Reign of the Supermen #420: Waxworks Superman

Source: New York World's Fair waxworks (1964)
Type: ObjectThis ad appeared in a number of 1964's DC Comics, and it wasn't until I found Devlin Thompson's site that I saw a picture of the real exhibit it was based on, reproduced here:
Pretty cool, even if the Cyclops has little to do with Superman. "Hey, what do we have that our Superman dummy could fight?" "Well, I'm taking down that Odyssey display..." It's even imaginable that Superman and Lois used to be other people as they don't really look like any of the actors that portrayed them, except vaguely. And yet, I like it a lot better than other waxworks dummies I've seen because there's ACTION! Frequently, waxworks Supermen are just posed figures you can take your picture with, three-dimensional cardboard cut-outs, really.

If you're looking to find out more, I recommend the Superman Super Site's page on the subject, with additional photos of the wax Supermen based on George Reeves, Christopher Reeve and Brendan Routh.

Reign of the Supermen #419: Aaron Diaz' Superman

Source: DresdenCodak.com (2011)
Type: Unsolicited redesignAs the DCU was being rebooted, a number of fans and artists jumped on the bandwagon and attempted the exercise for themselves. In Superman's case, while most are happy with Morrison's retelling of Superman's early days in Action Comics, the verdict is far less positive when it comes to the present-day Superman (only 5 years on) with his undrawable Kryptonian armor. But at least Superman was really rebooted, which can't be said of the entire DCU. Personally, I'd have been happy with a complete reboot, or no reboot at all. The middle ground just puts me off.

Comic Alliance did a nice piece last year on Aaron Diaz's (Cyborg-inclusive) Justice League reboot and he's got the right idea when it comes to handling reboots. His three key directives:
1. Make the characters appealing to new readers, not just old ones
2. Create new story opportunities while staying true to the core themes
3. Update, correct and redesign where necessary

But has he gone too far by making Krypton a truly alien planet and merging Superman's concept with the Martian Manhunter's? Here's how Aaron describes his rebooted Supes:

Origin: The Kryptonian civilization once spanned hundreds of worlds, their technology and knowledge unrivaled in their corner of the galaxy. Kryptonians had long since advanced to a point where technology and biology were indistinguishable, making them virtually immortal and omnipotent in the eyes of less developed races. Over time they grew overconfident, and wished to introduce their technology to undeveloped worlds, in direct violation of the most important rule of the galactic community: the Omega Law. In an attempt to assimilate the natives of the planet Mars, Krypton finally gained the attention of Colu, enforcer of the Omega Law, and was marked for extermination. A Kryptonian Scientist named Jor-El, specializing in passively and remotely observing nearby Earth, witnessed this and rapidly set a plan forward to save his infant son, Kal-El, from their fate. By sending him in a conventional rocket toward the backwater planet Earth, he guaranteed Kal-El's safety from Colu. The rocket took over a thousand years to reach the planet, and upon reaching the surface, restructured Kal-El's body so he would appear as a human. Raised by simple farmers, Kal-El (now called Clark Kent) eventually learned of his heritage when examining a recorded message from his rocket. His father informed him of his fate, and that he must never dominate the planet with his immense power, as it would warp the fate of all life on Earth. Not content to passively observe humanity, though, Clark decides to inspire others through his actions as Superman. Superman has declared that he fights for those who cannot defend themselves, owing no allegiance to a particular government (though still obeying their laws). He has particularly targeted corporate corruption and the military-industrial complex as enemies of human progress, his most prominent opponent being billionaire industrialist Lex Luther [sic] and his company, LexCorp.

Powers: Superman can "shed" his human form and appear as a Kryptonian, though he chooses not to, as to avoid violating the Omega Law. He possesses superhuman durability and strength, as well as the ability to move himself through the air. His senses are also much more sensitive than an average human's. Being a Kryptonian, he is actually capable of near-godlike feats, but for the safety of the Earth and his mission, Clark deliberately avoided learning of what he is truly capable.

