Mister Mxyzptlk

Mister Mxyzptlk
Mr. Mxyzptlk. Art by Ed McGuinness.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman #30 (September 1944)
Created by	Jerry Siegel Joe Shuster
In-story information
Species	Imp
Place of origin	5th Dimension
Notable aliases	Master Mxyzptlk, Ben DeRoy, countless others
Abilities	Not bound by third dimensional laws; can alter 3-D laws in a manner that resembles magic

Mr. Mxyzptlk ( /mɪksˈjɛzpɪtlɪk/ US dict: mĭks·yĕz′·pĭt·lĭk or /mɪksˈjɛzpɪtəlɪk/ US dict: mĭks·yĕz′·pĭt·l·ĭk), sometimes called Mxy, is a fictional impish supervillain who appears in DC Comics' Superman comic books.

He was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and first appeared in Superman #30 (September 1944). He is usually presented as a trickster, in the classical mythological sense, in that he enjoys tormenting Superman. In most of his appearances in DC Comics, he can be stopped only by tricking him into saying or spelling his own name backwards (Kltpzyxm - "kel-tip-zix-um"), which will return him to his home in the 5th dimension and keep him there for a minimum of 90 days.^[1] However, this specific limitation of the character has been eliminated since the Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, upon which the character leaves only when he willingly agrees to do so after meeting some conditions he sets, such as having Superman succeed in painting Mxy's face blue.

In 2009, Mr. Mxyzptlk was ranked as IGN's 76th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.^[2]

Fictional character biography

Golden Age

Mister Mxyztplk (the original spelling) was introduced in the Golden Age as an imp from the "fifth dimension". Not being bound by our physical laws, he can do things that seem to be magical. In his first appearance, Mxyztplk wreaks havoc across Metropolis by using his powers to pull all manner of pranks, first pretending he got hit by a truck and killed, then increasing his weight when the ambulance gets there and waking up to shock them. What's more, he destroys Superman's worldview of himself. Mxyztplk jumps out a window, fooling Superman into thinking Mxyztplk is committing suicide. When he appears unharmed, an astonished Superman exclaims "I-I thought I was the only man who could fly!!" He gives the Mayor the voice of a donkey, then blows papers over the town. Mxyztplk soon tells Superman that he is a jester in his home dimension, explaining why he uses his powers to play practical jokes. But one day he found a book which told him of this world.

Originally, Mxyztplk has designs on conquering the planet for himself, but soon settles for tormenting Superman whenever he gets the opportunity. His only weaknesses are that he cannot stand being ridiculed and if he says or spells his name backwards, Klptzyxm (kil-pit-ZEE-zim /kɨlpɨtˈziːzɨm/), he is involuntarily sent back to his home dimension for a minimum of 90 days. He first gets fooled, when Superman asks what the word is, and he says Superman would have thought him stupid enough to say 'Klptzyxm,' before realising what has happened and being transported home. Mxyztplk often looks for ways to counter the latter weakness, but he always proves gullible enough for Superman to trick him time and time again. In the Golden Age, saying "Klptzyxm" will not only bring Mxyztplk back to the fifth dimension, but would bring anyone else saying it to the fifth dimension. To return back to his/her home dimension, one has to say his/her own name backward.

Silver Age

Mxyztplk originally appeared as a small bald man in a purple suit, green bow tie, and purple derby hat. This was changed to a futuristic looking orange outfit with purple trim and white hair on the sides of his head in the mid-1950s, although the bowler hat remains adapted to the new color scheme. In Action Comics #208 (1955), the spelling of Mxyztplk 's name changed (by some accounts through mistake, though it was this very same issue where the costume and form change was done, suggesting it was intentional) to "Mxyzptlk".

It was explained in the Silver Age Superman comics that the reason that Mr. Mxyzptlk could affect Superman is because Superman is susceptible to magic.

Superman himself decides to turn the tables and visit the 5th dimension, making trouble for the imp, who is running for mayor. When Mxyzptlk furnishes a huge supply of food for prospective voters, he says, "Eat up, folks, the food's on me!" Superman uses super-breath to blow the food all over the imp and then chortles to the voters, "Like he said, folks - the food is on him!" The imp tries to get the Man of Steel to say "Namrepus" (Superman backward), but that doesn't work; Superman banishes himself back to Earth by saying "Le-Lak" - his Kryptonian name (Kal-El) backwards.

Multiverse

After the establishment of DC Comics' multiverse in the 1960s, it was later explained that the purple-suited Mxyztplk (the T and P are transposed to slightly alter the name) lives in the Fifth Dimension connected to Earth-Two and the orange-costumed Mxyzptlk in the Fifth Dimension connected to Earth-One. The Earth-One version is also retconned into Superboy stories as the red-haired Master Mxyzptlk, who bedevils Superboy during his youth in Smallville.

