Ever since Jon Kent, son of Lois and Clark Kent, was introduced to the DC Universe, he’s had quite a busy life. So busy, in fact, that he was aged up so the readers could skip his childhood then sent off to the future. What does all this mean for a character who knows he’ll have to inherit the weighty mantle of Superman?
Written by Tom Taylor
Illustrated by John Timms
Colored by Gabe Eltaeb
Lettered by Dave SharpeJonathan Kent has experienced a lot in his young life. He’s traveled the galaxies with his Kryptonian grandfather and lived in the future with the Legion of Super-Heroes, who were intent on training him for the day his father, Clark Kent, could no longer be Superman. There is a hole in the Legion’s history that prevents Jon from knowing exactly when that will happen, but all signs point to it being very soon. It’s time for the son to wear the cape of his father and bear the symbol of hope that has told the world who Superman really is. Join writer Tom Taylor (Nightwing, DCeased) and artist John Timms (Infinite Frontier) as they usher in a whole new era for the House of El!
There’s a lot that can be said about Jon Kent. Not just what it means to be the son of Superman, but his place in the DC Universe, the pressure and expectations that puts on him, and how he’s growing into the role.
So of course, a key aspect of a series focusing on him has to provide strong characterization.
Fortunately, Tom Taylor has that absolutely down. From the opening scene, where we see Superman fight off an “attempted” planetary invasion, to Jon’s meeting with Damian in the middle of a ninja fight, the characterization is strong. Everyone has solid voices that capture the core of their characters, while still allowing for a little bit of wittiness and nice recurring jokes where appropriate (like the emphasis on the invasion just being “attempted”).
Actually, one of my favorite scenes is where Jon and Damian fight off the ninja assassins. Both the dialogue and art wonderfully show how little the two are bothered by the oncoming assailants, with Damian carrying on a conversation with Jon while tossing aside their attackers and Jon doesn’t even care as throwing stars and swords harmlessly bounce off him. It’s a great scene, but it also moves the plot and character work forward as they discuss how there are things Jon wants to fix but can’t solve by punching it, like inequality and climate change. It’s a great blend of character work, action, and humor.
“Superman: Son of Kal-El” also makes a point to focus on the expectations placed on Jon. Even before he’s born, it’s clear that the hero community expects big things from him, although Lois rightfully points out “maybe wait until he’s outside of an amniotic sac before pushing unfair expectations on him” (another clever bit of dialogue that serves a key purpose).
The weight of those expectations follow Jon throughout the issue, even as he carries out his heroics nicely. We get to see him in action in a scene that manages to showcase multiple aspects of who he is as a hero. Not only saving lives and the environment, but using his sense of empathy to help save the day even in a tense military situation. At the same time, it demonstrates how he is still learning and often uncertain of his own decisions, which is a good place to work from.
The real heart of the issue is Jon’s own desire to do good, but his uncertainty of the best way to do it. Where should he draw the line for himself, and how flexible should he allow himself to be? While with Superman, we trust him to be a beacon of morality that will always find the right way, Jon is still learning – and that makes him interesting.
John Timms provides the art for this issue, with Gabe Eltaeb providing the colors. Right off the bat, we’re hit with an excellently drawn scene of Superman in flight, oncoming alien warships, and brilliant, bright colors. John Timms provides strong character designs that highlight the muscularity of the characters (and in doing so makes them all very, very tall). There’s a good balance of details, bringing out things like Batman’s stubble and the details in Wonder Woman’s tiara, without overwhelming the images and letting them breathe.
Continued belowOccasionally the faces can be a bit off or inconsistent, particularly around chins and noses, but that’s a small nit-pick.
Beyond the character work, John Timms’ style really comes through in the scenery and ships. The alien invaders, for instance, have wonderfully detailed ships, and the scene where Jon fights a fire in California brings the flames and destruction to vivid life, complete with an excellent use of lights and shadows to really emphasize the full power of the flames (and as someone whose home has been threatened by California fires more than once, well, it’s effective).
Gabe Eltaeb’s color work adds a lot to each page with powerful bright colors. While this is most evident during the fire scene and in the Fortress of Solitude, the colors remain consistently strong and bold throughout the issue. This works well for anything Superman-related, as it helps emphasize his position as a bright beacon of hope and aspiration, while also making the images stand out. Even in the fire scenes, the varying uses of yellow, orange, and red add visual variety to the burning scenery, and the use of shadows and darkness against the flames works nicely to emphasize the details and make the characters pop.
While the art is overall strong, there is one aspect I’m iffy about: the younger characters still look like adults, and I have no idea if that’s intentional. Even though Jon was aged up during his adventures in space, he’s still around 17 years old, while the art makes him look more mature than a teenager. Damian Wayne, meanwhile, hasn’t been aged up the same way, but he still looks significantly older as well, with a more squared jaw and taller form. While it would be easy to think that this comic just takes place some time in the future, Damian’s outfit and comment about being “in the middle of a tournament” would suggest it’s happening at the same time as the current “Robin” comics, so that’s a little stumbling block, but certainly not a deal breaker.
Overall, “Superman: Son of Kal-El” #1 is a strong start to the series. It gives us a look at what makes Jon Kent tick and the challenges he faces, complete with plenty of wit and heart, and supported by solid artwork. Jon Kent is carving out his place in the DC Universe, and this is a great way to go about it.
Final Verdict: 8.0 – A well-written, entertaining start that is filled with strong characterization and some very clever moments.
