S WIFE. With that out of the way, Saturn Girl, aka Imra Ardeen is one of the founding members of the Legion. She’s a ridiculously strong telepath. Sometimes she’s called ‘Ironass Ardeen’ because she’s so tough. She’s married to Garth Ranzz aka Lightning Lad and they had twin sons. Also, did I mention that in 1964 she became the first female leader of a superhero team??? Imra’s so cool, everyone should love her.

IS THE NIA NAL/DREAMER CHICK PART OF the Legion of Super-Heroes? ....No? Yes, maybe? Nia has been revealed to be the grandmother of Nura Nal (aka Dream Girl, or Dreamer), who’s a Legionnaire from Naltor with the ability to see the future and also kick a lot of ass and save the day because Brainy is pretty useless in combat scenarios. 

HOW GAY is the Legion of Super-Heroes? (Let’s face it. I’m on tumblr. I understand tumblr. This question is pertinent.) The Legion hasn’t had a on-going comic in recent years, so a lot of the gay shit is queer coding but... Shrinking Violet and Light Lass are wonderful farm girlfriends, Invisible Kid and Chemical King have been generally accepted as a gay couple since the 60′s, Shvaughn Erin can be read as a (poorly written) trans character, her love interest Element Lad more or less comes out as bisexual, Brainiac 5 and Invisible Kid came really close to being a canon couple before the series was rebooted, and Chameleon was canonically nonbinary in the reboot known as the threeboot. I’m sure there’s more I’m forgetting, but there are a lot of Legionnaires. Also, they all had a crush on a snake person at one point, which was, y’know, awesome.

WHERE DO I START READING the Legion of Super-Heroes? 1. You know that thought you just had about reading from the beginning? Take it, smash it on the ground, jump on it a few times, throw it in a trash can, set the trash can on fire, and then throw the whole thing into the abyss. The whole concept of ‘reading from the beginning’ will cause more suffering than it’s worth. Trust me. 2. Get your hands on the graphic novels Legionnaires Volumes 1 and 2 (here and here). This is the beginning of the rebooted Legion. I won’t confuse you (or myself, honestly) with those details, but the reboot reintroduces all the characters, and retells some of the popular original stories before moving into brand new territory. 3. Get some pens and paper handy. Be prepared to take little notes about who’s who as you go. Don’t worry- you won’t need these for very long. Just at the beginning. 4. read, Read, READ! And most importantly- enjoy!

[thecomicsnexus]

SUPERMAN #423, ACTION COMICS #583 SEPTEMBER 11986 BY ALAN MOORE, CURT SWAN, GEORGE PEREZ, KURT SCHAFFENBERGER AND GENE D’ANGELO

This is an imaginary story (which may never happen, but then again may) about a perfect man who came from the sky and did only good. It tells of his twilight, when the great battles were over and the great miracles long since performed; of how his enemies conspired against him and of that final war in the snow-blind wastes beneath the Northern Lights; of the two women he loved and of the choice he made between them; of how he broke his most sacred oath; and how finally all the things he had were taken from him save one. It ends with a wink. It begins in a quiet midwestern town, one summer afternoon in the quiet midwestern future. Away in the big city, people still sometimes glance up hopefully from the sidewalks, glimpsing a distant speck in the sky... but no: it's only a bird, only a plane. Superman died ten years ago. This is an imaginary story... Aren't they all?

SYNOPSIS (FROM SUPERMAN HOMEPAGE)

Summer has come to the Midwest, and the only thing that breaks the warm peacefulness of this little village this afternoon is the ring of a doorbell. The door opens framing a beautiful woman. "Ms Lane?" a young man asks. "It's Mrs. Lois Elliot, now," corrects the woman, opening the door for him to enter. "You must be Tim Crane, from the Planet," she says, and the young reporter the Daily Planet had sent to interview Lois for the Superman Memorial Edition makes himself at home on the couch.

To break the ice, Tim Crane tests his tape recorder then begins by asking about the two year period leading up to Superman's disappearance. "Were those happy times?" he asks. "Happy?" puzzles Lois. "I don't know... at least they were quiet," she begins. As if in a trance, Lois starts to tell her story. "Luthor had been quiet," she began, and "Brainiac had been pounded into scrap metal, save for the head that had never been recovered." Mostly, Superman worked in space doing research for the government, until one day he returned and found complete city blocks horribly destroyed. Jimmy rushed up to tell him that Bizarro had gone berserk, smashing buildings and injuring innocent people.

