Reborn Predictions

[superduperman]

What are some of your predictions for Superman Reborn? I think both Supermen and Lois's will merge. Remember, New 52 Lois is also dead. And just before she died, she called out for Clark and said she understood now. I think we may eventually get back to the pre-Flashpoint universe complete with a JSA during WW2 and most, if not everyone, getting their old histories back. There are some rumors that New 52 was never meant to be permanent. Jon stays in the picture with his history for obvious reasons. Whether or not Conner will ever come back remains to be seen. With Jon as the official Superboy, it's questionable what, if anything, he could return as. Hopefully not a villain.

What I prefer is for the two Supermen to remain separate just because I think it would create continuity problems to merge them. Give New 52 Superman his own team and maybe a different name. Let Superdad keep the main books. He has more to work with anyway. You can still call him Superman. Like the Kingdom Come Superman in JSA. As long as the two versions more or less stay separate for the most part, there's no reason why it couldn't work.

[Frontier]

Superdad will become Clark Kent again.

[Sacred Knight]

Right now I'm really thinking the answer is the Superman Red and Blue deal, that they've been separated ever since that storyline and they will merge back into one. How that accounts for what New 52 Lois is I'm not sure, but they'd probably merge together as well. This merger will both restore and rewrite Superman's history to a certain degree. The bulk of the post-Crisis history will be back with some quid pro quos. Jon, who I think will be absent for most of the story, will be returned but with an updated origin story to fit into the restored/rewritten history. The changes are spread across the world; all knowledge of Superman is restored to how its "supposed to be".

Superman has a new costume complete with red boots to symbolize the merging of Blue and Red and him being whole once more. Again his history is mostly the post-Crisis ones with potential alterations to his origin, the addition of some New 52 stories, and perhaps even the erasure of some stuff that no longer works (for instance they could get rid of the Red and Blue saga entirely after history is rewritten, if they don't want it in canon that Jon was conceived by well, half a Kal-El). Jon will have always grown up as Jon Kent, just kept in the dark as to his father's identity and kept completely hidden from that side of his world until recently when his own powers began to grow (this in effect changes next to nothing of the past we already know about outside his surname and that his dad didn't have a beard). Lois's hair is long and black (no particular reason for this other than it looks best ).

Anyway, This all causes major waves though in regards to the tampering that Dr. Manhattan has created. An obvious disconnect is revealed now as Superman's true history does not mesh with the current Earth's history. Its creating a paradox and Dr. Manhattan's work is being affected because of it. Its no longer a situation where particular isolated incidents of recollection and anomalies can be scooped up and taken out of the picture (i.e. Tim Drake). This is too big, and he will be forced to reveal himself. Thus Superman is the direct catalyst for the backend of the Rebirth story to unfold.

[bat39]

I think, more so than Superman Red/Blue, the Multiverse will tie into this somehow...which explains why we're getting Multiplicity just before Reborn.

Which will lead to the reveal that Nuperman and NuLois are multiversal doppelgangers. Or that, when the dust settles, they'll have another earth to call home...assuming they come back.

Another way they could go is to build on an idea that was established way back in Superman # 200 (of the Post-Crisis series)...that Superman has multiple possible timelines even within Earth 0. Nuperman is the product of one of these timelines who was 'actualized' somehow due to Manhattan's tampering, or because Mr. Oz needed a Superman since Superdad had been abducted by Brainiac.

[Atomic Man]

Though it doesn't seem likely, I would LOVE to see this play out:

Manhattan, needing a Superman and Lois for his "experiment" (New 52), pulled Superboy Prime out of the Source Wall and made him into a new Superman while making Prime's girlfriend Lori into a new Lois. Reborn restores Superboy Prime and Lori, with the former now redeemed by his life as the New 52 Superman. He and Lori are returned to Earth-Prime (now Earth-33, though I guess the original Earth-Prime is still out there thanks to Convergence) and he gets his world and life back as a reward for his heroic life as the New 52 Superman.

More likely than my idea is that Superman Red/Blue will come into play somehow. Superman and New 52 Superman are "recombined," New 52 Lois is revealed to be a construct of Lois Lane that is merged with the pre-Flashpoint Lois, and the timeline is further reset to the pre-Flashpoint status quo with the restoration of the one, true Clark Kent and Superman. This will piss Manhattan off (I'm guessing Mr. Oz is behind it and needs the real Superman back to combat Manhattan) and lead into the next DC crossover this summer. Johns has said he's writing comics again in 2017 and we know Snyder and Capullo (ugh) are working on some kind of Batman-centric crossover this summer.

Oh, and in both cases, I'd bet good money on the classic uniform returning for good either after Reborn or in time for Action #1000.

[Last Son of Krypton]

I don't expect much from Superman: Reborn except for some silly mumbo jumbo sci-fi explanation to make sense of the fan-fiction that they're currently publishing.
Probably Convergence will be retconned to fit into the Rebirth/Dr. Manhattan plot revealing that the pre-reboot timeline to which Brainiac had access in Convergence is the time stolen/removed by Dr. Manhattan that was left out from the "creation" of the New52 universe or something like that. Superdad and wife comes from that "time" left out.

