Achilles

Revision as of 22:14, 16 December 2005

The mortal Achilles

The alias employed by a modern-day criminal, one foot encased in a heavy lead box for the ostensible protection of his Achille's heel, who establishes himself as the leader of a gang of Metropolis bank robbers by claiming to possess the near-invincibility of his ancient namesake--the result, he claims, of having been dipped, at infancy, in a fountain of "magic water" from the River Styx--and by demonstrating his apparent invulnerability to their tommy guns, knives, axes, and crowbars. In reality, however, Achilles is merely an ordinary criminal, and the lead box covering his foot merely the housing for "a powerful anti-magnet device" capable of repelling "all metal objects," thereby rendering Achilles invulnerable to all metal weapons. Aided by members of the Metropolis Police Department, Superman apprehends Achilles and his cohorts in October 1961 (S No. 148/1: "The 20th Century Achilles!"). The story is in many respects similar to Superman No. 63/1 (Mar/Apr 1950: "Achilles versus Superman!"). (See John Achilles.)

The god Achilles

The god Achilles has shared his super-powers with such people as Zha-Vam, Superman, and Captain Marvel of Earth-S.