Supporting Superman Characters, will they come back?

[protege]

I was reading one of the supergirl threads, and Superman blue was mentioned; When supes returned to normal, "Strange visitor" was created, but very little was doene with her.I always liked "Superman;blue", because supes had some interesting and new powers to explore. I kind of wish there had been a series based on all the other heroes that operate out of metropolis, like Alpha centurion, Agent liberty, and so on. Anybody else like these guys?

[jadegiant77]

Most of the guys you mentioned had a mini-series at one time over the years. Guardian had a mini with the (ugh) Newsboy Legion, Agent Liberty had one, Alpha Centurion, and there was a brief series featuring a team of metahuman teens in Metropolis called The Supermen of America(named after the '40's Superman fanclub). I liked the Alpha Centurion as he appeared during Zero Hour: hopefully that version will return. The skinny loser version of him that appeared in mainstream DCU sucked major ass. I liked Guardain too, but he's unfortunately died again(he's been cloned again and is currently a child). Theres a new Black Guardian in Morrison's Seven Soldiers. Hopefully he'll be cool.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

I was reading one of the supergirl threads, and Superman blue was mentioned; When supes returned to normal, "Strange visitor" was created, but very little was doene with her.I always liked "Superman;blue", because supes had some interesting and new powers to explore. I kind of wish there had been a series based on all the other heroes that operate out of metropolis, like Alpha centurion, Agent liberty, and so on. Anybody else like these guys?

Strange Visitor died during Our Worlds at War. As for The Alpha Centurion, the last time I saw him was during The Trial of Superman.

Fortunately, now The Question is in Metropolis (BTW, will he stay?), and there's this Vigilante mini coming this year...

[Argonaut]

Most of the guys you mentioned had a mini-series at one time over the years. Guardian had a mini with the (ugh) Newsboy Legion, Agent Liberty had one, Alpha Centurion, and there was a brief series featuring a team of metahuman teens in Metropolis called The Supermen of America(named after the '40's Superman fanclub). I liked the Alpha Centurion as he appeared during Zero Hour: hopefully that version will return. The skinny loser version of him that appeared in mainstream DCU sucked major ass. I liked Guardain too, but he's unfortunately died again(he's been cloned again and is currently a child). Theres a new Black Guardian in Morrison's Seven Soldiers. Hopefully he'll be cool.

Jim Harper grew back into an Adult man during the OWW event. I wonder if we will ever See Gangbuster again.

[Expletive Deleted]

Rose and Thorn is based in Metropolis, I think.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Rose and Thorn is based in Metropolis, I think.

Haven't seen them. Any pics?

[Bill 9000]

If memory serves me correctly, Black Lightning got his start in Metropolis' Suicide Slum.

[Anti-Lad]

I could be wrong, but the Adult Guardian of OWaW was pre-death and re-cloned as a infant. So Jim Harper/Guardian was killed post-OWaW, and is now a child. But I did not read OWaWand only read Superboy, so I know nothing.

[SuperManny]

I could be wrong, but the Adult Guardian of OWaW was pre-death and re-cloned as a infant. So Jim Harper/Guardian was killed post-OWaW, and is now a child. But I did not read OWaWand only read Superboy, so I know nothing.

Jim Harper was killed by Shrapnel on one of his field missions for Cadmus. This is in an issue pre-OWAW of Superboy (which unfortunately, doesn't even show the footage; it's an off-panel death). The gov't then pardoned Shrapnel after his capture (again, off-panel) in exchange to be a member of Waller's new Suicide Squad. They were "field tested" against Superman back in a pre-OWAW issue of Adventures of Superman(written by Casey, drawn by Wieringo). Their first mission was to escort Steel to the moon, to release Doomsday from the JLA teleport prison (devised by Superman back in Superman: The Doomsday Wars), to serve as a weapon against Imperiex during OWAW. Shrapnel himself was killed during the ensuing battle.

I still remember the Shrapnel OWAW thread in this forum! :D

[SuperManny]

Haven't seen them. Any pics?

