Superman #16 (spoilers)

[TheCape]

Well, i think than the biggest acomplisment of this arc, is that proves that Tomasi and Gleason can do a decent Superman story without Jon and Lois. So this could relieve some concerns

[JAK]

I enjoyed this, overall... but I have to agree with those that were expecting to learn more about everything that's been happening.

And the Oz stuff is starting to get tiresome. I'm usually all for letting something play out, but this feels like the same kind of tease. I'm sure it's necessary to set something up, but how they're doing it feels redundant.

"Men Of Steel" was a better arc for me, overall.


On the other hand, looks like my ploy worked - I see trunks! LOL!!

[Patrick Gerard]

Oh I agree that the bulk of pre-Reborn Rebirth stuff will remain, otherwise what was the point. Although I do think bits and pieces will be out. For instance, Superman and Lex meeting as strangers as each is not "their" version. That'll no longer be in play so those conversations and motiviations will be out the door. The cape of the dead Superman, that'll be gone as he never died, at least he never died again. But the basic stories told there still work, with small alterations that need not even be referenced. With Kenan maybe it'll a similar small detail that's erased. Or maybe the solicits are just wrong, that's always possible too. But outside details, all the Rebirth stories told thus far can work just fine with a revised history in which this Superman was simply always here and always Superman.

I can see a timeline like this:

15 years ago: Superman debuts.
10 years ago: Wedding. Death. Birth of Jon.
5 years ago: Electric Supes. Red and Blue. Red and Blue de-electrify.
Blue moves to Hamilton with Lois, becomes Clark Smith. Red runs around in a T-shirt and work pants.
Now: Red and Blue re-merge.

[Ascended]

I'll agree that the arc was rushed and the finale wasn't all it could have been. And we got less than nothing out the villain. He's absorbing Super powers so he can defend his world. Okay, that's vague enough to be useless. Defend it from what? And he's a hundred feet tall and can capture and de-power Super-people from around the multiverse. If he can do that what does he need their power for in the first place? And what was Prophesy making the de-powered Supermen build? Are they just digging their own mass grave? That seems incredibly superfluous; why not just vaporize them and be done with it? Was the plan to return their power after Prophesy saved his world? Because it sure as hell doesnt seem like it to me.

And why does no one question the nature of everyone's powers returning? "Hey! We all got our powers back and we're glowing! Well, let's not wonder why!" Obviously I dont expect that in the heat of a fight, but you'd think someone would at least ask about it afterwards.

However, its not all that bad. I appreciated all the Morrison-ness of the arc and the fact that everyone starts glowing the same blue that has been Superdad's hallmark since his return does lend some credibility to the theory that Reborn is giving us an "ultimate" Superman.

But yeah, this was not up to the standards of the last several issues. Still solid, but not what I was hoping for.

[Sacred Knight]

I can see a timeline like this:

15 years ago: Superman debuts.
10 years ago: Wedding. Death. Birth of Jon.
5 years ago: Electric Supes. Red and Blue. Red and Blue de-electrify.
Blue moves to Hamilton with Lois, becomes Clark Smith. Red runs around in a T-shirt and work pants.
Now: Red and Blue re-merge.

That would definitely work, I think. But I don't think the family will ever become the Smiths. If the temporal refugee thing goes, which I feel is a must, there will be no reason for aliases. I think they could just say that the Kents move to the country to raise Jon. For some reason, in present day in a few months, they'll decide that despite Jon still being a kid, they'll move back to the city.

[K. Jones]

It was good. We certainly could have used more time with any given Superman analogue, or Carrot, or anyone really, but hey, if Tomasi is gonna do a proper tribute to Morrison stuff ... well, you don't get much more Morrisonian than introducing rad characters in brief and them just being like, quickly forgotten as the next concept flies at you. But I liked all the stuff. Clark and Kenan chilling at the end. In-comic evidence that Mister Oz doesn't just have spacetime control over Earth-0 localized phenomenon but can cage Multiversal omni-forces as well. The way Prophecy is dispatched by a team of superdudes but is kept for later and can be re-used - with an anti-Superman chip on his shoulder ... or off his wrist.

[TheCape]

Something that i notice, they are calling the main DC earht as "New Earth" instead of "Prime Earth" hmmm....

[Sacred Knight]

I noticed that too, I just don't know if I'm willing to entertain it meaning anything yet. They did the same thing after IC, flip flopping on the designations "New Earth" and "Earth-0"

[Fergus]

Enjoyed this but I the same time I feel like something was lacking. The resolution was something of a letdown however I enjoyed Kenan in this.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

After such a promising start, that was certainly disappointing, particularly the villain. I was really looking forward to Superman Reborn, but this has definitely lowered my expectations.

Tip to DC: Make sure you explain to everyone who Mr. Oz is before no one cares. Remember how well Jeph Loeb's Zod turned out?

[Flash Gordon]

I already don't care who Mr. Oz is.

It's just going to be *insert convoluted Pre/Post/something/something-Crisis* guy.

[Last Son of Krypton]

The mysterious Mr. Oz is Geoff Johns. He put himself in the comic as deus ex-machina like Grant Morrison did in Animal Man. At end, all the convoluted continuity mess will be revealed as just a dream.

[Sacred Knight]

Yeah, I stopped really caring who Oz really is already. They already blew that in waiting too logn for a reveal and living off of meaningless cryptic cameos. I mean if said cameos offered*pieces of a puzzle to put together that'd have been one thing, but they don't. They're all the same. So it got tired fast and now I'm just rather ho-hum on the reveal, as opposed to just wanting to get it over with so the story can progress.

[Clairaudient Freedom Soldier]

Back-to-back failing issues by Tomasi, Prophecy is a dumb goofball, and they killed my homie Ray. There was no need to kill him, damn you, DC, damn you and your idiocy, you're killing the Multiversity!! Sunshine Superman didn't get to do anything too! This is unacceptable! RAWRRRRR!!!

[Sacred Knight]

I do indeed wish they'd stop be so willy-nilly to kill off interesting mutliversal characters. I get why they did. Mirroring Barry's sacrifice. But its just getting old. And its not something specifically to lay at Tomasi's feet, its a DC wide trope where they seem to most utilize their multiverse to introduce characters to kill. Its such a massive waste.