Gadget Spotlight: Jor-El's Hologram

The trouble with doing a blog like this is that sometimes things are so well known that you think you've covered it already, but you actually haven't! This happened to me last week when talking about Krypton's prison rings; I mentioned an example and went to link to it, only to discover I'd never written about it before. Luckily, I needed a post for this final week of the year, so it works out. And that example - which you already know if you've read the title - is Jor-El's hologram.

See, everyone knows that Jor-El sent a baby Superman to Earth in a rocket to save him from the exploding Krypton. And for a long time, that was the story. Superman eventually learned about Krypton through time travel, Phantom Zone criminals, and various things that fell to Earth, but it was something that happened over time.

That was not the case in Superman: The Movie (1976). This depiction that Clark come to Earth with a crystal that, when dropped into the Arctic Circle for whatever reason, formed the Fortress of Solitude. Inside the Fortress was a hologram of Jor-El that could tell Superman pretty much anything he wanted to know about Krypton or any other location in the 28 known galaxies.

Originally, this did not affect the comics at all. In fact, even when Superman's origin was updated in the 80s, it would've been impossible because Superman's ship was a "birthing matrix" that housed an unborn Kal-El. There was nothing that would hold a crystal or anything else. But when they updated his origin again in Superman: Birthright (2003 - 2004), we see that - perhaps because they reverted to the rocket of the classic origin - Jor-El packed a tablet in the rocket that acts as a Kryptonian encyclopedia. However, despite the tablet passing a very brief message from the adult Superman back to Jor-El and Lara, it does not allow for a Jor-El AI to act as a surrogate father figure, as in the movie and Smallville versions.

That all changed in Action Comics #844 (October 2006), around the same time the Fortress of Solitude came to resemble the one from the movies. Now Jor-El was a fully interactive hologram.

Thankfully it didn't stick. My personal belief is that Superman should have as little interaction with Jor-El as possible; my ideal version of Superman considers the Kents his real parents and has an alive Jonathan (and Martha) to talk to when he needs help. It seems a lot of people disagree with me on this point, however.

Gadget Spotlight: Kryptonian Prison Rings

For some reason, people love Superman: The Movie. I don't get it, personally. Although Christopher Reeve is perfect as Clark Kent and Superman, nearly everything else about it falls flat for me. Especially the aesthetic, particularly the Kryptonian aesthetic. Still, people love it for some reason, so the aesthetic has crept into most modern adaptations, even when it doesn't make any sense. (Seriously, why would the Fortress of Solitude - which is meant to be Superman's home away from home - look like an ice cave instead of actually cozy and livable? It's silly. But I digress.)

With the comics, this happened for the first time - as far as I know - in 2006 when Geoff Johns took over writing Action Comics. Among other changes, suddenly the Fortress was crystal, Jor-El was a hologram, Ben Hubbard appeared, and Zod's crew (now Ursa and Non) dressed all in black. Also, the Kryptonian prison rings debuted.

In the movie (1976), we see Zod, Ursa, and Non imprisoned in spinning rings while they wait to be sent to the Phantom Zone.

In Action Comics #846 (December 2006), we get a hint to this technology when we see Phantom Zone criminals with rings around them.

Action Comics Annual #10 (January 2007) shows Zod, Ursa, and Non in a more standard depiction of the rings.

And Superman: World of New Krypton #5 (July 2009) shows the rings on the cover and throughout the book.

To my knowledge, they have not been seen since, and thank goodness for that.

Flashback Friday: The Phantom Zone's Appearance

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: The Phantom Zone's appearance!

The Phantom Zone first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 (February 1961), where Superboy discovered it accidentally. In a crate of Kryptonian artifacts that landed on Earth, he came across the  Phantom Zone Projector, which incorporealized him. The Phantom Zone would later become a major part of the mythology, housing multiple Kryptonian criminals and being the method through which Mon-El winds up in the 30th century alongside the Legion of Super-Heroes.

In Superboy #185 (March 1972), the last appearance I can find prior to the movie, the Phantom Zone is still accessed via Phantom Zone Projector.

In Superman: The Movie (1978), the Phantom Zone is depicted very differently. In this, the Zone resembles a mirror pane that flies through space...seemingly controlled by Krypton, though it's unclear whether they created it or simply harnessed it. Criminals can see the world through the pane, and if it breaks, the criminals can escape.

The Phantom Zone mostly disappeared after Crisis on Infinite Earths, as its main role was housing Kryptonian criminals, and if Superman's the only surviving Kryptonian, there's no one to house. But it slowly creeped back into continuity, the way things usually do, to the point that Green Arrow's partner, Speedy, had a Phantom Zone Arrow in Teen Titans #32 (January 2006). When she used it on Superboy-Prime, the glass depiction of the Phantom Zone appeared in comics for the first time. This was a part of a larger trend of making the Superman books more like the movie at the time.

Although this never became the standard way to show the Phantom Zone, it did continue to appear from time to time. It even survived the New 52 and Rebirth, as seen in Superman #2 (June 2018).

