Brian Michael Bendis has transported all of Earth into the Phantom Zone for an epic first adventure in the new volume of Superman. In addition to the strange reality playing havoc with Earth’s atmosphere and tectonic stability, it has also placed the planet in the sights of the worst criminals and monsters ever encountered by the Kryptonian people. No matter how Superman manages to save the day, it appears that the Phantom Zone and its inhabitants are set to be a big part of Bendis’ future stories.

That makes it a worthwhile moment to refresh all of our memories on what the Phantom Zone is, besides the strange plate of glass from the start of Superman: The Movie. We’ve assembled a quick guide to the most important elements regarding the Phantom Zone for anyone who needs to recharge their memory, including its origin, updates, best stories, and most infamous prisoners.

Origin

The Phantom Zone was created by writer Robert Bernstein and artist George Papp in Adventure Comics (vol. 1) #283 as part of the Silver Age adventures of Superman. It was discovered by Superman’s father Jor-El who introduced it as a more humane form of punishment for Kryptonians who committed severe crimes. While imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, individuals are transferred to forms in which they can observe the physical world but unable to be observed or interact with it in return, providing them with an existence comparable to ghosts and thus the name: The Phantom Zone.

Criminals exiled to the Phantom Zone also do not age or require sustenance. This allowed all of its current prisoners to survive the destruction of Krypton and to eventually travel toward Earth to attempt escape or to find revenge on Jor-El’s son. Superman also possessed a Phantom Zone Projector in his Fortress of Solitude that allowed him to return prisoners to the Phantom Zone or to add new villains to its stasis.

Changes Over the Years

The Phantom Zone has undergone multiple revisions since the end of the Silver Age and rewriting of DC Comics’ history in Crisis On Infinite Earths. It has been revealed that while inhabitants of the Phantom Zone are restricted from interacting with the physical world, they can interact with one another. This has resulted in the creation of a society by its exiles and even Zod and Ursa conceiving a son while imprisoned.

While the Phantom Zone was originally intended for Kryptonian prisoners, it has been expanded in use in the modern era. It has been used to imprison the violent race of White Martians and served as a powersource for Booster Gold when battling Mister Mind (who temporarily ate the entire Phantom Zone). It was most recently revealed that the Phantom Zone may be a substantial part of the multiverse rather than a pocket dimension, acting as a membrane between the standard reality of DC Comics and the Dark Multiverse.

Best Introductory Stories

“Phantom Zone: The Final Chapter,” DC Comics Presents #97: Steve Gerber and Rick Veitch, two of the most talented creators of the Bronze Age, provided a final story for Superman and the Phantom Zone before Crisis On Infinite Earths rewrote continuity. This “final chapter” offers everything fans of Silver Age Superman would want to wave goodbye to including a bundle of classic villains like General Zod, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and Bizarro. Everything from its twisted plot to presentation of so many Earth-One characters for the last time makes this a classic issue for any Superman fan.

“Curse of the Replacement Supermen,” All-Star Superman #9: The Phantom Zone is only introduced in the conclusion of this story in which Superman is almost replaced by two egotistical Kryptonian refugees. However, it has one of the best modern depictions of the Phantom Zone along with its very clever use as a solution coming together for another outstanding chapter in this stellar Superman series.

“The Ghost in The Fortress of Solitude,” Action Comics (vol. 2) #13: This is a Superman story that should make the “best of” lists for so many different elements: The Phantom Zone, Krypto, Halloween comics, and superhero tearjerkers. It follows the story of Krypto who was separated from baby Kal-El when his rocket was fired toward Earth and now watches over his companion from the Phantom Zone on Halloween as the barrier between their two worlds weakens. If you haven’t read it before, then don’t spoil what is one of the best Phantom Zone and Superman comics ever.

Notable Prisoners

Faora: A serial killer on Krypton defined by her hatred of men, Faora killed dozens of Kryptonian men in a concentration camp of her own construction before being discovered and sentenced to the Phantom Zone. Her hatred was not lessened by exile, and Faora has remained a foe to be reckoned with whenever she escapes.

General Zod: The most infamous prisoner of the Phantom Zone, Zod was a military commander who eventually tried to conquer Krypton after being forbidden from exploring space. His sentence to the Phantom Zone was dictated by Superman’s father Jor-El, leading to an undying grudge between the two Kryptonians. While Zod has seen many interpretation in comics and film over the years, his exile to the Phantom Zone and hatred of Superman remain essential pillars of every version.

Jax-Ur: Sometimes considered the greatest criminal sentenced to the Phantom Zone, Jax-Ur was exiled for destroying the inhabited moon of Wegthor and killing hundreds of Kryptonians. He considers himself a scientist, but unlike Jor-El and other famous Kryptonians, showed little concern for the impact of his experiments on others. Jax-Ur recently returned to the forefront of Superman comics in Superman #2.

Non: Originally created as a companion for Zod in Superman: The Movie, Non has joined comics canon as a Phantom Zone criminal. He was originally a friend and ally of Jor-El, but was lobotomized by the Kryptonian Science Council leading to his transformation into a dull-witted and hyper-aggressive enforcer for General Zod.

Ursa: Zod’s other companion originally created in Superman: The Movie, Ursa was originally viewed as an adaptation of the Phantom Zone prisoner Faora before she was introduced to comics separately in 2007. She has been redefined as a loyal follower of Zod who believes in his tyrannical cause.