Official : Bendis gets both books

[JAK]

Just had a crazy thought... early on, a mention was made that Jon seemed to have a growth spurt when he spent time in space. What if that's an effort by Jor-El (or someone) to age Jon up into the mentality he wanted out of Clark, and the radiation (or whatever) is affecting Jon in ways he can't totally control?

And maybe, just maybe, after this is all done, Jon will have whatever it is purged from his system to save him, leaving him just a bit older than he was (and thus a tad more self-sufficient in general)?

Much like Clark doesn't age, I think it'd be good to keep Jon (and Damien, for that matter) fairly young - even with no real reason or excuse for it. While it's not necessarily a bad idea in and of itself, there's also no real narrative reason for doing that when other characters (Conner, Tim, etc) can fill those roles already. So from a narrative standpoint, I feel there aren't enough opportunities created by it than there are un-fillable voids left by it. But temporarily, as a plot point? Sure.

[Superlad93]

That's totally possible. However, I'd personally like to think Jor-El was in fact doing what was physically best for the boy, though. I think that grays the conversation between him and Clark more, and allows for good points to be made on both sides, as opposed to the uncovering of an almost going over the same ground as the Manchester Black arc, Black Dawn with the growth stunting milk and Chester messing with the kid's power and promising him more power later. Makes Jor-El a more three dimensional character. Now that we've got him, I'd rather he be something more than evil. A tactless jerk? Sure. But Oz/Chester? I'd rather not right now.

And in terms of the narrative reasoning for it? Eh, narrative reasoning in long comics is more or less only applicable to the run you're in at the moment. The writer takes the ideas from the other runs before them and they decide what they want to directly follow up, recontextulize, or stay away from. Like, there was no narrative reason for Pre-52 Superman to become this world's Superman, or for the New 52 Superman to die. New 52 Superman's death in particular was a massive recontextualization of events from the past year or so that the writers decided would kill him. It's all about how you work the story you're writing. There is no set rule that says two male "teen" (in the physical sense. Both character are chronologically either under 13 or just 13 from what we know so far) Super characters function at the same time. I mean, Batman has Duke, Tim, and Damian who are all teen men (Damian is about 13 or 14). Also Dick and Jason are both men in their 20s.

I'm no writer but I can think of at least a reason or two for why it's okay that Jon and Conner can stand at roughly shoulder height to one another. At this stage, I can't say that we're poorer for not having kid Jon because I don't know what's in it's place, and I obviously wouldn't know if it should be a permanent thing or not.

[Sacred Knight]

Thinking about Superlad's theory some more I got to thinking and wondering if Zaar's burns are self-inflicted. They're like Jor-El's burns, suggesting its Kryptonite-related. Maybe he used the stuff at some point to purposefully burn and "purge" the hated side of him.

[Superlad93]

Thinking about Superlad's theory some more I got to thinking and wondering if Zaar's burns are self-inflicted. They're like Jor-El's burns, suggesting its Kryptonite-related. Maybe he used the stuff at some point to purposefully burn and "purge" the hated side of him.

That totally works in a cracked mirror of Clark's (and Jon's) life sort of way. Like, Zaar had the same "this is who and what you really are" moment that Clark had with his parents and Jon had with Clark and Lois, but, due to finding out that his Kryptonian half is the cause of his life as a orphan/ward of the Circle (I'm assuming), he couldn't help but take the Kryptonite to himself. Thing is though, he'd have to have found out much later in life because he's still fine when he asks the Circle to deal with Krypton.

My main theory is still that he went to Krypton, unwitting, before it was gonna blow looking to do it himself, but he's faced with Jor-El who, wracked by the being the absentee Ned Stark to Zaar's Jon Snow, forces him back onto (or to stay in) his ship and attends to his family and sends off Kal. Zaar's caught in the blow back of the explosion.

[Yoda]

SUPERMAN #8
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by IVAN REIS, JOE PRADO and BRANDON PETERSON
cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by ROB LIEFELD
The epic secrets of Superman continue to unfold! A few months in space with his paternal grandfather Jor-El changed Jon Kent forever. With Jon now seeking help from his father, the Man of Steel must learn about the war his son and father fought together and set right the wrongs his father may have unleashed on other worlds. See what changed Superboy in such radical ways as the Unity Saga continues.
ON SALE 02.13.19
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED T
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.

Solicit to go along with the Superman #8 cover. I'm willing to forgive a lot of things for Superman, but not a Rob Liefeld variant!

