Morgan Edge

Morgan Edge is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Originally a supporting character, he is a media mogul who acquires The Daily Planet and employs Clark Kent as a television journalist for his WGBS TV network. After the Crisis on Infinite Earth series which led to a revision of the DC Universe, the character was a leader of Intergang.[1]

Morgan Edge
Morgan Edge as he first appeared in Superwoman #3.
Art by Jack Kirby.
Publication information
PublisherDC Comics
First appearanceSuperman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 (October 1970)
Created byJack Kirby (writer & artist)
In-story information
Alter egoMorris Edelstein
SpeciesHuman
Team affiliationsIntergang
Galaxy Communications
Superman Revenge Squad

Adrian Pasdar portrayed Morgan Edge in the Arrowverse series Supergirl. In Superman & Lois, Adam Rayner played a version of the character who is also Superman's Kryptonian half-brother named Tal-Rho.

Publication history

Morgan Edge first appeared in Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #133 and was created by Jack Kirby.[2] Kirby based his physical appearance on actor Kevin McCarthy, while his personality was inspired by television executive James T. Aubrey.[3] According to Kirby's production assistant Mark Evanier, Kirby "wanted to explore the theme of organized crime gaining a foothold in corporate America - particularly a giant media conglomerate. Given the shady background of the company that acquired Warner Bros. and DC [i.e. Kinney National Company], it was something of an inside joke."[3] However, under prodding from editorial staff who preferred Edge to be an ongoing supporting character rather than a villain who would ultimately have to be brought to justice (and thus written out of the series), the "Morgan Edge" connected to Intergang was revealed to be an imposter.[3]

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis

In his original incarnation, Edge was the president of the Galaxy Broadcasting System (owners of television station WGBS), the media corporation which eventually bought the Daily Planet. Edge was in many ways a stereotype of a ruthless capitalist, intervening in the Planet's homey atmosphere and challenging the authority of the somewhat older Perry White, but he was a decent man who had moments of good-heartedness and maintained reasonably friendly relationships with most of his employees, including Clark Kent. Following the takeover of the Planet, Edge transferred Kent to the news division, making him a traveling correspondent and later anchorman on WGBS. This move added several TV co-workers to the Superman supporting cast, including fretful producer Josh Coyle, sports broadcaster Steve Lombard,[4] weather forecaster Oscar Asherman, and co-anchor Lana Lang (who had been one of Clark's childhood friends in Smallville).

As one of the wealthiest men in Metropolis, Edge was a major political figure in the city and frequently encountered Superman, the subject of many of his network's news stories, whom he, like most others, failed to realize was also Clark Kent. Although rarely integral to a plotline, Edge was a supporting character in many Superman stories.

For a while, it appeared that Edge was connected to the Apokolips-sponsored crime organisation Intergang, but this was revealed to be a clone created by the 'Evil Factory', a genetics laboratory working for Darkseid.[5] For example, this clone attempted to have Jimmy Olsen, the Guardian and, incidentally, a random Daily Planet employee named Goody Rickels, a Don Rickles lookalike, murdered as part of a cover-up.[6]

It was later revealed that Morgan Edge's birth name was Morris Edelstein. After he won his first TV station in a game of poker, Morris Edelstein changed his name to Morgan Edge because he was ashamed of his lower-class Jewish background and kept the details of his past closely guarded.[7]

Post-Crisis

When DC continuity was rebooted after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Edge remained president of WGBS, but his ties to the Planet and friendship with Superman were retconned away, and he was genuinely connected to Intergang. He was eventually exposed by the Daily Planet, in articles by Clark Kent and Cat Grant, who was working for WGBS undercover. Edge was imprisoned, but even managed to cause trouble there by publishing his autobiography On the Edge, which dumped upon his father Vincent Edge as well as Cat Grant, revealing that she slept her way into a scoop. After his release from jail, Morgan Edge returned as sponsor of the Superman Revenge Squad. Prior to his imprisonment, one of his actions generated much fan anger, in which Edge sadistically and gleefully ran over a raccoon on the road, prompting one fan to write in saying "Lex Luthor treats people like animals, but even he does not run them over intentionally".

Recently, Morgan Edge has resurfaced as a powerful media pundit, with the show Edge of Reason, where he gives off anti-Kryptonian spin for General Lane. He is also seen in a "flash-forward" panel in Adventure Comics (vol. 2) #1, making a mysterious deal with Despero.[8]

The New 52

In 2011, "The New 52" rebooted the DC universe. Morgan Edge appears as a powerful and self-centered media mogul and the new owner of the Daily Planet, he is seen as the sponsor of the Challengers of the Unknown program before they all leave due to his ruthless business strategy. This version of Morgan Edge is depicted as a bald African American man with a goatee.[9] Although a tough businessman, Edge did recognize talent, and awarded Lois Lane the editorship of the Daily Planet.

