View Poll Results: Favorite version of Morgan Edge

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  • Pre-Crisis

    12 80.00%
  • Post Crisis

    1 6.67%
  • New 52

    2 13.33%
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  1. #1
    Superfan Through The Ages BBally's Avatar
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    Default Morgan Edge Appreciation Thread Plus Poll

    I decided to make a thread dedicated to the original business tycoon of the Superverse, Morgan Edge. Created by Jack Kirby, this character has went through several changes over the years. This thread also features a poll.

    Pre-Crisis



    In his original incarnation, Edge was the president of the Galaxy Broadcasting System (owners of television station WGBS), the media corporation which eventually bought the Daily Planet. Edge was in many ways a stereotype of a ruthless capitalist, intervening in the Planet's homey atmosphere and challenging the authority of the somewhat older Perry White, but he was a decent man who had moments of good-heartedness and maintained reasonably friendly relationships with most of his employees, including Clark Kent. Following the takeover of the Planet, Edge promoted Kent to news anchorman on WGBS, a move which added several TV co-workers to the Superman supporting cast, including fretful producer Josh Coyle, sports broadcaster Steve Lombard, weather forecaster Oscar Asherman, and co-anchor Lana Lang (who had been one of Clark's childhood friends in Smallville).

    As one of the wealthiest men in Metropolis, Edge was a major political figure in the city and frequently encountered Superman, the subject of many of his network's news stories, whom he, like most others, failed to realize was also Clark Kent. Although rarely integral to a plotline, Edge was a supporting character in many Superman stories.

    For a while it appeared that Edge was connected to the Apokolips-sponsored crime organisation Intergang, but this was revealed to be clone created by the 'Evil Factory', a genetics laboratory working for Darkseid. For example, this clone attempted to have Jimmy Olsen, the Guardian and, incidentally, a random Daily Planet employee named 'Goody', murdered as part of a cover-up.

    In a back-up story in Action Comics #468 (February 1977), it was revealed that Morgan Edge's birth name was Morris Edelstein. After he won his first TV station in a game of poker, he changed his name to Morgan Edge and kept the details of his past closely guarded.

    Post-Crisis



    When DC continuity was rebooted after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Edge remained president of WGBS, but his ties to the Planet and friendship with Superman were retconned away, and he was genuinely connected to Intergang. He was eventually exposed by the Daily Planet, in articles by Clark Kent and Cat Grant, who was working for WGBS undercover. Edge was imprisoned, but even managed to cause trouble there by publishing his autobiography "On the Edge", which dumped upon his father as well as Cat Grant, revealing that she slept her way into a scoop. After his release from jail, Morgan Edge returned as sponsor of the Superman Revenge Squad. Prior to his imprisonment, one of his actions generated much fan anger, in which Edge sadistically and gleefully ran over a raccoon on the road, prompting one fan to write in saying "Lex Luthor treats people like animals, but even he does not run them over intentionally".

    Recently, Morgan Edge has resurfaced as a powerful media pundit, with the show "Edge of Reason", where he gives off anti-Kryptonian spin for General Lane. He is also seen in a "flash-forward" panel in Adventure Comics #1, making a mysterious deal with Despero.

    The New 52



    In The New 52 (a reboot of the DC Comics universe), Morgan Edge appears as a powerful and self-centered media mogul and the new owner of the Daily Planet, he is seen as the sponsor of the Challengers of the Unknown program before they all leave due to his ruthless business strategy. This version is depicted as an African American.


    I personally prefer the Pre-Crisis version of the character, who was a rough and stern businessman with a morally gray personality but also is a good guy deep down. Post Crisis Edge is my least favorite but also the most used in other mediums, I just felt this version was too one dimensional compared to the original (plus we already had an evil business tycoon in Lex Luthor), which is why I consider early Post Crisis Planet publisher Franklin Stern as the actual Morgan Edge of that era. The New 52 version was surprising with the way they gave him a racial makeover, so far although having questionable business practices, there's no indication of him being connected to either Intergang or Darkseid as of yet.
    Last edited by BBally; 09-21-2014 at 07:17 AM.
    No matter how many reboots, new origins, reinterpretations or suit redesigns. In the end, he will always be SUPERMAN

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  2. #2
    Legendary Member daBronzeBomma's Avatar
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    I prefer a morally grey Morgan Edge. The outright evil Morgan Edge is outmatched by the more purely evil Lex Luthor. The outright good Morgan Edge is redundant by the more purely good Perry White. So, I'll pick the morally grey (& racially black) Morgan Edge of the New52.

  3. #3
    Ultimate Member Robotman's Avatar
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    Kirby's version was the best. The current one is terrible.

  4. #4
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    It seems very difficult to have both an appreciation thread and a poll thread, but I'll try to thread that needle.

