Dan Turpin

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Lt. Dan Turpin

Dan Turpin from Superman: Funeral For A Friend
Artist Tom Grummett
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
First appearance Brooklyn Detective Comics #64 (June 1942)
Dan Turpin New Gods #5 (November 1971)
Created by Jack Kirby (writer & artist)
In story information
Alter ego Daniel Turpin
Team affiliations Metropolis SCU
Notable aliases Terrible, Brooklyn

Dan "Terrible" Turpin is a fictional character published by DC Comics. Turpin was created by Jack Kirby, he first appeared as Brooklyn in Detective Comics #64 (June 1942), and first appeared as Dan Turpin in New Gods #5 (November 1971).

Contents

[edit] Publication history

Due to a recent retcon, Dan Turpin was made the adult version of Jack Kirby's Golden Age "kid-gang" character Brooklyn, of the Boy Commandos.[citation needed]

[edit] Fictional character biography

Lieutenant Inspector Dan Turpin is a member of the Metropolis Special Crimes Unit. In the third Superboy series, Dan Turpin is sent to Hawaii to investigate whether or not they needed a Special Crimes Unit of their own. While initially skeptical, a visit from the violent Darkseid faction, the Female Furies convinces Dan that the islands need an SCU.[1] In current Superman titles, Turpin is extremely loyal to Inspector Sawyer, before her transfer to Gotham City. His romantic feelings for her fell apart when he learns she is a lesbian. Turpin has a wife named Maisie.

[edit] Current status

Dan 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 before finally passing away. It is theorized that upon dying, Orion passed his essence on to Turpin, making Dan one of the first rumored "Fifth World" Gods.[citation needed]

[edit] Other media

  • In the 1990s cartoon Superman: The Animated Series, Turpin was modeled on Kirby, and voiced by Joseph Bologna. He appears often in the early part of the series. Initially he is highly critical of Superman, until he saves Superman's life in the episode Tools of the Trade. His final appearance is in the two part episode Apokolips...Now!. Darkseid's forces had suffered various defeats in their attack against Earth. Darkseid vaporizes Turpin in a last parting insult to Superman.
  • Turpin's funeral was presided over by a rabbi. The prayer he uses is called a Kaddish. It was out of respect for the legacy of the character that producer Bruce Timm found a genuine religious leader for the voiceover. He also modeled the cemetery after the real-life one where Jack Kirby is buried.
  • Daniel Turpin's grave (with an inscription naming him as "Earth's Greatest Hero") lies on a sunny hillside on the outskirts of Metropolis, visited by his friends in life and watched over by long-time ally Superman, a homage to the brighter Silver Age, and dedicated to the memory of Jack Kirby.
  • As the funeral was breaking up Superman offered up a small tribute to his departed friend, saying, "In the end, the world didn't really need a Superman... just a brave one."
  • In the final episode of the show, Superman mentions him several times, and even dedicates one of the blows he delivers to Darkseid to the memory of Dan Turpin.

[edit] References

  1. ^ As seen in Superboy vol. 3 #20 (October 1995)

[edit] External links