With superhero media becoming ever more all-consuming, new creators will inevitably emerge to dramatize new characters who many audiences may be seeing for the first time. For example; HBO Max is currently set to premiere a series based on a lesser-known hero known as Val-Zod, the Superman of Earth 2.
Little is known about this project, Creed and Black Panther star Michael B. Jordan is set to executive produce, leading some to speculate that he may take up the starring role. Writers Darnell Metayer and Josh Peters, who also worked on the upcoming Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, have been announced to write the series.
Val-Zod is the second Superman of Earth 2, an alternate dimension in which most of the classic DC superheroes gave their lives to prevent an alien invasion, leaving the planet to a new generation. Like Kal-El, Val-Zod is one of the last survivors of the planet Krypton, granted superhuman powers by the yellow sun. Val-Zod has the same powers as the traditional Superman but is a very different person. Val spent most of his life in a pod with his parents' recorded knowledge, an experience that turned him into an agoraphobic pacifist. After finally joining the world's premiere superhero team, Val masters his powers, does battle with an evil Superman clone, and takes the mantle of Superman for his new home.
Val-Zod was created by Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott for the Earth 2 series in 2014. This series recontextualized the Earth 2 concept, which originally existed to explain retcons in the DC narrative. This Earth 2 exists post-Flashpoint, and serves as a playground for alternate versions of classic heroes. It became known for progressive and diverse moves which often sparked backlash, including Alan Scott, the original Green Lantern who came out as gay in Earth 2. Val's run as Superman was brief, but meaningful, showing the audience what a new character can do in the classic role.
Val-Zod is actually not the first black Superman, the concept has been explored a couple of times before. Grant Morrison actually created two separate black Supermen, almost 20 years apart. In 1990, Morrison introduced Sunshine Superman, a member of a trio of hippie takes on superheroes who were erased in DC's Crisis event. In 2009, Morrison introduced Calvin Ellis, an alternate version of Kal-El who happened to be black who came to Earth and got elected president of the United States. Ellis is a pretty clear reference to then-President Barack Obama, based on a joke he once told about being sent to Earth as a child to save mankind. Ellis only appears a couple of times, but represents an exploration of the Superman character with political power and racial dimensions in an interesting way.
Val-Zod's story is a fascinating one, but its original iteration is too heavily tied in with the complex continuity of DC's Earth 2. It's unlikely that all the characters and backstories present in the original narrative will reappear, so the series will probably need to move some pieces around to make his storyline work. In its original iteration, Val's race is incidental, the story is not about race or the impact of a racialized superhero or any similar themes. It's likely that this aspect of the character will play a bigger role in a TV adaptation, as Val would be the first black Superman on the screen, breaking new ground for the medium.
In his original appearances, Val has fought few major enemies. Earth 2 is most heavily defined by battle with Darkseid and the forces of Apokolips, as their armies wiped out most of the classic heroes. Darkseid later clones Superman for use as personal muscle, which forces the local heroes to seek out another Kryptonian to defeat him. That's when they find Val-Zod, meaning his main nemesis is the evil clone of Superman. Evil Superman is a pretty common twist on the character, look no further than Injustice, but the upcoming series could depict the character facing off against Kal-El's doppelganger once more. A full series will likely feature more villains, and could see him facing off against a more original foe, like Brainiac or Mongul, who've never been adapted to the screen.
The broad strokes of Val-Zod's story are a perfect superhero origin. A man from an alien world, with incredible powers, who must struggle against internal strife and moral ambiguity to become the hero the world needs. One of the biggest problems with Superman stories is his inherent invulnerability. It can be impossible to create stakes in a story with a protagonist who is essentially an omnipotent god. Bad Superman stories solve this problem by throwing him progressively larger things to punch, but good ones find the pathos in the character. Val is a man who can do anything, but he struggles with his mental wellbeing, and his pacifist upbringing forces him to find nonviolent solutions to often violent problems. This has the makings of a groundbreaking and brilliant story about Superman.
Val-Zod presents a wonderful opportunity to innovate with this classic hero. Whatever Jordan, Metayer, and Peters do with this character, fans will be excited to finally see Val-Zod hit the small screen.