Walking into the shell that had once been a department store, Superman saw the destruction Bizarro has caused, and called to his imperfect replicate. "This am part of genius Bizarro self-improvement plan," laughed the grotesque creature, telling Superman that he had already destroyed Bizarro world, as Krypton had been destroyed. Then, realizing that to be the perfect imperfect double he must do everything opposite of Superman. If Superman cannot kill, Bizarro must kill millions, and if Superman is alive, then Bizarro must die. Holding a large piece of blue Kryptonite before himself, Bizarro collapsed to the floor, smiling. "Everything...him go dark," whispered Bizarro. "Hello, Superman. Hello." It didn't make sense even by Bizarro standards; genocide, homicide then suicide.

Several days later, at the WGBS television studios, two packages arrived just before Clark Kent made his daily newscast. Opening the smaller box, Lana Lang saw a group of Superman action figures and told Clark that they worked when the legs were squeezed together. Lifting one from the box, Lana demonstrated on one, and suddenly heat rays shot from its eyes. Suddenly, all of the figures became animated, and flew out of the box focusing their beams on Clark. "They're slicing him up," screamed Lana racing toward Clark, but Jimmy grabbed her. "It's too late. We can't save him," he yelled. But as the smoke cleared, Clark stands before them, his suit torn and burned revealing the familiar blue and red costume of Superman. Lana stared at him in amazement. "Clark, it was you. All of these years...it was you all of the time."

Their amazement is challenged when the voice of the Toyman and the Prankster crackled over small speakers in the figures. "He just combed his hair and stuck on a pair of glasses!" they laugh. "What a great gag!" "How did you know that I was Clark Kent?" screamed Superman. "Why don't you look in the big box," they replied, laughing wildly. The box was lead lined, but when Superman ripped it open the body of Pete Ross, who had known Superman's true identity since they were boys in Smallville, fell into view. The Prankster and Toyman continued to laugh hysterically at their apparent victory. "Do you know what radio waves look like..." Superman yelled, taking off faster than the eye can follow. Seconds later he smashed through the walls of their hideout. "...Because I do!" The next day, the world is shocked to read the headlines of the Planet that no one would have ever thought true: "Clark Kent Exposed as Superman." Later, at Pete Ross' funeral, Superman mused, "They were all just nuisances. What turned them into killers? If the nuisances from my past are coming back as killers, what will happen when the killers come back?"

Using a sophisticated detector, Lex Luthor searched the arctic circle, and finally located Brainiac's head. At first Luthor is ecstatic, but then he noticed the mask amazingly disassemble, then moved rapidly up Luthor's body to his head. With a disgusting "sludge", probes attached themselves to Luthor's skull, and took control of his motor and vocal pathways. The new Brainiac-Luthor team had been born. Turning slowly, Luthor began walking, stiffly, inexorably toward civilization one step, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another...

Several days passed before another event, almost as an omen, took place. In front of the Daily Planet building, an army of Metallos, hundreds of them, began climbing up the sides of the building, crashing through the glass breaking into the newsroom. Each of the Metallos attacked a member of the staff, a friend of Superman. But one sought Lois Lane, grabbed her, and threw her out of the broken window. "You alien loving tramp," he screamed at her. The reds and blues flowed together as Superman sped down and saved Lois as he has done countless times before, then turned upward to the roof. Using super-speed, he magnetized the giant planet on the top of the building and used it to gather up all of the Metallos.

But the danger was obvious. Superman decided that he must take all of his closest friends to the Fortress for safety. One by one, Superman transported Perry and Alice White, Lois and Lana, then Jimmy Olson. Almost on cue, Krypto returned from space, and stared at a life-size photo of Supergirl, almost tearing that she was killed in Crisis. The tension was so thick that focused heat vision could not cut through. Perry and Alice, at ropes end in their marriage, headed off to separate rooms. Lois and Lana, for so long rivals, consoled one another and themselves in their own fears.

Suddenly, the air crackled and the time bubble of the Legion of Super-Heroes appeared. Stepping from the bubble were all of the Legionnaires, including a young Kara... Supergirl. Brainiac V moved forward. "We thought you might appreciate the sight of a few friendly faces," he said. Then Kara greeted her cousin with a hug. "Is it cheating if you tell me if I grow up to be pretty," she asks. "You... grew up beautiful, Kara," choked back Superman. As the Legionnaires looked around the Fortress, Brainiac V took Superman aside and presented him with a gold statue of him holding a Phantom Zone projector. "We came here to meet with you again, and salute you," said Brainiac V solemnly. Superman looked at him sadly. "And pay your last respects, is that it?" Supergirl interrupted the tense moment. "I just thought of something," said Kara. "I thought I couldn't materialize in an era where you already existed?" "You're right," says Superman. "Right now, Supergirl is in the past."

