Death Metal: The Secret Origin Spoilers/Discussion

[sifighter]

Alright let’s be clear before anything else, this is 100% a Superboy Prime issue. Other super characters are involved and it’s set during and maybe a little after issue 6 of Death Metal, but mainly we follow Prime. We get into his backstory before Crisis on Infinite Earth and how he’s feeling now after all that has occurred and kind of messed him up causing his actions in stories like Infinite Crisis. I’m not sure if it really makes up for all of what he has done but it’s pretty clear that they want to humanize prime and make us feel something for him, possibly understand him more as a character other then the violent psycho he’s been portrayed as. I feel that Geoff Johns and Scott Snyder both some what succeed on that front, I’m not forgetting that he’s punched peoples heads off or ripped their arms and slaughtered green lanterns but you get a sense that you can understand Prime on a certain level. In fact from this story I can see that this is either Prime’s conclusion or the next phase in his story.

However besides Prime this is also a Death Metal story, and not only is it probably slightly necessary but it also has something that frankly I think people will like to see, which I will explain in spoilers below. Overall though, I think this was one of the better tie-ins to Death Metal, Speed Metal is still better but I think this has enough that people can enjoy.

So what happened as a part of the death metal plot?
spoilers:

Well prime punches an evil version of Superman from one of Batman who laughs new worlds and realizes that he effected the whole planet. This gets him to realize that perhaps he can change things if he goes and attacks the Batman who laughs, and surprisingly he wins. He beats the Batman who laughs, turning away an offer to get his wish and ultimately he doesn’t just destroy everything because Krypto (the only thing being nice to him at the time) convinces him not to, through his power to be a good dog. So instead Prime beats down on Batman who laughs and destroys the Last 52 worlds. Unfortunately he ends up dying, with only Krypto mourning him and knowing the good deed he did in the end.....well not quite. See, Prime finds himself back in his home dimension reading the comic he’s in, with his girlfriend Laurie back to life and his pre-crisis life and home as well, but with the addition of a new dog who looks exactly like Krypto. The last reveal is not only is Prime home, but he still has his powers as he saves the life of a child about to be hit by a car. What this means for Prime’s future is unclear but it appears that not only has he decided to change but he got a happy ending and got exactly what he wanted. But I think the main takeaway that people will like is Prime reality punching Batman who laughs.

end of spoilers

If I have any complaints it’s that I wish they had one main artist overall but I still think it’s a pretty good read.

[superduperman]

Dan Didio had this real thing about wanting to turn certain characters (including himself) into wrestling style "heels". It's obvious that Superboy Prime's previous status was his idea. And the now that he's gone, that nonsense went with him. As well it should.

[TheMaker1610]

I.. am speechless rn..
I always hated Prime, ever since he came back in IC, and despised him to the core, because of all the monstruosities he did.

However, some part of me kind of wanted to believehe wasnt meant to become that monster, but that his whole life and destiny was played with, turning him into the monster he became..

I know this will not erase his past, but man.. I really thank Johns for making me feel sorry for him, and actually making me undestand his struggle and hopelesness, and above all, making him get the happy ending he always wanted, the one that destiny (Didio?) refused to give him.

Thank you Johns, for this swan song for the chatacter.

[Buried Alien]

This was Superboy-Prime's "Return of Anakin Skywalker" moment. I look at it as akin to Vader turning away from the Dark Side and becoming Anakin Skywalker again.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Rakzo]

This might be the best thing that came out from Death Metal and considering how much I liked The Last Stories of the DCU tie-in, that's saying something.

This definitely felt more like a Johns story than Snyder's and that's for the better (Since Snyder would have certainly given the Batman who Laughs a much bigger and obnoxious role). All of the (sometimes erratic) development that Johns created for Prime over the years gets the proper closure that it should had years ago but for some reason never did.

Solid art as well. Satisfying resolution overall.

[BruceWayneJr.]

