Why is Superboy-Prime... (IC #7 spoilers)

[MythicBrawn]

I added the spoiler line because I want to be sure not to ruin anything for anybody, but why is Superboy-Prime still alive? I read IC #7 and thought why didn't the Guardians put him down like you would with a rabid animal? How many people has he killed? He killed GLs left and right. He killed a bunch of heroes on Earth. He also killed the E2 Superman. The first time was by accident, even though it doesn't excuse it. After he gained the Anti-Monitor armor modifications, everything he did was intentional. If there was anybody that warranted getting the death penalty, SBP is that person. So, the Guardians in their cosmic wisdom, decide to lock him in a green cube with GLs watching him until he escapes.

One thing that I realize after reading IC#7 is that now SBP has become a plot device. I guess he'll be the reason that the next crisis kicks off in 10-20 years from now. DC will run true to form, ruin their universe and decide they need another crisis event to fix it. Cue SBP to kick off the event. I guess it's similar to the Guardians keeping the yellow monster locked up in the power battery. You would think that they would learn from their mistakes. So, now they have the yellow monster locked up in the power battery and a crazed SBP locked up in a green cube. I can see it now, SBP will somehow team up with the yellow monster and they'll cause a crisis throughout the DC universe...AGAIN.

[geordiesteve]

Having just finished IC7 I can honestly say I have no idea. I also have idea what the point of IC was at all. The previous one was done to clear the decks, simplify things, sort out complicated back story, reverse engineer it if you like so it made sense again. I had hoped they would do that with with this one, but apparently not. To look at Marvel for a second, as much as I disliked House of M it acheived one positive thing, it cut down the number of people with powers, as it was far too crowded, and it got rid of some minor annoying characters. The actual event itself was dull, but the outcome was good.

With IC, the event was complicated to the point of insanity, and afterwards what's happened? Characters killed during the event are back, some in new titles, and that's about it. I realise the events of IC explain why Superman has no powers, Batman is missing etc, but to be honest, I would rather have had all titles skip forward a year as they have done, and then get the 52 fill in, without the need for IC.

I believe the real reason is that as you said, he is a plot device, nothing more.

[Chris Thomas]

why not keep him locked up? that is the usuall pattern for 'traditional' comic superheros. I mean--the joker is still running around, right?

Personally I think it is fascinating--keeping a major league psychopath in a bizzare prison leaves room for a 'quick' crossover event....

[Keith_Martineau]

If in 20 years they use him to do another crisis because the universe needs to be redefined again---fine.

Thats how comics work. They've been shown to be very cyclical.

[Jack]

Because the story started with the heroes fractured by Wonder Woman's decision to kill Maxwell Lord and culminated in her telling Batman that she was wrong and he shouldn't kill Alexander Luthor.

They couldn't have gone from that to killing Superboy Prime, no matter what he'd done. And they couldn't have the villains kill off both of the villains, and it was much more important that Luthor die, since he was the brains of the whole thing.

[Captain Smith]

This is the great killing debate that rages on this forum ever once in awhile.

The reason is that the DCU has decided that it doesn't really have sensible policies for the use of deadly force. Superheroes are supposedly to be idealistic and save people rather than instruments of something like warfare.

Supes can't have sex with WW and can't kill as that would disturb his view as a comic icon.

[ChthonicSpirit]

Supes can't have sex with WW and can't kill as that would disturb his view as a comic icon.

SBP kills . . . does that mean he will have sex with WW when he escapes? :eek:

[malephoenix]

SBP kills . . . does that mean he will have sex with WW when he escapes? :eek:

Well, if a=b...:D







Seriously, though; SBP won't take until the next Crisis to escape. It'll probably be within the next year. MAYBE two.

[Joker2503]

I can't buy SBP as the mastermind behind the next crisis. He isn't a genius or a planner, the way the Anti-Monitor and Alex Luthor were. He is an immensely powerful crybaby. I can see his escape from Oa as a major event, as in "How the hell do we stop him?" I don't see it being a DCU-wide, company-altering reboot in the vein of COIE or what they said IC was going to be.

[ShaggyB]

I can't buy SBP as the mastermind behind the next crisis. He isn't a genius or a planner, the way the Anti-Monitor and Alex Luthor were. He is an immensely powerful crybaby. I can see his escape from Oa as a major event, as in "How the hell do we stop him?" I don't see it being a DCU-wide, company-altering reboot in the vein of COIE or what they said IC was going to be.

I predict he becomes a GLcorps. enemy. Im not thinking that he will battle supes anytime soon.