A 30th-century descendant of Mxyzptlk appeared in Adventure Comics #310 (July 1963) with similar abilities. Much crueler than his ancestor, this version kills most of the Legion of Super-Heroes until Superboy tricks him into falling victim to the same "Kltpzyxm" weakness, reversing the effects of his magic.

Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?

Mister Mxyzptlk continued to be a thorn in Superman's side for many years. Alan Moore offered a radically different interpretation of the character in Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?—a possible end of the adventures of the Earth-One Superman. Mr. Mxyzptlk (appearing in darker colors, and looking more sinister than in the past) explains that the big problem with immortality is finding ways to spend the time. He spent his first 2,000 years without moving or breathing, the next 2,000 years doing only good deeds, and the following 2,000 years being the mischievous character that he is normally portrayed as. He has now decided to try being evil, and is responsible for all of the nightmarish events in the story. Before attacking Superman, he remarks, "Did you honestly believe a fifth-dimensional sorcerer would resemble a funny little man in a derby hat?" His true form is described by Lois Lane as having "height, width, depth, and a couple of other things." He is killed when Superman sends him to the Phantom Zone at the same time that Mr. Mxyzptlk begins an escape to the Fifth dimension, tearing him in two. Remorse over the killing prompts Superman to drain himself of his powers with gold kryptonite.

Modern Mxyzptlk

Despite his odd story, Mxyzptlk made it through the Crisis on Infinite Earths relatively unchanged, although the unpleasant nature of his pranks and the psychological effects they had on others were played up more, at least initially; he also began smoking cigars. In early post-Crisis stories the "condition" that would send him back to the fifth dimension is anything he wanted it to be, but since Lex Luthor taught him how to lie, making this meaningless, the stories have reverted to Mxyzptlk saying his name backwards. One of his most prominent storylines in this new continuity was the "Krisis of the Krimson Kryptonite," when he provided Lex Luthor with a sample of red kryptonite that took away Superman's powers so long as Luthor never revealed to Superman that Mxyzptlk was involved. Despite Superman's lack of powers, he still risked his life to battle Mammoth and the mad scientist Thaddeus Killgrave, although he also called in Starman to impersonate him for a time. Eventually, the spell was lifted when Luthor told Clark Kent where the red kryptonite had come from, believing that he wouldn't be breaking Mxyzptlk's rule about not letting Superman know the truth if he told Kent and Kent told Superman.

Many of Mxyzptlk's later stories have a post-modern feel to them, similar to Ambush Bug, as he comments on editorial decisions, clichés of the genre, etc. This was most obvious in Superman: The Man of Steel #75, a pastiche of Superman's death in Superman volume 2 #75, where Mxyzptlk creates a duplicate of Doomsday. The confrontation culminates with Mxyzptlk meeting the Supreme Being who turns out to be Mike Carlin, the then-editor of the Superman titles, who promptly brings him back to life. Although Mxyzptlk does not appear in Grant Morrison's JLA, Morrison took advantage of certain similarities to tie Johnny Thunder's Thunderbolt and Aquaman's nemesis Qwsp to the fifth dimension, implying the dimension may be the origin for legends of djinn. This story also saw the first Post-Crisis appearance of Mxyzptlk's Earth-One girlfriend, Ms. Gsptlsnz (described as his "quinto-partner"; pronounced Giz-pit-lez-nez or "Gizbie" for short).

In Countdown to Final Crisis, the modern Mxyzptlk claims to have always felt the need for a "public" in the third dimension, and Superman was not his first victim.

Secret Origin

In Young Justice #3, Peter David showed Mxyzptlk's origins as a serious-minded researcher, who travels through time, summoned by computer-based occultists. He takes the opportunity to conduct some scholarly studies. He chooses to examine a Halloween party in Happy Harbor, focusing on the results of aging a portion of the teens and causing some of the others to frantically dance out of control. What Mxyzptlk doesn't know was that Robin, Superboy, and Impulse were hired by the town's adults to chaperone the party. When the boys confront Mxyzptlk, they realize that this was not the same Mxyzptlk whom Superman had regularly faced; indeed, he appears to not have even assumed the name 'Mxyzptlk' at this point, regarding it as sounding like something somebody randomly typed (which is, indeed, how the character chose his name in his first post-Crisis appearance). Upon discovering the chaotic future that awaits him, Mxyzptlk declares that he would dedicate his life to learning and knowledge. However, those words led to a shift in time, creating an apocalyptic world everywhere but outside the building where the Halloween party is being held. This is because Mxyzptlk was not left to annoy Superman. In order to avoid this, Robin, Superboy, and Impulse realize that they need to instill Mxyzptlk with his trademark wacky sense of humor.

A Three Stooges film is uncovered and watched via an old projector. Mxyzptlk is entertained by the comedy in the movies. He tries out a Stooge-style poke in the eye on Mick Gurk, the projectionist, finding the slapstick humor to his liking. He promises that, when it is time, he will hassle Superman as he is supposed to, in honor of Superboy, Impulse, Robin, and even Murno Gladst.

Time is restored to as how it should be... mostly. Outside the civic center is an unexpected Mxyzptlk theme park, the only change to the world.

