Capes On the Couch - Where Comics Get Counseling: Issue 81

Issue 81 - Superboy Prime

May 27, 2020

We punch a wall through Superboy-Prime! How is Prime like 2Pac? And which DuckTales character is Alex Luthor Jr. like? Listen in to find out!

SHOW NOTES:

Intro
- Shoutout to Seequels - every week three hosts review direct-to-video sequels of childhood favorites, and compare/contrast with the originals - seequels.com
Background (04:38)

- Superboy-Prime created by Elliot S! Magin & Curt Swan in DC Comics Presents #87 (Nov. 1985)
- Earth-Prime is “our” world in the multiverse - no superheroes exist
- Clark Kent is the adopted son of Jerry & Naomi - turns out he’s actually got latent superpowers, which manifest when he turns 15 and Halley’s Comet passes overhead
- Joins the Crisis on Infinite Earths - ends up in a paradise dimension alongside Superman & Lois of Earth-2, and Alexander Luthor Jr. of Earth-3
- Longs to return to his world, even though it was destroyed, and becomes angsty - punches the wall of reality, creating numerous changes in reality and retconning several character changes
- Destroys the JLA Watchtower, and proceeds to attack Conner Kent, who he believes stole his life - kills several heroes who come to defend Conner
- Banished to the Speed Force for several years, before escaping with a suit of armor that boosts his power levels
- Ends up killing Conner after they destroy Alex’s vibrational tuning fork that would impact the multiverse - this also results in the merging of the several Earths
- Heads to Oa, where he wipes out dozens of Green Lanterns - attacked by Superman of Earths 1 & 2, and kills Earth-2 Superman - taken into custody by Guardians of the Universe
- During the Sinestro Corps War, he is freed and joins the Sinestro Corps - one of the Guardians sacrifices themselves to destroy him, but all it does is infuse him with Oan energy
- Gets sent to the 31st Century, where he discovers that history has largely forgotten him - he is revealed to be the Time Trapper, a villain of the Legion of Super-Heroes, and ends up attacking himself - this sends him back to Earth-Prime, which was not destroyed - everyone there has read all of the comics, and they fear him - he ends up in his parents’ basement, a parody of toxic fanboys
- Transported back to Earth-1, where he gathers other villains and attacks the Teen Titans - they overpower him and imprison him in the Source Wall
- Recently revealed to be trapped in the Monsterlands, where he broke out and is seeking revenge on Shazam
Issues (18:00)
- Given no time to process his powers, never really learned to control them or how to use them
- Angst over being taken away from his entire family & support system (24:10)
- Extremist - unsure if he can ever be praised for doing anything, he just dives into villainy (31:25)
Break (39:03)
- Plugs for Varmints & Petri Dish, plus Meredith Finch
Treatment (40:22)
- In-universe - Kitchen sink - bring everyone & everything
- Out of universe - Peer support group (43:35)
Skit (55:43)
Ending (61:50)
- Recommended reading: Final Crisis: Legion of 3 Worlds
- Next episodes: Azrael, Northstar (not Guardian), Raphael
- Plugs for social