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[[de:Nebenfiguren im Superman-Universum#Morgan Edge]]
[[de:Nebenfiguren im Superman-Universum#Morgan Edge]]

Revision as of 20:59, 6 June 2022

Morgan Edge
Morgan Edge as he first appeared.
Art by Jack Kirby.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSuperman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 (October 1970)
Created byJack Kirby (writer & artist)
In-story information
Alter egoMorris Edelstein
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsIntergang
Galaxy Communications
Superman Revenge Squad

Morgan Edge is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Originally a supporting character, he is a media mogul who acquires The Daily Planet and employs Clark Kent as a television journalist for his WGBS TV network. After the Crisis on Infinite Earth series which led to a revision of the DC Universe, the character was changed to a Superman villain and one of the known leaders of Intergang.[1]

Adrian Pasdar portrayed Morgan Edge in the Arrowverse series Supergirl. In Superman & Lois, Adam Rayner played a version of the character who is also Superman's Kryptonian half-brother named Tal-Rho.

Publication history

Morgan Edge first appeared in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 and was created by Jack Kirby.[2] Kirby based his physical appearance on actor Kevin McCarthy, while his personality was inspired by television executive James T. Aubrey.[3] According to Kirby's production assistant Mark Evanier, Kirby "wanted to explore the theme of organized crime gaining a foothold in corporate America - particularly a giant media conglomerate. Given the shady background of the company that acquired Warner Bros. and DC, it was something of an inside joke".[3] However, under prodding from editorial staff who preferred Edge to be an ongoing supporting character rather than a villain who would ultimately have to be brought to justice (and thus written out of the series), the "Morgan Edge" connected to Intergang was revealed to be an imposter.[3]

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis

In his original incarnation, Edge was the president of the Galaxy Broadcasting System (owners of television station WGBS), the media corporation which eventually bought the Daily Planet. Edge was in many ways a stereotype of a ruthless capitalist, intervening in the Planet's homey atmosphere and challenging the authority of the somewhat older Perry White, but he was a decent man who had moments of good-heartedness and maintained reasonably friendly relationships with most of his employees, including Clark Kent. Following the takeover of the Planet, Edge transferred Kent to the news division, making him a traveling correspondent and later anchorman on WGBS. This move added several TV co-workers to the Superman supporting cast, including fretful producer Josh Coyle, sports broadcaster Steve Lombard,[4] weather forecaster Oscar Asherman, and co-anchor Lana Lang (who had been one of Clark's childhood friends in Smallville).

As one of the wealthiest men in Metropolis, Edge was a major political figure in the city and frequently encountered Superman, the subject of many of his network's news stories, whom he, like most others, failed to realize was also Clark Kent. Although rarely integral to a plotline, Edge was a supporting character in many Superman stories.

For a while it appeared that Edge was connected to the Apokolips-sponsored crime organisation Intergang, but this was revealed to be a clone created by the 'Evil Factory', a genetics laboratory working for Darkseid.[5] For example, this clone attempted to have Jimmy Olsen, the Guardian and, incidentally, a random Daily Planet employee named Goody Rickels, a Don Rickles lookalike, murdered as part of a cover-up.[6]

It was later revealed that Morgan Edge's birth name was Morris Edelstein. After he won his first TV station in a game of poker, Morris Edelstein changed his name to Morgan Edge because he was ashamed of his lower-class Jewish background and kept the details of his past closely guarded.[7]

Post-Crisis

When DC continuity was rebooted after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Edge remained president of WGBS, but his ties to the Planet and friendship with Superman were retconned away, and he was genuinely connected to Intergang. He was eventually exposed by the Daily Planet, in articles by Clark Kent and Cat Grant, who was working for WGBS undercover. Edge was imprisoned, but even managed to cause trouble there by publishing his autobiography On the Edge, which dumped upon his father Vincent Edge as well as Cat Grant, revealing that she slept her way into a scoop. After his release from jail, Morgan Edge returned as sponsor of the Superman Revenge Squad. Prior to his imprisonment, one of his actions generated much fan anger, in which Edge sadistically and gleefully ran over a raccoon on the road, prompting one fan to write in saying "Lex Luthor treats people like animals, but even he does not run them over intentionally".

Recently, Morgan Edge has resurfaced as a powerful media pundit, with the show Edge of Reason, where he gives off anti-Kryptonian spin for General Lane. He is also seen in a "flash-forward" panel in Adventure Comics #1, making a mysterious deal with Despero.[8]

The New 52

In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Morgan Edge appears as a powerful and self-centered media mogul and the new owner of the Daily Planet, he is seen as the sponsor of the Challengers of the Unknown program before they all leave due to his ruthless business strategy. This version of Morgan Edge is depicted as a bald African American man with a goatee.[9] Although a tough businessman, Edge did recognize talent, and awarded Lois Lane the editorship of the Daily Planet.

