WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for ACTION COMICS #1071!EverySupermanfan knows that the Man of Steel relies on Earth’s yellow sun for his incredible powers, and when deprived of this specific type of star, he reverts to the stature of a normal human. However, his new suit upgrade has officially squashed this limitation, making him more overpowered than ever—though there’s one catch.
Superman’s solar gauntlets are a significant upgrade to his arsenal, allowing him to operate in environments that would normally leave him powerless.
Mark Waid, Clayton Henry, Michael Shelfer, and Matt Herms’ Superman-centric story,Phantoms, continues with its second installment inAction Comics#1071. After the events of issue #1070, wherecreatures spawn from the Phantom Zoneand wreak havoc on Metropolis, Superman realizes something is wrong with the ethereal prison.
Though he successfully handles the beast, the Man of Steel knows he can’t simply wait for the next horror to emerge, so he decides to enter the zone himself to get to the root of the problem.While this isn’t Superman’s first trip to the Phantom Zone, this time, he’s more prepared, armed with a new suit upgrade—Solar Gauntlets.
Introducing Superman’s Solar Gauntlets: Kal-El’s Answer to a Sunless Phantom Zone
Superman’s“Special Battery Bracelets”Keep Him Artificially Charged
In Superman’s narration, it’s explained that the sunless Phantom Zone goes through“cycles when the moment a Kryptonian enters the zone, their solar energy dissipates.”In simpler terms, Kryptonians lose their powers if they enterthe Phantom Zoneduring one of these cycles. Clark confirms he feels the loss of his powers as soon as he enters. However, thanks to some forethought and innovation, he isn’t powerless.With the help of Bruce Gordon, the world’s top solar scientist, they fashioned“special battery bracelets”to keep Superman“artificially charged”while in the Phantom Zone.
The bracelets are a sleek addition to Superman’s costume, made of shiny red metalthat fits snugly on his wrists and features a glowing ice-blue light in the shape of the Man of Steel’s iconic“S”shield. Not only do they look impressive, but they also work flawlessly. Upon entering the Phantom Zone, Superman loses his natural powers and is immediately attacked by hostiles with stun rifles. Fortunately, the rifles have no effect since his bracelets keep his powers intact, allowing him to quickly subdue the attackers. He then detains them and begins questioning where they intended to take him after stunning him.
After 63 Years, Superman’s Phantom Zone is Officially on the Brink of “Death”
Something is going seriously wrong in Superman’s ghostly prison, the Phantom Zone, and it could have big consequences for the Man of Steel.
Superman’s New Solar Gauntlets Have One Major Drawback
Kal-El’s Battery Bracelets Only Have a Finite Charge
While Superman’s solar gauntlets are a significant upgrade to his arsenal, allowing him to operate in environments that would normally leave him powerless, they are far from a perfect solution.The gauntlets have one major limitation—they only hold a finite charge.Clark acknowledges this when he notes that he’ll need to use his powers sparingly. Hence, without a way to recharge,Supermanis racing against time to resolve the situation in the Phantom Zone before the gauntlets run out of energy and he reverts to a powerless state.
ACTION COMICS #1071 (2024)
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.