Tearfully, the Legionnaires boarded their time bubble and slowly disappeared in an electric crackle. Left alone, Superman and Krypto sat quietly among their many trophies, the tributes to their heroic deeds... and their thoughts. "He never told me exactly what had happened the night before the siege began," says Lois. "But as soon as I saw him the next morning I knew something had upset him. He looked funny. He looked as if he had been crying."

Lois and Tim Crane take a break to have a cup of coffee. The wonderful aroma attracts Jordan Elliot, Lois' husband into the room. Sitting at the table, Crane looks at Elliot and asks whether he minds that his wife is being interviewed about her life with Superman. "Nah, I can live with it," dismissed Elliott. "He weren't nothin' special. Us workin' slobs, we're the real heroes." Turning, he left them to resume to their interview and Lois continued. "We stood on the balcony and watched as he destroyed the golden key. I think that's when we first realized that he was preparing for a siege... Superman's last stand."

Inside, the people were tense. Perry and Alice bickered. Lois and Lana waited. Outside, the villains gathered. Brainiac-Luthor and the Kryptonite Man emerged from Brainiac's rebuilt ship and to their amazement, Saturn Woman, Cosmic King and Lightning Lord, members of the Legion of Super Villains, arrived from the future hoping to share in the victory. "Why should I share," asks Brainiac-Luthor. "Because, in the future, we know things," said Saturn Woman. "According to legend...Superman met his greatest foe in battle and was no more," said Lightning Lord. "It is said that during Superman's last days, all of earth's champions flocked to help him," added Cosmic King. Brainiac-Luthor returned to his ship. "I shall erect an impenetrable force-screen immediately," the voice drones and a huge bubble, two miles across appeared enclosing the fortress.

Around noon, they began firing on the fortress with weapons from Brainiac's ship. Superman was able to destroy most of the weapons with his heat vision, but the force generator was too well protected, and a frontal assault by him and Krypto was turned back by Kryptonite Man. Soon, other heroes arrived. Friends, rivals, lovers; none of them could get through the barrier. And when night finally fell, everyone assumed that they had until morning.

As quiet came, Superman sought out Perry white. The two men spoke of fear, and dying in hushed voices. "I think I'm going to die," said Superman sadly, "and I have so much to get straight, like me and Lois, and me and Lana. They've wasted their love on me while I couldn't love either of them the way they deserved. I wish I had explained. I wish I hadn't been such a coward." His voice tailed off. The noble are always the ones most troubled by conscience.

Suddenly, a flickering flashlight captured a figure moving in the darkness. "Lana, what are you doing here?" asked Jimmy. They looked at each other realizing that each had come to help. Locating the serum that had once transformed him into Elastic Lad, Jimmy lifted the flask with a wry smile then drank. Before them is a pool of water that had once given Lana temporary super-powers. Telling Jimmy to turn his back, Lana immersed herself in the water, and one-by-one her senses expanded: x-ray vision, microscopic vision, and super-hearing... then overhearing a voice... of Superman. "When I was Superboy, Lana was the only girl I loved, but since I've grown to become a man, there's only ever been one woman for me. Lois. I love her Perry, but I can't tell her without hurting Lana. I'd never hurt Lana, so I'll just walk around with this secret, the weight in my heart. I'll carry it in my heart, and neither of them will ever know."

Standing, Lana lifted herself from the pool and dressed in the costume hung in the trophy case behind her. "Are you ready yet," asked Jimmy. "We'll show 'em," Lana says. "Nobody loved him better than us. Nobody!" and they sped from the fortress.

Brainiac had assumed that Kryptonite Man would keep Superman and Krypto at bay, so what happened took them totally by surprise. First Lana pummeled Kryptonite Man while Jimmy ran to disable the force projector. Then Lana turned on Brainiac-Luthor. The Brainiac portion spoke in bravado, but the part that was still Luthor pleaded with Lana. "Kill meee... Lana... Please... Kill me... Do it now," said Luthor, his voice feeble and weak. Lana landed a thundering blow which snapped Luthor's neck, collapsing him into the snow.

But then the Legion of Super Villains took command. Cosmic King used his elemental transmutation powers to turn the radioactive particles of the pool into normal body salts stealing Lana's powers from her. Lightning Lord approached Lana, offering a hand, but electrocuted her. Elastic Lad had watched this, and leapt at the villains from the future. "You murdering scum," he screamed. "The force screens wrecked and you're finished," but no sooner have the words left his lips when a blast from a ray pistol struck a fatal blow, and Jimmy lay dead in the snow.

