Tentacle Tuesday: It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s a Tentacle!

« A kryptonian octosaur — the most fearsome creature of my long-dead home planet — here — on earth! »

Since Batman was already awarded a Tentacle Tuesday back in April (see Tentacle Tuesday: All Aboard the Batmarine!), it is time to allocate one to the other superhero that crops up all the freaking time, namely good old “Supes” (for those who are on familiar terms with him). I won’t hide from you that I have very little interest in the adventures of the aforementioned character, but I made a pledge to follow tentacles wherever they may lead me. The octopus of comics demands sacrifices!

The Man of Steel. The Last Son of Krypton. The Son of Jor-El. Metropolis’ favorite son. The Man of Tomorrow. Champion of the Oppressed. The Big Blue Boy Scout. The iconic Cape. The definitive Flying Brick. The Big Good of The DCU. The Superhero.
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First, we have a number of inside pages of varying interest, depicting tentacles both organic and mechanical —

A page from **The Superman Super-Spectacular!**, scripted by **Edmond Hamilton**, pencilled by **Curt Swan** and inked by **George Klein**, was published in **Action Comics no. 309** (February 1964).

A page from **The Demon Under the Red Sun!**, scripted by Otto Binder and illustrated by **Al Plastino**, was published in **Superman no. 184** (February 1966).

**The Demon Under the Red Sun!**, part two. Superman wields his rapier-like wit to defeat the poor beastie. This was *years* before the Flying Spaghetti Monster!

A page from **The Power of the Parasite**, scripted by **Jim Shooter** and illustrated by **Al Plastino**, was published in **Action Comics no. 361** (March 1968).

A panel from **The Monster Who Unmasked** Superman!, scripted by Cary Bates, pencilled by Curt Swan and inked by Murphy Anderson, was published in **Action Comics no. 431** (January 1974).

**The Monster Who Unmasked** Superman!: aggressive tentacle grabbery ensues.

Page from **Balance of Power!**, scripted by **Len Wein**, pencilled by **Dick Dillin** and inked by **Dick Giordano**, was published in **Justice League of America no. 111** (May-June 1974).

A page from …**With But a Single Step!**, scripted by **Marv Wolfman** and illustrated by **Gil Kane,** was published in **Action Comics no. 545** (July 1983).

As a tastier, second part of our programme, I offer you an intriguing cover by Dave Gibbons:

**Superman Annual no. 11** (September 1985)

And a page (or three) from what co-editor RG calls “the ultimate Superman story” (and I will absolutely take his word for it) — For the Man Who Has Everything… scripted by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons.

The tentacle mantle is taken up by other characters — pesky, clingy little buggers, aren’t they? « It’s called a Black Mercy. It’s something between a plant and an intelligent fungus. It attaches itself to its victims in a form of symbiosis, feeding from their bio-aura. Why, it gives them their heart’s desire…. », explains Mongul, the ‘benefactor’ who got Superman into this spot of trouble.

Mongul gets his comeuppance! And his heart’s desire of world domination, courtesy of the Black Mercy.

¤ ds

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Who's Out There?

Panning the murky old print stream for the odd glimmering nugget