In Adventure Comics #289 (Aug 1961), Superboy is amazed when Pa Kent seemingly acquires super-powers. After several mis-adventures where Super-Pa becomes increasingly evil, he unmasks “Pa Kent” as a Kryptonian criminal, Jax-Ur (making his first appearance). Superboy spares little time in sending Jax-Ur back into the Phantom Zone. The epilogue of the story explains that […]
Read More »
Adventure Comics #287 (June 1961) introduces the story of Dev-Em, a super-bratty teenager who lived on Krypton and used to babysit Kal-El. Dev-Em has a habit of getting into trouble by stealing technology and inventions from the Jor-El’s laboratory. When he discovers Jor-El’s prediction of the end of Krypton, he steals technology to build himself […]
Read More »
In Superman #142 (Nov 1960), Superman encounters a “flame-dragon from Krypton”. The beast appears and breathes fire at Clark, incinerating his clothes in front of Lois. It’s mostly a cutesy-but-tired-and-unrealistic story about how Superman manages to yet again disprove her “Clark-is-Superman” theory (with the help of Batman and Supergirl this time). Superman wraps up the […]
Read More »
Beppo, the Super-Monkey makes his debut in Superboy #76 (August 1959). Unnamed in this first story, the monkey is one of Jor-El’s test animals that snuck aboard Kal-El’s rocket before it left Krypton. Young Clark eventually tricks the monkey to be chased out into space. Beppo will be back, and eventually joins up with other […]
Read More »
Well, after years of stories which teased a female counterpart to Superman, and testing the concept in the previous year, DC finally pulled the trigger in Action Comics #252 (March 1959) with the introduction of Supergirl into the DC continuity. Supergirl is Kara, daughter of Zor-El and cousin of Kal-El (Superman). Her father’s city survived […]
Read More »
In Superboy #67 (July 1958), a new Kryptonian makes his appearance in Smallville to taunt Superboy. Klax-ar claims it was he that destroyed Krypton with his “atron rays” for being exiled into space by a jury of scientists led by Jor-El. He agrees not to destroy Earth if Superboy willingly leaves Earth too. But Klax-ar […]
Read More »
May 1958 brings in yet more expansion of the Superman mythos by Otto Binder and Al Plastino, in Action Comics #242. The villain Brainiac makes his debut, arriving to Earth and stealing the city of Paris (Eiffel Tower and all!), while Clark and Lois are hitching a ride on the first experimental spaceship. Clark sneaks […]
Read More »
In Adventure Comics #210 (January 1955), Superboy encounters a dog that has powers matching his own. Finding the rocket where the dog arrived on Earth, Superboy discovers this dog is actually his pet Krypto from when he was a baby on Krypton. Yay for more Krypton coincidences! A colorful scene with Jor-El, Lara, baby Clark […]
Read More »
In Superman #65 (May 1950), “Three Supermen from Krypton!” establishes for the first time that Superman is not the last surviving Kryptonian. Three brothers U-ban, Kizo, and Mala, arrive on Earth with Superman’s powers and wreak havoc. Superman discovers they are also survivors of Krypton who were members of the “Ruling Council” that had attempted […]
Read More »
The Golden Age of Comic Books begins in May 1938 with the single most important comic book ever published: Action Comics #1 and the debut of the first full-fledged superhero: Superman. Crime fighter for justice. Crazy costume. Super powers. Secret identity. A supporting cast of two Daily Star employees: his un-named editor and his romantic […]
Read More »