SUPERMAN Prequel Novel Reveals That The Hero Has Already Battled [SPOILER] - And He Was Created By Lex Luthor!

SUPERMAN Prequel Novel Reveals That The Hero Has Already Battled [SPOILER] - And He Was Created By Lex Luthor!

A newly released Superman prequel novel, Welcome to Metropolis, reveals that the Man of Tomorrow battled one of his greatest foes from the comics before the upcoming movie begins. Read on for details...

By JoshWilding - Jun 04, 2025 05:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Superman

We don't know how long Clark Kent has been Metropolis' Man of Steel in Superman, but it appears he's been protecting his home for at least a few years.

This week has seen the release of Welcome to Metropolis: The Prequel Junior Novel, an official tie-in to the movie, revealing more about these characters before their big screen debuts next month. 

Every story needs a little action, of course, and this one has Superman facing off with the villainous Metallo. In the comics, John Corben is a criminal whose brain is transferred into a robotic body powered by Kryptonite. He's a formidable foe, and one who has yet to fully receive his due on screen. 

Here's an excerpt from the book detailing the moment Clark and Lois Lane first encounter Metallo:

"I think we should wait for the police to arrive," Clark whispered. "That cyborg definitely looks dangerous."

"And risk missing the scoop of the year?" Lois hissed. "Forget it!" Before Clark could stop her, she stood up, cupped her hands around her mouth, and shouted, "LOIS LANE, DAILY PLANET. WHO ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU WANT?"

The cyborg turned back, staring at Lois. The eye on the robot side of its face glowed red. "I am METALLO!" it announced in a voice distorted by electronic amplification. "City Hall is mine. The mayor and all the others have gone. So Metropolis is mine, too!"

We wouldn't bank on this being adapted in Superman, though it may be referenced. Lex Luthor is out to destroy the Man of Tomorrow, and it appears neither that massive Kaiju nor Ultraman are his first attempt at doing so.

A character description in Welcome to Metropolis: The Prequel Junior Novel strongly indicates that Lex created Metallo and unleashed him on the city in a bid to kill Superman.

Lex Luthor is head of Metropolis's powerful tech company, LuthorCorp. He runs a tight ship. But while most of his underlings don't always respect him, they know not to mess with Luthor's diabolical plans-one of which includes inserting a dead assassin's brain into the metal body of a weaponized robot. Luthor's Super-Villain antics were largely undisturbed until a certain Superman came to town.

Looking to the future, it's unlikely filmmaker James Gunn will allow himself to be beholden to a children's novel, so if he wishes to introduce Metallo, he'll do so. However, the book is DCU "canon," as far as we're aware, so it may be worth checking out for the villain's origin story.

"Here's this guy who's this [incredible] genius scientist who's worked his whole life to become one of the richest, most powerful men in the world, and he does it all to be lauded," Gunn has said of the DCU's Lex. "I mean, he wants to be the greatest, and suddenly this jerk comes in wearing a cape with a lantern jaw and a cocky grin, and he just takes all of the oxygen out of the room, out of the room of Earth, and it creates a burning hatred in the guy."

Superman arrives in theaters on July 11, 2025.

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Mrcool210
Mrcool210 - 6/4/2025, 5:27 AM
Yeah he will have fought metallo in this novel and before the movie starts....

Until James Gunn wants to use metallo in a movie. Then it doesn't count anymore.

These stories are usually never that good and 9/10 get ignored. No point in getting them.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 6/4/2025, 5:58 AM
@Mrcool210 - with Gunn in charge and having set all media will be connected, I kinda doubt he'll just disregard it. It's no MCU or DCEU
JuanRGuijarro
JuanRGuijarro - 6/4/2025, 11:47 AM
@Mrcool210 - Yeah like Ironman Viva Las Vegas
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/4/2025, 5:41 AM
This is out already? Okay, time to go into the city and buy a book written for children and read it as soon as I get home.
dragon316
dragon316 - 6/4/2025, 6:47 AM
@ObserverIO - that what people think who buy nobles people buy comic books there children's books to them
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/4/2025, 9:33 AM
@dragon316 - in that case I buy a lot of children's books lol.
Robby
Robby - 6/4/2025, 5:55 AM
Adding this to my shopping cart.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 6/4/2025, 5:59 AM
Think Metallo is a great entry-villain for Superman to fight in his early days. Same with parasite. Makes sense he fought a few already as the movie picks up later in his carreer.
Repian
Repian - 6/4/2025, 6:34 AM
I also want Toyman in the DCU.

At the beginning of the sequel, I want us to see a new day dawn in Metropolis when a fleet of giant, vintage-style toy robots attack the city.
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MrRossBot
MrRossBot - 6/4/2025, 8:31 AM
Damn. With the rumors of the Superman sequel being a sort of World’s Finest story I was really hoping John Corben would show up along with Intergang. A grounded threat that brings Bruce to Metropolis hence being the fuel to the fire that is Supes and the Bat’s first meeting. End of 2nd act transformation from Corben into Metallo with the 3rd act or prologue bringing Braniac in for Superman 3.
DocSpock
DocSpock - 6/4/2025, 9:01 AM

Metallo and Parasite are great characters. Superman can't just dissolve into only fighting Luthor and Braniac if they want this thing to go on through several movies.

We do need Braniac coming to menace Earth though. Big threat #1 for Superman, Supergirl, & Justice League.

I refuse to say Justice "gang" because it's too stupid for words.

TheDarkLastSonKnight
TheDarkLastSonKnight - 6/4/2025, 9:37 AM
Is the Metallo in this novel powered by Kryptonite?
My guess would be not yet.
That could be a element saved for a live action version if needed. Meta-II.0? :)
MuadDib
MuadDib - 6/4/2025, 9:44 AM
Shame, Metallo is a cool villain who should get some screen time. As should Parasite, hoping the rumors aren’t true and we aren’t getting a mash up of characters.

Superman doesn’t have the largest gallery of villains, at least not compared to Batman. We shouldn’t be cannibalizing them into amalgamations.

BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 6/4/2025, 1:35 PM
Interesting. Seems like Lex Luthor has been active in his Super-viliany before Superman even emerged. Shame. I'd like to think Superman's emergence tipped Lex over the "line" but this world already had superhero before Supes so I guess that makes sense
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 6/4/2025, 1:39 PM
Interesting. Seems like Lex Luthor has been active in his Super-viliany before Superman even emerged. Shame. I'd like to think Superman's emergence tipped Lex over the "line" but this world already had superhero before Supes so I guess that makes sense.

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