Cyborg Superman Appreciation

[Venomous Mask]

A toxic combination of rage and utter nihilism, Cyborg Superman is Superman with all of Clark Kent's power and absolutely none of his humanity. He was willing to see universe enslaved by the Anti-Monitor simply so that his wish for death could be granted and before then, he tried to wipe out all of humanity in order to craft the Earth into a massive spaceship under his command.





The New 52 version in the form of Zor-El seems to be just as evil as his predecessor:

[MykeHavoc]

His repurposing for Sinestro Corps War was one of the best character comebacks of all-time. I've had no real interest in the New 52 version.

[exile001]

I loved the old version, and the Sinestro Corps war may be his finest characterisation.

I like the motivation of the New 52 version, but hate that it's Zor-El. Fortunately, Henshaw is out there and his consciousness was absorbed into a sentient techno-cluster thing, so maybe he'll return.

[darkseidpwns]

I loved the old version, and the Sinestro Corps war may be his finest characterisation.

I like the motivation of the New 52 version, but hate that it's Zor-El. Fortunately, Henshaw is out there and his consciousness was absorbed into a sentient techno-cluster thing, so maybe he'll return.

Exactly,the motivations and personality of the new version could easily lead you to believe it's still Henshaw,infact he was precisely like this before Johns. The worst part of the Zor-El change(mind you I hate MANY THINGS about it) is that writers cant even use it for story telling. He doesn't know who he is and neither does Kara so they cant even milk it? it's just dumb and frustrating.

[fmvgamer]

[Venomous Mask]

I never knew he went to the Marvel Universe. He did one time try to bring about the Skynet future in the Terminator, and even ended up temporarily fusing with a T-X:

[Joe Acro]

I can't say I cared for his use in Sinestro Corps at all. His desire to dire seemed so at odds with any previous take on the character--wherein he often chooses to jump into some nearby piece of electronics in order to rebuild himself later.

But I've always been a fan of Henshaw, particularly as The Cyborg. Prior to Sinestro Corps, he was my favorite Superman villain.

[Robotman]

Cyborg Superman was one of my favorite villains. The dichotomy of the death-like skeletal face wearing the Superman symbol was unsettling. Which of course made it great. Also loved that fact that the Hank Henshaw character was kind of a 'What If' Reed Richards became Dr. Doom.



Really can't stand the New 52 Cyborg Superman. A really terrible design that has none of the appeal or creepiness of the original. I think Rocofort is a great artist but DC needs to stop letting him redesign characters (Raven).

If some Pre-Flashpoint characters come back after the rumored Crisis I hope Henshaw returns and tears this lame new Cyborg Superman in half.

Did you guys get a chance to play as Cyborg Superman in the Injustice game? I loved how they even made his voice robotic. It wasn't just the character skin change by itself.

[Slaughter]

I am a big Cyborg Superman fan as well. I think that of all "Evil Superman Knock-off" characters he's my favorite - a crazy, genocidal, maniacal Reed Richards-parody turned into a half-kryptonian half-cyborg all-evil monstrosity. Probrably the best Superman villain from the 90s. Total heavy metal unrepentant bad guy.

One thing I really disliked in Reign of the Doomsdays is that they dismissed him pretty much instantly, when he his appearance had a awesome build-up where he fought a crazy all-out battle to the death with a Doomsday with the Justice League in the middle of it and won - well, almost won, but that Doomsday had HAXXORS. Then Supes took off some Deus Ex machina globe and he fell off the story instantly. What the hell!

I can't say I cared for his use in Sinestro Corps at all. His desire to dire seemed so at odds with any previous take on the character--wherein he often chooses to jump into some nearby piece of electronics in order to rebuild himself later.

But I've always been a fan of Henshaw, particularly as The Cyborg. Prior to Sinestro Corps, he was my favorite Superman villain.

I think it was a matter of character progress:

- Henshaw's original motivation was to save his wife and friends, but he failed to save everyone but Terry because they had a total communications failure with Supes and he thought they were generic monsters of the week, which he fought.