[Norrin Radd]

Even an anti-death penalty guy like me realizes that a universe-threatening power like SBP is far too dangerous to be left alive. It's a ludicrous plot point, unless the Guardians have some other agenda.

[NotSuper]

Even an anti-death penalty guy like me realizes that a universe-threatening power like SBP is far too dangerous to be left alive. It's a ludicrous plot point, unless the Guardians have some other agenda.
Maybe they do have a plan for Superboy-Prime. Consider this: What if the Guardians could find a way to control him?

[titanfan]

He pretty much started an interstellar war. At the very least, you'd think the people of Thanagar would want him executed for his crimes.

[NotSuper]

He pretty much started an interstellar war. At the very least, you'd think the people of Thanagar would want him executed for his crimes.
That might make an interesting story. The Thanagarians could invade Oa and the Green Lantern Corps would have to protect the person that wiped out a large number of them.

[mohammedali]

Maybe they do have a plan for Superboy-Prime. Consider this: What if the Guardians could find a way to control him?
You mean like mind wipes or altering his way of thinking? Not seen that before ;) Perhaps when he regains his memory, we could have an event and call it "Infinite Identity Crisis (on Multiple Earths)". Original, no?

Mohammed Ali

[Captain Smith]

Keeping a young man who is probably mentally ill in a featureless green box forever is not particularly humane.

Our prisoners get treatment, food, a place to sit and sleep, books and exercise. Not to give it would probably be judged unconstitutional.

So are the Guardians and GLC violating some kind of law or moral principles for this kind of incarceration?

Is it more moral than an execution?

[NotSuper]

You mean like mind wipes or altering his way of thinking? Not seen that before ;) Perhaps when he regains his memory, we could have an event and call it "Infinite Identity Crisis (on Multiple Earths)". Original, no?
I wasn't thinking of a mind-wiping. I was thinking that they may leave him in his box for a thousand years, after which his mind will likely be clay that the Guardians can mold. If the Guardians could harness his power for their cause he could conceivably replace the entire Green Lantern Corps. Sure, this sounds barbaric, inhumane, and manipulative, but if the Guardians see a chance to protect the universe I think they'll bend their own morality.

[ShaggyB]

Keeping a young man who is probably mentally ill in a featureless green box forever is not particularly humane.

Our prisoners get treatment, food, a place to sit and sleep, books and exercise. Not to give it would probably be judged unconstitutional.

So are the Guardians and GLC violating some kind of law or moral principles for this kind of incarceration?

Is it more moral than an execution?

but then you ask the moral question, in times of war is killing wrong and should those who do be held accountable? SBP definantly was in a war. he fought to get his entire universe back.

Ofcourse im not gonna go with the whole he was right to do it thing, but you have to ask if you are on the loosing side of a battle were you wrong, or just wronged.

History is written by the winners. take that into account and sbp was a villian whos motives were unpure and wrong. Does he deserve to die? probably but should he be judged by the glc? probably not.

(ehhh i dont really care either way but i think they holding him for the next crisis)

as to the death vs life in captivity. It would depend on your views of life/death vs freedom/confinement.

Death being absolute, confinement being temporary. life being necessary, freedom being obtainable. I would want life based on the fact that i could potetianly improve my current state, where as death is the end of that state. (SBP could break out)

oh well enough on that one....

[boolean]

Isn't Parallax (the yellow fear monster) trapped in the main power battery again?

Parallax teaming up with SBP?

[phantom1592]

The reason he is still alive is because the Guardians Don't Kill. The are the most advanced race that ever lived and consider Capital punishment for the more "barbaric" civilizations. This is also why the GL rings would NOT let them knowingly kill. It went against the Guardians code. (there have been so many writers that I think this has been ignored in the past, but was true for the vast majority.)

The Guardians never executed Sinestro, or Goldface. Who they Hated (if the guardians had emotions.... questionable) a little more personally. They stuck them in sciencecells.

As for SBPs danger... Well the guardians are and always have been very egotistical. Who else could call themselves Guardians of the Universe. Theybeleive they can handle any trouble that he causes. Undoubtably they will be wrong. Also they may be right in keeping him around. Doomsday was used to fight in Worlds at War, and he's (debatably) more dangerous than SBP. He was used for the good of the world.

[Apathy Boy]

The reason he is still alive is because the Guardians Don't Kill. The are the most advanced race that ever lived and consider Capital punishment for the more "barbaric" civilizations. This is also why the GL rings would NOT let them knowingly kill. It went against the Guardians code. (there have been so many writers that I think this has been ignored in the past, but was true for the vast majority.)

The Guardians never executed Sinestro, or Goldface. Who they Hated (if the guardians had emotions.... questionable) a little more personally. They stuck them in sciencecells.

