The following contains major spoilers for Action Comics #1050, on sale now from DC Comics.
Lex Luthor's latest manipulations in the pages of Action Comics have not only changed Superman's world, possibly forever, but also resulted in the death of one of his recent allies. But the Man of Steel is making sure Luthor isn't getting away with it.
As seen in Action Comics #1050, written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson, drawn by Mike Perkins, colored by Frank Martin and lettered by Dave Sharpe, Luthor has just made nearly everyone worldwide forget Superman is Clark Kent. And the deed has cost the life of powerful telepath Manchester Black, who only recently helped Superman liberate Warworld from the barbaric despot Mongul. Naturally, Superman is understandably furious, and engages Luthor in battle and defeats him after learning of Black's death. Superman's arch-foe is next seen in a cell in Stryker's Island penitentiary.
Luthor pulls off his far-reaching Project: Blackout with a combination of Warworld and Bendix technology, using it to harness Black's powerful telepathic abilities. The device forces Black to broadcast a hypnotic suggestion worldwide, essentially making the entire population forget Superman and Clark are one and the same. Black is killed in the process, at least according to Luthor.
Black's death comes as part of Luthor's scheme to elevate the world's perception of Superman, which Luthor doesn't believe could happen if the world sees him as human. By removing all recollections of Superman's identity as Clark, Luthor hopes the world will now see the Man of Steel not as a person among them, but a god soaring above them. Luthor then hopes he can give Superman a new costume to allow him to be rebranded as an ally of LexCorp. Unsurprisingly, Superman refuses, especially after Luthor informs him of Black's demise.
Superman recruited Black as part of a new Authority team, comprising of former Authority members Apollo, Midnighter and others, as seen in Superman and the Authority by Grant Morrison and Mikel Janín. The team then went on an extended mission to liberate Warworld, as subsequently told during Johnson's Action Comics run. The mission was a success, but unknown to Superman, Black was also providing information, and tech, from the mission back to Luthor, as revealed in issue #1049. But Luthor then double-crossed Black and took him prisoner.
Created by Joe Kelly and Doug Mahnke, Manchester Black made his debut in 2001's Action Comics #775, as part of the Authority-ish team of anti-heroes known as The Elite.
Action Comics #1050 is on sale now from DC.
Source: DC