The Super-Men (and -Women) of All-Planets

[Jim Kelly]

A List of Super-Beings and Creations of All-Planets
--chronological by cover date of 1st appearance--

▽ indicates a Superboy adventure
✫ honourable mention
bolded are prominent entries

1942-49

• Mister Sinister in the 4th Dimension 05-06/42
• Mr. Mxyztplk of Zrfff in the 5th Dimension 04/44--a.k.a. Mxyzptlk, Maxy Z Toplik, John Trix, O’Rourke et al
• The Collector from Another Dimension 03-04/47
• Regor of Uuz (Winki Lamm) 05-06/49

1951-54

• ▽Marsboy of Mars (Sutri a.k.a. Joe Mars) 05-06/51
• The Menace of Zar 05/52--Klarkash Kenton (Superman)
• Halk Kar of Thoron 01-02/53
• ▽ Interplanetary Circus 03/54
• ▽A green shape-shifter from outer space 06/54
• ▽Kral of Titan 10/54
• ▽Superboy searches various worlds for "Impossible Creatures" 11/54

1955-57

• The alien that said "Krllg" from an unnamed asteroid 01-02/55
• Vitor Vall of Skar 03/56--Vitar’s wife, son, daughter & parents
• Sharn of Iwo 09/56
• The souvenir crystal brain from another world 09/56
• ▽Power-Boy of Juno (Zarl Vorne) 10/56
• ▽Flying Horse from a planet of intelligent horses 11/56
• Danny the Dinosur, Dinosaur World 04/57
• Queen Latora of Vergo 05/57
• Gollo of Zar 11/57
• Super Youth of Dorth (Jimmy Olsen) 12/57

1958-59

• Skyboy of Kormo (Tharn) 01-02/58
• The Batman of Zur-En-Arrh (Tlano) 02/58
• Kell Orr of Xenon 02/58
• ▽Dworn (a.k.a. Alan) 06/58
• Two gambling co-workers from Xlym (plus their unseen "Supervisor") 07-08/58
• Superman's Solar System 08/58
• The aliens from "Planet-X" 09/58
• The Jovians of Jupiter 10/58
• Lois Lane's ring, Superman made of alien metal 02/59
• ▽Vidal of the Inter-Galactic Patrol (Allen Greene) 05/59
• Superlad of Zollum (Jimmy Olsen) 09/59
• ▽Kosmon the Hunter and the “blob” 11/59
• Khalex from an unnamed planet, the Police Chief of that planet 11/59
• ▽The Super-Aliens of the Superboy Planet 12/59
• ▽Dog-eating plants planetoid; world that worships dogs 12/59

1960

• ▽Shar-La, the Space Traveller 01/60
• Ronal, merman surgeon from a water world 02/60
• ▽Solar Boy (in another galaxy) 02/60
• The unnamed movie mogul from Kzotl 03/60
• The monster world where Jimmy Olsen is a horror picture star 03/60
• Hyper-Man of Oceania (Chester King) 06/60
• ▽Ral, Jinnia and Varl Quorz of Xenon 06/60
• The mirror-bellied speculator 06/60
• Princess Jena of Adoria 07/60
• Astounding Man of Roxnon 07/60
• ▽6-3KX from Zaron 07/60
• ▽The Kryptonite Kid of Blor and his dog 09/60
• Superman's Pet that said "Gleek" 09/60
• ▽The Leader and his red invaders 10/60
• Superman rebuilds on a faraway planet 11/60
• Alba, leader of the resistance on Zoron 12/60
• Chorn, leader of the Baxian invaders 12/60
• ▽Mighty Boy of Zumoor (Thomas Keith a.k.a. Zarl Kazzan) 12/60

