Superman (Kal Kent)

Superherobox


caption=
comic_color=background:#8080ff
character_name=Superman
real_name=Kal Kent
publisher=DC Comics
debut="DC One Million" #1 (1998)
creators=Grant Morrison
alliance_color=background:#ffc0c0
status=
alliances=Justice Legion Alpha
Superman Squad
aliases=
powers=Evolved Kryptonian powers including force vision, telepathy, flight etc.| Kal Kent is a fictional superhero who appears in the DC Comics, created by Grant Morrison. He is the Superman of the 853rd century. He last appeared in DC One Million #4 and returned in All Star Superman #1.

Character history

"DC One Million"

In the 853rd century, the progenitor of the Superman Dynasty, Superman Kal-El, is about to return from his solar Fortress of Solitude after several centuries. As part of the festivities, the Justice Legion Alpha went back in time to recruit the ancient Justice League of America. The current Legion had counter parts to the League except for Green Lantern (they had the future Starman instead). After arriving at the end of the 20th century, Kal Kent and the Justice Legion convinced the League to go the future and participate in trials as part of the celebration. Before they leave, Kal helps Superman stop a Belle-Reve prison riot; during this incident he references fighting the Chronovore with the 'Superman Squad'. ["DC One Million" #1 (1998)]

Following the League's departure, Hourman releases the "Hourman virus" which infected not only people, but technology. It is revealed that the virus is Solaris' artificial intelligence in its infancy. The virus is spreading because Solaris is looking in all technology and organisms for its body. To cure the world and save it from Solaris, they had to create Solaris. Once in his body, Solaris became self aware, with his intelligence increasing with every passing second. Starman sacrifices himself but he is able to banish Solaris by creating a black hole. Their time machine didn't have enough power for deep time travel, but Superman is able to punch through the time barrier to bring the Legion back to the 853rd century. They arrive in time for Superman-Prime's arrival and the final destruction of Solaris. ["DC One Million" #4 (1998)]

All Star Superman

In 2005, DC Comics announced "All Star Superman" would be written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quitely. The premise is a universal Superman who isn't constrained by decades of continuity, and has the best elements of the mythos plucked from each era of Superman history. Morrison plans to use aborted plans from the "Superman 2000" pitch and will expand on previous plot lines including "DC One Million" and Solaris. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/DC/AS/AllStarSuperman_Morrison.htm Newsarama.com Grant Morrison interview] ]

Kal Kent isn't actually named until Superman mentions him by name in "All Star Superman" #2. He is shown in a holographic communication unit, as Superman is trying to communicate with the future. Due to technological limitations, only fragments come through, Kal is shown talking about the Superman Dynasty's feud with Solaris. He makes his first appearance leading a group of time-traveling Superman Squad members against the time-eating Chronovore in Smallville the day Jonathan Kent dies of a heart attack. ["All Star Superman" #6 (2007)]

Powers and abilities

Kal Kent has Kryptonian powers that have evolved into the far future. His default kryptonian powers (super strength, invulnerability, super speed, super senses, super breath, freeze breath, flight, x-ray vision and heat vision) appear on par with the vastly more powerful Silver Age Superman. Due to other alien/extradimensional admixtures in the Superman Dynasty bloodline, he also has additional powers such as super ESP, force vision, telepathy, electromagnetic manipulation and an additional 10 senses. Kal gets the energy for his main powers from the original Superman Kal-El and Earth's Super-Sun. This future descendant of Superman has stated that he himself is "Faster than a speeding takion, more powerful than a collapsing star, and able to leap between planets in a single bound" His durability, stamina and endurance levels appear to have reached levels capable of easily defeating foes such as Doomsday, Darkseid, Mongul, and possibly even the immense cosmic entity Imperiex himself.Fact|date=March 2008. Finally his agility, reflexes and extrasensory and visionary power are nearly incalculable. He is also immune to Kryptonite, Red sun light/radiation,and possibly psionics. He is also as smart as Brainiac 5 if not more so as the future flash John Fox once stated he is able to calculate over a billion scenarios simultaneously. Although humans have developed into a superhuman race as well, Superman promised his successors greater powers if they pledged to always protect Earth and the solar system. ["Superman: The Man of Tomorrow" #1,000,000 (1998)]

References