ACTION COMICS: Zod's origin

[starwolf_oakley]

The "General Zod from Polkistan" story in ACTION COMICS was a puzzler for a while, and not just because of his name. First because, when Superman confronted him during "Our Worlds at War" he said "What are you going to do... kill me?" Second, Bizarro saw Zod without his helmet and told Superman "Him look like you!" Superman said "So... he doesn't look like me?" Superman was really concerned over a foe who seemed to know about that time he killed those Pocket Universe Kryptonians.



Originally, Zod was going to be the Kal-El from an alternate universe Krypton created by Brainiac 13 and based on actual Kryptonian history. That Krypton was introduced in a storyline called "Return to Krypton."

Zod's origin was changed, but there was a VERY strong link to Kal-El. Like the Smallville Zod, he wanted to turn the sun red.



Zod decides to explain his origin to Superman, and how he is "everything you are not."





Joe-El was a smart guy, but he really screwed up not realizing that radioactive pieces of Krypton would travel with Kal-El's ship to Earth.



In Soviet Russia, yellow sun weakens YOU!



"Let's see, my father is really dead, everything I know is a lie, blah blah blah... Hey, this stuff about the guy in blue tights and a red cape is interesting!"



This Russian getting contacted by the ghost of General Zod might be a bit of a stretch, but it seems to work.

Comments

[silverzeo]

That machine thing he was hooked up to... is that a refrence to something, I remember seeing Eggman making a Snivley-bot in something like that...

[daningram.insanejournal.com]

Of all the Zods depiction, this one is easily my favorite.

I'm sorry, but that red armor is simply bad ass. It's one step below Darth Vader in the awesome department.

[fifthie]

Yeah fuck that Zod ultra-owned.

It is such a shame they dicked around with his origin, he could have been a legit classic Superman villain.

[fifthie]

Actually I partly take that back because not being kryptonian was the source of some of the most badass shit about him.

Like the armor actually being a red-sun-radiation suit, then he beats the piss out of Clark, LOCKS him in the armor, and then turns Earth's own sun read? That is villain as fuck.

[crinos]

And as I recalled, that somehow depowered ALL the other superhumans on earth.

Of course, these were the Halcyon days before Civil War and Identity Crisis, when the worst thing we had to worry about in comics were Superman and Batman being too overpowered.

[fifthie]

Every so often I'll wonder why it is I give a fuck about comics, and then someone will mention the totally ballin' run of Superman comics from about 2000 to 2004, and I'll be like "oh, yeah!"

[psychopathicus_rex]

Man, I wish they'd kept this guy. He had some really interesting dynamics going on - he was connected to Krypton, but he wasn't Kryptonian; he was connected to Superman since his earliest day, despite the fact that technically he had nothing to do with him. True, the USSR connection dated him somewhat, but hey, the Black Widow's still around - they could have found a way around it. Why just go back to the same old thing when you can explore new and interesting territory?

[don1138]

Perhaps because corporate comics aren't in the business of exploring new and interesting territories, rather -- to paraphrase Kyle Baker -- they are in the business of licensing and marketing entertainment franchises. Good comics are just the occasional and accidental slag of the production process. Yay, slag!

[psychopathicus_rex]

Well, yes, but good comics sell better, at least in theory, so it's to their advantages to see that said slag is produced more regularly. (Of course, their idea of what is 'good' doesn't necessarily dovetail with ours...)

[thelazyreader]

Awesome. I know Geoff and co refuse to even acknowledge his existence, but this guy can be re-introduced into the DCU and make for a great Superman villain if they just called him something other than Zod.

Which issues did the story run in? Is it collected in trades?

[starwolf_oakley]

It was never traded. Part of Joe Kelly's run was reprinted in OUR WORLDS AT WAR and ENDING BATTLE.

The actual issues are ACTION #801-805, I believe.

[recognitions]

Begun, the Star Wars have.