Superman: War of the Worlds
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Superman: War of the Worlds is a DC Comics Elseworlds published in 1999. Written by Roy Thomas with Michael Lark as the artist, Willie Schubert as the letterer and Noelle Giddings as the colourist.
The story is roughly an adaptation of the H. G. Wells novel The War of the Worlds, but is primarily based on the Superman mythos. Wells's story is transported from early 20th century Britain to 1938 Metropolis where the Martian invasion is met with a Golden Age Superman, who is not blessed with the full range of powers he has in modern times.
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[edit] Characters
Most characters of the story are based on the cast from The War of the Worlds or DC Comics characters
[edit] Main Characters
- Clark Kent: After crashing on earth and being adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, Clark was told that he should hide his powers. He was told that humanity would fear him, but when the time is right, he would use his powers for the good of mankind. As Superman, he battles the Martian invaders.
- Lois Lane: Lois is a reporter at the Daily Star.
- Dr. Lex Luthor: a brilliant American scientist with a full head of red hair.
- The Martians: invaders from the Red Planet bent on conqueroring Earth.
[edit] Supporting Characters
- Perry White: Lead reporter of the Daily Star.
- George 'Chief' Taylor: Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Star, witnesses the Tripod's attack on Metropolis and is killed by one.
- Jimmy Olsen: Red-haired employee of the Daily Star, he survives the Martians' attack on the Daily Star.
- Professor Ogilvy: The astronomer from H.G. Wells' book, he documents the explosions on Mars' surface and is a witness to the first sighting of the Martians.
[edit] Plot
The envious eyes of Mars are watching Earth, where a cold and unsympathetic civilization plans to invade our world. Far away, an even older world, Krypton, sends its' last son to Earth. The baby Kal-El is found by the Kents and develops super strength, the ability to run faster than a steam line train, leap an eighth of a mile and has near-impenetrable skin. After the passing away of his elderly foster parents, Clark vows to use his powers to benefit mankind.
In 1938, explosions are seen on Mars, but Earth doesn't pay much attention to them. Clark applies for a job at the Daily Star, where he meets Lois. Perry White sends Clark and Lois to report on a meteor, which has crashed the previous night. They arrive just in time to see Professor Ogilvy and Doctor Lex Luthor investigating the meteor, which is in fact a giant metal cylinder. The lid unscrews and the crowd around the cylinder cry in horror as they see a Martian emerges. Professor Ogilvy waves a white flag in hopes of communicating with the Martians, but is incinerated by one of their weapons. The crowd starts to panic as more shots are fired. When Clark protects Lois from sure death, his civilian clothes are burned off revealing Superman's costume underneath.
The Army arrives and prepares to deal with the cylinder when it opens and tripods emerge. The five tripods start firing at the army, whose weapons are useless against the metal hulls. Superman picks up a cannon and beats a tripod with it. As he finishes off the Martian inside, the four remaining tripods walk their way to Metropolis. Lois meets up with Lex and they retreat to Lex's laboratory. Earth's forces are being massacred until Superman joins the fight in Metropolis. Superman fights the tripods as best he can, but is subdued by another alien weapon, the black smoke. The tripods capture Lois, blast Clark with their heat ray and imprison him.
Three weeks later, Superman is being held captive by the Martians, who are being helped by a now-bald Luthor after a Heat-Ray burned off all of his hair. All of Earth's major cities have been conquered and many humans have been reduced to slaves or cattle. Luthor reveals that Earth's bacteria have been making many Martians sick, and that they are studying Clark, who he deduces is in fact an alien like them. At Luthor's request, Lois has been kept alive, mostly to keep Superman in check. Lex deduces that Clark's Kryptonian biology is cancelling the deadly effects of Earth's bacteria, which is why the Martians around him are not sick.
