Major Superman Villain Returns From the Dead With New Power After Forever Changing DC Lore

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Superman has faced many powerful and clever enemies throughout the DC Comics universe. It takes immense skill to defeat him. Recently, one of these villains was resurrected in a completely new way, an event that significantly altered the DC Universe. This villain has also gained a new ability and is now determined to confront Superboy Prime.

Superman #36, from writer Joshua Williamson and artist Dan Mora, focuses on the story of Superboy Prime. He began as a regular fan of comics, but gained superpowers and became the only hero on his world. However, the power went to his head, and he transformed into a dangerous enemy across multiple universes.

Despite his past mistakes, he tried to make amends by helping to save Earth-Prime during the DC K.O. event. After Superman disappeared, Superboy Prime volunteered to protect the world until he came back, and the Justice League and Lois Lane, though hesitant, agreed to let him.

The main part of this story centers on Superboy Prime struggling to start over. He turns down a job at The Daily Planet, figuring they’d quickly realize he’s a younger version of Clark Kent if he worked there. Instead, he takes a job at a comic book shop, hoping to learn about the heroes and stories from this different world.

While he’s doing his work, a ghostly figure watches him. This figure directly addresses the reader, much like the character Superboy Prime, acknowledging that they are all part of a story. The story ends with a reveal: the ghostly figure is actually the Superman villain, Manchester Black.

Who is Superman’s enemy Manchester Black?

Manchester Black first appeared in Action Comics #775 in 2001. He was a British superhero who led a team called The Elite. Initially, he was created as a satirical take on the character Jenny Sparks, with The Elite as a whole being a parody of the group The Authority. But he soon evolved beyond just being a comedic character.

Manchester Black is a strong telepath with a distrust of heroes like Superman. He led a team that fought Superman, hoping to prove him wrong, but Superman easily defeated them without seriously harming anyone. This story, titled “What’s So Funny About Truth, Justice & the American Way?”, later served as the basis for the film Superman vs. The Elite.

Recently, Manchester Black became a major enemy of Superman, leading him to try and team up with Lex Luthor. But Luthor didn’t want a fair partnership and instead exploited Black to fuel his ‘Project Blackout.’ This project wiped the world’s memory of Clark Kent being Superman, just after Superman publicly revealed his identity. Manchester Black appeared to die during the process, and Superman subsequently arrested Luthor, believing him responsible for Black’s death.

The latest issue of Superman shows that Manchester Black’s consciousness somehow continued to exist even after his body was destroyed. Even more surprisingly, he’s now able to perceive the reality outside the comic book itself – a power previously only seen in Superboy Prime. This new ability makes him a potentially serious threat to Superboy.

Superman #36 is now available at comic shops everywhere.

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2026-03-27 16:27