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DC Officially Unveils New Superman Replacement
DC has introduced a disturbing new Superman clone in Next Level: One Shot #1, presenting a version of the character stripped of the humanity and upbringing that normally guide Clark Kent. The story matters because it turns Superman’s defining moral restraint into the central threat: an immensely powerful being engineered without the values that make him a protector.
Written by Gerry Duggan with art by Fernando Blanco and lettering by Buddy Beaudoin, the one-shot follows Deadshot investigating genetically engineered copies of DC’s most powerful heroes. The clone’s eyes were removed after earlier complete versions proved too dangerous, and it contains a living Starro that gathers biological information for further cloning; cloned Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman are reportedly only three weeks old. The comic is now available in local comic shops.
In short
- DC introduces a horrifying Superman clone without Clark Kent’s humanity.
- Earlier complete clones were considered too dangerous to keep intact.
- The new threat appears in Next Level: One Shot #1.
Explained simply
Superman is the superhero identity of Clark Kent, an alien raised by a human family on Earth. His great strength and other powers make him capable of causing immense harm, but his upbringing and concern for others guide him to use them to protect people.
DC Comics publishes Superman and other heroes, including Batman and Wonder Woman. Deadshot is a marksman who is often portrayed as a criminal, and in this story he investigates attempts to make genetic copies of powerful heroes. The idea of a Superman clone raises questions about what makes someone a protector: power alone, or the values and experiences that shape how they use it.