The Town That Hated Superman

So Superman is chasing down an off-course missile test, when...



And they're serious, too:

So the town, hates Superman so much, they've got a watch tower set up just in case he wanders by (even though he never had previously). Manning that tower? Cops armed with Lugers, machine guns and rocket launchers. Who is running this show, Sheriff Joe Arpaio?? (Get it? Superman's an alien, see, and...oh, never mind).

So, just how deep is this town's antipathy to the Man Of Steel?



So deep that they have nothing better to do than make the children cry.

They're such a perfect town that the police have nothing to do...

So for the 99.9999999% of the time when Superman is not around, well, job 1 is...making children cry (and screwing over charities):




OK, Lugers and public burning. This town is giving off a pretty unhealthy vibe.

And the other day when I mentioned the DC Universe had the same constitution as ours? Not so much, as Cyrusville don't need no stinkin' Bill Of Rights!! Freedom of the press?


Nah. How about freedom of speech?

Not so much.

Anyway, in a long, dreary flashback involving time travel and mistaken identity, we learn the mayor was an orphan, and he blamed young infant Kal-El for his not getting adopted. So he grew up mean, like Burgermeister Meisterberger. But, of course, he was mistaken in several different ways about what happen then, so he immediately rescinds his anti-Superman laws, gives a couple million to Superman's charity, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Except, of course, some of the denizens were unable to change their views on a dime, grew up still hating Kal-El, and went on to work for DC Comics...now everyone in the DCU hates Superman (and all the other heroes, too...)

From Superman #130 (1959), as reprinted in Superman #208 (1969)