Publisher DC Comics Played by Robert Shayne Supporting character of Superman, Black Lightning | Full name William Henderson TV show Adventures of Superman | |
First appearance Radio:
The Adventures of Superman
(circa 1940)
Comics:
Action Comics #442
(December 1974) Created by Comics:
Elliot S. Maggin
Curt Swan Team affiliations Metropolis Police Department Creators Curt Swan, Elliot S. Maggin Similar Superman, Thara Ak‑Var, Bibbo Bibbowski, Ron Troupe, George Taylor | ||
Inspector William Henderson is a supporting character in Superman comics published by DC Comics.
Contents
Radio history
Inspector Henderson first appeared in the 1940s radio series The Adventures of Superman, in which he was Superman's police contact. Mainly used as a sounding board in that capacity, the only detail about Henderson's personal life that was revealed was that he had a son named Ray. Inspector Henderson was voiced by Matt Crowley and later by Earl George.
Comic history
It took a while longer for Inspector Henderson to be introduced in the comics, however; his first appearance there was in Action Comics #442 in December 1974, once again as Superman's main police contact. He also appeared in issues of the first Black Lightning series.
In New Adventures of Superboy #6 (June 1980), a younger version of the character was introduced. Detective-Sergeant Henderson visited Smallville in an attempt to convince Superboy to relocate to Metropolis, where the rate and volume of crime was much higher. Henderson was unsuccessful, although the Boy of Steel would relocate to Metropolis upon reaching adulthood and becoming Superman.
Since John Byrne's 1986 Man of Steel miniseries, Inspector Henderson's role has been reduced somewhat, in favor of newer characters Dan Turpin and Maggie Sawyer. Currently, Henderson is Metropolis' police commissioner.
Supergirl (vol. 5) #37 (March 2009) introduces Inspector Mike Henderson, an African-American detective who heads the Metropolis Metacrimes Division, one of two units replacing Sawyer and Turpin's Special Crimes Unit (the other being the Science Police).