Alpha Centurion # 1 (one-shot, 1996) (DC Comics) [COMICS]

 The best part of Alpha Centurion # 1 is the super-villain that appears in the first few pages and then never reappears in any comic book ever (as far as I know).  Ephemera is a time-travelling historian from the future who wants to preserve as much knowledge as she can in order to help civilization rebuild after its imminent collapse.  What a great concept!  She also has a really fun personality.  Our hero, Alpha Centurion, in contrast, is just . . . okay, I guess.  He does have a suitably "go big or go home" origin: a Roman centurion kidnapped by aliens who replaced him with one of their own before being eventually (i.e., recently) returned to modern day Earth with cool alien armor tech.  The problem is that the aliens have decided to take over the world!  There's still a lot I don't understand.  Alpha Centurion first appeared in some early-mid 1990s Superman comics, so it's possible I encountered the character as a teen, but I really don't remember.  All I know is that I'd much rather be reading about the adventures of Ephemera . . .