Who's This? A Stan Lee stand-in.
The facts: Famously, entrepreneur Funky Flashman was Jack Kirby's bitter caricature of Stan Lee, first appearing in Mister Miracle #6 (1972) - a businessman eager to exploit Scott Free, commentary on the way Jack left things at Marvel. With his beard and toupee, he looks a heck of a lot like the Stan of that era:
Kirby only used him the once, but both J.M. DeMatteis and Tom King would use him more extensively in their Mister Miracle series (1989 and 2017). Before that, Flashman would ally himself with the Secret Society of Super-Villains as their public relations officer. He shows up from time to time in the DCU, with appearances in Son of Vulcan (where he runs a pawn shop), Adventures of Superman, Justice League America and Super-Team Family, among other places.
How you could have heard of him: Tom King is a hit writer, so that Mister Miracle series might be it.
Example story: Superman #613 (April 2003) "Valentine's Day Sale" by Joe Casey, Derec Aucoin, José Marzan and John Stanisci
Let's find out how such a specific character was used well beyond his best-before date... Well, if he couldn't make money off Mister Miracle, how about Superman? Lois notices a lot of unofficial merch out there and tracks it to the Superstore (which is an actual chain here in Canada, but this is more like a specialized Hot Topic or a Disney Store):
Well, who do you think owns and manages it?
And who wouldn't want a Fortress of Solitude playset? Flashman claims that Superman is in the public domain and that he couldn't even trademark the chest emblem. Interesting - and some of this stuff will become real, sooner than later, won't it? But in terms of branding, there's reason for the Superman family to frown at it - merchandise manufactured in Third World countries hooked on Velocity 10! But Lois thinks this is beneath Superman and wants to take care of it herself... just as Funky is about to expand his market share:
But Lois puts an idea in his head. If heroes have fans eager to buy merch, why not supervillains? Ironic t-shirts. Alt-right a-holes, all those people who thought Thanos was right or that Joker was the best movie ever made. They need merch too! He loves it. And as soon as the Metallo lunch boxes and Riddler puzzles go on sale, well, he starts attracting the wrong kind of attention.
Very nasty, Lois. I thought they might want a cut, but no, they shut that thing down. Meanwhile, Superman went and took care of those sweatshops.
How did this guy never hook up with Booster Gold?
Who's Next? Wonder Woman's daughter.
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