Whenever there’s a discussion about Superman, the topic of his villains is bound to be brought up. Some fans will obviously bring up Lex Luthor, General Zod, or Brainiac, while others will point out fan favorites like Metallo or the Parasite. One Superman foe who’s slipped under the radar is the Prankster, named for his gimmick of pulling practical jokes on the Man of Steel. Superman Unlimited #9 introduces a new version of the Prankster with a deadly new edge.
This new Prankster happens to be the nephew of the OG version, Oswald Loomis. He’s also taken his pranks in a lethal direction, as he wants his victims to die with a stain on their legacy. His latest target? Metropolis’s new mayor, Perry White. Superman finds himself racing to protect Perry from a series of escalating pranks, each more deadly than the last – until he makes a move as Clark Kent that no one expects.
The idea of updating a supervillain is nothing new. We’ve seen Lex Luthor briefly turn to the side of the angels in Joshua Williamson’s Superman run and the Legion of Super-Heroes becoming the “Legion of Darkseid.” The new Prankster feels made for the age of social media, where no price is too big to pay for fame. He even gets angry when he’s confused for another super villain! But the Prankster isn’t the only Superman character who gets an upgrade to his legacy: Superman Unlimited #9 also introduces Minnie Manheim, the sister of Intergang boss Bruno Manheim and police officer Billi Henderson, the daughter of Black Lightning’s frequent ally Bill Henderson.
DC
New characters aren’t the only surprise Dan Slott introduces in Superman Unlimited #9. There’s a subplot centered around Jon Kent encountering Mr. Mxyzptlk, who warns him that his archenemy is coming back for vengeance. This is a big deal for a number of reasons – Mxyzptlk usually only pops up to torment Superman, so his deadly serious appearance is a big sign that things are about to get worse for Jon. Secondly, this is a solid lead into the upcoming “Reign of the Superboys” storyline, and hopefully, a new foe could be a step toward giving Jon a solid direction.
Superman Unlimited #9 also features some great artwork from Mike Norton, who’s been a severely underrated artist in the Superman game. I first encountered Norton’s work when he created the Marvel superhero Gravity, and I can safely say that his work on Superman is just as epic. One page features the Man of Steel stepping in front of Perry to deflect a volley of magnetically-powered baseballs, and a later sequence features him battling a massive statue, which just feels like something Superman would do.
That extends to the new Prankster, whom Norton gives a truly inhuman look. Like the original Prankster, he wears a dark green plaid suit – only this suit covers his entire body, which lets him blend into backgrounds and is truly unsettling. It also provides a direct contrast to Superman’s red and blue suit, thanks to Marcelo Maiolo’s color art. Superman Unlimited #9 offers a new take on one of the Man of Steel’s old foes, which is equal parts intriguing and creepy. Let’s hope that this comic isn’t the only time we see this new Prankster.
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