Dan Jurgens’ Innovative Tribute to the Fantastic Four
In 1990, renowned writer and artist Dan Jurgens made a significant contribution to the superhero genre by introducing a character reminiscent of Marvel’s Fantastic Four in an unassuming Superman comic. The narrative unfolds with the crew of the spaceship Excalibur as they attempt to launch into space, only to be overwhelmed by lethal radiation. This disastrous event leads to the crash of the Excalibur on Earth, resulting in the crew suffering severe radiation injuries.
Much like Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s iconic The Fantastic Four #1, the Excalibur was crewed by a close-knit group of four: Hank, Terri, Steven, and Jim. Jurgens introduced these characters in The Adventures of Superman #465, where a tragic twist leaves three of them dead by the end of Adventures #466.
Taking cues from the dynamics of the Fantastic Four, the narrative shifts to Hank Henshaw, who discovers a means to counteract the radiation’s effects on his wife, Terri. Her plight echoes Sue Storm’s ability to become invisible, as she phases in and out of various dimensions. Ultimately, Hank’s journey leads him to a tragic demise; slowly decaying, he collapses into a skeletal form while typing at his computer. Remarkably, this is not the last we will encounter Hank, who later transforms into the villainous Cyborg Superman.
Superman’s Encounter with a Tragic Past
The Adventures of Superman #466: A Creative Collaboration
In lieu of Marvel’s original quartet of Reed, Sue, Johnny, and Ben, the Excalibur’s roster consists of Hank, Terri, Steven, and Jim. After the crash, Hank’s body fuses with debris from the Excalibur, transforming him into a hulking and mute entity. Meanwhile, Steven adopts abilities reminiscent of Johnny Storm, gaining the power of flight and electricity manipulation. Hank’s eventual metamorphosis into one of Superman’s greatest adversaries forms the crux of this compelling tale.
Overcome with grief from the death of Terri, Hank merges with Superman’s spacecraft, retreating into the depths of space. Just two issues later, he resurrects as a robotic entity, cobbled together from technological remnants found at the LexCorp facility. In an insightful commentary, Jurgens reminisces:
At the time, I thought of it as a simple, one-shot story that would have a bit of fun with one of the classic origin stories in comics history. Once I was nearing the end of writing and drawing it, I began to see future possibilities with Hank Henshaw and realized I wanted to open things up with an ending that would allow us to explore him further.
Cyborg Superman’s Descent into Villainy
A Pastiche’s Impact on Superman’s Epic Narrative
Upon his return to Earth, the once-tragic Henshaw is now an amalgamation of vengeance and chaos. Grappling with loss and isolation, Hank targets Superman, holding him accountable for the calamity that befell the Excalibur. Strangely enough, his plan unfolds just as the Man of Steel faces his own demise.
In the landmark event known as The Death and Return of Superman, Henshaw’s anti-hero journey propels him into a malevolent path, where he exploits Kryptonian technology from Kal-El’s birthing matrix to create a cybernetic version of Superman. His partnership with Mongul leads to catastrophic plans aimed at tarnishing Superman’s reputation forever, beginning with the destruction of Coast City and its inhabitants. Jurgens elaborates on his thought process:
I liked the character and saw the potential of power in him. I had said many times that back then, Superman had too many civilian enemies without powers. The Cyborg could give him a worthy foe. That was based on his connection to the matrix chamber, which, at the time, is what essentially brought Superman to earth as a soon-to-be-born infant. It gave him something close to Superman’s powers, which instantly made him a worthy adversary.
The Forgotten Origins of Cyborg Superman
The Evolution of Henshaw: From Hero to Villain
As the years progressed, Hank Henshaw—primarily known as Cyborg Superman—emerged as a formidable villain within the DC universe, often clashing with Superman and Hal Jordan of Coast City. While some creators depicted him as a remorseless mass murderer, Jurgens frequently revisited Henshaw’s lost humanity. The character’s complex narrative culminated in the 1999 crossover, Superman / Fantastic Four, where Henshaw encounters Reed Richards:
It was tremendous fun—the kind of thing I could not have imagined when I first dreamed up the raw concept of the first [Henshaw] story. I’m still amazed that we eventually got to do it— especially as a Treasury Sized Edition.
After enduring two reboots, Jurgens returned to the deep-seated tragedy of the Excalibur disaster in the miniseries Superman: Lois & Clark, illustrating an alternate reality where Superman’s failures haunt him. This poignant moment underscores not only one of DC’s finest Superman narratives but also provides closure for the tortured legacy of its unique homage to the Fantastic Four.
The Adventures of Superman #466 remains available for readers, shedding light on the complexities of heroism and villainy in the DC landscape.
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