- Henshaw later left the Earth on a journey of knowledge, partly because he was causing problems on Earth and partly because he felt detached from humanity after his appearance made a unstable Terry commit suicide. He wasn't a bad guy yet, far from it.

- Henshaw decided he wanted to bersmirch Superman's name and everything he stood for on a cosmic scale, after he spent a lot of time drifting alone and mad through space. Here, he was totally crazy.

- Henshaw faked being Superman, until he went full retard and destroyed Coast City. He was then aiming to turn the Earth into a new Warworld, partly for power but mostly because nothing says "Superman is a horrible monster, betrayer and all-around every bad word in the interlac dictionary" in solar system-sized letters than (not) Superman going around the universe with a warworld made with the ashes and blood of the planet he swore to defend. From then on, he was full-on evil. Henshaw continued to plague Superman with plots to kill him/recreate Warworld and general disregard for life for years, save for a brief stint where Henshaw tried to live a normal life as a arts' teacher but his hate against Superman got the best of him and he turned back to his old ways.

- Henshaw mostly disappears until a few years later, when he returns, having taken a level in death-wish and grandmastering Manhunters.

I always thought Henshaw got tired of his own meaningless life of being a lonely, half-machine murderer reviled by all and loved by none, and just wanted to end it all. I think it actually makes sense, it was actually quite bizarrely moving when he thanked the Anti-Monitor for promising to kill him.

Also, funny thing: Henshaw is right - It WAS Superman's fault that his friends died, because Supes threw the Eradicator into the sun. Everything from beyond the death of Henshaw's friends, through, is Henshaw's own fault, even if he didn't mean anything bad that he did or happened to him, until he came back from space. A tragic villain yet still totally 100% evil to the bone.

Also, am I the only one who found it hilariously weird Superboy-Prime was totally respectful of Henshaw, calling him "Mister Henshaw" and all that?

[Abishai100]

Power Setting Variation Ideas


Superman tackles Cyborg Superman but does not realize that the evil machine manifestation of the goodly Man of Steel has harnessed the power of a million batteries to create a powerful energy beam that can be released from his metal hand.

Green Lantern is nowhere to be found and can not help, and Cyborg Superman seems to have the situation at hand and does not need the assistance of the Sinestro Corps.

Superman is unnerved by Cyborg Superman's battery-charged hand and diffuses its power with his powerful ice breath but not before Cyborg Superman delivers a devastating electric blow to Superman's chest.

Every time I buy an Energizer battery, I will think of Cyborg Superman...

[The Gorn Identity]

Great thread! I really miss the Henshaw version of Cyborg-Supes. He was a legitimately frightening villain. A total prick too.

[Slaughter]

Nice fan-art I found on deviantart!



They really need to bring Henshaw back, maybe even with a new spin (his wife and all the others survive?)

Exactly,the motivations and personality of the new version could easily lead you to believe it's still Henshaw,infact he was precisely like this before Johns. The worst part of the Zor-El change(mind you I hate MANY THINGS about it) is that writers cant even use it for story telling. He doesn't know who he is and neither does Kara so they cant even milk it? it's just dumb and frustrating.

I agree, the Zor-El thing is sorta lame in how its been dealt with. I thought the heroes would find out something during Superman: Doomed, but nothing. Last we saw of Zor-El he was knocked down in the Fortress. Nothing since then, and then Future's End Supergirl has him and her hanging around both ignorant.

Also I don't get why Zor-El needed Supergirl's flesh. Could't he just take a DNA sample and grown something in a cloning vat?

I hope they bring Zor-El back into flesh (maybe they can only do that in Kandor?) and Alura is revealed to be alive somehow. Then Henshaw takes up the mantle. I liked them both in New Krypton, even if Alura was in evil mode after Zor died.

(also stop writing Zor-El as a screw-up and a failure)

[evangelionofasgard]

Ooooh I hope they have him Be a villain in the cyborg ongoing, so Ivan Reis can draw the new 52 outfit.

[The Gorn Identity]

Fortunately, Henshaw is out there and his consciousness was absorbed into a sentient techno-cluster thing, so maybe he'll return.

When/where did this happen?!

[manofsteel1979]

When/where did this happen?!

In the short lived TEAM 7 book.