Cyborg

Biblography

First Appearance: (Hank Henshaw) ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN #466 (May 1990); (as the Cyborg) SUPERMAN (second series) #78 (June, 1993)
Created by: Dan Jurgens
Appearing In: The Superman titles.

The Cyborg is one of the deadliest of Superman's foes. He first appeared in ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN as something of a throw away character based on a twisted version of the origin of the Fantastic Four. Whereas their space accident made them heroes, Henshaw and his crew were turned into monsters. Henshaw himself was actually a twisted copy of Mister Fantastic, a connection that is reinforced with the Superman/Fantastic Four crossover by Dan Jurgens. Jurgens would write most of the Cyborg's appearances including his first appearance as the Cyborg Superman. In SUPERMAN (second series) #78 (June 1993) we are introduced to the Cyborg Superman. It was not until some months later, after the return of the real Superman, that we learnt the real identity of the Cyborg Superman. Since then the character has become one of the most successful Superman villains and at times he can appear over exposed. He was recently reintroduced as part of SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL #100 (May 2000) in a new more alien form. He is the closest that Superman has to a true evil twin.

Personal Details

Status: Active
Alter Ego: Hank Henshaw, Mr Sormon, the Inventor
Marital Status: Married
Known Relatives:
Group Affiliation: None
Base of Operations: Mobile, currently in the Phantom Zone
Height: Variable
Weight: Variable
Hair: Variable
Eyes: Variable

Biography / Profile

Hank Henshaw was a gifted scientist who was part of a four person Space Shuttle mission that went horribly wrong. Their Shuttle, the Excalibur, suffered massive equipment failure almost killing the crew before it was saved by Superman. However events on the Shuttle had a physiological effect on the crew causing them to mutate out of control. Three of them died soon after, only Henshaw survived as a disembodied electronic intelligence able to take over and control computer systems and electronic equipment at will.

Months passed and the world considered Henshaw dead. He reappeared at a NASA research centre using his powers to pull equipment together to form a humanoid-like body (a side effect was massive electrical discharges that caused blackouts over much of the US). He contacted his wife only to find that the poor woman was terrified of his new form. Realising that there was no life left for him on Earth he used a communications dish to beam his intelligence into the Kryptonian space craft that brought Superman to Earth (which was stored in orbit at that time).

Instantly downloading and comprehending Kryptonian science Henshaw used his abilities to form a small egg shaped device to contain his electronic intelligence. Superman tried to reason with Henshaw, but he declined to stay on Earth explaining that he was a scientist and that the universe was now his to explore. He then jumped into Hyperspace before Superman could catch up with him. While in Hyperspace Henshaw slowly went insane, blaming Superman for his condition and generating an irrational hatred of Superman. His chance for "revenge" presented itself when Henshaw discovered Mongul I ruling a backwater world. He had been deposed him as ruler of Warworld by Superman.

Henshaw and Mongul conceived a plan for revenge against Superman. However when they reached Earth they found that Superman had already been killed by the monster Doomsday. Henshaw altered their plans and used his knowledge of Kryptonian DNA to turn himself into a cyborg, half robotic parts, half Kryptonian. The Kryptonian half was based on Superman's DNA allowing Henshaw to pass himself off as Superman brought back from the dead by the robots in the Fortress of Solitude as a Kryptonian Cyborg. At the same time three other Supermen appeared (Steel, Superboy and the Eradicator) claiming links with the deceased Man of Steel.

In the confusion Mongul started phase two of their plan. Henshaw would ruin Superman's name while Mongul would ruin his planet. Their plan was to turn Earth into a second Warworld with engines replacing Coast City and Metropolis. Mongul totally obliterated Coast City and Superboy was able to save Metropolis. Superboy was also able to warn the world of who the Cyborg really was and a coalition put together by the real Superman (who had returned due to Kryptonian science) managed to defeat Henshaw. In the aftermath it appeared as if Henshaw had been destroyed.

However Henshaw managed to survive and reappeared time and time again to battle Superman. Each time he reappeared after seemingly being destroyed. An alien tribunal that tried to convict Superman of the crime of destroying Krypton tossed the Cyborg into a blackhole, he survived an abortive attempt to take over Apokolips and even survived his physical form being utterly destroyed by Parallax on the Source wall. The essence of the Cyborg later jumped from the Source Wall into the containment suit that Superman used while in his energy form. Henshaw then tried teaming up with the Toyman to destroy Superman, but only suceeded in splitting him into Superman Red and Superman Blue. Henshaw even went as far as to frame the planet eater Galactus, from the Marvel Universe, for the destruction of Krypton in an attempt to replace the Silver Surfer. In that attempt he was defeated by Superman and the Fantastic Four before being returned to the DC Universe.

Henshaw was later able to gain entrance into the transdimensional city of Kandor. While there he took on the identity of the Inventor and began manipulating public feelings about imprisonment within the bottle. He invented technology that would allow him to shunt portions of the city into the real world. These sections would appear in Metropolis destroying any area that then appeared into. Scorn, Superman and Ashbury Armstrong entered Kandor to investigate the situation. Henshaw framed Superman for the murder of Kandor's leader (Scorn's father), but was exposed by Ashbury who recognised his voice from a time when he tried impersonating one of her teachers.

The defeated Cyborg found himself trapped in the interdimensional rift that surrounded Kandor. Shortly afterwards the Fortress that contained the Bottle City was destroyed by a Kryptonite explosion. The ties of Kandor with the physical world were severed and it drifted into the Phantom Zone. Henshaw found himself taking his own trip through the dark side of the Phantom Zone and encountered many of the dark forces that had long been imprisoned there. When the Fortress was rebuilt terrorists attacked allowing Henshaw to escape the Zone. His encounters had changed him and the new Henshaw was a lot darker than before. It was only with the helped of citizens from Kandor that Superman was able to throw him back into the Phantom Zone.

Abilities and Equipment

As the Cyborg Hank Henshaw is an electronic intelligence separate from any one physical body. He is able to create bodies out of surrounding technology and is able to modify that technology as necessary. He can extend his mind over an area - in effect possessing all the linked electronic and mechanical machines within that area. Since he encountered Kryptonian DNA and technology he has taken to using a semi-permanent humanoid body type. This preferred form is based on a body cloned from Kal-El with 70 percent of the organic components replaced with technology. Because of the nature of Henshaw's existence he has proven almost impossible to kill or contain for any extended length of time.

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