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Composite Superman

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Composite Superman
Composite Superman as depicted in World's Finest Comics #283 (1982). Art by Rich Buckler and Frank Giacoia.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceWorld's Finest Comics #142 (1964)
Created byEdmond Hamilton (writer)
Curt Swan (artist)
In-story information
Alter egoFirst - Joseph Meach
Second - Xan
Notable aliasesXan - Amalgamax
AbilitiesPossesses the combined powers of Superman and many members of the Legion of Super-Heroes.

The Composite Superman is a supervillain, an enemy of Superman and Batman. There have been several versions of the character; the original version first appeared in World's Finest Comics #142 (June 1964) and was created by Edmond Hamilton and Curt Swan.[1]

Fictional character biography

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Joseph Meach

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Joseph Meach is a former diver who Superman employs at the Superman Museum after saving his life from a failed dive.[2] However, Meach continues to resent Superman and battles him after a freak accident where he is struck by lightning and gains the combined powers of the Legion of Super-Heroes.[3] Meach attempts to reveal Superman and Batman's secret identities, but his powers fade before he can do so.[4]

After regaining his powers from the alien villain Xan, Meach battles Superman and Batman before sacrificing himself to save them.[5][6]

Xan

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Xan later escapes prison and travels back in time to recreate the event that gave Meach his powers, taking the name Amalgamax. Superman, Batman, and the Legion defeat Amalgamax by making him believe that he has the same disease that killed his father.[7]

Composite

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A third incarnation of Composite Superman appears in Superman/Batman Annual #3. This version is a clone created by Professor Ivo in an attempt to replicate the Justice League's powers. However, he becomes unstable after being unable to solve every crime at once and commits suicide.[8]

Composite Man

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A fourth incarnation of Composite Superman appears following Zero Hour: Crisis in Time!, which reboots the Legion's continuity. This version is a Durlan and a member of the Dark Circle. He battles the Legion of Super-Heroes before Saturn Girl shuts down his mind, leaving him catatonic.

Powers and abilities

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Joseph Meach

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In terms of abilities and raw power, the Joseph Meach version of the Composite Superman was one of the most powerful enemies Superman and Batman ever faced. He had all of Superman's powers, as well as those of Supergirl, Mon-El, and Ultra Boy. The Composite Superman also possessed numerous special powers, derived from various Legion members:

Composite

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Professor Ivo's version of the character was shown to possess the powers of Superman, Batman, Atom, Elongated Man, and Red Tornado.

Other versions

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In other media

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Television

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Film

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A mecha based on Composite Superman appears in Superman/Batman: Public Enemies.

Video games

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The Joseph Meach incarnation of the Composite Superman appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure[10]. This incarnation also appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Travis Willingham.[11]

Merchandise

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An action figure of Composite Superman was produced by DC Direct and released in 2005.[12][13] A second version, based on the character's appearance in Superman/Batman: Vengeance issue #5, was released in 2008.[14] Beast Kingdom displayed a planned Composite Superman action figure during the 2024 Shanghai Toy Licensing Expo.[15]



See also

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References

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  1. ^ Fleisher, Michael L. (2007). The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, vol 3: Superman. DC Comics. pp. 44–45. ISBN 978-1401213893.
  2. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 59–60. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  3. ^ Greenberger, Robert (2008). The Essential Batman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 94–95. ISBN 9780345501066.
  4. ^ World's Finest Comics #142 (June 1964)
  5. ^ Rovin, Jeff (1987). The Encyclopedia of Supervillains. New York: Facts on File. p. 64. ISBN 0-8160-1356-X.
  6. ^ World's Finest Comics #168 (August 1967)
  7. ^ World's Finest Comics #283 (September 1982)
  8. ^ Superman/Batman Annual #3 (March 2009)
  9. ^ Superman/Batman #25 (May 2006)
  10. ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  11. ^ LEGO Batman [@LEGOBatmanGame] (4 November 2014). "COUNTDOWN TO NOV 11: 50% SUPER, 50% BAT, 100% AWESOME. It's Composite Superman! #LEGOBatmanGame" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ^ "FIRST APPEARANCE WAVE III- MODERN FIRST APPEARANCES". Action Figure Insider. 2005-05-27. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  13. ^ "DC Direct". web.archive.org. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  14. ^ "COOL TOY REVIEW: DC Direct Superman/Batman Photo Archive". www.cooltoyreview.com. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  15. ^ "New DC Comics Figures Revealed by Beast Kingdom". The Toyark - News. 2024-10-17. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
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