"Superman: Rebirth" Explains What Happened to the Man of Tomorrow

[CBR News]

Picking up in the aftermath of "Superman" #52, the DC one-shot answers a big question about the New 52 Man of Steel. SPOILERS!


Full article here.

[Myskin]

... Why do I get the weird sensation that this article sounds like a huge advertising for Rebirth?
I am a distrustful person, I know.

[Tim Pilotus]

Gotta say, this is a pretty convoluted wrinkle. This Superman ("Superdad") isn't this world's Superman. How will this world's heroes react? Will he be accepted? Will this be a story point? Nothing lasts forever in comics but with NuLois' new book (Superwoman) having a built in exit strategy (Powers are killing her), does this mean DC will abandon "Nuperman" and NuLois for Superdad when/if Superwoman reaches cancellation levels?

Pretty dumb choice pitting portions of the fanbase against one another but I suppose the New52 fans had to have their right of passage and graduate from fairweather newbie fan to long-time fan at some point. This is how it goes.

That said, as someone who is completely alienated by the New52niverse there's a strange relatability for me here. And now, while I have no interest in anything else associated with this universe DC has kind've given me a reason to read about this truly alien Superman from a dead continuity.

It's an interesting and unexpected development. For all of the decades following Superman I don't know that I've ever seen this kind of Superman placement being done. The main Superman isn't this world's Superman. I'm here for the forseeable future to see how it unfolds.

[j9ac9k]

It's weird that part of the mission statement of "Rebirth" was to re-establish relationships, but their biggest hero doesn't know any of these heroes now...? (aside from their counterparts) They can't even say that Superman is a founding member of the JLA anymore without an asterisk. We recently saw Parallax Hal Jordan running around the new DCU, although we're not sure which version that is and it remains to be seen how much Wally will remember or if it's even the same Wally...

Sounds like a big mess, no?

[Francisco]

It's weird that part of the mission statement of "Rebirth" was to re-establish relationships, but their biggest hero doesn't know any of these heroes now...? (aside from their counterparts) They can't even say that Superman is a founding member of the JLA anymore without an asterisk. We recently saw Parallax Hal Jordan running around the new DCU, although we're not sure which version that is and it remains to be seen how much Wally will remember or if it's even the same Wally...

Sounds like a big mess, no?

The actual mission is the introduce Jon White aka Jon Kent aka New Superboy aka The Ball to Lois's chain

[Batowl]

It's weird that part of the mission statement of "Rebirth" was to re-establish relationships, but their biggest hero doesn't know any of these heroes now...? (aside from their counterparts) They can't even say that Superman is a founding member of the JLA anymore without an asterisk. We recently saw Parallax Hal Jordan running around the new DCU, although we're not sure which version that is and it remains to be seen how much Wally will remember or if it's even the same Wally...

Sounds like a big mess, no?

That Hal is post crisis.

[JackDaw]

Another Superman re-launch, another gimmick. The only thing that changes is that they come at shorter intervals.

Still waiting for:-

1/ DC put a top rate writer own Superman...and keep him/ her there for a few years. (Was last one to do a long run John Byrne?)
2/ DC make Superman really fast again...Flash fast, no mucking about.

But expect there will be a shed load of gimmicks before that happens. Indeed I expect to be dead before it happens. (Could leave a clause to throw comic in coffin if it happens just after I die...be my version of Egyptians putting stuff in tomb to keep deceased happy in next life.)

[solletaire]

I don't understand why DC is having so much trouble with Superman... First they bend backwards to make him single and angsty... Then they give him a new power/crutch to "spice things up"... then he becomes powerless and they reveal his identity to the world... then he dies and is replaced by an older version of himself from a different timeline... Now THIS version has a wife and kid and lives on a farm, and has to be reintroduced to all the DC heroes which he doesn't really know

Is it really that hard to write a compelling Superman stories without all the changes in direction or gimmicks or whatever you want to call them?

[Alkaidswrath]

Gotta say, this is a pretty convoluted wrinkle. This Superman ("Superdad") isn't this world's Superman. How will this world's heroes react? Will he be accepted? Will this be a story point? Nothing lasts forever in comics but with NuLois' new book (Superwoman) having a built in exit strategy (Powers are killing her), does this mean DC will abandon "Nuperman" and NuLois for Superdad when/if Superwoman reaches cancellation levels?

Pretty dumb choice pitting portions of the fanbase against one another but I suppose the New52 fans had to have their right of passage and graduate from fairweather newbie fan to long-time fan at some point. This is how it goes.

That said, as someone who is completely alienated by the New52niverse there's a strange relatability for me here. And now, while I have no interest in anything else associated with this universe DC has kind've given me a reason to read about this truly alien Superman from a dead continuity.

It's an interesting and unexpected development. For all of the decades following Superman I don't know that I've ever seen this kind of Superman placement being done. The main Superman isn't this world's Superman. I'm here for the forseeable future to see how it unfolds.