They've been around for quite some time. It's actually one woman with a split personality (Thorn being the actual heroine). This is the pic that I found (poor resolution but you can see the looks). Gail Simone also wrote the latest incarnation in a miniseries:

http://www.thexaxis.com/misc/roseandthorn1.htm

Here's a description of her:

http://www.dcuguide.com/MiniWho/Te.php#THORN2

Hope this helps! :)

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Sure it does Manny.

Thanx for the info.

[BoosterBronze]

I think it was Mark Millar who made the comment that all of these other sperheroes in Metropolis are the result of writers who deep down just dont like Superman very much.
It's an interesting point, since if there's a place that needs fewer heroes it should be the Utopian city with the A#1 protector already.

[Expletive Deleted]

Related to the Rose & Thorn thing, BIRDS OF PREY will be set in Metropolis for at least a few issues in the near future.

[protege]

I like Rose and the Thorn, but gail simone's take on it was just..disturbing.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Related to the Rose & Thorn thing, BIRDS OF PREY will be set in Metropolis for at least a few issues in the near future.

Looks insteresting. Will Superman make an appearance? Perhaps Gail wants to crossover BoP and Action Comics?

[HartyPotter]

The Question now operates in Metropolis. And Creeper

[protege]

I think we need a miniseries to show how all these other heroes operate in metropolis, under the Big blue- or did we already have one?

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Not a bad idea. Perhaps a Superman issue where we can see all of them?

[SuperManny]

Shrapnel himself was killed during the ensuing battle.


By the way, the DCU has brought him back in the latest issue of Manhunter. Looks like no one certifiably died in that Moon mission after all....my what a surprise. :rolleyes:

*first time I ever quote myself* :D

[ScottDMSimmons]

I don't recall what happened to Agent Liberty, but someone told me Alpha Centurion was wiped out during Zero Hour.

--Scott

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Could anyone confirm this?

[protege]

I don't recall what happened to Agent Liberty, but someone told me Alpha Centurion was wiped out during Zero Hour.

--Scott
Agent liberty was last seen in birds of prey- i'm bummed about the centurion, if it's true.we need a new one.

[SuperManny]

Agent liberty was last seen in birds of prey- i'm bummed about the centurion, if it's true.we need a new one.

What issue did Agent Liberty show up? That's a character who's been long in hiatus!

Alpha Centurion did not get wiped out from Zero Hour. As a matter of fact, it was an alternate timeline's Alpha Centurion who was erased away. The Alpha Centurion we all know and love made his first appearance in our DCU timeline a few months later. Last we saw him, he was rescuing Superman during the "Trial of Superman" story arc, and fending off an upcoming alien frog invasion. I'm not kidding. :)

He's stationed in Washington D.C. and living on the Pax Romana, his spaceship.

He was last seen in one of Grant Morrison's stories, JLA/WildCATS, appearing in Roman times BEFORE he took off to our present.

I heard Morrison loves the character; wouldn't it be wicked to have him tackle the gladiator? :D

[Forsaken_One]

I think we need a miniseries to show how all these other heroes operate in metropolis, under the Big blue- or did we already have one?
I can't speak for the others but so far the Question seems to be operating on criminals who specifically focus on avoiding Superman's detection, mostly by using his own ethics involving privacy against him and tracking him everywhere.

[protege]

What issue did Agent Liberty show up? That's a character who's been long in hiatus!

Alpha Centurion did not get wiped out from Zero Hour. As a matter of fact, it was an alternate timeline's Alpha Centurion who was erased away. The Alpha Centurion we all know and love made his first appearance in our DCU timeline a few months later. Last we saw him, he was rescuing Superman during the "Trial of Superman" story arc, and fending off an upcoming alien frog invasion. I'm not kidding. :)

He's stationed in Washington D.C. and living on the Pax Romana, his spaceship.

He was last seen in one of Grant Morrison's stories, JLA/WildCATS, appearing in Roman times BEFORE he took off to our present.

I heard Morrison loves the character; wouldn't it be wicked to have him tackle the gladiator? :D
I forget the issue numbers, but it was a few months back, when huntress and vixen went up a religous zealot who worshipped super heroes.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

What issue did Agent Liberty show up? That's a character who's been long in hiatus!