However it appears that Mxyzptlk has forgotten this incident as the years have passed. When confronted by Superboy later on, the imp declares that he had no knowledge of his adventure with Young Justice. Whether or not this is true, or Mxyzptlk merely playing a trick on the Boy of Steel, is never revealed.

Improper Use of Power

In Emperor Joker, a multipart story throughout the Superman titles, Mxyzptlk has his powers temporarily stolen by the Joker; interested in seeing how somebody else would do at his job, Mxyzptlk intends to give the Joker only 1% of his power. However, the Joker tricks Mxyzptlk into revealing his secret imp name and thus acquires 99.9% of Mxyzptlk's power, leaving him mostly powerless while the Joker remakes Earth in 69 seconds to suit his own vision. The imp is also unable to remember what to do to break the chain of events that daily culminates with Superman being dragged back to Arkham Asylum by Bizarro. Fortunately, Mxyzptlk is able to reveal the truth about the world to Superman, who, despite his current lack of faith in himself — caused mainly by the fact that not even Lois Lane believes in him in this world — manages to find the power to break the cycle and defeat the Joker. As the Joker prepares to end existence, Superman realizes that, for all his power, the Joker still cannot erase Batman, as the Joker defines himself by his constant opposition to the Dark Knight, allowing Superman to shatter the Joker's control of reality. However, Mxyzptlk saves some of the Joker's creations and transfers them into the 'real' world, including Scorch, Gorgeous Gilly, the new Bizarro and "Ignition", a black-armored villain who first appeared in the Emperor Joker story but was created by someone else (exactly who has never been revealed).

It has also been implied that Mxyzptlk sees himself as serving an important purpose, in teaching Superman not to take everything seriously.

In Adventures of Superman #617 (2003), Mxyzptlk is reinvented as fraternal twins with an intense hatred for Superman. Amongst other things, they claim responsibility for the creation of the present-day Persuader. A year later, in Superman Secret Files and Origins 2004 (2004), he returns to his usual self following a fellow imp in the fifth dimension combining the twins with the classic Mxyzptlk, resulting in his normal form and personality.

Mxyzptlk formed a significant part of Greg Rucka's "Ruin" storyline in Adventures of Superman. His appearance here is similar to his Golden Age look, with the addition of a single lock of hair, resembling Superman's S-shaped forelock. This version of Mxyzptlk is less abrasive than he had been previously, and is portrayed as basically on Superman's side. The metafictional aspects of the character were also played up, as he visits the DC Comics offices in the real world, presented as fumetti.

At the same time, Mxyzptlk appeared in Superman/Batman #23. During this time, his appearance and costume are different from his most recent adventures with Superman. His appearance is similar to the more typical "modern" version of the character. He is trying to prepare Batman and Superman for the upcoming Infinite Crisis (while chronologically taking place before Infinite Crisis, the issue itself came out afterwards). The incident features alternate universe versions of Superman, Batman, and Deathstroke and implies much chaos that was not shown, such as the planet Mogo visiting Earth to reclaim an old land mass. At the end of this storyline, Mxyzptlk indicates he has erased the knowledge of Superman's identity from Lex Luthor's mind.

A weakened Mxyzptlk is seemingly killed by Ruin while protecting Superman. Art by Karl Kerschl.

After the fallout of the events of Day of Vengeance (and, while not mentioned, the corruption of the Fifth Dimension as seen in JSA), the removal of magic from the Earth leaves Mxyzptlk nearly powerless, wandering the streets of Metropolis and unable to remember how to pronounce the inverse of his name to return him home. Superman attempts to help him, but the two are then attacked by the villain Ruin. Ruin attempts to assassinate Superman with Kryptonite-based weaponry, but Mxyzptlk pushes Superman out of the way, taking a Kryptonite spear to the heart and vanishing. Right before he vanishes, he seems to whisper 'kltpzyxm'.

One Year Later

Action Comics Annual #10 states that Mister Mxyzptlk was last seen 190 days ago and that the pronunciation of his name is Mix-Yez-Pittle-Ick (as it was in the 1960s Superman CBS-TV cartoon show, mentioned previously).

Countdown

Mister Mxyzptlk makes a one-page appearance in Countdown #31. On a walk in the fifth dimension with Gsptlsnz and his pet goldfish named Superman, he is grabbed by someone or something unknown who then disappears with Mxy. It is later revealed in Countdown #23, Mxyzptlk was abducted by Superboy-Prime and imprisoned in the Source Wall. Prime has been apparently torturing the imp into helping him bring back his "perfect Earth", i.e. Earth Prime. Mxyzptlk mentions that he has been coming to Earth for centuries, and has been referred to by many names (Loki, Coyote, and Anansi). He is later sent back to his home by Annataz Arataz, the Earth-3 counterpart of Zatanna, whom Prime had also captured. Arriving in the fifth dimension, he fearfully announces to Gsptlsnz that he can never go back and demands that their dimension be sealed immediately.

