DC Just Changed 1 Part of Superman’s Origin For The 2nd Time In 10 Years

by

Superman’s story is so well-known it’s become a staple of popular culture. Like many people know the basics of how he arrived on Earth as a baby after his home planet, Krypton, was destroyed. This is similar to Batman’s origin story – even if you aren’t a big fan, you probably know the main points. However, DC Comics is known for making big changes to its history. While some origins, like Batman’s, have remained fairly consistent, Superman’s has been revised quite a few times. The destruction of Krypton seems to be a story element that DC often revisits, and over the years, they’ve presented several different explanations for why it happened.

The story of how Krypton was destroyed has been retold several times throughout the years, with significant changes often spaced decades apart. Initially, the planet was said to have died of old age, but that was later revised to blame unstable Kryptonian technology. More recently, however, the explanation has shifted again. Just within the last ten years, there’s been one major alteration, and now, in *Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum* #3, DC has presented yet another new reason: Brainiac. This raises the question of why DC continues to revise this core part of Superman’s backstory.

The Destruction of Krypton Is One of the Easiest Changes to Make

For years, fans believed Krypton was destroyed because of its own advanced technology and overconfidence. However, the 2018 film *Man of Steel* introduced a new explanation. When writer Brian Michael Bendis joined DC Comics and took over the Superman stories, he created the character Rogol Zaar. Zaar was an alien hired by other galactic powers to destroy Krypton, as they feared the planet’s growing power and potential for conquest. It was later revealed that Zaar was actually a Kryptonian himself, driven by a deep hatred for his own people.

Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum is a classic Superman story that reimagines the character’s history within a new DC universe. The third issue features a unique scene: a teenage Superman undergoing art therapy with Billy Batson, where he depicts the destruction of his home planet, Krypton. The story reveals that Brainiac was responsible for Krypton’s demise. In this version, Brainiac wasn’t an alien, but a Kryptonian artificial intelligence that destroyed the planet, potentially due to a conflict with its creators.

It’s not the first time Brainiac’s origins have been tied to Krypton. While the main version of Brainiac is usually depicted as a Coluan cyborg, there have been alternate universes – like in *JLA: Earth-2* – where the Kryptonians actually created him. This new take on Brainiac’s history actually works with the established idea that Kryptonian science and pride led to their planet’s downfall: they built Brainiac, and he ultimately caused their destruction. However, this connection also suggests something about how stories are told in comics that isn’t particularly inspiring.

Attributing Krypton’s destruction to a villain feels overly simplistic and relies on a traditional “good versus evil” trope. The universe often operates without intention or morality; planets are destroyed by random events like meteor impacts, radiation bursts, or being consumed by black holes. It’s more believable that an ancient world like Krypton would simply succumb to natural forces. Blaming a villain implies Superman could have intervened or that a malicious entity was specifically responsible for his home’s fate, adding unnecessary complexity to his origin story.

Multiple Choice Planetary Destruction

The connection between Brainiac and Krypton’s destruction has long been established, and the comic *Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum* #3 explicitly ties Brainiac to the planet’s demise. While this isn’t a new storyline and fits the classic feel of the current series, the idea that a villain *caused* Krypton’s destruction feels weak. Although it’s often used to highlight Superman’s restraint and refusal to seek revenge, it still leads to him battling the person responsible, which is a rather simplistic plot device that ultimately diminishes the character of Superman.

Superman’s story is strongest when Krypton’s destruction is simply a natural disaster. Losing parents is a universal experience, and a planet can be seen as the ultimate parental figure. This allows Superman to move beyond his origins and become something new, blending the best of Krypton with his life on Earth. Introducing a villain as the cause feels forced and unnecessarily dark – it’s more in line with Batman’s style of motivation. Superman doesn’t *need* a specific person to blame for his loss; it’s an interesting idea, but it doesn’t quite fit his character.

Superman: The Kryptonite Spectrum #3 is on sale now.

https://comicbook.com/comics/news/10-best-things-to-happen-in-the-superman-comics/embed/#

Read More

2025-10-09 05:11