New Super-man #12 preview/Discussion

[Katana500]

Now we have to wait a whole month for the next issue again! Why! seriously though im super excited to see what comes next!

[Miles To Go]

This is certainly a wham issue, with a twist that I genuinely did not see coming. They were quite crafty about the Wonder Woman moment in the previews...because that isn't even the biggest surprise. Loved the info-dump of the various realms and the mythology lesson on the snake gods too.

A lot of fun.

[adrikito]

I was surprised today many times, The TRUTH about Wonder-woman, The TRUTH about the strange I-ching

Confirmed that Super-man Zero is the Emperor Super-man(Kenan was impossible) and the truth about kenan mother, that we all imaginated..

[Renix]

This was a pretty good issue, though I hate how DC is unclear with New-Superman's connection to the events of Reborn. So Superman Zero has the Solar Flare power that New 52 Superman had. Does that mean Reborn Superman had it? Since for the most part Reborn Superman's past had similar events to New 52's. At least Super-Woman is trying to be a bit more clear.

[HsssH]

Really good issue, but I think they should stop referencing new52 Superman since it looks like most of what they are referencing is out of continuity. Story would work just as well if they just said that this superman clone is prototype and be done with it, knowing that we saw him in previous story arc that may or may not be in continuity doesn't really add anything of value.

[stephens2177]

Ugh the solar flare,the only thing that was not liked by me in this issue.

This really is a great series

[PyroTwilight]

A lot of fun twists. Here I expected us to find out Peng was gay as part of her story for being cast out/stuck in stone.

Transmogrified snake wasn't a possibility in my head but an interesting twist. Makes me wonder if the lasso is some kind of subtle reference to her snake form then?

Actually a bit surprised the reveal with Dr. Omen was so "straight forward" I kinda figured there was a twist there instead of what it was being telegraphed as.

Mingming continues to slowly build herself up as Kenan's love interest amusingly enough. Funny to see Laney Lan literally only in a background appearance.

Loved the mythology aspect with Peng's story as well.

[Slaughter]

Some thoughts:

- So, super-heroes are humans trying to advance to the level of Gods. Peng and the monk did the same thing, but instead they advanced from the animal to the human level by building up their qi. Memories of the 5th World (AKA DC One Million) from Grant Morrison's JLA. "You're only the forerunners", but by the way of eastern practices.
- I-Ching is clearly not himself... or is he? The part where the other one shoots back "Don't you mean - you?" is weird. Also recharging Super-Man Zero. Did I-Ching commit the same sin as the others and paid for it?
- Super-Man Zero has no self, no personality. He is pure power. Did they make a mistake of some sort with him and that's why Dr. Omen kept him in a cell?
- Dr. Omen - whose side she is? I have a feeling she is not quite a loyal functionary to the Communist Party of China, because you see, she just gave super-powers to her son. She might be creating the JLoC for her own agenda.

[Katana500]

Mingming continues to slowly build herself up as Kenan's love interest amusingly enough. Funny to see Laney Lan literally only in a background

Do you think they are building MingMing to be Kenans main love interest? What makes you think that?

[PyroTwilight]

Do you think they are building MingMing to be Kenans main love interest? What makes you think that?

One of the major bits is they certainly seem to be minimizing Laney Lan as compared to the beginning of the book.

And Mingming seems to always be there for Kenan both at work (at the home base) and outside (helping and watching over his training with Not I-Ching). She's also at this point outside of Peng and Avery (who don't seem to be getting build up in any way as love interests) the only girl regularly interacting with him. At this point I'd be really surprised if she wasn't into him or if she isn't being build up as a or the love interest for Kenan.

And a few lines certainly seem to emphasize her worrying about Kenan, something she hasn't done for Baixi or Peng.

It's certainly subtle but I can't help but think that's what going on.

[HsssH]

I think that LL was set up as "red herring", everyone expected that and it was so obvious. So Yang goes into different direction. You can see that in other elements of this series where he set ups something obvious/predictable and then does something completely different (entire Batman thing, dead Superman from hell not being dead nor Superman after all) that makes it feel fresh.

- Super-Man Zero has no self, no personality. He is pure power. Did they make a mistake of some sort with him and that's why Dr. Omen kept him in a cell?

I'd think that him not having "self" makes him difficult to control, manipulate or even reason with. He is basically a force of nature. I-Ching seams to like it and think that this is how being of "higher plane" should be.

It reminds me a bit of some stories about Greek (or other culture) gods who are presented as having all the power, but no real control over themselves.

[Korath]

I take the "S-Zero has no self" as an indication that Omen did not even bother giving him the mean to build a personality (no memories to call his own, etc.) more than him being inherently without self. I mean, in this issue he says that he envy Kenan for having two names and his grateful that Super-Man let him go, so he has the potential for a "self" to exists, at least.

[gwangung]

I take the "S-Zero has no self" as an indication that Omen did not even bother giving him the mean to build a personality (no memories to call his own, etc.) more than him being inherently without self. I mean, in this issue he says that he envy Kenan for having two names and his grateful that Super-Man let him go, so he has the potential for a "self" to exists, at least.

That...was an interesting choice for Kenan. It'll come around to bite him on the ass, but it comes from an interesting, good place.

[PyroTwilight]

Well. if anything it'll be what helps save the team.

If Superman Zero is as powerful as he seems the entire team migfht not have enough fire power to take him down.

But Kenan the one who actually believed in him a bit. That might be enough to get him to stop Superman Zero.


Also I don't know if anyone else has noticed but I think the Lab Experiment Kryptonian with a Zero in their name is a cool way to reference Flashpoint which also had a Subject Zero.

[Assam]

So apparently the Emperor Super-Man stuff is going to be lasting more than one arc. Interesting.

Less interesting is that the Suicide Squad is getting involved. I know they were set-up a few issues ago, but it seems this arc is going to be like a box. A box filled with bars of gold, but also an ungodly odor.