523 – Superman’s Big Bro

A panel from Superman #80, November 1952
A panel from Superman #80, November 1952

Continuing the tradition of Jor-El super-coincidences in which Jor-El was involved with nearly every entity that Superman meets from space… In Superman #80 (November 1952), Superman discovers an alien has crash-landed on Earth and carries with him instructions from Jor-El mentioning his son. Superman assumes this means “Halk-Kar” is Superman’s older brother. Of course Halk has amnesia so assumes Superman is correct, though it is odd that Halk’s superpowers are weaker than Superman’s.

Another panel from Superman #80, November 1952
Another panel from Superman #80, November 1952

Hm, turns out that an electrical jolt awakens Halk’s memories and we learn that he is from Thoron, in the same solar system as Krypton. Jor-El had given instructions to Halk on how to reach Earth that he no longer needed (he had memorized them).

Halk-Kar rockets off into space, bidding farewell to Superman, and both the characters hope they will meet again one day.