By Rob Bricken
When Superman goes missing while searching for a crook in South America, Batman and Robin look for their friend. They are a touch surprised to discover him ruling a primitive Incan tribe after an exploding volcano gave him amnesia (#supermanproblems). The Incans, who had a legend about just this sort of thing, immediately crowned him their king. This in no way explains how the crook has become Superman’s advisor, though, and of course he immediately advises Superman to have the Dynamic Duo killed. Batman and Robin escape and paint a picture of Clark Kent turning into Superman, which is all it takes to restore his memory. (WF #111)
In reality, Superman and Batman could find descendants of the Inca in the government, the police force, and the rest of Peruvian society. But to comic-book readers, as to most Americans, Indians exist only in remote and primitive tribes untouched by civilization.
For more on primitive South American Indians, see Natural History Museum in Bob's Burgers and Cannibal Indians in Green Inferno.
I see Rob Bricken is still doing his usual hilarious lists. Haven't seen him much since he left Topless Robot. (Too bad. I miss Herr Toht.)
ReplyDeleteI'd assume that if you saw a dude flying around and burning things up with a stare, even Dawkins would declare the dude to be God. That said, it's more proof that Silver Age comics were crazier than gods dropping Coke bottles from the sky.
"Night Man" looks like die Fledermaus from The Tick, recolored. But I guess since die Fledermaus is a parody of Batman, that's to be expected.
Really? Superman dies, donates his organs to supervillains, supervillains reject them, and the organs were actually from a robot? No. Part. Of. That. Makes. Sense!
As I've always said, it's easy to understand why Snowflame was so realistic as a villain. Silver Age writers had plenty of experience using his powers for inspiration.