DC Comics Rebirth and Superman Reborn Spoilers and Review for Superman #19 follow.
Mister Mxyzptlk wants to play a more deadly game with Lois Lane and Superman after leaving him – unknowingly mind you – trapped with Mr. Oz. He takes them elsewhere to play with them where Superman glows blue; Mister Mxyzptlk says that the blue aura is his essence, what makes Superman Superman.
Mister Mxyzptlk also explains that through time, spaces, etc. Lois Lane and Superman / Clark Kent always come together.
As a preamble to Mister Mxyzptlk’s next game, he regales Lois Lane and Superman with a history lesson revealing they were split in two; and in seeing those visions of history Lois Lane notices the split personalities – the New 52 Superman and New 52 Lois Lane – had red energy. There is also some language about hope and optimism being split; not sure if that fully explains Superman Red and Superman Blue, but we do know that the pre-Flashpoint and current DC Rebirth Superman and the New 52 Superman were initially one person, one Superman.
The red energy finds Superboy, Jon Kent, and is there to help him. Superboy asks who they are and they – the red energy – reveals who they are; they are the New 52 Superman and New 52 Lois Lane who to Superboy “sound” and feel like his parents.
Despite Mister Mxyzptlk Superman and Lois Lane find each other again and remember their family together. And, Superboy somehow hears his blue energy dad as he’s communing with the red energy.
Mister Mxyzptlk is fuming that Superman “won” and tries harder…
Superman begins to forget his life. Then its time for Superboy, who has his own blue aura energy, to…
…harness the red energy to the New 52 Superman and New 52 Lois Lane to free himself and save his blue aura energy parents.
The New 52 Superman and New 52 Lois Lane are back and they’re here to help Superboy and his parents the DC Rebirth Superman and Lois Lane.
This leads to Superman Red and Superman Blue next week in Action Comics #976.
And, despite Mr. Oz being on one of Superman #19’s covers, many believe his Ozymandias of the Watchmen, he actually doesn’t appear in the issue. Hopefully, more movement on his story beats next week!
History lesson time.
The concept of Superman Red and Superman Blue was introduced in 1963’s Superman #162.
The concept was electrified in 1998.
Ok, onto Superman Reborn Part 4 in next week’s Action Comics #976.
So…
An entertaining issue. The portrayal of the two different artists on Superman and Action Comics of Mister Mxyzptlk is a bit jarring, but there is so much action, drama, visual goodness packed into each of the Superman Reborn issue so far it’s not too off putting. I was glad the Superman $19’s two covers didn’t reveal or spoil any major plot points from the issue, but I was disappointed the one cover with the Watchmen Mr. Oz was actually misleading as he didn’t show up at all. Superman #19 read very quickly; I hope that is because it was fun and action-packed and not because DC Comics changed the page count (I haven’t counted the pages of content). I imagine its the former and not the latter anyway. Overall, another fun issue despite not fully understanding the New 52 Superman / Lois Lane and DC Rebirth Superman / Lois Lane connection or the Superman Red and Superman Blue auras of energy. 7 out of 10.