[Sacred Knight]

I'll take that bet on the classic costume. It's not coming back in full force. The current look could indeed be altered some (most likely the boots), but its not going to include the trunks thus will never truly be the "classic" look again. The trophy room and the classic belt as Krypto's collar are going to be the last vestiges of that verbatim look.

[Superlad93]

My honest predictions? Superman: Reborn is the story of how Mr. El regains the last name Kent, and gets a pair of red boots.

That's basically all that's gonna matter. Jon's still gonna be his son, Lois still his wife, he's still gonna be THE Superman, and the adventures will be moving forward from there. This is all a big glorified way to get Post-crisis feel/elements back. Each books seems to be doing it in their own unique way (Wonder Woman, and Deathstroke for examples).

Trust me, it'll all just culminate in a last name, red boots, and another "boy, that was strange adventure" for Superman. Last name and red boots.

[Sacred Knight]

I think it'll be more than that. How much more, I'm not certain. What I am fairly certain of is that Superman will be the one and only Superman of this world in future, present, AND past. The details though, that's up to them. It will NOT erase the marriage and child, as much as I wish it would, I'm certain of that. But what I am getting a clear feeling of though is some degree of legitimate change beyond a visual aesthetic. Getting back the last name Kent, getting some red boots, that will all very, very VERY likely happen, but it will be part and parcel to other changes in the lore of this particular Superman. The goal is to make him THE Superman of this Earth, I think most would agree with that by now. You can't do that leaving things as is. You can't do that with Clark just "taking over" like Lois did. You can't do that with the memory of another version of Superman and Lois who died. Doesn't wash. Not with these characters, and not with this mythos which is the backbone of any DC continuity by their own designs. This was designed to be temporary, to lead toward the permanent changes. This is going to be mythos altering to some level. Right now I'd bet pretty much anything on that. The plot suggests it, and the advertising/hype suggests it (now granted hype is a distant second, as hype can all too often not materialize, but its there nonetheless).

[durabill]

I don't expect much from Superman: Reborn except for some silly mumbo jumbo sci-fi explanation to make sense of the fan-fiction that they're currently publishing.

I'll take this "fan-fiction" over anything released from the new52.

As for predictions.
I think the whole superman red/blue is a red herring.
For Superman it would kinda work,....... but Lois red/blue??? Not so much.

As well i don't think we'll have any universe altering storylines.
That will probably happen in a miniseries later into next year ( tying into whatever Johns is doing with Watchmen)
Then we'll get a revelation about the missing years and who is behind it.

I do think we'll find out what oz meant when he said to new52 superman. " that's not what you were created for"
As well I think we'll end up with Superman reclaiming his name and working at the planet.

If anything this will be a final sendoff for new52 Supes and Lois re-establishing the current supes and lois as always being this earths power couple.

[Superlad93]

The goal is to make him THE Superman of this Earth, I think most would agree with that by now. You can't do that leaving things as is. You can't do that with Clark just "taking over" like Lois did. You can't do that with the memory of another version of Superman and Lois who died. Doesn't wash. Not with these characters, and not with this mythos which is the backbone of any DC continuity by their own designs. This was designed to be temporary, to lead toward the permanent changes. This is going to be mythos altering to some level. Right now I'd bet pretty much anything on that. The plot suggests it, and the advertising/hype suggests it (now granted hype is a distant second, as hype can all too often not materialize, but its there nonetheless).

Yeah, that's basically what I was talking about when I said it was to get his last name back. When I say get it back I mean totally and completely. That obviously means him being THE Superman of this world.

I still think the embers of all the craziness before Reborn will still live on underneath the new solidified "normal" Clark and his family regain. I think somehow they'll make it so Trinity's and Superman's first arc still counts in some way (much like how Wonder Woman's new stories still make it so she still visited her new 52 home as we saw it, but it wasn't actually real). I sincerely doubt that they'll make the adventures leading up to this totally not count.

I just don't know for sure how they'll do it. But it would be really nice to see Trinity post-Reborn bookend with Clark remembering a post-crisis/pre-52/neo-pre-crisis adventure, and then seeing Bruce smile and say "yeah, I remember that one."

Again, not sure how they'll do it all, but current projections point to them doing it in a way that accommodates what's happened in some way shape or form.

[Sacred Knight]

Ahhh, I getcha. In that case we're not too far off in opinion. I think the only thing we really disagree on is the Convergence/Telos/L&C stuff and its status. I still want all that gone. Everything from Superman Rebirth: #1 and forward would stay in this scenario. I wouldn't get rid of those because they still mostly work and it doesn't make sense to get rid of the stories that started the new era. The elements that would no longer work could just no longer be referenced while the foundation of the stories told still count. At least I feel that is what would be optimal. YMMV course. I sound aggressive about it because that part so so much, but all my ire is toward the inanimate pages, I assure.

