Several years ago, I did a post about the Lee Family, a group of semi-recurring characters who I liked and wanted to see more of. As I have noted extensively on this site, a book called Superman Smashes the Klan came along and retold the 1940s radio story in which they debuted. I’m a big fan of that book and highly recommend it to all Superman fans.

But that radio show wasn’t the only appearance of the characters, I argued. Tommy Lee had also shown up as Clark Kent’s roommate in some Bronze Age stories. I didn’t know then if this was coincidence or not, but this year I decided I might as well get to the bottom of it. I sent an email to Bob Rozakis, the writer of the stories that introduced the comics version of Tommy, and got this reply: “Clark’s college roommate Tommy Lee was named after one of my college friends.” This proves that the 1980s Tommy and his family and their similarities to the 1940s versions wasn’t an homage, it was pure coincidence.

This just makes me all the more certain that these characters need to come back. On a rational level, I can understand that with the thousands of Superman stories told over decades, such coincidences are bound to happen just because of the sheer numbers. I don’t actually believe that the ideas of these characters is destined by the universe to break through and just needs our help to get it to be permanent. And while I may not actually believe it, I’ll gladly pretend to believe it if it helps me justify bringing these characters back.

As I said in the previous post the woman named Lee who served on Metropolis’s “SCU” police force in some 90s comics was a potential post-Crisis version of Tommy’s sister (then unnamed, now known as Lan-Shin “Roberta” Lee). The Lan-Shin of Superman Smashes the Klan is an inquisitive and adventurous young woman, traits that could easily be remade into the traits of a police detective. And I’ll also note that the connection between the SCU Lee and Tommy’s unnamed sister came to me in a dream. Another sign that the ideas are trying to manifest on their own.

I admit that apart from Rozakis’s input, this update is just me reiterating what I already felt. But I still feel it, so why not reiterate? Bring the Lee family back to the Superman franchise. It’s the only way to shut me up about it.

One of a pair of Aeobaxaen is captured by a falling Stepao

Aeobaxaen

Aeobaxaen are a type of Glounaph, and Glounaph are a type Aehubar that have adapted to life in the air. Though their leg design is like that of most Aehubar, even Strondovarians, the rest of their limbs have taken different roles: the middle limbs expanded into flexible wings that can catch wind currents and allow for flight, and the topmost limbs fused into a single neck-like appendage, on which the eyes are situated. Aeobaxaen specifically are migratory animals, following schools of the seaborne lifeforms they eat.

Stepao

An ocean-living type of Lapaouger that has evolved to launch itself out of the water and then to spread their limbs wide, allowing them to ride high until the spot prey within their reach. The Stepao will them drop down and engulf the target, pulling it back to the ocean where it can eat. Stepao were considered ill omens in ancient Strondovarian folklore and are still used as a colloquial way to describe impending doom.

Outhess

Outhess are typical of the flying Vootuph found on Gurx, but for the end of their life cycle. They spend their early lives down on the ground, eating away, until they’ve gained enough sustenance for their final voyage, then they launch into the sky to mate. The ultimate goal of the pregnant Outhess is to be eaten by one of the other sky-based animals (usually some variety of Glounaph). The seed/eggs bearing the offspring are not digested, but instead pass through digestive system and are expelled down to the ground below to be born and feast on the rest of the waste. It’s kind of beautiful.

We know that Bob Farrell’s career as a super-skateboarding outlaw was motivated by noble desires to help his community, and we can tell that, when things are going well for him he absolutely loves rocketboarding around and having rocket adventures.

But when things are not going well for him, the first thing he does is insult himself and imply his Rocket Racer setup is as stupid as everyone thinks it is. On multiple occasions he has downplayed his technological accomplishments, claiming they’re goofy or childish.

So why hasn’t Bob changed his superheroic identity? Why not design new equipment that’s edgy and cool and not skateboard-themed? Well, I have my ideas, but unless I get to tell those stories I don’t need to let them out right now. But really, when he’s in a good mood about it all, he doesn’t mind that he looks goofy. He’s having a ball. When he does dislike it, he wants out of the whole super-scene, so why bother recreating his identity to something else? He’s either the Rocket Racer or he’s not playing.

Lembeb

Lembeb has spent the last few years working as the Strondovarian equivalent of a bounty hunter. There’s a lot of criminals on Gurx who are notable enough to be profiled in the Knowledge Bank, and if those criminals are killed, the killer is obviously going to be mentioned on that profile. Lembeb has killed a dozen Boais criminals. It’s risky work, though, because if someone kills Lembeb, they’ll get to be mentioned on Lembeb’s profile.

Nenoaur

Born on a space station near planet Doaphean, Nenoaur first moved to planet Gurx to study at the planet’s prestigious schools, but has stayed to work with a team that designs rubber tires with treads ideal for different terrain. This is a relatively new team, but they’ve provided tires to some of the more prominent exploratory space missions of the last century, which means they have some prominent credits in the field. Nenoaur is content with that. Would it be nice to gain more esteem and become rich among Strondos? Sure, but it’d be a lot of work too. Nenoaur is happy just maintaining a level of comfort and a chance to tinker with non-fame-bringing hobbies, such as listening to audio drams.

Pelkis

Pelkis is marked by a tattoo (“Gloyan”) which means they are Nexvar. In general, Strondos don’t think of occupations the way that humans do. No Strondo would say “I’m a baker” or “I’m a plumber” or whatever. They’d say “I’m baking” or “I’m fixing the plumbing” because they describe the actions, not the person. But then there are the Nexvar, who liken themselves to living tools dedicated to specific situations and are highly rewarded for it. Nexvar put themselves into suspended animation for long spans of time, until they are awakened by someone who needs their help. They deal with whatever they were needed for and then get to live lavish lives until they opt to go back into the box and wait for the next time. Of course, if a Nexvar isn’t noteworthy enough that someone would want their help… Well, they prefer not to think about that. Pelkis has been alive for over 2200 years by Earth’s counting. Pelkis’s specialty is baking.

(You may note that our friend Nibnassin is Nexvar dedicated to educating aliens about Strondo culture.)

Chauban

Chauban is in charge of the import operations in the city of Theebev. It’s widely known that the planet Gurx doesn’t have enough resources to maintain Strondo society as it is, but by bringing in materials from space they hope to keep things running smoothly until construction is completed on New Gurx. Chauban and their workers accept the shipments from space and load them onto boats that bring them down-river and to the rest of planet. Chauban has been at the task for years and has gained a lot of esteem. In time, they plan to leave Gurx and put themselves in suspended animation around the construction site of New Gurx. It’ll be so nice to blank out and wake up to see the ultimate accomplishment of Strondovarian civilization complete at last.