I'm still going through the first issue of Superman. And bear with me, because it's a biggun.
Superman had a bit more 'tude in the early years. It lent itself to several moments of
Well.... Touche! (tm!)
For instance:
Well.... Touche! (tm!)
Well.... Touche! (tm!)
Well.... Touche! (tm!)
Notice how Superman doesn't have the red boots on? Unlike the occasionally disappearing cape or trunks, I think this was deliberate, because it carries over into other stories.
Here's a moment from Superman's early days he'd probably like you to forget:
Yup. There was no such thing as Kryptonite back in the day, so what you saw there was Superman getting pushed off a boat by a couple of goons. Yes. That happened.
EDIT: So, was Superman simply clumsy and fell off the boat, or was he pushed? In my original post, I didn't include this panel:
So, were the thugs simply boasting, or was Superman actually shoved overboard in between panels? I guess he could have been shoved and then "braced himself" against the rail. Perhaps we'll never know. We can only agree that one way or another, Supes landed unceremoniously in the drink.
I also like Superman's attitude towards Lois:
That's right, Clark! Keep her guessing!
That was probably in response to Lois's terrible attitude problem with Clark when he was in his secret ID. I can't say I'd be above it, either. Make me a sandwich, Lois, and perhaps I'll save you the next time you place your life in danger. Yeah. That would be me.
See you tomorrow!
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8 comments:
Er, I don't think the goons pushed him overboard - more like he braces himself against the railings and they give way. Much like it says in the caption, in fact. Presumably he doesn't know his own strength and braced himself just a bit too hard.
Well, I thought that, but the mobsters in the next panel said they couldn't believe they were able to shove him overboard. So, did they push him in between panels? The mobsters thought so. And the next caption says he was flung, which means "thrown or hurled forcefully," so we have conflicting accounts from our own narrator. And I'm not sure falling off the boat because of his own clumsiness isn't considerably worse than being pushed off. Either way, the Man of Tomorrow has had moments I'm sure he'd like for us to forget. But I posted the other panel so everyone can form their own crackpot conspiracy theory.
You are both right. The red boots would have given him traction. Superman was the first hero to wear a onesie.
EDIT: Spell-check changed my word to Fonzie, which would be even more fantastic.
How WOULD one wear a Fonzie? And why is "Fonzie" in your spell-check?
Flung through the force of his own strength while bracing himself (and gravity), and the mobster is surely only claiming credit in order to get paid. Otherwise their 'employer' would've said "What the railing gave way without you touching him? Get outta here - I ain't paying you for something you didn't do!" Not that he paid them anyway, but the mobsters wouldn't have known that in advance.
I just noticed your edit after I typed the above comment. I reckon if the thugs had pushed him, they'd have pushed him OVER the railings, so it seems that Superman was bracing himself in anticipation of their attack when the railing gave way. However, it is a bit clumsy for a superhero.
Han Solo shot first!
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