The Martians now no longer need Luthor to help them study Superman and they prepare to devour him. Lois and Luthor free Clark and he starts fighting the Martians. After levelling the ones inside the ship and the ones tending to their human prisoners, Lois recoils from Superman, telling him that she can't bear to have an alien touch her after what the Martians have done. Tripods arrive and Superman takes them down as best he can. The last tripod discards its legs and begins to fly. As Superman finally takes it down, he dies from exhaustion and from the wounds he received from the Heat-Rays.
Acting on Clark Kent's insight, Luthor quickly finds a way to destroy the remaining Martians. Earth begins to rebuild its lost civilizations; Germany, Japan, Italy and the Soviet Union turn into semi-democratic governments while Great Britain elects Oswald Mosley as leader. Lex Luthor and Lois Lane later marry. John Garner becomes President and Lex becomes the new Vice President. A statue of Clark Kent is erected in front of the new League of Nations as a testament to his bravery.
[edit] Trivia
- DC Comics' Martian hero Martian Manhunter has no resemblance to the aliens of H.G. Wells's book.
- A statue of Superman is erected in Metropolis after the battle he led with Doomsday led to his death.
- The tripods in H.G. Wells's book are never able to fly. This plot device derives in part of the flying-machine, a Martian craft they use, albeit rarely, in their invasion efforts.
- Just as Krypton had exhausted its natural resources and eventually collapses, Mars is also close to its destruction.
- Both Krypton and Mars see earthlings as primitive and savage animals.
- Articles seen in a Daily Star newspaper include:
- FDR DENOUNCES BOMBINGS, President speaks out against 'barbarous' bombings in Spanish Civil War and in war between Japan and China
- Hitler claims Tchecoslovakia plans to Attack Germany
- Prof. Ogilvy says all quiet on Mars, No explosion seen for first time in 11 days.
- The story is set in 1938 because this is the year in which Superman was introduced, and several other items reflect the early elements of the title before they changed over time (such as the Daily Planet initially named the Daily Star). Coincidently, 1938 was also the year of the well-known radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds.
- While answering calls at the Daily Star, Lois says: 'No Ma'am, I don't know if Li'l Abner's ever going to Marry Daisy Mae...' which is a reference to the comic strip Li'l Abner which started running in 1934. The series' creator Al Capp eventually let the couple marry in 1952.
- While Lois calls Perry White she quotes Herbert Morrison (the announcer to the 1937 Hindenburg disaster) while describing the massacre: 'Th-They set the train on fire! All those people -- The Humanity--! '
- Lex Luthor calls Clark Kent the "Nietzschean Superman", which is a reference to Friedrich Nietzsche and his concept of the Übermensch
- John Garner was President Roosevelt's primary political opponent during his stay in office as well as his Vice president.
- Until Superman #1, George Taylor was Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Star at which Clark Kent and Lois Lane worked. Perry White, who was previously a lead reporter that filled in for Tyler from time to time, replaced him.
- Due to Adolf Hitler's Death at the hands of the Martians in 1938, World War II, which was set to begin in 1939, never happened.
[edit] See also
| Superman | |
|---|---|
| Creators: | Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster |
| Characters: | Superman (Clark Kent) • Lois Lane • Jimmy Olsen • Perry White • Jor-El • Ma Kent • Pa Kent • Lana Lang • Steel • Supergirl • Superboy (Kon-El) • Krypto |
| Villains: | Lex Luthor • Bizarro • Brainiac • Cyborg Superman • Darkseid • Doomsday • Eradicator • General Zod • Metallo • Mongul • Mr. Mxyzptlk • Parasite • Toyman • Ultra-Humanite • Intergang • Phantom Zone villains |
| Locations: |
Daily Planet • Fortress of Solitude • Krypton • Metropolis • Smallville |
| Storylines: | Relationship of Clark Kent and Lois Lane • The Death of Superman • Alternate versions of Superman • Publications • Superman in popular culture |
| Miscellanea: | Kryptonite • Powers • Symbol |