    Morgan Edge was Jewish--in his original incarnation. And it seems to me there are fewer outright Jewish characters at DC than Black characters--although it's always possible that some Black characters are also Jewish. Yet I don't really understand what is gained by taking away the original cultural identity of the character and replacing it with another.

    There were three elements to the original Morgan Edge.

    One was Jack Kirby's desire to create a morally ambiguous character--a corporate tycoon--who sides with Intergang. This was mitigated by E. Nelson Bridwell determining that the not so good Edge was a clone and the real Edge was a bit more redeemable as a character. Yet the Kirby interpretation wasn't completely over-written--and I imagine that later iterations of Edge are some attempt to restore that morally ambiguous character. But I don't think Kirby ever wanted to make him a complete villain--just morally compromised.

    Another element of Edge was his place at WGBS (and as owner of the Daily Planet). In that sense he played a vital role--not as a replacement for Perry White, but as another figurehead in counterpoint to Perry. Perry had his good and bad points, too, but we always knew he was completely on Superman's side. Edge wasn't so clear cut. My main objection to the character when I first started reading those comics is that he was too bad. And in my world, Clark Kent would never work for someone who was entirely without ethics like J. Jonah Jameson. But once Morgan Edge was rehabilitated he was good enough--without being a Goody--that Clark would have worked with him, even if they butted heads over a lot of corporate decisions.

    The third element of Edge--as introduced by Martin Pasko--was his role as a Jew assimilating into American WASP-ish culture. Which is the story of thousands of Jews in America. That Edge wasn't a perfectly good person, but had human flaws, demonstrated a more nuanced approach to characterization at DC. Edge was sympathetic, but he struggled with his own inclinations. There was a lot of potential in that character that could have been explored in more stories.

    I think if Edge had stayed as the original Kirby concept he could not have lasted much longer than the original run of MISTER MIRACLE--because he was mainly a tool of Apokolips and once Kirby's Fourth World was retired, there would have been no use for him as a villain. By altering his make-up so he was this complex mixture of elements, Edge had the kind of character that suited the Amazing World of Superman.

  5. #5
    I'm at least a C-Lister! exile001's Avatar
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    Post-Crisis for me.

    I've always loved a villain who is manipulating the media. It resonates so well with the real life media manipulation we see every day (which I don't think is run by people with ties to an evil god), and it was good to see an anti-Daily Planet. He also gave us Cat Grant's finest hour.

    I enjoyed the ties to Apokolypse and especially Intergang, while trying to run a legitimate media empire.
    "Has Sariel summoned you here, Azrael? Have you come to witness the miracle of your brethren arriving on Earth?"

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    "*sigh* I hoped it was for the miracle."

    Dan Watters' Azrael was incredible, a constant delight and perhaps too good for this world (but not the Forth). For the love of St. Dumas, DC, give us more!!!

  6. #6
    Superfan Through The Ages BBally's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Kelly View Post
    It seems very difficult to have both an appreciation thread and a poll thread
    Oh, well how did I do, was it a good thread?
    No matter how many reboots, new origins, reinterpretations or suit redesigns. In the end, he will always be SUPERMAN

    Credit for avatar goes to zclark

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by BBally View Post
    Oh, well how did I do, was it a good thread?
    What I meant is it's less about the OP than it is about how others respond to the topic and what path they take. The way I understand it, an appreciation thread is supposed to stay away from controversy, so everyone can be nice to each other. Yet a poll thread is bound to invite controversy and feelings could get hurt.

    We won't know how it all worked out--for good or bad--until this thread has gone on for some pages (if it does go on).

  8. #8
    Superfan Through The Ages BBally's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Kelly View Post
    What I meant is it's less about the OP than it is about how others respond to the topic and what path they take. The way I understand it, an appreciation thread is supposed to stay away from controversy, so everyone can be nice to each other. Yet a poll thread is bound to invite controversy and feelings could get hurt.

    We won't know how it all worked out--for good or bad--until this thread has gone on for some pages (if it does go on).
    The thing about Morgan Edge is that while the other characters in the Superverse had changes, Edge is one of the few who had a complete makeover, changing from a morally gray supporting cast member with development in Pre-Crisis to an all out antagonist in Post Crisis (which made him too one dimensional in my opinion but ironically followed Kirby's original idea for the character) and the New 52 version brings back the morally ambiguous part so far but gives him a different racial background. So even if this was just an appreciation thread, there still would be controversy and feelings getting hurt, when the changes he went through get brought up.
    No matter how many reboots, new origins, reinterpretations or suit redesigns. In the end, he will always be SUPERMAN