Powers and abilities

Mr. Mxyzptlk has access to Fifth Dimensional technology that appears to be magical to Third Dimensional beings. His abilities are limited only by his willpower (he could, for example, make Superman morbidly obese by snapping his fingers). His only apparent weakness is that whenever he speaks his name backwards, he is shunted back to the Fifth Dimension, and all effects of his "magic" vanish, making everything as it was before he appeared. Although Mxyzptlk's gullible nature often makes it easy for Superman or other individuals to trick him into saying his name backwards, it is only a temporary deterrent; after ninety days, he can again visit Earth at will.

Though easily the most powerful of Superman's recurring enemies, Mxyzptlk is simply a fun-loving prankster who prefers to use his power for childish antics and light-hearted harassment rather than intentional malicious evil, as he would get bored very quickly by doing so; thus he is more of an annoyance to the Man of Steel than a true threat.

Paradoxically, Mxyzptlk (at least in his pre-Crisis persona) is actually somewhat protective of Superman because, in his opinion, Superman's generally serious demeanor makes him an exceptionally entertaining target for pranks. For example, in DC Comics Presents #34 (June 1981), Mxyzptlk, prompted by his endless search for distraction, teams up with Captain Marvel's archenemy Mister Mind to double-team their foes, not realizing that Mind, unlike himself, is a ruthless murderer. When Mind threatens their enemies with death, Mxyzptlk, who until that point was mostly indifferent to Mind's intent on world conquest, emphatically declares, "Superman lives, or I want out!" When Mind, deeming Mxyzptlk no longer necessary to his scheme, threatens the imp, Mxyzptlk voluntarily says his name backwards, shunting himself back to the Fifth Dimension and undoing everything he had done to help Mind thus far.

Though the exact limits of Mr. Mxyzptlk's powers are unknown, his power apparently dwarfs that of even third-dimension cosmic beings. During Grant Morrison's Justice League run, the higher-dimensional nature of Mxyzptlk's fellow genies was played to its logical conclusion of possessing power 'two degrees of infinity' higher than any normal beings; Qwsp refers to himself as encompassing both time and hypertime in addition to our spatial dimensions, and another djinn named Lkz overcame and imprisoned the hostless Spectre without apparent trouble. Later, during the Emperor Joker storyline, this is expanded upon: the Joker, possessing the same powers, is able to unweave the very fabric and laws of the cosmos, and render the less powerful than normal Hal Jordan Spectre into a deranged puppet, Mxyzptlk explaining that he has the power to do what the Joker is doing to the world but never uses it because he would run the risk of destroying reality from the strain he would be subjecting it to and thus leave himself with nothing to do the next day. In the Day of Vengeance miniseries, the Spectre easily overpowered Jakeem Thunder and his 5th dimension genie, Thunderbolt. However, the Thunderbolt is limited by its masters ability to verbally frame a wish. Also as seen in the an issue of Adventures of Superman during the Ruin story line, Mr. Mxyzptlk's was weakened because of the Spectre's attempt to destroy magic, so much so that he could not remember how to say his name backwards to go back to the 5th Dimension.

Also, Annataz Arataz was able to prevent Mxyzptlk from using his powers while Superboy-Prime's prisoner. Though Zatanna of the normal DC Universe was shown to have been equal to Zor, the Rogue Time Tailor during Grant Morrison's Seven Soldiers of Victory (Zor being an entity capable of bending space and time with magic). The 5th and 6th dimension beings' power levels have not yet been fully explained.

A point as to the nature of Mr. Mxyzptlk has been raised in Batman #680. Batman asks his 5th Dimension counterpart, Bat-Mite, if he is really an imp from the 5th Dimension or just a figment of his imagination. Bat-Mite responds that the two are one and the same: the 5th Dimension is imagination.

Antimatter Universe

In The Brave and the Bold #11, Superman is confronted with Ultraman, his counterpart from the Antimatter Universe which most famously housed Qward; however, they are interrupted mid-battle by Mixyezpitellik, Mxyzptlk's own Antimatter counterpart. This counterpart does not reside in Qward, but is another inhabitant of the 5th Dimension; he loaths being compared to Mxyzptlk, who he refers to as a 'madcap imp'. Just as Ultraman is in every way the opposite of Superman - uncontrolled, violent, and petulant - so is Mixyezpitellik from Mxyzptlk. He appears dressed in a neat suit and carries an umbrella and wears a large fedora rather than the clownish bowler, though is still colored purple as of his counterpart, and refers to himself as 'a vowelled Knight of Order', suggesting that the use of Vowels in the Fifth Dimension denotes rank. Notably, Mixyezpitellik specifically states his powers are magic based and thus limited to some degree as indicated by him being changed by the very nature of the matter based reality to become more imp like to fit into its reality structure. Mixyezpitellik's relationship with Ultraman also mirrors that between Mxyzptlk and Superman; while to Superman, Mxyzptlk is merely a mischievous annoyance who rarely makes a great impact upon him, Ultraman finds himself terrified by Mixyezpitellik's power and is thus made to act as his agent.

