DC Confirms Manchester Black for Superman’s New Appearance

The next Superman entry will unleash an iconic villain few fans expected, with the power to rival the Man of Steel’s incredible superstrength. Here’s everything we know so far…

DC has confirmed that fans can soon expect the return of Manchester Black. Debuting in 2001, Manchester Black is a hyper-cynical antihero/villain with powerful mental abilities. His telepathy can create detailed illusions, while even Superman has compared Black’s telekinesis to his own strength.

From the beginning, Manchester Black has been depicted as Superman’s ideological opposite – someone who disdains the idea of ‘truth, justice and the American way,’ and who cares more about fame and individual success.

Now, Manchester Black is back, but DC is putting a wild new spin on his role as the anti-Superman.

Manchester Black Returns for Superman #40

New solicit information has confirmed that the upcoming Superman #40 will see Manchester Black return, battling Superboy-Prime for the right to return to life and manifest in the real world – the one occupied by DC’s readers, not its heroes. The issue’s summary reads:

SUPERBOY-PRIME VS. MANCHESTER BLACK FOR THE SOUL OF DC COMICS! The villainous Manchester Black demands to be resurrected and thinks Superboy-Prime knows how to give him his life back. But it’s more than that. Manchester Black wants to escape the world of comics and come to our world! It’s meta versus meta! If Prime survives, he will still have to deal with members of the Super-Family, who are not happy he wants to be Superman! This all builds up to next month’s Superman blockbuster summer story!

Recently, Superman gained godlike powers, leaving his home reality for a mission in the multiverse. In his absence, the formerly villainous Superboy-Prime has stepped in as the new Superman, with his own perspective on what the role should mean.

Now, Superboy-Prime will face a foe who used to be Superman’s biggest hater, putting a major twist on both their roles in Superman lore.

Manchester Black Is the Perfect Villain for Superboy-Prime

Manchester Black started out as Superman’s biggest critic, believing he was an arrogant hypocrite both for his unflinching moral standards and his unwillingness to kill his villains, allowing them to get free and once again harm innocents.

However, Manchester Black recently changed his tune. During the Warworld Saga, Superman recruited Black to help free an entire planet from slavery. Black was secretly working for Lex Luthor, but his experiences on Warworld gave him a grudging respect for the Man of Steel – one that cost him his life when he refused to keep working against him.

Thanks to his telepathic might, Manchester Black lives on as an astral projection, and will now return to his former role as an enemy of ‘Superman.’ However, this isn’t character regression – Superboy-Prime is an entitled bully unworthy of the Superman name, and Manchester Black is likely to have a major problem with him on those grounds.

Ironically, Manchester Black became a believer in Superman just in time to give the new holder of the title a hard time. Of course, that’s not his main reason for taking on Superboy-Prime…

Superboy-Prime’s Weirdest Superpower Is Back

During 2005’s Infinite Crisis event, Superboy-Prime made comic history by ‘punching reality’, causing some significant changes to DC lore. Most famously, his alteration of the timeline resulted in the resurrection of Jason Todd, the second Robin and current Red Hood.

Manchester Black seemingly wants Superboy-Prime to do the same for him, despite DC downplaying and even throwing shade at this moment in the years since. It’s likely that Superboy-Prime vs Manchester Black will offer some commentary on a comic moment many DC fans still consider among the publisher’s most ridiculous.

Manchester Black Has Come a LONG Way from His Debut as a Parody Character

When Manchester Black was introduced in Action Comics #775, he was very clearly a parody of The Authority‘s Jenny Sparks, even leading his own team named the Elite.

That original issue is a criticism of The Authority‘s more cynical take on superheroes, and its semi-authoritarian perspective on how superheroes could/should be depicted in comics. Superman schools the Elite, proving he can play their cynical game but instead chooses to stand for something better.

In the years since, various creators have evolved Manchester Black beyond this one-note parodic appearance, turning him into a compelling recurring antagonist for the Man of Steel. He also had a significant role in the seventh season of the CW’s Supergirl, played by David Ajala.

Now, despite coming to see Superman as a true hero, Manchester Black gets the perfect return – fighting against Clark Kent’s unworthy ‘successor.’

Superman #40 is coming July 22 from DC Comics.

Created By

Joe Shuster, Jerry Siegel

First Appearance

Action Comics

Alias

Kal-El, Clark Kent, Jonathan Kent

Alliance

Justice League, Superman Family

Race

Kryptonian

Franchise

D.C.