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When people think aboutSuperman ’s counterpart in the Marvel Universe , they ordinarily come up withgod - same organism like Thoror highly moral sub like Captain America . grim - level characters – like Marvel’sAnt - Man – rarely make the list . However , a facial expression at DC ’s Silver Age of Comics usher a time when Superman did n’t just become an ant - theme Heron – he became aliteralgiant pismire .
The story took place in an era when Superman was ofttimes disclose to cerise kryptonite , a substance that temporarily gave him bizarre new powers or transformed him into a baby , a giant … or in this sheath anant - guide android . Even more bizarre ? Supermanchosethis transformation on purpose !
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In “ The Invasion of the Super - Ants , ” a story sport inAction Comics # 296,Clark Kent and Lois Lane theme on an ant settlement display . Clark take the opportunity to inform Lois ( and the readers ) about the incredible attributes of pismire – how they can overturn many times their own weighting , build complex structures , and have a societal system of their own with a queen and doer drones . Clark give way on to bring up that if emmet were ever man - size , they could easily take over the world thanks to their abilities and number .
By incredible coincidence ( and distinctive Silver Age storytelling ) , Clark ’s prognostication directly comes true when some fall back hikers encounter a group of giant pismire . At first the ant seem benevolent – even forming a bridge circuit with their own body to aid the hikers . However , they shortly start acting strangely , stealing material from wagon train lead and storage warehouse . window pane investigates , but the ants have also been stockpilinggreen kryptonite , pee it insufferable for him to get close .
( plain Krypto reckon becoming a collie would make him more well-favored to distaff dogs , but later found out the Red - K had also give him a temporary sex modification as he want to look like Lassie … you got ta love the Silver Age ) . handily , being reveal to thisparticulartype of Red - K also makes Superman resistant to green kryptonite for a while , allowing him to draw near the super - ants ( and gross out out Lois Lane with his new looking at ) . So , why did Superman want toswap his promontory for a more insect - alike look ? obviously , just as Marvel ’s Hank Pym and Scott Lang were able to communicate with dirt ball using theirAnt - Man helmet , Superman can now use his antenna to talk to the superintendent - ants !
turn out these super - ants reallyarenice hombre and only traveled to Earth to discourage the humans about the perils of nuclear war . As such a war once ravage their own planet ( and lead to their evolution ) , the ant now feel a civic responsibility to journey the universe requesting that other foreign race avoid their own fate . Okay , but why did the ant steal from trains and storage warehouse – not to name kidnap Lois Lane ? on the face of it , the ants needed the supplies to reanimate their damage skyrocket ship and decided that making Lois their fag was a effective way to remind Superman of the way ant maneuver and inspire him to intercommunicate with them in their means . ( fortunately this was the Silver Age when Superman was totally exposed to such things – if it had been a different geological era he might have just unloaded his heat imaginativeness on the emmet and fried them all ) .
After offer word of farewell to his new friends ( who only needed the green kryptonite to fuel their rocket ship ) , Superman delivers the ant ’ content to the United Nations , monish them that if they do n’t stave off nuclear war “ the ant - head I maturate will symbolize our Earth ’s future ! ” Everything gets wrap up tidily as long as you do n’t think about it too much ( if the ants meant to monish Earth about nuclear war , why did n’t they make certain they could communicate with humans before they landed ? )
Regardless , “ The Invasion of the Super - Ants ” is a fun story , reminiscent of the nuclear - age monster picture ( particularly thegiant ant movieThem!)of the 1950s , and a outstanding lesson of the regular wackiness of the Silver Age . Who knew thatSupermanwas doing the “ Ant - Man ” affair long before Hank Pym had identify his Pym Particles ?
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