Edge's multiple media holdings become a benefit to Superman as Lois Lane, now director of Edge's Metropolis news station, has said building's security cameras "hacked" to provide vital intelligence on a rampaging villain.[10]

Prior to DC Rebirth, in the last issue of the 2011 Justice League series, it is mentioned that Lex Luthor had bought the Daily Planet from him.[11]

In other media

  • A character inspired by Morgan Edge named Bill Church, Jr. appears in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,[citation needed] portrayed by Bruce Campbell. Similarly to Edge, Church Jr. is the head of Intergang and owns a TV station called "Multiworld Communications" as well as a supermarket chain to help him launder money. Additionally, he has a father named Bill Church, Sr. (portrayed by Peter Boyle) and a wife named Mindy Church (portrayed by Jessica Collins).
  • Morgan Edge appears in Smallville, portrayed by Rutger Hauer in his first appearance and by Patrick Bergin in his second. This version is a Metropolis crime lord and an old friend of Lionel Luthor. In the episode "Exile", Clark Kent steals money from one of Edge's gangs while under the influence of red Kryptonite. Upon learning of this, Edge recruits Clark to steal a package, which the latter later discovers is a blood sample from his body, from Lionel's LuthorCorp office, though Jonathan Kent destroys the sample. In the episode "Phoenix", Edge takes Jonathan and Martha Kent hostage in retaliation for not getting the sample. After procuring a new sample from himself, Clark gives it to Edge, who in turn gives it to Lionel, promising to give him the source. Edge's thugs kidnap Clark and bring him to Metropolis, but the latter escapes and destroys the truck. Believing he had been betrayed, Lionel orders his security to kill Edge, who is presumed dead, but secretly found by Lex Luthor. To hide from Lionel, Edge undergoes plastic surgery, but later conspires with Lionel to break Lex's psyche. While attempting to kill Lex, Edge is killed.
  • Morgan Edge appears in the Justice League episode "Secret Society" Pt. 1, voiced by an uncredited Brian George. This version is a collector of unique oddities and displays no moral qualms against collecting sentient beings. He traps Clayface in several bio-hazard canisters, but Gorilla Grodd and his Secret Society break into Edge's mansion to recruit Clayface into their ranks, during which Killer Frost subdues Edge off-screen.
  • Morgan Edge appears in series set in the Arrowverse:
    • Edge appears in the third season of Supergirl, portrayed by Adrian Pasdar.[12] This version is an amoral real-estate developer who runs Edge Global. In the episode "Girl of Steel", Edge restores National City following the Daxamites' invasion, while secretly plotting to tear down the city's waterfront slum and replace it with high rise buildings with Bloodsport's help as well as buy out CatCo from Cat Grant to silence his critics. However, Supergirl captures Bloodsport and foils the former plot while Lena Luthor buys CatCo before Edge can.[13] Following a failed attempt to frame Lena for poisoning children and surviving an attempt on his life carried out by Reign in the episodes "Damage" and "Reign" respectively, Edge is attacked by Lena's mother Lillian Luthor in the episode "For Good", though Supergirl defeats Lillian while Winn Schott and James Olsen defeat Edge, who is arrested by the authorities.
    • Edge appears in Superman & Lois, portrayed by Adam Rayner.[14] Due to changes made to the multiverse during the events of the crossover "Crisis on Infinite Earths", Edge became a Kryptonian named Tal-Rho, the son of Lara Lor-Van and Zeta-Rho (portrayed by A.C. Peterson) and the maternal half-brother of Superman. Like Superman, Tal-Rho was also sent off of Krypton in an escape pod, which landed in England, where he immediately came into conflict with the local townspeople. He was captured and experimented on, but later managed to escape, causing him to hate mankind. In the intervening years, he developed the identity of "Morgan Edge", an intelligent, eloquent, and impassioned self-made mogul and the head of EnerCorp and Galaxy Holdings, as well as a plot to resurrect Krypton on Earth by implanting Kryptonian consciousnesses into human hosts using X-Kryptonite and the Eradicator. After discovering and gaining ownership of a mine containing X-Kryptonite in Smallville during season one, Tal-Rho uses it to create a super-powered army, only to be defeated by Superman and John Henry Irons and remanded to a cell with red solar lighting. In season two, Superman examines Tal-Rho for side-effects of the latter's use of the Eradicator's consciousness and to seek help from him after suffering painful visions. When the events of one of his visions comes true, Superman reluctantly works with Tal-Rho, who with the help of an A.I. copy of Lara, discovers Superman's visions are the result of an "invasive cosmological event".
      • A Bizarro version Tal-Rho appears in the episode "Bizarros in a Bizarro World". He is married to his version of Lana Lang and is on good terms with Bizarro.

See also

References

  1. ^ Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. New York City: Del Rey Books. pp. 81–83. 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. 99. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  3. ^ a b c Wells, John (September 2016). "Bullies and Blowhards of the DC Bronze Age". Back Issue! (#91). Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing: 15–16.
  4. ^ Cary Bates (w), Curt Swan (p), Murphy Anderson (i). "Secret of the Phantom Quarterback!" Superman, no. 264 (June 1973). DC Comics.
  5. ^ Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #152 (September 1972)
  6. ^ Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #139 (August 1971). DC Comics.
  7. ^ Action Comics #468. DC Comics.
  8. ^ Adventure Comics #1. DC Comics.
  9. ^ Superman vol. 3 #1 (Oct. 2011). DC Comics.
  10. ^ Superman vol. 3 #2 (Dec. 2011). DC Comics.
  11. ^ Justice League vol. 2 #52. DC Comics.
  12. ^ Swift, Andy (22 July 2017). "Supergirl Season 3 Adds Adrian Pasdar, Yael Grobglas and Alias' Carl Lumbly".
  13. ^ "'Supergirl' recap: Kara tries to be more super and less girl".
  14. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (December 17, 2020). "'Superman & Lois' Adds 'Tyrant' Star Adam Rayner As Morgan Edge".
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