Posted in: Comics, DC Comics, Superman | Tagged: action comics, aethyr, phantom zone, superman

DC Reboots Phantom Zone Origin As Lovecraftian Horror (Spoilers)

Tomorrow sees the publication of the delayed Action Comics 2021 Annual by Phillip Kennedy Johnson and Siya Oum, which returns to the world seen in Future State: House Of El. But in doing so, it tells a deep dark secret about Krypton's past, which will affect the modern-day DC Comics continuity, as well as retconning and rebooting every other portrayal of The Phantom Zone. Spoilers going forward. But first, what is its history?

The Phantom Zone, a prison-like parallel dimension from Krypton, first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 in 1961 and was created by Robert Bernstein and George Papp. A pocket universe discovered by Jor-El that existed outside the space-time continuum, it was used on the planet Krypton as a humane method of imprisoning criminals as they had abolished the death penalty, with inmates residing in a ghost-like state of existence from which they can observe, but cannot interact with, the regular universe, and so survived the destruction of Krypton. When they escape, they tend to hold a grudge against Superman, Jor-El's son.

In the Steve Gerber and Gene Colan miniseries The Phantom Zone in 1982, it is revealed that all its levels are manifestations of the consciousness of a sentient, malevolent entity called Aethyr, The Oversoul from the dawn of creation caused by the death of galaxies. The Zone itself is an interface between the Earth-One dimension (the physical universe) and Aethyr's mind, the outer layer (where zone criminals are housed) representing its ability for abstract thought; the Zone is basically Aethyr's capacity to imagine other possibilities of existence and is the outermost template of its consciousness.

This changed after the Crisis On Infinite Earths; The Phantom Zone was just a place of imprisonment, built by the Eradicator with Kryptional plans and materials as part of Superman's fortress. Later, we would discover a native lifeform of the Phantom Zone, enraged at its use as a dumping ground. The Phantom Zone vanishes later, believed to be the mythical Nightwing, counterpart to the Flamebird, imprisoned in an altered state of being.  But it is later recreated by Chameleon Boy and Superman.

In the New 52 reboot, it became a Kryptonian prison dimension again. But in DC Rebirth, it is theorised to be a permeable membrane between the DC Universe and the Dark Multiverse. And now, in Action Comics 2021 Annual, it appears to be going back to the Steve Gerber version, but using even more obviously HP Lovecraft language that Gerber could get away with at the time, with the idea of the Sleeping Old Ones.

With the Kryptonian prisoners in the Phantom Zone transformed into something more pleasing to Aethyr. And less pleasing to everyone else. Action Comics 2021 Annual is published by DC Comics tomorrow.

ACTION COMICS 2021 ANNUAL #1 CVR A SCOTT GODLEWSKI
(W) Phillip Kennedy Johnson (A) Siya Oum (CA) Scott Godlewski
The return of Future State's House of El! It's time to head back to tomorrow, as Superman's descendants face a threat from today. This special tale connects to "Warworld Rising" as the actions of Clark Kent in the present reverberate, leaving long-lasting changes…and a deadly threat for the House of El to reckon with. Can Brandon Kent, the Superman of his era, stop the danger from hurting the next generation? Also, for those wanting to know more about Brandon's relationshop with Theand'r, the Tamaranean queen, prepare yourself for a little romance as well. Retail: $5.99 In-Store Date: 07/13/2021

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