Megaton Man (1990):
“News of the World”
by Don Simpson

43 characters in this story:

Character (Click links for info about character and his/her religious practice, affiliation, etc.)	Religious Affiliation	Team(s) [Notes]	Pub.	# app.
Megaton Man (Trent Phloog) (lead character)		The Megatropolis Quartet; VW Gang	Kitchen Sink Press	65
Pamela Jointly (details)  (pg. 3) Preston Percy: "Trent! Didja [look] at the morning edition yet? ...It features the debut controversial column by our new liberal muckraker! You know, the brilliant young journalist who replaced Pamela Jointly!" Trent Phloog: "Who?" Preston Percy: "You!" Pamela Jointly is seen in a substantial flashback, an extended dream sequence, and is referred to many times.	Liberal	The University of Michigan [muckraking liberal columnist; attacks Megaton Man in print]	Kitchen Sink Press	10
Liquid Man (Rex Rigid)		The Megatropolis Quartet [parody of Mr. Fantastic]	Kitchen Sink Press	5
See-Thru Girl (Stella Starlight)		The Megatropolis Quartet; The University of Michigan [parody of Invisible Woman; had affair w/Megaton Man]	Kitchen Sink Press	8
Preston Percy		ICHHL [Megaton Man's best pal; based in part on Jimmy Olson]	Kitchen Sink Press	19
Rudy Mayo		[city editor; partially based on Perry White]	Kitchen Sink Press	9
The Manhattan Project		[newspaper Megaton Man and friends work for]	Kitchen Sink Press	15
Wall Man (Peter Parkinglot) (flashback)		[Spider-Man parody]	Kitchen Sink Press	1
Stallonovich (Sergeant Sterankovich)		ICHHL [Nick Fury parody]	Kitchen Sink Press	2
ICHHL		[spy agency; SHIELD parody; led by Sgt. Sterankovich]	Kitchen Sink Press	1
Clarissa James		black; The University of Michigan [daughter of Silver Age Megaton Man]	Kitchen Sink Press	6
The Megatropolis Quartet		[Fantastic Four parody]	Kitchen Sink Press	18
Robbie Robertson (6-panel cameo, pg. 1, 6, 8)  Robbie Robertson is seen standing behind city editor Rudy Mayo in many panels during flashback parodying Spider-Man and J. Jonah Jameson. In each panel, Robertson says only "Tsk."		black		739
Yarn Man (Bing Gloom) (5-panel cameo, pg. 0, 20-21)		The Megatropolis Quartet; VW Gang [parody of Thing (Ben Grimm)]	Kitchen Sink Press	26
Kevin (4-panel cameo, pg. 2, 5)		[reporter]	Kitchen Sink Press	1
The Silver Server (3-panel cameo, pg. 0, panels 1-3)	alien	[Silver Surfer parody]	Kitchen Sink Press	1
Gluttinus (3-panel cameo, pg. 0, panels 4-5, 9)	cosmic entity	[Galactus parody]	Kitchen Sink Press	1
The Human Meltdown (Chuck Roast) (3-panel cameo, pg. 0, panels 1, 7-8)  appears dressed as a painter		The Megatropolis Quartet [parody of Human Torch]	Kitchen Sink Press	2
unnamed college intellectual (3-panel cameo, pg. 22-23)		[befriended Stella Starlight at college]	Kitchen Sink Press	2
Partyers from Mars (1-panel cameo, pg. 30, panel 3)  (pg. 2) Preston Percy: "Here's the A.P. wires, guys! ...Partyers from Mars have been reported frequenting convenience stores, purchasing large quantities of beer... Scientists feel that they may be an intelligent life-form because they only consume imported brands." Partyers from Mars space craft seen in last panel on last page of story.	anarchist; alien	[1st app: Megaton Man (vol. 1) #3 (Apr. 1985)]	Kitchen Sink Press	3
Kozmik Kat (photo/picture/video, pg. 20, panel 2)  Preston Percy: "Hmm... Looks as if the Cosmic Cue-Ball is loose again, a saucer from Mars has been sighted, and Yarn Man and Kozmik Kat are marooned in the future!" The tips of Kozmik Kat's claws can be seen in one image on ICHHL video screen.	uplifted animal	cat; The Megatropolis Quartet...  VW Gang	Kitchen Sink Press	4
Russian Communist version of Megaton Man (dream, pg. 13-14)  A devoutly Communist Russian version of Megaton Man is seen in 6 panels on pages 13-14, but this is all in Megaton Man's dream.	Communist	[1st app: Megaton Man (vol. 1) #4 (June 1985)]	Kitchen Sink Press	1