1961-62

• The Space Dragon "asteroid" 01/61
• Miss Gzptlsnz of Zrfff in the 5th Dimension 04/61
• ▽Kolli of Mogar (Krypto's First Romance); the planet Zena 03/61
• ▽The Red Ones--transplanted to an advanced planet 04/61
• Vathgar and the Skran of another dimension world 06/61
• ▽Mon-El of Daxam (Lar Gand) 06/61
• Klor of Belvos, Belvos council 12/61
• Marvel Maid & Marvel Man of Terra (Lea Lindy & Ken Clark) 02/62
• ▽The Brain Globes from Rambat 02/62
• Logi of Durim (a.k.a. "The Alien Super-Boy") 03/62
• Princess Ilona of the Sunev Galaxy 03/62
• Ilona’s four husbands of the Sunev Galaxy 03/62--Vangar, Duran, Rogor and Berek
• ▽The Xnorians of Xnor 03/62
• The alien army from Xar 04/62
• The Superwoman of Staryl (Luma Lynai) 06/62
• Zerno, Sorceror from Ybor, his assistant Sborg 08/62
• Princess Allura of the Ashtar Galaxy 10/62
• ▽Valhalla of Super-Companions 12/62--Liquidman, Stormboy, Tree-Man, Telepathy Man, Shadowman
• ▽Othar of Thrann, the Super-World 12/62
• A travelling troupe of alien performers 12/62
• Planets of Sinzar, Antella, Unxar, and Karos 12/62

1963-64

• Mutant super-ants from a nuclear holocaust world 01/63
• Super-Male of Soomar (Irn Brimba) 05/63
• Hajal and other colonists from the planet Zermb 05/63
• Supposed Super-Suitors of Lois Lane 07/63
• Rona of the Seventh Dimension 12/63
• ▽Super-Youth of Brozz (Frank Merrill) 12/63
• Defender of Lexor (Lex Luthor) 04/64
• Shalzor in galaxy K-4L; Paratopia; unnamed outlaw planet 04/64
• The Unknown Superman (Bamor, a.k.a. Strong Bear) 05/64
• Zigi and Zagi from Alpha-Centauri 08/64
• Zyra from Alpha-Centauri, Zigi and Zagi's sister 09/64
• Red Ant-Men, led by Vorax, from a distant world 09/64
• Illena of Kromal 10/64
• ✫The Honor Team of Thronn 10/64--Energiman, Golden Blade, Strong Girl, Magicko
• Prison for Heroes 11/64--Electric Man, Balloon Man, the Freezer, the Flame

1965-66

• Herko from another dimension 01/65
• Miss Platonia, Dialla of Platonia 03/65
• Plim from Antron; a Snork 04/65
• Zagga from another dimension, Herko's girl friend 05/65
• Shara and Gnor from Salan 06/65
• Rogg and Vikk from the Duplor Galaxy 07/65
• ▽Bonzor of the Dog Star planet, in the Sirius system 07/65
• The superstitious humanoids of Zhonda, the zig-zag planetoid 02/66
• The Peace Vigilantes of Zarria 07/66
• ▽Space Canine Patrol Agents 07/66--Tail Terrier (the Top Dog), Tusky Husky, Chameleon Collie, Hot Dog, Bull Dog, Paw Pooch, Mammoth Mutt (deceased)--from various worlds of intelligent canines
• ▽Space Cat Patrol Agents 07/66--Atomic Tom, Crab-Tabby and Power Puss--from various worlds of intelligent felines
• Galora, the Girl from Mord 09/66
• Jemphis' Collection of Heroes 12/66--Aeroman and Windlass; Solarman; Serpento of Orzak; Dr. Chill of Klon Kado; Zardin the Boy Marvel of Nangar

1967-69

• ▽Mammoth Miss and Prophetic Pup, new S.C.P.Agents 03/67
• Rinol-Jag, the sole survivor of Salitar 04/67
• ▽Vau Sulor of Kaprice (a.k.a. Kit-El) 04/67--plus Qor Sulor's family
• ▽Ron-Avon of Belgor (a.k.a. Ron Avnet) 09/67
• Lloru of Moxia, under a red sun 11/67
• Knarf, the space-hunter 01/68
• ▽Hyperboy of Trombus (a.k.a. Kirk Quentin) 01/68--the Hyper-Family (Mr. & Mrs. Quentin)
• Dyno-Man of Sorrta 05/68
• ▽Zkor 06/68
• The Sentinels of Sraghalni 10/68
• Kingdom of a red-yellow solar system 11/68
• Nador of the Omega Commandos 02/69
• Rol-Noc, Kal-El's Godfather 07/69
• The Eliminator from Rhadmanth (a.k.a. Phantas) 08/69
• Mr. and Mrs. Superman of Terra, their son Jor, in the mirror dimension 08/69
• Police from Durla, shape shifters 11/69
• Enforcer NS-II of the Intergalactic Prison Police 12/69

