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admonition : Spoilers for Superman # 16 !
Summary
year after debuting in theDC Animated Universe , Mercy Graveshas permanently live on secure . For years , be it onscreen or on - instrument panel , Mercy Graves has brook by Lex Luthor ’s side , unapologetically loyal to his cause as his personal assistant . However , more recently , DC Comics has been slowly building Mercy Graves into becoming something more . Now , that transformation is complete .
As ofSuperman#16 by Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell , Mercy Graves is officially a hero . clemency shows how she can be a savior in the DC Universe , particularly by lay aside Zatanna . She then makes it her personal obligation to travel the public trying to rescue other targets of Amanda Waller’sduring theAbsolute Powerevent .
Tracing back her history from the commencement , this issue is the elevation of Mercy Graves ' road to realize her hero condition . She even marks the juncture with everyone ’s dream : a clinch with Superman .
Here ’s the correct order to learn all eight shows and six movies that are part of the DC Animated Universe , also known as the Timmverse or DCAU .
Mercy Graves Has Humble Animated Beginnings
Created by Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, and Hilary Bader
Mercy Graves is a uncommon case of a major lineament who debuted onscreen before the comics . Mercy ’s first appearance came in the fifth episode ofSuperman : The Animated Series , " A Little Piece of Home . " Her first onscreen appearance was simple : an imposing security sentry duty standing by Lex Luthor ’s side as he unveiled the Lex Luthor Museum of Natural History . She mostly stands in the ground , lay aside for a standout consequence in which she dissent a thug ’s asinine flirtations , proceeding to kick a punching dish off its hinges , millimeters off from his header , before uttering"Don’t call me baby . "
The show ’s 2nd season hints at an beginning story for Mercy Graves . In " Ghost in the Machine , " she saysshe used to exist on the street before Lex Luthor line up her , clean her up , and hired her as his escort and chauffeur . As future DCAU shows would extend upon , her difficult work eventually earned her a promotion as the CEO of LexCorp , as seen in the DCAU serial , Justice League .
Mercy Graves' Official Introduction Makes DC History
Detective Comics#735 by Greg Rucka, Dan Jurgens, Bill Sienkiewicz, Noelle Giddings, Wildstorm FX, and John Costanza
The first comic that Mercy Graves come out in is 1996’sSuperman Adventures#1 by Paul Dini , Rick Burchett , Terry Austin , Marie Severin , and Lois Buhalis , but the comic exists outside official DC Comics canon , as it is a continuation ofSuperman : The Animated Seriesand its accompany continuity . Mercy ’s first prescribed introduction into the DCU proper isDetective Comics#735 , where she assumes the role of being Lex Luthor ’s bodyguard during his time as President of the United States . Both her and another woman , Hope Taya , serve as Luthor ’s escort during his presidency .
In DC ’s current continuity , Mercy has graduate from being Lex ’s assistant to being the Chief Operating Officer of LexCorp .
The post - Crisis persistence establishes both Hope and Mercy as having Amazonian heritage . That heritage seems to have been retconned for her modern post - Rebirth portrayal . In DC ’s current persistence , Mercy has graduated from being Lex ’s assistant to being the Chief Operating Officer of LexCorp , which has nowbeen re - branded as SuperCorp . Even as Lex embarks on an unlikely alliance with Superman , Mercy Graves still assay to keep the best interests of Lex and his company in mindwith everything she does , even if it means committing acts of villainy .
DC’s Major Magical Event,Lazarus Planet, Was Mercy Graves' Turning Point
Mercy Gains Superpowers
A majorturning pointedness for Mercy Graves ' fiber arrive during theLazarus Planetevent . The blast of the Lazarus Volcano was orotund enough to release irregular chemicals across the world , transforming several characters all at once . For those who already had power , they gained new ones or had their pre - existent powers evolve , like with Dreamer ’s baron rising slope . Meanwhile , normal humans and citizens gained new powers of their own . Among those mild - mannered people who were transformed by the Lazarus storm was Mercy Graves .
Readers can detect out Planetin the event ’s collected edition , which is available now from DC Comics .
As seen in the " Breakthrough " narration by Frank Barberi , Sami Basri , Vicente Cifuentes , Hi - Fi , and Dave Sharpe fromLazarus Planet : rape on Krypton#1,Mercy Graves ' Lazarus vulnerability transformed her into a metahuman with cybernetic limb . She ’s now capable of shapeshifting her arms into canon , blade , and shields . The modification outright begin her journey into becoming anunexpected anti - submarine who works with Superman . Mercy Graves was always a skilled scrap specialist , but her new powers allow her an edge in making meaning changes happen in a world dominate by superpowered heroes and baddie .
