All-Time-Legends VS One-Power-Wonders

The Supermen were considered the mightiest mortals of their respective parallel planets. Still, on occasion they met both heroes and villains with powers rivaling their own. And sometimes, those individuals were either a hero or a villain, depending on one's perspective. Such was the case for Jo Nah of planet Rimbor and Reiter of Nazi Germany, two men with Kryptonian-level physiques, with a vulnerability: they could only use one power at a time!

Jo Nah was piloting a spacecraft when his both he and his vessel were swallowed by an Energy Beast, thought to have originated on Krypton-One. The resulting exposure to the beast's inner radiation imbued Jo Nah with energy, which he could use to manifest a single superpower at a time. These powers included super-strength, super-speed, limited invulnerability, flight and flash vision. He soon after joined the ranks of the Legion of Super-Heroes, the premier group of teen titans on Earth-One in the 30th century, where as Ultra Boy he had a long and distinguished career.

Reiter was the commandant of a German concentration camp, who upon being facially scarred by a vial of acid being thrown in his face, was selected by his leader Hitler as a candidate for a test program. This exposure to experimental chemicals unleashed Reiter's helped him unlock his mind's energy to manifest a single superpower at a time. These powers included super-strength, super-speed, limited invulnerability, flight and heat vision. He was made a primary agent of Nazi Germany, sent as Baron Blitzkrieg to the United States of Earth-Two to assassinate his country's foes and steal America's resources, while hailed a champion by his home country's government.

An additional ability both Ultra Boy Baron Blitzkrieg displayed on one occasion was the power of mentally exerting their will on others. Jo Nah did this when he was trapped immobilized in the Limbo dimension, and linked his brain with Superboy’s. Now one with his fellow Legionnaire, Ultra Boy’s mind in Superboy’s body became the hero Reflector, who aided the Legion in defeating Time Trapper and restoring both boys to normal.

Baron Reiter exerted his mental control over Commander Steel, with the intent of using the American superhero as an unwitting assassin of United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. Thanks to his teammates in the All-Star Squadron, Steel was restrained from completing the task while saving the English leader. Once the mind-meld between these mighty men was severed, Baron Blitzkrieg was blinded and sought recovery of his sight by fleeing across the Limbo dimension to Earth-X, before finding a cure back on his native Earth-Two.

On one adventure, Ultra Boy's body was taken over by the mind of 20th century criminal John Dillinger, while his teammates Superboy and Mon-El had the minds controlled by Adolph Hitler and Nero. These three time-traveling tyrants were sent to attach Legion, although this terrible threesome ended up betraying one another, after which Ultra Boy and his colleague's minds were restored to normal. On another occasion, a mental mastermind mind-controlled all the Legionnaires except Ultra Boy, Superboy and his girlfriend Lana Lang. During this case, Ultra Boy seemingly defeated Superboy, although soon the Boy of Steel recovered and helped Jo Nah and Lana to free their Legion colleagues while defeating the alien usurper in their midst.

After a series of appearances, Baron Blitzkrieg was sent with Imperial Japanese agent Sumo the Samurai to steal two portions of an experimental America reactor, which was a prototype atomic bomb. While in Louisiana tasked with retrieving one of the sections, Blitzkrieg encountered Superman, sent by the American government to intercept and protect the reactor component from Nazi agents. During the confrontation, Superman and Blitzkrieg battled one another nearly to a drawl, until Superman discovered the Baron could only use one power at a time. While his counterpart Ultra Boy could switch between powers rapidly through extensive training, Blitzkrieg apparently didn't practice this technique himself and was open for defeat. However, the Baron was secretly pretending to be unconscious, in order to lure Superman with the radioactive component to Wonder Woman and Sumo, who had in their possession of the other half of the reactor. In the end, one-time partners Blitzkrieg and Sumo turned on one another, each seeking to procure the assembled reactor for their respective governments. Before they could, Superman caused the device to detonate, destroying it and disabling the two agents.

The Triumphant and Tragic History of the Superman Robots

Early in their costumed careers, Kal-El and Kal-L surmised that they would need help in carrying out their super-feats, as Superman couldn't be in all places at once. Especially given his secret identity as reporter Clark Kent, each Superman developed lookalike robots who could substitute for their creator in times of need.

Kal-L of Earth-Two first used a lifelike dummy in 1944, then a remote controlled automaton in 1949 culminating in the robotic Krag in 1952 to combat an alien invasion. By the time he married fellow reporter Lois Lane, Kal-L built Clark Kent and Superman robots with artificial intelligence.

Kal-El of Earth-One first constructed Clark Kent and Superboy robots during his teenage years. As an adult, he gave a remote controlled replica to pal Jimmy Olsen. A Wonder Man robot was used to face an alien horde.

