![]() ![]() Gaines hired the author of that precedent to write a brief substantiating EC's position, but the companies' shared lawyer disagreed, siding with National over EC. While Gaines was weighing this advice, Kurtzman located a legal precedent that backed his and Mad's right to publish. EC and National shared the same lawyer, who advised Gaines to quit publishing parodies. Instead of broadly lampooning a genre of comics, 'Superduperman' levelled its sights on a specific and recognizable comic character." National, the owners of Superman's copyright, threatened to file a lawsuit over the parody. In his book Comics, Manga, and Graphic Novels: A History of Graphic Narratives, Robert Petersen observes, "In April 1953, Mad #4 included a parody of Superman, 'Superduperman,' which originated a new formula that would significantly raise the popularity of the new magazine. Until Mad #4, the magazine had not been one of EC's top-selling titles, but "Superduperman" revolutionized their format and led to sales success. The conflict between the two characters also parodies the National Comics Publications v. Clark Bent uses his X-ray vision to peer into the women's bathroom, and Captain Marbles has abandoned good deeds for the pursuit of money. Kurtzman's script subverts the admirable image of the superhero. Hoping this victory will be enough to sway Pain, he reveals his alter ego, only to be rejected again the story closes with Pain's putdown: "Once a creep, always a creep." Bent changes into Superduperman to help save the day, but "boy reporter Billy Spafon" reveals himself to be the monster, "Captain Marbles." Superduperman is unable to harm Captain Marbles until he provokes Marbles into punching himself in the head. The plot parallels the Superman scenario of the period: "Clark Bent" is a lowly assistant to the copy boy at The Daily Dirt newspaper, where he tries, unsuccessfully, to woo the narcissistic and indifferent "Lois Pain." Meanwhile, an 'unknown monster' is stalking the streets of the city.
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