Template:Short description The Superman Robots are fictional robots from the DC Comics Universe. The robots resembled Superman in appearance and abilities.
History
Silver Age versions
Superman robots played a particularly dominant role in late 1950s and 1960s era Superman comics, when readers were first introduced to Superman possessing various robot duplicates. These robots each possessed a fraction of Superman's powers, and were sometimes used to substitute for him on missions or protect his secret identity.[1][2] One notable Superman robot was named Ajax, also known as Wonder Man.[3] Other Superman robots had other names, including Robot Z,[4] Robot X-3,[5] and MacDuff.[6]
The idea of Superman robots extended into Superboy and Supergirl stories of the period as well, with the two also possessing robotic duplicates.[7][8]
In the early 1970s, the Superman comics largely abandoned the Superman robots as part of a change in tone and writing style. In-universe, the robots are rendered unusable by Earth's pollution levels and artificial radiation.[9]
Modern Age versions
The notion of Superman robots was reintroduced for post-Crisis comic continuity in a late 1990s storyline. While under Dominus' control, Superman builds a series of robots to oversee the Earth. Unlike the original Superman robots, they possess a more mechanical appearance.[10]
In Superman (vol. 2) #170, Krypto nearly kills Mongul and is confined to the Fortress of Solitude as punishment. A Superman robot nicknamed "Ned" is employed as Krypto's caretaker.
In a later storyline, Brainiac 8 revived and increased the power to a forgotten Superman robot. The robot attacked the Teen Titans, killing Troia and Omen before it was defeated.[11]
Other versions
- Insectoid robots inspired by the Superman robots appear in Tangent: Superman's Reign.
- An alternate universe version of the Superman robots appear in Superman: Red Son #2. These versions are Soviet citizens who were lobotomized and fitted with cybernetic implants as punishment for speaking or acting against the Soviet regime.[12]
- An alternate universe version of the Superman robots appear in All-Star Superman. These versions are caretakers of the Fortress of Solitude before being killed in a battle with Solaris.[13][14]
In other media
Television
- The Superman robots appear in The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians episode "The Death of Superman".
- The Superman robots appear in the Superman: The Animated Series two-part series finale "Legacy".
- The Superman robots appear in the Justice League two-part episode "A Better World" as guards at Arkham Asylum in the Justice Lords' universe.
- A Superman robot resembling Cyborg Superman appears in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Message in a Bottle" as a guard of the Fortress of Solitude.
- Dog-Bot, a robotic duplicate of Krypto inspired by the Superman robots, appears in Krypto the Superdog, voiced by Scott McNeil.
- The Superman robots appear in Justice League Action.[15]
Film
- A robot inspired by the Superman robots appears in Superman: Doomsday, voiced by Tom Kenny.[16]
- The Superman robots appear in All-Star Superman.
- The Superman robots appear in Superman vs. The Elite.
Video games
- The Superman robots appear in Cyborg's ending in Injustice: Gods Among Us.
References
External links
- ↑ Action Comics #282 (November 1961)
- ↑ Template:Cite book
- ↑ Superman #163 (August 1963)
- ↑ Action Comics #274 (March 1961)
- ↑ Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #30 (January 1962)
- ↑ Superman #414 (December 1985)
- ↑ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #37 (June 1959)
- ↑ Action Comics #270 (November 1960)
- ↑ World's Finest Comics #202 (May 1971)
- ↑ Template:Cite book
- ↑ Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day #3 (August 2003)
- ↑ Superman: Red Son #2-3 (July–August 2003)
- ↑ All-Star Superman #2 (February 2006)
- ↑ All-Star Superman #9 - #11 (December 2007 - July 2008)
- ↑ Template:Cite web
- ↑ Template:Cite web A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.