On both worlds, the increase of air pollution caused the Superman robots to progressively begin to malfunction. This led the Supermen into decommisson them, although Kal-El still used them to a limited degrees within his Fortress of Solitude and in his apartment. A couple caused them great trouble.

A Superboy robot escape the self-destruction decree of his master, and perceived that his master was evil for sending he and his "brethren" to an early "death". Secretly protecting Smallville for years, his presence was eventually revealed when Pete Ross and Lana Lang observed the automaton, and Kal-El tricked this robot into destroying itself.

A Clark Kent robot pretended to be his master, even convincing Kal-L's wife Lois until as Superman it began to malfunction. She was able to deactivate the Superman robot, and apparently the other robots were never utilized following this incident.

One remote control robot labeled Powerman was designed by Superman to safeguard his friends Batman and Robin from Lex Luthor who developed a dangerous death-ray. In fact, Kal-El conceived of Powerman's costume from a dream, which in fact was his recollection of an event which occurred decades early on Earth-Two.

On that world, Kal-L faced a Nazi sleeper agent named Heinrich Melch, who was secretly the Kryptonite-powered Atoman, Although the villain didn't have an opportunity to wear this costume, until his later revival in the 1980's, following the conclusion of their epic battles in the mid-1940s, Superman dressed the seemingly deceased Melch in this uniform, then placing him in a coffin. Following his awakening from prolonged suspended animation, Atoman journeyed to Earth-One to battle the World's Finest team of Superman and Batmen before returning with them to Earth-Two when he discovered his Superman was a different man..

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Long Lived Lads & Lasses Leave Lasting Legacies

Vitamin L-3 was first discovered by Holliday College student Etta Candy, while chemically unlocking water derived from the Amazonian Paradise Island, which granted those who ingested its solution with immortality. At least in one potential future of Earth-Two, this is the method by which Etta and her fellow teenage Holliday Girls along with her family friends lived through the centuries. By the 30th century, she along with her best friend Diana "Wonder Woman" Prince and Diana's boyfriend Steve Trevor had a series of adventures.

A similar chemical compound, a serum developed by Doctor B'renlden, was invented several years later on Earth-One. This serum was then shared with all humanity, which then offered it to other worlds who joined Earth's planetary alliance. This was the means by which members of the 30th century's Legion of Super-Heroes were able to remain as "teenagers", as decreed in their bylaws. However, this was a simply a term adapted to categorized individuals at that time who were below the age of 50 years old!

While the Earth-Two Wonder Woman was aware of this serum, and presumably shared it with her own extended friends... perhaps including fellow members of the Justice Society... such was not the case on the Legion's world. There, the Legionnaires prevented their 20th century member Superboy from learning of this immortality compound, for fear of disrupting the Legion's on timeline from the past.

Undoubtedly concurrent to Diana, Steve and Etta's presence in the same era as Rokk Braddon's Space Legion, it's highly likely that they worked together with those 30th century protectors of Earth-Two. Whether they were part of their universe's version of the Legion of Super-Heroes is unknown, yet quite possible given their similar aims at maintaining order and securing the police.

However, further evidence throughout subsequent tales of Wonder Woman and Steve Trevor indicate that in the main 20th century timeline, Etta either did not discover this vitamin, or did not share it with them... as the couple aged rather than maintain their youth as in the L-3 timeline. In fact, in an early 1950's Justice Society case, Wonder Woman and her teammates were thrust forward a thousand years, where they aided the Space Legion versus an invasion of Chameleons (after resolving a misunderstanding between them as seen here). Had Wonder Woman still be alive in this future timeline, her 20th century version and the Society wouldn't have been recruited to oppose this threat.

The Mystery of JFK and the Last Son of Krypton

The President John F. Kennedys of Earths One and Two were both connected to the Last Sons of Krypton in unusual ways. While on the latter world, JFK's known interaction with Kal-L was only tangential, on the former world it is much more significant. And also, it was somewhat problematic as to which meetings were and were not canonical.

On Earth-Two, Kennedy was one of ten current and future presidents targeted by the sinister shadowy scientist known as Ian Karkull for revenge. However, thanks to the timely intervention of the Justice Society of America in early 1941, all save the tenth individual were saved from assassinations at the hands of various supervillians.

On Earth-One, a few tales in the early to mid-1960s chronicled Superman meeting with Kennedy. On one occasion, JFK even disguised himself as Clark Kent during a large televised event attended by friends and family of Superman, to preserve the double identity of an adult Kal-El/Superman himself!

