Supermobile | |
---|---|
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | Action Comics #481 (March 1978) |
Created by | Cary Bates, Curt Swan |
In story information | |
Type | Vehicle |
Element of stories featuring | Superman |
The Supermobile is the fictional vehicle for the DC Comics superhero Superman. It is capable of duplicating all of his abilities in situations where he finds himself powerless. [1] It was introduced in a story entitled "It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Supermobile!", published in Action Comics # 481, cover dated March 1978. [2]
Writer Cary Bates says that the Supermobile was created as a promotional tie-in for the Corgi Toys toy line: "In my opinion, whenever merchandising needs are dictating story content, the odds of any real creativity or inspiration are severely compromised". [3]
The Supermobile is a car made of the indestructible metal Supermanium that Superman uses to battle Amazo after temporarily losing his powers to red solar radiation. [4] [5] [6]
Superman later uses the Supermobile in a battle with the Atomic Skull and Titano. [7] Following this, the Supermobile makes minor cameo appearances. [8] [9]
The Supermobile replicates and enhances Superman's abilities, protecting him from red sun radiation. [10]
Besides invulnerability and flight, the Supermobile also channels Superman's other powers using the following devices:
Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton that emits a unique, poisonous radiation that can weaken and even kill Kryptonians. Kryptonite radiation can be transmitted through any element except lead. Thus, Superman has a special lead suit to protect himself from the radiation. There are other varieties of kryptonite, such as red and gold kryptonite, which have different but still generally negative effects.
Douglas Curtis Swan was an American comics artist. The artist most associated with Superman during the period fans call the Bronze Age of Comic Books, Swan produced hundreds of covers and stories from the 1950s through the 1980s.
Action Comics is an American comic book/magazine series that introduced Superman, one of the first major superhero characters. The publisher was originally known as Detective Comics Inc., which later merged into National Comics Publications, before taking on its current name of DC Comics. Its original incarnation ran from 1938 to 2011 and stands as one of the longest-running comic books with consecutively numbered issues. The second volume of Action Comics beginning with issue #1 ran from 2011 to 2016. Action Comics returned to its original numbering beginning with issue #957.
Streaky the Supercat is a fictional superhero cat that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. He first appeared in Action Comics #261 and was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney.
Krypto, also known as Krypto the Superdog, is a superhero dog appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with the character Superman. In most continuities, Krypto is Superman's pet dog, usually depicted as a white dog of a generic pedigree.
The Eradicator is the given name of four different fictional comic book characters, appearing in books published by DC Comics. The first iteration was an antihero character appearing in The Flash series of comics. The second was a superhero having a recurring role in Superman stories, and the remaining two first appeared in 2013 and 2017, respectively.
Amazo is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Gardner Fox and Mike Sekowsky and first appeared in The Brave and the Bold #30 as an adversary of the Justice League of America. Since debuting during the Silver Age of Comic Books, the character has appeared in comic books and other DC Comics-related products, including animated television series, trading cards and video games. Traditionally, Amazo is an android created by the villain scientist Professor Ivo and gifted with technology that allows him to mimic the abilities and powers of superheroes he fights, as well as make copies of their weapons. His default powers are often those of Flash, Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern. He is similar and often compared with the later created Marvel android villain Super-Adaptoid.
The Composite Superman is a supervillain, an enemy of Superman and Batman. There have been several versions of the character; the original version first appeared in World's Finest Comics #142 and was created by Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan.
Terra-Man is a supervillain appearing in media published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of Superman.
The Atomic Skull is a supervillain in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an enemy of Superman. The character first appeared in 1978.
Neutron is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as an enemy of Superman.
Superman is an American fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and featured pervasively in DC Comic books. The character debuted in Action Comics issue #1 in June 1938 and has since become a paradigm for superhero characters.
Titano the Super-Ape is a supervillain who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, primarily as a foe of Superman. The character is a small chimpanzee named Toto who was sent into space for test flight, until an exposure of combined rays have made him grow to gigantic size and gave him Kryptonite-like powers. As a "Super-Ape", Titano rampaged through Metropolis several times in Superman and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen during the Silver Age, and also appeared in some "Tales of the Bizarro World" stories in Adventure Comics. After a poorly-received 1978 appearance, Titano was not used again in the comic.
Vartox is a fictional superhero published by DC Comics.
Cary Bates is an American comic book, animation, television and film writer. He is best known for his work on The Flash, Superman, Superboy, the Legion of Superheroes and Captain Atom. Bates is the longest-serving Superman writer, at twenty years.
Faora is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. The character was created by Cary Bates and Curt Swan, and first appeared in Action Comics #471. Most commonly, Faora is an ally and sometimes the wife or lover of Superman's Kryptonian nemesis General Zod.
The origin of Superman and his superhuman powers have been a central narrative for Superman since his inception, with the story of the destruction of his home planet of Krypton, his arrival on Earth and emergence as a superhero evolving from Jerry Siegel's original story into a broad narrative archetype over the course of Superman's literary history and as the character's scope continues to expand across comics, radio, television and film.
Steve Lombard is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.
Quex-Ul is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. He is depicted as an enemy of Superman, although they are also sometimes allies.
Bizarra is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Bizarra first appeared in DC Comics Presents #71, in a story written by E. Nelson Bridwell with art by Curt Swan. The character is a distorted version of the superhero Wonder Woman, based on the Superman villain Bizarro. She is a very simple-minded being, has reversed character traits, believes women are inferior to men, and speaks in reverse of what her true meaning is.