Abandoned and forgotten plots

[Jim Kelly]

Marty Pasko introduced the character of Nam-Ek in a World of Krypton tale for SUPERMAN 282--which at the end has Supergirl ask Superman how he knows so much about this character. Then Pasko brings Nam-Ek back in the four-parter for SUPERMAN 311 to 314, plus he brings back Amalak, who has now become the Kryptonian Killer (which was formerly another character) and there's also the matter of New Krypton which Superman created in 255 (by Bates) that contained all the Kryptonite in the universe yet must have blown apart because Kryptonite shows up again in Pasko's run. Presumably, Marty was going to tie all these loose ends up (Nam-Ek, Amalak, Kryptonite), but he ran out of pages to do so in 314.

[Kuwagaton]

The first issue of SUPERMAN immediately after the Sand Superman Saga wrapped up (in issue 242) was 243 (October 1971) which cover featured "The Starry-Eyed Siren of Space." Many will point out that this story--by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson--completely ignores the plot developments from the Sand Superman Saga and it's almost as if the Saga (and its implications for Superman) had never happened. However, the Bates story introduces a plot that itself is never returned to.

This outer space tale, which is a lot like a classic Star Trek adventure, introduces two higher intelligences that take on the form of the Starry-Eyed Siren and a Superman clone. At the end of the story, Superman discovers that he had somehow travelled into the distant past (he knows this because the stars are different) and he returns to the present. But this established this super-powered couple existing billions of years in the past. An editor's note says that there will be more answers to this mystery if readers demand it (or something like that). But this super-couple were never mentioned again.

I always thought it was cool that they asked, although even as a fan of that story decades later I can't summon the curiosity to really wonder more about that couple. They felt like they could have been from any of 100 other stories.

And on the sand Superman, it sure seemed like Denny Swan and Futures End were playing into a more deliberate, focused story than what we actually got.

[Jim Kelly]

I had my own fan fiction idea that the Starry-Eyed Siren and Superman X were the Adam and Eve of space and the progenitors of all the super-people in the universe. Creating a kind of causality loop--Superman had to go back in time so they could exist which made his existence possible.

[Patrick Gerard]

Who the heck was Ignition?

He appeared in Emperor Joker. He’s explicitly described as NOT being a creation of The Joker. He talks about having a master whose power transcends many universes.

He works with the Pokolistanian Zod and Faora (a Kryptonite augment who was whispered to by Zod either in spirit form or via the Phantom Zone and a Russian cyborg lady). But Ignition was never explained. I suspect this is because Pokolistan Zod was meant to be an alternate Kal-El created by Return to Krypton.

And on that subject, the energy beings known as the Xan who lived in Kandor crater on Krypton were posed as a mystery as well.

[manofsteel1979]

Remember Bloodthirst? He was a master mind villain for a short crossover between the titles shortly after the Return of Superman story and made some short cameo appearance in the MOS book prior. He even created the second white Supremacist Bloodsport. It was pretty much told to us we'd find out more about him and they were building up his mystery. To my knowledge we never heard from him again.

[Kuwagaton]

Good one. Weezy and Bog went so quickly from X-Factor to Man of Steel, I have always had the feeling Bloodthirst was a holdover from Marvel, sort of a humorous version of her apocalypse character. Like a Marvel character from the same time, he seemed to get lost in a plotting shuffle of big ideas.

I loved that slow motion fight they had.

[Flash Gordon]

To this day it was never concretely answered exactly why Superman's powers changed into energy based in the late nineties. I think they hinted at one time that it might have had something to do with shrinking down into Kandor or something--my memory's fuzzy though--however a definitive answer of what it was never provided to my knowledge.

Hmm, yeah I can't really remember one either. I remember it as just sort of "happening".

[manofsteel1979]

Hmm, yeah I can't really remember one either. I remember it as just sort of "happening".

At one time the " official" explaination of the power change was that Tolos attempting to trap him in Kandor put Superman slightly out of phase with reality, which changed him, underlined by the fact he didn't get his powers back after losing them when the Sun went out in Final Night. He did various things to jumpstart his powers , but supposidly all those things mutated him and he did initially get his powers back, but soon thereafter the electric powers surfaced. I remember this being the reason being given by the assistant editor at the time in the letter column.

