SUMMER OF SUPERMAN: TOP TEN ALLIES

[Jordan T. Maxwell]

The Top Ten Superman Allies

By: Nick Costanzo, Jon Hancock, Jordan T. Maxwell, Greg Reeves
Editor: Jordan T. Maxwell

70 years ago, in the summer of 1938, two kids from Cleveland, Ohio changed the world forever. From their collaborative imagination sprang a hero who has endured for seven decades, transcending his home in comic books to conquer almost every other medium of art and entertainment and catalyzing the creation of an entire genre. He is more than just a fictional superhero. He is an icon (not a bird). He is an ideal (not a plane). He is...SUPERMAN!

To celebrate the Man of Steel's 70th anniversary, Comixfan is proud to bring you a series of features over the course of this summer. For the next seven weeks, we'll be bringing you a unique Top Ten list focusing on different facets of Superman's mythology, history and influence, showcasing 70 reasons why we love the Man of Tomorrow so much.

Last week we covered the various threats and nefarious nemeses who plague the Man of Steel. But when things look their bleakest and the forces of evil are bearing down from all sides...then, like the Beatles, Superman gets by with a little help from his friends. From friends and family to costumed colleagues, Superman has one of the strongest support groups in comic books. We honor just a handful of them now and present to you Superman's Top Ten Allies!

---

#10 Steel

First Appearance: Adventures of Superman #500
Created by: Louise Simonson/Jon Bogdanove

Superman was dead. The world was crying out for a hero. Four stepped forward to answer the call, but only one had the heart of a hero from the start. John Henry Irons, named after the legendary steel driving folk hero, had once been a weapons designer, but upon seeing the horrors his creations had wrought he ran from his past and began a new life as a construction worker. It was while saving another worker's life that Irons' own life was put in peril, only to be saved by Superman. Inspired by the Man of Steel's actions and words, Irons tried to help Superman against Doomsday but instead found himself buried beneath a ton of wreckage. Somehow pulling himself free, he decided to honor his fallen hero and redeem his past sins by designing a suit of armor, donning it like the knights of old to take up the never ending battle. Since Superman's return, Irons has served as a trusted friend and ally, offering both combat support and his extensive knowledge of science and engineering. He has gone through many trials by fire and, like the alloy from which he derives his name, come through stronger for it, proving himself without powers to be someone Superman can always count on.

---

#9 Superboy (Kon-El)

First Appearance: Adventures of Superman #500
Created by: Karl Kesel/Tom Grummett

Quite literally a clone of Superman, Conner Kent/Kon-El/Superboy was a character whose first appearance and subsequent death were both riddled with controversy. He first appeared following Superman’s death and soon became a mainstay in the DC Universe until his untimely death in Infinite Crisis. Despite his unusual origins, Superboy became an important part of the Man of Steel’s life as one of the rare few he could truly consider family. Being a clone of both Superman and Lex Luthor, Superboy had a difficult time of coming to grips with which “father” he took after more, and despite some reluctance to get back into the family business of saving the world, he came back in spades in order to stop Alexander Luthor and Superboy Prime. So while Superman has saved the world dozens of times over, Superboy saved the Multiverse, even at the cost of his life. There is no doubt that had he been given the opportunity, he would have grown into a Superman of his own. One who the Man of Steel could have been proud of.

---

#8 Lana Lang

First Appearance: Superboy #10
Created by: Bill Finger/John Sikela

Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world...no, wait, that's something else. Lana Lang was Clark Kent's first true love back in Smallville and has been a constant friend to him during that confusing time in his life (puberty AND super powers? oy...) as well as throughout his life. Initially portrayed as a rival to Lois Lane for Superman's affections, she has since become one of his closest and most trusted confidantes, the first person outside of his parents he revealed his powers to and even with the broken heart of an ex has always been there for him (even if it's perhaps been a bit too clingy at times). She's the girl next door, the hometown crush we all have growing up...and perhaps are even lucky enough to date. But of course we grow up and move on and leave town. It is a rare and fortunate gift to have that person remain in our lives as a friend and supporter, and that is the gift Lana Lang has given to Clark Kent time and again. She helped him grow from a boy into a man...and a rather super man at that...even though his heart and destiny would eventually belong to someone else. And it is that shared sacrifice of "what might've been" that bonds them together so closely to this day.