[Miles To Go]

SUPERMAN #8
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art by IVAN REIS, JOE PRADO and BRANDON PETERSON
cover by IVAN REIS and JOE PRADO
variant cover by ROB LIEFELD
The epic secrets of Superman continue to unfold! A few months in space with his paternal grandfather Jor-El changed Jon Kent forever. With Jon now seeking help from his father, the Man of Steel must learn about the war his son and father fought together and set right the wrongs his father may have unleashed on other worlds. See what changed Superboy in such radical ways as the Unity Saga continues.
ON SALE 02.13.19
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED T
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.

ACTION COMICS #1008
written by BRIAN MICHAEL BENDIS
art and cover by STEVE EPTING
variant cover by ESAD RIBIC
The superstar creative team of writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Steve Epting dig into the DC Universe in this sweeping espionage epic that’s shattering the agencies—and heroes—dedicated to protecting the world! As the D.E.O. falls, only Jimmy Olsen may hold the answers to helping Superman and Lois Lane uncover who’s behind the attacks rocking the DC Universe’s biggest clandestine organizations. And when the Suicide Squad’s Amanda Waller makes a shocking discovery, can she help the trio understand the truth before the balance of power shifts to Leviathan forever?
ON SALE 02.27.19
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
FC | RATED T
This issue will ship with two covers.
Please see the order form for details.

[Yoda]

RE: Action 1008- I was really hoping he would include Lois in the Levithan arc and I'm very happy to see that that seems to be the case.

[DragonPiece]

Both books look like they are finally starting to get into what Bendis has been teasing for a while, very excited.

[Dispenser Of Truth]

That Action cover = the content I crave. And the Superman solicit is interesting; Jor (and apparently NOT Jon) may have instigated a space war? That Jon's going to Clark for help certainly suggests that whatever changes have been made to him, they're not so profound that he won't still go to his dad. In fact, if whatever this is is something Jor started, that could easily explain Jon seeming so angry - he was the one who wanted to go off with him, and he could easily blame himself for not seeing through him or stopping him in time, or if this isn't as simple as Jor-El genuinely being an outright villain he could have some firey conflicted feelings. In any case, whatever Jon's going through, I'm not seeing anything to suggest that'll manifest in the form of negative feelings towards his family or Earth.

[LordUltimus]

I do like that cocky grin on Jimmy's face in that cover. Reminds me of All-Star Jimmy (the BEST version of Jimmy who should be the canon Jimmy, fite me).

[Dispenser Of Truth]

Worth noting as it’s Bendis-overseen: it seems Superman will be an at least semi-regular presence in Wonder Twins.

[Cmbmool]

After seeing the latest Superman cover for February, I get a sense of Deja vu all over again if Bendis isn't careful with these Superman titles.

[Superlad93]

Damn....I'm gonna try my level best not to jinx this, but Action Comics 1008 looks like utter gold. I need this comic in my life as soon as humanly possible. Like, I'm a sucker for literally everything in that solicit. Also, Epting on that cover AND inside?! This was made for me.

The solicit for Superman actually goes a long way in reminding me more of Rick and Morty lol But yeah, I'm hoping for Jor-El to stay away from being an actual villain, but rather just be an ******* with a point but awful at getting it across. Like, I'm thinking it may be tied to what Jor-El's idea of Kal-El helping Earth was. Maybe it's Jor-El forcing technological and cultural advancements on planets? That would explain why Jon would ever help him with his faculties intact. And it has precedent within his character from back in Rebirth during events like Black Dawn or even Oz Effect where he's actively questing his dad's way of heroics. I like how it's made clear that Jon is coming to his dad for help. That's a nice indicator of his character right of the bat.

Also, frakin Ribic on a variant?! Lets go!!

[Jackalope89]

Well, Bendis did it. He killed my interest in the Super line.

"See what changed Jon in such radical ways!"

So, now we get Bendis' OC that just happens to be named Jon Kent. And went from 10 to 14 in months. Lois suddenly "wanting space" from her family to focus on "writing" (even though in Rebirth she said otherwise). Not to mention suddenly leaving Jon alone with Jor-El...

So done with it.

[Truman Burbank]

Oh man...that Superman 8 solicit just hurts. Not just for the destruction of Jon as a character, but Jor-El too. I know DC's really been going hard for years with the "all Kryptonians except Superman and Supergirl are actually douchebags" trope, but don't drag Jor-El into that hell.