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  1. #1
    Spectacular Member Marvel Man's Avatar
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    Default Little doubt: when did Calvin Ellis become President Superman?

    I was reading every appearance of Calvin Ellis and I have noticed this:

    In Final Crisis #7 we only know he is the President of the United States in his secret identity, but we don't know what's his name. Courtney is his human assistant, while Brainiac is his "computer" assistant. In Action Comics v2 #9, he discover a lot about him. As Calvin Ellis, he is the President of the United States. He is from Vathlo. His identity is secret. Then, he next appear in Justice League of America's Vibe #8 but it's just the background of a panel and then we go to Multiversity. Here the status quo seems to be the same and in the guidebook it's written that: "in his alter ego of Calvin Ellis, Superman is president of the United States of America". So, his identity is still a secret.

    In Superman v4 #14 (Multiplicity part one), Clark calls him "Mr. President". It's a little strange, because they talked as they have met before but Calvin is explaining him what's Justice League Incarnate. If they have not met before, it's also very strange to have Clark calling him "president". In #15 and #16 there is not a single mention about this anymore except for one panel where Red Racer call him "Mr. President". I think it's here where the confussion starts but you could think that people in the multiverse knows Calvin is the President while his secret identity is not known in Earth-23. Then we have a pair of appearances of Superman here (Justice League v3 #33) and there (Justice League v4 annual 1) but it's one panel here, one panel there... Nothing really important until The Terrifics v1 #11 where Mr. Terrific says "This world is not all that different from my own, with the notable exception that the Superman here is also the President of the United States". It's not clear if it's identity is secret or not but it may seem so. And in The Terrifics v1 #14 is not mentioned.

    Next is Dog Days of Summers #1, but the story takes place in Earth-26. The important thing to notice is that Captain Carrot calls him just "Superman" but "President Superman" is seen in a caption and Atomic Batman calls him "Mr. President". Then a lot of small appearances, mainly in Justice League (#25, #26 and later on, #34, 35 and a single panel in Tales of the Dark Universe: Teen Titans - The Judas Contract) until we get to Flash Forward #2 where we can clearly see "President Superman" written in a nameplate in the White House.

    So... Did I miss an appearance where this is explained? Or it was just a mistake by Tomasi (Superman v4 #14-16) followed by the next writters (mainly Lemire and Lobdell)? Do you prefer his identity to be secret or not? I think I prefer him to be Superman and President Calvin Ellis and not President Superman, but let me know what you think.

    And thanks for answering!

  2. #2
    Astonishing Member Coal Tiger's Avatar
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    exact dates in comics are naturally fluid to allow for the sliding timescale, but if we're to take Calvin Ellis at face value as the Obama analogue he is, then he was elected in 2008 and started his term in 2009.

  3. #3
    Spectacular Member Marvel Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coal Tiger View Post
    exact dates in comics are naturally fluid to allow for the sliding timescale, but if we're to take Calvin Ellis at face value as the Obama analogue he is, then he was elected in 2008 and started his term in 2009.
    Thank you for your answer but that was not what I meant to ask.

    Originally his secret identity was Calvin Ellis, President of the United States but in his most recent appearances he is called President Superman and has no secret identity. I couldn't find a comic where this change is explained, and I think it could be a mistake by Tomasi on Superman v4 #14-16 that has gone by other writers on his later appearances. I was asking if someone knows when this was explained (if it has) and what do you think about him being President Superman instead of Superman / President Calvin Ellis.
    Last edited by Marvel Man; 10-05-2020 at 12:58 PM.

  4. #4
    Obsessed & Compelled Bored at 3:00AM's Avatar
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    Presumably, President Supeman's Earth is experiencing the same time shenanigans that Earth-0 is so his history has probably been rewritten at least twice by now.

    I say, just make up whatever answer you want.

  5. #5
    Astonishing Member Adekis's Avatar
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    I had an answer for this, but it doesn't account for any appearances since "Multiplicity," which is the last story with Ellis I recall reading. and I don't know if it'll hold water.

    My answer had been, basically, that nobody knew that President Ellis and Superman were one and the same in his own universe, but that he didn't bother keeping it a secret in other universes or while traveling the multiverse, because he already knew that people might know his secret identity from reading it in a comic book. One of the first things he learns on the Ultima Thule is that Dino-Cop used to read his adventures when he was a kid, and knew who he was! I probably wouldn't hide anything from my co-multiversal guardians either, after that!

    That said, I see he was in a handful of Dark Multiverse stories and a few Flash issues since then, maybe other stories as well, and I have no idea whether he's known as President Superman to the public of Earth 10 at large in those stories. However, he isn't in any story I've ever read, and it makes sense to me that he might have a secret identity only in his own universe.
    "You know the deal, Metropolis. Treat people right or expect a visit from me."

  6. #6
    Spectacular Member Marvel Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bored at 3:00AM View Post
    Presumably, President Supeman's Earth is experiencing the same time shenanigans that Earth-0 is so his history has probably been rewritten at least twice by now.

    I say, just make up whatever answer you want.

    I remember when a tight continuity was a thing... But I think your (not)explanation is the best explanation we can get. "Time shenanigans".

  7. #7
    Spectacular Member Marvel Man's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Adekis View Post
    I had an answer for this, but it doesn't account for any appearances since "Multiplicity," which is the last story with Ellis I recall reading. and I don't know if it'll hold water.

    My answer had been, basically, that nobody knew that President Ellis and Superman were one and the same in his own universe, but that he didn't bother keeping it a secret in other universes or while traveling the multiverse, because he already knew that people might know his secret identity from reading it in a comic book. One of the first things he learns on the Ultima Thule is that Dino-Cop used to read his adventures when he was a kid, and knew who he was! I probably wouldn't hide anything from my co-multiversal guardians either, after that!

    That said, I see he was in a handful of Dark Multiverse stories and a few Flash issues since then, maybe other stories as well, and I have no idea whether he's known as President Superman to the public of Earth 10 at large in those stories. However, he isn't in any story I've ever read, and it makes sense to me that he might have a secret identity only in his own universe.
    I thought just that, that his secret identity was only secret in his earth. But that could only work until his appearance in Lobdell's Flash Forward where is clearly written "President Superman" in a nameplate in the White House.

    But what is clear is that there is no issue explaining the change between President Ellis and President Superman. "A big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff".

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