Radioactive Diaper Rash, Anyone?
Right. Today we are here for one thing and one thing only: To discuss Hyperion’s huge atomic diaper. When Hyperion first made his appearance way back in Avengers #70 (ok, technically it was the last panel of #69) he was your typical Superman rip-off - super-strong, invulnerable, powers of flight and so-called ‘atomic vision,’ etc. And I couldn’t help but think that writer Roy Thomas and artist Sal Buscema were trying their level best to make him look utterly ridiculous. I mean, they forced Hype to wear a huge metallic diaper. The story of his first appearance was told in a serious tone with the very cosmos hanging in the balance, but here we have this clearly ridiculous fashion choice which boggles the mind. Usually Hyperion is portrayed as wearing tights, but when you display him bare-legged he immediately loses his threatening appearance and becomes what Rick Jones would have labeled in those days as uncool. I can only posit that this was a slam at DC’s Superman ...