Supergirl: Cosmic Adventures in the Eighth Grade

Mxyzptlk is the main villain in the miniseries. Here, he is disguised as the principal of Stanhope Boarding School, which Supergirl, Lena Luthor, and Belinda Zee attend. At the end of the fifth issue Mxyzptlk and his henchmen (fellow teachers) reveal their true forms while laughing at the chaos they have spawned.

In the last issue of the series, it is revealed that Mxyzptlk was behind Supergirl's rocket landing in Metropolis, and almost all the catastrophes in the series, hoping to use her emotions to power a machine that would give him an unlimited amount of energy. It is even suggested that he might have been behind the destruction of Krypton in the first place, just to manipulate events to the current point. After being beaten by an ominipotent Supergirl, who is revealed to be the hand Krona saw, he retreats back to the fifth dimension... only to be banished to a two dimensional prison by his own henchmen, as punishment for "breaking the rules of the game".

The 5th Dimension and Magic Imps

Since the appearance of Mr. Mxyzptlk, a number of imps have appeared to assist/annoy fictional protagonists. Further, in the JLA arc Crisis Times Five, it was revealed many of the seemingly omnipotent beings such as genies are in fact residents of the 5th Dimension come to the third dimension. A number of these beings either inspired by or connected to Mxyzptlk include (in chronological order):

• Thunderbolt genie - Predating Mxyzptlk appearing in Flash Comics #1 (January 1940), the djinn Yz was attached to the infant Johnny Thunder and upon Johnny saying "Cei-U" (Yz spoken backwards), Yz appears to do his master's bidding. It was retroactively established Yz (as well as most beings like genies, djinns, and other seemingly omnipotent magical beings) is from the 5th Dimension in the same story he merged with fellow djinn Lkz to form Yzlkz.
• Shaggy, Hoppy, and Woggle - Leprechauns from Shamrock Land introduced in Wonder Woman #14 (Fall 1945). Shaggy appeared in Super Friends #11 (March 2009) with Mr. Mxyzptlk, Bat-Mite, Quisp, Mopee, and a Guardian of the Universe as the Super Friends' "imps." They would all return (save the Guardian) in the series' 29th issue causing mischief at the Super-Con comic convention.
• Shocko - Yz's son introduced in Flash Comics #69 (February 1946).
• Xeen Arrow - From Dimension Zero, Xeen Arrow first appeared in Adventure Comics #253 (October 1958) and appears in many ways opposite in form to his 5th Dimension cousins: where the imps were small, infantile, often chubby, Xeen was tall (over a mile in height) and incredibly emaciated.
• Bat-Mite - First appearing in Detective Comics #267 (May 1959), pre-Crisis Bat-Mite was from the Mite Dimension (Ergo on The New Adventures of Batman) but has appeared post-Crisis as being the powers of Mxyzptlk given sentience from when the Joker controlled them and as a possible delusion of Batman.
• Guardians of the Universe - Introduced in Green Lantern #1 (July 1960), The Guardians were one of the first intelligent races in the universe and became one of the most powerful. Considering themselves as responsible for the universe considering their power, they established the Green Lantern Corps to bring justice and order to its many worlds.
• Mister Genie (Genro) - Saved by Wonder Tot from a treasure chest in Wonder Woman #126 (November 1961), Mr. Genie would frequently assist the tiny heroine in her adventures.
• Qwsp/Quisp - A water sprite introduced in Aquaman #1 (January–February 1962), Qwsp retroactively was made to be an imp from the 5th Dimension in the pages of JLA.
• Maya - Queen of the Flower Spirits/Dryads from another dimension, Maya first appeared in the Atom #1 (July 1962) to liberate her people from the control of the Plant Master. She and the Dryads, with the ability to fly and control plants, would return occasionally to assist the Atom.
• Zook - From "a parallel world in another dimension" introduced in Detective Comics #311 (January 1963), Zook was Martian Manhunter's mischievous pet.
• Impossible Man - A mischievous shapeshifter that bothers the Fantastic Four on occasion introduced in Fantastic Four #11 (February 1963).
• Myrwhydden - An impish sorcerer trapped inside Green Lantern's ring that rules over a realm of magic. Introduced in Green Lantern #26 (January 1964).
• The Great Gazoo - A resident of the planet Zetox, Gazoo arrived in Bedrock to annoy Fred and Barney in The Flintstones, first appearing in The Great Gazoo (October 29, 1965).
• Mopee - First introduced in Flash #167 (February 1967), Mopee was an initiate tenth class of the Heavenly Help-Mates that supposedly directed the lightning that gave Barry Allen his powers as the Flash though this has since been renounced.
• Zazzo - An imp from another dimension, Zazzo invented a helmet which stole Captain Marvel's lightning and gained his powers, taking the name Zazzo-Plus in Shazam! #19 (July–August 1975).
• Zarbor - Introduced in Have An Evil Day in The New Adventures of Batman (1977), Zarbor is a criminal from Bat-Mite's dimension that came to Earth to steal their nuclear power plants.
• Gazook - A 5th Dimensional Imp that assisted Yellow Peri to help people. First appeared in The New Adventures of Superboy #34 (October 1982).
• Mzzttexxal - An energy being that merged with Jonni Thunder as a homage to Johnny Thunder. Inevitably, it was discovered Mzzttexxal was an alien parasite that needed to bond with living beings in order to live with designs on conquering Earth.
• Mr. Kltpzyxm - A Bizarro-version of Mxyzptlk introduced in The Bizarro Super Powers Team episode of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (September 18, 1985). A Bizarro-Mxyzptlk would appear in Action Comics #856 (November 2007).
• Zzlrrrzzzm - Mzzttexxal's mate introduced in Infinity, Inc. #41 (August 1987).
• Nzykmulk - Mr. Mxyzptlk's deranged (and more powerful) cousin introduced in Superman #421 (July 1986).
• Ms. Gsptlsnz - The girlfriend/wife of Mxyzptlk first appearing in Mxyzpixilated of Superman: The Animated Series (September 20, 1997).
• Larry (Nosyarg Kcid) - A 5th Dimension imp that pestered the Teen Titans as Robin's self-proclaimed biggest fan in Fracture of Teen Titans (August 7, 2004).
• Zyx - Young sorcerer from Zerok that menaced the Legion of Super-Heroes in Child's Play of Legion of Super Heroes (February 24, 2007).
• Klyzyzk Klzntplkz - The Superman of the 5th Dimension from the 67th century introduced in All-Star Superman #6 (March 2007).
• Mixyezpitellik - 5th Dimension imp often compared to Mxyzptlk (much to his chagrin) because of his attachment to Ultraman, whom Mixyezpitellik terrorizes in order for the Anti-Matter villain to perform tasks for him. First appeared in The Brave and the Bold #11 (May 2008).
• Joker-Mite - Created by Joker when he had Bat-Mite's powers in Emperor Joker! of Batman: The Brave and the Bold (October 22, 2010).

