Cyborg Superman

Cyborg Superman is a persona that has been used by two supervillains who appear in comic books published by DC Comics.

Fictional character biographies

Hank Henshaw

Main article: Hank Henshaw

Cyborg Superman
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	As Hank Henshaw: The Adventures of Superman #466 (May 1990) As Cyborg Superman: The Adventures of Superman #500 (June 1993)
Created by	Dan Jurgens
In-story information
Alter ego	Henry "Hank" Henshaw
Species	Human/Kryptonian cyborg
Place of origin	Earth
Abilities	Genius-level intellect Technopathy Kryptonian powers similar to Superman Qwardian power ring

Hank Henshaw is an astronaut at NASA until a solar flare hits his space shuttle during an experiment in space, damaging the ship and the crew. Henshaw and the crew, including Henshaw's wife, found that their bodies had begun to mutate and, after returning to Earth, Henshaw's entire crew either perished or eventually committed suicide. After learning that Superman had thrown the Eradicator into the sun in a battle during the space shuttle experiment, Henshaw blames Superman for the solar flare and the accident. Before his body completely disintegrated due to the radiation exposure, Henshaw is able to save his consciousness. Using NASA communications equipment, Henshaw beamed his mind into the birthing matrix which had carried Superman from Krypton to Earth as an infant. He creates a small exploration craft from the birthing matrix and departs into outer space alone. Becoming increasingly mentally unstable, Henshaw uses Superman's birthing matrix to create a body identical to Superman's, albeit with cybernetic parts.^[1] He returns to Earth to kill Superman, only to discover that Superman had already died during Henshaw's absence. Following Superman's eventual resurrection, Henshaw would not only become a recurring adversary of Superman but of Green Lantern as well. He later becomes a member of the Sinestro Corps during the Sinestro Corps War.

Zor-El

Main article: Zor-El

Cyborg Superman
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	As Zor-El: Action Comics #252 (May 1959) As Cyborg Superman: Supergirl (vol. 6) #21 (August 2013)
Created by	Otto Binder (writer) Al Plastino (art)
In-story information
Alter ego	Zor-El Zoran Danvers (adopted name)
Species	Kryptonian cyborg
Place of origin	Krypton
Abilities	Superhuman strength and speed Invulnerability Flight Weaponized arm Energy projection

Zor-El is the younger brother of Jor-El, husband of Alura, father of Supergirl, and paternal uncle of Superman. Originally, he escaped from Krypton's destruction along with the other inhabitants of Argo City. In The New 52 reboot of DC's continuity, Supergirl discovers an amnesiac Cyborg Superman living on the planet I'noxia.^[2] This turns out to be Zor-El, who was rescued from Krypton's destruction by Brainiac and reconfigured as a half-man half-machine in order to be his scout looking for stronger species in the universe.^[3]

Powers and abilities

Hank Henshaw

As Cyborg Superman, Hank Henshaw possesses the ability to control and reanimate various machines. From his experience with Superman's birth matrix, Henshaw now has powers and genetic tissue all identical to the Man of Steel. As the Sinestro Corps member, he has access to a power ring fueled by fear that allows him to create any construct at will.

Zor-El

As Cyborg Superman, Zor-El is bionically enhanced with the ability to fly, fire powerful laser eyebeams, and project electricity from his body. His cybernetic arm can shapeshift into whatever he desires, limited only by the technology available to him at any given moment. He is virtually indestructible, as well as being super strong and fast.

In other media

See also: Hank Henshaw § In other media

Television

• A character resembling Cyborg Superman appears in the Legion of Super Heroes episode "Message in a Bottle", voiced by Yuri Lowenthal. This version is the robot caretaker of the Fortress of Solitude in the 31st century.
• The Hank Henshaw incarnation of Cyborg Superman appears in Supergirl, portrayed by David Harewood.^[4][5]

Film

The Hank Henshaw incarnation of Cyborg Superman appears in Reign of the Supermen, voiced by Patrick Fabian and Jerry O'Connell respectively.^[6]

Video games

• The Hank Henshaw incarnation of Cyborg Superman appears as a playable character in and the final boss of The Death and Return of Superman.
• The Hank Henshaw incarnation of Cyborg Superman appears as a boss in Superman: The Man of Steel, voiced by Jeff Kramer.^[7]
• The Hank Henshaw incarnation of Cyborg Superman appears as a downloadable alternate skin for Superman in Injustice: Gods Among Us.
• The Hank Henshaw incarnation of Cyborg Superman appears in DC Universe Online via the "War of the Light Part I" DLC.^[8]
• The Hank Henshaw incarnation of Cyborg Superman appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Travis Willingham.

See also

• List of Green Lantern enemies
• List of Superman enemies

References

1. Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. Del Rey. pp. 64–65. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
2. Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
3. Supergirl (vol. 6) #22
4. "'Supergirl': David Harewood & Chyler Leigh Join CBS Pilot Cast". Variety. 26 February 2015.
5. Jayson, Jay (November 4, 2016). "Cyborg Superman is Coming To Supergirl!". ComicBook.com.
6. Narcisse, Evan (July 22, 2018). "The Death of Superman Movie Changes Up a Classic DC Comics Story Just Enough to Work". io9. Retrieved July 22, 2018.
7. "Superman: The Man of Steel Credits (Xbox)". Retrieved 2021-02-19.
8. on. "DC Universe Online". DC Universe Online. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2015-10-27.