Spider-Man (Peter Parker) (character based on, pg. 6-11)  Spider-Man is parodied extensively in this issue during a 6-page flashback.	Protestant	Secret Defenders; Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends...  The Avengers; Weapon X (Exiles)		10,664
The Fantastic Four (character based on, pg. 0)  The Fantastic Four are parodied extensively on page 0 (page zero).		[1st app: The Fantastic Four (vol. 1) #1 (Nov. 1961)]		100
George Bush (name seen in illustration (or on screen), pg. 30, panel 2)  "Reagan/Bush" poster seen on campus bulletin board.	Episcopalian	Reagan's Raiders; X Presidents	, etc.	303
Ronald Reagan (name seen in illustration (or on screen), pg. 30, panel 2)  "Reagan/Bush" poster seen on campus bulletin board.	Presbyterian (raised in Disciples of Christ)	Reagan's Raiders; X Presidents	, etc.	583
Walter Mondale (name seen in illustration (or on screen), pg. 30, panel 2)  "Mondale/Ferraro" poster seen on campus bulletin board.	Presbyterian	[former candidate for U.S. President]	League of Women Voters	29
Geraldine Ferraro (name seen in illustration (or on screen), pg. 30, panel 2)  "Mondale/Ferraro" poster seen on campus bulletin board.	Catholic	[former candidate for U.S. Vice-President]	League of Women Voters	21
Inhumans (mentioned, pg. 0, panels 7-8)  Rex Rigid (Liquid Man): "There's one chance! But we'll need the Transport Turntable to gain entrance into the Refuge of the Beautiful People! Chef Rustgut is the best mutant pastry chef in the world!" Yarn Man: "Beautiful People?!!" Rex Rigid: You know! The 'IN' Humans" Human Meltdown: "Unpalatable pun!"	Inhuman religion	[hidden race]		467
Jesus Christ (Jesus of Nazareth) (mentioned, pg. 12, panel 4)  Megaton Man: "Thank goodness I was raised on mom, apple pie, and Baby Jesus in a manger! However strong this Russian "Megaton Man" is, I have the advantage! My Amerian upbringing!"	Christianity	[ 1st app: Justice League of America (vol. 1) #40 (Nov. 1965) ]		565
Karl Marx (mentioned, pg. 13, panel 3)  Communist Russian version of Megaton Man: "I am superior to you in every way! I am the perfect embodiment of Russian ideals! The sheer cosmic power of Soviet Socialism surges through my veins! The enduring soil of Mother Russia composes every atom of my body! My sinews are charged by Lenin, Marx and Engels!"	Jewish/Lutheran turned atheist/Marxist	[1st app: Moor and the Ravens of London (1962)]		18
Vladimir Lenin (mentioned, pg. 13, panel 3)  Communist Russian version of Megaton Man: "I am superior to you in every way! I am the perfect embodiment of Russian ideals! The sheer cosmic power of Soviet Socialism surges through my veins! The enduring soil of Mother Russia composes every atom of my body! My sinews are charged by Lenin, Marx and Engels!"	Communist	[1st app: Love Through Fire and Blood (1924)]		169
Barry Manilow (mentioned, pg. 2, panel 3)  Preston Percy: "Here's the A.P. wires, guys! ...'Bad Guy' has been paroled from jail, and vows to hunt down Megaton Man, which should be easy, he says, and I quote: 'Because everyone knows that Megaton Man is really Trent Phloog'!! ...Baseball commissioner Barry Manilow said today..." Megaton Man (interrupting): "I am NOT Trent Phloog!"	Jewish	[singer; songwriter]	Syndicast	166
The Beautiful People (mentioned, pg. 0, panels 7-8)  Rex Rigid (Liquid Man): "There's one chance! But we'll need the Transport Turntable to gain entrance into the Refuge of the Beautiful People! Chief Rustgut is the best mutant pastry chef in the world!" Yarn Man: "Beautiful People?!!" Rex Rigid: You know! The 'IN' Humans" Human Meltdown: "Unpalatable pun!"	Inhuman religion	Inhuman	Kitchen Sink Press	1