Relation to Marvel's Impossible Man

Marvel Comics' Impossible Man seems to have been modeled after Mxyzptlk, and writers at DC have suggested that the two characters are one and the same: in Superman vol. 2, #50, Mxyzptlk mentions that he's been "having fun with my new fantastic friends" and later mentions getting "back to my four new friends", referring presumably to the Fantastic Four; he also uses the expression "it's blubbering time" (a play on the Thing's standard battle-cry "it's clobbering time"), and says that he's been having "a backlog of mayhem in another dimension", probably referring to the Marvel Universe. Mxyzptlk keeps altering his form constantly in this issue, and also changes into a form similar to that of the Impossible Man, with inverted colors, and says "Sometimes it's just impossible to remember what I look like from world to world." Writers at Marvel, however, clarified this in the Impossible Man's entry in the 2006 edition of the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, noting that Mxyzptlk was merely impersonating Impy.

Later on, in 1996, the Impossible Man and Mxyzptlk teamed up in the DC/Marvel crossover story Silver Surfer vs. Superman, in which the two imps combined their powers to swap universes for the Silver Surfer and Superman. Here the power of Impossible Man was more like Mxyzptlk's own reality warping powers, rather than just shapeshifting.^{[citation needed]} In this comic, Mxyzptlk and Impossible Man have a fight where they keep changing into various characters from their respective universe, for instance The Incredible Hulk and Doomsday. The differences are profoundly displayed between the two characters - chiefly, in that Impossible Man's motive is pure fun and abhors true violence, while Mxyzptlk is darker and more interested in destructive chaos, and to Impossible Man's astonishment and anger, is prone to lying.

In other media

• Mxyzptlk first appeared in animated form in the Filmation series The New Adventures of Superman episode "Imp-Practical Joker." In this appearance, Filmation used the official DC Comics pronunciation of his name. Mister Mxyzptlk causes mischief at a carnival outside of Metropolis until Superman arrives. Superman tries to get Mxyzptlk to say his name backwards at different attempts. Superman manages to trick Mxyzptlk into saying his name backwards by messing up the pronunciation of his name.

• Mr. Mxyzptlk appeared in the Super Friends animated series, voiced by Frank Welker. In that series, Mxyzptlk's name is pronounced as Miks-ill-plik (backwards, Kilp-ill-skim) and he takes to tormenting all the members of the team, even when Superman is absent. In one episode^[3] Mr. Kltpzyxm, a Bizarro Mxyzptlk is created, who promptly speeds off to turn Bizarro world into a beautiful planet like Earth, much to Bizarro's horror.

• Michael J. Pollard played Mxyzptlk in the late 1980s and early 1990s live-action series Superboy in two episodes.