However, a later told story in 1963 had an eight year old Superboy was tasked by Kennedy to secretly protect the Mercury space mission. A future version of Superboy traveled back in time to witness this encounter, which his younger version caused him to forget for security purposes.

When this Superboy tale was disputed on Earth-Prime by author T.M. Maple, the editor Bob Rozakis stated in essence that this tale was now canon, meaning that early tales told of JFK and Superman no longer took place on Earth-One. Which Earth, then, were they a reality?

Super-Shipping: The Lost Love of Superman and Batgirl

Superman of Earth-One has had a variety of love interests throughout the years. As a lad in Smallville, his childhood sweetheart was Lana Lang, while college his romantic interest was Lori Lemaris, and as an adult his steady girlfriend was Lois Lane. Other women also captured his attention, and as both Superman and Clark Kent, Kal-El of Krypton had a several candidates for true love. Among these was Barbara Gordon.

Although having met Batgirl when he and his best friend worked together as the World's Finest Team alongside the heroine and Superman's cousin Supergirl, it was later when that friend Batman encouraged him to ask out Batgirl's alter ego. And so, Clark accompanied Barbara to a diplomat dinner date, when he inadvertently blurted out confidential information (while under the influence of an alien device). This ended a stale first date between the two. although after their costumed alter egos teamed up to battle the evil organization known as M.A.Z.E., they parted as friends.

Soon after, the two met once more as Clark and Barbara, then later as Superman and Batgirl, to stop a criminal scheme to steal oil. They would pair up again to tackle the demented Doctor Horus. Still, no sparks flew between the two.

Interestingly, neither recalled their first meeting, when Clark as Superboy rescues a young Barbara from near drowning, and due to another alien artifact found his powers being transferred to her while she was Mighty Girl.

In a parallel reality, Kal-El's rocket ship landed outside Gotham City instead of Smallville, and was found by patrolman James Gordon. Leaving the infant in the care of Doctor Thomas Wayne and his wife Martha, the couple adopted the lad and named him Bruce, training him in the use of his superhuman abilities. 

During a dinner party, Bruce protected a dinner party from gunman Lew Moxon, seeking vengeance against Thomas Wayne and Commissioner Gordon. Disguising himself, Bruce conceives the idea of adopting an alter ego, as Superman!

In his new identity, Superman had numerous adventures, including one occasion where he took down terrorists. His civilian career was as a librarian, working alongside Gordon's daughter Barbara. The pair strike up a budding romance, which blossoms into engagement and finally marriage. Learning of her husband's dual identity, Barbara convinces Clark to use his super-intelligent mind coupled with his father's training to become a research scientist. Clark retires his Superman costume, and works full time seeking to cure the various illness that plague humanity.

Sometime later, Lew Moxon escapes prison and guns down James Gordon. Seeking vengeance, Barbara adopts the alter ego of Batwoman, and finally brings Moxon to justice... ending in his inadvertent death. The World's Finest Team Superman and Batwoman was created!

Interestingly, these tales show that while Kal-El as Clark did not attract Barbara, Kal-El as Bruce would. And Bruce would gladly retire as Superman, while Clark would resist this urge to have a normal life. Meanwhile, on yet a third world, Kal-L aka the Superman of Earth-Two as Clark Kent would serve more as an honorary uncle to Barbara's counterpart Helena, daughter of his best friend Bruce aka Batman. As members of the Justice Society of America, this Superman and Helena as the Huntress would work side-by-side on various cases.

Mighty Mutts Courageous Canines: Swifty and Elmo

Krypto the Super-Dog and Thor the Thunder Dog were the more famous superhuman dogs were the most famous of the mighty mutts (while the non-super Krypto of Earth-Two and the robotic Krypto of Earth-One were the one-hit-wonders aiding Superman and Superboy on occasion), there were other courageous canines. Among these were Swifty and Elmo.

Swiftly was a greyhound saved by Superboy from the pooch’s murderous fox-hunting owner. Tracking the young hero back to his Smallville home with the Kent Family, Superboy gifts Swifty with a serum created by Kryptonian criminal Roz-Em that previously gave Clark’s adopted parents Jonathan and Martha with superpowers. Now possessing temporary powers like those of Superboy and his pet Krypto, Swifty is trained to be a friend and protector of Clark’s Super-Dog. However, Krypto becomes jealous of Swifty causing a one-sided rivalry, resolved when the greyhound losses his powers.