1970-72

• Satdev of Nferino 07/70
• Supro of Morgu, the Execution Planet 08/70
• Althera of Vrandar, a Space-Amazon 12/70
• The Sandman from Quarrm (a.k.a. the Sand Superman) 01/71
• Two sea creatures from Quor, a waterworld 02/71
• The Galactic Golem 02/72
• Terra-Man (Toby Manning) 03/72
• Baby E.T. 05/72
• The Kleth from Belmont in the Betelgeuse star system 07/72
• Xviar from Homeworld (a.k.a. Xavier a.k.a. Mr. X) 07/72 (off panel)
• The Sun-Thrivers of Rao 08/72
• War-Horn 10/72
• The Phantom Planet 10/72

1973-81

• Towbee, the Minstrel of Space (a.k.a. the Master) 01/73
• Space Tunnel 04/74
• Captain Thunder (Willie Fawcett) 06/74
• Vartox of Valeron (Vernon O’Valeron) 11/74
• Karb-Brak from the Andromeda Galaxy (Andrew Meda) 06/76
• Jevik of the Klynn 05/77
• Pegleg Portia from Aquaterra in another galaxy; a world of intelligent dogs 12/77
• Aylem of the Zelkot and Islayn of the Volkir 07-08/78
• Miss Bgbznz of Zrfff in the 5th Dimension 05/79
• The Orbitrons from Orbitron 07/79
• Many limbed, jaundiced space beast 10/81

1989-94

• Draaga 05/89
• Maxima of Almerac 09/89
• Kismet (Sharon Vance a.k.a. Strange Visitor) 09/92
• ✫Icon of Terminus (Arnus a.k.a. Augustus Freeman IV) 05/93
• Alpha Centurion of the Vimuru homeworld (Marcus Aelius) 09/94

[Jim Kelly]

"The Story Behind the Story" (C-136), a text page in FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL 9 (December 1975), c'etait presentée comme une biographie pour un Jean-Claude Rochefort ou Martin Pasko.

Martin Pasko was born in August, 1953, in Montreal, Quebec. Shortly thereafter he was placed in a rocketship and sent to Clifton, New Jersey just as all of Quebec, and portions of Ontario disappeared through a time-warp in the the 1930's.

In Clifton, the rocketship containing young Martin, then known as Jean-Claude Rochefort, was found by a kindly couple named the Paskos. Their names were not Jonathan and Martha. That's another story.

They adopted the child and named him Martin. Shortly afterward, the child displayed strange and wonderful abilities, far beyond those of mortal Canadians. For example, he possessed the ability to put two words together in sequence by the age of 12. It was not until he was 14, however, that he was able to put together two words in sequence that meant anything. Whereupon he displayed the uncanny ability to insult any comic book editor at a distance of approximately 15 miles, roughly the distance between Clifton and the offices of National Periodicals. A man named Julius Schwartz began to print these letters in his comic books and insult young Martin in turn. He was known at that time as "Pesky Pasko."

The real Martin Pasko was killed in an automobile accident in 1971. Shortly thereafter, a young writer signing that name to his work began to write comic books for a horror outfit whose name began with a "W." The stories were supposed to be horrors, not the publishing company. This issue is still being debated. Later, this writer gravitated to other companies, eventually writing for National, beginning with Joe Orlando and later for Julius Schwartz, who to this day confuses him with the young letter-writer. Recently, clues to the death of the real Martin Pasko, heretofore a well-kept secret, have begun to surface in several of the writings bearing the impostor's name. For example, in this issue's Doctor Fate, hold page 13 up to the mirror with bottom right-hand corner of the 3rd panel pointing in the direction of Cleveland, Ohio, and you'll discover that the marks on Doctor Fate's helmet, which you thought were just more of Walt Simonson's funny shading-effects, actually spell out the words, "I buried Paul," in Sanskrit.

The new Martin Pasko currently lives in New York City, and is looking for a way to escape. He is a novelist, a screenwriter, and sporadically unemployed. When asked why such incredible things happen to him, he thought for a moment before replying.

"Well," Pasko philosophized, "it's just...Fate."

