Mercy Graves, Bruce Timm’s original DCAU character, steps into action as DC’s most unexpected heroine

Warning: Spoilers for Superman No. 16!

Years after his debut in DC Animated Universe, Graves of mercy has become consistently good. Mercy Graves stood by Lex Luthor’s side for years, whether on screen or in panels, and was uncompromisingly loyal to his cause as his personal assistant. Recently, however, DC Comics has slowly built Mercy Graves into something greater. Now that transformation is complete.

Away Superman #16 by Joshua Williamson and Jamal Campbell, Mercy Graves is officially a hero. Mercy shows how she can be a savior in the DC Universe, especially by saving Zatanna. She then makes it her personal duty to travel the world and try to save other targets of Amanda Waller during the Absolute power Event.

If you trace their history back from the beginning, This issue marks the culmination of Mercy Graves’ journey to hero status. She even celebrates the occasion with everyone’s dream: a hug from Superman.

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Mercy Graves had humble animated beginnings

Created by Paul Dini, Bruce Timm and Hilary Bader

Mercy Graves is a rare case of a main character who made her screen debut before the comics. Mercy’s first appearance was in the fifth episode of Superman: The Animated Series“A little piece of home.” Her first appearance on screen was simple: an imposing security guard standing by Lex Luthor’s side as he opens the Lex Luthor Museum of Natural History. She is mostly in the background, except for one standout moment when she resists a gangster’s thoughtless flirting attempts by kicking a punching bag off its hinges, millimeters from his head, before saying: “Don’t call me baby.”

The second season of the series hints at an origin story for Mercy Graves. In “Ghost in the Machine” she says She lived on the streets before Lex Luthor found hercleaned her up and hired her as a bodyguard and chauffeur. As seen in future DCAU series, her hard work eventually earned her a promotion to CEO of LexCorp, as seen in the DCAU series. Justice League.

The official introduction of Mercy Graves makes DC history

Detective comics #735 by Greg Rucka, Dan Jurgens, Bill Sienkiewicz, Noelle Giddings, Wildstorm FX and John Costanza

The first comic in which Mercy Graves appears is from 1996. Superman Adventure #1 by Paul Dini, Rick Burchett, Terry Austin, Marie Severin and Lois Buhalis, but the comic exists outside the official DC Comics canon as it is a sequel to Superman: The Animated Series and the associated continuity. Mercy’s first official introduction to the actual DCU is Detective comics #735where she takes on the role of Lex Luthor’s bodyguard during his time as President of the United States. Both she and another woman, Hope Taya, served as Luthor’s bodyguards during his presidency.

Post-Crisis continuity establishes that both Hope and Mercy are of Amazonian descent. This heritage seems to have been retroactively adopted for their modern post-Rebirth portrayal. In DC’s current continuity, Mercy has gone from being Lex’s assistant to the Chief Operating Officer of LexCorp, now renamed SuperCorp. Even as Lex forms an unlikely alliance with Superman, Mercy Graves is still trying to keep an eye on the interests of Lex and his company in everything she does, even if it involves committing villainy.

DC’s big magical event, Lazarus Planetwas Mercy Graves’ turning point

Mercy gets superpowers

A major The turning point for Mercy Graves’ character came during the Lazarus Planet Event. The eruption of the Lazarus volcano was large enough to release unpredictable chemicals across the world and transform several characters at once. Those who already had powers were given new ones, or their pre-existing powers were further developed, as with Dreamer’s power upgrade. Meanwhile, normal people and commoners were given new powers of their own. Among the meek people transformed by the Lazarus storm was Mercy Graves.

As in the story “Breakthrough” by Frank Barberi, Sami Basri, Vicente Cifuentes, Hi-Fi and Dave Sharpe of Lazarus Planet: Attack on Krypton #1, Mercy Graves’ Lazarus exposure transformed her into a metahuman with cybernetic limbs. She can now transform her arms into cannons, blades, and shields. The transformation is the beginning of her journey to become an unexpected anti-hero who works alongside Superman. Mercy Graves has always been a skilled combat specialist, but her new powers give her an edge when it comes to making significant changes in a world dominated by super-powered heroes and villains.

How Mercy uses her powers wisely

The hero’s procession is complete

Mercy Graves’ Lazarus awakening – and everything that has happened to her since – has led to her great moments in Superman #16. In the time since Lazarus Planet At this event, Mercy mostly stayed on the sidelines, often watching or assisting Superman from behind a keyboard as he went onto the battlefield. That all changes during Absolute powerwhen Amanda Waller’s tirade seriously injures Clark Kent and incapacitates him. While Clark is incapacitated, Mercy uses her powers to act as a great hero.

As heroes around the world continue to be attacked, rounded up, and captured by Waller’s forces, Mercy rescues those she can and brings them to the Fortress of Solitude. After returning to the Fortress after rescuing Zatanna, readers get a glimpse into how hard Mercy worked on this mission and how successful she was as a result. The Fortress is home to the Titans, the Birds of Prey, Booster Gold, Red Tornado, and several other superheroes, among others. It is safe to assume that Mercy saved them all – perhaps single-handedly.

Well, almost all of them – and that leads to a rare vulnerable moment for Mercy. When Mercy realizes that the two heroes she failed to save are Superman’s son Jon Kent and Conner “Superboy” Kent, she is terribly distraught and tearfully apologizes for not being able to save them. This breakdown forces Superman to hug Mercy. At this moment, it becomes clear that Mercy has officially become a hero and that this has nothing to do with her newfound powers.

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Are Mercy Graves’ heroic ambitions real?

Superman supports these efforts

While Mercy’s increasing powers made it easier for her to become a hero in this kind of superpowered world, there is more to being a hero than just having powers or even saving people (although that is important too, of course). When She starts to cry because she couldn’t save more people, It’s obvious what a hero Mercy has become. The Fortress of Solitude is full of people Mercy has saved, but she mourns the fact that she couldn’t save every single person she wanted to save.

Everything Mercy Graves has done has been sincere. For once, she isn’t doing anything out of a sense of duty to Lex Luthor, as is often the case. She genuinely wants to use her powers to save lives, and when she fails to save everyone, it breaks her heart. Hugging Superman is more than just an act of kindness; it’s a symbolic gesture from the Man of Steel supporting her efforts to be such a hero. Graves of mercy officially goes from DCAU villain to a DC breakout hero who deserves Superman’s recognition.

Superman #16 is now available from DC Comics.

SUPERMAN #16 (2024)
	Author: Joshua Williamson Artist: Jamal Campbell Letterer: Ariana Maher Cover artist: Jamal Campbell

Superman (2023)

DC IS THE MORNING BREAK! 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 emerge from the shadows to defeat the Man of Steel! But waiting in the wings to assist Big Blue is… Supercorp?! What secret project has Lex given Superman?! “A hero is only as good as his villains” is put to the test