The Villains wondered where the blast had come from, and then saw Brainiac stand clumsily, stiffly. "I.. am Brainiac...reducer of Kandor...and his greatest foe. My victory...is preordained. Do you think... that I would let... the death of this body... stand in my way?" The villains look at the scene in amazement. Kryptonite Man then noticed that even though Jimmy had destroyed the force generator the screen had not collapsed. "Some other force must be maintaining the screen," wheezed Brainiac who then ordered that they prepare for their final strike and launched a nuclear missile.

The nuclear blast had little effect on the fortress other than to open a gaping hole in one side. Inside, Perry rushed from his room and saw a wall begin to crumble on Alice. Quickly, he knocked her aside, saving her life. Safe for the moment, the two look at each other and realize that, even now, they still had love one another. The thing they did not have was time.

The first villain to approach the fortress was Kryptonite Man. Passing through the hole in the fortress wall, he called out defiantly, "Where are you Kryptonian?" The response came from a different Kryptonian than he expected, when Krypto blasted through the wall. Kryptonite Man radiated the dog, but Krypto kept coming, biting a slashing at the villain. "I'm killing you, you stupid animal. Don't you understand?" Krypto did understand and was unrelenting. In a pool of green blood, Kryptonite Man died, and with his final breaths, Krypto emitted a mournful howl then joined the green man in death.

With Lois in his arms, Superman flew through the fortress witnessing the destruction. Using his x-ray vision he located Perry and Alice, but told Lois that Jimmy and Lana were nowhere to be seen. "Perhaps they're dead," laughed Lightning Lord. "Want to buy yourself some time, Kryptonian? Why not throw me the woman to fry the way I fried your other girlfriend." "You hurt Lana?" Superman screamed. His eyes glow red, with the heat of many suns, and slash out slicing Lightning Lord's shoulder. Saturn Woman is completely taken aback. "He's prepared to kill," she says and the trio, knowing that Superman is to be defeated this day, rushes hurriedly to their Time Bubble and escape to the future.

Together, Superman and Lois fly off to face Brainiac. As they approach, Superman can see that rigor mortis has developed and Brainiac can no longer control muscular function. Luthor's body betrayed Brainiac in death, collapsing in the snow. Disengaging himself from Luthor's skull, Brainiac walks, crablike toward Superman. "I am coming for you Kryptonian. My victory in inevitable.' But Brainiac could only move a few inches, powered only by pure malice. In a blink, it, too, expired.

It's over. But no! There are too many loose ends. The force field is still intact. No one can enter or leave. As they return to the fortress, the truth suddenly dawned on Superman. "Mxyxptlk!" he screamed, and the 5th Dimensional imp appeared, changed somehow, darker. "What do you do when you're immortal," he asks, "other than fill time." Part of the time he was good, part of the time funny now he is evil. "Did you honestly believe that a 5th Dimensional sorcerer would resemble a funny little man in a derby hat? This is how I really look," he screams and again changes into a distorted, grotesque apparition with height, length, breadth and a couple of other things.

Suddenly, Brainiac V's meaning dawned on Superman. The statue he was given... facing his greatest foe... he was holding a Phantom Zone projector. Racing through the fortress, Superman sped to the chamber where the projector was hidden, with Mxyxptlk right behind him. "Time to die!" screamed Mxyxptlk. "That's right, Mxyxptlk," says Superman. "Time to die."

It takes a moment for Mxyxptlk to recognize what Superman had in his hands, and in that moment, he realized that there is no escape for him, save one. As the Phantom Zone projector beam hits Mxyxptlk, he yelled out his name backwards. A numbing scream rends the air. As he attempted to return to the 5th Dimension, he was also sent to the Phantom Zone; torn in half between dimension.

And now it is over. But was it. In the fortress Superman appeared distraught. "I broke my oath," he sighed. "I killed him. Nobody has the right to kill. Not Mxyxptlk... not you... not Superman. Especially not Superman." "Superman turned and walked down a hallway," continues Lois to Tim Crane. "I ran after him, calling his name. He didn't reply. Opening a chamber labeled "Gold Kryptonite" he entered and walked into the gold light. He turned and looked over his shoulder. He smiled at me... I never saw Superman again."

The force field crackled and disappeared and the heroes of earth approached the fortress. "Carnage and destruction was everywhere," adds Lois sadly. "Bodies of his enemies, and his most loyal friends were strewn on the ground. They found me outside of the Gold Kryptonite chamber, but Superman was gone. They found a passageway leading out of the fortress and it is believed that he walked out, powerless. They never found his body. As far as I am concerned, Superman died in the arctic. I was there."