Notes: I wanted to bring Superman back to his depression-era roots, where in the earliest stories he was mostly concerned with social justice more than representing specifically American ideals. It was only after World War 2 that he became a more "boy scout," authoritarian character. I wanted him to be closer to the Nietzschean "Superman" (the earliest inspiration for the character) whose morality can be independent of traditional ones. Visually, I wanted to have him look a little more working class, with the buttons suggesting the image of overalls and the sleeves appearing rolled up. With the cape and high boots, though, he still has the appearance of an adventurer. I wanted the overall look to be more of a friendly guy who wants to help people more than a demigod who watches over them. He's more of a fireman than a police officer. (Also, as an aside, Colu was the original home planet of Braniac, so I used that name for him instead.)

So there's something of Morrison's "working class hero" in there, but also potential for space opera elements and a grand Kryptonian mythology. Really, the only I don't care for is the renaming of Brainiac, bur nothing's stopping him from taking that name later. I doubt he's got "Brainiac" written on his birth certificate, but I do prefer Dox. But what do you think? Would fans have embraced such a radical redesign? Or should the NuDC have been as different from the OldDC as the Silver Age was different from the Golden Age?

I also encourage you to check out the rest of Diaz's Justice League at the linked article. Superman may actually be the most "on-model" character in there.

Reign of the Supermen #418: Let's Be Friends Again's Many Supermen

Source: Let's Be Friends Again webcomic (2011-2012)
Type: SpoofCurt Franklin and Chris Haley's webcomic takes the piss out of mainstream comics every couple days, so Superman has obviously turned up a few times. Whether it's as the star of alien films (above), or flying Jesus around on his back...
...or being accused of hipsterism...
...or being written by regular guys...
...Curt and Chris always bring the funny. Lots more where that came from, follow the link at the top of the post!

Reign of the Supermen #417: Irish Superman

Source: FreakingNews.com Photoshop contest (2012)
Type: Fan madeSt.Patrick's Day! Don't indulge TOO much.

You know, I'm surprised given the immigrant angle there never was an Elseworlds story in which Superman was born of an Irish couple fleeing the potato famine. The boat sank, and the only survivor is a small baby with all the power of the Blarney Stone. He discovers his powers when he drinks his first pint. By day, mild-mannered Clark O'Kent, by drunken night, Irish Superman!

Ok, maybe that's why there never was such an Elseworlds. Answered my own question.

Reign of the Supermen #416: The Thing from 40,000 A.D.

Source: Superman vol.1 #87 (1954)
Type: ImpostorIs it the precursor of Proty (our time) or its descendant (DCU time)? Did it inspire the Blob? Or the Body Snatchers? Who knows? The only facts we know are these: Something fell from space near Metropolis AND ALSO near the site of an atom bomb test (way to go, DCU military!) and Clark Kent was sent to report on it as troops moved into the area. Lois was kinda pissed she had to finish the "woman's page" and the thing that fell to Earth? This Shmoo of a thing:
We soon find out that it is a shapeshifter and comes from the year 40,000 A.D. It makes like a tree and leaves, disguised as a soldier.
Superman puts the clues together (for once, he doesn't leap to an unlikely conclusion, it's well worked out - unlike Metropolis' geography), but Clark Kent is called to report on a giant synthetic diamond and can't track the amorphous identity thief who has gone on a crime spree, collecting various materials to build a time machine to get back to its own time. It crosses the line, however, when it takes on Clark's identity to steal the diamond and expose his plans to Superman. Then he BECOMES Superman and a battle royale across the country (or across Metropolis' varied ecosystems) ensues.
The battle ends in the desert, site of the aforementioned atomic test, so put that in your "Where's Metropolis?" pipe and smoke it (side effects of the smoke inhalation may include not worrying about it). It gives Superman a headache, but maxes out the Thing's abilities and it is vaporized. In other words: DON'T IMPERSONATE SUPERMAN!

Reign of the Supermen #415: The Blast

Source: Brilliant #2 (2012)
Type: Analog/TributeThe Action Comics #1 cover rides again! This time in a digital comic that inspires one of the kids from Brian Michael Bendis and Mark Bagley's Brilliant to use his powers to fight crime.

