Every year around this time, preliminary names are leaked for upcoming waves of LEGO sets. These names generally reveal all kinds of spoilerific goodies for upcoming licensed movies. Last year it was
The Avengers, this year it is
Man of Steel.
The following is a list of the preliminary set names (via brickset) with the important Man of Steel sets in bold.
- 76000 Arctic Batman vs. Mr.Freeze – Aquaman on Ice
- 76001 Batman vs. Bane – Chase with Tumbler
- 76002 Superman Metropolis Showdown
- 76003 Superman Battle of Smallville
- 76004 Spider-Man – Hunting with Spider-Cycle
- 76005 Spider-Man – Mission at Daily Bugle
- 76006 Iron Man Extremis
- 76007 Iron Man Malibu Mansion
- 76008 Iron Man vs Mandarin
- 76009 Superman Black Zero Escape
As underlined above, one set features the name
Black Zero. He is a more obscure Kryptonian, Superman villain. Here is an excerpt from
Wikipedia about Black Zero's backstory.
The original Black Zero appeared pre-Crisis in Superman (vol. 1) #205 (1968), in a story entitled "The Man Who Destroyed Krypton" written by Otto Binder with artwork by Al Plastino.
This Black Zero revealed to Superman that he was a space saboteur who destroyed planets. He had been hired to destroy Krypton, and discovered that the internal stresses which would have destroyed it in any case were dying down, necessitating his involvement to ensure it exploded.
In the present day, Black Zero came to Earth, threatening to destroy it as he did Krypton. In desperation, Superman released Jax-Ur, a prisoner of the Phantom Zone, who wished to avenge Krypton's destruction.
As he launched a devastatingly powerful missile toward Earth, Black Zero attacked Jax-Ur with a red Kryptonite bullet, causing his body to mutate wildly into several serpent-like forms. This proved to be Black Zero's undoing; While Superman saved the Earth from the missile, Jax-Ur transformed into a Medusa-like form, turning Black Zero to stone with his gaze. Black Zero's body was then shattered by Jax-Ur, in recompense for what he had done to Krypton.
This story suggests that were it not for something none of them knew, Jor-El would have been wrong and the Science Council right. E. Nelson Bridwell hypothesized that what Black Zero had noticed was the Green Lantern Tomar Re's attempts to prevent the destruction (as seen in Superman (vol. 1) #257 (1972)), meaning the two sets of interference canceled each other out, and Jor-El was right.
So could this mean we will see this destroyer of Krypton in
Man of Steel? It sure seems like it. Also confirmed by the set lists, there will be major battles in both Smallville and Metropilis. Sound off in the comments about what you think of these reveals.