Then another " official" explaination was the Genesis wave that was tied to John Byrne's take over of the fourth World books in the crossover called GENESIS. Apparently this wave affected different earth based metahumans in various ways and it was strongly implied Supes new form was borne of that.

Of course, neither was ever elaborated within the books themselves and was never followed up on.

At least thats how I remember it. It's been 21 years!

[Jim Kelly]

The lack of explanation for Electric Superman is what made me think of the Sand Superman conspiracy theory. There's a good run down of the theory on Rich Johnston's bleedingcool: "Whatever Happened To… The 1988 Death Of Superman?"

As far as Electric Superman goes, the article explains it this way: "The Final Night event comes and Superman loses all of his power when the sun goes out. The sun comes back, but Superman’s powers do not. Again, the sun is not the source of his power. Superman goes on a quest to try to regain his power, and he finds himself facing an alien electrical being. Superman wins the battle after surviving a large explosion. Superman’s powers come back for awhile. Then Superman starts inexplicably turning into an electrical being (just like the one he fought when he got his powers back)."

And the article ends with this:

"I believe wholeheartedly that the real Superman died in 1988 and his body was left in the frozen debris of the first Fortress of Solitude. Until the time Flashpoint changed things, the Superman we read each month was the sand creature who simply believed he was the real Superman.

"Now…it never happened."

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/12...h-of-superman/

[Doctor Know]

Someone have to follow up on this. Maybe we should start a petition or something.

That would be an odd request. Please give Superman an illegitimate child with the dominatrix villainess Lashina.
Upon retrospect though, Darkseid is one for protocol and ceremony. He'd definitely have Supes wed Lashina while mind controlled. Just to legitimize and torment Supes for actions outside of his control.

Dark Family (found some fanart)



Light Family




Talk about an awkward reunion/first meeting.

[marhawkman]

That would be an odd request. Please give Superman an illegitimate child with the dominatrix villainess Lashina.
Upon retrospect though, Darkseid is one for protocol and ceremony. He'd definitely have Supes wed Lashina while mind controlled. Just to legitimize and torment Supes for actions outside of his control.

That would make the child non-illegitimate. Also Desaad's the sort to help the process along just in case it doesn't happen naturally.

I would LOVE to read an actual team book of the Supermen of America. The team composition was interesting. It had what could be an interesting dynamic with a mixture of types of experience. It'd be neat to see how the various members deal with situations since they have very different points of view.

[Thor-Ul]

That would make the child non-illegitimate. Also Desaad's the sort to help the process along just in case it doesn't happen naturally.

I would LOVE to read an actual team book of the Supermen of America. The team composition was interesting. It had what could be an interesting dynamic with a mixture of types of experience. It'd be neat to see how the various members deal with situations since they have very different points of view.

With Bendis on charge, everything could be possible. (But his dialogues, his dialogues....)
Anyway, back on topic, a hanging plot was the return of Dr. Stratos. Somebody else remember him? A suppously lost son of Zeus who apparentely died butinsteadreach divine levels of powers. Itwas a issue from the 80's drawing by Eric Larsen.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

In Superman #666, Busiek had a demon try and corrupt Superman, and reveal its 'in' was that Superman had taken a life, which neither he nor Lois knew anything about; it was never addressed again before his run ended.

[Doctor Know]

That would make the child non-illegitimate. Also Desaad's the sort to help the process along just in case it doesn't happen naturally.

Desaad, Amazing Grace and Glorious Godfrey. Haha

I need this to happen now.

[Kuwagaton]

That would make the child non-illegitimate. Also Desaad's the sort to help the process along just in case it doesn't happen naturally.

I would LOVE to read an actual team book of the Supermen of America. The team composition was interesting. It had what could be an interesting dynamic with a mixture of types of experience. It'd be neat to see how the various members deal with situations since they have very different points of view.

It bums me out that such a unique group from such an interesting time never got a fair shake. I'd love to see them again, too.