DC Comics Rebirth & Superman Reborn Aftermath Spoilers & Review: Action Comics #978 New History, Kon-el Superboy, The Watchmen Mr. Oz & Surprise Revenge Squad Leader!

Spoilers, Top Story

DC Comics Rebirth and Superman Reborn Aftermath Spoilers and Review for Action Comics #978 follows.

Action Comics #978 opens with Superman in the Fortress of Solitude wanting to know his past, after Mister Mxyzptlk’s Superman Reborn reality rewriting, but he still hears a faint voice that even Kelex doesn’t hear.

Over nine pages of Action Comics #978 we see all of Superman’s new-old history post Crisis on Infinite Earths / Post John Byrne’s Man of Steel through to New 52 to Convergence to today; it all happened…

…sorta?

It looks like Kon-el, Superboy, was NOT one of the Supermen who emerged from the Death of the Superman storyline. See above only shows the Eradictor, Cyborh Superman and Steel, but no Kon-el Superboy. Below is the original Death and Return of Superman how it had happened.

The next five pages show the post Convergence and Lois and Clarke mini-series events and how they entwine with teh New 52 and culminate in Jon Kent, Dc Rebirth’s Superboy’s birth.

After that, we get to the meat of the present day DC Rebirth and Superman Reborn Aftermath storyline. Metallo and Blanque were collected by a mysterious benefactor in Action Comics #977. Now, Eradicator is collected next…

…this appears to the Eradictor we saw earlier in DC Rebirth, but now merged with the classic version.

We go back to Superman in the Fortress of Solitude and learn that the voice is actually Mr. Oz communicatining with Superman…

…telling him that his battle with him will be with him alone and not his friends? Is Mr. Oz the Watchmen’s Ozymandias?

The Superman Revenge Squad have taken over Batman’s moon base and their mysterious benefactor and leader is…

…a very non-Cyborh Superman (yet?) Hank Henshaw?

Considering this Hank Henshaw knows Blanque, this Henshaw also appears to be a merged version of the earlier Reborn Henshaw and the classic one, but why is he not the Cyborg Superman (yet?). Does that mean that Kara Zor-el’s / Supergirl’s dad remains the Cyborg Superman as per New 52?

Hmmm.

So…

A meaty issue with lots of revelations, drama and some issue capping action. I liked the art, but found parts to be a bit too cartoony. That said, a pretty entertaining read. 8 out of 10.

John is a long-time pop culture fan, comics historian, and blogger. He is currently the Editor-in-Chief at Comics Nexus. Prior to being EIC he has produced several column series including DEMYTHIFY, NEAR MINT MEMORIES and the ONE FAN'S TRIALS at the Nexus plus a stint at Bleeding Cool producing the COMICS REALISM column. As BabosScribe, John is active on his twitter account, his facebook page, his instagram feed and welcomes any and all feedback. Bring it on!