I'm highly critical of Bendis' Avengers comics (I find them tedious and unreadable), but Brilliant, about college geniuses who invent super-powers, is actually pretty cool. Yes, it's got his trademark conversational style, but the story actually moves along, with various kids doing different things with their powers. It's Chronicle without the angst with a good dose of comic book mad science. Check it out. A couple issues are already out under Marvel's Icon imprint.

Reign of the Supermen #414: Kal-El the Praisesinger

Source: Supergirl vol.5 #6-8 (2006)
Type: Alternate Earth/VillainHow about some confusion continuity this fine Saturday morning? Take the Earth-3 Ultraman, returned for a tiny while during Infinite Crisis. As the universe is reshaped, land him first in the Phantom Zone and then in the bottled city of Kandor. Advance the timeline to One Year Later, and we find Supergirl and Power Girl in that version of Kandor, playing the roles of Flamebird and Nightwing, masked rebels fighting the fascist Church of the Praisesingers, of which Kal-El (actually Ultraman posing as the Messiah Hero returned) is the public head. The Church preaches (and enforces) that he is God on Kandor, and that Kryptonians are the Children of God and above all other races, so the latter better damn well do what they're told if they don't want to end up on the wrong end of some heat vision.

But what you DON'T know, is that the power behind the throne is Saturn Queen, the villainess from the Legion of Super-Heroes' future, who claims Ultra/Kal-El is her son (and says it so often, you have to wonder if continuity has been rearranged more than you thought). She's controlling him, of course, though readers will hardly notice a difference with all the hyper-violence involved. Oh, and there's a vile scene in which Saturn Queen takes control of Supergirl and makes her kiss her alternate universe cousin (jury's out whether they share a genetic bond). They're to be married and "Kal-El" can't wait to have sex with his underage cousin-bride. Brrrr.

But those were the too-long days when Supergirl was artist Ian Churchill's sex object and was drawn naked a couple times in each issue. This storyline, "Candor" (haha), also features Power Girl getting shot in the chest and burning off her costume to reveal boobage. But don't worry, Ultraman strips down too. You know, for the ladies who are reading this drek:
In the end, just as revolution's about to happen, there's a change of writers after the first issue (Rucka to Kelly) and Kara and PG are back on Earth after the cocktail napkin notes run out and Kandor left to its own devices. No closure, no heroes winning the day, not real consequences. Just how Supergirl's mismanagement team rolled for a number of years.

Reign of the Supermen #413: Gold Super Powers Superman

Source: Kenner's Super Powers Collection, never released action figure (1988)
Type: ToyFor Superman's 50th Anniversary, Kenner had apparently planned to issue a gold variant of their Superman figure, which would have had two important differences. First, the ordinarily blue portions of the costume would have been vac-metalized with gold. And second, the original figure's "punch action" would have been replaced with "flight action". When I read that, I thought you might squeeze the arms to raise his knee for take off, but it would seem the figure would not have had joints in its legs. Its arms were supposedly resculpted into a flying posture, so it's probably a more extreme version of Dr. Fate's "spell-casting action", with a squeeze of the legs raising both arms, here in flight.

Sadly, neither this Superman nor the "Kryptonite Cape Superman" to be included in the 4th wave of toys ever saw the light of day as the line ended with the 3rd in 1986.

Reign of the Supermen #412: John Wayne

Source: Internet article "What if those modern blockbusters were made in the 1950s? Artist imagines their posters and who would star in them"
Type: Fan-made spoof/movie/ElseworldWhat if John Wayne had played Superman in the movies? Well, I'm not entirely sure about THAT piece of casting, bu Suzanne Pleshette as Lois Lane? Robert Mitchum as Perry White? And most insane of all, Clint Eastwood as General Zod? I could get behind ALL of that.

Follow the link above for more vintage posters and casting, from William Shatner in Avatar to Steve McQueen as the Terminator. And Fritz Lang's Inception too!

Somewhere, there's an interdimensional NetFlix we can watch these on...

