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Superman: Son of Kal-El
Superman: Son of Kal-El, Tome 1: La Vérité, la justice, et un monde meilleur
Jonathan Kent a subi beaucoup d'expériences au cours de sa jeune vie : traversé de nombreuses épreuves et même vécu dans le futur avec la Légion des Super-Héros, chargés de l'entraîner pour le jour où son père, Clark Kent, ne pourrait plus être Superman. Même si Jon ne sait pas exactement quand ce jour aura lieu, les signes lui montrent qu'il pourrait être proche... Il est temps pour le fils de porter la cape de son père et le symbole d'espoir que représente Superman.
200 pages, Paperback
First published May 24, 2022
75 people are currently reading
710 people want to read
About the author
Tom Taylor
1,299 books1,044 followersOnce a professional juggler and fire eater, Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times Bestselling, multi-award-winning comic book writer, playwright and screenwriter.
Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.
He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.
He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.
Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.
He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.
He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
January 8, 2023
Thoughts:
1. The art is okay. It's typical modern day, slightly glib comic book art.
2. I'm 44 years old, I'm guessing I'm not the targeted age for this series. It reads quite YA-y to me (not a big fan of YA-y).
3. The main characters all sound alike, there's not a lot of characterisation. Everyone's quite bland
4. The "boohoo I'm the son of Superman" story is really uninteresting, similar stories have been done better.
5. The big bad, Dick Brexit. Looking like Lobot and smiling sinisterly does not replace a missing personality. I keep saying this, your adversary needs the same amount of characterisation as your protagonists.
6. Gamorra, the blandest of islands, apparently has no own culture. It's just Americans, but on an island.
7. The love story is cute, although I found Jay kind of dull, and I didn't see much chemistry between Superlad and him.
8. The annual with Lex Luthor is unfortunate - another bald guy with a sinister smile, but with lots of personality, showing how boring Dick Brexit is.
9. There's no ending to the arc. Someone's alive who one of our main characters thought was dead, and it just feels like a big shrug.
Son of end of line.
Buddy-read with SuperKads, whose superpower seems to be to get me to buddy-read books I won't like with her.
1. The art is okay. It's typical modern day, slightly glib comic book art.
2. I'm 44 years old, I'm guessing I'm not the targeted age for this series. It reads quite YA-y to me (not a big fan of YA-y).
3. The main characters all sound alike, there's not a lot of characterisation. Everyone's quite bland
4. The "boohoo I'm the son of Superman" story is really uninteresting, similar stories have been done better.
5. The big bad, Dick Brexit. Looking like Lobot and smiling sinisterly does not replace a missing personality. I keep saying this, your adversary needs the same amount of characterisation as your protagonists.
6. Gamorra, the blandest of islands, apparently has no own culture. It's just Americans, but on an island.
7. The love story is cute, although I found Jay kind of dull, and I didn't see much chemistry between Superlad and him.
8. The annual with Lex Luthor is unfortunate - another bald guy with a sinister smile, but with lots of personality, showing how boring Dick Brexit is.
9. There's no ending to the arc. Someone's alive who one of our main characters thought was dead, and it just feels like a big shrug.
Son of end of line.
Buddy-read with SuperKads, whose superpower seems to be to get me to buddy-read books I won't like with her.
June 4, 2022
Superman’s gotta leave the planet for reasons so it’s down to his recently back from the future son, Jon Kent, to pick up the mantle and be Earth’s new Man of Steel. Meanwhile, a banana republic tyrant is doing dodgy stuff with metahumans and who decides to target Jon once he involves himself in his bizness.
I was hoping Tom Taylor’s Superman series was going to at least be on the same level as his Nightwing, if not better, but this first book is unfortunately… not great.
Taylor writes a really good Jon Kent. Jon’s likeable, humble, kind, relatable, and all round the perfect Superman replacement. Most of this book is concerned with table-setting and that’s all well done. Superman and Jon’s scenes are sweet, the new character Jay is a fine addition and his character is nicely developed, but the overall change to the status quo is very superficial. Out are Superman, Lois and Lex - in are their near-identical proxies, Jon, Jay and Bendix. So it’s basically the same characters/dynamics as the usual Superman books but with different names - a disappointingly unimaginative choice to take the series in.
The central story is very weak: Bendix rose to power in Trumpian fashion on the island of Gamorra and is experimenting on the populace, turning them into metahumans, for unknown reasons. He throws the occasional metahuman at America, again for unknown reasons - a firestarter in California and an earthquake-generator at Smallville - that Jon deals with easily, and that’s it. It’s a fairly insubstantial storyline that’s relegated to a B-plot while all the soap opera-y stuff takes centre stage instead.
It’s been established in previous books that Jon’s gay (or bi, I forget) and it’s not a point Taylor plays up much in this book - nor should he, his sexuality’s not a big deal. But that kiss - the one that made headlines a few months ago - comes out of nowhere. It’s not built up to, it’s not a convincing culmination of will-they/won’t-they moments, it’s just very sudden and feels contrived - like DC/Taylor were looking to make the internet talk about their book and this was a cheap way of doing that.
Hopefully with all the setup out of the way, there’ll be stronger storylines for Jon going forwards, with Bendix’s stuff getting more attention and less focus on the soap opera fluff. For now though, Superman: Son of Kal-El, Volume 1: The Truth is an unimpressive start - it’s got solid art throughout, some good character writing, but also has a very forgettable and underwhelming narrative that makes what should be a fresh new start feel like a stale product that’s been repackaged.
I was hoping Tom Taylor’s Superman series was going to at least be on the same level as his Nightwing, if not better, but this first book is unfortunately… not great.
Taylor writes a really good Jon Kent. Jon’s likeable, humble, kind, relatable, and all round the perfect Superman replacement. Most of this book is concerned with table-setting and that’s all well done. Superman and Jon’s scenes are sweet, the new character Jay is a fine addition and his character is nicely developed, but the overall change to the status quo is very superficial. Out are Superman, Lois and Lex - in are their near-identical proxies, Jon, Jay and Bendix. So it’s basically the same characters/dynamics as the usual Superman books but with different names - a disappointingly unimaginative choice to take the series in.
The central story is very weak: Bendix rose to power in Trumpian fashion on the island of Gamorra and is experimenting on the populace, turning them into metahumans, for unknown reasons. He throws the occasional metahuman at America, again for unknown reasons - a firestarter in California and an earthquake-generator at Smallville - that Jon deals with easily, and that’s it. It’s a fairly insubstantial storyline that’s relegated to a B-plot while all the soap opera-y stuff takes centre stage instead.
It’s been established in previous books that Jon’s gay (or bi, I forget) and it’s not a point Taylor plays up much in this book - nor should he, his sexuality’s not a big deal. But that kiss - the one that made headlines a few months ago - comes out of nowhere. It’s not built up to, it’s not a convincing culmination of will-they/won’t-they moments, it’s just very sudden and feels contrived - like DC/Taylor were looking to make the internet talk about their book and this was a cheap way of doing that.
