By now the mistakes and missteps of DC’s New 52 reboot are not only well known, but for the most part corrected and entirely erased. But just to make sure that readers haven’t forgotten everything the New 52 ‘got wrong,’ the publisher has used its massive DC K.O. event to bring one of the most hotly debated, openly scorned, and actively disowned superhero redesigns back into canon. Even if it gives Lobo fans nightmares all over again.
Lobo Brings Back His Infamous ‘Sexy’ New 52 Redesign
DC K.O. Wonder Woman vs. Lobo #1 by Joëlle Jones, Jason Howard, Cary Nord, Daniel Bayliss, and Tamra Bonvillain
The bar was set fairly high in the debut battle of DC K.O. Superman vs. Captain Atom, as the opening round of head-to-head fights to determine the winner of DC’s universe-wide fighting tournament. But as Superman returned to his iconic ‘DC One Million’ form, comic readers had no idea what a dangerous precedent was being set. A danger that finally comes home in the second round: Wonder Woman vs. Lobo.
After opening their match-up with Wonder Woman’s near-instant death, both combatants are given the opportunity to select a new “form” for the subsequent round of their best-of-three bout. While Wonder Woman calls upon her most trusted Wonder-allies, Lobo takes a different course… returning to his supremely controversial, famously loathed ‘sexy’ New 52 redesign.
The Return of New 52 Lobo Answers Some Major Lingering Questions
The Relationship Between Classic Lobo & This Version Was Never Clear
There is no question that for most who ‘were there’ when the New 52 rolled out, and this drastic re-imagining of Lobo was unveiled, this is one chapter of history they would prefer to remain closed. But for the sake of comic history, the moment must be chronicled. After all, DC’s decision to strip away Lobo’s cigar-smoking, beer-drinking, leather jacketed space biker attitude for a slimmer, sleeker, sexier ‘space assassin Lobo’ sparked a level of notoriety and hatred in fan circles that is rarely seen. And even more rarely aborted as quickly.
Creators were vocal at the time in defense of the character, but for most comic fans, one look at the new Lobo design (the exact same one seen in Wonder Woman vs. Lobo) was all it took for the case to be settled. And no matter how much this new Lobo slowly stepped back towards the attitude or character he had replaced, his fate was sealed. Last seen in a bottle city, DC restored the original version of Lobo, agreeing to pretend this New 52 redesign never happened. Until now.
Interestingly enough, this joke from the DC K.O. team does more than just have some fun with the catastrophe (now that enough time has passed to be able to look back and laugh). For starters, the explicit confirmation that the New 52 Lobo is a “form” of the main universe Lobo, helps settle that question (as opposed to a clone, copy, or some other explanation). But most importantly, the story gives fans the New 52 design, but without sacrificing any of Lobo’s iconic character.
Will that be enough to soften fan sentiment towards Lobo’s ‘sexier’ incarnation, or is the past set in stone? Readers can see for themselves by reading DC K.O. Wonder Woman vs. Lobo #1, available now from DC Comics.