However, the Phantom Zone criminals mentally manipulate Swifty into recreating his superpowers through a chemical concoction.  Seeking to use the dog to lure Superboy into a trap, the criminals’ scheme is delayed when their young foe devises a couple tests to see whether Krypto or Swifty should have the honor of the former’s invulnerable cape, and we dwindled the lad’s pooch partner. Swiftly is victorious both times, and after he and his new master encouraged a warring human and beast population on another world to seek peace, the boy and his dogs journey to his planetary museum. There, Superboy nearly dies from Green Kryptonite radiation, until Krypto creates a bizarro Swifty that battles the original. Superboy then mixes more chemicals to restore Swifty’s sanity and normalcy.

Doll Man based his strength ray off the Miraclo black light ray hypothesized by his fellow Freedom Fighters teammate Rex Tyler. Right after developing it in 1950, Darrel Dane used it on a stray dog he adopted named Elmo, which both healed him and give him super-canine strength. It also increased his intelligence, allowing him to understand human communication. 

For the next several months, Elmo assisted Dane’s alter ego Doll Man. Eventually, the dog became acquainted with Darrel's fiancee Martha Roberts, and soon assisted her as well when she adopted the Doll Girl alter ego after gaining powers similar to her boyfriend's. From December 1950 until February 1952, Elmo faithfully followed his master into a wide array of adventures, helping the pair.

Eventually, Elmo retired from crimefighting, although Darrel and Martha carried on in their costumes crusade. Given the nature of Dane’s ray devise, the superhuman strength “of ten men” (like that which Hourman possessed after exposure to the Miraclo black light) would have amplified his already proportionally strong physique when he was a Mighty Mite. As Doll Man, Darrel could be considered on par with Superman of Earth-Two when he began his career, before his Kryptonian genes developed to full potential and maturity.

The Case for Why Pete Ross and Tex Thomson are Counterparts

Pete Ross first met Clark Kent when he and his family moved to Smallville, while they were both young teenagers. Undoubtedly, the move was prompted due to that town's increasing prominence, as the home of Superboy, as it grew during the lad's time there. Immediately, the two became best friends, with Pete feeling protective of the weaker Clark, not knowing that Clark was secretly more powerful as the Boy of Steel. During a camping trip, Pete would accidentally learn of Clark's dual identity, and helped to protect it from time to time. This included on occasion masquerading as Superboy himself!

Tex Thomson and his family never moved to Smallville on their Earth, as it only had a Clark Kent, no Superboy to cause the town’s notoriety to grow its population. Still, the two "Action Aces"... whose tales were chronicled in early Action Comics, would become teammates and later brothers-in-law as adults.

Pete and Tex were adventurous blonde haired young men with noble streaks and loyalty to those weaker then they. For Pete, this was Clark, and for Tex, this would be in the good natured Bob Daley. Both men became wealthy... Pete as a geologist and Tex as an oil baron. How did Ross gain a fortune from his profession, and how did Thomson strike it rich finding oil fields? The logical answer is that they were both petroleum geologists, at least initially. Once succeeding in this, they used their intuitive nature in other endeavors.

Both Pete and Tex were mechanically gifted, capable of developing and utilizing advanced technology. Pete was inspired by his uncle, a Scotland Yard inspector, to pursue detective work. This uncle very similar to a contemporary of Tex's in Europe, Inspector Erskine Hawkins, who tried to learn Superman's secret identity! Pete for a time had in his possession an anti-gravity belt enabling him to fly, Tex developed a mechanism within his cape allowing him to fly as well. Each had adventures both as inquisitive civilians and in their red caped aliases of "Superboy" and Mister America, they traded blonde for black hair... masters of disguise.

Their heroism was noticed and rewarded when they were invited into large organizations of powerful protectors, with Pete joining Superboy's team... the Legion of Super-Heroes as an honorary member, and Tex joined Superman's team, the All-Star Squadron. Yet while successful professionally, as well as superheroes inspired by the Supermen

When an alien armada kidnapped Pete's son Jonathan, who had some special intrinsic gifts that they... and the future Legion... knew was needed in space, Superman was convinced not to rescue the boy from his captors. This led Pete to use a device created by Lex Luthor, transplanting his brain into the body of Superboy from over a decade earlier, bringing him to the future to fight his former friend. When Superman defeated this hybrid Superboy with help from his pet and his younger self in Pete’s body, he had Ross incarcerated in a mental institution until he could save Jonathan, reuniting him with his dad. 

In one future timeline, Tex would likewise succumb to tragedy, when he was captured by Superman's arch-enemy the Ultra-Humanite, who then used Tex's body to contain his brain. When his latest scheme versus his adversary failed, Ultra-Tex used his political influence to become a leading senator of the United States, while in another possible timeline Pete was pushed by Luthor himself into becoming his Vice President of the United States. Neither political career lasted long.