Hopefully with all the setup out of the way, there’ll be stronger storylines for Jon going forwards, with Bendix’s stuff getting more attention and less focus on the soap opera fluff. For now though, Superman: Son of Kal-El, Volume 1: The Truth is an unimpressive start - it’s got solid art throughout, some good character writing, but also has a very forgettable and underwhelming narrative that makes what should be a fresh new start feel like a stale product that’s been repackaged.
May 31, 2022
A sadly super disappointing Superman series, that managed to do the impossible: make me miss Bendis’ Jonathan Kent. I think it’s because at least there, he still at least felt like a teenager. For context to why this review is scored so low, I was waiting for Tom Taylor to write a mainline Superman book for-like-ever, and after reading this, I regret that thought. I seriously thought this would be a match made in heaven. It kind of reminded me of when Jordan Peele was announced to be rebooting the Twilight Zone back in 2019 and I thought “Wow this is literally a perfect dream team. The guy who wrote US and Get Out is hosting the damn Twilight Zone, like how could they possibly fuck this up?” And then they somehow managed to fuck it up. Similar sentiments for this story here honestly, which is just crushing because I wanted to LOVE this book, but just can’t bring myself to.
This is the single most insipid and boring Superman book I’ve read in a while. If Superman VS. Lobo didn’t exist, I’d say this is by FAR the weakest Superman book on the stands currently. Compared to the fantastic Warworld saga going on in Action Comics, where every chapter manages to up the stakes and show a new side to Clark we rarely see, this story manages to be criminally bland with zero tension and have everything I dislike about Superman constantly just permeate through every single page.
I feel like the biggest sin this book commits is that it’s just so damn bland. I waited for Taylor on the main Supes title since he wrote Injustice, and I usually love Taylor’s books, especially his Elseworlds, because he always has a sandbox of characters and ideas to play with. He can do whatever he wants with those toys in the Elseworlds titles, as he can break them and not worry about having to put them back where they were. Here, in continuity, he has to either be really careful with the toys or just make his own new OC so he can actually break stuff, both of which don’t work for Taylor as a writer. I noticed similar problems during his All-New Wolverine run, and while these issues are less prevalent, they are still present in his current Nightwing run (which, while not perfect, is the opposite of this book and utterly fantastic with some actual stakes BTW). If it tells you anything about Taylor’s creativity in continuity, this brand new Superman’s first love interest is a reporter and his first major foe in a big bad bald megalomaniac from some old Authority books. Very original. Also on the contrary to what most people on here are saying, I think the art really hurts the series as a whole. Nothing against John Timms, as he seems like a very swell man, but his style does Taylor’s script 0 favors here. He isn’t like Bruno Redondo, who as he showed us during him and Taylor’s Suicide Squad run, can elevate a mediocre Taylor script into something special. Just look at issues 2, 6, and 11 of that run for proof. I feel like this book would seriously benefit from a penciller change at some point down the line, because holy shit I fucking hated this book’s art.
The only reason I’m giving this two stars is that the annual was actually super fun and looked to be a step in the right direction for the series. I didn’t love how Lex was portrayed, but the rest of the issue was pretty fantastic. There’s also a genuinely hilarious bit with Batman that honest-to-god had me gut laughing. Finally, I thought the panel of Jon and Jay holding hands in the last issue was just beyond sweet and the way their relationship evolved through the first arc was actually pretty well done and cute, but besides that, this book just wasn’t my thing at all. It just never really clicked for me. I’m really glad people are loving it, and it’s awesome this series is introducing a bunch of new fans to Superman, but I think I’ll be dropping this series from my pull list. Sales seem to be great so little ol’ me dropping it won’t detract from the success this book will inevitably be.
It’s just too bland when it could have been a really unique series. Showing a teenager who is thrust into the role of the world’s most important hero when he just isn’t ready? That would’ve been so interesting and could’ve shown a different side of Jon, who makes mistakes at first but eventually comes into his own in the role of Superman, being a new beacon of light for the next generation that his father never could be. That should’ve been the endgame for this entire run, but could’ve, would’ve, should’ve I guess. Why have interesting character development when you can just write him as the perfect Superman who never makes mistakes? If you want a Superman book with actual stakes, go check out Action Comics, PKJ is cooking up the best Superman story in the last couple of decades with Warworld. This story just is not that at all, for me at least, I’m sure plenty of you out there will love this. It honestly is probably great for teenagers looking to get into Superman, or that just don’t feel represented by Clark, but that’s about it, as I wouldn’t recommend this to any of my friends.
This is the single most insipid and boring Superman book I’ve read in a while. If Superman VS. Lobo didn’t exist, I’d say this is by FAR the weakest Superman book on the stands currently. Compared to the fantastic Warworld saga going on in Action Comics, where every chapter manages to up the stakes and show a new side to Clark we rarely see, this story manages to be criminally bland with zero tension and have everything I dislike about Superman constantly just permeate through every single page.
I feel like the biggest sin this book commits is that it’s just so damn bland. I waited for Taylor on the main Supes title since he wrote Injustice, and I usually love Taylor’s books, especially his Elseworlds, because he always has a sandbox of characters and ideas to play with. He can do whatever he wants with those toys in the Elseworlds titles, as he can break them and not worry about having to put them back where they were. Here, in continuity, he has to either be really careful with the toys or just make his own new OC so he can actually break stuff, both of which don’t work for Taylor as a writer. I noticed similar problems during his All-New Wolverine run, and while these issues are less prevalent, they are still present in his current Nightwing run (which, while not perfect, is the opposite of this book and utterly fantastic with some actual stakes BTW). If it tells you anything about Taylor’s creativity in continuity, this brand new Superman’s first love interest is a reporter and his first major foe in a big bad bald megalomaniac from some old Authority books. Very original. Also on the contrary to what most people on here are saying, I think the art really hurts the series as a whole. Nothing against John Timms, as he seems like a very swell man, but his style does Taylor’s script 0 favors here. He isn’t like Bruno Redondo, who as he showed us during him and Taylor’s Suicide Squad run, can elevate a mediocre Taylor script into something special. Just look at issues 2, 6, and 11 of that run for proof. I feel like this book would seriously benefit from a penciller change at some point down the line, because holy shit I fucking hated this book’s art.
The only reason I’m giving this two stars is that the annual was actually super fun and looked to be a step in the right direction for the series. I didn’t love how Lex was portrayed, but the rest of the issue was pretty fantastic. There’s also a genuinely hilarious bit with Batman that honest-to-god had me gut laughing. Finally, I thought the panel of Jon and Jay holding hands in the last issue was just beyond sweet and the way their relationship evolved through the first arc was actually pretty well done and cute, but besides that, this book just wasn’t my thing at all. It just never really clicked for me. I’m really glad people are loving it, and it’s awesome this series is introducing a bunch of new fans to Superman, but I think I’ll be dropping this series from my pull list. Sales seem to be great so little ol’ me dropping it won’t detract from the success this book will inevitably be.
