File under "Comics you can hear." Too bad for you!

Some people can come out of personal tragedy as better, stronger, and kinder; but they probably don't have the added burden of looking and sounding like Gilbert Gottfried. That's too much to put on anyone...from 1991, The Adventures of Superboy #20, "The Secret (Until Now) Origin of Nicknack" Written by Scott Lobdell and Gilbert Gottfried, pencils by Jim Mooney, inks by John Statema. Cover by Kevin Maguire and Ty Templeton!

Huh, this was another series, tying into the 1988-92 TV show, which ran for a hundred episodes? Luthor, Bizarro, and Mr. Mxyzptlk all made appearances; but instead of Toyman, we got Nicholas Knack, a.k.a. Nicknack, with a similiar gimmick. Although he had been convicted for murdering his assistant, he was also pretty obviously crazy, to the point that the warden wanted to move him to a psychiatric facility. That's less out of kindness, than the fact that Nicknack is loud and annoying: despite having made dangerous toys in the past, he was still allowed to have some action figures, mostly to shut him up a bit. The warden calls in Superboy for help with the move; and they watch Nicknack beat the hell out of a Superboy action figure with a Nicknack figure, and tell his "secret origin." His dad had worked at the Mega Toys factory, until he had an unfortunate accident--well, unfortunate for him. He fell into a vat of molten plastic, but the "Fright Face Fling-Ding," a frisbee of his virtual death mask, was a massive seller for the company! His mom was killed in an accident at the funeral, and young Nicholas was adopted by the owner of the toy company. He's left with an overbearing nanny, whom he eventually murders, but it did give him the opportunity to study business; and he would flee to Europe and make a name for himself with hit toys and hostile--occasionally deadly--takeovers.

In fact, Nicknack still had holdings in Europe: the prison had bought its paddy wagon from one of his companies, and it transforms into a tank! I don't know if there was much call for that, but sure. With his tank and armor, Nicknack tries to make his break, eventually shooting a heat-seeking missile at the prison cafeteria--not just revenge for so many terrible meals, but he figures Superboy would have to stop it and he could escape. Instead, Superboy heats up Nicknack's armor, drawing the missile back, hitting them both: the prisoners have a moment to cheer for Nicknack making himself useful in death, but both survived, although Nicknack's armor was worse for the wear. He's left at the prison, but more worried about Tuna Melt Tuesday than anything.

The running joke is that everyone knows Nicknack looks like Gottfried, even Nicknack; with the line even getting crossed towards the end as he mentions his last appearance on Letterman! A fun issue; I hope Gottfried enjoyed it. Of course, years later, he would make multiple animated appearances, as the voice of Mr. Mxyzptlk!