Pete's son Jonathan was well known even before the lad’s alien abduction, as Superman confiding in the boy with his secret identity in order to save his life. Superman would eventually liberate Jonathan from his extraterrestrial captivity, returning him to Earth-One to reunite with his now sane father.

In the late 1940s, another lad much like Thomson appeared, fatherless and with the same sense of adventure. This lad, also named Tex, would join the Boy Commandos in 1947 and had several adventures with them. It is hypothesized that this was Tex Senior’s only son, who had been raised by his mother before joining Rip Carter's team during his young adulthood. Why his mother and father did not remain together is unknown, but possibly due to Tex Sr.'s adventures as a younger man.

However, once he returned from Germany in 1944 after his mission as Mister America aka the Americommando was complete, Tex legally changed his name to George Tompkins. This was probably due to having made powerful enemies in his civilian identity. Soon after, he met and married Lucille Lane, and they had a daughter named Susie. Tex and Lucille's daughter came to have various adventures* with their sister-in-law Lois and her future husband Superman before Lois and Clark married.

Pete and Tex had various similarities beyond their appearance. Each was a contemporary from the early days of the Supermen, each were avid and rich scientists, each utilized artificial flight to adopt red-caped alter egos, each joined the same teams of which the Supermen were themselves members, each were tied in brain-exchange schemes to adversaries of the Supermen, each were brief nationally renowned politicians, and each had heirs who carried on their heroic spirit.

* While the first published appearance of Susie was in 1943, a year before her father Tex/George returned from Europe, the date of this story would be a few years in the future.. given that Susie was still a young pre-teen girl when she had adventures with Mr. and Mrs. Superman in the early 1950s.

Covert Crusaders Connected to Costumed Crusaders

Prior to the infant Kal-El's adoption into the Kent family, Jonathan and Martha Kent had adopted another boy, Cory Renwald. Although a troubled youth, Cory eventually turned his life around thanks to his foster parents' positive example and tutelage. Joining the federal government as a secret agent, Renwald was secretly aided by his foster brother Clark in that lad's Superboy alter ego. Years later, Cory would finally meet Clark who was now an adult and reporter for the Daily Planet, also assisting Superman on a couple of occasions. This occurred on Earth-One.

Decades prior to this, there was government agent Steve Carson, who was given the moniker Federal Man, had many chronicle adventures contemporaneous with the career of his world's Superman. Both Steve and Kal-L has similar "parents" in the creative team of Siegel and Schuster, as well as both Carson and Superman being connected to a Jor-L and to the 30th century. Whether this pair ever met is unknown, although they each protected the innocent of Earth-Two.

Thirtieth Century Adventures of Twentieth Century Adventurers

Thirtieth century adventures of twentieth century adventurers? How could this be? It is possible if you are Superboy of Earth-One, and Wonder Woman of Earth-Two, who along with three of their friends from their native time periods aided peoples far into the future. Superboy had first encountered three members of the Legion of Super-Heroes... Lightning Lad, Saturn Girl and Cosmic Boy... when they traveled to the 20th century in order to recruit him. He would later join the team, and countless times travel to the Legion's 30th century to share several adventures alongside the team which his own costumed career had inspired.

After several years as a Legionnaire, memories of how his future would probably develop began to overwhelm Superboy, leading to his choice to leave the 30th century... and his membership in the Legion... for good. However, years later as Superman he would visit his old friends both by himself and with his new teammates in the Justice League of America.

Wonder Woman had with her best friend Etta Candy discovered a "life vitamin" during the middle of the 20th century, which in one alternate future timeline would keep select humans immortal. As such, in the 30th century, Wonder Woman was still alive and operated both a superheroine and in her alter ego of Diana Prince. In that future, she had several adventures with others while protecting the united planet of Earth-Two.

Just as Superboy was not alone in his travels to the 30th century, as his friends Pete Ross, Lana Lang and Jimmy Olsen would themselves join the Legion of Super-Heroes as honorary members... so to would Wonder Woman be joined in the 30th century by Steve Trevor, Etta Candy and General Darnell who likewise thanks to the Life Vitamin retained their youth into the future.

And of course the similarities between the Boy of Steel and the Amazonian Princess don’t end there, they also faced similar foes. An example of this was Superboy’s female foil, Loretta York Grant aka the Yellow Peri and Wonder Woman’s femme fatale Sinestra aka the Purple Priestess. Each lethal lass could trick unwitting victims, leaving them in stunned superstitious disbelief.

While each bad blonde bombshell encountered the older Superman and Wonder Woman on two distinct occasions, they’d also caused trouble years earlier gaining the attention of the Justice Leaguer and Justice Socialite. Other colorful lady supervillains a thousand years in the future would imitate Peri and Priestess’ modus operandi, such as the Fatal Five’s Emerald Empress.

