‘LAST SON’ STORYLINE
“We’re going to see the ‘Last Son’ storyline play out, with General Zod, Ursa and Non at the focus of it,” says Johns. “[By now] people will know that the kid that Superman found in the rocket is actually Zod and Ursa’s kid. Sent from the Phantom Zone, he’s basically used as a monkey in a space capsule. They’re not good parents—to say the least.
“With General Zod, Ursa and Non, we’re looking at the only survivors from Krypton as criminals, and how Superman feels about that. And really trying to get to the emotional core of what the story can mean to Superman—having him see a little boy who he sees in himself.”
PARASITE
“This guy’s a leech,” says Johns, on one of the villains set to appear in “Last Son.” “The Parasite leeched off of everybody in his life, and it resulted in a lot of bad things, including death and murder. Essentially when he got these powers—the powers allowed him to become what he already was. So we’re trying to explore somebody who has no identity himself, but just likes to take from others whatever he can. He’s the exact opposite of Superman, who’s selfless. Parasite’s the ultimate selfish person—that’s what makes him interesting. He should fight Superman; he can’t really go up against anybody else because he embodies everything Superman isn’t and that’s essentially what great villains for Superman do.”
METALLO
“Metallo’s the ultimate bully,” explains Johns. “He wants the power Superman has in order to empower himself over people and over the world. He has the same attitude that a Flash rogue might have, where he thinks more short term. If he can brag that he made Superman bleed—he loves that, and that’s all he really wants. There are more twists to him that we’re doing in the [Action Comics] Annual, that will power him up some more.”
BIZARRO
“[Superman sees Bizarro] basically like Frankenstein,” explains Johns. “Someone who’s misguided and who’s intentions are a little disturbing. Bizarro is definitely a threat; he’s dangerous and that’s how Superman sees him. He certainly doesn’t see him as a joke or a funny character. There’s a sadness to him, too; half of Bizarro’s outbursts are because of frustration. He doesn’t know how to communicate. His brain’s wired completely backwards—literally. So he’s got to be frustrated because he can’t say anything or express himself in the ways he thinks work. He doesn’t understand the way people react to him and why.”
BIZARROWORLD
“Just think ‘Dawn of the Dead,” says Johns. “Bizarroworld is a little bit more scary and creepy; it’s not like streets are crowded with Bizarros. In the architecture and what the planet looks like and what happens around the planet, we’re going for, ‘What are Bizarros, and what does a planet full of Bizarros mean?’ Superman goes to Bizarroworld, and it’s really him learning what it feels like to be an outcast like Bizarro. It’s not like he wants to fit in on Bizarroworld. It’s a dangerous place for him, and he’s essentially hunted. I think Superman always works really well contrasting with terrible things. His villains have to be threatening in order for him to surpass them and really be the hero he is.”
BRAINIAC
“Brainiac’s alien in the way that Superman’s glad that he isn’t,” explains Johns. “Brainiac’s cold and unfeeling, and simply interested in knowledge and experimentation. He can’t see why Superman would bother with Earthlings, but at the same time, he thinks Kryptonians are insects—he’s that far above Kryptonians. We’re working on reintroducing and redefining Brainiac, and actually revealing a lot about Brainiac that hasn’t been previously revealed. We’re trying to push him into the upper echelon of villains, and make him a really scary threat. When Brainiac shows up, it’s a very devastating thing. The last half of ’07 will be a big Superman event.”
‘ACTION’-PACKED ANNUAL
“We’ve got a spread of the Fortress of Solitude,” says Johns, on what we can expect to see in the Action Comics Annual. “We see what’s in his Fortress of Solitude currently after ‘Up, Up, and Away.’ Art Adams is doing a four-page mini on how Superman can be killed. Eric Wight’s doing another story that’s an origin of M’onel, that deals with Clark Kent feeling like an outsider, meeting somebody like him for the very first time when he’s a kid. We see the sentencing of Zod, Ursa and Non, and learn the true backstory behind Non and the way he is. There are hints to upcoming storylines with ‘Last Son,’ Bizarroworld and the Brainiac stuff that comes after that. We’re laying down an annual that hopefully is a lot of fun for people to read.”
ACTION COMICS
“We’re trying to go for the very modern approach, but with a very classic sensibility,” says Johns. “Superman’s got to be a strong character, fun to like, but he’s got to be the classic Superman everyone knows and loves. At the same time, what we’re doing is trying to modernize the world around him a bit with his villains and bring them to a modern-day setting and spin. Our whole point is to make this book kind of a ride—an emotional ride, a thrilling ride, a mystery. We’re just gonna try and push the envelope in ideas, and if people say, ‘You can’t do that!’ we wanna do it!”
