EXCLUSIVE: DC Debuts New Costume For Superman
01/13/2017 11:07 am EST
This April, following the events of the March "Superman Reborn" event, the Man of Steel will debut a new costume in the pages of Superman #20 and Action Comics #977.
DC has provided ComicBook.com with an exclusive first look, which you can see in the attached image gallery.
The full costume premieres on the cover of Superman #20 from artist Patrick Gleason.
The cover for Action Comics #977, by Andy Kubert, presents a tableau of Superman's history -- including the iconic Neal Adams cover to Superman #233, the opening salvo of the fan-favorite "Kryptonite Nevermore!" storyline. It's perhaps worth noting that shortly after the death of the New 52 Superman, ComicBook.com speculated that "Kryptonite Nevermore!" could provide some insight as to the nature of his death, and possibly even the nature of his very being.
Also represented on the cover: Lois and Clark's wedding from Superman: The Wedding Album, and the birth of Jonathan Kent from Convergence: Superman #2, indicating that following whatever changes are made to the character and/or his backstory in "Superman Reborn," he still experienced those events. His first appearance at the Daily Planet in his Rebirth duds appears to be one of the other images.
(...And is that thing with the American flag a riff on Superman IV: The Quest For Peace?!)
You can check out the official solicitation text for the issues below:
SUPERMAN #20
Written by PETER J. TOMASI and PATRICK GLEASON • Art by PATRICK GLEASON and MICK GRAY • Cover by PATRICK GLEASON • Variant cover by TONY S. DANIEL
"Superman Black" part one! A "Superman Reborn Aftermath" tie-in! As the smoke clears the Kents are faced with leaving Hamilton to go back to Metropolis, but someone or something doesn't want them to leave! Batman and Robin discover something is mysteriously wrong with the son of Superman—he's losing his powers!
On sale APRIL 5 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
ACTION COMICS #977
Written by DAN JURGENS • Art by IAN CHURCHILL • Cover by ANDY KUBERT • Variant cover by GARY FRANK
"Superman Reborn Aftermath" part one! Following the epic struggle against [REDACTED], Superman examines his entire history—the birth of Jon, the marriage of Lois and Clark, their lives at the Daily Planet—to discover who tried to destroy his life. Who is waiting in the shadows? Who is Mr. Oz? All questions the Man of Steel cannot answer alone. It is time for him to unite the entire Superman-Family!
On sale APRIL 12 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T
...There's a lot to unpack there. First, there is apparently a mystery villain to the "Superman Reborn" storyline who is likely not Mr. Oz. The big "REDACTED" in the Action Comics solicitation suggests somebody we didn't know was coming, whereas Mr. Oz was mentioned, pictured, and marketed in the solicitations for March's "Superman Reborn."
If we're to assume that Mr. Oz is in fact Ozymandias, as most everyone has speculated at this point, that Action Comics solicitation -- by proximity alone -- seems to imply that the individual "waiting in the shadows" is likely Doctor Manhattan. Coupled with the revelation that Batman and The Flash will be pursuing the truth about The Comedian's button in April, it seems as though DC's heroes are moving rapidly toward a conflict with the characters from Watchmen.
Lastly, the fact that the story arc in Superman is titled "Superman Black" seems to add credence to our previous theory that the "Superman Reborn" storyline is somehow tied to the concept of Superman Red and Superman Blue. You can read more on that theory here.
"Superman Reborn Aftermath" will run through the Superman family of titles in April. The full DC solicitations will be released on Tuesday.
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