The Life and Times of Earth-Prime: Superboy

And then there was the Boy of Steel, the second superhero to appear on Earth-Prime after Ultraa's brief career there. Raised by Jerry and Naomi Kent after being found in a rocket ship, just as had his counterparts on parallel planets, the young Kryptonian lad discovered in his mid-teen years that he too had superpowers beyond those of mortal men. And it was during the Crisis on Infinite Earths when the Superman of Earth-One accidentally arrived on Superboy's world and helped the young lad in fending off an alien invasion. And then, as the Crisis crowds consumed Earth-Prime's universe shortly after Superman's departure, Superboy followed his older doppleganger back through the void.

Then, as the Crisis culminated, in order to defeat Anti-Monitor from consuming the remnants of the positive matter universe remaining the survivors of three Earths combined forces to ward off this threat. No longer in the new Earth-Zero's universe it was left for these individuals to craft from the memories of Earth-Two's Superman and Lois Lane a replica of their Metropolis in a pocket dimension. 

And the Time Trapper of the new post-Crisis reality used his powers to create a pocket universe with a replica of Earth-One and its Smallville which mirrored that of Kal-L's Earth-Two Metropolis in a "paradise" dimension. Both of these had Superboys, not the originals but replicas of the pair, alongside Luthors that aided them rather than battling them as their counterparts had. Both realities ceased to exist and the Boys of Steel from Earth-Prime and New-Earth would be casualties to these Crisis.

Supermen Families: Offset Adventures

The Superman Family was prolific in having their tales chronicled, and not only alongside their most famous member. At least on Earth-One, as its members operated just as well individually as collectively like the Marvel Family.

In place of Lar Gand aka Mon-El who fought alongside Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes in the 30th Century, there was Doctor Occult who had similar abilities fighting alongside Superman in the All-Star Squadron. Other legacy characters were Eltro Gand and Halk Kar who met his Superman on one adventure with Halk's tale paralleling Lar's first encounter with the Boy of Steel. While Halk eventually returned to native Thoron, Eltro would assume Lar's heroic career a thousand years in the future, and this would parallel Richard Occult's tales both in a similar costume to Gand's and in his famed trench coat which both wore.

And rather than the bizarre mis-adventures of "Superman's Pal", wherein Jimmy Olsen was transformed by all manner of strange occurrences including a female 5th dimensional imp while wearing his trademark green suits... there was the wacky tales of the Justice Society's mascot Johnny Thunder, who's every wish and whim was turned on its head by an imp from the Thunderbolt Dimension. Other tales with Superman assisting mirrored those of another redhaired reporter Tubby Watts and his pal Johnny Quick. And Jimmy's latter day tales, when he teamed up with the Golden Guardian and the Newsboy Legion on Earth-One would be mirrored by the original Earth-Two adventures of the first Guardian and the Legion's parents, themselves children at the time.

On Earth-Two, there wasn't a "Superman's Pal...Jimmy Olsen" or the "Daring New Adventures of Supergirl" and the like. Sure, they had their own red-haired cub reporter in Jimmy, their own Girl of Steel (Power Girl, whose only solo tales were in "Showcase" #97-99), and the Metropolis Marvel's one true love in Lois. Nevertheless, there were adventures on Kal-L's world that offset those on Kal-El's world, even if their participants weren't Halk Kar of Thoron, James Olsen of Metropolis, the Masked Wonder of Smallville or Kara Zor-L of Kandor.

The Adventures of Superboy were balanced out by those of Darrell Dane aka Doll Man. Darrell was a miniature version of Superman on Earth-Two as was Kal-El's cousin Don-El on Earth-One. While both Don-El as Captain of the Superman Emergency Squad and Kal-L the Masked Wonder only had a few adventures, Superboy and Doll Man each had hundreds of tales between them.

Then there was the Federal Man, aka Steve Carson. Steve like his counterpart Cory Renwald was a government agent. Both Cory and Clark had common step-parents with Jonathan and Martha Kent, with Jerry Siegel and Joe Schuster being the creative "parents" of both Renward and Carson. On occasion, Steve even wore a spandex costume, thus at times mirroring on Earth-Two the later teen tales of the Superboy of Earth-One

Instead of the adventures of the younger adolescent Superboy in the 30th century, there were the tales Earth-Two's Wonder Woman had when travelling to the 30th century of her world. Earth-One Superman's alter ego Clark Kent was at times impersonated by the Kandorian leader of the Superman Lookalike Squad, Vol-Don. Vol-Don's Earth-Two counterpart Dave Clark aka Midnight had scores of tales mirroring thos of the "Private Life of (Earth-One's) Clark Kent".