Reign of the Supermen #411: Super-Orange

Source: Tiny Titans #48 (2012)
Type: Imaginary storyThe crazy comic book goodness that is Tiny Titans produces this delicious Superman this month, because kids will be kids, and super-kids with idle hands, stick-on capes and lots of fruit will be kids even more.
And it's not all oranges.
And if they need villains:
After reading this issue, I have a few sleepless nights imagining the entire DC Universe as a grocery store. Super-Orange might face Leek Luthor and Brainfoodiac. Batmango vs. the Artichoker or Mr. Freeze (no name change, perfect!). Smile at the adventures of Broccoli Gold and Blueberry Beetle, or hide behind the covers after reading Garth Ennis' Peacher.

What would you put in YOUR shopping bag?

Reign of the Supermen #410: Sir Kent

Source: Superman vol.1 #86 (1954); Brave and the Bold vol.3 #10 (2008)
Type: The real deals (since retconned)It's not what it looks like! Though Superman could have gone back in time to hang with the Knights of the Round Table, this is actually a contemporary story. How? By the power of NATIONAL CLICHÉS, of course! Just as I'm sure 50s comics version of Canada would be full of igloos and Mounties, so is its England a country of knights and castles. At least, when Clark, Lois and Perry go to England to report on a dragon sighting (apparently leaving the Daily Planet in the capable hands of Jimmy Olsen), everyone they meet is wearing a suit of armor. Seems like the descendants of the original Knights of the Round Table (sounds like a genealogy con to me) are having a little Medieval fair, and are out looking for the dragon. Clark gets in good with the Knights and becomes, variably, Sir Clark or Sir Kent. He'll be on the trail with them, "reporting", and can't show his Super-face in England without arousing Lois' suspicions. So of course that's when the cover image happens! Sir Kent is broiled alive by the dragon, revealing the Superman within, right in front of Knightly witnesses! How does he get out of THIS one? Well first, there's a dragon to defeat, which Superman does. Or rather, it collapses, dead, in the museum to which it was drawn.
Yes, the surprise isn't that there's a live dragon running around the UK, it's that they already had a dead one in a natural history museum. Dragons are real and everyone knows it. Suck it, paleontology. So how DOES Superman get out of the looming "Superman Is Clark Kent" headline? Let's go back a couple pages to see how they made Clark some tight-fitting (and easy-melting) armor:
Ah yes, the wax dummy scheme. A classic. Superman steals the dummy and Lois immediately leaps to the conclusion that he must have been wearing it over his skin and costume, POSING as Sir Kent while the journalist hid like a little girl. Well, OF COURSE! And since it's Lois' idea, so easy to just laugh and say "yeah, you got me again Lois". She really doesn't want him to be Clark, does she?

Sir Kent Returns!
In Brave and the Bold volume 3 #10, Superman is whisked to the Middle Ages by Merlin and teams up with the Silent Knight. He gets a cool shield in the process.
Superman's got a sweet deal, secret identity-wise. Puts on glasses and nobody's the wiser. The Silent Knight not only hid his face, but NEVER SPOKE from fear of his voice being recognized! Now THAT'S realistic. So together they fight a frost dragon, and there's a fun bit where Superman covers the Silent Knight in heat vision to keep him warm even under the dragon's breath.

Reign of the Supermen #409: New Gen Superman

Source: Superman/Batman Annual #4 (2010)
Type: Replacement/Alternate FutureFor an IMPROVED generation, Lex Luthor's new breed of armored Superman says.

What does Superman Beyond think of that boast?
That's right. (And sorry about the 8.9 earthquake, folks.)

Reign of the Supermen #408: The DCU's Animated Superman

Source: Superman vol.1 #19 (1942)
Type: Movie character inside a comic book universeAre you ready to have your mind blown to smithereens? Because THIS USED TO BE CANON!

