Reign of the Supermen #139: Gladiator

Source: 1st - Uncanny X-Men #107 (1977)
Type: AnalogWith his host of Superman-like powers, even including heat vision and frost breath, and that triangle on his chest, it's not hard to see Marvel's Gladiator as a Superman analog (and his gievn name is Kallark, natch), but a SUPERBOY analog? Well, yes, when you consider that his team, the Imperial Guard was closely based on the Legion of Super-Heroes! I mean, look at these twits:
Shifter is Chameleon Boy. Smasher is Ultra Boy (if he had a child with Wonder Man, apparently). Tempest is Lightning Lad. Titan is Colossal Boy. Mentar is Brainiac 5. Impulse is Wildfire. Nightside is Shadow Lass. Oracle is Saturn Girl. Star Bolt is Sun Boy. Midget is Shrinking Violet. Fang is Timber Wolf. Neutron is Star Boy. Astra is Phantom Girl. I'm well past the point where I have to say "and so on", so you get the picture. Gladiator is Superboy to his version of the Legion, just as Hyperion is Superman to his version of the Justice League.

But tune in tomorrow to see how this kind of identity theft can go both ways...

Comments

snell said…
The fact that it was Dave Cockrum who initially drew the Imperial Guard merely adds to the delciousness of the swipe...
March 8, 2011 at 10:20 AM
Anonymous said…
Excalibur was lucky half of the Guard was on holidays at that moment!

Roger
March 8, 2011 at 10:30 AM
Austin Gorton said…
X-Men vs. the Imperial Guard is probably the closest we'll ever get to X-Men vs. the Legion.
March 8, 2011 at 12:11 PM
Siskoid said…
Sadly, that pretty much seals the deal in favor of the X-Men.
March 8, 2011 at 4:17 PM
Austin Gorton said…
Indeed. And despite being a huge X-Men fan, that's a shame. Because honestly, the Legion would win. They are legion, after all.
March 8, 2011 at 4:28 PM
Shlomo Ben Hungstien said…
i always really liked even the very concept of the Shiar Imperial Guard. Gladiator has developed some from the eternally loyal thrall to the empire to actually being able to thinking things through a bit in situations and having some personality. in The Annihilators is practically as level headed as the Silver Surfer. it's pretty good stuff i hope you'll just give in some day and check it out. until then i'm going to use every opportunity to keep bugging you about it.
March 8, 2011 at 9:10 PM
Siskoid said…
It IS bugging me, congratulations!

I want to start with the pile of comics I DO read and which I can never get through because of other commitments.
March 8, 2011 at 9:20 PM
Shlomo Ben Hungstien said…
look Siskoid, it's not that i'm trying to make your life difficult (well maybe a little). but you, me, Ptor from the Sanctum and Lee from RSR are the Fantastic 4 when it comes to ROM content blogs. Marvel bringing back the ROM mythology is a pretty big deal. i am understandably very curious on your take on the matter now that the first issue is out. especially considering your pessimism about it before hand. ya see Siskoid, this all really comes down to me caring about how you feel.
March 9, 2011 at 2:10 AM
Siskoid said…
Hahaha. You've worn me down, I'll try to track down the book in the coming week.
March 9, 2011 at 7:44 AM
Shlomo Ben Hungstien said…
excellent! and of course you know where to go to when it's time to express your opinions on the issue. now of course i want you to be honest about your feed back but please don't be "that guy". Dan (who hasn't read it yet either he lives in New Zealand) from IADW sent me this article from Comics Alliance specifically about the ROM mythology as it pertains to Annihilators. it's pretty good and it doesn't really have any spoilers.
http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/03/09/rom-spaceknight-comics/
March 10, 2011 at 3:02 AM
Siskoid said…
I don't know what "that guy" means in this context.
March 10, 2011 at 7:29 AM
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