---

#7 Krypto

First appearance: Adventure Comics #210
Created by: Otto Binder/Curt Swann

Dogs are considered a man's best friend because of their loyalty, their usefulness and their ability to silently communicate when little Timmy has fallen down the well. How much more would we value our canine friends if they all wore capes, flew to catch sticks and playfully maimed the postman? Krypto was the first of his kind. A sidekick animal. There were countless copies: Ace the Bat-Hound, Comet the Super-Horse, even Lockheed the Dragon, but Krypto was there first. Krypto's role in Superman's life is more than a crime fighting partner, though. He perfectly links his Kryptonian and Kansas lives by reminding him of down home fun back at the farm, albeit flying above the farm. Over time, Krypto developed other relationships, including an all too brief friendship with Connor Kent. Ultimately, though, he will be the ally Superman can always rely on to fight in his corner or bring a smile to his face (even if it's just by licking it).

---

#6 Legion of Super-Heroes

First appearance: Adventure Comics #247
Created by: Otto Binder/Al Plastino

We all had those friends from childhood who helped define who we were, who we are and who we may yet become. Well, Superman was no different. It's just that his friends were from the 31st century. Instead of a tree house, they had a headquarters. Instead of friendship bracelets, they had rings that could make you fly. Instead of playing tag in the back yard, they defended the galaxy from villainous threats. But those minor details aside, same thing. The Legion traveled back to our time to meet their hero...and at the same time taught him how to be a hero. They gave him a place he could go to and be himself without fear of his powers being discovered as well as a glimpse of the world and the people he would inspire. They were like him, young kids with strange and uncanny abilities, hailing from distant worlds. In their company, he was less of a stranger in a strange land and more a member of a band of brothers (and sisters). Of course, being in the future of a cosmos plagued with time paradoxes, multiversal collapse, pocket universes, hypertime and every other kind of crisis imaginable have left the Legion several times as victims of strange causality, their continuity being rewritten time and time again. But however many centuries or universes separate them, when Superman and the Legion inevitably meet up again, it's like picking up from old times. Isn't that just how it is with old friends?

---

#5 Supergirl (Kara Zor-El)

First appearance: Action Comics #252
Created by: Otto Binder/Al Plastino

Cousins are a strange thing. Not quite as close as siblings, but with the familial bond that most friends will never share. But what if your cousin was not only the last living member of your family, but of your entire planet as well? Kal-El and Kara Zor-El of Krypton have a relationship that's hard to define, especially given her rather fluid status in the history of the DC Universe (alive, dead, forgotten, replaced by a protoplasmic shape shifter from a pocket universe, then an angel while all the time her counterpart from a parallel Earth that no longer exists is running around trying to sort our her own origin story, back from the dead only not really because she never died in the first place and...ow. Minor aneurysm. Nothing to worry about). When she first appeared, they were quite chummy with Supergirl often serving as Superman's "secret weapon" (leading to some of the most disturbing fan art and fan fiction I've ever seen), but since her iconic sacrifice in the first Crisis and subsequent revival there's a bit more friction between the two. Like families are in real life. They are all each other have of a homeworld long dead, a reminder of the families and possibilities lost, which is both comforting and painfully haunting. They are always there for each other, but not quite friends. They are at once more and less than friends. They are family.

