Superman Emergency Squad
The Superman Emergency Squad (sometimes called the Supermen Emergency Squad) is a fictional superhero team in the DC Comics universe. They first appeared in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #48 (October 1960).
Fictional background
| Superman Emergency Squad | |
|---|---|
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #48 (October 1960) |
| Created by |
Otto Binder (script) Curt Swan (art) |
| In-story information | |
| Base(s) | Kandor |
| Member(s) |
Don-El Van-Zee Vitar Other unnamed members |
Pre-Crisis
Prior to the Crisis on Infinite Earths reboot, the Superman Emergency Squad is a group of miniaturized Kryptonians from the bottle city of Kandor, which is housed in Superman's Fortress of Solitude. The Squad provides assistance to Superman when he is incapacitated or otherwise occupied. Members of the squad include Superman's look alike cousin Van-Zee[1] (who also uses the secret identity Nightwing), and Don-El, the captain of the Squad.[2] In the early appearances of the Squad, the members were specially selected due to their close resemblance to Superman;[3] later stories dropped this concept.[4] Their costumes were originally modeled on that of Superman but with the 'S' in an elongated triangle.
The Squad goes into action whenever they receive a signal from Superman, or see that he is in trouble while monitoring him. To leave the shrunken city of Kandor, the Squad uses a small rocket ship to fly up to the cork that seals the mouth of the bottle. They then expose themselves to a enlarging gas that causes them to grow from their regular microscopic size to several inches in height. This gives them the ability to force the cork out of the mouth, allowing them access to the outside world[5] (in later stories, the Squad installs a door in the cork, to facilitate exits and entrances).[6] Once outside the bottle city the Squad members, like all natives of Krypton, gain the same powers and abilities as Superman.
Post-Crisis
A new version of the Squad appeared the Crisis reboot, now renamed Kandorian Emergency Squad. Instead of providing emergency assistance to Superman, it now acts as a policing unit in Kandor. The Squad is led by Cerizah, sister of Superman's ally Ceritak. In Superman: The Man of Steel #100 (May 2000), the Emergency Squad leaves Kandor to help Superman defeat Hank Henshaw. As time passes at a faster rate in Kandor, the current status of the squad is uncertain.
Notes
External links
- Supermanica entry on the pre-Crisis Superman Emergency Squad
- Pre-Crisis Superman Emergency Squad at Comic Book Database