Reign of the Supermen #99: Krypton Man

Source: Superman vol.2 #41 to Action Comics #652 (1990)
Type: TransformationIt's often been said (and will again) that in the Silver Age, Superman was Kal-El first, and Clark Kent last. Superman was always pining for Krypton, visiting it through time travel or dreams or recreating it with awesome powers as a memorial or other plot device. But what happens when you try that story in the Modern Age?

The answer: The Day of the Krypton Man.

Manipulated by a long-lost Kryptonian artifact whose sole purpose was to recreate Krypton on Earth, and perhaps nudged a little by Maxima's telepathic speed dating invasions, Superman became more cool and logical than a Vulcan and started wearing some Science Guild froufrouwear, keeping to the Fortress of Solitude being serviced by robot attendants. It ends as these things must: After a fight with super alien gladiator Draaga on the moon in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, the "Krypton Man" brings Ma and Pa Kent to his icy Fortress to tell them his plan to conquer/improve Earth and they bring him back to his humanity. His new costume gets ripped and that makes him wake up and throw the Eradicator into the sun.

And if that isn't some kind of homage to the Silver Age...

Comments

Matthew Turnage said…
I love that story. It first came out in the days I could only buy my comics on the newsstands, and none of the places where I lived carried Superman for some reason - I could only get Adventures and Action. I managed to pick up Superman #41 when I was out of town, but I missed #42 and didn't track it down until three or four years later. I read the other five parts over and over again, though. Great stuff.
Siskoid said…
I have very fond memories of the "triangle" days, at least up through and after the Reign of the Supermen storyline.
Craig Oxbrow said…
So something special for the big 100?
Siskoid said…
Why yes.

Less than 9 hours to go til you find out.
CalvinPitt said…
He wore that costume in that JLA story where the Leaguers were split into their superhero and civilian identities, didn't he? I had those issues, but I didn't realize the costume was a callback to an earlier story. I just figured the writer or artist (Mark Waid, Bryan Hitch) came up with it.

Knowing what I know now, it's not such a surprise.