After 28 Years, DC Reveals the Meaning of a Major Superman Rival’s Codename

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23

As DC Comics’ most iconic hero, Superman has more than his share of infamous rivals that challenge him on a physical, mental, and philosophical level. One of his most impactful rivals is Magog – the antihero of Kingdom Come fame who was recently revealed to be Clark Kent’s former sidekick. Now, a revelation from Magog’s creator has recontextualized Magog’s very being — and his relationship with Superman.

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23 by Mark Waid and Dan Mora sees the primordial force known as Gog preparing Magog – once known as Boy Thunder, and later, Thunderman – for what he calls the Summoning. Speaking to David, Gog says, “In my language, your name means ‘Gateway.’ For that is, indeed, what you are.”

It’s clear here that Gog refers to his pawn as the multiversal linchpin necessary to enact the Summoning, but that hidden meaning plays into the other themes present throughout Magog’s story. After all, Magog is ultimately the key motivator for the events of Kingdom Come.

Superman’s Enemy Magog Is the Gateway to Kingdom Come

Created by Mark Waid and Alex Ross for their iconic Elseworlds series Kingdom Come, Magog’s reckless actions ultimately lead to the destruction of a large swath of the American Midwest and countless deaths, prompting Superman to return from the retirement that his former protégé forced him into. In this sense, David Sikela was the instigating force – or Gateway – both for the near damnation of Earth-22, but also for its salvation: Superman. And though their return might have come at a great cost, Earth-22 is far better with a returned Superman and the Justice League than without them.

Fans have seen the cost of Gog’s gifts before in the pages of “Thy Kingdom Come” – a Justice Society of America story by Geoff Johns, Dale Eaglesham, and more, intended as a follow-up to Kingdom Come – and now the heroes of Earth-22 are learning about that cost firsthand, Magog included. Traumatic though it may be, it’s clear that this prequel story to the events of the Kingdom Come miniseries is going to be a major trigger for Magog’s ultimate fate. But with the seeds already planted both in this issue and those prior, David’s redemption arc is also that much clearer.

Magog’s Downfall Needed to Happen

The odds of Magog changing his destiny — and that of his Earth’s Superman ‚ are quite low at this point, since Kingdom Come is one of DC’s most iconic story arcs of all time. But fans at least now know that David Sikela’s corruption by the old god called Gog was in fact a major steppingstone both to his downfall and to his eventual redemption. And with both inciting the return of Superman, it’s clear that Magog was just the Gateway his world needed.

Batman/Superman: World’s Finest #23 is available now from DC Comics.