It’s just too bland when it could have been a really unique series. Showing a teenager who is thrust into the role of the world’s most important hero when he just isn’t ready? That would’ve been so interesting and could’ve shown a different side of Jon, who makes mistakes at first but eventually comes into his own in the role of Superman, being a new beacon of light for the next generation that his father never could be. That should’ve been the endgame for this entire run, but could’ve, would’ve, should’ve I guess. Why have interesting character development when you can just write him as the perfect Superman who never makes mistakes? If you want a Superman book with actual stakes, go check out Action Comics, PKJ is cooking up the best Superman story in the last couple of decades with Warworld. This story just is not that at all, for me at least, I’m sure plenty of you out there will love this. It honestly is probably great for teenagers looking to get into Superman, or that just don’t feel represented by Clark, but that’s about it, as I wouldn’t recommend this to any of my friends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2023
Reread: 25/09/2023
This was a fun reread seeing Jon step into the role of his father and trying to cope with loss of identity and standing against the world in terms of the things shown in the comic and how it rubs some people the wrong way and when his family is targeted and his father is away on warworld, what does it mean for young Jon and its fun seeing how he handles it.. I like the first few issues and then the pacing gets weird. There is also a love interest introduced in Jay and he is fine I guess, it will be interesting to follow his adventures as he is tied heavily to the villain of the series aka President Bendix! So yeah fun read, good start for new readers, a stepping up for a legacy character and the art was brilliant! Now that the run is over, I can't wait to reread it all!
_____________________________________________________________________________
This was really good!
So we have Jon step up to being Superman after Clark goes to warworld to fight there but what he sees and feels about his responsibilites as Superman are different and we have a last team up and talk with his father and Jon saving people but getting into conflict with the authorities after he saves a burning man, refugees from Gamorrah (nation) and a woman named Faultine and this has a new enemy in President of Gamorrah: Henry Bendix and thus its Jon vs him sorts of and trying to expose him and also maybe a new love interest and some big moments for his character plus the end tease of whats to come aka "The rising"!
Its an epic volume and I love that Tom is finally writing a Superman ongoing and he does it well, he does the whole thing of tying it perfectly into continuity and giving us the big moments like of Jon's birth, his coming out scene (which was really well done) and first team up with JL and then all those scenes with Jay were cute and then the threats and some new concepts which seem interesting and would be fun to read in future voumes! But as far as this one goes, just amazingly well written and epic in every sense of the word!
This was a fun reread seeing Jon step into the role of his father and trying to cope with loss of identity and standing against the world in terms of the things shown in the comic and how it rubs some people the wrong way and when his family is targeted and his father is away on warworld, what does it mean for young Jon and its fun seeing how he handles it.. I like the first few issues and then the pacing gets weird. There is also a love interest introduced in Jay and he is fine I guess, it will be interesting to follow his adventures as he is tied heavily to the villain of the series aka President Bendix! So yeah fun read, good start for new readers, a stepping up for a legacy character and the art was brilliant! Now that the run is over, I can't wait to reread it all!
_____________________________________________________________________________
This was really good!
So we have Jon step up to being Superman after Clark goes to warworld to fight there but what he sees and feels about his responsibilites as Superman are different and we have a last team up and talk with his father and Jon saving people but getting into conflict with the authorities after he saves a burning man, refugees from Gamorrah (nation) and a woman named Faultine and this has a new enemy in President of Gamorrah: Henry Bendix and thus its Jon vs him sorts of and trying to expose him and also maybe a new love interest and some big moments for his character plus the end tease of whats to come aka "The rising"!
Its an epic volume and I love that Tom is finally writing a Superman ongoing and he does it well, he does the whole thing of tying it perfectly into continuity and giving us the big moments like of Jon's birth, his coming out scene (which was really well done) and first team up with JL and then all those scenes with Jay were cute and then the threats and some new concepts which seem interesting and would be fun to read in future voumes! But as far as this one goes, just amazingly well written and epic in every sense of the word!
June 7, 2022
I never thought I'd say this about Tom Taylor, but this is bland. So. bland. Jon Kent should be interesting. He's taking political stances where his father wouldn't. He's bisexual. But it's all so boring and uninteresting. It just feels so uninspired. There's none of the heart Tom Taylor injects into his comics.
Henry Bendix (who was a fantastic villain in the Wildstorm universe) is 100% generic. The exact same Gamora plot ran through issues of The Authority years ago, the only difference being Kaizen Gamora was the bad guy instead of Henry Bendix. Go read it instead. It's a thousand times better.
Henry Bendix (who was a fantastic villain in the Wildstorm universe) is 100% generic. The exact same Gamora plot ran through issues of The Authority years ago, the only difference being Kaizen Gamora was the bad guy instead of Henry Bendix. Go read it instead. It's a thousand times better.
June 10, 2022
While not the very best of Tom Taylor's work certainly a solid start on a new-ish era for the Kent superfamily.
I guess they're so super they can project sound waves in a total vacuum? Cool, cool, cool...🤓
I like how Jon Kent is shown trying to live up to his father's example and legacy while at the same time daring to try a different approach based on empathy and having a public persona.
Oh yeah, and he gets a love interest. You may have heard.
I guess they're so super they can project sound waves in a total vacuum? Cool, cool, cool...🤓
I like how Jon Kent is shown trying to live up to his father's example and legacy while at the same time daring to try a different approach based on empathy and having a public persona.
Oh yeah, and he gets a love interest. You may have heard.
June 4, 2022
In full-transparency you should know that I've not read a lot of Superman comics and I purely picked this up because I was excited we were getting a canonically bisexual Superman!
So for your Pride month reading pleasure, this is a fun bindup of the first 6 issues of this new story arc following Lois and Clarks son as he takes up his dad's mantle, fights a political baddie, saves refugees, and adorably starts falling for a boy with secrets of his own. For those interested, we get an on-page kiss, hand-holding, and the requisite Superman flying while holding love interest in his arms. The story wasn't earth-shattering, but I definitely enjoyed it and would read more.
So for your Pride month reading pleasure, this is a fun bindup of the first 6 issues of this new story arc following Lois and Clarks son as he takes up his dad's mantle, fights a political baddie, saves refugees, and adorably starts falling for a boy with secrets of his own. For those interested, we get an on-page kiss, hand-holding, and the requisite Superman flying while holding love interest in his arms. The story wasn't earth-shattering, but I definitely enjoyed it and would read more.
August 15, 2022
A new era, a new Superman. Clark and Lois' teenage son adopts the mantle of Superman whilst his father goes off-world. Now, if you thought that Superman was a bland character whilst Clark held the mantle (not my personal take, but one that is quite common), get ready for someone who is ten times more uninteresting. Sometimes, it feels like Jon is simply there to tick boxes. What he stands for and his sexuality (for that is what this run is mostly known for) could have been written in a way that actually feels inspired, but is instead shoved in amongst a cast of equally dull and unthought out supporting characters and themes. It doesn't help that the plot is also extremely weak, with almost zero stakes and repetitive, generic, and overly used villain tropes. Taylor has done some amazing work, but this one is sadly a miss for me.
January 31, 2022
Look, I don't really read DC often, and most of what I know about Superman is from the movies and various TV shows, but this is fun and I'm really enjoying it! The art on the variant covers is just beautiful.
August 22, 2023
It seems someone has gotten some Marvel into my DC. Jon Kent, the son of Clark Kent and the new Superman, is a good kid, but he worries a bit too much about how people think about him. There is a bit of angst and the romantic plot seems to overpower the main plot, or perhaps the romantic plot is the main plot and the fight against a dictator making metahumans is the side story. Anyway, it has a Marvel feel to it in that the personal problems and relationship issues overshadow the heroic narrative.
