Dan Turpin | |
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![]() Dan Turpin as depicted in The Adventures of Superman #499 (Feb. 1993). Art by Tom Grummett. | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | New Gods #5 (November 1971) |
Created by | Jack Kirby |
In-story information | |
Full name | Daniel Turpin |
Species | Human |
Team affiliations | Metropolis SCU |
Notable aliases | Terrible |
Daniel "Terrible" Turpin is a character published by DC Comics. Created by Jack Kirby, he first appeared in New Gods #5 (November 1971).
Turpin is a supporting character of Superman and a member of the Metropolis police. Turpin has appeared in various media outside comics, primarily in association with Superman. Joseph Bologna voices the character in Superman: The Animated Series , where he is modeled after Kirby.
In Turpin's first appearance, he is one of the few citizens of Metropolis aware that a secretive war is taking place in the city between super-powered beings. When this war turns violent, Turpin's boss tries to take him off the case, but Turpin ignores him. Turpin leads the fight against the rampaging Kalibak, using the energy of the entire city to assist Lightray and Orion in defeating him. Turpin suffers multiple injuries but survives. [1]
He keeps his job and becomes Lieutenant Inspector of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. [2] In Superboy , Turpin is sent to Hawaii to investigate whether or not the state needs a Special Crimes Unit of its own. While initially skeptical, an attack by the Female Furies convinces Turpin that the islands need an SCU. [3] [4]
He has spent a long time fighting threats in Metropolis; such as the rampaging group of mutants called the 'Underworlders'. [5]
Turpin returns in Final Crisis #1 (May 2008). He had been called back from retirement to investigate the case of several missing kids; this evolves into investigating the death of the New God Orion. Orion passes on several cryptic phrases to Turpin, telling him that "He is in you all!" before dying. [6]
In the second issue, he follows clues given to him by Renee Montoya and the Mad Hatter, investigating the Dark Side Club and journeying to the devastated city of Blüdhaven. There he meets up with Reverend Good, and begins to realize that "there's someone in [his] head". [7]
In the fourth issue, Turpin, after much inner struggle, is turned into a host for Darkseid. Darkseid later reveals that he selected Turpin rather than Batman as a host because Batman would have resisted longer than he wished, while Turpin struggled just enough to make his victory sweeter. [8]
In the sixth issue, Batman shoots Darkseid with a bullet made of Radion, which is poisonous to the New Gods. Barry Allen and Wally West, managing to outrun the Black Racer so that it takes the currently-weakened Darkseid during a confrontation with Superman. After Darkseid is claimed by the Black Racer, Turpin is reverted to normal and regains control over his body. [9]
Dan Turpin appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure . [14]
The Turpin character in the comics didn't look anything like Jack but I decided it would be kind of fun, kind of a little throwaway tribute to Jack, to just make the character look like Jack.