Edge's multiple media holdings become a benefit to Superman as Lois Lane, now director of Edge's Metropolis news station, has said building's security cameras "hacked" to provide vital intelligence on a rampaging villain.[10]

Prior to DC Rebirth, in the last issue of the 2011 Justice League series, it is mentioned that Lex Luthor had bought the Daily Planet from him.[11]

In other media
  • Morgan Edge appears in Smallville, initially portrayed by Rutger Hauer and later by Patrick Bergin. This version is a Metropolis crime lord and old friend of Lionel Luthor, who he grew up with in Suicide Slum. After learning Clark Kent stole money from one of Edge's gangs while under the influence of Red Kryptonite, Edge recruits Clark to steal a package, which the latter later discovers is his own blood sample, from Lionel's LuthorCorp office. When Jonathan Kent destroys the sample, Edge takes him and Martha Kent hostage in retaliation. Clark procures a new sample from himself and gives it to Edge, who in turn gives it to Lionel, promising to give him the source. Edge's thugs kidnap Clark and attempt to bring him to Metropolis, but the latter escapes. Lionel, believing he was betrayed, orders his security to kill Edge, who is presumed dead, but secretly found by Lex Luthor. Now in hiding, Edge undergoes plastic surgery, but later conspires with Lionel to break Lex's psyche. While attempting to kill Lex, Edge is killed.
  • Morgan Edge appears in the Justice League episode "Secret Society", voiced by an uncredited Brian George. This version is a collector of unique oddities and displays no moral qualms against collecting sentient beings, such as Clayface, whom he kept in a jar for some time until the eponymous Secret Society rescued him.
  • Morgan Edge appears in the third season of Supergirl, portrayed by Adrian Pasdar.[12] This version is an amoral real estate developer who runs Edge Global and is involved in a feud with Lena Luthor for office of National City following his rebuilding process after the Daxamite invasion. He is later jailed by Supergirl after attempting to kill Lena.
  • Morgan Edge appears in Superman & Lois, portrayed by Adam Rayner.[13] This version is a Kryptonian named Tal-Rho, the son of Lara Lor-Van and Zeta-Rho (portrayed by A.C. Peterson), and the maternal half-brother of Superman. Like Superman, Tal-Rho was also sent off Krypton in an escape pod, which landed in England. There, he came into conflict with the local townspeople and was captured and experimented on, gaining a hatred of humanity in the process, but later managed to escape. In the intervening years, he developed the identity of "Morgan Edge", an intelligent, eloquent, and impassioned self-made mogul and the head of EnerCorp and Galaxy Holdings, as well as a plot to resurrect Krypton on Earth by implanting Kryptonian consciousnesses into human hosts using X-Kryptonite and the Eradicator, only to be defeated by Superman and John Henry Irons and remanded to a cell with red solar lighting. In the second season, Tal-Rho assists Superman in fighting Ally Allston, subsequently relocating to Bizarro World.
    • A Bizarro version of Tal-Rho appears in the episode "Bizarros in a Bizarro World", also portrayed by Rayner. He is married to his version of Lana Lang and is on good terms with Bizarro. The Bizarro Tal-Rho is later killed by Ally Allston.

See also

References
  1. Greenberger, Robert; Pasko, Martin (2010). The Essential Superman Encyclopedia. New York City: Del Rey Books. pp. 81–83. ISBN 978-0-345-50108-0.
  2. Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
  3. Wells, John (September 2016). "Bullies and Blowhards of the DC Bronze Age". Back Issue!. Raleigh, North Carolina: TwoMorrows Publishing (#91): 15–16.
  4. Cary Bates (w), Curt Swan (p), Murphy Anderson (i). "Secret of the Phantom Quarterback!" Superman, no. 264 (June 1973). DC Comics.
  5. Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #152 (September 1972). DC Comics.
  6. Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #139 (August 1971). DC Comics.
  7. Action Comics #468. DC Comics.
  8. Adventure Comics (vol. 2) #1. DC Comics.
  9. Superman (vol. 3) #1 (October 2011). DC Comics.
  10. Superman (vol. 3) #2 (December 2011). DC Comics.
  11. Justice League (vol. 2) #52. DC Comics.
  12. Swift, Andy (22 July 2017). "Supergirl Season 3 Adds Adrian Pasdar, Yael Grobglas and Alias' Carl Lumbly".
  13. Ramos, Dino-Ray (December 17, 2020). "'Superman & Lois' Adds 'Tyrant' Star Adam Rayner As Morgan Edge".
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