I thought it would be fun to end August with a nerdy blog all about some of the strangest moments to ever happen in comic books! (Or, at least, the strangest I’ve come across….) If you have something that can top one of these–and with 80 years of material, I’m sure someone out there does!–then add it in the comments! I’d love to read some more super-absurdity!

(5) JFK once helped Superman keep his secret ID safe!

In Action Comics #309, Superman was being celebrated and thanked in a TV special. The only problem… all of his friends were supposed to be there! How could Clark Kent and Superman appear in the same place at the same time? Easy–just call the president!

(4) Thanos really didn’t care about balance. He was just head-over-heels for Death!

Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame both paint Thanos as a villain who believes himself to be a hero: He truly think that overpopulation is causing agony and destruction. If no one else will fix that problem, then he will. In the comics, however… Thanos knows he’s the villain. In fact, his entire motivation is simple: He has the hots for Death (who, yes, is an actual character), and he wants to wipe out half the population just to woo her. That’s one way to be romantic, I guess…..

(3) Loki ran for president… and almost won!

Deciding that, if the American people were going to be lied to anyways then they might as well enjoy it, Loki runs with a platform so deliciously political it’s laugh-out-loud hilarious: I’m going to be honest about being completely dishonest. He came pretty close to winning, too… but I won’t give away specifics because no one likes spoilers.

(2) Superman’s powers were all replaced with electricity!

A mishap leads to Superman developing energy-based powers. Because nothing says “Up, up, and away!” like an all-blue man surrounded by lightning. (In all honesty, this wasn’t a terrible storyline…. just a really, REALLY weird direction to take the character.)

(1) That time Joker became emperor of reality.

And it was just as chaotic and dark as you’d imagine. Despite the artwork being a bit more cartoonish, the story actually went to some pretty intense places. That dichotomy made for a strange experience while reading the story. Plus, you know… being trapped in a fantasy dreamed up the Joker. Talk about nightmares!

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Sources:

Action Comics: 80 Years of Superman, Deluxe Edition. Burbank, California. DC Comics. 2018

Starlin, Jim. The Infinity Gauntlet. New York. Marvel Comics, 2011.

Hastings, Christopher. Vote Loki. New York. Marvel Comics, 2016.

Jurgens, Dan. Superman Blue, Volume 1. Burbank, California. DC Comics, 2018.

Loeb, Jeph. Superman: Emperor Joker. New York. DC Comics, 2007.