How Mercy Is Putting Her Powers to Good Use
The Hero Turn Is Complete
Mercy Graves ' Lazarus wakening — and everything that ’s happened to her since — has guide to her big moments inSuperman#16 . In the fourth dimension since theLazarus Planetevent , Mercy has mostly remained on the sidelines , often monitor or assist from behind a keyboard whileSuperman takes to the battlefield . That all changes duringAbsolute Power , as Amanda Waller ’s tirade heavily hurt Clark Kent to the gunpoint of taking him out of natural action . While Clark is invalid , Mercy uses her powers to step up as a major hero .
As heroes around the world continue to be attacked , round off up , and enamor by Waller ’s force , Mercy hold open those she can and bring them to the Fortress of Solitude . After come back to the Fortress after saving Zatanna , readers get an perceptiveness into just how hard Mercy has been work on this mission and how successful she ’s been as a result . The Fortress bear the likes of the Titans , the Birds of Prey , Booster Gold , Red Tornado , and several other superheroes . It ’s secure to take over that Mercy — maybe singlehandedly — salvage them all .
The clinch from Superman is more than just an human action of kindness ; it ’s a symbolic gesture from the Man of Steel , who is co - signing her efforts to be such a hero .
IT’S THE DAWN OF DC! Superman has returned to Metropolis and his greatest enemy Lex Luthor is finally behind bars. The future of the Superman family has never been brighter! As Clark Kent settles back into his life, iconic and new enemies erupt from the shadows to strike down the Man of Steel! But waiting in the wings to back up Big Blue is…Supercorp?! What secret project has Lex given to Superman?! “A hero is only as good as their villains” will be put to the test
Well , almost all of them — and that leads toa rare vulnerable moment for Mercy . Upon acknowledging that the two heroes she could n’t save areSuperman ’s boy , Jon Kent , and Conner " Superboy " Kent , Mercy is horribly overwrought and apologetic that she was n’t able to save them , bring herself to tears . This breakdown compel Superman to embrace Mercy for a hug . It becomes clear at that moment that Mercy has really made the prescribed deform into a hero , and it has nothing to do with her newfound powers .
Superman has appeared in 13 repair pic from DC , exploring the complexities of valorousness and the responsibility of being the Man of Steel .
Are Mercy Graves' Hero Ambitions Genuine?
Superman Supports Those Efforts
While Mercy gaining powers made it more workable for her to become a hero in this kind of superpowered reality , there ’s more to being a paladin than just having powers or even saving hoi polloi ( though , obviously , that ’s of import , too ) . Whenshe start crying because she could n’t economise more hoi polloi , it ’s obvious just how much of a sub Mercy has become . The Fortress of Solitude is filled with people who Mercy saved , but she mourn the fact that she could n’t preserve every single someone she set out to .
Everything that Mercy Graves has been doing has been genuine . For once , she ’s not doing anything out of obligation to Lex Luthor , as is often the subject . She genuinely want to use her powers to save lives , and when she fails to save everyone , it squelch her . The hug from Superman is more than just an act of kindness ; it ’s a symbolic motion from the Man of Steel , who is co - sign her efforts to be such a hero . Mercy Gravesofficially goes fromDCAUvillain to a DC breakout hero desirable of Superman ’s favorable reception .
Superman#16is available now from DC Comics .
SUPERMAN # 16 ( 2024 )
IT ’S THE DAWN OF DC ! Superman has returned to Metropolis and his greatest foe Lex Luthor is finally behind bar . The future of the Superman family has never been vivid ! As Clark Kent root back into his life , iconic and raw foeman erupt from the shadow to strike down the Man of Steel ! But waiting in the wing to back up Big Blue is … Supercorp ? ! What hugger-mugger project has Lex give to Superman ? ! “ A hero is only as unspoilt as their villains ” will be put to the test
IT’S THE DAWN OF DC! Superman has returned to Metropolis and his greatest enemy Lex Luthor is finally behind bars. The future of the Superman family has never been brighter! As Clark Kent settles back into his life, iconic and new enemies erupt from the shadows to strike down the Man of Steel! But waiting in the wings to back up Big Blue is…Supercorp?! What secret project has Lex given to Superman?! “A hero is only as good as their villains” will be put to the test
