Byrne's Krypton in Post-IC history.

[Super Buddies Forever]

With Birthright and New Earth, the Byrne Krypton has been twice removed from history.

This is problematic when you consider a great deal of '90s Superman stories, many of which we know are still in continuity, are intricately tied to the cold scientific dystopia version. Without The Man Of Steel Krypton, we wouldn't have the Eradicator (integral to Superman's return to life, among other things), Cyborg Superman (who was shown still creating himself using the MOS rocket ship in his Sinestro Corps special), various technology (Kryptonian battlesuits, robots, and regeneration pods), and more.

Will we ever receive a concrete New Earth explanation for these? Will they be changed outright or will some elements of this Krypton be worked in? Some things, like the birthing matrix, seem especially hard to explain now (and yet remain in continuity). There's only so much glossing over of the past that can be done before we get answers.

More than anything, I'm anxious to see how the Eradicator is treated upon his return. The other three Supermen from Reign are enjoying the spotlight once again (even if one of them is doing so by virtue of dying a hero), yet the Eradicator remains in perpetual limbo. How would he fit into the Johns/Busiek vision of Krypton?

[NotSuper]

Remember that the ship in the Cyborg Special was not referred to as "Superman's ship" but just "a Kryptonian ship." I think that will be important down the line. Right now the Kryptonian ships are crystalline, like in the movie Krypton, while Krypton itself seems like a mix between the movie version and the Silver/Bronze Age Krypton. The ship could just LOOK like a birthing matrix and instead of delivering Superman to Earth, it could've delivered something else (maybe the Eradicator?).

Personally, I think the ship Henshaw found was an artifact from a dead universe (the post-Crisis universe, which was replaced by New Earth). Kind of like Power Girl's ship from Earth-2. (I'd imagine that there are all kinds of these "artifacts" across the universe.) Henshaw himself might be like Power Girl, in that he's the last survivor of the post-Crisis universe (ironically, he doesn't want to live.)

Or perhaps it's the birthing matrix from The Nail universe. It could've ended up on New Earth somehow.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

From what they've shown thus far of the latest incarnation of Krypton, it contains elements of all the various versions of Krypton so including things like The Eradicator and the rest isn't really a problem.

The Science Council is certainly just as cold and sterile as the Byrne version...chillingly so given what happened to Non.

Yet you've also got enough warmth, beauty and wonder to satisfy fans of the Silver Age version.

And there's plenty of Donner's crystaline Krypton to give fans of the movies and Smallville their fix as well.

Furthermore, Johns has added some nice additions like the new moral ambiguity surrounding the Jor-El/Zod rivalry.

The best of all worlds to my mind. Of course that means the "THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE!" crowd of fanatics won't be happy, but I suspect they never will be as long as someone other than them is writing the comics.

[NotSuper]

The Science Council is certainly just as cold and sterile as the Byrne version...chillingly so given what happened to Non.
When you think about it, the Science Council has been flawed in EVERY version of Superman. They're either arrogant, apathetic, authoritarian, or ineffectual.

[Bored at 3:00AM]

When you think about it, the Science Council has been flawed in EVERY version of Superman. They're either arrogant, apathetic, authoritarian, or ineffectual.

Definitely. If the Science Council was ever any good at their jobs, Superman wouldn't exist. However, this latest version has to be the most douchbag-y-est of the lot.

[NotSuper]

Definitely. If the Science Council was ever any good at their jobs, Superman wouldn't exist. However, this latest version has to be the most douchbag-y-est of the lot.
I think they're most like the movie version. Remember, they threatened to send Jor-El to the Phantom Zone if he warned Krypton of its doom.

Then again, Jor-El was on the Council, so some of them were probably good. Maybe the last leader was responsible for the change in attitude.