This version of the Phantom Zone mainly appears in parodies and homages, but it does occasionally sneak into adaptations. Smallville, which likewise takes many visual and plot-related cues from the movie series, is one example.

You gotta admit: it's a good visual.

Flashback Friday: Icemaster

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: Icemaster!

Icemaster first appeared as a villain in the Hostess comic book ad "The Human Torch in 'The Icemaster Cometh!'" (1979). 

He first appeared in an actual comic book story as a member of the Masters of Evil in Thunderbolts #24 (January 1999).

I have seen mentioned that this Masters of Evil team - which featured 25 members for the 25th issue - was part of a contest to see who could name the most villains on the team. I can't find any proof of that, but if it's true, Icemaster was likely added because he's so obscure.

Regardless, he has continued to pop up here and there, in books as diverse as Gambit, Avengers Academy, and X-Men: Legacy. Surprisingly, he's never fought Iceman, but you never know when - or where - someone will use him next!

Flashback Friday: Hall of Justice

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: the Hall of Justice!

The Hall of Justice first appeared as the Justice League headquarters in first episode of the Super Friends animated series (September 1973). It quickly became a trademark of the series, especially during Challenge of the Super Friends when it was contrasted with the equally iconic Legion of Doom headquarters. Here's an interesting piece of trivia for you: the Hall was based on Cincinatti's Union Terminal:

The Hall of Justice first appeared in comics in Super Friends #1 (September 1976), but since DC TV comics are...complicated in terms of continuity, we'll keep going.

The designed was used in Kingdom Come (1996) as the United Nations headquarters...

...but the actual Hall of Justice debuted in Justice League of America #7 (March 2007) as one half of the JLA's new headquarters (the other half being the Satellite Watchtower).

Since then it has become a mainstay. It technically continued to exist in the New 52, although it was blown up in the first month, in Justice League International #1 (September 2011).

It was then rebuilt following the destruction of the Watchtower, and the new version debuted in Justice League #1 (June 2018).

It has also been featured as - or inspired the look of - headquarters in many adaptations. I won't list them all, but some examples include the Arrowverse...

...Young Justice...

...The Batman...

...and Batman: The Brave and the Bold.

Costume Spotlight: Captain America's Armory

In Captain America #12 (July 2019), we learn that Captain America has an armory of sorts. We've seen this with characters like Iron Man and Batman, but it's a first for good ol' Captain Rogers. In doing so, however, we're treated to a variety of costumes from throughout his history, including a few I wouldn't exactly expect to see.

On the far left is, naturally, the costume from his first appearance in Captain America Comics #1 (1939). But more intriguing is the one next to it. This one isn't from the comics at all, but instead, the 1979 tv movie, and its sequel, Captain America II: Death Too Soon (also 1979).

These movies featured a very different Captain America more inspired by Evel Knievel. There was still a tie to the 40s, though it was because Steve Rogers's father was a famous government agent of the time, also known as Captain America. And there was still a super-soldier serum, though it was more of a super-steroid derived called FLAG (Full Latent Ability Gain) from Steve's father's own physiology. Everything else about the story is different.

The suit after that is the Commander Rogers outfit from circa 2010, but the next two are VERY interesting. The first is Captain America's World War II uniform from The Ultimates #1 (January 2002)...

...and the next is his modern outfit from the same issue. Which means they're from Ultimate Marvel, an entirely different comics universe. What's going on here? Are they relics from the merging of Earth-1610 and Earth-616 in Secret Wars? Or is there some other explanation?

Finally, there's this one. I can't totally be sure it belongs on this site, but I'm including it to put it to the masses. It looks like it's probably from some animated project, but I can't figure out which one. So what say you? Is this suit from some tv or movie, maybe a toy line or Hostess ad? Is it from some comics alternate reality? Or is it just from some run-of-the-mill comics storyline and I simply don't recognize it?

Let me know if you know!

Nickname Spotlight: The Last Son of Krypton

Superman has accumulated a lot of nicknames over the years. The Man of Steel, The Man of Tomorrow, The Metropolis Marvel, and one more are some of the most popular, and in fact, they were used to help create the personas of the four characters that appeared in the storyline "Reign of the Supermen" after Superman died fighting Doomsday.

It's that last one I want to talk about today.

"The Last Son of Krypton". The nickname was created by Elliot S. Maggin, and the story goes that he'd wanted to include it in the comics for a long time but editorial would never let him. He used other, similar nicknames, such as the Colossus of Krypton and the Last Survivor of Krypton (more of a description than a nickname, really), but never got to use that specific phrase, an epithet that is now so strongly tied to the character. And how did it become attached to the character in the first place?

Simple: Maggin wrote a book.

See, in 1978, Superman: The Movie came out, and they wanted a tie-in novel, so Maggin wrote this, a story that covers Superman's origin just like the movie does. I say "just like the movie does" because, despite being a movie tie-in - you can see Christopher Reeve's photo right on the cover - it doesn't really have anything to do with the movie. It diverges from the movie in many major ways, including spending time as Superboy and teaming up with Lex Luthor to fight aliens.

