Flashback Friday: Perry White

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

This week: Perry White!

Perry White is fascinating because most people don't realize he originated outside of comics. When Superman debuted in Action Comics #1 (April 1938), his editor didn't have a name. In Superman #2 (August 1939), we learn his name is George Taylor.

Around this same time, Superman gained his first adaptation, the Adventures of Superman radio show. In the second episode, "Clark Kent, Reporter" (February 1940), we meet Clark's editor, here named Perry White. This is not that out of the ordinary; adaptations trying to stay as faithful as possible to the comic books they're adapting is only a fairly recent phenomenon, and the farther back you go, the less they care. (For a particularly extreme example, check out the Captain America serial where he's a district attorney named Grant Gardner.) Of course, I should also mention that continuity was much less of a thing in comics in the early days, so basic details about characters could change on a whim from issue to issue.

Later that year, Perry White arrived in comics as the editor of the Daily Planet in Superman #7 (September 1940). There was no story about how or why he replaced George Taylor; he just did.

In the comics, George Taylor would not be forgotten, appearing on Earth-2 as that Superman's editor (at the Daily Star) and on the main earth as the Daily Planet's editor before Perry White and/or the editor of the Daily Star, the Planet's rival newspaper. As far as adaptations are concerned, however, Perry White is the only editor that matters. He has become a mainstay of Superman stories and has appeared in all adaptations (except for the Superboy tv show, though his son WAS in it).

Flashback Friday: Marsha, Queen of Diamonds

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

This week: Marsha, Queen of Diamonds!

Marsha is a diamond thief who first appears in the episode of the same name (November 1966). She wants to get her hands on the Bat-Diamond, so she blackmails Batman into marrying her, which would have the added benefit of giving her access to the Batcave and his secret identity. Needless to say, Batman manages to find a way to escape and save Robin, Commissioner Gordon, and Chief O'Hara in the process.

Although this villain from the Batman tv series (1966-1968) hasn't yet made a real appearance in comics, she was mentioned by the Riddler in Secret Origins Special #1 (June 1989).  At the time, the rights to the 60s series were in a strange sort of limbo, which is why the tv-original characters were never used in the comics. But that's all sorted out now, so there's no telling when Marsha will appear for real!

Character Spotlight: Dr. Chase Meridian

It's funny how standards slip as deadlines loom. Normally I don't include immigrants until they've been in a mainstream universe, but I didn't want the last couple weeks of this year to not have new content (even though I started doing Flashback Friday for just such an occasion), so here we are.

Batman Forever (1995) wanted to be a serious look into the psychology of Batman. You probably wouldn't recognize that from the final product, which had most of that particular plotline excised, but one artifact that remains is Dr. Chase Meridian, Bruce Wayne's love interest for the movie and a psychiatrist who is obsessed with Batman. Her name is a pun because she was supposed to help Bruce find a balance between his two personas; ie, "chase" the "meridian".

Despite being played by Nicole Kidman at her Nicole Kidmanest in a very successful movie (second highest-grossing movie of 1995 and highest-grossing opening weekend, which it held until 1997), Chase Meridian never made an impact on the comics. Even when she finally crossed over, it was only in an out-of-continuity digital comic. Specifically, it was Legends of the Dark Knight #77-79 (November 2013), which was later collected in Legends of the Dark Knight 100-Page Spectacular #4 (September 2014). Notably, she has a completely different look than the movie.

Personally, I think Dr. Meridian could fill a hole in the Batman universe. You'd think a series with an asylum as a major set piece would have a recurring psychologist/psychiatrist character. In fact, it has two, but they're both villains: Harley Quinn and Hugo Strange. It would be very beneficial, I think, to have Chase as a supervillain expert who also doesn't play their games.

Flashback Friday: Livewire

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

This week: Livewire!

These days, comic book adapters realize that Marvel and DC have thousands of characters and one of them will probably fit whatever story they want to tell. That wasn't always the case. Until the mid-00s (and possibly later), tv shows based on comics mainly used original characters, and the DC Animated Universe was no different. That brings us to Livewire.

Like Roxy Rocket, Livewire's first appearance wasn't really on tv. She debuted in Superman Adventures #5 (January 1997) in a story that has her attacking men because they've run the world for so long. What's interesting to me is that the issue is written as if everyone already knows Livewire, which makes me wonder if her premiere episode was originally planned for season one and then pushed back.

Either way, Livewire first appeared in Superman: The Animated Series in an episode of the same name (1997).  In the episode, Leslie Willis is a shock jock who was struck by lightning during an outside concert. The lightning gave her electric powers and changed her appearance, and she blamed Superman for it. So she became Livewire to get revenge. She became a recurring antagonist, also appearing in The New Batman Adventures, Justice League, and Justice League Unlimited.

She first began appearing in the main DC Universe in Action Comics #835 (January 2006). Her backstory is mostly the same as her animated counterpart, except that she was born with her electric powers. The lightning strike only enhanced them and changed her appearance. She continued to appear and even reformed by 2011, just in time for the New 52.

