Superman of 2956

Latest revision as of 13:30, 19 September 2008

Superman (of 2956)

The cover of Action Comics #215 by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye

A costumed hero, clad in a costume identical to Superman's, who enjoys a brief but colorful career as a crime-fighter in the thirtieth century A.D. with the aid of a variety of special scientific gadgets—including "concealed jet units for flight" and "a concealed degravitator to make heavy things light"—that enabled him to simulate, albeit somewhat imperfectly, some of Superman's mighty super-powers. The Superman of 2956, also known as the "new Superman," is in reality Craig King, a mild-mannered telenews reporter for the Daily Solar System. King assumes the role of the thirtieth-century Superman at the behest of a delegation of leading scientists, who provide him with his special super-power apparatus in the hope that he might be able to bring to a halt the mysterious scientific thefts that have been plaguing his era's city of Metropolis.

Failing in his initial attempts to apprehend the criminals, the Superman of 2956 summons the real Superman to thirtieth-century Metropolis to help him, and, once the criminals are apprehended, retires from crime-fighting, relieved that he will "never again have to imitate the man who can't be imitated—Superman!" (Act No. 215, Apr 1956: "The Superman of Tomorrow"). (TGSB)

(See also Vinson Vail)