Kara Zor-El aka Supergirl had mostly solo tales in Action Comics, then Adventure Comics, followed by her first self-titled series which led to her featured in Superman Family and concluding in a second eponymous book. Kara Zor-l aka Power Girl was featured alongside the Justice Society of America in stories chronicled in All-Star Comics followed by Adventure Comics and later Infinity Inc.

While Supergirl had a scant few adventures as a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, Power Girl had a scan few sole adventures apart from the teams for which she was a member. Supergirl's early tales, where she was pals for with Lena (Luthor) Thorul were offset by the solo adventures of Lena's cosmic twin Liberty Belle aka Libby Lawrence that proceeded Power Girl's first appearance.

Then there was that one true love, Lois Lane, who had golden age adventures in the backpages of Superman starting in issue #29 through #42, before graduating into a co-star in the Mr. and Mrs. Superman tales in a few issues of "Action Comics" and "Superman" before their continuing series featured in Superman Family #195-222.

Although not nearly the volume of cases that her Earth-One counterpart had in "Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane" #1-137, this would be compensated by the adventures of a contemporary of Earth-Two's Lois in Jane Arden, also a news reporter. She had scores of tales in Quality Comics. Jane Arden's Earth-One counterpart Meg Tempest was always a background character in Lois and her friends adventures.

Superman Family: The Blonde Caped Crusaders

During the early days of Superboy of Earth-One and Superman of Earth-Two, a pair of courageous blonde hair troubleshooters joined them in their crusade against crime, and each would eventually adopt costumes similar to the Boy and Man of Steel.

Superboy's childhood pal Pete Ross, was the nephew of a revered Scotland Yard inspector of Earth-One, following in his footsteps in helping uncover mysteries and helping the oppressed. Pete learned of Clark's secret, while witnessing his transformation during a camping trip. As such, Pete had on several occasions assisted his buddy by creating distractions that allowed Clark Kent to become Superboy. This led to Ross being invited to the Legion of Super-Heroes as an honorary member. He even masqueraded as Superboy on occasion such as to protect him from his Revenge Squad. On another occasion, Pete gained the powers of his pal due to the machinations and manipulations of young Lex Luthor, while Superboy was left temporarily powerless.

At the same time that the Superman of Earth-Two appeared for the first time, protecting the citizens of Metropolis, another hero debuted half a continent away. This was the wealthy young oil baron known as Tex Thomson, who found himself battling various threats around the world. He would eventually be accompanied by his pal Bob Daley, and after a couple of years both decided to became masked men. Tex became first Mister America and then  the Americommando, while Bob became Fatman. This new identity necessitated Tex dying his hair black to complete his disguise as well as creating a special mechanism within his cape allowing him to fly. It was around this time that Mister America met and worked alongside Superman, as both were members of the All-Star Squadron.

Pete's son Jonathan later learned of Superman's alter ego, and had a few adventures alongside him when learning of his dual identity. When aliens kidnapped Jonathan, there was strain between the two men as Pete resented the fact that Clark didn't protect his son. Using a device created by Lex Luthor, Pete transplanted his brain into the body of Superboy from over a decade earlier, bringing him to the future to fight his former friend. When Superman defeated this hybrid Superboy with help from his pet and his younger self in Pete’s body, he had Ross incarcerated in a mental institution until he could save Jonathan and reunite him with his father. 

Tex's older son Tex Jr., who had been raised by his mother, ended up joining the Boy Commandos in the late 1940s. Meanwhile, Tex Sr. returned from his spy mission in Europe during World War II, and legally changed his name to George Tompkins*. Soon after, he met and married Lucille Lane**, and together the couple had a daughter Susie who had several adventures in the late 1940s and early 1950s with Lucille's sister Lois and future brother-in-law of Superman. The former All-Star Squadron teammates Mister America and Superman were now brothers-in-law George "Tex" Tompkins and Clark Kent, cementing their relationship.

* There is precedent in the Superman Family for a family changing their legal name to protect its members from evildoers, as the parents of Earth-One's Lex Luthor changed their last name to Thorul. Lex's sister and the Luthor's daughter Lena Thorul became accustomed to this name as a young girl. Like Lena, Susie was unaware of her father's true family name until possibly later in life.

** Another example of how, just like Tex Thomson became George Tompkins, Lucile's Earth-One counterpart Lucy Lane adopted the alias of Sandra Rogers while her beau Jimmy Olsen briefly went by the alias of Magi the Magnificent.

The Supermen of Two Worlds: Superboy Meets Masked Wonder

After spending some time together, Clark brought his cosmic twin Superboy back to the farm, introducing him to his parents John and Mary. Instead of running the local grocery store, named Jacobsen's General Store instead of Kent's. Appearing different from his own folks, Superboy still sees the same inherent goodness with this couple as that displayed by how parents Jonathan and Martha. 

