Of man and superman...

And here's part two of the countdown.

5) Hyperion (Marvel Comics - Supreme Power version)
Mark Milton is the sole survivor of an alien race, rocketed to Earth and given over to the custody of the United States government. As the child grew, his powers grew as well, and the young Mark found himself possessed of unearthly strength, the power to fly, enhanced senses, atomic vision and superhuman speed. The arrival of Mark's rocket sparked other superhumans - in some cases granting powers to normal humans, in other cases re-awakening long dormant powers. Leading many of them as the head of the Squadron Supreme, Mark Milton is no doubt the most powerful being on Earth.

Why he's number 5: First, please excuse me for the fact that I'm talking about the Supreme Power version of Hyperion, but using a picture of the old-school Hyperion. I just like the visual better. Hyperion is a very straightforward pasting of Superman, right down to the aliterative name. (Yes, Clark and Kent start with different letters, but they're the same sound.) His origin differs once he gets here, but the infant that would become Hyperion could very well have been Kal-El. It again comes down to attitude - Hyperion sees himself as a hero, but he is far more brutal than Clark would ever allow himself to be. Part of that comes from the fact that Hyperion never had the chance to be human - something that defines Clark.

4) Samaritan (Homage Comics)
The man who calls himself Asa Martin in his daily job at the Astro City Current is, in fact, Samaritan. A displaced traveler from the future, sent to save our time-line from mirroring his own, Samaritan commands Empyrean Flame, and is the leader of the Astro City Honor Guard.

Why he's number 4: Samaritan shares a lot with Superman both in level of power and in attitude - something which rockets him ahead of those on part one of this list. It's in his origin story and more significantly, ability to be "human" that makes him really different. Samaritan does share that "last survivor" aspect with Superman, but he's a time-traveller instead of being from another world. Samaritan also started as a normal human and then became superhuman, something that wasn't the case with Clark. But Samaritan lacks any semblance of a normal life. He has a job and co-workers, but none of them are really friends. He doesn't date, or go to parties. Even his assumed name, "Asa Martin" is an anagram of his code-name.

3) Statesman (City of Heroes computer game/Image Comics)
Marcus Cole received his powers by drinking from the Well of Zeus, at the same time as his one-time best friend, Stephen Ricter did. Ricter became the menacing ruler of Arachnos, Lord Recluse, while Marcus became the world's greatest hero, Statesman. Leading several generations of heroes through the Freedom Phalanx, Statesman has been a steadfast protector of mankind from threats both native to Earth, and from far beyond.

Why he's number 3: Statesman is actually a pretty straight-forward alternate version of Superman. World's greatest hero, superstrong, invulnerable, and even wearing a similar color scheme. (Actually, one of only a few on this list who shares colors with the last son of Krypton.) He also shares the fact that it was his presence in that universe that prompted other heroes to come forth. Where he's mostly different from Superman is that his role in the universe *must* be downplayed in order to make players of the game feel important enough. He also lacks an achilles heel like Superman does.

2) Icon (Milestone Comics)

An alien starliner malfunctioned and exploded, jettisoning a life-pod in the middle of a cotton field in the American South. The life-pod made its passenger mimic the first-life form who found it, in this case, a slave woman. The alien is still with us, disguised as his own descendant and using his superhuman power to perform quiet acts of charity, until one night when a teen girl, Raquel, sees him use his powers. Raquel persuaded Augustus to become a superhero named Icon, with herself as his sidekick.

Why he's number 2: Icon's creators dismissed seeing him as "the black Superman," but it's hard to deny the similarities. Icon's race may still be out there waiting for him, but he's had no more contact with them then Kal-El has. The idea that the life-pod altered the alien to resemble humanity is a carry-over from Superman's origin as well, at least in some versions, and most "possible futures" show that Clark either doesn't age, or does so very slowly. There are only two reasons why he doesn't actually take the number one spot: The first, obvious one is that he's black - something which cannot help but color his perception of humanity. The second one is a bit more subjective, but in my mind is significant, and that is the fact that he has met Superman, in-continuity (at least for him). It's harder for me to say "you're another version of Superman" when the character has met the man.

1) Supreme (Image Comics - Alan Moore version)

Supreme is really Ethan Crane, a mild-mannered artist for Dazzle Comics, who received his powers as a result of a childhood exposure to a meteorite composed of pure Supermium, a meta-element that can alter reality. When not saving the world as the archetypal superhero, Crane illustrates the adventures of Omniman, a Supreme-like character undergoing a re-launch with a change of writers.

Why he's number 1: Once Alan Moore got his hands on this character, Supreme became what the others on this list only flirt with - a method of discussing the role of Superman in comics and within it's universe. Through the meta-narrative, Supreme illustrates the changes that have come in a character with sixty years of history. Supreme has a supporting cast that is as closely a mirror of Superman's as he is of the man himself. Moore also used the cliches which are a part of Superman's mythos without his customary irony - and he himself has said that Supreme is, in part, an apology for the deconstruction of comics that he has been blamed/credited for. I adore V for Vendetta, Watchmen, Miracleman, The Killing Joke, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and others, but if I could only have one Alan Moore graphic novel on a desert island? It'd be Supreme: The Story of the Year.

So, there's my top ten. Who do you think I missed? Who do you think belongs elsewhere on the list? I'd love to hear.

Will the real Son of Zor-El please stand up?