August 27, 2024
Superman kissing boys is my kinda book!
April 9, 2022
This was not perfect, but I cannot lie, every time a new issue dropped I was just eager to read them. I'm a Super family fan and I love the way Taylor explores Jon's relationships, how well he portrays his struggles and search for purpose as a superhero, (also there are a lot of 'family and friends caring for each other' moments and I'm a sucker for those). At the same time I would completely understand for someone not to thoroughly enjoy this book, there's a lack of depth to the themes explored in it. You can see Taylor is trying to bring to the table some of the main preoccupations of today's world, global warming, refugee crisis, authoritarianism etc. There's nothing wrong with an attempt to translate to a superhero comic book a few of the real world's problems, but you must admit it is not an easy task. Those are complex situations, the real world is not black and white and there's always the risk of ending up with an oversimplified plot. I believe that's what happened here, the stakes seem at the same time high and not high enough, it lacks nuance. The latest issues (not on this volume) are changing that, building the tension. The main arc is not over yet so one can be hopeful, it's not fair to judge an unfinished story. I must note that the problems I see now are the product of seeing the book as whole, overall the single issues brought me much joy. I read the Annual in a specially hard day of my life and I can only think of how reading that made my day a little better, so I cannot deny that. I love Superman and Tom Taylor is doing justice to the character's legacy of hope and faith in a better future, but there is room for improvement.
July 2, 2025
Now I get it
May 27, 2022
With Clark off-world, the mantle of Superman falls to his son, Jon. But wearing the shield and being the only person wearing it are two different things, and Jon finds himself battling more than just your normal supervillains when President Henry Bendix of Gamorra targets him specifically. Can an assist from shady journalistic organisation The Truth help Jon out?
There's just something really likeable about Jon Kent. I, like most people, wasn't a fan of the age-up that he underwent while Bendis was at the helm of the Super-titles, but now that he's here to stay, it's hard not to enjoy his adventures. Tom Taylor gives him a voice much like his father's, but with enough subtle differences to ensure that he's not just mini-Clark, or even mini-Lois - he's definitely his parents' child, but he's also his own man, with his own problems.
Some of those problems do get solved a little quickly - while Taylor is building up Bendix's larger threat, it does sometimes feel like Jon's ticking off boxes on his 'causes to support today' list in each issue. It's not a massive problem, but it can feel a tad performative; it does bring with it some great philosophical discussions as well though, so on balance it all kind of shakes out okay.
And to address the elephant in the room, the 'reveal' is done tastefully and super-sweet, so I'm all for it. It's explored a little better in the next volume, but it's already clear that Taylor's playing the long game with this book so I'm happy to wait and find out what's next.
On art for the most part is John Timms, who I enjoy, but the man can never seem to stay on a book for very long. Cian Tormey takes over however, and feels much more reliable as well as a little better at the overall proportion of things - Timms' characters can sometimes feel overly long.
Jon may be the Son Of Kal-El, but this is his book through and through. It's fun, it's important, and it's a great read all at once. It has some teething issues, but Jon catches himself as he falls out of the nest instead of hitting the ground, so I'm sure he'll only soar to new heights going forward.
There's just something really likeable about Jon Kent. I, like most people, wasn't a fan of the age-up that he underwent while Bendis was at the helm of the Super-titles, but now that he's here to stay, it's hard not to enjoy his adventures. Tom Taylor gives him a voice much like his father's, but with enough subtle differences to ensure that he's not just mini-Clark, or even mini-Lois - he's definitely his parents' child, but he's also his own man, with his own problems.
Some of those problems do get solved a little quickly - while Taylor is building up Bendix's larger threat, it does sometimes feel like Jon's ticking off boxes on his 'causes to support today' list in each issue. It's not a massive problem, but it can feel a tad performative; it does bring with it some great philosophical discussions as well though, so on balance it all kind of shakes out okay.
And to address the elephant in the room, the 'reveal' is done tastefully and super-sweet, so I'm all for it. It's explored a little better in the next volume, but it's already clear that Taylor's playing the long game with this book so I'm happy to wait and find out what's next.
On art for the most part is John Timms, who I enjoy, but the man can never seem to stay on a book for very long. Cian Tormey takes over however, and feels much more reliable as well as a little better at the overall proportion of things - Timms' characters can sometimes feel overly long.
Jon may be the Son Of Kal-El, but this is his book through and through. It's fun, it's important, and it's a great read all at once. It has some teething issues, but Jon catches himself as he falls out of the nest instead of hitting the ground, so I'm sure he'll only soar to new heights going forward.
April 19, 2023
5 stars
Nice to see Jon become Superman. Also glad he got a boyfriend (someone to talk to).
Nice to see Jon become Superman. Also glad he got a boyfriend (someone to talk to).
Read
July 15, 2022Just lovely. And that's what a Superman comic should be, isn't it? If you've written a Superman comic and it isn't lovely, doesn't make a decent stab at getting the reader to mist up every issue, then you probably need to check, because in all likelihood you're not writing a Superman comic, you're working some stuff out. "What if the perfect person, the embodiment of hope...wasn't?" Yeah, very clever, now jog on mate. Fuck it, even Garth Ennis, as edgy a bastard as comics ever produced, who hates superheroes in general, whose Homelander is now the most famous of the whole clade of asshole Superman variants, respects Superman. And so do the team behind this comic. I had my doubts – it's not like I've been quiet about my disillusionment with modern DC, and that gets worse the closer you come to their core titles. On top of which, the downside of Superman being perfect is that it tends to mean any variant character is by definition imperfect, and given Superman looks like a midde-aged white guy, the optics on that are sometimes not brilliant when we get the female cousin, the alternate universe variant or whoever coming to him for advice on being as good as he is. That could very easily have happened again here, with his son Jon (a kid in the last comics I read, albeit a superpowered one, but since aged to young adulthood in I believe the Bendis run, on which I bailed early because it sucked) now a young man and obliged to take on his father's mantle because of some plot. You know, lots of 'Ah, you mean well, son, but you'll understand when you're older.' No. Not even vaguely. There's a scene early on where Jon and Clark sit on the Moon, as you do, looking at Earth, and Jon asks his dad why he doesn't do more about dictators, division, the dying planet. And rather than some quietist bollocks about letting the humans do their own thing, to which even Grant Morrison (literally the best Superman writer ever, and no I will not be taking any questions at this time) could fall prey at times, Clark points out that ultimately he's not from here, so past a certain point it's not his planet and not his place. Whereas Jon is half-human, so that doesn't apply. Cue a more proactive Superman, who proceeds to massively wind up the anti-woke snowflakes on his world and ours alike even before he snogs a boy. Said boy, Jay, already feeling like a real character, rather than the box-ticking plot function he easily could have been. To be honest, I should have had more faith: Tom Taylor has past form in making projects which sound disastrous into affecting reads, from Injustice to All-New Wolverine. And it turns out that John Timms' art is the perfect match on this, suitably epic and kinetic for the action scenes but then able to zoom in for the little details of facial expressions without which the love and family elements of the plot would drag (specifically, that I feel invested in Jay is, now I think about it, almost entirely down to the face and body language acting in the art). Hell, for once I'm even prepared to overlook the wedging of WildStorm elements into DC's Earth, though I'd still rather they hadn't, especially not in this configuration. But Hell, that's what Superman is for: it's not that the comics (or films) need to present a perfect world – look again at the Christopher Reeve film, a grimy seventies New York take on Metropolis with Clark as one Jimmy Stewart innocent seemingly bumbling into the lions' den. Rather, they present a world where jeopardy and loss still occur, but there's one perfect force to save the day. If only, eh?