As for SBPs danger... Well the guardians are and always have been very egotistical. Who else could call themselves Guardians of the Universe. Theybeleive they can handle any trouble that he causes. Undoubtably they will be wrong. Also they may be right in keeping him around. Doomsday was used to fight in Worlds at War, and he's (debatably) more dangerous than SBP. He was used for the good of the world.Bingo, on all counts. The Guardians even had some kind of failsafe in the Central Battery that caused it to self-destruct when the Corps executed Sinestro way back when.

[NotSuper]

Isn't Parallax (the yellow fear monster) trapped in the main power battery again?

Parallax teaming up with SBP?
It's hard to conceive of how powerful Superboy-Prime would become if he merged with Parallax. We're talking Anti-Monitor levels of power.

I've actually thought of a scenario where what you suggest happens. Parallax would bond with Superboy-Prime as he did with Hal and age him to thirty-five (in appearance). He'd even have white streaks in his hair, which would be a tribute to both Hal Jordan and the Earth-2 Superman. SuperMAN-Prime would then attempt to bring back his universe and would actually be victorious in his battle against the heroes. However, he would soon learn that Parallax wants to fully take over his body and won't help him get Earth-Prime back. Superman-Prime would then fight and destroy Parallax using all his power, but at a cost--being de-aged to an infant. The heroes that survived would awaken and wonder what to do with the infant (and apparently powerless) Clark Kent. Superman would take the child and give him to--you guessed it--the Kents. Sixteen years later he'd become...well, you know. :)

It's kind of a rip-off of a past Magneto storyline, but I like it.

[Captain Smith]

There's a set of really powerful folks who are pissed off at OA being developed:

1. Krona in his egg
2. Parallax in the Battery
2. SBP in his cell

Evil and nuts and mighty strong. They can all get out in the crisis of Really Strong Guys who mess up continuity.

[ForEverAncien]

-packing bags-

Well, nice knowing everyone here....;)
There's a set of really powerful folks who are pissed off at OA being developed:

1. Krona in his egg
2. Parallax in the Battery
2. SBP in his cell

Evil and nuts and mighty strong. They can all get out in the crisis of Really Strong Guys who mess up continuity.

[x1243]

I have a question that I dunno if it's been addressed yet. Anyway at the end of IC #7, SBP is seen carving the "S" on his chest.. does he still possess some sort of superpower? Cause last time I checked, it's not really possible to carve into ur skin with just ur bare fingers

[JuggernautRM]

He is in a Red Sun environment, so he is without powers, and person of his physique should be able to really scratch and rip their skin up badly like he did.

[x1243]

He is in a Red Sun environment, so he is without powers, and person of his physique should be able to really scratch and rip their skin up badly like he did.
hmm.. ok.. I thought he was like carving himself up.. scratching.. hmm.. he's got some tough nails.. heh

[Scott Evil]

There's a set of really powerful folks who are pissed off at OA being developed:

1. Krona in his egg
2. Parallax in the Battery
2. SBP in his cell

Evil and nuts and mighty strong. They can all get out in the crisis of Really Strong Guys who mess up continuity.

Umm.. correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't DESPERO also on OA? Last I checked he got frozen by Zatanna in a JLA issue late last year, and Hal offered to keep Despero @ OA for the Corps to look out for. I think it was even referenced in a GL or GL corp book early this year.

Can you imagine that team-up? Despero already pwns the JLA on his own, can hang w/ the both the JLA & JSA's best (Virtue/Vice). And he's PINK. With a FIN on his head. If that doesn't say bad-ass, then I don't know what bad-ass is..

[Catman]

I have a question that I dunno if it's been addressed yet. Anyway at the end of IC #7, SBP is seen carving the "S" on his chest.. does he still possess some sort of superpower? Cause last time I checked, it's not really possible to carve into ur skin with just ur bare fingers

Thats an interesting question.

Considering that there is a shot of SBP's eye's burning red at the end of the book, the impression that he still has, or that some of his powers are slowly returning is definately there.

But enough to escape? Thats a different story altogether.

[NotSuper]

Here's an interesting question: Is Superboy-Prime truly insane or not? What I mean is does he have full control over his actions or does he consciously kill? I tend to think that after he escaped the Flashes it was the former--they actually made things worse. Superboy-Prime is a wild animal now, but he shouldn't be treated like one. What he needs is everything a mentally disabled kid his age would receive normally--with the exception of any kind of freedom.

