Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Superman: Welcome To MetropolisJames Gunn’s Superman is right around the corner, but the official prequel has already been released. Featuring some major firsts for the DCU’s new Man of Steel and his iconic city, Superman: Welcome To Metropolis is surprisingly full of some exciting reveals, despite being a short 144-page junior novel. Preceding Superman’s events by a few years, it’s fascinating to learn more about the world we’ll soon be entering on the big screen.
While nothing says James Gunn couldn’t one day overwrite the events of this new tie-in book, they’re currently DCU canon. This includes Clark Kent’s first days in Metropolis, meeting the likes of Lois Lane and Lex Luthor, and more key moments that will have already been established by the events of the actual Superman movie. With that in mind, here’s everything we learned from the DCU’s Superman prequel.
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Lex Luthor’s History With The Justice Gang
Tensions With Metas Before Superman
In Welcome To Metropolis, it’s confirmed that Lex Luthor is not a fan of metahumans in general. This particularly includes the Justice Gang, who’ve routinely interfered with his shadier business dealings and operations. However, the novel gradually sees Lex Luthor developing a unique hatred for Superman, acknowledging his greater power and strength compared to the other superheroes.
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How Clark Kent Got Hired by The Daily Planet
A Bold Swing
Rather than setting up a meeting with The Daily Planet’s Editor-in-Chief Perry White, Clark Kent first visited Metropolis’ predominant newspaper with nothing more than hope and some writing samples from his time with the Smallville Sentinel. Despite White’s initial lack of interest, Perry agreed to consider hiring Clark if he could earn the Planet a major scoop. Sure enough, Clark does just that.
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Superman’s First Save In Metropolis
Protecting A Toy Factory
Alerted to the destruction of a toy factory in Metropolis’ industrial district across the river, Clark’s first outing as Superman in Metropolis sees him stopping the saboteurs and their cutting-edge tank with a mounted laser cannon. Thanks to the police who cut off all access to the area, Clark was in the unique position to “interview” Superman and provide an eyewitness account. This indeed earned him his job at The Daily Planet.
Likewise, the book reveals that the hit on the toy factory was ordered by Lex Luthor. Apparently, Lex’s compeтιтors had been using the factory to smuggle illegal weapons inside various toys. This encounter with the tank also serves as the first time Luthor became aware of Superman’s existence.
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Origins Of The DCU’s Metallo
Mirroring The Original Comics
Wanting to test the power of this new “Superman”, Lex Luthor hires contract killer John Corben. Manipulating Corben, Lex catches John in an explosion that ravages his body, before having his lab techs remove and place Corben’s brain inside an advanced killer robot, creating the DCU’s version of Metallo. This gives Metallo a brutally human killer instinct, while also paralleling the supervillain’s similar comics origins.
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How Superman Met Lois Lane and Jimmy
Saving Them From Metallo
After Lex unleashes Metallo, Perry White has the newly hired Clark Kent tag along with Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen to learn the ropes (which Lois is none too happy about). Upon seeing Metallo, Clark runs off while Lois and Jimmy are distracted before returning as Superman. Saving both Lois and Jimmy as the Man of Steel, Lois was even less happy about the apparent “arrangement” Superman has with Clark Kent regarding interviews.
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Superman’s First Team-Up With The Justice Gang
The Established Protectors of Metropolis
Superman was also aided in his first fight with Metallo by the Justice Gang. Also serving as his first time meeting and fighting alongside other metahumans, Superman carries some initial distrust toward Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, Mister Terrific, and Hawkgirl. However, they do prove themselves to be capable allies, ultimately creating an opportunity for Superman to bind Metallo with steel beams before throwing him into the river.
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Lex Luthor Is A Beloved Figure In Metropolis
Highly Respected
Meeting with the mayor of Metropolis, Lex Luthor offers to pay for damages done to the city and to recover Metallo from the river, purely out of the “goodness” of his heart as a proud citizen. As is revealed throughout the new Superman prequel novel, Lex Luthor is a well-respected and beloved son of Metropolis. As such, it perfectly sets the tone for Luthor’s bitterness toward Superman, who has already begun stealing the spotlight as the city’s newest hero.
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The DCU’s Biggest Tech Companies
LuthorCorp, LordTech, and Stagg Industries
Image via Warner Bros.
After Perry White tasks both Clark and Lois to investigate where Metallo came from, they both set their sights on the country’s biggest tech companies: LuthorCorp, LordTech, and Stagg Industries. LordTech is owned by CEO Maxwell Lord, who will be played by Sean Gunn. We also know that Lord is the founder of the Justice Gang, and will also have a role in Peacemaker season 2.
If the comics are anything to go on, Stagg Industries more than likely has connections to Anthony Carrigan’s Metamorpho, who’s also set to appear in James Gunn’s Superman. However, it’s confirmed by Lois Lane in this prequel novel that Stagg is based in Washington D.C. rather than Metropolis like the other two companies.
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LordTech Finances Holt Industries
Mister Terrific’s Company
Clark decides to pay a visit to Holt Industries, a subsidiary also based in Metropolis that’s financed by LordTech. This makes sense, as scientist Michael Holt is the secret idenтιтy of the Justice Gang’s Mister Terrific. Despite keeping Kent at arm’s length and disinterest in being questioned about robotics, Holt does point Superman in the direction of Lex Luthor, hinting in so many words of his lack of trust in the billionaire’s character.
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The Justice Gang Name Was Guy Gardner’s Idea
The Rest of the Team Isn’t Sold…
The Superman prequel novel confirms that the “Justice Gang” name was the brainchild of Guy Gardner. However, Hawkgirl and Teriffic aren’t so enthused, suggesting that a future and arguably improved name will debut in the DCU’s future. As such, it certainly supports the theory that the Justice Gang is the precursor to the DCU’s Justice League.
Superman footage from teasers and promos has also featured DC’s iconic Hall of Justice, further supporting the Justice League evolution theory.
