DC's Solicits Reveal The Identity Of Mr. Oz, The Most Mysterious Figure In 'Rebirth'

Introduced shortly before Geoff Johns's DC Universe — Rebirth #1 last year, Mr. Oz has been an enigmatic figure who stalked the Man of Steel and the Dark Knight. His identity has long been one of the most intriguing mysteries behind the popular "Rebirth" relaunch, but it looks as though the November solicits have finally revealed his identity. And it's definitely a secret that promises to shake Superman to his core.

Warning: In case you haven't gathered, major SPOILERS follow beyond this point.

The Secret Is Finally Revealed

In November, writer Dan Jurgens will launch an arc called "The Oz Effect." As Mr. Oz's agents begin to unleash chaos across the globe, Mr. Oz himself steps out of the shadows to confront the Last Son of Krypton. One of the lenticular variants looks to have given the game away:

That's a variant for Action Comics #988, the second part of "The Oz Effect." The first image clearly shows a moment that's familiar to all fans of the Man of Steel; the moment his parents put their infant in a rocket, sending him to Earth in order to save him from Krypton's destruction. The second image, though, shows a very different scene; it appears to show Jor-El, Superman's father, snatched out of time and space by an energy-effect we'd traditionally associate with Dr. Manhattan, the #Watchmen character who's the main villain of DC's "Rebirth" initiative.

That's right — Mr. Oz is none other than Jor-El, Superman's father. This is definitely a plot twist that will leave fans reeling, not least because we'd long assumed Mr. Oz was actually Ozymandias, another member of the Watchmen. But why has Dr. Manhattan rescued Jor-El? What is Jor-El's purpose on Earth? And why has he been taking carefully-chosen prisoners, including Tim Drake's Robin and Doomsday?

Another Key Reveal

Speaking of Robin, Tim Drake was taken out of Batman's life back in Detective Comics #940, with the Dark Knight and his allies believing Tim to be dead. It launched Batman on a fantastic emotional arc, one that finally come to a head upon learning that Drake was actually alive. It looks as though — now Mr. Oz's identity has been revealed — DC is ready to bring Robin back into play. Check out the cover for Detective Comics #968:

When DC launched their "Rebirth" initiative last year, the publisher made clear it was seen as a two-year event. Given that's the case, it makes sense that we're now starting to get answers to some of the greatest mysteries of "Rebirth" — and Mr. Oz is certainly a mystery! We now know who he is but we're still no clearer as to his purpose, and it's going to be fantastic to see just how Jor-El's return affects Superman and his family.

DC's "Rebirth" has been a phenomenal success, breathing new life into the struggling comic book industry. We're headed for a fantastic confrontation between the heroes of the Justice League and the awesome power personified that is Dr. Manhattan. Yet there are still more questions to answer along the way, and more mysteries which Superman and Batman are set to confront and unravel this November! Watch this space.

[Source: Bleeding Cool]