---

#4 Wonder Woman

First appearance: All Star Comics #8
Created by: William Moulton Marston

Born out of the same era and with similar powers and abilities, Wonder Woman is often unfairly considered the "female Superman." But she is so much more than that. In their differences as well as their similarities, she provides him with balance. Where he hails from a world of science and logic, she is literally a creature of myth and magic. Where his cape and costume are the disguise he wears to keep a life of his own, her armor is a prize of honor won in combat, as much a part of her identity as her own name. Yet they are both titans from exotic worlds, striding through our own world with the same simultaneous sense of might and alienation. As Clark Kent, he has a handful of people who help keep him grounded. But as Superman, there are few he can open up to and be himself around. Wonder Woman is one of the very few who not only knows and supports him in both his guises, but challenges him as well and is not overwhelmed by his power or personality. Superman battles for truth and justice...and Diana is nothing less than the champion (and at one time Goddess) of Truth. They are the best of friends, yet always with that oddly intoxicating and often unspoken undercurrent of "if only things were different..." And as we see in Kingdom Come, where things are quite different indeed, they wind up making quite the power couple.

---

#3 Batman

First appearance: Detective Comics #27
Created by: Bill Finger/Bob Kane

If Wonder Woman is Truth, then Batman is most certainly Justice. Created almost a year apart, the Dark Knight has served as an inverted mirror of the Man of Steel for decades. Where Superman soars and is powered by the light, Batman lurks and finds solace in the shadows. Where Superman protects and embodies our noblest ideals, Batman avenges and attacks from our fear and superstition. Where Superman is innately the most powerful man on the planet, Batman has trained his body and mind into the pinnacle of mortal perfection. Still, they share common ground. They are both orphans, which has led them both to be incredibly alone while also building makeshift families around themselves. They both have triple identities: their costumed crime fighting alter egos, their public personae of the mild mannered reporter and buffoonish playboy that they wear in everyday life...and their true secret identities, the men beneath all the masks that only a precious few get to see. And they have both devoted themselves to a never ending crusade to defend and protect those who cannot fight for themselves...and perhaps inspire (or scare) them into doing so. Is it any wonder they are truly the world's finest?

---

#2 Jimmy Olsen

First appearance: Action Comics #6 (Anonymous Cameo), Superman v1 #13 (Named)
Created by: Jerry Siegel/Joe Shuster

The title says it all: Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen. He's usually portrayed as a somewhat dopey-looking red-haired photographer/cub reporter for the Daily Planet, and has a perpetually awestruck friendship with the Man of Steel. Jimmy is a clear representation of the readers' own reactions to Superman. He gets to do what we all wish we could do (short of being Superman ourselves). With just a push of a button, his Super-watch can emit a signal that only Superman can hear. Usually, this means Jimmy is in trouble, though in some sillier tales they would go get ice cream just as easily. Also, Jimmy would usually end up with superpowers of his own, or go evil, or stop Superman from going evil, or end up as a disappointing son to the Man of Steel, or some other random idea that the truly insane pre-Crisis writers came up with. This kid has done almost everything imaginable (and a few things the imagination might require some less-than-legal assistance in conjuring), leading a life that anyone his age would find amazing. Yet despite his many adventures, Jimmy still sees the Man of Steel with wonder, always the last to doubt his hero. Jimmy's idolization is infectious, and makes us all wish we could be Superman's Pal, too. Then maybe the Spin Doctors would write songs about us...

