Prankster

The Prankster (real name: Oswald Loomis) is a fictional character and villain who appears in Superman stories published by DC Comics. The Prankster's first appearance was in Action Comics #51 in 1942.

The Prankster's particular gimmick was the use of various practical jokes and gags in committing his crimes. This, coupled with his cartoonish appearance, caused many to write him off as a "joke villain", until the early 2000s, when writers improved upon the character by giving him a more svelte appearance, as well as high tech weaponry that made him a more serious threat.

History

Comedian Oswald Loomis had his own sitcom called "Uncle Oswald", which was specifically tailored for his brand of comedy. Though successful for many years, the ratings eventually fell, leading to the show's cancellation. Due to typecasting, he found it difficult to find new employment. Angered and bitter that his gravy train had come to an end, Loomis sought revenge on the network executives that were responsible for his show's cancellation, but was foiled by Superman.

He was eventually given a younger, more athletic body presumably by Lord Satanus. His personality was changed as well, no longer an inept goofball, he was now an eccentric madman seeking to unleash his twisted brand of laughter upon the world. By this time, Metropolis had been upgraded by Brianiac 13. The Prankster took advantage of the new technology, creating high tech gadgets and weaponry, which retained a comical theme. He quickly challenged Superman again. By this time, Superman was suffering from kryptonite poisoning during their battle, and was hospitalized in S.T.A.R. Labs shortly therafter.

During the Critical Condition storyline, scientists learned that the cause of Superman's illness was a nanovirus carrying a small grain of kryptonite. They proposed to shrink Steel, Superboy, and Supergirl to microscopic size, and send them into Superman's bloodstream to destroy the virus. However, the Prankster subdued Steel, stole his armor, and attempted to sabotage their efforts. Though he failed, he escaped, with Steel's armor still in his possession. He used the armor to attack Supergirl, before Steel reaquired it via a remote failsafe.

The Prankster next performed a series of criminal favors for Lord Satanus, before losing favor with the demon. Later on, when Manchester Black revealed Superman's identity, the Prankster was one of many villains involved in the campaign to destroy Superman's life, though he forgot Superman's identity when Black was defeated.

Other Media

The Prankster was portrayed by Bronson Pinchot in two episodes of Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. Here his name was Kyle Griffin, a man who was sent to jail five years earlier due to one of Lois Lane's articles. In the first episode titled The Prankster he breaks out of prison and goes after Lois posing as her secret admirer. He returned later in the season, with light ray capable of freezing people (including Superman). He attempted to use this device to kidnap the President of the United States, who was visiting Metropolis.