Communists (mentioned, pg. 12-13, panel 1)  (pg. 12) Megaton Man: "Well, this is it, Pammy! Those dirty Commies have developed a Super Soldier, and I've gotta face him in a contest of champions! I may not come out of this alive, but it's better than global destruction in a nuclear confrontation!" Pamela Jointly: "Please-- be careful! Them Ruskies are dirty fighters!" [more] Extensive reference to Russian "Commies" in Megaton Man's dream, including detailed references to Marxist/Communist ideology and beliefs.	Communist	[general reference; frequent Cold War-era villains]		242
Walt Disney (mentioned, pg. 12, panel 6)  Megaton Man (dreaming about how easily he will beat his Russian counterpart): "He will say, 'I cannot beat the American! He is defending truth and justice! Kerr-McGee! Walt Disneyworld! I am going home to patch my nose!'"	Congregationalist	[business owner; film director...]		129
Doctor Software (Julius Levitch) (mentioned, pg. 7, 23)  (pg. 23) footnote: "* Valedictorian, in fact. In her senior year, Stella's grades earned her an internship with the world's most brilliant mad scientist. (#2)" (pg. 7) Rudy Mayo reads a newspaper with the following headline: "Doctor Software Released"		[based on Jerry Lewis]	Kitchen Sink Press	5
Badguy (Bart Gamble) (mentioned, pg. 2, panel 3)  Preston Percy: "Here's the A.P. wires, guys! ... 'Bad Guy' has been paroled from jail, and vows to hunt down Megaton Man, which should be easy, he says, and I quote: 'Because everyone knows that Megaton Man is really Trent Phloog'!!"		[1st app: Megaton Man (vol. 1) #3 (Apr. 1985)]	Kitchen Sink Press	9
Chef Rustgut (mentioned, pg. 0, panel 7)  Rex Rigid (Liquid Man): "There's one chance! But we'll need the Transport Turntable to gain entrance into the Refuge of the Beautiful People! Chief Rustgut is the best mutant pastry chef in the world!" Yarn Man: "Beautiful People?!!" Rex Rigid: You know! The 'IN' Humans" Human Meltdown: "Unpalatable pun!"	Inhuman religion	Inhuman	Kitchen Sink Press	1
Robert MacNeil (mentioned, pg. 4, panel 3)  Rudy Mayo (to Trent Phloog): "I don't know why I didn't promote you sooner! But seriously, starting tomorrow, you're replacing the MacNeil / Lehrer News Hour. It really won't be that much extra work. All you have to do is read from your columns..."		[columnist; news anchor...]	Canadian Broadcasting Corporation	28
Jim Lehrer (mentioned, pg. 4, panel 3)  Rudy Mayo (to Trent Phloog): "I don't know why I didn't promote you sooner! But seriously, starting tomorrow, you're replacing the MacNeil / Lehrer News Hour. It really won't be that much extra work. All you have to do is read from your columns..."		[journalist; news anchor...]	PBS	25
Kerr-McGee (mentioned, pg. 12, panel 6)  Megaton Man (dreaming about how easily he will beat his Russian counterpart): "He will say, 'I cannot beat the American! He is defending truth and justice! Kerr-McGee! Walt Disneyworld! I am going home to patch my nose!'"		[oil/gas/energy company]	ABC Motion Pictures	1
Friedrich Engels (mentioned, pg. 13, panel 3)  Communist Russian version of Megaton Man: "I am superior to you in every way! I am the perfect embodiment of Russian ideals! The sheer cosmic power of Soviet Socialism surges through my veins! The enduring soil of Mother Russia composes every atom of my body! My sinews are charged by Lenin, Marx and Engels!"	Christian Pietist (raised); Atheist; Communist	[social scientist; co-founded Communism w/Marx]	Der Kinderbuchverlag Berlin	6

This comic was reprinted from: Megaton Man (vol. 1) #4 (June 1985): "News of the World".

Megaton Man is also known as: Megaton Man Volume 1.

This trade paperback publication collects issue #s 1 through 4 from the first 10-issue Megaton Man series.

Webpage for Megaton Man (1990) created 8 April 2013. Last modified 26 December 2013.

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