10 Insultingly Dumb Superman Comic Storylines

During the 1950s, the Superman comics were in a slump. To get out of it, the writers relied on gimmicky front covers showcasing Kal-El in outrageous situations. Basically, it was an old version of clickbait.

Instead of focusing on supervillains or developing characters, the stories teased readers with scenarios like "How Did Superman Change Into A Baby?" or "How Did Superman Become The Mermaid King?"

One of the most well-known examples of this ploy was in Action Comics #243 when Superman turned into a lion. The story begins with our hero bumping into a woman who resembles Circe; a sorceress from Greek myth who had a nasty habit of turning men into animals.

This woman, who is called Circe II, claims to be an ancestor of the original. Circe II explains that her ancestor wasn't a witch but an alien who turned her victims into animals using an evolution serum.

Circe II hopes to have Superman under her thrall and so, makes him drink the concoction, causing him to transform into a lion. She refuses to change him back unless he marries her. Luckily, Supes manages to reverse the metamorphosis by using a Kryptonian antidote.