There are a lot of comics out there, but some just stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. This week, we look at one of the biggest surprises to come out of DC Rebirth: “Super Sons.”
Who is this by?
“Super Sons” is written by Peter J. Tomasi (“Batman & Robin”) with pencils and inks mostly by Jorge Jimenez (“Earth-2 Society”). Alejandro Sanchez joins on colors with Rob Leigh as the letterer.
What’s it all about?
(Warning: Contains spoilers)
“Super Sons” is the ongoing adventures of Robin and Superboy. No, not that one. Not that one either! This is the story about Batman’s son, Damian Wayne, and Superman’s son, Jonathan Kent, teaming up to fight crime. Well . . . trying to team up. These two cannot stand one another. Jon’s unbridled idealism contrasts harshly with Damian’s über cynicism. The first story, “When I Grow Up,” has them going up against a new enemy in Kid Amazo, Lex Luthor, and their parents. All the while, trying not to strangle one another.
What makes it so great?
This is the most pure fun book DC Comics is publishing right now. Like, there are books that are “deeper” such as “Deathstroke,” but I cannot think of a book they’re doing right now that won’t put a smile on your face more than this one. The plots themselves can feel like they take a backseat, which is perfectly fine because the backbone of this series is the relationship between Damian and Jon. Their banter just feels so natural for kids and they have a lot of funny moments together. A standout being when Damian has disguised himself as Jon’s bus driver as a means to spy on him. With that said, Tomasi isn’t afraid to be a bit dark with them too. One such moment being when Jon sees a dead body for the first time. It’s a wrenching scene as we see Jon horrified, whereas this being a bit more commonplace for Damian, and the Robin realizing how this is effecting his partner.
But the art. Oh My Word, the Art! As the series continues to unfold, it becomes clearer by the issue; Jorge Jimenez is going to be a massive star. To put it simply, the work put in here has become so synonymous with it that, yes there have been fill-in artists and they do a fine job, but it makes the book feel off when he’s not around. His heavily manga-inspired style provides an energetic and youthful feel to the book. The character expressions are vibrant, with careful attention going to character quirks, such as Damian sticking out his tongue when focusing on something, and help sell a lot of the emotions from our two protagonists without Tomasi requiring dialogue. The action scenes are some of the best looking ones at DC right now. Sleek and stylized, but elegant.
Finally, the coloring from Alejandro Sanchez helps cement the fun tone of this book. Big and bold without any of the oversaturation other colorists would use to muddy the scenes. It helps sell the youthful nature of this book, even when times get bleak. Take the aforementioned scene when Jon sees a dead body. The color palette helps set the scene by being a bit darker, but never feeling out of place. Sanchez also chooses to emphasize the blue of Jon’s eyes witnessing this scene of carnage, showing the loss of innocence as well as Jon’s empathy in contrast to Damian’s kinda lack thereof.
How can you read it?
Volume 1, “When I Grow Up”, collects the first five issues and is available now digitally or at your local comic retailer. Volume 2 isn’t available until March, but there are still a total of ten issues out there in the wild, not including the Annual that is released today, featuring Krypto and Titus! Best thing is, the one major road block that kept me from recommending this, Eddie Berganza, got rightfully thrown out of DC!