The important thing is that the novel had a different editor than the comics, so Maggin wasn't told no!

I can't find a comics appearance before Action Comics #687 (April 1993, above), but there must be one. If you find one, let me know!

Flashback Friday: Samurai

Each Friday, I take one of the entries from my old Super Posts and expand it into its own featured article.

This week: Samurai!

Samurai always makes me a little sad to think about. Everyone wants to use him, but no one wants to use him, you know? You'll see what I mean.

Samurai debuted in the eighth episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour (segment: "Volcano" (1977)). His main powers are that he can turn into wind and also become invisible, but occasionally he was also seen to control flame or cast illusions.

Samurai's first comics appearance was a cameo in Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (June 1985), but it's easy to miss him even if you're looking. Panel 4, far right, next to Catwoman.

He appeared more fully in Super Powers #1 (July 1986) and he would go on to appear in every issue of the miniseries. Strangely, even though the comic is a tie-in with the toyline that would also be adapted as the last couple seasons of Super Friends, the Justice League does not recognize Samurai and Samurai does not seem to have ever been a superhero before; in fact, he debuted as a villain - although brainwashed. Ultimately it doesn't matter because this story is not in continuity.

He later appeared as a toy in Green Lantern #89 (June 1997), but obviously this doesn't really count.

His next cameo was as a member of the Super Friends in the "Crisis One Million" section of DC One Million 80-Page Giant #1 (August 1999). Superwoman used a bad luck generator and made Hypertime fold in on itself, causing numerous alternate Justice Leagues to appear together.

His first appearance in mainstream continuity was a - you guessed it - cameo in a group shot in the Infinite Crisis #5 section of the Infinite Crisis hardcover (December 2006)...

...while his first full appearance was in Justice League of America #46 (August 2010), though again, he's playing an antagonistic role against his will.

Another version of Samurai (using his same first name, Toshio) appeared in Justice League of America 80-Page Giant #1 (November 2009) as a samurai in 1223.

And finally, Samurai did survive the New 52 and Rebirth, though fittingly only as a cameo: in Doomsday Clock #6 (July 2018), the backmatter addresses superheroes in the East, and Samurai is listed on Japan's team.

A strange thing I noticed while researching this post is how similar it is to Golden Pharaoh's: Super Powers volume 3, Green Lantern #89, Doomsday Clock backmatter...a lot of things line up. What a strange coincidence.

Anyway, Samurai has fared slightly better in adaptations. A version of him called Wind Dragon appeared in the Justice League Unlimited episode, "Ultimatum" (December 2004)...

...and then Young Justice featured a female version of him called Asami Koizumi in season 2 for several episodes, beginning in the episode "Beneath" (May 2012).

He also makes cameos in Scooby-Doo!: The Mask of the Blue Falcon (2013) and The LEGO Batman Movie (2017).

Shazam's Animated Tie-In

A couple months ago, when I did my Flashback Friday on Isis, I talked briefly about how the 70s Shazam! comic was suddenly marketed as a DC TV comic even though it "isn't connected to the Shazam! animated series at all".

I was wrong.

Turns out, once the book became a DC TV comic, it was actually very strongly tied to the show. I'll explain.

See, when DC decided to launch a new Captain Marvel series in December 1972, they made it a continuation of his original series...which hadn't been published in 20 years. There are ways of doing that and having it work, but sales suggest whatever they did didn't work.

Luckily, a Shazam! tv series debuted in 1974 and it was a huge hit. Like many shows in the 70s, it involved Billy Batson travelling to a new town each episode and dealing with whatever trouble was there. Since he was still a minor, he was accompanied by an original character called Mentor, and they travelled together in a Captain Marvel-branded RV.

In Shazam! #25 (August 1976), Dr. Sivana threatens to attack a bunch of American cities. Billy doesn't know how he can protect all those cities since he has a job in New York, but luckily, his boss gets the idea to send Billy on a cross-country trip.

In Shazam! #26 (October 1976), several things of note happen. First, it's pointed out that Uncle Dudley grew a mustache and Billy's hair is getting longer, making them both look more like the leads in the show:

Second, the wizard Shazam tasks them with travelling across the country, and Shazam says Dudley needs to be like Mentor, the mythological character. (I find it interesting that Billy's boss had the idea to send him across the country but Shazam is carrying it out. Is Shazam secretly the manager of WHIZ?!)

Third, Shazam gives Billy a device called the Eterni-Phone to summon one of the people that make up the SHAZAM acronym (Solomon, Hercules, Achilles, Zeus, Atlas, and Mercury). This is based on a device in the show that performs the same function.

Finally, WHIZ-TV gives Billy an RV that strangely has the Captain Marvel lightning bolt on the front. (I'm telling you: Sterling Morris and Shazam are the same person.)

Interestingly, in the very same issue that moves the book to tie so closely to the tv show, there's also a reference to a recent team-up Captain Marvel had with the Justice League and Justice Society with a footnote to the relevant issues. More evidence to support my stance that DC TV comics are in continuity despite the title.