The rest is history. Sort of.

[Jim Kelly]

Amalgamated Attacks of Amalak--

Prior:

SUPERMAN 190 (October 1966)--"The Four Element Enemies" by Jim Shooter and Wayne Boring
SUPERMAN 195 (April 1967)--1st story, "The Fury of the Kryptonian-Killer" by Shooter, Curt Swan and George Klein
SUPERMAN 299 (May 1976)--"The Double--or--Nothing Life of Superman" by Cary Bates, Elliot S! Maggin, Curt Swan and Bob Oksner

Pasko:

SUPERMAN 282 (December 1974)--2nd story, "The Loneliest Man in the Universe" by Marty Pasko and Ernie Chua (a.k.a. Chan); 1st Nam-Ek appearance, no Amalak
SUPERMAN 311 (May 1977)--"Plague of the Anti-Biotic Man" by Pasko, Swan and Frank Springer; covert Amalak appearance
SUPERMAN 312 (June 1977)--"Today the City . . . Tomorrow the World" by Pasko, Swan and Springer; cover art by José Luis García-López and Bob Oksner
SUPERMAN 313 (July 1977)--"The One Way You'll Save the Earth . . . Is Over My Dead Body" by Pasko, Swan and Dan Adkins; cover art by Dick Dillin and Neal Adams
SUPERMAN 314 (August 1977)--"Before This Night is Over, Superman Will Kill" by Pasko, Swan and Adkins; cover art by Swan and Adams

[Jim Kelly]

Like all good epics, "Plague of the Anti-Biotic Man" begins in media res with the Flash and Superman battling Nam-Ek.

Who is Nam-Ek?

Nam-Ek is an immortal Kryptonian that survived the explosion of his homeworld. Superman told Supergirl the whole story in a World of Krypton tale, written by Marty Pasko, in SUPERMAN 282.

Half a millennium ago, Kryptonians would go to the Scarlet Jungle to find Rondors--foul-smelling rhinoceros-type beasts, whose horns gave off a natural healing radiation that would cure almost any ill. These beasts were protected by law, but one scientist, Nam-Ek, slaughtered two Rondors for their horns from which he made a potion. Drinking the potion made Nam-Ek immortal, invincible to all harm.



It also gave him the horn, hide, and foul odour of a Rondor beast. An outcast, Nam-Ek lived for centuries, a virtual recluse. Almost mad from the lack of human contact, Nam-Ek returned to the Scarlet Jungle and the Rondors, hoping to find a cure to his curse, but just then the world came to an end. Krypton exploded, yet Nam-Ek remained unharmed and floating in the cosmos.

Kal-El says, "And that's when he began to cry...and they say that somewhere in space...he is crying still..." But Kara wonders how her cousin could know all this about Nam-Ek and he answers ominously, "Oh--well...that's another story!"



Nam-Ek has somehow arrived on Earth and--in his battle with the Sultan of Speed and the Man of Steel--the Anti-Biotic Man sends Barry Allen flying into orbit.

But now SUPERMAN 311 flashes back over the events that led up to this slugfest. Starting beyond Earth, with a space-fortress on an asteroid, cloaked from detection, and inside a mysterious alien, who tenderly strokes his orange pet called "Jevik." The scene then shifts to several journalists on board a train bound for the World News Conference, this year held at the Sheridan Central Hotel, which includes a man-made ski hill, just outside Central City.

[Jim Kelly]

As a consequence of Clark pitching woo to Lois and then turning cold toward her, the new writers of SUPERMAN (replacing the exiting Maggin)--namely Gerry Conway and Marty Pasko--had Lois Lane in a stew. She plans to leave Metropolis and Mr. Kent.

That's where things stood as of issue 311, when Lois, Clark, Steve and Steve's nephew Jamie (introduced in issue 267) all took the train to the journalists' convention. And Ms. Lane is thinking about making Central City her new home.

At the Sheridan Central Hotel, Jamie finds a lost dog he names "Ralphie." Meantime, there's a strange figure atop the roof of the hotel, when skiers come down with an unknown malady that breaks out in grey blotches on their bodies. This was about when Legionnaires' Disease was in the news, in the 1970s, so the plague here is called "Journalists' Disease".