• Howie Mandel portrayed Mxyzptlk in the 1990s live-action series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman episode "Twas the Night Before Mxymas".^[4] Mxyzptlk is said to have a long history of earlier pre-Superman visits to Earth, being the source of stories regarding imps, genies, and leprechauns. This version of Mr. Mxyzptlk is very similar to the comics version; he is a native of the fifth dimension and the only way to get rid of him (presumably for good) was to get him to say his name backwards. However unlike past versions he's much more malevolent being and is there to take over, not just annoy Superman. He trapped the world in a time loop, with people becoming more violent and hateful in each go-round than they were in the last, until a third World War was looming (saying that no future meant no hope for the future and so mankind, though unaware that the day was repeating, would destroy itself.)

• In the 1990s cartoon Batman: The Animated Series, Mr. Mxyzptlk briefly appeared as a silent, animatronic toy created by Dr. Karl Rossum in the 3rd season episode "Deep Freeze". His design is identical to the Bronze Age version, and he was seen riding on a flying carpet. Bat-Mite, Streaky the Supercat, and Krypto the Superdog can also be seen.

Gsptlsnz (left) and Mxyzptlk (right), as seen in Superman: The Animated Series

• In the 1990s animated series, Superman: The Animated Series, Mr. Mxyzptlk was voiced by comedian Gilbert Gottfried and his design was closer to the Golden Age version. This version pronounced his name "mix-yes-spit-lick" and demonstrated this by turning into a mixer, an album cover of the group Yes, back into himself while spitting at Superman, and then a dog that licks him; he demonstrated the pronunciation after, in a nod to the old Super Friends cartoon, Clark read his name using the pronunciation from that series, "Mix-ul-plict". In a nod to Lois & Clark, Mxyzptlk at one point tells Superman that he is responsible for Earth legends about imps, genies, and leprechauns. In this incarnation he appears as a comical annoyance rather than a genuine threat, and at one point teams up with Bizarro. He's also notable for being easily tricked into saying his name backwards, sometimes even saying it accidentally when enraged. For instance, one visit by Mxyzptlk, heavily armed with the intention of killing the superhero, has him forced back in under ten seconds. This series also featured Sandra Bernhard as his girlfriend Ms. Gsptlsnz. They only appeared in the episodes "Mxyzpixilated" and "Little Big Head Man". In the same scene where he gives his name pronunciation, Mxy turns himself into a comicstrip character. The strip is credited to Siegel and Shuster.

• According to the commentary for "Mxyzpixilated", there were plans for him to star in a Justice League episode, but neither writer Paul Dini (a huge fan of the character, who wrote "Mxyzpixilated") nor series creator Bruce Timm could figure out a story that would be suitable. He did make a "cameo" as a cardboard cutout used in a training exercise in the episode "Secret Society - Part 1", however. This incarnation resembles the original Mr. Mxyzptlk, rather than the two more modern versions.

Trent Ford (right) as Mikhail Mxyzptlk in Smallville Season 4 episode Jinx

• In Smallville, a character named Mikhail Mxyzptlk (pronounced Mix-ill-pit-ill-lick) was appeared in the Season 4 episode, "Jinx".^[5] Mikhail, played by Trent Ford, was a young foreign exchange student sponsored by LuthorCorp who started an underground gambling ring at Smallville High School. In this series, Mxyzptlk is from a line of people (the "Kltpzyxm" family) that lived near the Balkans and possess the power to influence the body of anyone he can see. For example, when he mutters "trip," Clark Kent trips in the middle of a football play.

• Mister Mxyzptlk is featured in Batman: The Brave and the Bold voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson. He is mentioned by Batman in "Legends of the Dark Mite" when he learns that Bat-Mite is from the Fifth Dimension and that he tells Bat-Mite that a friend in Metropolis (Superman) had warned him about 5th dimensional beings. In "Battle of the Superheroes!", he is causing mischief in Metropolis until Superman tricks him into saying his name backwards. In this series, his name is pronounced "Mix-ee-yez-pit-lik".

• At the end of the animated movie Superman: Brainiac Attacks, Mxyzptlk is briefly mentioned by Perry White, who has difficulty pronouncing his name.
• Mxyzptlk was considered as one of the villains in Superman III, as written in an outline by Ilya Salkind. The Mr. Mxyzptlk portrayed in the outline varies from his good-humored comic counterpart, as he uses his abilities to seriously harm. Dudley Moore was the top choice to play the role.^[6]

• Mr. Mxyzptlk appears in the Superman Returns video game voiced by Dwight Shultz. He appears as a narrator to the minigames menu.

• Mr. Mxyzptlk appears in the DC Universe Online video voiced by Shanon Weaver. He appears imitating a leprechaun game as part of the game's St. Patrick's Day themed seasonal update. Mr. Mxyzptlk later pops up in the Hall of Doom.
• Mr. Mxyzptlk appears in the Superman & Bugs Bunny comic book in 2000.

