Supernova is an identity used by three characters in the DC Comics Universe, all related to the Carter bloodline. The first appearance of this character was in the weekly DC Comics series 52 where the mystery of his true identity and purpose was one of the recurring themes of the series.
Publication history
The character of Supernova first appears during the eighth issue of the weekly comic series 52. His costume and name are similar in design—albeit with a different color scheme—to the costume of Nova, an "imaginary story" version of Superman who lost his Kryptonian powers and became a Batman-like crimefighter in a two-part story[1] This version of the character also reappeared as one of several alternate versions of Superman.[2] In the Superman/Batman Annual #2, a temporarily powerless Superman wears a costume with a similar design to the Nova suit, but calls himself Supernova.
This was an intentional design choice on the parts of the writerscitation needed to feed into the mystery that was set-up in his first appearance - who is Supernova? As the series progressed, the narrative and characters within the narrative presented a number of choices for the real identity of Supernova. Lex Luthor held the opinion that Supernova was Superman, while Wonder Girl believed him to be her deceased boyfriend, Superboy.[3]
The character Ralph Dibny confronts and confirms the identity of Supernova but this information is not shared with the reader until issue #37 of the series where he is revealed to be Booster Gold. With the assistance of Rip Hunter, he had fake his death and travelled back in time to become Supernova as part of a plan to stop Skeets, who was being controlled by Mister Mind.
The Supernova suit is then employed by Daniel Carter, Booster Gold's ancestor in the present. Echoing the origins of that character, Carter is a former high school football superstar, who has permanently injured his knee ending his career. Mister Mind finds him and manipulates him, eventually trapping him in the timestream before he is rescued by Booster Gold and Rip Hunter, who defeat Mister Mind at the climax of the 52 series.
Following on from those events, the character is next seen in a relaunched Booster Gold series that uses many of the same themes as the 52 series. Rip Hunter and Booster Gold continue their alliance to try and avoid other dangerous changes to historical events. Booster Gold agrees to leave Supernova's identity to Daniel, hoping to shape him into a better person. Daniel fails to make good use of the new suit, however, and it is stolen by Booster Gold's father, Jonar Carter who becomes the third person to be use the Supernova costume [4] [5].
Jonar is shown working with other characters such as the Ultra-Humanite, Per Degaton, Despero, and the Black Beetle as a group known as "The Time Stealers". Using time as a weapon for conquest, they attempt to change history for their benefit. For example, by attempting to kill Jonathan Kent's great-grandfather, resulting in the Kents never finding Superman. It is revealed that Jonar is under the control of Mister Mind and the trauma caused by his removal kills him.
Parallel to those events, Daniel is left at home, where he meets Rose Levin, his future wife, and a blogger/journalist hoping to make her fortune selling articles and photos of Booster Gold. [6]. Rip Hunter comes to Daniel and Rose and convinces them to assist him in stopping a attempt to erase Booster Gold from history [7] [8] After witnessing the unsympathetic and harsh reprimands Rip gives Booster for his leave of absence, he and Rose agree with Booster to disband the Time Masters, and try to return back to their former lives. [9]
Powers and abilities
Supernova uses the Phantom Zone Projector built into his suit to teleport matter from one place to another through the Phantom Zone itself.[10] He has used this ability on several occasions, such as rescuing bystanders from various disasters,[11] removing a sea creature terrorizing Metropolis,[12] and removing a surveillance satellite trained on him from hundreds of miles away.[3] The suit contains a white dwarf star size-changing belt, as the one used by the Atom, and an advanced laser system able to melt steel, and Rip Hunter claims to have built it as resistant to all time ravages. The suit is so advanced that it is able "to freeze time for his wearer". As long as the wearer keeps the suit on, he/she feels no need for eating or drinking, able to exist indefinitely and ageless. [13] The suit is specifically keyed to the Carter DNA, requiring any wearer to be related to Booster in order for the suit's abilities to function.[14]
References
- ^ World's Finest Comics #178 (September 1968) and #180 (November 1968)
- ^ Infinite Crisis #5
- ^ a b 52: Week Twenty-Two
- ^ 52 Pick-Up: Booster Gold #1
- ^ 52 Pick-Up: Booster Gold #4
- ^ 52 Pick-Up: Booster Gold #6
- ^ 52 Pick-Up: Booster Gold #10
- ^ 52 Pick-Up: Booster Gold #6
- ^ 52 Pick-Up: Booster Gold One Million
- ^ 52: Week Thirty-Seven
- ^ 52: Week Eight
- ^ 52: Week Fifteen
- ^ 52 Pick-Up: Booster Gold #1
- ^ 52: Week Fifty-Two
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