Alpha Centurion did not get wiped out from Zero Hour. As a matter of fact, it was an alternate timeline's Alpha Centurion who was erased away. The Alpha Centurion we all know and love made his first appearance in our DCU timeline a few months later. Last we saw him, he was rescuing Superman during the "Trial of Superman" story arc, and fending off an upcoming alien frog invasion. I'm not kidding. :)

He's stationed in Washington D.C. and living on the Pax Romana, his spaceship.

He was last seen in one of Grant Morrison's stories, JLA/WildCATS, appearing in Roman times BEFORE he took off to our present.

I heard Morrison loves the character; wouldn't it be wicked to have him tackle the gladiator? :D

Let's not forget he was also hitting on Lois... :D

Would be cool to see him again in one of the Super-books.

[Kirayoshi]

Let's not forget he was also hitting on Lois... :D

Would be cool to see him again in one of the Super-books.
Alpha-Centurion also has the distinction of being the only superhero to show up for Clark and Lois's wedding.

You'd think they'd invite Bruce and Diana, wouldn't ya?

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Alpha-Centurion also has the distinction of being the only superhero to show up for Clark and Lois's wedding.

You'd think they'd invite Bruce and Diana, wouldn't ya?

Yes. I'd think so. But perhaps it would have been weird to see a billionaire and an Amazon in a mild-mannered reporter's wedding...

[Emerald Ghost]

I wish the Newsboy Legion would get more appearances. Have they appeared in the last few years at all? I know we've seen Guardian in 7 soldiers, I believe it was.

I also miss Bibbo, he was a fun character to watch, and had a great heart.

[cosmoboy]

Now I didn't read 7 soldiers, but I thought I read that the Guardian in that story was a different one (clone or some such) Where's Ron troupe and Lucy? Lori Lemaris, hell even Conduit? (nope I don't wanna see conduit)

[JulianPerez]

Hear-hear! I'd love to see some more appearances by the Newsboy Legion and their fantastic Whiz Wagon.

I'd also love to see more stuff with Project: Cadmus, however in recent times they've started playing it "straight" as a straightforward scientific research laboratory instead of the acid-trip weird place that Kirby created where superintelligent hippies play Telepathic Bongos and the place is patrolled by hundreds of two inch tall paratrooper clones of Scrapper.

Some more Superman supporting cast I'd love to see return:

Professor Potter. Without his crazy inventions and absentmindedness, the Superuniverse is much poorer.

Vartox. There's a whole thread about him, but needless to say, he was cool and ought to be brought back.

Superwoman. ANY Superwoman, though being a big Elliot S! Maggin fan I'm partial to the Kristen Wells time travelling version, though I get hungry just thinking about the spinach and cottage cheese colored uniform of the Lumai Superwoman's outfit...mmm...spinach and cottage cheese...

Lena Thorul. Lex Luthor's telepathic sister.

That race of Vikings that ride birds that secretly live outside of Metropolis.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

I'd like to see a Daily Planet book similar to Gotham Central that will expand the spotlight to some of the more interesting supporting characters running around Metropolis and create a few new ones. I thought Austen's Metropolis had the potential for that, but it squandered that pretty quick.

[Azrael52]

I was going to ask Gail to put in some Bibbo, but then she was taken off of her run. I'd like to see the people that live in Habitat, too. Didn't it get destroyed, though? Also, didn't the newsboy legion die w/the clone plague? Lori is in Atlantis. What about Ma and Pa? They're only seen in Titans and IC with Superboy.

[LibrarianThorne]

I miss the old supporting characters, and I think it's a damn shame how they've been treated. Emil Hamilton, in particular. I loved the semi-crazy mad genius with a heart of gold. He was like the anti-Lex Luthor, and provided really neat moments (for instance, when he proved that the Cyborg, at least biologically, was Superman returned).

Bibbo was a great character, one of my favorites from the '90s. How could you not love a palooka like him who loved Superman (or 'Sooperman' as he always called him) because Supes had turned him around? Bibbo had a ton of heart, and his small acts of kindness during the Return of Superman keep me going back to that trade.