As Tim Crane gathers his notes and prepares to leave, Jordan Elliot walked into the living room with his son, Jonathan. Once alone, the couple settled in for the evening. "I guess the media won't be bothering us for at least another 10 years now," says Lois. "Let's hope so," added Jordan. Sitting Jonathan down beside the fireplace, the couple hugged lovingly. "Work was great," began Jordan. A friend brought in a photo of his grandchildren and they had worked on a '48 Buick. "You really love it, don't you? Going to work everyday, taking out the garbage, changing Jonathan's diapers... all the normal stuff," says Lois knowingly. "Yep. Can't beat it," laughed Jordan who casually glanced at his son, now black from coal soot.

"You were pretty hard on Superman earlier," admonished Lois. "Superman was over-rated," laughed Jordan. "Too wrapped up in himself. 'Thought the world couldn't get along without him." At his feet, young Jonathan playfully squeezed the coal in his hand. Opening it he stared gleefully at a large, glimmering diamond.

"What's for dinner," asked Jordan. "Pizza, then bed, a bottle of wine," winked Lois, "then we can live happily ever after. Sound good to you? Grinning widely, Jordan walked to the door, and stared out at us. He nodded, then winked, then closed the door.

CONTEXT

REVIEW

Yes, the dog dies.

There aren’t many sad Superman stories (at least not that many that do not end with some kind of hope). To me this story gets sadder with the Legion sequence. Everything about those pages is sad, including the last splash page. That is the moment Superman confirms he is about to die.

Some fun facts: Jordan Elliot is a homage to Jor-El. Lois’s son is named Jonathan for the reasons you already know. (Jonathan Kent).

On the cover of Action Comics #583, you can see DC people, Murphy Anderson, Curt Swan, Jenette Khan and and Julius Schwartz.

There are some things I consider “off” in this story that I forgive for the emotional factor. Time travel logic in particular seems fishy. There are a couple of rules mentioned, but the intervention of the Legion of Super-Villains kind of breaks history (unless of course, that they were there all along in some kind of loop). The same way with the golden statue, was that there all along?

It’s unclear to me if the force shield covered everything under earth as well, as Superman could have easily made an underground tunnel and put all his loved ones in another safe place.

Then what about the crazy room full of Golden Kryptonite? Is that safe to have around?

One thing is cool about the “suicide” ending. We saw Bizarro take his life earlier with Blue Kryptonite, and he does the opposite, so I take that as a clue that he is not dying.

I also like the small character moments. Lana and Lois in particular as they weren’t treated with respect all along (one of the reasons Byrne did away with the love triangles). But also Perry and Alice have a beautiful moment.

Lana, Jimmy and Krypto sacrifice themselves. As Jimmy said, “it’s time to pay the price for being Superman’s pal”. Lana died a hero and Lois pretty much helped Superman figured out how to end the menace.

Moore did good use of Superman’s supporting cast, something that most writers usually ignore (as they are usually used to fill pages or help with quick expositions).

I always forget George Perez inked the first chapter. It is clearly Perez without losing Swan’s style (but you can find Perez’s style in the backgrounds).

This is the end of the Bronze Age for Superman. To be honest, I do not know if this is a Bronze Age or a Modern Age story. I think both would be correct, but because it feels more in harmony with Modern Age stories, I decided to put it in that category.

I give this story a score of 10.

[rednether]

Superman - My Starter Pack

Inspired by @davidmann95​‘s own post, where he does basically the same thing. recommending people where to start in regards to reading Superman.

I do think that to begin with, this is still what I’d read in general about Superman. and what appeals to me in terms of being about the character.

1. All-Star Superman

Whats It’s About: Superman saves the first-manned mission to the sun, led by Dr. Leo Quintum of P.R.O.J.E.C.T., which has been sabotaged by Lex Luthor via him sending a genetically modified suicide bomb in human. Superman manages to save the ship and it’s crew, but ends up powered beyond the norm to fatal levels. as a result, he’s now dying due to solar overexposure. leaving Superman with only a year to live. this is his last deeds.

Why You Should Read It: It’s Superman at his greatest and finest, written and drawn by what could be debated is the greatest writer and artist duo in all of history. it’s not just the best Superman story of all time, it is factually and objectively the best superhero story period (to quote Davidman). on one hand, I’d recommend reading this last because it does kinda read better the more you know and like Superman. on the other, I recommend to just drop in blind because it’s an out of continuity book that doesn’t require you to have read the mainstream comics. 

