SUPERMAN VERSUS THE GIANT CYCLOPS by Dave Goode

SUPERMAN  VS.  CYCLOPS

by Dave Goode

     One of the most memorable images from the Silver Age of Comics was found in a number of DC Comics circa 1964. It was for Walter's International Wax Museum at the World's Fair held at Flushing Meadow Park in Queens, New York.

The image was of the Man of Steel taking flight to land one on the chin of the Cyclops.I remember going to the Fair with my Cub Scout Troop, but not getting a chance to see the exhibit. We put it to a vote and the members of my Den wanted to ride the Monorail. So I never got to see Superman take on the mythological monster. Through the Internet I finally got to photos of the exhibit. And frankly, I was mildly disappointed. 

It had Superman in flight which was pretty cool. Even cooler was if you squinted the wax figure of the Man of Steel sort of looked like George Reeves. It even included a Lois Lane figure and a backdrop of the Metropolis skyline. Where the diorama fell short was in it's depiction of the Cyclops itself.

Whereas the ad featured what looked like the Cyclops from the movie Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops (1961), the Cyclops from the World's Fair looked like a one-eyed Sasquatch. I have to wonder if the seven year old me would have been disappointed too.

In any case I thought DC should have done a special World's Fair edition of their Superman comic book with art by Curt Swan and George Klein featuring a battle between Superman and the Cyclops at the Fair itself. Maybe as a giveaway for visitors to the Fair. Now that would have been a comic book that would be sought out by collectors today.

 Retro art by Vance Capley