August 25, 2025
A decent start to Jon Kent’s time as Superman, but the pacing feels a little fast and rather thin to me. Tom Taylor gives Jon a hopeful, modern voice, and John Timms’ art is clean and vibrant, but much of this first volume feels like setup rather than payoff. There are good ideas here and some strong character moments, yet it doesn’t fully take flight. Solid, but not essential — a promising beginning that I hope picks up in later volumes.
June 5, 2022
My introduction to Jon Kent, the son of Clark Kent and Lois Lane, was when he was Superboy during the Peter Tomasi/Patrick Gleason run on the main Superman title. Whilst that run was somewhat a mixed bag, one of the saving graces was the family dynamic, as well as how Jon evolved as a character, such as his friendship with Damian Wayne. Obviously, there have been other characters that carried the mantle of Superman, though Clark Kent will forever be the Man of Steel, and I was certainly curious about Jon taking over that role.
Tom Taylor has proven himself to be one of the best writers working in comics today and I’m particularly excited about a new DC title under his belt. Taylor is clearly born to write Superman, though I wasn’t expecting him to replace the main Superman title with a monthly series that showcased the son of Kal-El. In fact, during the initial pages of the first issue, we flashback to the day of Jon’s birth as Clark wants to protect the world from an attempted alien invasion, though his fellow Leaguers insist on him to attend his son’s birth. From the writing alone, you can feel that sense of friendship between the superheroes, particularly between Supes and Batman (who actually smiles), whilst Wonder Woman tries to comfort Lois, who is in labour.
After Jon’s conception, we cut to the present day and we see the teenage Jon saving the day from a superhuman who seems to can’t control his pyrokinetic ability, causing a forest to be on fire. However, what sold me on Jon being Superman is not his strength – as I don’t think he throws a single punch throughout this entire volume – it’s his compassion towards others as he approaches the misunderstood superhuman and just hugs him to calm him down. In sort of passing the torch from father to son, as Clark has to leave his home to go off on cosmic adventures – go read Philip Kennedy Johnson’s Action Comics run – Jon has to be the Superman for Earth and despite the external conflicts he confronts, the story is really about if he can make any difference.
When the OG Superman was first conceived in 1938, he was a social crusader, in that he takes and defines the concept of justice with his own hands if the authorities would barely do a thing towards anything that he sees as a social issue. Whilst Grant Morrison updated this concept at the start of the New 52, Taylor updates it and is applied to Jon as he gets in the middle of an international incident involving Henry Bendix, the tyrannical ruler of the island nation of Gamorra and his super-powered terrorist agents. Because the overall narrative feels fairly loose, the villains don’t seem that big a deal, no matter how menacing Bendix, who looks like a cross between Lex Luthor and Brainiac.
The more compelling stuff is exploring the domesticity of Jon, where he fails to maintain a secret identity and stands with the protestors against the troubles happening in Gamorra. Seeing him simply hanging out with other characters brings a lot of humour and warmth, such as a witty conversation with Damian, who is battling ninjas at the same time. However, the biggest addition is Jon’s relationship with Jay Nakamura, a Gomorran journalist from the underground news source known as The Truth, and someone who gets star-struck by meeting Jon’s mother than his father.
It has been much reported that before Issue #5 got published, Taylor announced that Jon will be bisexual – featuring a splash page of Jon and Jay kissing – opening the door for online trolls being homophobic towards the decision. And yet, since the whole idea of Superman has been about representing the best in humanity, Taylor still embodies that by making a progressive move on a relatively new character and if you are not rooting for these two younglings to maintaining a romance, then something is truly wrong with you.
Having read many Superman comics, I think the key to presenting Superman through iconography is to show the grandeur of the hero’s actions whilst also showing the small human moments. This is something that artist John Timms achieves with his simple line-work, mixed with the skilled composition of form and dynamic movement. When the action lands, Timms sells on the scale, such as a set-piece where a tall building is collapsing and in one page, the panel layout leans to represent the building and in each panel, Jon goes from one room to the next to save everyone inside. There is a temporary change in the art as Daniele Di Nicuolo draws the fourth issue and whilst she brings enough vibrancy to make the issue fun, her style is more simplistic compared to Timms’.
A few problems aside, this is a great start to hopefully another great run written by Tom Taylor, who does something progressive towards a new Superman, who stands for truth, justice and a better world. Happy Pride Month, everyone!
Tom Taylor has proven himself to be one of the best writers working in comics today and I’m particularly excited about a new DC title under his belt. Taylor is clearly born to write Superman, though I wasn’t expecting him to replace the main Superman title with a monthly series that showcased the son of Kal-El. In fact, during the initial pages of the first issue, we flashback to the day of Jon’s birth as Clark wants to protect the world from an attempted alien invasion, though his fellow Leaguers insist on him to attend his son’s birth. From the writing alone, you can feel that sense of friendship between the superheroes, particularly between Supes and Batman (who actually smiles), whilst Wonder Woman tries to comfort Lois, who is in labour.
After Jon’s conception, we cut to the present day and we see the teenage Jon saving the day from a superhuman who seems to can’t control his pyrokinetic ability, causing a forest to be on fire. However, what sold me on Jon being Superman is not his strength – as I don’t think he throws a single punch throughout this entire volume – it’s his compassion towards others as he approaches the misunderstood superhuman and just hugs him to calm him down. In sort of passing the torch from father to son, as Clark has to leave his home to go off on cosmic adventures – go read Philip Kennedy Johnson’s Action Comics run – Jon has to be the Superman for Earth and despite the external conflicts he confronts, the story is really about if he can make any difference.
When the OG Superman was first conceived in 1938, he was a social crusader, in that he takes and defines the concept of justice with his own hands if the authorities would barely do a thing towards anything that he sees as a social issue. Whilst Grant Morrison updated this concept at the start of the New 52, Taylor updates it and is applied to Jon as he gets in the middle of an international incident involving Henry Bendix, the tyrannical ruler of the island nation of Gamorra and his super-powered terrorist agents. Because the overall narrative feels fairly loose, the villains don’t seem that big a deal, no matter how menacing Bendix, who looks like a cross between Lex Luthor and Brainiac.
The more compelling stuff is exploring the domesticity of Jon, where he fails to maintain a secret identity and stands with the protestors against the troubles happening in Gamorra. Seeing him simply hanging out with other characters brings a lot of humour and warmth, such as a witty conversation with Damian, who is battling ninjas at the same time. However, the biggest addition is Jon’s relationship with Jay Nakamura, a Gomorran journalist from the underground news source known as The Truth, and someone who gets star-struck by meeting Jon’s mother than his father.