As the Action Ace takes flight to rescue two ailing skiers from falling to their deaths off the ski-lift, another hero--a Scarlet Streak--arrives in a Flash to save them. Following the feat of the two Fast Friends, Lois Lane corners the Central City Cyclone for the scoop, when another newswoman at the conference spots the infamous Ms. Lane--Iris West Allen--and she has it out with the Daily Planet headline hunter.




"...You're looking forward to getting into as much trouble here as you did in Metropolis...so that The Flash can save you every time--just like Superman used to?...I wouldn't count on it...rumor has it The Flash is a married man! Just as rumor has it that you're some kind of 'super-hero groupie'--"

Glimpsing Nam-Ek on the hotel roof, the Metropolis Marvel believes that's the cause of the Journalists' Disease, and he goes after the immortal Kryptonian. Flash joins him and gets sent into orbit as we saw at the beginning.

The Caped Kryptonian and undying Nam-Ek continue their melee, but Kryptonite-infused lava from a volcano in the West Indies seems to disintegrate the Rondor Beast-Man. Believing he has committed murder, Clark is ready to give up being the World's Greatest Super-Hero. However, at the hotel, Lois falls ill with the Journalists' Disease.

[Jim Kelly]

In the second part,"Today the City . . . Tomorrow the World", more journalists fall ill including Lola Barnett, who had gone over to Galaxy's main competitor, United Broadcasting. And in Metropolis, Dan Reed fills in for Kent at the channel 8 newsdesk--as Reed has done so many times before.

Linda Danvers is also at the World News Conference. She used to work in news, when she lived in San Francisco, now she's a faculty advisor at the New Athens Experimental School and has brought some journalism students to the conference--ah, so many careers she has had.



Kal-El pours out his heart to Kara Zor-El, as he blames himself for killing Nam-Ek--the one man who might have been able to cure Lois and the hundreds of others suffering from the fatal plague. The Super-Cousins beam up to the Justice League Satellite Sanctuary, where Superman intends to hand in his resignation.

There, Green Lantern is taking care of the Flash, who he retrieved from space. Barry is unconscious but should live; however, Hal was late in rescuing his best friend, because the emergency radio message from Clark was garbled by a teleportation beam from elsewhere. The Super Friends trace the teleportation beam from the West Indies to that asteroid fortress.

In that fortress is Nam-Ek--along with Amalak--the Kryptonian Killer?

The Space Pirate has been through some crazy stuff since his last appearance in SUPERMAN 299. Now he looks different, like a wild man--and he's called a Kryptonian Killer, conflating him with his protegé, Rinol-Jag, the sole survivor of Salitar.



Amalak was experimented on in the intergalactic penal colony where the Man of Steel left him (in 299), so when the Cousins from Krypton invade his compound, he uses e.s.p. to manifest an electro-surrogate that attacks the Girl of Steel.

Meanwhile, Superman and Nam-Ek take their fight outside, where the Caped Kryptonian imprisons the Horned Kryptonian in a quartz case that filters out yellow sun radiation.

Amalak monologues to the captive Supergirl about his vendetta, and she wonders what happened to make him a Kryptonian Killer. Presumably Krypton somehow destroyed Amalak's home planet, but beyond that this is left an unsolved mystery.

[Jim Kelly]

Third part,"The One Way You'll Save the Earth . . . Is Over My Dead Body":

Arriving back at the Amalak space compound, Supes finds his cousin being held at star cannon gunpoint by the Kryptonian Killer, and Kal-El doesn't stick around to play hero for his cuz.

The Girl of Steel gets the jump on the Kryptonian Killer. only for his whole space compound to blow up.




While the Man of Steel takes Nam-Ek back to Earth where hopefully the powers of the healing horn will revive the ailing journalists (including Lois). However, the deadly plague continues to spread.

As Clark chases after Jamie's new pet, the Man of Tomorrow is confronted by a weird, orange-skinned alien Jevik, serving his master. He soon realizes that Jevik is actually able to delude people into seeing him in different forms--including Ralphie the dog--but he's actually just a small, orange creature with a long snout.

[Jim Kelly]

Fourth part,"Before This Night is Over, Superman Will Kill":



When Superman threatens to kill the dog, Jamie won't stand for it. But intense emotion triggers the Journalists' Disease causing the boy to collapse.