In the New 52, Livewire made her first appearance in Justice League #30 (May 2014) during Forever Evil as a member of the Secret Society of Super-Villains. In Batgirl #42 (July 2015), she receives a new origin - now she was a vlogger who was electrocuted during a prank where she tried to make the lights of Metropolis spell out a dirty word.

And if comics to tv to comics weren't enough, she also made it back to tv - twice, actually. The first was in Smallville ("Injustice", May 2009), although you'd be forgiven for not realizing it's the same character...

...and the second was in Supergirl ("Livewire", November 2015), where she has once again become a recurring character.

Flashback Friday: Mas y Menos

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

This week: Mas y Menos!

Mas y Menos first appeared in the Teen Titans cartoon, beginning with the episode "Titans East, Part 1" (January 2005). They're speedsters who can only use their powers when they're touching, though this extends to touching something the other is also touching.

They first appear in comics in Teen Titans Go! #20 (June 2005), although this is a tie-in series to the show. They appeared in several issues of this series.

They debuted in the mainstream in Teen Titans #38 (July 2006), which established them as Titans during the 52/One Year Later gap year. This appearance would set the stage for all future appearances; they seem to only exist to cameo.

They appear on a screen in Teen Titans #66 (December 2008)...

Final Crisis #1 (April 2009) shows them in action for the first time, but only for two panels with no dialogue...

They're in Teen Titans #100 (August 2011), but only in a pinup after the main story...

And Multiversity: The Just #1 (October 2014) has them in a group shot at a pool party.

Not the most illustrious career, but at least they still exist in the post-Rebirth DC Universe (even if, right now, it's only on Earth-16).

Flashback Friday: Inspector Henderson

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

This week: Inspector Henderson!

Inspector Henderson first appeared in the The Adventures of Superman radio show during the 1940s, although I can't find a specific first episode. I can confirm, however, that he appeared by 1945, as he is included in the 15-part episode, "The Atom Man", which has been published in book form.  His role was mainly to provide exposition for the story.

The radio show was very popular and had great influence on the comics, but Henderson wasn't one of them...yet. He did, however, appear in The Adventures of Superman tv show, as a way to keep Superman off-screen as long as possible (thanks to a limited budget).

His next appearance was also not in comics. It was in Filmation's "New Adventures of Superman" series. I can't confirm, but internet chatter leads me to believe he played a minor role in the episode, "Rain of Iron" (1968).

He finally made his first comics appearance in Action Comics #440 (August 1974) and became a minor recurring character until the New 52. He played a bigger part, however, in Black Lightning, which also took place in Metropolis.

He continued to be part of the Post-Crisis universe and made his first appearance there in Adventures of Superman #424 (November 1986).

Despite having a minor role in the comics nowadays, he has been a favorite of Superman adaptations, also appearing in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Superman: The Animated Series, and Smallville. Most recently, he is a major supporting character in the CW's Black Lightning.

I should also probably note that Supergirl introduced an Inspector Mike Henderson in 2009, after Bill Henderson had been promoted to commissioner, but I don't know if that's coincidence.

Flashback Friday: Gray Ghost

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

This week: Gray Ghost!

As most people know, Batman is inspired by earlier pulp heroes such as the Shadow and Zorro. In fact, "inspired" is putting it charitably, considering several of Batman's earliest stories were plagiarized Shadow stories. But the comics and other adaptations like to pay homage to this in various ways, with the main one becoming that the Waynes went to see a Zorro film on the day they died (which Zorro movie it was changes based on when the story takes place, but it's usually The Mark of Zorro).

Batman: The Animated Series, however, provided its own twist on this idea. In the episode "Beware the Gray Ghost" (1992), we learn of an old tv show that Bruce loved to watch as a kid. The Gray Ghost is very inspired by the Shadow, and Batman was, in turn, inspired by the Gray Ghost. In fact, Batman's Batcave is an exact replica of the Gray Ghost's base of operations. The episode involves the Simon Trent, the actor who played the Gray Ghost (voiced by Adam West), dressing as the Gray Ghost and teaming with Batman to help solve a series of bombings based on an episode of the series.

The first time the Grey Ghost was mentioned in comics was Batman: Gotham Adventures #3 (June 1998), when Scarecrow's fear formula made it seem like Batman was dressed as the character.

The Batman Adventures #14 (May 2004) featured Simon Trent as the Gray Ghost and the creation of a Gray Ghost movie.

But both of those are extensions of the DCAU. The first time the Gray Ghost was seen outside of that world was, surprisingly, the Grant Morrison Vertigo title, Joe the Barbarian #1 (January 2010). This series is about a boy who hallucinates a fantasy adventure involving his toys thanks to low blood sugar, and Gray Ghost - along with Batman - is one of the characters who appears.

When he finally appeared in mainstream DC comics, it was in a much different form.  In Batgirl #15 (November 2010), the Grey Ghost appears as Clancy Johnson, Batgirl's self-proclaimed guardian angel. Incidentally, he's also the Mad Bomber (the villain of "Beware the Gray Ghost"). Clancy based his secret identity on the Grey Ghost tv show, which also now exists in DC Comics.

And then Simon Trent appeared as a theatre teacher in Gotham Academy, which I've previously discussed.

