R. J. Desmond

R.J. Desmond

Rotund, eccentric and slightly temperamental entertainer of the latter half of the 52nd century, and referred to by his contemporaries as "the greatest showman of the 52nd century". Desmond is the creator of Smallville-Land, a historical replica of Smallville, the home of Superboy in the 20th century and it is also built on the same geographical area. Designed, built and supervised by Desmond, Smallville-Land is populated by robotic humatrons, lifelike replicas of the people of Smallville in Superboy's time. Desmond's achievements attract the attention of Pygor, a jealous rival, who has Desmond's Superboy humatron stolen and taken to a hidden location many miles away from Smallville-Land. Pygor little realizes he actually steals the real Superboy, who had traveled to the 52nd century, and unknown to anyone taken the place of the faulty Superboy humatron. Taking care of Pygor and his men, Superboy returns to the 20th century shortly afterward.

However, Desmond is left none the wiser of these events in Smallville-Land, being more focused on getting the Superboy humatron working, yet he catches a glimpse of Superboy as he travels home to the 20th century, but dismisses the sight as a figment of his imagination (NSB No. 10/1, Oct 1980: "The Town That Time Remembered!").