So to answer a few things for you:
It will absolutely be a story point in the upcoming Justice League: Rebirth

JUSTICE LEAGUE: REBIRTH #1
U.S. Price: $2.99 ON SALE 7/6
Spinning out of the events of DC UNIVERSE: REBIRTH #1, a new day dawns for Earth’s greatest heroes as they welcome three new members to the team, including…Superman? Who is this strange visitor from a dead world—and can he be trusted? Batman and Wonder Woman aren’t so sure.

And I don't think it will be as simple as New52's Superman and Lois being written out and forgotten. Especially since in next weeks Action comics #957 Superman encounters someone claiming to be Clark Kent, which eventually leads us to the cover of #959
AC_Cv959.jpg

[Lucaltuve]

Here's my disconnect from Rebirth: It would appear some of the New 52 Characters are being "called out" as new/alternate/simulacrum versions of the "real"/classic/pre-flashpoint heroes. For example, Superman and Wally West. It's like DC is straight up saying they're not good enough to be considered the real versions, so you better start cheering for the returning pre-flashpoint versions.
But with other characters, we're expected to emotionally feel connected to them and their history as if they're the reincarnations of the older heroes (isn't that what we were actually told at first? It was the same Earth!). This actually applies to most of New 52's characters.
So when I see an emotional scene between New 52's Barry Allen and pre-flashpoint Wally West where we're expected to accept that they have a past together... it feels dishonest. Because no, no they don't!
I do like how with Superman they're playing up an actual angle where he doesn't actually know any of these people and they don't really know him, but as a reader I still feel like I'm being played not by a writer (which would be fine) but by a corporate mandate that the writers in charge don't know how to deal with.

[Tim Pilotus]

So to answer a few things for you:
It will absolutely be a story point in the upcoming Justice League: Rebirth

Interesting.

Thanks for the info.

[Batowl]

Some of this is sliver age inspired, a Clark and a Superman at the same time, Lex being Superman was done before as a imaginary story. Also SuperWoman Lois.

[Tim Pilotus]

Here's my disconnect from Rebirth: It would appear some of the New 52 Characters are being "called out" as new/alternate/simulacrum versions of the "real"/classic/pre-flashpoint heroes. For example, Superman and Wally West. It's like DC is straight up saying they're not good enough to be considered the real versions, so you better start cheering for the returning pre-flashpoint versions.
But with other characters, we're expected to emotionally feel connected to them and their history as if they're the reincarnations of the older heroes (isn't that what we were actually told at first? It was the same Earth!). This actually applies to most of New 52's characters.
So when I see an emotional scene between New 52's Barry Allen and pre-flashpoint Wally West where we're expected to accept that they have a past together... it feels dishonest. Because no, no they don't!
I do like how with Superman they're playing up an actual angle where he doesn't actually know any of these people and they don't really know him, but as a reader I still feel like I'm being played not by a writer (which would be fine) but by a corporate mandate that the writers in charge don't know how to deal with.

^^This.

The cognitive dissonance even as far back as when the New52 hit where they retained (or paid lipservice anyway) to most of Batman and GL's pre-existing history (just crammed into the 5 Year Later timeline) was in such stark contrast to some characters who got completely overwritten by the cutover.

DC can't seem to find a nuanced approach and like a bull in a china shop seem to be swinging from pole to pole. I don't think it's going to have the desired effect for them and might just end up alienating most after the smoke clears. You can only jerk people around for so long before they realize they just don't even need to bother with you anymore.

[Batowl]

Here's my disconnect from Rebirth: It would appear some of the New 52 Characters are being "called out" as new/alternate/simulacrum versions of the "real"/classic/pre-flashpoint heroes. For example, Superman and Wally West. It's like DC is straight up saying they're not good enough to be considered the real versions, so you better start cheering for the returning pre-flashpoint versions.
But with other characters, we're expected to emotionally feel connected to them and their history as if they're the reincarnations of the older heroes (isn't that what we were actually told at first? It was the same Earth!). This actually applies to most of New 52's characters.
So when I see an emotional scene between New 52's Barry Allen and pre-flashpoint Wally West where we're expected to accept that they have a past together... it feels dishonest. Because no, no they don't!
I do like how with Superman they're playing up an actual angle where he doesn't actually know any of these people and they don't really know him, but as a reader I still feel like I'm being played not by a writer (which would be fine) but by a corporate mandate that the writers in charge don't know how to deal with.

Both Wally's are real via ret-con. Only Lois is unexplained.

[Fuzzy Barbarian]

... Why do I get the weird sensation that this article sounds like a huge advertising for Rebirth?
I am a distrustful person, I know.

Don't worry, I kinda got that vibe too, at least for the Rebirth Superman line

So to answer a few things for you:
It will absolutely be a story point in the upcoming Justice League: Rebirth


And I don't think it will be as simple as New52's Superman and Lois being written out and forgotten. Especially since in next weeks Action comics #957 Superman encounters someone claiming to be Clark Kent, which eventually leads us to the cover of #959
AC_Cv959.jpg

New 52 Lois is Superwoman and her powers are killing her. Depending on reception, she'll probably either be killed off or get to keep going as Superwoman.

With what the green hooded guy said about Superman being "not what you thought", my theory is that he was Superboy-Prime. Would be a decent redemption for him, plus his name WAS Clark Kent, so...