Kong Kenan wasn’t always superhero material. The 17-year-old kid had a strained relationship with his father, his mother had died in a plane accident, and he was taking his anger out on other kids. When creators Gene Luen Yang and Viktor Bogdanovic introduced him in DC Universe: Rebirth #1 (July 2016), Kenan had become an arrogant bully. But one day he stood up to a supervillain, and the incident was filmed and posted on social media, turning him into an overnight celebrity.

Dr. Omen of the Ministry of Self-Reliance saw the footage and decided that Kenan was the right person to become the Super-Man of China. Kenan was given superpowers through platinum Kryptonite and Superman’s qi, that contained his life force (the Man of Steel had recently died in The New 52).

Dr. Omen lectured Kenan on his responsibilities as a hero and had him join the newly formed Justice League of China with Wonder-Woman, Bat-Man, and Peng Deilan (human identity of the Green Snake). After their first successful mission, Super-Man did an interview in which he revealed his secret identity and told the world about the Justice League of China – much to the team’s disapproval.

The JLC went up against the Freedom Fighters of China, capturing some of the team, but not their leader the Flying Dragon General. Kenan soon learned that Flying Dragon General was none other than his own father, Zhongdan. The older man explained to Kenan that his team was a pro-democracy group inspired by the American Justice League and wanted to fight the Chinese Communist Party. Zhongdan also told Kenan that he believed that the Ministry of Self-Reliance was behind the plane accident that killed Kenan’s mom.

Elsewhere, the incarcerated Freedom Fighters orchestrated their escape and once free, the Human Firecracker used a device to control the minds of Bat-Man and Wonder-Woman. Human Firecracker revealed his plans to use put the mind control whammy on China’s leaders, but Zhongdan and Kenan opposed the plan. The radicalized Freedom Fighters left their leader behind and hijacked a plane heading to Zhongnanhai, the compound where the Chinese Communist Party leaders were located.

Super-Man and Zhongdan made it onto the plane and freed Wonder-Woman and Bat-Man. Together, the JLC defeated the Freedom Fighters and Zhongdan died protecting Super-Man from Human Firecracker when he blew himself up. These adventures had a profound impact on Kenan, maturing the young man as he continued learning about his powers and how to be a hero.