2. Grant Morrison’s Action Comics

What’s It’s About: The debut of a depowered Golden Age-esque social crusader Superman clad in a T-shirt and Jeans in the modern day, fighting corrupt politicians and rich people suppressing the weak and the oppressed. before basically moving to the Silver Age by fighting the very alien Brainiac after spending his career so far as a Bully Hunter. signified by him starting to work at the Daily Planet and moving from the Daily Star. as the forgotten first Superman, Adam Blake returns to Earth to take away Lois’ niece, Susan Tompkins before the planet is destroyed. Superman decides to kill off Clark Kent because he feels he outgrew him, while ultimately coming to blows with Captain Comet and convincing the latter to turn over a new page at the end of their fight. Vyndktvx finally enacts his plan, attacking the Man of Steel at all points of his life alongside the Anti-Superman Squad and their wild card, Super-Doomsday. though Superman ultimately wins through tricking him to say his name backward by having the entire Earth including himself say their names backwards thus banishing Vyndktvx back to the Fifth Dimension.

Why You Should Read It: It’s the definitive Superman blueprint, merging the character’s Pre-Crisis life from the three eras he was in: Golden, Silver and Bronze ages with some small aspects of his Post-Crisis history (Super-Doomsday for example), creating a definitive Superman who spans all of his life in a consistent manner. 

3. Greg Pak’s Action Comics

What’s It’s About: Superman reunites with childhood friend as well as one-and--off love interest Lana Lang years later, after her departure from Smallville when they were teenagers.as they investigate an ancient civilization that lives deep beneath the earth that is full of bizarre and appears dangerous while attempting to decide which race needs their protection the most, humanity or the underworlders? two months later, after the conflict with Doomsday that resulted in Superman almost turning completely into the beast itself as well as Brainiac’s latest attack. Lana and her lover John Henry Irons travel to Smallville for a vacation, only to discover that the graves of her parents have been mysteriously dug up and the corpses gone.Lana’s parents seemingly back from the dead as zombies, meanwhile. Clark Kent has started placing more importance on his secret identity, helping rebuild Metropolis even while he has a feeling that something appears off. so he flies to Smallville to check on it, only to discover a mysterious fog surrounding it and that he can’t initially get through, getting teleported miles away when he tries to get in.ultimately Superman does make it through, discovering that the dead are seemingly walking amongst the living, not just the Langs. to his horror, he now discovers he can’t make it out. all the while, something is wrong with Smallville’s denizens who appear to have developed psychic ablities as a monster from the Phantom Zone called the Ultra Humanite has made it through to Earth, feeding off the fear, terror and darkness found in everyone. including Superman himself.

Why You Should Read It: One is an Science Fantasy story starring Superman and Lana Lang also taking inspiration from sources like Indiana Jones, which is awesome. As they investigate an ancient civilization that has secretly existed beneath the Earth all this time, the other is what a sci-fi horror starring Superman as the main protagonist look. being bone-chilling enough while still being more than inspiring enough, Greg Pak also is the only writer who truly expanded on in some fashion what Morrison set up in his own run. allowing Superman to save the day while also giving him pyrrhic victories.

4. Batman/Superman

What’s It’s About: A still young Superman and Batman have their first initially forgotten meeting, where they initially fight against each other. before being transported into another parallel world by a rogue goddess, while some things appear the same, others appear distinctly different. The two rookie heroes end up meeting and teaming up with older more experienced versions of themselves to get home. Years later, the World’s Finest remember said alternate earth with the alternate versions of themselves. They’re given a second chance to save Earth 2 and it’s version of the the Trinity, though they ultimately choose not to intervene too much. Angering Kaiyo, who teleports the three of them back to Prime Earth while also erasing the memories of Superman and Batman. leaving them completely different people than they normally are. And it’s up to Lois Lane to convince the amnesiac Batman as well as a Superman who’s lacking his moral compass to remember who they truly are. After that, a mysterious foe obsessed with Superman who knows all of his secrets begins killing all those who ever stood by him just to thoroughly his true target. Superman now has a Joker of his own, It falls to the Caped Crusader and the Man of Steel to track the murderous madman and stop him, but with no real clues and leads to follow will they ultimately be outsmarted?

Why You Should Read It: Greg Pak begins his winning streak, developing Superman and Batman into the heroes they’re meant to be as they become the best friends they normally are. from a rough-and-tumble social crusader Idealist Superman and a Batman who has no interest in running his company, preferring to spend his time being in disguise as he watches kids beating each other up in the streets.