I wish, so very hard, that Busiek and Johns could bring back the family affair that the '90s Superman books had. Keep the main focus on Big Blue by all means, but one of hte most endearing things about those '90s issues were how diverse Superman's secondary cast was. And who could forget the issue where Ron Troupe talked about having to replace Clark Kent at the Daily Planet? There's so much potential there that's being squandered, it really does make me sad.

[Emerald Ghost]

I miss the old supporting characters, and I think it's a damn shame how they've been treated. Emil Hamilton, in particular.

YES!!!! I loved when he lost his arm, but didn't care. :D So what? Just make a robotic one.

LMAO

[JulianPerez]

I miss the old supporting characters, and I think it's a damn shame how they've been treated. Emil Hamilton, in particular. I loved the semi-crazy mad genius with a heart of gold. He was like the anti-Lex Luthor, and provided really neat moments (for instance, when he proved that the Cyborg, at least biologically, was Superman returned).

Emil Hamilton may have had his moments, but Professor Potter has the legitimacy of history behind him, really. Also, he was more a "Jimmy Olsen" supporting cast member in a sense (being the creator of his elastic serum, for instance) which establishes Jimmy as something more than an appendage of Superman.

Same sentiment towards Ron Troupe; of the Super-coworkers, Steve Lombard was given so much more to do, really.

[Bordnlazy]

Just want to say that Bibbo was a great character , He had a heart of gold and then some, Its a shame we haven't seen more of this character, Of course i wouldn't want to see a whole comic devoted to him, but Two or Three pages every so often ,featuring him in Action Comics with his own Lighthearted tale would Mean alot to alot of people(even if they don't know it would).

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Let's not forget about John Henry Irons. although we saw him recently (IIRC, in Superman #220), it's not like we see him often.

And on a side note, what the hell happened to The Cyborg?

[SuperManny]

And on a side note, what the hell happened to The Cyborg?

Last seen merged with the Elite's old inter-dimensional ship in a Joe Kelly Action Comics issue.

*scary being*

[Yoda]

Let's not forget about John Henry Irons. although we saw him recently (IIRC, in Superman #220), it's not like we see him often.

He's one of the main characters in 52* so we'll be seeing a lot of him next year.

[Azrael52]

If I wasn't already hyped enough about "52", this alone would do it. Get rid of his niece as Steel, find a way to fix the fact that he can't wear the suit w/o it hurting him, and give me Steel! Please, bring back eradicator, too.

[JulianPerez]

If I wasn't already hyped enough about "52", this alone would do it. Get rid of his niece as Steel, find a way to fix the fact that he can't wear the suit w/o it hurting him, and give me Steel! Please, bring back eradicator, too.

Steel was pretty neat in many ways, however, I cannot agree with your enthusiasm about the Eradicator.

He was the worst product of the conceptually flawed "Byrned" antiseptic utopia that thankfully, has been erased from Superman's history and characterization with the two-pronged attack of Geoff Johns's "Return to Krypton" and Mark Waid's SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Last seen merged with the Elite's old inter-dimensional ship in a Joe Kelly Action Comics issue.

*scary being*

Oh yes, that was during the "Ending Battle" storyarc. I was just wondering whatever happened to him after that.

Ending Battle ROCKED.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

He's one of the main characters in 52* so we'll be seeing a lot of him next year.

Oh yes. Thanks for the info.

A really cool news indeed. I loved how Mark Schultz (sp?) used him in Man Of Steel.

[666MasterOfPuppets]

Steel was pretty neat in many ways, however, I cannot agree with your enthusiasm about the Eradicator.

He was the worst product of the conceptually flawed "Byrned" antiseptic utopia that thankfully, has been erased from Superman's history and characterization with the two-pronged attack of Geoff Johns's "Return to Krypton" and Mark Waid's SUPERMAN: BIRTHRIGHT.

He hasn't been erased.

Actually, he appeared in Superman #220, and before that in the Godfall storyarc (IIRC), with a totally new look.

And if I'm not mistaken, his existence Post-Birthright will be dealed with, in order to fix any inconsistencies, according to Eddie Berganza.

BTW, why don't you like The Eradicator?