It has been much reported that before Issue #5 got published, Taylor announced that Jon will be bisexual – featuring a splash page of Jon and Jay kissing – opening the door for online trolls being homophobic towards the decision. And yet, since the whole idea of Superman has been about representing the best in humanity, Taylor still embodies that by making a progressive move on a relatively new character and if you are not rooting for these two younglings to maintaining a romance, then something is truly wrong with you.
Having read many Superman comics, I think the key to presenting Superman through iconography is to show the grandeur of the hero’s actions whilst also showing the small human moments. This is something that artist John Timms achieves with his simple line-work, mixed with the skilled composition of form and dynamic movement. When the action lands, Timms sells on the scale, such as a set-piece where a tall building is collapsing and in one page, the panel layout leans to represent the building and in each panel, Jon goes from one room to the next to save everyone inside. There is a temporary change in the art as Daniele Di Nicuolo draws the fourth issue and whilst she brings enough vibrancy to make the issue fun, her style is more simplistic compared to Timms’.
A few problems aside, this is a great start to hopefully another great run written by Tom Taylor, who does something progressive towards a new Superman, who stands for truth, justice and a better world. Happy Pride Month, everyone!
June 4, 2022
So all it took to get Superman back to his socially-conscious, politically-engaged roots... was an entirely new Superman that writers and editors wouldn't treat as an untouchable, gilded icon? (And also an amazing writer like Tom Taylor to lead the way?)
... It's about goddamn time.
I love this book. LOVE it. I've been stumping for Superman to take a clear political stance on something for YEARS now; to get back to the figure of progressive action that he started out as, rather than the anodyne symbol of the status quo that he's become. And it turns out, Superman's own son agrees with me! Jon Kent asks Clark early on why he doesn't do more about the systemic injustices the planet is riddled with... and Clark responds by saying that he never felt it was his place to do so. But he feels like Jon can accomplish what he couldn't.
So now we have a Superman who confronts abuses of authority by the military and police... who battles human rights violations by powers in bed with the U.S... who's LGBTQIA+ openly and happily... and who fights, not for any particular nationalistic creed, but for "a better tomorrow".
It's not a perfect comic, mind you. The artwork by John Timms is choppy and overly stylized, IMO. And Taylor is stuck working around the broken status quo Brian Michael Bendis left behind when he made Superman's secret identity public knowledge-- so Jon Kent doesn't really HAVE a personal life or a secret identity to ground him the way Clark Kent did.
But these problems aren't enough to derail the book-- especially with Taylor firing on all cylinders with his sharp dialogue, spot-on characterization, and assured social commentary. This collection is only six issues, and by the end I wanted more-- because this is the Superman book I've been WAITING for.
... It's about goddamn time.
I love this book. LOVE it. I've been stumping for Superman to take a clear political stance on something for YEARS now; to get back to the figure of progressive action that he started out as, rather than the anodyne symbol of the status quo that he's become. And it turns out, Superman's own son agrees with me! Jon Kent asks Clark early on why he doesn't do more about the systemic injustices the planet is riddled with... and Clark responds by saying that he never felt it was his place to do so. But he feels like Jon can accomplish what he couldn't.
So now we have a Superman who confronts abuses of authority by the military and police... who battles human rights violations by powers in bed with the U.S... who's LGBTQIA+ openly and happily... and who fights, not for any particular nationalistic creed, but for "a better tomorrow".
It's not a perfect comic, mind you. The artwork by John Timms is choppy and overly stylized, IMO. And Taylor is stuck working around the broken status quo Brian Michael Bendis left behind when he made Superman's secret identity public knowledge-- so Jon Kent doesn't really HAVE a personal life or a secret identity to ground him the way Clark Kent did.
But these problems aren't enough to derail the book-- especially with Taylor firing on all cylinders with his sharp dialogue, spot-on characterization, and assured social commentary. This collection is only six issues, and by the end I wanted more-- because this is the Superman book I've been WAITING for.
January 5, 2022
I’ve never been a diehard Superman fan, so when they originally announced the whole Infinite Frontier lineup I kind of wanted to give Jon Lent a shot. And I really was enjoying the book before it started hitting the news or getting called controversial. For reasons that still seem silly to me, but these are the times we live in.
The fact that both things happened because they use Jon to tackle more modern issues and not just parrot Clark Kent is actually what kept me onboard. And I’m genuinely interested in where things are going because of those choices. He’s got a boyfriend sidekick who is also super-powered and that may be the first time I’ve seen that in a book. Or in the very least, the first time I’ve seen it in one that’s well written. If Taylor wants to make him tackle climate change, or literally whatever he wants, I kind of trust him to do it in a way that doesn’t hammer you over the head with a message or feel clunky. And I don’t care at all that they changed Superman’s catchphrases or anything because this is a whole new character taking up the mantle.
Son of Kal is actually delivering on DC’s 5G promise that didn’t quite come to fruition. And it’s a shame that Ridley’s Batman is so boringly unreadable. Or that Wonder Girl’s Yara Flor hasn’t received the same amount of pop. But in the very least, we did get a new Superman who seems like he’ll be sticking around with an interesting dynamic. The art style is hitting the mark, and I don’t have some sacred blood oath that I feel like Taylor is stomping all over by giving us something new. I’m in. 4.5 stars
The fact that both things happened because they use Jon to tackle more modern issues and not just parrot Clark Kent is actually what kept me onboard. And I’m genuinely interested in where things are going because of those choices. He’s got a boyfriend sidekick who is also super-powered and that may be the first time I’ve seen that in a book. Or in the very least, the first time I’ve seen it in one that’s well written. If Taylor wants to make him tackle climate change, or literally whatever he wants, I kind of trust him to do it in a way that doesn’t hammer you over the head with a message or feel clunky. And I don’t care at all that they changed Superman’s catchphrases or anything because this is a whole new character taking up the mantle.
Son of Kal is actually delivering on DC’s 5G promise that didn’t quite come to fruition. And it’s a shame that Ridley’s Batman is so boringly unreadable. Or that Wonder Girl’s Yara Flor hasn’t received the same amount of pop. But in the very least, we did get a new Superman who seems like he’ll be sticking around with an interesting dynamic. The art style is hitting the mark, and I don’t have some sacred blood oath that I feel like Taylor is stomping all over by giving us something new. I’m in. 4.5 stars
June 5, 2022
I have loved pretty much everything I’ve read from Tom Taylor so I figured this’d be a shoe-in to reintroduce me to Supes after a long break from DC.
Nobody in this book was all that interesting or exciting. Possibly because I’m completely uninvested in current DC mythology and storylines, maybe because “Gods Looking Down” never worked overly well for me.
But I didn’t connect with much of this - not Damian (who should be more unpredictable), not Lois, not Jon, not even Jon’s new friend. Seeing Wally and Diana and Bruce drop in almost like guest cameos was fine I guess, but the whole thing felt flat. Earnestly trying to thread the needle on what it means to take over as the greatest superhero, eschewing all the fun I’m used to expecting, and kinda didn’t even sell me on the boy/bi-romance (they’re fine together, but I didn’t get the spark).
Is this a bad book? No. Will I be back for more? Unlikely. Hell, even Henry Bendix went to waste - if they’d given us Ellis’ arch-villain I’d be tempted, but this whole affair just felt bland.