5. Superman: Birthright

What’s It’s About: Clark Kent is a man with no direction who is a freelance reporter, fighting for truth and justice. Traveling the world, he tries to get a handle on what it is that he wants to do. But with the tragic passing of the Ghuri political leader and human rights activists Kobe Asuru he decides to return home, having decided to learn more about his alien heritage. Opting to become Superman, he takes the cloth from his ship and turns it into a costume. transforming Clark Kent into a disguise alongside it. He moves to Metropolis, getting hired by the Daily Planet.

Why You Should Read It: It’s the best canon origin story for Superman, bringing back his teenage-hood  friendship with Lex Luthor. Making Clark Kent accepting of his alien heritage once more after Byrne changed it so Superman completely disowned the fact he was from Krypton. it manages to humanize the character while not changing him to the point that he’s completely unrecognizable or that you forget that this is Superman.

6. Superman: American Alien

What’s It’s About: Superman as one of us, done correctly. Clark Kent here is the true identity, with Superman being a pair of tights and nothing more. seven important events from Clark’s life that shape the way he thinks without even realizing it sometime, such as realizing that it’s OK to be strange. realizing that only he can help in certain scenarios, learning to expand his horizons. deciding  to finally use his powers actively to help people, his first encounter with a supervillain. the power going to his head, not thinking about the implication. becoming obsessed with Krypton which leads to him being called out on it, learning to move on and accept the fact that he’s been raised as a human, on Earth even if in his mental state.

Why You Should Read It: It’s seven disconnected tales from all through out Clark Kent’s life, from when he’s eight to when he’s around 25. Citing his development into Superman, that he is still just so damn nice that he just wants to help with no strings attached or have to be manipulated into. With no tragedy influencing him, that he can just no longer stand aside and watch as people die. so he stops doing so, beginning to actively help because he just wants to. Because that is his better nature.

7. Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore

What’s It’s About: An experiment turns all Kryptonite on Earth to iron,  rendering Superman truly invulnerable,but a mysterious doppelganger of the Man of Steel with the ability to steal his powers and weaken him is born as a result, can Superman save his adopted home planet and defeat this devious clone of his without coming into direct contact with it so as to not destroy the Earth?

Why You Should Read It: Also more accurately known unofficially as The Sandman Saga, this is the story that kicked off the Bronze Age era of Superman. toning down Superman’s insane strength to more manageable levels, as he was no longer able to juggle planets and fly to the other end of the universe with ease. additionally making him somewhat wiser and a more human character.

8. Superman Smashes the Klan

What’s It’s About:  The year is 1946. Teenagers Roberta and Tommy Lee just moved with their parents from Chinatown to the center of Metropolis, home to the famous hero, Superman. Tommy makes friends quickly, while Roberta pines for home. Then one night, the family awakens to find their house surrounded by the Klan of the Fiery Kross! Superman leaps into action, but his exposure to a mysterious green rock has left him weak. Can Roberta and Tommy help him smash the Klan?

Why You Should Read It: An important tale about the dangers of genuine racism that is especially relevant nowadays, what with Trump’s supporters running rampant and lashing out at black people due to their skin color & nothing more.

[blanddcheadcanons]

Here’s a question to you: which Superman is your favorite? Mine is Tom Welling of Smallville fame, followed closely by Henry Cavill

Tim Daly.  Without question.  He voiced Superman for the animated series and for most of the DCAU.  There were two other Superman voices that pitched in at various points but Tim Daly is so iconic he came back to do a couple of the non-DCAU animated movies.  

The real reason I love his Superman is that I grew up watching Superman The Animated Series.  I was born in 1994 so Batman TAS ended in 95 so I was just watching reruns by then.  With Superman I could get in at the ground floor.  It was so incredibly moving for me as a child to see a kid who doesn’t fit in grow up in the Midwest and learn that he’s special.  

The whole mythos seemed so much more interesting than Batman.  Like there were episodes where he raced the fastest man alive, clashed with an alien bounty hunter, and teamed up with teens from the future.  I also loved the supporting characters like Professor Hamilton, Lois Lane and Jimmy.  The villains were amazing.  The Bizarro episode cemented Bizarro No.1 as my favorite “villain” of all time.  Also this show made me understand Lex Luthor as a character.  I didn’t sympathize with him.  But I understood his motivations.

But now that I’m older what I appreciate most about Superman TAS is how much it was directly influenced by the Silver Age.  Like in the show Superman has a menagerie, a zoo full of alien creatures from other worlds.  The Phantom Zone was featured heavily.  You really got to explore the Fortress of Solitude in the Animated Series.  He even had the Superman robots in some of the spin-off movies.  He was the Superman who wasn’t afraid to be strange.  Because he really is.  He is a strange man with strange powers doing his very best to protect us and that’s what I love about him.