---

#1 Lois Lane

First appearance: Action Comics #1
Created by: Jerry Siegel/Joe Shuster

From the very beginning in the very first issue, Lois has been a part of the Superman mythos. As the decades have passed, many characters have been introduced and plenty of them have stuck around, becoming deeply embedded. But none besides Lois Lane can say they have been there since the beginning. What is it about the lovely Ms. Lane that gives her such longevity? Is it her whip smart attitude and intrepid spirit, making her a highly respected reporter for a major metropolitan newpaper in a distinctly pre-feminist world? Her ability to adapt over the ages to changing trends in fashion and style? Her memorably alliterative name (there would be many double L's to follow, but Lois created the standard)? Perhaps. But more importantly...and as it usually does...it comes down to love. For 70 years, Lois has shown an affection, admiration and blind devotion to the Man of Steel (so blind it can't penetrate a pair of spectacles and a changed up hairdo), a passionate commitment that stands in stark contrast to her fiercely independent personality. And as both Superman and Clark, he has returned that love even if he hasn't always been able to show it. In the beginning, it was a tragicomic game of hard-to-get as he couldn't reveal his secrets to her and risk putting her in danger. But she persisted and love won the day. And while her love for Clark wound up trumping her love for Superman, she wound up with both. Married for years now, she has gone from flirt buddy and damsel in distress extraordinaire to his best friend, closest confidante, wife and lover. In what seemed like their own never ending battle, both won the ultimate prize. And what greater ally could there be in life than that?

---

Of course, with only ten spots, plenty of worthy friends and allies were left unacknowledged. One in particular has left us recently, a casualty of the current (and allegedly final) Crisis. And so we'd like to take this moment to honor and bid farewell to one of Superman's staunchest comrades, a fellow alien who was also the last of his kind trying to make his way in a new world, J'onn J'onnz...the Martian Manhunter. And it is the Man of Steel himself who has provided the most fitting eulogy..."we'll all miss him. And pray for a resurrection."

And on that somber note, we wrap up another week of the Summer of Superman! Do you agree with our choices? Disagree? Like them, but think we got the order wrong? Want to see Perry White properly acknowledged? Fail to see how a dog made the list but Superman's own parents didn't? Discuss your thoughts below! And remember that all of these characters and their adventures can be found at your local comic book shop! See you next week!

---

Jimmy Olsen: Nick Costanzo
Krypto: Jon Hancock
Batman, Lana Lang, Legion of Super-Heroes, Lois Lane, Steel, Supergirl, Wonder Woman: Jordan T. Maxwell
Superboy: Greg Reeves

Contributors: Jesse Baer, Anthony Devlin, Chris Eight, James Groves, Stephanie Kay, Marty P, Michael Regan, Kevin Sutton, Eric Travis

---

The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writers involved, and are not reflective of Comixfan or its other staff in general.

[Jon Hancock]

No Pete Ross

Sigh. The unsung hero of Superman continuity!

[Jordan T. Maxwell]

if by "hero" you mean "wet blanket," i completely agree.

[Jon Hancock]

can you be an unsung wet blanket? I suppose Sir Robin the Not Quite So Brave could qualify as a sung about wet blanket...

[Rile420]

Great article guys. Loving the stuff so far!!!!

[harlekein]

Where's Perry White?

[gnosis]

I could see leaving Perry off the list because while he plays a role in Clark Kent's life, he isn't a major part of Superman's life. Everyone else on the list seems to play a role in both parts of his life (even though for someone like Jimmy Olsen and until relatively recently Lois Lane, they weren't aware of the fact.)

Weird not to see the Kents on the list (though I guess they haven't played as big a part in the comics recently.)

[Marty P]

Lois, relatively recently? When did Lois find out Supes and Clark are one and the same anyway?

[Michael Regan]

Originally Posted by Marty P

Lois, relatively recently? When did Lois find out Supes and Clark are one and the same anyway?

Action Comics #662 (February 1991)

[Jordan T. Maxwell]

which, in a 70 year history, is relatively recent.

[Jon Hancock]

Originally Posted by harlekein

Where's Perry White?

Shouting at Clark from behind a door. I don't think he deserves to be on here more than the rest of the list.

[Jen0608]

Oh yeah, Lois Lane is one big ally of Superman, from the very start, she's with him until the end.

[Michael Regan]

Originally Posted by Jen0608

Oh yeah, Lois Lane is one big ally of Superman, from the very start, she's with him until the end.

Very true, right from his first appearance there she was.

Although, no one should ever forget how such a valued investigative journalist was fooled by slilcked-back hair and a pair of horn-rimmed glasses