Superman's New Power Upgrade Just Unleashed A Blue Version Of The Hero

Contains spoilers for "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" #2 by DC Comics

Jon Kent's Superman just transformed into one of his father's most iconic looks, with the hero becoming his own version of Electric Superman. In "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" #2 by Tom Taylor, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire, and Wes Abbott from DC Comics, Kent's latest battle with Ultraman leads him to tap into his rage like never before and unleash a power he's been holding back. Against the evil Superman, Jon erupts and turns into a version of the Man of Steel that his father has plenty of experience with — albeit in a very different way.

In the newest chapter of the Dawn of DC title, Jon Kent travels to an entirely different timeline to stop a different version of Superman, Kal-Il, whose jumping across the Multiverse to kill every variant of himself leads to him discovering something new about his powers. In a moment of pure rage, Jon gets a massive power upgrade that briefly brings him to a power level strong enough to temporarily take down Ultraman, showing that there's plenty more power for the hero to tap into as he continues his journey as Superman in the main DC Universe.

"Superman" #123 by Dan Jurgens, Ron Frenz, Joe Rubinstein, Glenn Whitmore, Digital Chameleon, and John Constanza from DC Comics features the rebirth of Superman in the DC Universe. In this late '90s tale, Kal-El's powers go on the fritz, as after becoming depowered, he eventually gains new electric, energy-based abilities, and an all-new blue look. Ultimately, Superman struggles with his new powers, with his physical form needing a containment suit to keep him in check.

The red version of the hero was first introduced In "Superman Red/Superman Blue" #1 by Jurgens, Stuart Immonen, and Whitmore. In this story, the villain Cyborg Superman orchestrates a plan to split Superman's new form into two. His blue side represents the calm, analytic version of the hero, with his red side being more dedicated to knocking heads than intellect and empathy. The two dueling Supermen would appear in a few crossover comics related to the main "Superman" title before the Man of Steel would regain his classic appearance and powers while being made whole. The comic was directly inspired by a classic Silver Age story from the 1960s, in which Superman split himself into two beings (one wearing a red costume and the other wearing blue) in order to be more efficient as a hero.

While the electric blue costume is considered one of Superman's coolest looks, the "Superman Red/Superman Blue" story isn't as fondly remembered by readers (though it does have its fans).

Jon Kent first teased his electric powers during the "Lazarus Planet" event. After being hit by a mystical Lazarus storm, Superman's powers briefly explode with blue lightning, teasing the events ahead for his upcoming solo miniseries. In "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" #2, Jon's new potential powers are finally revealed in a powerful way.

In the Injustice Universe, Kent and a crew of heroes try to stop Ultraman, an evil Superman from Earth-3, from killing every Superman across the Multiverse. But when Ultraman gets the upper hand on Kent in a fight and taunts him, Kent's rage grows inside him as he channels his electric powers by finally not holding back. As blue energy pulses around him and Kent becomes a new version of Electric Superman, the hero delivers a massive punch to Ultraman, sending his opponent spiraling to the ground. 

However, the powers don't last particularly long, and Jon immediately feels his powers fading as his opponent gets up from the dirt, and the two battle again — this time with Injustice Superman murdering his fellow evil Man of Steel.

While Jon Kent's new powers aren't fully defined, his electric form appears to be a result of the Larazus Volcano's magic storms that changed the capabilities of numerous heroes and villains across the globe in the DC Universe. In the youngest Superman's case, he can now take on a form resembling the Electric Superman of the '90s. But, unlike his dad, Jon doesn't need a containment suit — at least not yet. 

Jon Kent's Superman may have to channel his new powers again to survive in the Injustice Universe. While his greatest enemy, Ultraman. was violently taken off the table by Superman of Earth-49, it will only be a matter of time before the out-of-control dictator turns on Jon next. But Kent has an advantage — the Injustice Superman is enamored with his presence, as he reminds the villain of his late wife, Lois Lane. However, given how unpredictable and dangerous the evil Superman is, Jon being the one person reminding him of his past life might put him in immediate danger if he decides he can't live with seeing Lois in him.

Readers can see Jon Kent's Superman's full transformation into the Electric Superman in "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" #2 by Tom Taylor, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire, and Wes Abbott from DC Comics.