In the 1940s, there was of course a Superman cartoon on America's movie screens, courtesy of Fleischer studios. We've met that Superman. This isn't that Superman. No black "S", for one thing. No, this is the Superman cartoon IN the DC Universe, the one the characters themselves might go and see. And that's exactly what Lois Lane decides she wants to do, dragging a reluctant Clark along. And the Superman animated movie is exactly what most of this story is, a perfectly fine little story about a mad scientist and giant robots, with the conceit of those "film" frames (above) to separate it from the framing tale. So clearly, Superman told his story to the producers, leaving out some of the more "secret" details, right? WRONG ON BOTH COUNTS, READERS!
Siegel and Shuster exist in the DCU and they're PSYCHICS! That's right, the movie clearly shows that Superman is Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter at the Daily Planet. So there's just one thing Clark CAN do...
...and that's draw Lois' attention away every time that information is about to be revealed. "Let's go get a drink of water together, Lois." "Lois, you dropped your pocketbook."
And the classic "Lois, there's too much action, I feel dizzy, let's leave." Ahhh, the number of times I've used THAT one. Of course, it doesn't change that fact that a blockbuster shown across the world is telling everyone ELSE your secret identity. What are you gonna do about THAT, Superman? Remember, this is before the days where you could just phone up Zatanna for a quick memory spell. (Maybe the Spectre is available?) Or shouldn't I take this so seriously?
Supes, dude, winking at yourself is just rude to the people on the other side of the fourth wall.

Reign of the Supermen #407: Father of Superman

Source: Son of Superman GN (1999)
Type: ElseworldsContinued from last week...

We left young Jon Kent's story just when he'd found his father's tubed body in a secret facility. He frees him and brings him home, what else could he do. And how many kids get to witness their parents getting back together when one was presumed dead for 15 years?

While Superman Jr. is told that this is too dangerous and your mother would kill me if she knew, etc. etc., Superman Sr. comes out of retirement, joins the now nationalized JLA, puts on his government-issue black uniform and jumps into the action. However, he also discovers Luthor has plundered his Fortress of Solitude while he was away and used it to build his empire, and as it turns out, even give himself some sweet Kryptonian powers.

Lines are drawn in the sand. Sides are picked. Justice League traitors are revealed. Black costumes are abandoned. And a fight breaks out in which Junior kicks Luthor's ass and earns his place in the first rank of heroes. Superman Sr. DOES need someone to hold the fort while he goes on a second honeymoon. He even inspires Lois to go back to her original color. Now, THAT'S love.

Reign of the Supermen #406: Son of Superman

Source: Son of Superman GN (1999)
Type: ElseworldsIn this Howard Chaykin, David Tischman, J.H. Williams III, Mike Gray effort, we're transported some 20 years into the DCU's future (as seen from 1999). Superman's been gone, presumed dead, for 15 years. LexCorp has bought out the U.S. government. The rights and freedoms of the 99% have been curtailed. And the Justice League has been co-opted by the State. Except for Wonder Woman, the Justice Leaguers haven't aged well at all. But then, all the women in this HAVE. Lois Lane is a saucy blond-dyed milf writing screenplays for blockbuster films (let's just say she's reached the top 1%), and Lana looks good too. She and Pete Ross are running an Occupy the DCU movement, adopting Superman's insignia and calling themselves "the Supermen".
Amazonium armor (guess who's secretly financing them?) helps them commit what the Lex-controlled media calls "terrorist acts".

Enter Jon Kent, Lois' son. He never knew his father Clark, and now in his teens, he lacks direction. That all changes when a solar flare event activates latent Kryptonian powers (think Superman in the days when he could just leap over tall buildings). His mom would rather he didn't, but by gum, he's gonna be a superhero. Suddenly, he's lifting cars and kissing girls and getting consideration from the JLA. Instead of the big leagues, he winds up following the Supermen to a secret facility in Arizona, where he finds and liberates...
...his father!

But that's a Superman for another time. See you next week for the thrilling conclusion!

Reign of the Supermen #405: Tim's Pal, Superman

Source: Tim Publications official Superman-Tim fan club (1942-1950)
Type: Non-canon (marketing)There is a world in the wide multiverse where Superman doesn't hang out with Jimmy Olsen. Instead, he hangs out with a self-reliant boy named Tim. Who is Tim? A brilliant inventor, a positive thinker, a co-presenter of puzzles, a shill for the Superman-Tim clothing line, a time traveler thanks to his Whirlaway Watch (take that, Olsen!), , and a boy who taught younger children how to be better citizens and suggested ways to kill the enemy! Get your membership card today! (Thanks Internet, I knew you'd have one.)
More on this at Dial B for Blog!

