DC Comics has officially unveiled matching black costumes for Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman, but the redesigns extend far beyond the Trinity. Several other Justice League icons, including The Flash, Green Lantern, and Aquaman, are also getting their own all-black "edgelord" makeovers. Even better, their greatest enemies are matching them one-for-one with similar looks.
Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora return for another epic installment of their ongoing Superman run with Superman #39, one of DC's strongest ongoing series. That's an especially impressive achievement considering Clark Kent is nowhere to be found in the current story arc. Instead, Superboy-Prime has taken center stage, stepping into the spotlight as the series' unlikely lead while the Man of Steel remains missing.
As a quick reminder, DC's recently concluded DC K.O. event saw Superman defeat Darkseid and save the universe. However, the Man of Steel has been missing ever since that victory, leaving Metropolis without its greatest hero. In response, Superboy-Prime has stepped in as the city's new Superman. In Superman #39, Prime is attacked by the villain Manchester Black, who pulls him through a series of alternate realities. It's within one of these realities that the majority of the original Justice League, and some of their most iconic villains, debut new all-black costumes.
Superman #39 sees Manchester Black pull Superboy-Prime into what Prime calls “some edgelord crossover event with everyone dressed in black…” While there's definitely some humor in Prime's observation, he isn't wrong. Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Joker, Lex Luthor, Brainiac, Sinestro, and even Prime himself are all sporting over-the-top black costumes that fully embrace the "edgelord" aesthetic.
While each redesign includes unique details that reflect the character wearing it, there's a noticeable abundance of spikes and black leather jackets across both the heroes and villains. Among the heroes, Superman, Wonder Woman, Prime, and Aquaman stand out the most. Diana sports a winged helm, Superman bears a massive facial scar, Prime is wielding guns, and Aquaman not only has an eyepatch but also a chainsaw for a hand.
Although Prime's "edgelord" comment is clearly poking fun at these redesigns, they're actually low-key pretty cool, something that's no doubt helped by Mora's exceptional artwork. While Prime isn't exactly thrilled to see Superman wielding guns, he can't help but admit that some of the designs are genuinely awesome, remarking, “Aquaman with a chainsaw hand is pretty cool, though.”
Batman, wielding a massive, wickedly sharp sword, is another standout detail that further enhances the exaggerated aesthetic. However, despite these costumes debuting in a main continuity title, readers only get to enjoy them for a single page since Manhattan Black doesn’t keep Prime in one reality for long.
Some fans may be wondering how Manchester Black, a character best known for his psychic and telekinetic abilities, is able to pull off something on the scale of what he's doing with Superboy-Prime. Before this issue, this kind of reality-bending would have been well outside the character's established power set, understandably leaving some fans confused.
Luckily, Manchester himself explains how he's able to accomplish it, telling Superboy-Prime: "You're not from here. Your connection with this world is unusual. It allowed me to manipulate reality in a way I never have before, mate. I can make my illusions a little more real." In other words, it's the unique combination of Superboy-Prime's connection to reality and Manchester Black's psychic abilities that allows the villain to give readers these epic black-costume redesigns of Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, and the rest of the Justice League.
After 26 years, Superman: The Animated Series has returned in an unexpected way. This time, however, it's a new Superman stepping into the spotlight.
Superman #39 from DC Comics is now available to read!
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
Wonder Woman is the superhero identity of Diana, Princess of the Amazons. Created on the island of Themyscira, Wonder Woman is a super-powered demi-goddess with extreme physical strength who utilizes magical gifts (like her famous Lasso of Truth) to defeat her foes. As mighty as her fellow heroes Superman and the Justice League, Wonder Woman is unmatched in her compassion and virtue.
One of DC's most iconic heroes, Batman is the vigilante superhero persona of billionaire Bruce Wayne. Forged by tragedy with the death of his parents, Bruce dedicated his life to becoming the world's leading martial artist, detective, and tactician. Recruiting an entire family of allies and sidekicks, Bruce wages war on evil as the dark knight of his hometown, Gotham City.
