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Superboy Prime, Still Making Changes In Death Metal (Spoilers)

It's Superboy Prime time! Today sees the publication of Dark Knights: Death Metal: The Secret Origin, with Scott Snyder inviting Geoff Johns to play amongst the death metal. And to revisit a character that Johns made infamous Superboy-Prime. A Superboy from our own Earth who knew that everyone in the DC Universe was fictitious and whos punches could shape and shatter reality.

And now we have a chance to revisit him. He appeared in previous Death Metal, a pawn of The Batman Who Laughs, epitomising the worst of comic book toxic fandom.

Superboy-Prime is from a parallel Earth called Earth-Prime, devoid of superheroes, or even superhumans, aside from Superboy. There, Superman and the other comic superheroes were fictional characters, as they were in real life. The Earth-Prime universe was erased during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Superboy-Prime ended up in a "paradise" dimension, where he found himself unable to let go of his former life and destiny as Earth's greatest hero. Over time, his convictions and morals become twisted and warped, and he came to believe that Earth-Prime is the only proper Earth and that he, Superboy-Prime was the only one worthy of the Superboy mantle. Pounding on the barrier of reality, he caused ripples that altered reality including Jason Todd's return, Superman's multiple origins, including The Man of Steel and Superman: Birthright, combining, Doom Patrol's rebooting as new characters, including Elasti-Girl, Donna Troy's multiple origins after the first Crisis, various incarnations of Hawkman and the different incarnations of the Legion of Super-Heroes since the first Crisis. Then the New 52 came along, courtesy of Dr Manhattan, and wiped Superboy-Prime out of existence as well, until he popped up in the magical lands of Shazam, and then having his own dark multiverse Crisis world in Death Metal.

Back in 1984 (quite the choice of years for Wonder Woman screenwriter Geoff Johns) before any such Crisis, we see the young Superboy-Prime version of Clark Kent reading comic books.

Superboy Prime, Still Making Changes In Death Metal (Spoilers)
Credit: DC

Of course, things also get brought up to the present day somehow – and not in others. And all suited up and grown-up, the tale remains the same.

Superboy Prime, Still Making Changes In Death Metal (Spoilers)
Credit: DC

It's still just about a boy and his dog.

Superboy Prime, Still Making Changes In Death Metal (Spoilers)
Credit: DC

Wherever that leads.

Superboy Prime, Still Making Changes In Death Metal (Spoilers)
Credit: DC

But remember, it's just a story. And with Superboy-Prime there are always new beginnings and new endings.

Superboy Prime, Still Making Changes In Death Metal (Spoilers)
Credit: DC

And always more comic books to read…

Superboy Prime, Still Making Changes In Death Metal (Spoilers)
Credit: DC

Maybe you should go out for a walk? With the Tier 4 police on every corner? Maybe if you are Superboy-Prime… but looks like someone just punched himself in the heart and changed his whole world instead.

Dark Nights: Death Metal: The Secret Origin #1 is published by DC Comics today.

DARK NIGHTS DEATH METAL THE SECRET ORIGIN #1 (ONE-SHOT) CVR A IVAN REIS & JOE PRADO
Retail: $5.99
1020DC039 | OCT207039 | DCC20100039 | DC Comics
(W) Scott Snyder, Geoff Johns (A) Ryan Benjamin (CA) Ivan Reis, Joe Prado
The DCU's darkest secrets are explored while two titans clash! The heroes search for a way to defeat the Darkest Knight through the universe's past, while Superboy-Prime faces down the demonic Batman!
Due Date: 10/22/2020 / FOC: 11/22/2020 / In-Store: 12/22/2020


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Rich JohnstonAbout Rich Johnston

Founder of Bleeding Cool. The longest-serving digital news reporter in the world, since 1992. Author of The Flying Friar, Holed Up, The Avengefuls, Doctor Who: Room With A Deja Vu, The Many Murders Of Miss Cranbourne, Chase Variant. Lives in South-West London, works from Blacks on Dean Street, shops at Piranha Comics. Father of two. Political cartoonist.
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