The Many Faces Of... Mxyzptlk
Written by Russ Dimino

Superman has faced many enemies throughout the years. Some have challenged him on a physical level, some on a mental level. There is one foe, however, who has challenged his patience more than anything else. The mischievous Imp from 5th Dimension known as Mr. Mxyzptlk has annoyed, confounded and confused The Man of Steel for decades, usually in the name of a good laugh. This devilish, magical prankster can appear on Earth once every 90 days, playing jokes and causing trouble on an epic scale, until Superman can outsmart him (which usually involves tricking him into saying his name backwards) and send him back to his own dimension. Sound crazy? That's exactly the point.

Mxy first appeared in Superman #30 in 1944, in a tale written by "Superman" co-creator Jerry Siegel. Initially spelled "Mxyztplk" (note the "t" and "p" are reversed), this first story had the Imp bringing a nude statue to life, causing the mayor to bray like a donkey, and setting circus animals loose in the streets. The issue ended with a note asking fans to write in if they wanted to see more of Mr. Mxyztplk.

Mr. Mxyzptlk made several animated appearances throughout the various "Super Friends" series that spanned from 1977 - 1986, in such episodes as "Mr. Mxyzptlk and the Magic Lamp," "Mxyzptlk Strikes Again," and "Uncle Mxyzptlk" (which featured Red Kryptonite turning Superman into a little kid!). Voice actor Frank Welker provided the voice of Mxyzptlk, as well as several other characters in the series, including Marvin, Toyman, Darkseid and Kalibak. Welker has voiced hundreds of cartoon characters throughout his amazing career, with roles ranging from Kermit on "Muppet Babies" to Dr. Claw on "Inspector Gadget." He also did the voice of Abu the monkey in "Aladdin."

Mxy then popped up on the live-action "Superboy" TV series, which aired from 1988- 1992. In the first season episode "Meet Mr. Mxyzptlk," Superboy removes a magic totem pole from the ground and accidentally opens a gateway to another dimension, releasing Mxyzptlk. The Imp uses his magic to steal Lana Lang away from the Boy of Steel. Michael J. Pollard plays Mxyzptlk, and his visual appearance is straight from the comics, right down to his purple bowler hat. Pollard reprised the role in season two, in the episode "Mr. and Mrs. Superboy."

On "Lois & Clark," Howie Mandel portrayed Mr. Mxyzptlk in the fourth season episode "Twas the Night Before Mxymas." In this Christmas-themed tale, Mxy creates a time loop that traps Superman in the same day, but with hope and good cheer giving way to gloom and despair with each cycle. Mandel shares a few credits with Frank Welker, as Mandel also lent his voice to the "Muppet Babies," playing Animal and Skeeter. He was also the voice of Bobby on "Bobby's World," while Welker provided the voice of Roger the Dog. (Thanks to Colt for sending us a screen capture of Howie Mandel in his "Squire of Gothos"-inspired costume from the "Lois & Clark" episode!)

Gilbert Gottfried was the next to give voice to Mr. Mxyzptlk, on "Superman The Animated Series" in 1997. The character first appears in the episode "Mxyzpixilated," which is based very heavily on the initial Jerry Siegel story from Superman #30. Mxy later returns and teams with Bizarro in the episode "Little Big Head Man." Other screen credits for Mr. Gottfried include Mr. Peabody in the "Problem Child" movies, and, more recently, certain episodes of "Crank Yankers" as George Zucco. He also has a tie to Frank Welker... Gottfried voiced Iago the parrot in "Aladdin."

On the November 3rd episode of "Smallville," titled "Jinx," the troublemaker from the 5th dimension pops his way into the WB universe, in the form of a foreign exchange student named Mikail Mxyzptlk. This time out, the character is played by Trent Ford. Ford's other acting credits include several episodes of "The West Wing," as well as the movies "How To Deal" and "Gosford Park."

The thing that fans seem to love about Mxyzptlk is the sense of fun that he adds to any story that he appears in. Because his powers are magical in nature and his personality is so wild and unpredictable, fans know that all rules are off and anything can happen. Superman's other foes may be able to trade punches or mastermind schemes, but Mxy can turn his world upside down with a wave of his hand. It is that playful mischief and sense of wonder that got fans to respond to the query at the end of Superman #30, and what keeps them coming back for more today.

Note: The views of Russ Dimino don't necessarily represent the thoughts and feelings of everyone at KryptonSite.

Read some of Russ's other columns! Many Faces Of...: Lana Lang - The Kents - Lex Luthor - Lois Lane - The Flash - Jor-El and Lara

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