Warning! Spoilers ahead for Superman '78 #1!

The first look at Superman '78 #1 teases the main villain of the series, Brainiac! This series falls in line with Batman '89, DC's other attempt at reviving a long-passed film universe. Superman '78 is finally arriving in comic form more than forty years after the first Christopher Reeve film was released. It will be drawn with the likeness of the actors who played the respective characters, honoring the legacy of the iconic film while taking the time to expand upon what was given, going into unknown and new territories.

Christopher Reeve's Superman is today considered the gold standard for what all superhero movies and actors try to achieve. His portrayal of the Man of Steel is widely beloved and acclaimed. The original 1978 film was directed by Richard Donner, however, conflicts completing the sequel (filmed at the same time as the original movie) led to him being let go, and Richard Lester brought in as the new director. Naturally, Donner's ideas for the future were scrapped, never to see the light of day. Until now, as it looks like DC is keeping to the villain Donner planned to use in Superman III.

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DC Comics has released the solicitation and cover art for Superman '78 #1 by Robert Venditti and Wilfredo Torres. The cover art reveals Brainiac's look in Christopher Reeve's universe, along with some familiar returning faces. Picking off where 1978's Superman series left off, this can be seen as a direct sequel to the original film (and Donner's eventual cut of the sequel released to home video). Continuing his adventures around Metropolis during the same time period as the film.

Superman 78 Cover

SUPERMAN '78 #1

  • story by ROBERT VENDITTI
  • art by WILFREDO TORRES
  • Cover by WILFREDO TORRES
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  • Fly into director Richard Donner’s Superman once more in Superman '78! Written by Robert Venditti (Superman: Man of Tomorrow) and drawn by Wilfredo Torres (Batman '66), Superman '78 tells a brand-new adventure in the world of the beloved film. A bright, shining day in Metropolis is interrupted by a mysterious drone that crash-lands in the city and starts wreaking havoc. This looks like a job for Superman! But where did the metallic menace come from, what is its purpose, and who is Brainiac?

The cover art for Superman '78 #1 showcases Torres' art, which highly evokes the feel and mood of the film. Additionally, he gets the likeness of Gene Hackman and Margot Kidder spot-on (they played Lex Luthor and Lois Lane, respectively). It's interesting that Lex is featured on the cover as it's made clear by the solicit and the preview that Brainiac will be the main villain. Perhaps, Lex will take on more of an anti-hero role in the series? This isn't something that's never been done, he often switches sides to protect Earth, just so he can rule it rather than destroy it.

Reeve's Superman flies into the sky as Brainiac's ominous-looking spacecraft looms in the background. This is likely where Brainiac will be operating from, although he will make a physical appearance during the miniseries, as evidenced by his presence in the foreground of the cover art. Brainiac appears with his iconic green skin and red markings, wearing a white get-up that is evocative of his past appearances. Superman will have to stop Brainiac if he is to save Metropolis. However, the villain's intellect is supremely high and Superman may have to rely on Lex to give him an intelligence boost to match Brainiac.

Next: Why Superman 5 With Christopher Reeve Never Happened