DC Makes a Major Change to a Fan-Favorite Superman Character

DC is making some big, sweeping, changes to the DC Universe with the current "Lazarus Planet" crossover event – and a fan-favorite Superman character just got some major changes to her character and status, as a result. SPOILERS: In Lazarus Planet: Assualt On Krypton, the city of Metropolis gets caught in the storm (literally), as Lazarus Resin from the Lazarus volcano erupts into Earth's atmosphere. Even Lex Luthor's evil genius can't protect Lexcorp from Lazarus Resin's chaotic power, and Luthor's personal assistant Mercy Graves takes a hit for her boss that makes some major changes to her power status! 

SPOILERS FOLLOW! 

When the Lazarus Resin storm reaches Metropolis, Mercy gets hit with a lightning bolt of Lazarus while standing with Luthor at the top of Lexcorp tower. The bolt throws Mercy into a wall housing Luthor's various battle armor units; the circuitry of the battle armor somehow gets imprinted on Mercy's body, allowing her to essentially transform her physical body (at least her hands) into hi-tech weaponry. Mercy proves her new fighting power by taking down a fearsome wolf beast created by Lazarus Resin. 

...Maybe Metallo finally has a girlfriend? 

Who Is Superman's Mercy Graves? 

Mercy Graves has been a fan-favorite in DC lore ever since she was introduced. Like Harley Quinn, Mercy was an original character created for the 1990s DC Animated Universe, making her debut in Superman: The Animated Series. And, like Harley Quinn, Mercy was such a hit with fans and became such a deep staple of Superman lore for an entire generation of DC fans, she was eventually retconned into the comic book universe, as well. 

A lot of the fun of Mercy's character has been her dual-sided nature as a stoic and sarcastic personal assistant, who at times shows prowess in everything from espionage to martial arts combat. She has also been a perfect foil to Luthor, who begrudingly accepts that he needs his trusted assistant (unless its Zack Snyder's Luthor, then...). At the same time, DC is clealry riding the trend of literally empowering more of its female characters, and Mercy's new power set is a perfect one for both making her a more capable partner for Lex Luthor, and a legitimate threat to the Superman/Justice League-level heroes of the DC Universe. 

As stated, Lazarus Planet is making broad, sweeping, changes to DC characters and their world. If Mercy Graves' evoltuion is any indication, we're in for a fun new era after this! 

Lazarus Planet is now running through DC comics.