Sorry to break it to you, but if you missed the 2016 Rebirth era, you missed one of the best chapters inSupermanhistory. After a tumultuous few post-Flashpointyears, DC Comics pumpednew life into the Superman Familywith a spectacular line of fan-favorite comics.
to free itself from decades of continuity and streamline for a wider audience,DC Comics' New 52initiative wiped the slate clean. It gave fans a jumping-on point, but at the cost of all the personal connections and history longtime readers loved. However, in 2016,DC Comics started its Rebirth initiative, intent on restoring and honoring the history that the publisher previously shied away from, making way for a line of comics that remain some of the Man of Steel’s best.
Superman’s Rebirth Titles Were Powerful Stories of Family, Legacy, and Mythology
Superwoman,New Super-Man,Super SonsAll Formed an Amazing Line of Comics
The 2015 eventConvergencepaved the way for the pre-Flashpointversion of Superman and Lois Lane to return to the DC Universe. But they weren’t alone as they were joined by their firstborn son, Jonathan Kent, and after returning to the Prime DC Universe, they began living in Smallville under the assumed identities of the Smiths. This was seen in the 2016Supermanseries, which was a lighthearted series about Lois and Clark raising their son, who took on the identity of Superboy. But back in Metropolis,Superman’s iconic city was being guarded by an unexpected ally: Lex Luthor.Luthor’s time as Metropolis' Superman spun out of his adventures inJustice League, andAction Comicsfollowed his attempts to be a hero while facing off against iconic Superman villains. But Lex wasn’t the only Super-Family member with a book. Clark’s cousin Supergirl had her own self-titled series (just in time to capitalize on the CWSupergirlshow, to boot) that focused on Kara balancing her life as a superhero and a high schooler. At the same time, Superman’s oldest friend Lana Lang developed powers after being caught in a solar flare,a plot seen in the fan-favorite seriesSuperwoman.
And the fun didn’t stop there. DC Comics took a big chance withNew Super-Man, a story that focused ona Chinese teenager who was gifted Superman’s powers and followed his growth from bully to hero as he discovered the weight of his powers. The seriesTrinitygave readers a book that examined Clark’s relationship with his two closest companions, Batman and Wonder Woman. And thanks to incredible popularity, Superboy got to star in his very own comic book,Super Sons, a beloved series that showcased his Jon’s friendship with Batman’s tough-as-nails son, Damian.
Rebirth Rebuilt Everything Fans Loved About Superman and His World
I remember being turned off by a lot of what the New 52 offered, so when Rebirth came around, I was cautiously optimistic. After months of hype, I was certain that there was no way that this new line of Superman-focused titles could capture my attention the way that the pre-New 52 titles did. But I was so wrong. Every book that came out during this period was so incredibly strong.From watching Superman’s small family go on adventures to seeing Lana Lang grapple the difficulties of heroism, I was a fan of it all.
I think the worst part about this period was how incredibly short it was. Unlike the New 52, which lasted for about five years, Rebirth only lasted a little over a year. Worse, many of the Superman books beyond his self-titled series and Action Comics were canceled not too long after Rebirth officially ended (I was so heartbroken when New Super-Man & the Justice League of China concluded). And that’s not even getting into when writer Brian Michael Bendis arrived in 2018 andmade a number of controversial choices, namely aging up Superboy into a teenager.
But such is the nature of comics. Good things don’t last forever, and you have to appreciate them while they’re around. I consider myself fortunate that I was able to witness this period of Superman’s history as it was happening. You might have missed this era if you weren’t into comics at the time, but I want to reassure you. The Rebirth era of Superman was a fantastic period of the character’s history. If you’ve never had the pleasure of readingSuperman’sRebirth titles, I highly recommend seeking them out to see what all the hubbub was about.
