Jonathan Smatten (Earth-One)

Jon Smatten
Mainstream Universe‎, 1950s-1986
Gallery
Real Name	Jonathan Smatten
Main Alias	Jon Smatten
Base Of Operations	Metropolis Riverbank Lair
Status
Alignment	Bad
Identity	Public Identity
Occupation	Criminal
Characteristics
Gender	Male
Hair	Red
Origin
Universe	Earth-One
Creators	Edmond Hamilton · Al Plastino
First Appearance	Action Comics #329 (October, 1965)
Last Appearance	Action Comics #329 (October, 1965)

They seem to be a Kryptonian scientist's records of an experiment... If only I could decipher them... Wait! Superman gave Metropolis University notes on the Kryptonese language for study.

— Jon Smatten

Jon Smatten was a minor repeat-adversary of Superman who refused to learn his lesson, and sought revenge against Superman for his past failures.

History

As a youth, Jon Smatten taught himself about a number of different fields of science; but none-the-less got himself in trouble. Through committing petty crimes, Smatten ended up in a reformatory where he created explosives and would have blown a hole in the wall, but for the intervention of Superboy.

Years later, as a adult, Jon Smatten mastered the field of robotics and sent insect-like drones out to rob buildings of jewellery, but again, was quickly found and jailed by Superman. Smatten weighed his options, and between the choice of starting again in a different city, going straight, or revenge — he chose the latter of the three and set up a radar observatory in a lead-lined cave to track down Kryptonite. What he actually found was the ruined Kryptonian lab of Hab-Rull; with his research notes and equipment still intact. The lab was made of an indestructible substance called Kryptium.

Using Metropolis University's notes on translating Kryptonese; the De-Coherer; the Kryptium and his wits, Smatten created an indestructible suit of armor and the Super-Sword of Krypton. Rather than wear the armour, he created a powerful robot and A.I. system that had the power to fight Superman to a standstill, and the sword could pierce his costume and skin.

Thinking Superman dead and his robot back in his Lair, Smatten recorded his story for posterity, but as he finished incriminating himself Superman threw off the armour and revealed that he had dismantled the robot with his own De-Coherer.

Beaten by Superman again, Jon Smatten went back to jail and did not challenge Superman again.

Powers and Abilities

Abilities

• Robotic Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Science
• Chemistry
  

Paraphernalia

Equipment

• Radar operation
• Robotic Knight
• Lead-Lined Cave

Weapons

• Super-Sword of Krypton

Notes

• This version of Jon Smatten, including all history and corresponding appearances, was erased from existence following the collapse of the original Multiverse in the 1985–86 Crisis on Infinite Earths event and later restored following the rebirth of the infinite Multiverse during the Dark Crisis of 2022–2023. Even though other versions of the character may have appeared, this information does not apply to those versions.
  

Trivia

• The Super-Sword of Krypton appears several issues later in Action Comics #333

Related

• 1 Appearances of Jonathan Smatten (Earth-One)
• 1 Images featuring Jonathan Smatten (Earth-One)
• 2 Quotations by or about Jonathan Smatten (Earth-One)
• Character Gallery: Jonathan Smatten (Earth-One)

Footnotes

Superman Villain(s) This character has been primarily an enemy of Superman in any of his various incarnations, or members of the Superman Family. This template will categorize articles that include it into the "Superman Villains category."