The Action Ace intends to kill Jevik as the alien isn't actually alive. When the Klynn are alive they are huge beasts, but when they are dead, they are small creatures like Jevik--meaning he is deceased. In this death state, the Klynn can still act but they are more like zombies. However, at that moment, Amalak uses a signal to awaken Jevik from death and, now alive, it becomes a rampaging monster.

[Jim Kelly]

Hog-tying the Klynn with the golden arches, the Man of Tomorrow has a plan to slow down the spread of the pandemic and goes to the Satellite Sanctuary--where he finds the Kryptonian Killer. They come to blows and Superman hits Kanjar Ro's Gamma Gong--the vibrations knocking Amalak unconscious.

The Caped Kryptonian doesn't pause but heads off on his mission to stop the spread of the illness, so that when he returns, he finds his adversary on the verge of death. Amalak tries to place the blame on the Action Ace, saying it was the Gamma Gong that killed him. But the Metropolis Marvel sees through this deception and knows that Amalak committed suicide by using an alien death ray on himself.

[Jim Kelly]

The story ends with Clark Kent coming to the bedside of the recovering Lois Lane and asking her to marry him. However, she will not accept his proposal unless he confesses to being Superman. Sadly, he cannot find it in himself to make this commitment and he is rejected by the woman he loves.

Clark : Lois, darling--thank God you're alive! I came so close to losing you...
I won't lose you again! I won't let you move away from Metropolis now!

Lois: Forget about that, Clark...
I have! My brush with death made me realize I love my life the way it is!

Clark: And what about me? Can you love me, too? Please, Lois...forget Superman...
Marry me!

Lois: I'll say "yes"...without a moment's hesitation...
If you tell me right now--that Clark Kent is Superman!

Caption: Lois... Lois! Superman is proposing to you! --But must you make him say it? This is it--the moment you've dreamed of for years! Don't spoil it!

And you, Clark! Forget that the timing is all wrong now...forget that you shouldn't reveal your secret to Lois--not here--not like this! Forget all that--Just do it!
But you can't!--can you--?

No...and though you wish it could be otherwise..though for the first time you can remember, your heart beats wildly in your chest...you say what you must...

Clark: I...I'm sorry, Lois...I...can't tell you that...

Lois (thought balloon): Of course you can't, Clark...and now I finally know the truth!
You can't tell me you're Superman...
Because it isn't true!

Caption: So close they've come, these people who love each other...and now they're so very far apart!
But let us leave them now--in their silence and sadness...for we can give no comfort in the sorrow of a dream denied...

[Jim Kelly]

In SUPERMAN 316's "Metropolis Mailbag," Beth Montelone asks why Amalak was so altered in appearance and behaviour--and Bridwell resonds: "...As for Amalak, Marty had it all figured out from the first--but then didn't have room to put it in--after four issues, yet! But if he can figure out a way to bring Amalak back to life, he promises to clear it all up!"


In SUPERMAN 318, the ending of the Amalak story generated so much response that two pages were given to the "Metropolis Mailbag."

[Multiverse]

Personally if they ever did a "Supermen of all Planets", I go with the following members:

Captain Comet
Vartox
Maxima
Draaga
Hyperman

and would mind the recent character Symnar join as well (decent design and all)

[Jim Kelly]

SUPERMAN 318 (December 1977)--"Wreck of the Cosmic Hound" by Pasko, Swan and Francisco Chiaramonte:

Back in the 1960s, Krypto the Super-Dog travelled to many a planet populated by intelligent dogs. Not one to discard any idea of value from the Weisinger era, Pasko uses similar sentient canines in "Wreck of the Cosmic Hound."

Pegleg Portia arrived on such a planet aboard her space-ship--which has the design features of a brigantine heart of oak--only to suffer a catastrophic accident that left her blind in one eye and with a crushed leg (which she had to amputate herself).



As she relates to Superman (who has arrived in this other galaxy via a wormhole in space), Portia came from the planet Aquaterra--which seems to have been a double of our Earth, with many similarities in history (she even speaks English)--escaping a deadly disease there. The dogs that saved her life were viewed as outcasts by the rest of their kind and she and they were sent from that dog planet to end up shipwrecked on this exile world.

