More Machine Than Man Part II
The Reign of the Rogue Superman whose behind you! Look!
DIAL UPPERS BEWARE!!!
This chapter chonricals the Reign of the Supermen/Return of Superman period. However given it's so darn vast this is just the cliff note version. Really I still enjoy this story, super mullet nonetheless.
As with all Imposters, Henshaw had his own book and special for a bit. He claimed Superman and #78 was where his run started off on. The issue is pretty much the Cyborg Superman raiding Cadmus looking for something that no man should possess even if he's "dead":
"My memory... So much of it is gone. There are snippets I remember voices and faces that last for milliseconds... But I remember a farm.. in Kansas. The name... Kent."
Lois buys what Henshaw is saying to her.
It's interesting this hasn't been played up more on by any sort of writer. The very possiblity that Henshaw knows Superman's secret identity. Sure writers have done it in the past, but given a sick unstable mind of Henshaw. If he truly wanted to hurt Superman the way he obbessively considers Kal-El the very reason he's lost everything. A normal life, his friends, and his wife.
Even with the possiblity of hacking into that ship of Superman's there's also the fact that given Henshaw's ablity is technopath he could easily access any top level Justice League or say.. government program (like Checkmate once did during Infinite Crisis) that keeps Superman's identity on file.
Still it's quite a very frightening idea that Henshaw could very well pull a Kraven's Last Hunt trick impersonating Clark and would anybody know it was him?
Anyway, back to the story. Lois take's the Cyborg to see Doctor Emil Hamilton. This was WAY before he went all nuts and became Ruin in Rucka's run. So the man was quite reliable ally at the time. After doing several genetic tests he come's to the conclusion:
And our first clue that something might be a little off with this Superman. It did for me anyway. The fact that Doomsday's alive and the little device he attached isn't doing it's thing.
Henshaw continues his "heroic" career stopping an attack on the President of the US:
Then not soon after in Superman #80, an alien ship appears and hovers above Coast City. The President sends in the Cyborg who finds he isn't the only Superman on the scene (just want to note these aren't my scans, again another friend, God-Man did these for me save for the final parts which are mine):
Uh oh.. so begins the recurring theme of the Cyborg Superman. NEVER EVER turn you're back to him or you're going to get blasted.
"Be blamed for the death of millions!" Is what Henshaw is saying in case you're wondering from the break. And because being a part of Scans Daily so much now I'm beginning to wonder if Brian Bendis didn't ghost write this with that, "AIIEEEE!!"
So there's the action that decided the DC Universe for quite some time in the 90s. The domino effect that would follow would be Green Lantern Hal Jordan betraying the Green Lantern Corps destroying them all save for one Guardian, Ganthet and one ring bearer Kyle Rayner. This action again also causes Zero Hour.
Even possibly today this act could have repurcussions. After all, all those lives taken. It be utterly horrific if a ton of Black Rings came upon Coast City. No doubt the city be of the dead once again and not of hope. But nah.. Geoff Johns wouldn't do such a thing.. would he?
As for the reason why the Cyborg Superman chose Coast City to be nuked first the answer would come ten years later when he confessed why to Hal. But more on that in part IV.
Back to the plot, the Cyborg Superman take's in the destruction relishing it in narration captions before the White House calls him:
Now for me this was about the point I totally fell in love with the character. I mean come on, he just about tricked the whole world into thinking he was the real deal and pulls off this insane stunt? Though at the time I didn't even know this was Hal Jordan's home. But my love of the character renewed further as this storyline went on. However, I admit there is a point I finally got burned out of the character, which was the character's eventual downfall he was used just too much. Honestly, since his appearance on the scene from here on in he appeared twice a year or once guranteed.
Anyway, the next time we see the Cyborg Superman we get his other most infamous moment. Come on. I couldn't resist posting it again:
I don't need to post the rest of the story. Steel, Superboy, and Supergirl (Matrix) figure out Cyborg Superman is really a villain. Together with the newly returned and very much alive Superman the four with Hal Jordan lay seige and attack Engine City where Coast once was. Right before the final attack we learn it is Hank Henshaw who is behind the Cyborg Superman and that part I posted earlier is shown.
The Eradicator returns to fight as well assisting Superman in this nice scene I always enjoyed reading:
Ever the cheater, Henshaw decides to unleash Engine's City's power source (ie that massive chunk of kryptonite and use it on Superman and the Eradicator. However, upon it's aftermath:
.....
So, um Superman what if that didn't work? That means you just um killed a guy. But then again if it where so easy to kill the Cyborg Superman just like that. Still, not but three months later Henshaw does return in Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey. And really that truly was the real problem of Henshaw after this appearance. Unlike Bane, and even Doomsday, Henshaw was really abused by the writers of Superman. Every year included two appearances of him (and by this time just to note he'll be called just the Cyborg due to Vic Stone dropping the name and wouldn't get his full title again until Geoff Johns used him again).
In anycase, in my next trip with the Cyborg Superman I'll be posting the already mentioned Hunter/Prey, how Hank got out of that mess, Road Trip to the Marvel Universe, Trial of Superman, and Final Night.
Though alas I must warn you the super mullet cannot be denied the next time around as it infects the Cyborg Superman with it's tude.