The Superman comics, including Superman, Action Comics, Adventure Comics, Superboy, Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen, Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane as well as others, featured plenty of robots. These weren’t the first robotic heroes and menaces in comics. Quality Comics began Smash Comics in August 1939 with Bozo the Robot on the cover. Based on Westinghouse’s promotional robot, Electro, Bozo had actiony and humorous adventures until March 1943.
The Golden Age
Robots appeared in various DC comics as early as The Flash #47 (November 1943) but we have to remember Wonder Woman had a robotic airplane since Sensation Comics #1 (January 1942). It was only with the creation of Robot-Man (Robert Crane) in Star Spangled Comics #7 (April 1942) that a robot became the main character. Robotoman ran as a back-up feature until Detective Comics #202 (December 1953). He was replaced by Cliff Steele on The Doom Patrol June 1963.
“The Robot Bandits of Metropolis” appeared in the newspaper comics strip, Superman, from November 30 to December 22, 1940. It was written by Jerry Siegel. This is the first appearance of a robot in a Superman tale. There is an invasion of giant robots similar to Edmond Hamilton’s “The Metal Giants” (Weird Tales, December 1926). Hamilton was an important early SF writer, who gave us giant robots as well as killer cyborgs in “The Comet Doom” (Amazing Stories, January 1928). Hamilton will show up in person here later.
“The Mechanical Monsters” was a Max Fleischer cartoon premiered on November 28, 1941. Superman is voiced by Bud Collyer. Watch it here!
The first robot to show up in a Superman-related comic book was World’s Finest #42, September 1949. “The Alphabetical Animal Adventure!” was written by an unknown author and drawn by Al Plastino. This tale of intergalactic zoo collectors ends with the revelation that the aliens from Uranus are robots.
The first time a Superhero robot appeared, and this is really what we are talking about here, was Superman #71, July-August 1951. “The Ant-Superman Club!” was written by Edmond Hamilton. Superman tries to build a replica of himself but only succeeds with a Super-Girl replicant.
“The Superman Pageant” (World’s Finest #56, January-February 1952) was probably written by Bill Finger. A robot is created to portray Superman in a pageant but the real plot is one by a mad scientist to destroy the Kryptonian. In this story, someone else uses the robot, not Superman. Later, that will change.
“The Man Who Conquered Superman” (Action Comics #165, February 1952) was written by Bill Finger. A month later Superman is bested by another superhero, one that proves to be a robot. This is the first of a string of robot supermen who will beat Superman at the beginning but lose by the end.
“Superman’s Invulnerable Foe” (Action Comics #173, October 1952) was written by an unknown author. The robot in this comic is openly a mechanical device, not one disguised as a man or superman. The robot is used by criminals to break into safes or other secure areas (an old idea by Pulp standards). The crooks try to discredit Superman with the bot but in the end Superman plays Rock’em Sock’em Robots with its head.
“The Missile of Steel” (Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #9, December 1955) was written by Science Fiction writer, Otto Binder. Otto Binder is the second important Science Fiction writer to contribute to the robots found in these comics. He was the author of the popular Adam Link stories in Ray A. Palmer’s Amazing Stories beginning with “I, Robot” (January 1939). This was the first robot series told from the robot’s POV. Isaac Asimov would later borrow the title for his robot collection.
This story was the first of the Superman robot tales. While Superman is busy, he has Jimmy Olsen direct a robot version of himself. The robot also proves useful for getting rid of kryptonite. The Superman robot will appear again as a regular plot device. This is the beginning of long line of robot impersonators that will include Superboy, Jimmy Olsen and Lex Luthor.
The Silver Age
“The Secret of Dinosaur Island” (Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #12, April 1956) was written by Otto Binder. Clark Kent and Jimmy Olsen go to Mystic Island to see if dinosaurs really live there. There is a robot there with the words “This robot is trained to smash your camera.” The local scientist, Professor William Marsh, created the robot to keep the island secret. Superman wears the robot as a suit to dispose of kryptonite on the island. The robot is made of lead. Robotic suits will show up again.
“Metallo of Krypton” (Superboy #49, June 1956) was written by Jerry Coleman. Stranded on an asteroid covered in green kryptonite dust, Superboy is rescued by a Kryptonian robot named Metallo. The robot gives up his “life” to save the superhero. This Metallo is not to be confused with the super-villain of later comics.
“The Super-Robot” (Superboy #52, October 1956) was written by Otto Binder. This time the robot resembles Superboy. It turns out to be Superboy posing as a robot, so not really a robot story.
“The Death of Superman” (Action Comics #225, February 1957) was written by an unknown author. There was quite a big deal about Superman dying in the 1990s. Back in 1957, things were much lower key. This time around, Sup fakes his death with a robot to have a letter opened that reads “To Be Opened Only in Event of Superman’s Death”. He was alive and well for another thirty-five years.
“The Riddle Reporter” (Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #18, February 1957) was written by Otto Binder. Jimmy gets jealous when a mysterious reporter who covers his face makes the scene. By the end we learn it is a robot and part of Superman’s plan to uncover a gang of criminals.
“The Two Jimmy Olsens” (Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #19, March 1957) was written by Otto Binder. Jimmy Olsen finally gets his own robot! Jimmy buys a duplicate of himself. Trouble ensues, which Sup gets him out of, of course. Olsen gets the headline with a piece called JIMMY OLSEN PROVES PLASTIC ROBOTS UNSAFE.
“The Robot War of Smallville” (Adventure Comics #237, June 1957) was written by Jerry Coleman. Superboy goes to Smallville and realizes everyone is a robot. He tracks the culprits down to aliens in a flying saucer. (This was 1957 after all.) Superman uses a giant magnet to stop the robots. This may be the first time this idea was used but I doubt it.
“The Superman Sphinx” (Action Comics #240, May 1958) was written by Otto Binder. Superman fights a space-flying sphinx but more importantly, Lois discovers his robot. Lois’s strange rivalry with Sup’s secret identity was going strong in the 1950s.
“The Robot Jimmy Olsen” (Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #35, March 1959) was written by Otto Binder. Despite the title, this one is actually about a robot suit, not an impostor. Jimmy gets to do some of the amazing things Superman does but proves too young for the responsibility. Superman will give it back to him on his 21st birthday. This story appeared four years before Jack Kirby would create Iron Man at Marvel. Tony Stark had a very different success with flying robotic suits.
“The Menace of Metallo” (Action Comics #252 (May 1959) was written by Robert Bernstein. This is the super-villain Metallo’s first appearance. After a car crash, John Corben’s body is turned into “human robot” or cyborg. A career criminal, he doesn’t use his new life for good. After this he would appear in the Superman comic strip from December 15, 1958 to April 4, 1959. Steve Carper at Black Gate did a great piece on this robotic villain here.
“The Origin of the Superman-Batman Team” (World’s Finest #94, May-June 1959) was written by Edmond Hamilton. The Batman-Superman team is split up when Superman gets a new partner, Powerman. He is, of course, a robot. Superman keeps him to deal with kryptonite. Batman actually pretends to be Superman (and vice versa), making him invulnerable to kryptonite bullets.
“The Tricks of Lois Lane” (Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane #11, August 1959) was written by an unknown author. Again we have the giant magnet, this time with Lois using it to prove either Clark or Superman is a robot. Unfortunately for LL, Superman has substituted a balloon version of himself and used ventriloquism for the voice. Her tricks fails. We also get to see the Superman Club that includes Jimmy Olsen and Perry White. (Having a secret identity must be exhausting!)