In fact, three hundred years have passed since they were cast out. Several generations of dogs have come and gone, using their psychic powers to keep her young.

The Man of Tomorrow returns Portia to Aquaterra which is now a ghost world--as the entire civilization was wiped out by the plague three centuries before. And removed from the healing effects of the canines, Portia ages and begins to die. The Action Ace wants to save her, but the dogs--having further evolved so that they may pilot the Cosmic Hound to Aquaterra, in pursuit of Pegleg Portia--now understand that their companion wishes for her final rest.



Clark remembers the wise council of Pa Kent--that he can't save everyone from death--and so lets Portia die with dignity.



* * *

be back tomorrow for more marty mystery in space and pesky falling in love

[Jim Kelly]

DC COMICS PRESENTS 1 and 2 (July-August 1978 and September-October 1978)--"Chase to the End of Time"/"Race to the End of Time" by Pasko, José Luis García-López and Adkins:

The new Superman team-up title, DC COMICS [sic] PRESENTS (in other words "Detective Comics Comics Presents") began with a two-part Superman-Flash race--the fourth one by that point.

This time the Man of Might and the Fastest Man Alive are taken prisoner by two aliens--Aylem, captain of the Zelkot ship and Islayn, captain of the Volkir ship. To incapacitate the Action Ace, the captains use Q-Energy which was last used in SUPERMAN 204 (February 1968)--1st story, "The Case of the Lethal Letters" by Cary Bates, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito.

At one time the distinctly different looking Zelkot and Volkir were one people, but after a civil war--the cause of which they've forgotten--that went on for eons, they've evolved into two different tribes. The space-ships that the Zelkot and Volkir use are living organic forms, that have left the building blocks of life behind in their wake, seeding the universe everywhere they went.



When the Fast Friends break free from their cages they knock both captains unconscious. Yet then the Zelkot crew threaten to destroy the Earth, if the super-heroes don't do their bidding.



One of the Zelkot, Ilyar, wishes to change the past, but the Zelkot are only able to travel forward in time. However, they know time to be a circle, so if one travels to the very end of time and goes through the Cosmic Curtain, they should arrive at the beginning of time. Barry is not sure about time being a circle, but Clark should know as he's already made the trip to the end of time and back again--in ACTION COMICS 387 (April 1970)--1st story, "Even a Superman Dies" by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and George Roussos.

The Zelkot want the Flash to speed forward in time to help Ilyar on his mission--since they believe he's the Fastest Man Alive, not Superman.

However, after the Scarlet Speedster has departed, the Volkir crew explain to the Man of Tomorrow that they were responsible for Krypton's existence. Not only did the waste products from their organic drives seed the Earth billions of years ago--leading to the evolution of human beings--as well, they spawned life on a planet in a red sun system--Krypton--and that planet's core even back then was unstable, so the aliens reinforced it so it would not blow up (at least not for many eons yet to come).



Superman must stop the Flash from helping Ilyar succeed, because if Ilyar stops the civil war then the Volkir-Zelkot will never evolve to have unintentionally created life on Earth or saved Krypton from an early demise!

[Jim Kelly]

As the Crimson Thunderbolt travels through the timestream, he's stopped in the 25th century, and battles Eobard Thawne, before moving further on in time. And when the Red and Blue Blur hits the 30th century he comes across his younger self at a Legion of Super-Heroes meeting. Normally, this would not happen as Clark cannot meet himself in the same time period--one of him would become a phantom--but some quirk of the alien time travel device allows them both to remain corporeal.



So Superman initiates a cataclysmic confrontation with his callow counterpart--the resulting explosion from such an encounter automatically returns them to their home time periods. The Man of Steel then quickly speeds forward through time from the 20th century and past the 30th century.

When both Flash and Superman reach the end of time, Ilyar is about to pierce the cosmic curtain and when he does the opening will close. But the two Justice Leaguers manage to slip through right after Ilyar--with Barry vibrating so that Clark can occupy the same space as he.




Now at the beginning of time they knock Ilyar unconscious and catch up with their own time in the 20th Century to prevent the Volkir-Zelkot from doing anything to Earth--sending them hurling to a far quadrant of the universe.

Although this team-up is presented as a race--like a lot of the other races between Allen and Kent--it's not really that as such.