It's really kind of funny, actually. The creators of superheroes have shown themselves to be phenomenally creative in what abilities our champions (and their foes) can possess. Hard sound constructs? Check. Molecular manipulation? Sure thing. Probability alteration? No problem. Telekinetic hair? Uhhhh.... sure.

So why is it that our greatest heroes tend to be flying strongmen?

Superman has lots of other powers, sure. But he's essentially a guy who flies around and is massively strong and tough. And he's not alone.

(And no, I'm not referring to the fact that with as many other Kryptonians running around as there are, it seems like the only people who died when Krypton blew up are Jor-El and Lara.)

But let's run down my top ten pastiches of the Man of Steel. Note that this list is based on nothing more than my own subjective rankings, and I might change it at any moment. I also intentionally left off of the list characters directly related to Superman; this includes other Kryptonians (Supergirl), clones (Superboy, the Cyborg Hank Henshaw), those inspired by Superman (Steel), other alien races that are almost Kryptonians (Mon-El), and alternate universe versions of Superman (Ultraman).

All of these characters are super-strong, fly, and are near invulnerable. But they each have some significant differences as well.

10) Mighty Mouse
Singing his trademark song, "Here I come to save the day!", Mike Mouse becomes the super-powered Mighty Mouse! Flying to rescue Pearl Pureheart, there is little that can slow down this marvelous rodent.

Why he's number 10: Because, well, he's a mouse. He's also the least developed character on the list - his cartoons rarely dealt with Mike Mouse's life, and no specific vulnerabilities were ever discussed.

9) Apollo (Wildstorm)
Bio-engineered member of a little known Stormwatch team, the man known as Apollo is able to channel solar energy through his body to devastating effect. Both as a member of Stormwatch, and then later with the Authority, Apollo has shown himself ready, willing, and able, to be an effective warrior against evil.

Why he's number 9: There are a number of major differences between Apollo and the Man of Steel (though none quite so glaring as being a flying rodent). To begin, he is visually the most distinct from the Man of Steel. Secondly, Apollo is a homosexual man, married to the Midnighter. Third, he maintains no secret identity. Superman knows the importance of being Clark Kent, but Apollo is always Apollo. Finally, Apollo is willing to kill. He's clearly cast in Superman's mold, but the mold was pretty well warped.

8) Captain Marvel (DC Comics)

When Billy Batson invokes the name of the wizard Shazam, he is granted the Wisdom of Solomon, the Strength of Hercules, the Courage of Achilles, the Power of Zeus, the Stamina of Atlas and the Speed of Mercury, becoming Captain Marvel, the world's mightiest mortal. The protector of the Rock of Eternity, where the Seven Deadly Sins are imprisoned and Fawcett City, Billy is joined by his sister, Mary, and their friend Freddy, who become Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel, Jr., respectively.

Why he's number 8: The similarities between him and Superman were great enough that Fawcett was sued by Timely comics, and lost the ownership of the character, so you'd think he'd be higher. But really the Marvels are amazingly distinct. Firstly, their powers are magical in nature, where Superman is highly tied to science - so much so that he is vulnerable to magic. Secondly, and they are unique on this list in this, those who possess the power of Shazam are ordinary humans most of the time. The relationship between the Marvels and Black Adam is also unlike anything in the Superman mythos. I like Marvel more than any of the others here, including Superman himself sometimes, but he's really very little like Superman. He also doesn't get the respect he deserves from the people of his comic universe - all of those higher ranked on the list are usually regarded as the "greatest hero of all" or darn close. While Marvel probably is, the people of the DCU don't see him that way.

7) Mr. Majestic (Wildstorm)
Majestros is an alien warlord who has come to Earth, where he has become the single greatest hero on the planet. His strength, invulnerability and other powers are so awesome and varied that his name has led to an entire classification of superhumans. Whether in his native world, on Earth, or even transported to another dimension, Majestic is a force to be reckoned with.

Why he's number 7: Majestic was specifically created to mirror Superman - so much so that when Majestic was transported to the DCU, many people believed him to be Superman with a change of costume. Beyond strength, speed, invulnerability and flight, Majestic is also an absolute genius. But his attitude couldn't be more different than the Man of Steels. Majestic is a warlord, first and foremost. He fights pre-emptively, and is not above killing if it is needed. He answers to no authority beyond his own, unlike Superman who takes the laws and morality of humanity to heart. He also is Majestic all the time, except for a short time when he did live as a human - at Superman's own suggestion! He would rank lower, but Majestic is considered the mightiest hero of his Earth, and as such, he fits Superman's role for the Wildstorm Universe.

6) The Sentry (Marvel Comics)
Robert Reynolds possesses the power of a thousand exploding suns. (What that means precisely is up for debate). He is one of the Earth's greatest heroes (sometimes), and the Golden Guardian of Good is now a prime member of the Avengers. Though suffering from a troubled past, and an immeasurably fierce arch-foe in The Void, Bob is one of Earth's mightiest champions.

Why he's number 6: The Sentry may, in theory, be Marvel's Superman, but Clark would take one look at Robert and say "We need to get you assistance." The Sentry actually almost approaches the pre-Crisis Superman in terms of his powers and abilities - especially in their vagueness. No one seems quite willing to precisely define Robert's powers - this is even more true when you consider that the Void is a part of him as well. And here's where he differs most from Superman - The Sentry is his own worst villain. And even when not in battle with the Void, Robert suffers crippling self-doubt. Clark may occasionally wonder if he's doing the right thing, but inaction is never an option for him.

So, there's numbers 10-6. We'll handle the Top 5 in a later post. Stay tuned!