Nobody in this book was all that interesting or exciting. Possibly because I’m completely uninvested in current DC mythology and storylines, maybe because “Gods Looking Down” never worked overly well for me.
But I didn’t connect with much of this - not Damian (who should be more unpredictable), not Lois, not Jon, not even Jon’s new friend. Seeing Wally and Diana and Bruce drop in almost like guest cameos was fine I guess, but the whole thing felt flat. Earnestly trying to thread the needle on what it means to take over as the greatest superhero, eschewing all the fun I’m used to expecting, and kinda didn’t even sell me on the boy/bi-romance (they’re fine together, but I didn’t get the spark).
Is this a bad book? No. Will I be back for more? Unlikely. Hell, even Henry Bendix went to waste - if they’d given us Ellis’ arch-villain I’d be tempted, but this whole affair just felt bland.
January 25, 2023
I feel robbed of “Superboy goes to college” plotline.
October 19, 2022
Superman's got off-planet business to attend to, so his son, Jon, is picking up the super-mantle. In The Truth, we see Jon struggle, vaguely, with his new assignment. We also see Jon generically battle a foreign dictator. And finally, we see Jon kiss a boy.
To be clear, I didn't know this would be the "Superman is gay now!" comic when I started reading. When Jon befriended a pink-haired Jay, I assumed Jay would end up betraying the new Superman in a shocking twist, particularly when it was revealed that Jay can phase through walls. Cut to the surprise reveal of Jon and Jay kissing - I was certain they would be enemies! They barely even seemed like friends at that point! Where was the romance? The build-up? You can't just splatter a lover's kiss in the middle of a comic and call it a day.
Sigh.
Anyway, most of the The Truth is dull, YA-level adventures for a teen who hopefully will not be supplanting Superman anytime soon. Lois Lane was probably the most interesting character here.
To be clear, I didn't know this would be the "Superman is gay now!" comic when I started reading. When Jon befriended a pink-haired Jay, I assumed Jay would end up betraying the new Superman in a shocking twist, particularly when it was revealed that Jay can phase through walls. Cut to the surprise reveal of Jon and Jay kissing - I was certain they would be enemies! They barely even seemed like friends at that point! Where was the romance? The build-up? You can't just splatter a lover's kiss in the middle of a comic and call it a day.
Sigh.
Anyway, most of the The Truth is dull, YA-level adventures for a teen who hopefully will not be supplanting Superman anytime soon. Lois Lane was probably the most interesting character here.
February 21, 2023
75
Okay, not to intrigued for volume two. Mainly read this one because I know in nightwing vol 2, there is an issue of this one. Guess I’m realizing I don’t care for Superman books.
Okay, not to intrigued for volume two. Mainly read this one because I know in nightwing vol 2, there is an issue of this one. Guess I’m realizing I don’t care for Superman books.
July 15, 2022
This is DC's attempt to make a "modern" Superman to better connect with younger readers. I get it. I'd rather this than some lame attempts at changing an existing character. I haven't read all of the stories with Superman's son Jon, but some type of summary page would help new readers and how he came about. A little bit is mentioned but not a lot of detail.
I'm not really interested in a young Superman/coming of age story which is really what this is. Dad is out of the picture (although not fully explained why) and Jon takes over. He has to not only fill in his Dad's shoes but he's also discovering who he is as a person, trying to make friends and figuring out who he is. However, aside from his age and orientation, I'm not seeing too much different from Clark. Jon perhaps is a little quicker to talk first, maybe a little more reactive when trying to help people regardless of laws or politics.
Having said all that, the book is well written. Taylor continues to do a fine job of developing characters and putting in some decent action points as well. I liked various bits of dialogue between Jon and Robin, Lois and Jay. Taylor also tends to think outside the box a little and this arc contains a few of those points particularly with bringing in the threat from the Wildstorm universe, and a few of the moves that are made against Jon are creative. The art by Timms is fun and exciting. He has a nice blend of storytelling panels mixed with the occasional splash page to make a point. While he shows emotions well, I found his style of drawing faces looking a little odd at times.
It's a solid book and if you like the character you shouldn't be disappointed. For me, I'm perfectly happy reading the original Superman.
I'm not really interested in a young Superman/coming of age story which is really what this is. Dad is out of the picture (although not fully explained why) and Jon takes over. He has to not only fill in his Dad's shoes but he's also discovering who he is as a person, trying to make friends and figuring out who he is. However, aside from his age and orientation, I'm not seeing too much different from Clark. Jon perhaps is a little quicker to talk first, maybe a little more reactive when trying to help people regardless of laws or politics.
Having said all that, the book is well written. Taylor continues to do a fine job of developing characters and putting in some decent action points as well. I liked various bits of dialogue between Jon and Robin, Lois and Jay. Taylor also tends to think outside the box a little and this arc contains a few of those points particularly with bringing in the threat from the Wildstorm universe, and a few of the moves that are made against Jon are creative. The art by Timms is fun and exciting. He has a nice blend of storytelling panels mixed with the occasional splash page to make a point. While he shows emotions well, I found his style of drawing faces looking a little odd at times.
It's a solid book and if you like the character you shouldn't be disappointed. For me, I'm perfectly happy reading the original Superman.
November 27, 2022
This was my first DC comic and obviously, it would be Superman Son of Kal-El because it’s queer!
Other than the fact that the queerness is not fully addressed (not that it has to, in face I enjoyed that it was part of the story but didn’t need to be stated nor a huge deal), the actual storyline was intriguing. I was totally invested in the mystery and loved the action and meeting the supes.
The change of artist and style in chapter 4 threw me off, but was glad to see John Timm’s art back in chapter 5 & 6. Not that it was totally bad, but it was unexpected.
Excited to see where the next volume takes us!
Other than the fact that the queerness is not fully addressed (not that it has to, in face I enjoyed that it was part of the story but didn’t need to be stated nor a huge deal), the actual storyline was intriguing. I was totally invested in the mystery and loved the action and meeting the supes.
The change of artist and style in chapter 4 threw me off, but was glad to see John Timm’s art back in chapter 5 & 6. Not that it was totally bad, but it was unexpected.
Excited to see where the next volume takes us!
May 26, 2022
Ce premier volume de Superman, son of Kal-El, il avait fait pas mal parler de lui à sa sortie l’année dernière et j’avais un peu hâte de le voir arriver traduit vers chez nous.
Pour un peu de remise en contexte, Clark Kent et Lois Lane ont un fils, Jon, qui est lui aussi Superman, à temps partiel avec son père, jusqu’à ce que ça devienne un travail à plein temps quand celui-ci doit s’absenter.
Le début de ce tome est très compliqué puisqu’on nous explique que notre gentil héros est né dans une dimension parallèle et qu’il a vécu dans le futur où il a vu son père disparaitre et franchement, je trouvais ça super confus et ça me donnait presque envie d’abandonner alors que dans le fond, on s’en fiche un peu.
L’essentiel est de savoir que Jon, revenu dans le présent, a juste envie d’avoir une vie normale, ce qu’il ne peut pas, et que du coup il se décide à avoir une réelle influence sur la planète Terre, ce que son père a toujours refusé de faire parce qu’il ne s’en sent pas légitime, lui qui n’est pas né ici.
