The New 52 Superman has died and the pre-Flashpoint and post-Convergence Superman has taken his place in the DC Rebirth world of DC Comics. However, a new Clark Kent has emerged who is seoperate and apart from Superman plus Lex Luthor lays a claim to the Superman mantle. Wow.
Well, this week we had Justice League #52, the final issue of an ongoing DC New 52 series, that sets up Lex Luthor’s status quo and we have DC Rebirth’s Action Comics #958 that continues the Superman/Lex Luthor/Clark Kent Rebirth tale!
Spoilers and review follow for DC New 52’s Justice League #52.
The teaser pages released by DC in advance of the issue shows what happened to the New 52 Superman’s cape after he died as a returning Lex Luthor wonders what’s happened while he’s been on Apokolips.
Lex Luthor wearing Superman’s shield also rubs his colleagues in the Justice League the wrong way; he doesn’t know about the pre-Flashpoint Superman yet.
Lex Luthor “appears” sincere in wanting to take up Superman’s mantle yet on the other hand feels he’ll be deified in death.
Lex visits his sister who is in the hospital; even his Mother Box – the greatest technology in the universe – can’t snap her out of her coma.
Lex Luthor so badly wants Superman’s cape that he buys the Daily Planet to get it.
And he believes that he’s the new Superman.
Little does he know what will happen in the pages of DC Rebirth’s Action Comics.
While this story didn’t feel like the grand end of the Justice League’s New 52 era, it did feel like a Superman story that bridges:
- The last issue of the post-Convergence DC New 52 mini-series Superman: Lois and Clark #8 and the last issue of Superman #52 featuring the New 52 Superman’s death (spoilers for both issues here);
- Superman’s appearance in DC Universe: Rebirth #1 (spoilers here);
- Superman: Rebirth #1 (spoilers here); and
- DC Rebirth’s Action Comics #957 kick-off with Superman, Lex Luthor, a new Clark Kent and more (spoilers here).
Superman may be the most improved character in Rebirth as his New 52 iteration was a disappointment.
Spoilers and review follow for DC Rebirth’s Action Comics #958.
The second issue of Action Comics’ Rebirth era opens with a summary of what’s happened; Lex Luthor as Superman has come back to Metroplis, a new Superman has emerged as has a separate Clark Kent, and we have… Doomsday!
The battle ensues!
A Mr. Oz watches from afar; is he a member of the Watchmen? Could he be Ozymandias?
Superman’s son Jon is curious about why there is separate Superman (his dad) and a Clark Kent (who is he?)/
Clark Kent explains that he was never Superman…. wha?
Jon Kent wants to help his dad as Lois looks on…
… does Lex Luthor make a heroic sacrifice?
A pretty solid issue.