What I find most interesting about all of these appearances is that they keep the Gray Ghost a fictional entity. Writers could've easily made him a real hero, perhaps one active in the 30s. But they didn't. In some ways I prefer that.

The only (potential) example I can find otherwise is Batman Beyond 2.0 #40 (November 2014). I can't tell if this is Simon Trent taking up the mantle again or someone inspired by the Gray Ghost franchise. Either way, this series takes place on Earth-12, which is essentially the DCAU world in comics form.

Flashback Friday: Chloe Sullivan

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

This week: Chloe Sullivan!

Chloe Sullivan first appeared in the Smallville pilot (2001) as one of Clark's friends and the editor of the Torch, the school newspaper.  She was also into researching all the strange things that have happened in Smallville and chronicled them on her Wall of Weird. And she's Lois Lane's cousin. As she got older, she got into hacking, got a job at the Daily Planet, and started dating Jimmy Olsen.

Chloe - or rather, her name - made two cameo appearances in Superman: Secret Origin.  In Secret Origin #1 (September 2009), her name appears on a cast...

...and in Secret Origin #4 (January 2010), Lois has a Post-It reminding her to call Chloe.

She made her first official appearance in DC Comics in the Jimmy Olsen back-up feature of Action Comics #893 (September 2010).  The comics character combines Chloe's journalistic background of the early Smallville seasons with her relationship with Jimmy Olsen of the later seasons.

That's pretty much it for her, though she did get a mention on Supergirl, in the episode "Midvale" (November 2017). Kara mentions Clark has a friend named Chloe who's good at hacking and has a Wall of Weird.

She has not appeared in the New 52 or Rebirth, and I highly doubt she will. Chloe's actor, Allison Mack, has gotten into some pretty serious legal trouble lately, and while I won't get into the nature of her alleged crimes, suffice to say it's tainted her and the character pretty permanently, I suspect.

Clayface's New Origin

Many people are unaware of this, but there have been several people who have gone by the name "Clayface" over the course of Batman's history. Arguably the two most important are the first and second ones. The original was an actor named Basil Karlo who, in his first appearance at least, wore the costume of a movie monster he played (Clayface) to attack people connected to a remake of one of his movies. The second, Matt Hagen, was a treasure hunter who touched some protoplasm and gained the powers to reshape his body, but the effects were temporary and he would continually have to return to the protoplasm to regain his powers.

 

These two characters were combined to create Batman: The Animated Series's version of Clayface, who first appeared in the two-part episode, "Feat of Clay" (September 1992). In this series, Matt Hagen was a famous actor until a car accident ruined his face. Since then, he has started working for Roland Daggett, who gives him a substance called Renuyu each month that allows Matt to reshape his face - and therefore also lets him look like other people. Daggett uses Matt's abilities for corporate espionage and asks him to try to kill Lucius Fox while disguised as Bruce Wayne to help facilitate a merger between Daggett's and Wayne's companies. The plan doesn't work, so Daggett cuts off Matt from Renuyu, and when Matt breaks into the factory to get some, Daggett's goons cover Matt with it and force him to drink liters of the stuff. This, of course, turns Matt into Clayface.

Matt Hagen is the only Clayface in the DC Animated Universe, but the comics are less picky. Prior to this series, there were four, which is not that surprising. There were also multiple Two-Faces and Mad Hatters, for instance, for reasons we won't really get into. But unlike these other characters, DC has continued to introduce new Clayfaces, for a total of nine as of this writing.

That being said, the comics likewise seem to have settled on Basil Karlo as the "main" Clayface, and to that end, featured a retelling of his origin in Detective Comics Annual 2018. Although it's not an exact retelling of "Feat of Clay", it does feature more beats from that than from Basil Karlo's original debut in Detective Comics #40 (April 1940). His face is disfigured in a car accident, and he fixes that using a chemical called Renu - no "yu" on the end in this version, since it's not meant to be a cosmetic...

...which is still made by Roland Daggett's company, spelled with one "t" in this version for reasons that aren't clear.

Similarly, being doused with loads of the Renu turns Karlo into a hulking mass of goo like the animated Clayface.

This, however, is NOT the first time The Animated Series has influenced Clayface's appearance. I've previously written about that. It's due for a Flashback Friday, but I don't know when I'll get around to it.

Flashback Friday: Gizmo

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

This week: Gizmo!

Teen Titans was notorious for playing fast and loose with the designs of characters. So although Gizmo had already appeared in comics, beginning in The New Teen Titans #3 (November 1980)...

...when he appeared in the Teen Titans episode "Final Exam" (2003), it was in a greatly altered form. 

Gizmo kept the same appearance in the comics until February 2004, when he appeared in Teen Titans #8:

When he next appeared in Outsiders #12-14 (May-July 2004), however, he had an appearance closer to his animated counterpart.

And then in DC Special: Cyborg #5 (September 2008), he suddenly looks A LOT like his animated counterpart.

In the next issue, we learn this is Gizmo II, the original Gizmo's son (October 2008).

Gizmo II only appeared in a couple issues and hasn't seemed to survive the New 52. Gizmo's new appearance did for a little while, but he has since changed it. never got the full beard back, though.