DC reveals a terrifying new Superman who could replace the original Man of Steel

DC has revealed its new Superman in Next Level: One-shot #1. It is apparently set to replace DC Universe's original Man of Steel. Superman was originally created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and it debuted in Action Comics#1 in June 1938.

Siegel and Shuster have created the foundation of the modern superhero mythology. Before Superman, there were no superheroes as such. In short, Superman created the genre and can be tagged as the big bang of modern American comics. Every DC multiverse has a nearly identical version of Man of Steel; all of them are powerful and saviours of their worlds.

From the Golden Age Superman of Earth 2 to the futuristic Superman, all are identical in some way or another. Although there are exceptions, such as Ultraman from Earth 3, who consumes Kryptonite to gain power, and Superman from Injustice.

Here's more about the DC's new Superman.

More about DC's New Superman on Next Level: One Shot

It all begins with Floyd Lawton, aka Deadshot, who is tasked with a mission by Rick Flag Jr. to kill genetically engineered clones who pose as regular humans.

After a few successful assassinations, Deadshot confronts Batman and is then cornered by DC's Trinity, a trio of Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman clones who are supposedly born three weeks ago. Among the three, Superman looks the most dangerous with missing eyes. The new Superman has a small living Starro in his body. He can throw this to use as a tool in the cloning process. It can thus easily retrieve the assassin's biological information by throwing it on the face before putting it back inside its body.

The nightmarish Superman clone is described as too dangerous, which means he might be unstable. The scientists may not know how to control his heat vision or the ability to balance it with the rest of Kryptonian physiology (Clark Kent).

Why is the original Man of Steel impossible to replicate?

Honestly, it is quite difficult to replicate the original Superman. The new Superman/clone might be dangerous, but simply copying genetic code or replicating Kal-El's solar-powered biology isn't easy.

From a scientific viewpoint, Superman's genetic makeup cannot be repeated since it's a unique biological engine powered by hyper-efficient solar processing. Thus, when genetists might attempt to grow a clone, they can't replicate the natural and slow decades of cellular density accumulation.

Next Level: One Shot is a new 48-page special. It is written by Gerry Duggan, and Fernando Blanco serves as the artist. It follows Deadshot in a mission tied to the future of the DC Next Level initiative. The special issue features a cover by Blanco. The variant covers are by Mark Spears, Carmine Di Giandomenico, and Jorge Corona.

The issue was released on August 19, 2026, and is priced at around $5.99 for the standard edition. A cardstock variant costs $6.99. The DC Next Level plans to expand under the DC All in banner and will include new series and a possible expansion of a wide range of characters.

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Also Read: 10 Superman misconceptions that refuse to die

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