Superman Reborn Synopsis

[Superlad93]

Superman's life isn't what it used to be, and he was living with that. But now the world he has built is crumbling away because of a mysterious foe. Will he be able to rescue the life he knew before it disappears forever?

Dan Jurgens, Peter J. Tomasi, and Patrick Gleason--the creative talent behind ACTION COMICS and SUPERMAN-present the first monumental Superman crossover event following DC Rebirth in SUPERMAN REBORN!

Collects ACTION COMICS #975-976 and SUPERMAN #18-19.

https://www.amazon.com/Superman-Rebo...iglink20726-20

[Superlad93]

So at least it's only four issues in total. Gleason confirmed that he'll be doing these two issue, so that'll be a highlight for sure.

I really like the idea of Clark having to really fight for the little patch of normalcy he's created for himself and his family.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

Okay, if it's just one month and I only gotta get two issues of Action (or skip two issues of Superman if I decide I'm really not down for it), I can live with that.

[Frontier]

"Mysterious Foe?" I wonder if it's Oz or whoever the fake!Clark really is?

And I also wonder, with the Kents' idyllic life in Hamilton apparently getting turned upside down, if this is going to force Superdad to move his family back to Metropolis and become Clark Kent again?

[Superlad93]

And I also wonder, with the Kents' idyllic life in Hamilton apparently getting turned upside down, if this is going to force Superdad to move his family back to Metropolis and become Clark Kent again?

More than likely this could be the situation. Apparently the new Clark Kent will turn out to be someone sinister, so once Superman takes care him the Clark ID will be freed up. I wonder if this fake Clark will be turning everything upside down?

Poor Jon, he's gotta move away from his best friend now. I'd love to see an issue that touches base with the little guy on how he feels about all of this moving around and name changing. I remember Lois saying that she could relate because of all the moving she had to do due to Sam's work in the army. She'll probably be the one to talk to Jon about the whole deal.

If they do move back to the city I really do hope Jon gets visit Kathy on weekends. Krypto could totally fly him there, or Clark could fly him and pick him up Sunday night. I'd love it if Superboy declared himself the "hero of Hamilton."

[Sacred Knight]

Hopefully no, he can't rescue his current life, but what can happen is that it could be reshaped to fit more fully into this world.....

I don't know if they'd do it before Rebirth as a whole concluded but I sure as hell would not be complaining if it happened early.

Mysterious foe: Oz or DoppleClark/Hank.

[Ascended]

Regardless of how the story plays out I hope that they keep some of the current setup. At least keep them on the farm. Clark and Lois can go back to the Planet if they must (I guess Lois already is, though Im not sure how she's pulling it off) but we're just starting to develop Hamilton and I'd hate to see the last few months of work get dumped just for living arrangements. I dont know if Clark at the Planet is even that necessary right now. Clark working as a farmer makes a hell of a lot more sense for several reasons (though the Planet has its benefits).

Clark and Lois have a kid. We're already off the edge of the map as far as established status quo's go. If you're going to rock the boat that much you might as well go for broke right?

This feels like "the next step" in Superdad's life. While the way we got here was anything but, this feels organic. And for once its an additive change instead of a reductive one. So whatever happens, I hope DC doesnt lose that in favor of nostalgia.

[Frontier]

I don't see Tomasi/Gleason dropping Hamilton and the supporting cast there after all the time they spent building it up over the course of their run, so I imagine no matter what happens we'll still see it to some degree .

Though with the existence of Fake!Clark to begin with and slowly but surely establishing Superdad as the main Superman of this universe, I think him officially becoming Clark Kent again is definitely an eventuality, especially with Lois now back at the Planet.

[Ascended]

I agree. I just think its a mistake.

Well, not so much the name. Im more than fine with Clark being Clark Kent again. But let him stay on the farm, let his family still live there. Lois can take the train into Metropolis in the morning to work at the Planet. Superman can patrol Metropolis more than other places. But let the family stay on the farm. It plays into the "Smallville" image which has become a big part of the mythos and it retains the "visiting Ma and Pa" feeling, but it actually strengthens Clark's character.

And I know the temporal refugee thing wont last, but I also wish it would. Its not that hard to work into his story and I like the "mid-life origin" idea; a superhero cant have a mid-life crisis, but a mid-life origin seems about right. Its self aware, ripe for stories, and it also helps keep that "stranger in a strange land" element that post-Crisis lost to its detriment.

Its weird, but this status quo plays both the "post-Crisis farmboy" and the "alien sun god" aspects to the extreme, and I think it might help enforce balance, oddly enough.

[Frontier]

I agree. I just think its a mistake.

Well, not so much the name. Im more than fine with Clark being Clark Kent again. But let him stay on the farm, let his family still live there. Lois can take the train into Metropolis in the morning to work at the Planet. Superman can patrol Metropolis more than other places. But let the family stay on the farm. It plays into the "Smallville" image which has become a big part of the mythos and it retains the "visiting Ma and Pa" feeling, but it actually strengthens Clark's character.

