The Thing from 40,000 A.D.

As presented in the pages of Superman No. 196, May 1967, an object crash lands on the outskirts of Metropolis and a protoplasmic blob emerges. An intelligent blob from the year 40,000 A.D. - hope that's not what we're destined to end up as. On the plus side it's capable of assuming the guise of virtually anyone or anything it comes into comtact with. First it takes on the shape of a tree, then a soldier, then some scientists and workmen as it begins construction of a time schere that will return it to 40,000 where it plans to rule the world. Now what else would a shape-changing protoplasmic blob want to do but rule the world? I ask you! At any rate, it really starts getting into trouble when it first imitates Clark Kent and later Superman himself, battling the man-of-steel toe-to-toe. Then Superman remembers that they are near a tower where a certain test is about to be conducted - how convenient - and when the nuclear explosion takes place there is only one Superman left standing. The real one we hope. I wonder what this episode says about Superman's oath not to take life. I mean, he knew the blast was about to occur, he could have warned the damn Thing. Ya think?? Anyway, aside from a couple of plastic eyes I got from the craft store, the Thing is made from Skulpy, kneeding white and black together. I stuck the eyes in to make places for them in the soft clay, then removed them and baked it in the oven, replacing the eyes when it had cooled.