| Terra-Man | |
|---|---|
 The pre-Crisis incarnation of Terra-Man as depicted inSuperman #249 (March 1972). Art byNeal Adams. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Superman #249 (March 1972) |
| Created by | Cary Bates Curt Swan Dick Dillin |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Tobias "Toby" Manning |
| Species | Human |
| Place of origin | Earth |
| Team affiliations | Secret Society of Super Villains |
Terra-Man (Tobias Manning) is asupervillain appearing in media published byDC Comics, primarily as an enemy ofSuperman.
Terra-Man first appeared inSuperman #249 (March 1972) and was created byCary Bates,Curt Swan, andDick Dillin. According to Bates, the character was inspired byClint Eastwood'sMan with No Name, who appeared in threeSpaghetti Western films from 1964 to 1966.[1]
As revealed inSuperman #249, Tobias Manning was born during the Old West era.[2] An alien known as the Currency-Criminal accidentally killed Tobias's father Jess and took young Tobias as his ward, raising him from childhood and teaching him the use of alien weapons, which were created to resemble the 19th-century weapons with which Tobias was familiar. As an adult, Tobias kills the Currency-Criminal and becomes an interstellar outlaw called "Terra-Man", a name chosen to refer to his Earthly origins. For transportation, he tames Nova, an Arguvian alien resembling awinged horse.[3][4]
The post-Crisis version of Terra-Man is a businessman who begins attacking enterprises that endanger the environment after realizing that his own practices are not environmentally healthy.
Manning develops a variety of weapons themed around nature, including guns that can cause shockwaves and earthquakes. He engineers numerous forms of plant life to meet his needs, including plants that can drain solar energy and liquefy organic material. Manning also developed a process to quickly and cleanly remove poison from toxic sites and renew nutrients in soil. He is served by a robotic army dressed in western garb, called the "Terra-Men".
InInfinite Crisis, Terra-Man joins theSecret Society of Super Villains. In the follow-up series52, Terra-Man hijacks Ferris Air Flight 456 over theMediterranean Sea and escapes due toBlack Adam forbiddingPower Girl from enteringKahndaq airspace. Adam later kills Terra-Man by ripping him in half.[5]
InBlackest Night, Terra-Man is revealed to have been buried under theHall of Justice. His body is resurrected as aBlack Lantern along with many other deceased heroes and villains.[6]
The pre-Crisis version of Terra-Man has an altered physiology that slows his aging and allows him to survive unprotected in space.
He wields a revolver that can fire tracer bullets, energy-leechingtumbleweeds, and laser lassos. Terra-Man uses an Arguvian space steed named Nova for transportation.
The post-Crisis version of Terra-Man uses weapons that manipulate the environment (i.e., plants and the earth).
Scripter Cary Bates and artist Curt Swan chose an inopportune time for Superman to meet Terra-Man, aSpaghetti Western-garbed menace who rode a winged horse and wielded lethal alien weaponry.