Let's face facts here: Superboy-Prime WILL escape (if only because DC kept him alive for a reason). If some of his humanity is restored he might not seek to obliterate everything to achieve his goal. If the Guardians could just force him to face everything he's done and admit he's wrong then maybe he could recover his sanity (or some of it).

I'm not suggesting that they ever free him, but it would be smart of them to convince him that he's wrong. Their only real choices, in the end, are to kill him or rehabilitate him, because he won't be held forever.

[phantom1592]

I'm not suggesting that they ever free him, but it would be smart of them to convince him that he's wrong. Their only real choices, in the end, are to kill him or rehabilitate him, because he won't be held forever.

The Guardians will get to it. Its on their "to Do" list. Of course their immortal.... and they have a bad habit of forgetting that the rest of the universe isn't ....


Oh who am I kidding. By the time they get around to doing anything with him. He'll have been free for three days.:rolleyes:

[Catman]

Here's an interesting question: Is Superboy-Prime truly insane or not? What I mean is does he have full control over his actions or does he consciously kill? I tend to think that after he escaped the Flashes it was the latter--they actually made things worse. Superboy-Prime is a wild animal now, but he shouldn't be treated like one. What he needs is everything a mentally disabled kid his age would receive normally--with the exception of any kind of freedom.

Let's face facts here: Superboy-Prime WILL escape (if only because DC kept him alive for a reason). If some of his humanity is restored he might not seek to obliterate everything to achieve his goal. If the Guardians could just force him to face everything he's done and admit he's wrong then maybe he could recover his sanity (or some of it).

I'm not suggesting that they ever free him, but it would be smart of them to convince him that he's wrong. Their only real choices, in the end, are to kill him or rehabilitate him, because he won't be held forever.

Yeah. I believe the Flashes unintentionally made things worse as it pertains to Superboy-Prime as well. Alex Luthor theorized that upon SBP's return, that he had changed at his very core. Which was quickly responded to by SBP by saying "they made me change". It's fairly certain that he suffered some mental trama following his run in with the teen titans, but it's also quite clear that he didnt feel at all sorry about it when he finally escaped the speedforce. Insane? I dont quite think he's flat out insane, but I do believe that his mind was severely warped by the years spent in the "paradise dimension", the Teen Titans run in, and the years spent in the speed force. SBP has obviously grown quite a chip on his shoulder, but I think, like Alex Luthor, that he believes his means justify the end.

[NotSuper]

I just hope the heroes aren't surprised when he breaks out. They need to take precautions against it. They should basically assume that it WILL happen and go from there.

[Sizzle]

I don't think the Crisis is over. At the end of 52, SBP will break lose and continue his rampage. They put out IC #8 to whatever and finish the story hopefully tie things up nicer and explain a lot of what we see in OYL.

[NotSuper]

I wonder if anyone has actually tried talking to Superboy (without being in a fight with him). The Guardians are supposed to be the wisiest beings in the universe so why can't they convince a teenage kid that he was wrong? Granted, Superboy-Prime has a kind of super-intelligence himself, but that seems to be limited to creating things he's seen (like the Anti-Monitor's armor). He doesn't really have the great imagination or reasoning that a different kind of genius would possess.

[Turd_Ferguson]

I don't think the Crisis is over. At the end of 52, SBP will break lose and continue his rampage. They put out IC #8 to whatever and finish the story hopefully tie things up nicer and explain a lot of what we see in OYL.
That is diabolical and genius. And since it is so intelligent, it will never EVER happen.

[NotSuper]

That is diabolical and genius. And since it is so intelligent, it will never EVER happen.
I'd be interesting to see how the DC heroes would handle him without Superman, Wonder Woman, or Batman to help.

Personally, I'd have Superboy-Prime break-out, incapacitate nearly all of the heroes (but not kill any this time), only to be confronted with the Marvel Family. After a long fight with words exchanged, Superboy-Prime would realize how wrong he's been. After all, the Marvel Family existing in such an "evil' universe kind of disproves his belief that everything in it is bad. Superboy-Prime would then escape, not knowing what to do with his life.

That'd be more interesting to me than having him killed or imprisoned again.

[IamtheRock3]

Even an anti-death penalty guy like me realizes that a universe-threatening power like SBP is far too dangerous to be left alive. It's a ludicrous plot point, unless the Guardians have some other agenda.


Not accoridng to batman and now Wonder Woman

let Alex Live. For all they know the guy may still be walking around.

[van-zee]

I don't think the Crisis is over. At the end of 52, SBP will break lose and continue his rampage. They put out IC #8 to whatever and finish the story hopefully tie things up nicer and explain a lot of what we see in OYL.

If that was going to happen, I doubt they'd already be collecting IC in trade form for an August release.