And I know the temporal refugee thing wont last, but I also wish it would. Its not that hard to work into his story and I like the "mid-life origin" idea; a superhero cant have a mid-life crisis, but a mid-life origin seems about right. Its self aware, ripe for stories, and it also helps keep that "stranger in a strange land" element that post-Crisis lost to its detriment.

Its weird, but this status quo plays both the "post-Crisis farmboy" and the "alien sun god" aspects to the extreme, and I think it might help enforce balance, oddly enough.

I think we can still keep the farm in some form but still have Clark work at the Daily Planet with Lois, letting him finally start interacting with the Planet crew again and really be Clark Kent once more. They just manage the farm whenever they're not working or before they hit the news grind (or leave Jon responsible for some things) .

I mean, he didn't stop commuting from the farm to Metropolis until the very last episode of Smallville, so I don't think it would be much of a problem for him now .

It could even be another way of dividing the books. Action is Lois and Clark Daily Planet stuff (which it kinda is right now), a relatively more classic status quo, while the main Superman book is the Superman family at their farm having high-concept fun adventures courtesy of Tomasi and Gleason .

Again, I expect they'll still have a presence in Hamilton so long as Tomasi and Gleason are on the book.

[Sacred Knight]

I want them to stay in Hamilton too. I'm adamant retcons are needed but in a fixed and proper timeline I still want it said they now live in Hamilton County. Nothing at all to say they just moved to the countryside to raise Jon. People leave the city to raise a family all the time.

[DragonPiece]

I also don't think they're gonna drop Hamilton just because Tomasi has built up the town during this whole run so far. If this crossover is just going to be superman vs the fake clark kent who turns out to be a villain, this is gonna be really predictible. Also I do hope we get some resolution to new 52 clark and lois besides them just being sand actually dead.

[Superlad93]

I really really like Hamilton, and I really like the life that's being created there. The only thing is, when Clark inevitably gets back the name Kent, then it's not gonna be likely (or really possible) to keep things as they are without retconing VERY young comics from only a few months ago. I don't presume to know what the Kent family's living situation will be after they get the name back, but them staying at the Smith farm is a little unlikely.

Maybe they move to the suburbs Tom King's Vision style? Maybe they think that going completely back to the hustle and bustle of the city full time (outside of work) just isn't them anymore? Plus maybe they don't want the transition for Jon to be any harder than it has to be? After the events of "Better Together" in Trinity, Bruce and Diana could help Clark with the required papers to keep the Smiths "alive" but just not present to always take care of the farm. And since Clark is so cool about adding super components to his family's everyday life, he could set up a Clark Smith robot to activate from time to time to keep the farm in good shape, and keep up appearances?

I think this transition away from the Smith farm and name may have been foreshadowed in as early as issue 1 of Superman. In issue 1, Jon comes home very upset after his accident with Goldie. He lashes out at his parents because of his shame, but he makes a point to point out how not cool he was with the idea of moving and changing names. Now fast forward to Jon having gotten very used to Hamilton as a home, and Kathy as a best friend and confidant, you've got a kid who's got something to lose if he moves. And more importantly, you've got readers who're getting just as cozy as Jon in Hamilton. You've got emotional stakes that are about something else besides a character dying or getting physically hurt.

I also remember Lois bringing up how she can relate to how Jon has had to move around on such sort notice. This is all primed for a perfect "why do we have to move" story. I imagine there's gonna be external reasons that will compromise the Smith identity more than Clark would like, but I think the emotional crux will be the idea of if they leave or stay and how their kid feels about all of this. You could do a two part adventure in the Superman book. Maybe Jon, fed up with everything, tries to run away. Kathy being the great friend and confidant that she is, says that he's not doing it alone. Two stories running parallel to one another. Jon and Kathy "running away," and Clark looking for him (but mostly giving him some time to himself) and talking to Lois about the move. Even add in a physical threat that Jon has to overcome at the end if you like.

After they come to the decision to move--and we have a tearful "see ya later" between Jon and Kathy--have this springboard us into the idea of Jon visiting at least every weekend. You see, Hamilton is feeling more and more like Jon's stomping grounds the more we move along. While Multiplicity is going down, he and Kathy will be investigating some strange force that apparently specifically wants him (likely the strange glowing eyed animals from issue 10). So I feel like Jon is building up a bit of a lore there, and that's the big tether to Hamilton. I think we can isolate and highlight that, and keep it even if the Smiths become the Kents and move again. I eventually think Jon'll get the big "Welcome to Hamilton County: Home of The Superboy" sign. That would be a spectacular little addition.

I've given the whole thing a fair amount of thought, and I think the current Clark would still work really well (possibly better even) in this setting

[Maxi]

So, it's not likely that they're going to resolve the "strangers from another universe" thing anytime soon.

[Superlad93]

Depends on your definition of "resolve."