Reign of the Supermen #404: Green Lantern Clark Kent

Source: DC Comics Presents #4 (1979)
Type: LoanerSometimes it seems like Superman's alternate destiny was always to become a Green Lantern. He's always being handed a ring! In this now classic team-up (well, classic... maybe insofar as it's the oldest issue of DCP I own), Hal Jordan crashes into a Metropolis Press Club award ceremony honoring Clark and Lois and throws his ring to Clark before passing out. Well, of course he knows Clark is Superman, but no one else does. By the way, do you know how hard it is to impress Bronze Age Lois Lane?
Pretty damn hard. So Clark uses the ring to create a facsimile of Superman to protect his secret identity.
Pretty impressive. He manages a non-green construct seconds after getting the ring on his finger. Maybe his willpower is greater than Hal's! But does he have the experience? The answer proves to be no when Star Sapphire yanks it off his finger because...
...he wasn't using willpower to keep it there! Is it me, or is that a waste of perfectly good willpower? I gotta defeat these villains, but I also gotta concentrate on not letting the ring on my finger slip. I guess it's a metaphor for marriage. Anywho, the rest of the comic happens and Superman and GL defeat Star Sapphire, though the "killing blow" is Superman's (XP hogger!). Is he gonna make a move on Carol Ferris?
Nope, he's just the best wingman you ever hope to have.

Reign of the Supermen #403: Super-Convicts

Source: Superman vol.1 #148 (1961)
Type: ImpostorsRemember the time Mr. Mxyzptlk changed his name to John Trix so that Superman wouldn't be able to send him back to the 5th dimension without first figuring out his new name? And what does that have to do with super-convicts. The answers to those questions are, respectively, probably not, and not very much at all!
The short story has Mxy do exactly that (5-dimensional laws make the name change effective for only 75 days), as he goes on a veritable rampage of shenanigans - changing famous artwork, dunking the mayor in glue, animating manhole covers, and yes, changing an entire prison's worth of convicts into Supermen who could now easily escape!
But don't. They put in two appearances. The above panel, and the cover. THEY MADE THE COVER?! And Superman doesn't even deal with them. Instead, he goes to the source: Mxy's new name. To get it will require a convoluted plan and a certain measure of stupidity from the villain. Here goes. Superman gets the Emergency Superman Squad - a tiny Kandorian super-team which I really must get to some day - to animate a Mxyzptlk puppet. Mxy2 says he's the real Mxy, but Mxy1 won't be shamed into something stupid by what he assumes is a robot. To prove he's not a robot, Mxy2 says his name backwards and disappears from view (the Superman Squad simply breaks in and out of the time barrier, just like that). So to prove he IS the real Mxy, he says his new name backwards and off he goes. And now for the creepy reveal:
So if you feel cheated that these one-panel Supermen got their own post in Reign while perfectly good Supermen still remain ignored out there, well, imagine how the kids felt in 1961.

Reign 400 Contest Results: Back to the Beginning

I know you found it difficult to match fleeing rockets to specific Superman titles (even if I didn't need the issue numbers, largely #1s anyway), so responses were correspondingly low. No matter, those who did answer did their best and one will be rewarded.

Before I announce that winner, let's see the answers...

1. Man of Steel2. Superman: Red Son (#3)
3. Superman
4. Superman: True Brit
5. Superman: War of the Worlds
6. Superman Returns Prequel
7. Superman: Last Stand on Krypton
8. World of Krypton (vol.1 #3)
9. Superman: Peace on Earth
10. Superman: Last Son of Earth
11. Krypto the Superdog
12. DC Universe Holiday Special
13. All-Star Superman
14. Man of Rust
15. Superman: Birthright
16. Superman: The Dark Side
17. Action Comics
18. JLA: Age of Wonder
19. Action Comics Annual (#6, featuring the Colonial Elseworld)
20. Superman: Earth-One
21. Superman: Last Family of Krypton
22. It's a Bird
23. Superman: Kal
24. Superman: Distant Fires
And now, the winner: With 23 out of 24 correct answers, it's Slawomir from Poland (the SBG goes far)! Congratulations! Slawomir will just have to tell us who his favorite Superman of the first 400 issues of Reign was! I'll be in touch and start work on your one-of-a-kind, customized Reign iron-on decal which you'll be able to transfer to your favorite piece of fabric.