Warning: Spoilers for Action Comics #1082Superman has fought plenty of villains over the years, from icons like Lex Luthor to more overlooked enemies such as Silver Banshee. Now, a powerful metahuman has made his long-awaited return to continuity, and he’s sure to keep the Man of Steel on his toes. As experienced as Superman is at protecting innocents from disaster, Major Disaster may be the only threat who can interfere with that goal thanks to his abilities.
Action Comics #1082 begins the next installment of the “Superman Superstars” initiative, written by John Ridley with art by Inaki Miranda. The preview kicks off this three-part story with an earthquake unexpectedly shaking Metropolis to its core. A large chunk of debris flies toward a police car that’s on its way to the scene, but Superman saves the day by carrying it away.
The culprit of this earthquake is none other than Major Disaster, whose destructive powers serve as a fascinating subversion of Superman’s own. Superman prepares to contend with his dark opposite in this thrilling new tale.
Superman Faces His Ultimate Opposite as Major Disaster Returns to DC Lore
Major Disaster Creates Natural Disasters, Whereas Superman Stops Them
As implied by his on-the-nose moniker, Major Disaster’s powers grant him the ability to generate natural disasters at will. Specifically, he can perform probability manipulation, which essentially means that he can control the likelihood of events. This superpower tends to manifest itself through weather patterns, such as the earthquake he inflicts upon an unsuspecting Metropolis, and he’s also spawned hurricanes that can stop even the mightiest foes in their tracks with blistering winds. Major Disaster’s name implies that he brings massive amounts of chaos wherever he goes, and that quality makes him an adversary tailored to Superman’s own skill-set.
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While Major Disaster’s powers cause him to create natural disasters, Superman typically uses his powers to stop natural disasters. In this preview, for instance, he prevents debris from hurting people and thus quells the disaster at hand. He’s able to carry out these feats due to his enhanced hearing, which allows him to locate disasters via heartbeats. His abilities let him fill an opposing role in DC lore to Major Disaster. Therefore, Superman and Major Disaster are perfect narrative foils for one another, and this upcoming story will pit their contrasting missions against each other in a thrilling way.
DC’s Most Dangerous Metahuman Breaks Bad in Superman’s Next Story
Major Disaster’s Redemption Comes to an End, and Superman Is Paying the Price
Major Disaster has redeemed himself in the past, and he even replaced Superman in the Justice League for a brief period and founded the Justice League of Antarctica. However, the cover for this issue suggests that this powerhouse will be reverting to his villainous tendencies after failing to become a hero. Superman believes in redemption, so there’s a chance he can see past his conflict with Major Disaster and bring him back to the light. Otherwise, this enemy’s disastrous onslaught will continue to wreak havoc upon Metropolis, and Superman will have a truly cataclysmic fight on his hands.
Action Comics #1082 is available January 15th, 2025 from DC Comics.
Superman
The icon who launched the entire world of superheroes, the last son of Krypton escaped his dying world to crash land on Earth and be raised as Clark Kent. The world knows him better as Superman, the Man of Steel, the leader of the Justice League, and the most well-known hero in the DC Comics Universe. Blessed with the powers of a demigod, Kal-El of Krypton fights enemies both small and cosmic in his endless pursuit of truth, justice, and a better tomorrow.