    Credit for avatar goes to zclark

  9. #9
    Superfan Through The Ages BBally's Avatar
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    "My Son, The Orphan", a backup story published in Action Comics 468 is what got me intrigued about Morgan Edge as a character so you can imagine my disappointment when DC rebooted him into an evil businessman, which ended up getting the most outside comic media appearance.
    No matter how many reboots, new origins, reinterpretations or suit redesigns. In the end, he will always be SUPERMAN

    Credit for avatar goes to zclark

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by BBally View Post

    "My Son, The Orphan", a backup story published in Action Comics 468 is what got me intrigued about Morgan Edge as a character so you can imagine my disappointment when DC rebooted him into an evil businessman, which ended up getting the most outside comic media appearance.
    You and me both. I was interested in Morgan before this story, but this one sealed the deal. Of course, it borrows from the plot of THE JAZZ SINGER--but I read this story before I knew what that movie was about. And this was long before Crusty the Clown borrowed the same material (what a hack *cough*).

    It's funny, I never really appreciated the inks on that story at the time, but seeing them here, even in grey scale, they look really good. I find that so often when I look at old comics now--I really admire the work--especially by those who are often overlooked like the inker, the letterer and the colourist.

  11. #11
    Astonishing Member misslane's Avatar
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    I voted for Pre-Crisis Edge, but I can't help but want to mention that Rutger Hauer played Morgan Edge on Smallville.


  12. #12
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    Nothing against Rutger Hauer, who I've always liked as an actor, but if I were casting for Morgan Edge, I'd go with someone who looks more like Kevin McCarthy. Such as Powers Booth (older Kevin McCarthy) or Skeet Ulrich (younger Kevin McCarthy).

  13. #13
    Is The Best Monk The Red Monk's Avatar
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    As much as I enjoyed some aspects of Post-Crisis Morgan Edge, I still consider the Pre-Crisis version to be far superior.
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  14. #14
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    Thank you all for your appreciative comments about what I tried to do in fleshing out the Edge character, and especially to BBally for posting what is my favorite page from that "Private Life of Morgan Edge" backup (or whatever Julie Schwartz called that feature) that I wrote. I've always felt that superhero comics are at their best when their writers strive to craft characters as complex and self-contradictory as real people in all walks of life -- by definition, morally ambiguous because all of us have qualities that the simple-minded would label as "good" AND "evil." (Meaning, when the writers repudiate simplistic good guys vs. bad guys tropes in favor of trying to craft more nuanced, sophisticated characterizations, better work results.) Real life is more complicated -- and interesting -- than the mindlessness of "good vs. evil," and if a writer's primary responsibility to his audience is to try to offer insights into the dilemma of being human, in the guise of escapist entertainment, he/she has a repsonsibility to their readership to present as realistic characterizations as they are capable of creating. In retrospect, I see I may have perpetuated more than a few cultural cliches in this story ("My Son, The Orphan"), and I wince a bit on rereading it today. I was a young, inexperienced, and relatively unsophisticated writer when I wrote it, but I was guided by the fact that Julie Schwartz was neither offended nor critical of my conception of Edelstein/Edge's mother and, indeed, found her totally relatable in terms of his own cultural experience.

  15. #15
    Superfan Through The Ages BBally's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Martin Pasko View Post
    Thank you all for your appreciative comments about what I tried to do in fleshing out the Edge character, and especially to BBally for posting what is my favorite page from that "Private Life of Morgan Edge" backup (or whatever Julie Schwartz called that feature) that I wrote. I've always felt that superhero comics are at their best when their writers strive to craft characters as complex and self-contradictory as real people in all walks of life -- by definition, morally ambiguous because all of us have qualities that the simple-minded would label as "good" AND "evil." (Meaning, when the writers repudiate simplistic good guys vs. bad guys tropes in favor of trying to craft more nuanced, sophisticated characterizations, better work results.) Real life is more complicated -- and interesting -- than the mindlessness of "good vs. evil," and if a writer's primary responsibility to his audience is to try to offer insights into the dilemma of being human, in the guise of escapist entertainment, he/she has a repsonsibility to their readership to present as realistic characterizations as they are capable of creating. In retrospect, I see I may have perpetuated more than a few cultural cliches in this story ("My Son, The Orphan"), and I wince a bit on rereading it today. I was a young, inexperienced, and relatively unsophisticated writer when I wrote it, but I was guided by the fact that Julie Schwartz was neither offended nor critical of my conception of Edelstein/Edge's mother and, indeed, found her totally relatable in terms of his own cultural experience.
    bump because I didn't realize that MARTY PASKO COMMENTED ON MY THREAD UNTIL NOW!
    No matter how many reboots, new origins, reinterpretations or suit redesigns. In the end, he will always be SUPERMAN

    Credit for avatar goes to zclark

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