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Calvin Ellis
AC Cv9 274615896987g
Debut Final Crisis #7 (March 2009)
Created by Grant Morrison · Doug Mahnk
Portrayed by see In other media
Statistics
AKA Kalel
Classification Kryptonian
Affiliation Justice League
Relatives Kryptonian Powers
For other uses, see Superman (disambiguation)

Calvin Ellis, Kryptonian name Kalel, also known as Superman, is a Kryptonian president of the United States on Earth-23. On his Earth, he became Superman in addition to being the president. It is likely he's native to Vathlo Island, due to his reference to the word Vathlo.

He operates from the White House, where Brainiac serves as his personal computer and even covers for him while he does his duties as Superman. ("Final Crisis")

Post-Crisis Continuity[]

Obama Superman 2

Final Crisis

During Final Crisis, this Superman joined a a team of different versions of Superman from the Multiverse. ("Final Crisis")

New 52 Continuity[]

Born to Jorel and Lara in the science capital on Vathlo Island on Krypton, baby Kalel was sent to Earth to escape Krypton's destruction. Found by the poor but kind Ellis family, who christened him Calvin, he was raised to stand up for himself no matter the odds, and to fight for what's right. When his star-spanning Kryptonian powers emerged under Earth's yellow sun, he became Superman, champion of the oppressed and defender of peace around the world.

One day, inhabitants from an alternate Earth came through to his Earth, fleeing from their universe's Superman, whom they had created. When the evil Superman came through, Superman fought him and won, with the help of Lex Luthor. ("The Curse of Superman")

Superman also interferes directly in his country's international affairs, using his powers as Superman. Shortly after the encounter with the alternate Superman, he destroyed all of Bialya's nuclear facilities, and then invited them to join the international community. ("Executive Power")

Behind the Scenes[]

Obama Superman

The real life Obama in Metropolis, Illinois.

Calvin Ellis was based on Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. Prior to being elected, he once joked on TV that he was sent to Earth from the dying planet Krypton, by his father, Jor-El.

He was later added to Final Crisis #7 as a version of Superman. Writer Grant Morrison confirmed that the character was intended to be Barack Obama.[1]

The character was unnamed in his first appearance in Final Crisis, and so was assumed to simply be Barack Obama. However, with the release of Action Comics #9, his name was revealed to be Calvin Ellis. He also had the Kryptonian name of Kalel.

There was previously another black Superman in Legends of the DC Universe: Crisis on Infinite Earths (Feb. 1999). This version lives on Earth-D, which featured a more ethnically diverse version of several Earth-One heroes, such as an Asian Flash and a Native American Green Arrow. The Earth-D heroes had never experienced major tragedies in their lives. It was a combination of modern multi-cultural sensibilities combined with Silver-Age-style innocence.

Grant Morrison themselves created the earlier similar character Sunshine Superman in a 1990 issue of Animal Man.

Appearances[]

Sources[]

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