Interestingly, during this meeting, Superboy is curiously silent over Mary's statement "Maybe Clark came from that other world, too!" Perhaps this was due to the fact that he surmised that a Krypton-Two may be drastically different from his own homeworld, and hence reluctant to provide details on such a world for fear he'd be misleading Clark.

Regardless, the caped lad and the Kents observe and assess Clark's aptitudes towards amazing abilities of his own. While his strength is tremendous as our his telescopic and super-hearing, his x-ray and heat vision like the power of flight would remain dormant until his young adulthood. Still, being faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, Kent was the pinnacle of human perfection on his planet.

As the two lads part, with Superboy resolved to return to Earth-One now that he's finished his tutelage of his counterpart, Clark adopts his own costumed alias. However, his intentions are quite different.

Finally convincing his father to allow him to join Bartletts Traveling Circus, Clark as the Masked Wonder amazes crowds while disgused iin a mask and acrobatic togs. However, after averting a potential disaster using his abilities, the Wonder realizes his short-lived career is futile and he must take a path similar to that of Superboy, returning to the farm.

Once Clark assists his twin to return this his home universe, the lad decides to adopt a similar alter ego in the form of Superman, waiting until he's fully developed when he moves to Metropolis. On Earth-Two, the Man of Steel was the first and foremost of costumed crimefighters that inspired generations of superheroes, including that of Superboy back on Earth-One.

Interestingly, around the time that the Masked Wonder debuted and had his sole superhero adventure, another identical twin to Clark Kent was operating under the name Doctor Occult. This Doctor was in actuality the counterpart to Earth-One's Eltro Gand, wearing a costume that was identical but reversed in color scheme from the Superman yet mirroring Eltro's Mon-El alter ego. 

Now, back to the subject at hand, the twin Kryptonian crusaders. How, though, would the now adult Supermen react when they finally met, both clad in the same uniform and following similar careers? Interestingly, not very well at first...

The Supermen of Two Worlds: Superboy Meets Clark Kent

The Men of Steel had a long and illustrious history of meetings throughout the decades, and despite living in parallel universes they formed an enduring friendship. Few counterparts have so much in common relating to their personal histories, the supporting cast in their lives, and their mythic might. There were other such Kryptonian Crusaders who existed on other Earths throughout the Multiverse, however it was these two who created the template upon which all subsequent superheroes were derived from henceforth.

At different times throughout the years, they've both played the part of mentor and student for each, creating a unique type of symmetry between the two.

This may sound strange, given that Earth-Two's Superman began his career in 1938, while his doppleganger debuted over twenty years later as the young Superboy. In fact, it was for this reason  (and odd comic book physics) that Earth-One's Boy of Steel made a lasting imprint on his twin. And while a seemingly minor footnote in the careers of both, rarely referred to afterward, this event nevertheless was the impetus for a dynamic relationship in fiction.

While attempting to unwind a tornado threatening his town, Superboy spins around the atmospheric event and ends up in another Smallville, decades before he was born. After quickly surveying the surroundings, he realized that instead of Jonathan and Martha Kent there is John and Mary Kent. And, rather than a mild-mannered Clark who doubles as a caped crusader, he finds a country farmhand without the glasses and colorful plumage.

Without the heroic career to occupy his spare time, Earth-Two's Clark decides to use his "freakish" powers to join a traveling circus, in order to help his folks with their farm during the Great Depression gripping the land.  No doubt, having no knowledge at this point of his alien heritage prompted Clark to believe he is an anomaly, and regrettably is an oversight on Superboy's part. His twin doesn't inform him of the planet Krypton and the heroism of their fathers Jor-El and Jor-L alongside their wives Lara and Lora, which may have prompted an appearance of a golden age Superboy sent to humanity to protect it rather than perform for it.

Apparently, young Clark has limitations to his ability that Superboy doesn't, so the latter trains the former to harness these powers. While able to levitate apparently motionless, the lad must use his superspeed and leaping until his flight develops during his young adult years. Note: This is no doubt due to his powers being inherent as all on Krypton-Two had such powers even on their own world, while citizens of Krypton-One only possessed superpowers under a different color sun...yellow instead of their red...and lighter gravity than that found on their native world. Hence, since such skills were developed internally from genetics on Earth-Two rather than externally through photosynthesis and kinethesis as on Earth-One. Yet on both worlds, their physiology was such that they'd display virtually identical powers while at their personal peaks.

How will his example inspire his Earth-Two twin? We'll find out next...