Cultural references

• Alan Moore's Supreme includes a version of Mxyzptlk called Szasz, the Sprite Supreme from the 19th dimension.
• In a 1980s Spider-Man comic,^{[volume & issue needed]} Peter Parker mumbled "Mxyzptlk" in his sleep. Similarly, his daughter from the MC2 Universe, Spider-Girl mutters "Kltpzyxm" as she's roused from her sleep.^[7]
• In the Family Guy episode "I Take Thee Quagmire", Adam West tricks Alex Trebek into saying his own name backwards, sending him back to the fifth dimension. On the June 15, 2007 airing of Jeopardy!, contestant Jared Cohen wrote Trebek's name backwards as the response to the Final Jeopardy! answer, so that Trebek would say it aloud. Cohen says that he had heard that this would cause Trebek to return to his own dimension. Trebek pronounced it differently than he did in Family Guy, "keebert" instead of "kebbert". (See a transcript of the incident.)
• In the novel Super-Folks by Robert Mayer, the imp from the 5th dimension is named Pxyzsyzygy, foe of the novel's Superman analogue, David Brinkley. His face is revealed to be that of the smiley face.
• Brooklyn-based band, Mixel Pixel, credits Mxyzptlk as the source of their name.^{[citation needed]}
• In Simpsons Comics, Bart is being stalked by Sideshow Bob. When talking to Lisa, he compares himself to Superman and compares Bob to Mxyzptlk, when Lisa tries to correct the pronunciation, Comic Book guy appears out of nowhere and admits that both were correct.
• In a New Avengers comic, Spider-Man cracks a joke about how someone might "say the magic word, like 'Mxyzptlk'..."^{[volume & issue needed]}
• The third movement of American composer Michael Daugherty's Metropolis Symphony is a musical portrait of Mr. Mxyzptlk.^{[citation needed]}

Pronunciation

Due to the phonetic difficulties in pronouncing a name such as Mxyzptlk, it has been pronounced in various ways by various sources over the past four decades. On the 1967 Filmation CBS Superman animated series, it was pronounced as mix-yez-PITTLE-ik; sources indicate that was the official DC Comics version of the time, furnished to the show's writers through DC Comics editor/writer E. Nelson Bridwell. During the 1980s, on the Super Friends cartoon, produced by Hanna-Barbera, it was approximated as Mix-Ill-Plick. Miks-yez-pit-lik is actually a general translation and other variations have included mix-yez-PIT-lek, mix-yez-PIT-ul-ick, and mix-yez-pittle-ik. To further complicate matters, Mxyzptlk says himself in the 1990s animated series of Superman, that his name is pronounced the same as saying the words "mix, yes, spit, lick," even transforming himself into the appropriate illustrations for the words. Clark had pronounced his name as Mix-Ill-Plick before Mxyzptlk popped out of the comic and proceeded to correct him. In his appearance in the Superman Returns video game, Mxyzptlk proudly refers to himself as "the one and only Mr. Mix-yiz-SPIT-Lik!, straight from the fifth dimension!" Miks-il-piti-lik (with the i 's pronounced only lightly) was used on Smallville, all while the original spelling of his name was pronounced mix-pit-tulk. This has created great confusion and even debate as to how his name is actually to be spoken.

In the recently released Action Comics Annual #10 (2007), "Superman's Top 10 Most Wanted" describes Mr. Mxyzptlk and provides the pronunciation as mix-yez-pittle-ik, exactly like the 1967 animated series. So, phonetically, the pronunciation backwards would be "kell-tipp-ZEY-skim." Confusingly, the 1967 animated series used the backwards pronunciation "kulp-ti-Mix-im." It's fair to say that producers were free to interpret the name any way they wanted, just as they routinely changed other elements of comic lore to suit their various series.

See also

• List of Superman enemies
• Trickster god

References

1. ^ Beatty, Scott; Waid, Mark (2006). The Superman Handbook: The Ultimate Guide to Saving the Day. Quirk Books. pp. 27. ISBN 1594741131. http://books.google.com/books?id=5ULPCNBRQZcC&pg=PA27&dq=%22Mxyzptlk%22&sig=okGneq0m8lqRRHXx5TXK--S-gzI. 
2. ^ Mr. Mxyzptlk is number 76, IGN.
3. ^ "The Bizarro Super Powers Team". The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians. Hanna-Barbera. 1985-11-21. No. 3, season 1.
4. ^ "Twas the Night Before Mxymas". Michael Vejar (writer); Tim Minear (director). Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. ABC. 1996-12-15. No. 11, season 4.
5. ^ "Jinx". Mark Warshaw (writer); Paul Shapiro (director). Smallville. The WB. 2004-11-03. No. 7, season 4.
6. ^ Salkind, Ilya. Story Outline for Superman III; (PDF file); Accessed September 4, 2010
7. ^ Spider-Girl #14

External links

• Supermanica: Mr. Mxyzptlk Supermanica entry on the Pre-Crisis Mr. Mxyzptlk
• Mxyzptlk.com Online comic art gallery featuring many images of Mr. Mxyzptlk.