Jon, lui, veut combattre les inégalités, le réchauffement climatique, la crise des réfugiés, les injustices et pour ça il se rapproche de La Vérité et notamment Jay, un charmant jeune homme qui possède lui aussi quelques pouvoirs et qui cherche à alerter la population sur les dangers que représente le dictateur Harry Bendix, leader de Gamorra.
Hormis cette introduction assez indigeste, on est dans un premier tome qui pose bien les enjeux et les forces en présence, avec un personnage principal qui est attachant, des ennemis bien définis et un affrontement qui se prépare.
Le titre est très ancré dans son époque et très politisé, avec des problèmes sociétaux contemporains et, en effet, Jon est éveillé socialement et bisexuel, ce qui n’est absolument pas choquant d’autant plus qu’on manque toujours autant de représentativité positive de ce côté là.
Alors certes, c’est parfois un peu trop plein de bonnes intentions, mais je vois mal comment on pourrait le reprocher à un super héros qui est ultra positif, plein de bonne humeur et qui donne fortement envie de voir comment la suite de tout ça va bien pouvoir se passer.
Pour un peu de remise en contexte, Clark Kent et Lois Lane ont un fils, Jon, qui est lui aussi Superman, à temps partiel avec son père, jusqu’à ce que ça devienne un travail à plein temps quand celui-ci doit s’absenter.
Le début de ce tome est très compliqué puisqu’on nous explique que notre gentil héros est né dans une dimension parallèle et qu’il a vécu dans le futur où il a vu son père disparaitre et franchement, je trouvais ça super confus et ça me donnait presque envie d’abandonner alors que dans le fond, on s’en fiche un peu.
L’essentiel est de savoir que Jon, revenu dans le présent, a juste envie d’avoir une vie normale, ce qu’il ne peut pas, et que du coup il se décide à avoir une réelle influence sur la planète Terre, ce que son père a toujours refusé de faire parce qu’il ne s’en sent pas légitime, lui qui n’est pas né ici.
Jon, lui, veut combattre les inégalités, le réchauffement climatique, la crise des réfugiés, les injustices et pour ça il se rapproche de La Vérité et notamment Jay, un charmant jeune homme qui possède lui aussi quelques pouvoirs et qui cherche à alerter la population sur les dangers que représente le dictateur Harry Bendix, leader de Gamorra.
Hormis cette introduction assez indigeste, on est dans un premier tome qui pose bien les enjeux et les forces en présence, avec un personnage principal qui est attachant, des ennemis bien définis et un affrontement qui se prépare.
Le titre est très ancré dans son époque et très politisé, avec des problèmes sociétaux contemporains et, en effet, Jon est éveillé socialement et bisexuel, ce qui n’est absolument pas choquant d’autant plus qu’on manque toujours autant de représentativité positive de ce côté là.
Alors certes, c’est parfois un peu trop plein de bonnes intentions, mais je vois mal comment on pourrait le reprocher à un super héros qui est ultra positif, plein de bonne humeur et qui donne fortement envie de voir comment la suite de tout ça va bien pouvoir se passer.
July 29, 2022
This series started off strong for me with the first couple of issues. I was immediately hooked. There is a beautiful scene in the first issue where Jon Kent reaches out to a stranger who is scared and overwhelmed by his powers. He is burning and Jon reaches out as they are both engulfed in flames. The law enforcement was quick to attack. But, Jon took a chance at compassion. This is why I love Superman. The heart is big here. There are strong moments in the story, but as a whole it didn’t quite hit it for me (at least for this volume). For example, Jon and Jay’s relationship felt very rushed to me. And if I had to pin point where it started going downhill for me it would be issue 4. The artist isn’t credited on the issue #4 cover but inside the comic we do see a switch in illustration for this particular issue. The art done by Daniele Di Nicuolo really threw me off. I got distracted by it. For me, I did not like the switch in art and I was glad that they switched back to John Tim’s. And I’m sure there are people who like Di Nicuolo’s work. But the art became a barrier for me in this case. For these reasons I rated it a 3. I don’t think it’s terrible but I was hoping to like it more than I did.
February 7, 2023
★★★1/2
It seems like a lot of people dislike this one. Maybe because it wears its political little heart on its sleeve and has many references to current events. But I found it an enjoyable start to a run focused on Jonathan Kent coming into his own as Superman, having to take over after his father must leave Earth, perhaps permanently. It reaffirms what it can mean to be Superman as a symbol beyond just flying and throwing punches.
I also think that the social justice warrior stuff works well here, showing how Jon is essentially a college student looking for something to believe in and causes to fight for, which totally tracks with Gen Z college students these days. He’s just doing it as one of the most powerful beings on the the planet. It was also cool to see writer Tom Taylor include some of his Suicide Squad characters here as well.
I doubt that DC corporate would have the balls to keep Clark Kent away for very long, but I would love to see Jon’s coming of age story as Superman for longer.
It seems like a lot of people dislike this one. Maybe because it wears its political little heart on its sleeve and has many references to current events. But I found it an enjoyable start to a run focused on Jonathan Kent coming into his own as Superman, having to take over after his father must leave Earth, perhaps permanently. It reaffirms what it can mean to be Superman as a symbol beyond just flying and throwing punches.
I also think that the social justice warrior stuff works well here, showing how Jon is essentially a college student looking for something to believe in and causes to fight for, which totally tracks with Gen Z college students these days. He’s just doing it as one of the most powerful beings on the the planet. It was also cool to see writer Tom Taylor include some of his Suicide Squad characters here as well.
I doubt that DC corporate would have the balls to keep Clark Kent away for very long, but I would love to see Jon’s coming of age story as Superman for longer.
August 20, 2022
With Clark Kent off-world it’s up to Jon to step up to the plate, but being the son of Superman, he’s got some big shoes to fill.
Jonathan Kent is the Superman for the new generation. Despite being the son of Clark and Lois he does not feel like a mini me version of either of them. He’s got his own approach to being Superman and I love seeing that. I’m always a big fan of superhero/coming of age stories and this is exactly what this is. If you want to delve into to the world of Superman this story would be a good place to start.
While I did enjoy this I do have one complaint. I understand Jon Kent is supposed to be “the man of today.” But the approach when it comes to tackling societal issues in this book is not subtle at all and while I appreciate the mention of them I wish it was done in a way that didn’t feel so performative.
Other than that though I look forward to seeing Jon grown into the title of Superman and redefine the idea of what being a hero means to him.
Jonathan Kent is the Superman for the new generation. Despite being the son of Clark and Lois he does not feel like a mini me version of either of them. He’s got his own approach to being Superman and I love seeing that. I’m always a big fan of superhero/coming of age stories and this is exactly what this is. If you want to delve into to the world of Superman this story would be a good place to start.
While I did enjoy this I do have one complaint. I understand Jon Kent is supposed to be “the man of today.” But the approach when it comes to tackling societal issues in this book is not subtle at all and while I appreciate the mention of them I wish it was done in a way that didn’t feel so performative.
Other than that though I look forward to seeing Jon grown into the title of Superman and redefine the idea of what being a hero means to him.
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