"Some lame Batman wannabe is doing what a bunch of other villains have already tried to do for some reason..."
"I feel like I already this story, but I understood it better."
"Everything in the universe is turned upside down and jumbled like a Greatest and Worst Hits album."
"I can't figure out what's going on."
"And the worst part about it all is... I don't care anymore."
"I've seen everyone die and come back so many times now."
"What does anything matter anymore?"

Apparently Johns doesn't enjoy the current state of DC any more than I do.

[Vordan]

"Some lame Batman wannabe is doing what a bunch of other villains have already tried to do for some reason..."
"I feel like I already this story, but I understood it better."
"Everything in the universe is turned upside down and jumbled like a Greatest and Worst Hits album."
"I can't figure out what's going on."
"And the worst part about it all is... I don't care anymore."
"I've seen everyone die and come back so many times now."
"What does anything matter anymore?"

Apparently Johns doesn't enjoy the current state of DC any more than I do.

Nah Johns is just writing Prime from the same perspective as always: the jaded fanboy. If he really hated the current state of the DCU he wouldn’t have come back for a tie-in. Glad he finished Prime’s character arc and gave him a solid ending.

[Frontier]

"Some lame Batman wannabe is doing what a bunch of other villains have already tried to do for some reason..."
"I feel like I already this story, but I understood it better."
"Everything in the universe is turned upside down and jumbled like a Greatest and Worst Hits album."
"I can't figure out what's going on."
"And the worst part about it all is... I don't care anymore."
"I've seen everyone die and come back so many times now."
"What does anything matter anymore?"

Apparently Johns doesn't enjoy the current state of DC any more than I do.

The sad thing is how true some of this is...

[lemonpeace]

"Some lame Batman wannabe is doing what a bunch of other villains have already tried to do for some reason..."
"I feel like I already this story, but I understood it better."
"Everything in the universe is turned upside down and jumbled like a Greatest and Worst Hits album."
"I can't figure out what's going on."
"And the worst part about it all is... I don't care anymore."
"I've seen everyone die and come back so many times now."
"What does anything matter anymore?"

Apparently Johns doesn't enjoy the current state of DC any more than I do.

I mean, it's not like Johns hasn't played a significant role in playing into and normalizing these issues.

[Frontier]

I mean, it's not like Johns hasn't played a significant role in playing into and normalizing these issues.

One could argue it shows self-awareness on his part .

[lemonpeace]

One could argue it shows self-awareness on his part .

I like to believe that's the case with the "I understood it better before" bit

[Robotman]

I thought this story was really good but it did gloss over the sheer insanity Prime displayed at times. The crazy eyes maniacal ranting that we recently saw in Johns own Shazam story had been SP’s standard characterization. He’s been far more than the tragic lost soul that was shown in this issue. He had at times entered homicidal maniac territory. I guess wanting to make him a sympathetic character required them to brush those facets of Prime under the rug.

Nah Johns is just writing Prime from the same perspective as always: the jaded fanboy. If he really hated the current state of the DCU he wouldn’t have come back for a tie-in. Glad he finished Prime’s character arc and gave him a solid ending.

Yeah usually Johns has Prime say thing that are seemingly from comic book message boards. This wasn’t Johns’ take on the industry. This was just Superboy Prime being his usual disgruntled fan self.

[Sacred Knight]

Was he returned to Earth-Prime still in 1984? Or was that left vague? If so in real time he'd be a big time veteran Superman-Prime by now.

[Robotman]

Was he returned to Earth-Prime still in 1984? Or was that left vague? If so in real time he'd be a big time veteran Superman-Prime by now.

I think his world was changed to modern times. I mean, he was reading a comic that literally came out today. Plus things in his world have obviously been altered. Like the dog for instance.

[blunt_eastwood]

I think his world was changed to modern times. I mean, he was reading a comic that literally came out today. Plus things in his world have obviously been altered. Like the dog for instance.

Yes I believe that he did another reality altering punch when he punched TBWL and that remade his universe.