If I had to pick a runner up I’d say Superboy from the Legion of Superheroes series.  I don’t even know the voice actor... wait a second... Yuri Lowenthal.  I still can’t believe they made a cartoon about Legion of Superheroes.  I feel blessed to be alive.  I missed it when it aired because I was in Juvie at the time but you better believe I binged it online later.

[axismundirp]

Welcome to our first of our special updates this weekend! Check under the cut for our main board timeline! 

CREATION OF THE OMNIVERSE The Stones’ penchants to react to one another and create chaos caused them to enter the Omniverse —four into the Marvel Multiverse, one into the DC Multiverse. The last stone, the Soul Stone, wavers between both. The Stones are scattered through space and time and cannot be recovered by the Gods or Monitors.

A failsafe is implemented: should more than half of the Infinity Stones be discovered (considered to be a tipping point), a massive cataclysm is triggered in the Omniverse. This event is 'programmed' to collapse the Marvel and DC Multiverses into a single collective, generating enough energy to destroy the remaining two Stones.

10,000 YEARS AGO The Time Stone lands on Krypton, causing an acceleration in its core eventually resulting in the planet’s destruction. Some Kyrptonian children such as Kal-El and Kara Zor-El are sent to Earth in time protected ships. The former is accompanied by the Time Stone, thus explaining why he finds Earth first as the stones are trying to reunite one another.

1346 The Soul Stone’s entry into the Omniverse causes the Black Plague, reaping the souls of millions. The Stone’s current location is unknown. 1942 The Nazi group Hydra gain possession of the Tesseract - later revealed to be the Space Infinity Stone. They use its energy to fuel weapons that will change the face of the Earth. It is subsequently lost during the events of Captain America: The First Avenger.

2011 Barry Allen travels back in time to prevent his mother's murder. In doing so, he pulls the entire Speed Force into himself, rewriting existence and unintentionally summoning the Reality Stone. The Reality Stone is later used by the immortal Pandora to reunite and reset DC's fractured universes, creating a brand new universe (Prime Earth). 2012 Dr. Erik Selvig and his research team discover the Space Infinity Stone. The stone opens up a wormhole for Loki to come through as well as a parallel event on DC’s Earth: Zod’s arrival from the Phantom Zone. Loki takes control of the Space Stone and begins the events of the Avengers. Prior to the invasion, Loki is given the Mind Stone which is located in his Sceptre. After Loki's defeat, his Sceptre (and the Mind Stone) is turned over to S.H.I.E.L.D for research.

The joint events of Avengers and Man of Steel cause the failsafe to be triggered, merging the DC and Marvel Multiverses almost seamlessly. The merge is chaotic; some Prime Earth individuals are replaced by Alternate Earth versions. Characters memories are now altered to believe that they have all co-existed with one another with small discrepancies.

The failsafe does not succeed in destroying the remaining two stones, but scatters them to the far reaches of the universe. The Strength Stone ends up with Taneleer Tivan, the Collector.

2014 The Strength Stone is seized by the fanatical Kree, Ronan, and used as a weapon. Peter Quill and the other Guardians of the Galaxy confront Ronan, eventually defeating him. In the aftermath, this Stone is handed over to the Nova Corps on Xandar for safekeeping.

2017 The Soul Stone steals and assimilates the Emotional Entities from all Lantern Corps.

The Soul Stone resurfaces on Earth, decimating the south of Australia. It begins to move from continent to continent, causing strange phenomenon in its wake. Some heroes want to get it under control while other characters angle to get possession of it. Whoever gets close to it starts to get corrupted by the stone; it wants to take hold of something, it’s alive and it wants.

INFINITY STONE CURRENT LOCATIONS

Time: Smallville, Kansas

Space: Tesseract (Asgard)

Mind: Loki's Sceptre (S.H.I.E.L.D)

Reality: Pandora (Sphere of the Gods)

Strength: Nova Corps (Xandar)

Soul: ??? (Known past locations: Adelaide, Kansas City, Bangkok, Dubai)

[noxcheshire]

Prompt 197

“Guys look, I got us pet rocks!” 

“That’s nice- Danny, why are the rocks moving?” 

“Ectoplasm. Obviously. They eat bad emotions, isn’t that cool?!” 

“They aren’t going to get that big though, right? I mean, we’re moving to the countryside but still.”

“I mean, they shouldn’t? Dang, maybe I should have asked Dora more questions…”