James Gunn’s Superman is just around the corner, but DC fans hungry for early details are already digging into the officially licensed prequel novel Superman: Welcome to Metropolis.
Written by David Lewman and released June 3 via Penguin Random House, the 144-page book serves up an origin-lite version of Clark Kent’s early days in Metropolis complete with a job hunt, supervillain fights, and first contact with future allies.
The novel is described as being “inspired by the film,” which gives Gunn plenty of wiggle room to keep, or discard, whatever he wants from it. But for fans who want a head start on this new version of Superman, it’s a fun tease at what is coming.
The story opens with Clark trying to land a job at the Daily Planet. He gets it by writing an exclusive interview with Superman. That’s right, the rookie reporter’s first assignment is basically a PR piece on himself, written after stopping Lex Luthor from sabotaging a toy factory.
Why a toy factory? Luthor claims it’s smuggling contraband in stuffed animals. His henchman Otis questions the logic, but Luthor quickly shuts him down. Either way, the incident puts Superman on his radar.
After Clark’s “debut,” Luthor sends a half-human, half-machine weapon, Metallo, to attack City Hall. Superman intervenes, and for the first time, we meet the so-called Justice Gang, which includes Mister Terrific, Guy Gardner (Green Lantern), and Hawkgirl.
It’s worth noting that Guy is the one who insists on the name “Justice Gang,” though Mister Terrific and Hawkgirl clearly don’t love it.
Superman manages to overpower Metallo and toss him into the harbor, but Luthor recovers the body and upgrades it using a mysterious green element. Though it’s never named, we can assume it’s kryptonite.
In round two, Metallo nearly defeats Superman, who’s saved at the last second by the Justice Gang. Impressed by their teamwork, Mister Terrific invites Superman to join them. He doesn’t give an answer, but the door is clearly open.
Meanwhile, Lois Lane is trying to get an interview with Lex, and she’s less than thrilled about the Daily Planet’s new hire. Jimmy Olsen also makes an appearance. Eventually, Clark helps Lois get an exclusive with Superman, continuing his trend of scooping the newsroom using inside info.
The book ends with Lex gathering pieces of the destroyed Metallo and realizing that the strange green element may be the key to bringing Superman down for good.
That story thread, along with the mention of the armored villain The Hammer of Boravia (an original creation from James Gunn’s film), suggests that while Metallo might not appear in the movie, elements from the book could bleed into future films.
The timeline is fuzzy. It’s not made clear how long before the film the book is set, or whether it fits into the DCU continuity Gunn is crafting. But Welcome to Metropolis definitely seems like a soft-launch for the tone and world of Gunn’s Superman.
Whether this story officially “counts” or not, it’s a solid warm-up for what’s coming in July.
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