This is more fan-wank theory, but know what else I'd do? I'd say that Manhattan's reach into the world started much sooner than Flashpoint. Flashpoint was just when he was able to breach the world completely. But he's been able to for a while. Leading to a reveal that the Superman Red/Blue separation was an event masterminded by Manhattan, specifically to weaken him. His vessel for carrying out the plot? The villain who played a pivotal role in the separation in the original story: Cyborg Superman (okay, Toyman played a role as well in the original story but that was...stupid.) Seriously I don't expect it, I just made it up, but it comes from a place that Johns VERY often utilizes. Taking old stories, and putting a "what happened isn't what you thought happened" spin on it to propel a current story and revitalize a particular villain along the way.

[Wri-El]

A merger at this point would be a disaster.
Rebirth Superman is only doing well for pre-Flashpoint fans, that are clearly ignoring the numbers. Let's face it. Superman doesn't draw people as it did or as it should. And it's easy to understand why.
Who would be interested in a character that's been badly written, badly represented, and that in the end transmits a bad message (here I'm referring exclusively to the pre-Flashpoint/Rebirth version). And that message is that to fit in one has to stop being you he is. Pre-Flashpoint Superman was one of the most negative, insecure, borderline suicidal, off all Supermen. He actually preferred to the idea of.being human to the idea of being kryptonian. Like because his origins were different and he lived in a world that was not his original one, then he has to apply and do ten times as much, he was a stagnated character. Even having a son didn't changed that.

For Reborn I expect nothing good. Most likely they'll reveal that the unknown Clark is actually Superboy-Prime grown-up and for whatever reason depowered. And maybe he isn't depowered. Maybe he created a red solar energy emitter that allows to pass as human. Either way we can expect something really weird coming from there.

As for Rebirth Superman. Obviously DC is gonna bet on him becoming the main character once again, even though he hasn't worked once already. But it's fine. They crashed and burned once, they'll do it again.
Maybe that's why DC is already mentioning the Forever Crisis. It's their fail safe just in case numbers continue to drop as they have for two straight months already.
That way, if they're smart they'll really reboot the whole thing. Maybe this time come up with a 10 to 20 years plan. Remove all the writers that obviously can't write Superman stories even if their lives depended on it. At one time maybe they knew but they obviously don't know now.
So they'll probably bring not just the New52 Superman, but the real pre-Flashpoint Superman, and maybe even other Superman from other ages, and they all die with the exception of the Rebirth Superman. Their powers are transferred to that Superman. He becomes the main one, once again. He regains his old power levels and that's that.

Honestly, Reborn doesn't seem to really be anything but to reafirm that Rebirth Superman is pre-Flashpoint Superman, and maybe get rid of the New52 for good, in a way that leaves no doubt he's gone forever.

I don't really agree with the blue and red Superman theory, because in the end it would be DC contradicting itself.
At the beginning of the New52, Pandora said that the timeline had been broken into three, to make weaker versions of a original one.
Wally West, for all intended purposes said the same. That Flashpoint would've happened one way or another and that he believed it had been happening way before the Flashpoint. Or in other words, he basically said that even the pre-Flashpoint version is not the real version.
So Reborn, should be about bringing back the Real Superman (whomever he may be) and eventually fixing this mess of stolen timelines.
But I'm 99% certain, it will be just a bunch of excuses thrown around to say "Here's the pre-Flashpoint Superman. He's the real one. Even though we basically said more than once that he wasn't."

[JAK]

A merger at this point would be a disaster.
Rebirth Superman is only doing well for pre-Flashpoint fans, that are clearly ignoring the numbers. Let's face it. Superman doesn't draw people as it did or as it should. And it's easy to understand why.

"Action Comics" is settling into somewhat similar numbers to what the New52 did, but the "Superman" book seems to be holding in the high 60,000s - and those don't include any digital sales.

Who would be interested in a character that's been badly written, badly represented, and that in the end transmits a bad message (here I'm referring exclusively to the pre-Flashpoint/Rebirth version). And that message is that to fit in one has to stop being you he is. Pre-Flashpoint Superman was one of the most negative, insecure, borderline suicidal, off all Supermen. He actually preferred to the idea of.being human to the idea of being kryptonian. Like because his origins were different and he lived in a world that was not his original one, then he has to apply and do ten times as much, he was a stagnated character. Even having a son didn't changed that.

Tbh, most of what you're describing is the immediately pre-Flashpoint version of the character - easily the weakest period of (that version of) the character's history. Much like chunks of the New52 version's history, a lot of the problem was the writing and editorial. And what do those two eras have in common? Didio, and (to an extent) Lee and Johns. Granted, those three still run things, but with Jurgens back on board with the character (hopefully for a while as I want to see stories that aren't just to fill in until the resolving event) and Tomasi/Gleason having fun in their books, this looks to be a good time for things.

That said, you're obviously not enjoying it, and I am sorry to hear that. But here's hoping that, however this whole thing resolves, it's surprising and good for the character's future going forward.

[Sacred Knight]

Its not going to be an easy crafting, that's for sure. They've made sure to make it as hard on themselves as they could possibly make it.