Official : Bendis gets both books

[Sacred Knight]

You know me, I'm not invested in the family. But I mean the reality is this, for all my kicking and screaming, they ARE parents. Whether I prefer it or not. So make them good ones. Superman made friends with the Legionnaires on his own, and indeed they probably did offer a healthy release of his feelings in regards to his own budding abilities God bless them but that's something Jonathan and Martha could never relate to. As a father himself now, Superman can relate in all those ways with his son. Pretty much better than anyone else can. Wouldn't it be best for him to help his son if he comes back with problems, as most are imagining he will? I just imagine it and it creates some weird optics.

As with everything, its all about execution though, of course. In the end with all this we'll find out soon, at least.

[Superlad93]

In fact a better balance than if Jon were to be the one joining the Legion. I mean, they could achieve a similar balance if it were Jon going to the Legion but going fulltime and being absent from the Superman books and the entire present day. But I don't see that happening. I still think sooner than later they'll want to tackle Jon and Damian with Jon's new age, I mean Jon and Damian together was probably more than half of the reason for even bringing him into main canon, so I wouldn't see him leaving the present day in any sort of "permanent' capacity to team with the Legion any more than I think that'll be how they do it with Kon.

Thematically Jon joining the the Teen Titans feels flat for what was set up in Man of Steel. Jon says that the Teen Titans rejected him, and Clark tells him to simply wait a few years then try again. I think the flat option--thematically speaking--is Jon joining the Titans now because a few years have passed for him in such a short about of time after he voiced this. I think what's actually likely is that Bendis or the Teen Titans writer Adam Glass will do a Super Sons reunion arc/issue, and, going off Bendis' summer camp analogy, it'll be a change in taste and priorities for Jon. When you're a kid you think you'll absolutely die if you don't get this relatively super important thing to you right then, but then you get a bit older and it's less of a big deal and you've got other stuff on your mind.

I think it'll be story to touch base and give Jon a choice in what seems to be Bendis' hero's Journey for our young Superboy. But maybe the most compelling bit of evidence that Jon isn't joining the Teen Titans, in my opinion obviously, is the fact that he had Jon call them "the gold standard of superhero teams." To me, given how much of a superfan Bendis is of the Legion, it's a direct challenge. He's probably just cast Jon and as every real life kid and adult that likes DC. It's like him saying "kid, you just don't know." I think it's a punchline. Not the most compelling evidence in the world, sure, but I'm very confident in it. Quote me on that one.

[Yoda]

Weirder optics than the parenting we've seen in Man of Steel and Action 1004? I'd analogize it to a boarding school situation maybe, so I don't know that it'd be that weird. The upcoming Superman arc should elaborate on some of this, assuming Jon is even a reliable narrator in the end.

[manwhohaseverything]

You know me, I'm not invested in the family. But I mean the reality is this, for all my kicking and screaming, they ARE parents. Whether I prefer it or not. So make them good ones. Superman made friends with the Legionnaires on his own, and really he didn't have anyone else to really help him with his feelings of isolation in regards to his abilities. I mean, god bless him but that's one thing Jonathan couldn't relate to. Superman can, directly. Wouldn't it be best for HIM to help his son? I just fear for a feeling of a parent shipping their kid off to a foster family.

Exactly, how I feel. Jon is this happy go lucky kid with peers for guidance. His story is basically a coming of age story. He is a superhuman normal kid.he is not an outcast nor does he feel isolated(till he left to space with a stranger). He was just coming to terms with reality of superheroics and the dark side of it. That was his arc. He is not Clark in that regard. He is not a loner.
I completely agree with you. Clark and Lois are parents so make them good ones. This is one of the reasons why I hated action comics 1004 and the whole leaving the kid with stranger. I would like to see this experienced Clark be like the all might figure for Jon, heck even his cohorts. He can pop up in the Jon's supersons or teen titan book. Same with Lois. She was a badass mother in Tomasi's run I want that, as far as Jon is concerned. I am still iffy about the whole push over Clark thing, careless-i-need-to-write-book Lois thing.Everything else, bendis seems to be doing great.

[OpaqueGiraffe17]

I think Sacred’s right on this. If Bendis wanted to tease Jon being the new Legion superboy, it would have made more sense to just post an image of the Clark Kent version of Superboy and the Legion. The image Bendis chose suggests he wants fans to know he’s following up on an old story possibility with Conner that was teased years ago. Plus this being Conner’s big comeback, it makes sense to give him one book that’s going for nostalgia (Young Justice), and use another to put him in a newer role for him (Legion of Superheroes.)

[Superlad93]

As a father himself now, Superman can relate in all those ways with his son. Pretty much better than anyone else can. Wouldn't it be best for him to help his son?

Yes, in a physical sense Clark relates very well to his son, but there's obviously more to it. By this point Jon's spent maybe a 1/3 of his life in space. And while Clark can relate to that because of work and his life in general, as Bendis, Tomasi, and Jurgens have proven, Clark's default is a relatively normal life. He doesn't get that as often as he likes, but it's what he defaults to when given the option. Jon is said to be coming back with a new world view, and I think there's gonna be some some aspects of his life that he's just not synced with any more mentally. That's not to say he'll be totally different (as we saw in issue 6) but stuff like a secret identity, going to Earth school, and being confined to one planet may not be his thing anymore, and that's something Clark is almost at fundamental odds with.

What I see going down is Clark and Lois putting their money where their mouth is on this "we're not a normal family" thing. I see Bendis treating the Legion (at least in Jon's case) as a boarding school where he visits home on weekends. It's something he immediately did with Miles in Ultimate Spider-Man, and continued to do it to great effect. It would be the ultimate way to have Jon in the Superman books while literally anywhere or when else. I'm seeing more and more parallels between Jon now and what Bendis did later with Miles (this Earth-3 story has a very direct Miles parallel), so I can very much see it.

Plus, his dad's friends are likely his dad's age, and with Bendis' love for creating new character, I think it's almost assured that if Jon joins he'll have his on peer group to work alongside.

[Sacred Knight]

Weirder optics than the parenting we've seen in Man of Steel and Action 1004? I'd analogize it to a boarding school situation maybe, so I don't know that it'd be that weird. The upcoming Superman arc should elaborate on some of this, assuming Jon is even a reliable narrator in the end.

Definitely weirder than MOS. I was always fine with Man of Steel. Lois went with so I never had a problem with that agreement. Things only got bad for me with Action #1004, when it was revealed she left early, left him alone, and that this decision didn't bother her at all. That indeed was bad and that's what I'd like to avoid happening again.

That said I'm not saying any situation to do it would be inherently bad. In this case, to all of Superlad's above points, if it were done like that I honestly wouldn't mind it. A school that he goes to and comes home from regularly, that all sounds fine. If that were to be what went down, that would satisfactorily answer my question of "Why?". I still think its going to be Kon, at least at first upon their return to the scene, but in these contexts, I wouldn't be as afraid of Lois and Clark looking bad if they end up involving Jon.

[Kon93]

Even Superman nor batman is currently having that many appearances. So, I do think Kon being in young justice and Legion is pushing it along with titans, young justice, new52 dcau.. Etc. Along with two main super titles regarding over flooding the market with him. There is a reason batman and some of the ip's are not allowed in certain places.on the flipside, Kon being invited on to the Legion has a history.
Regarding Jon, something with damian would be fine. But I still don't understand the need to age him up for that. As long as it is not the current teen titan. Sheesh! That would be a nightmare

That's 2 comics,where he wouldn't be the main star,he would be 1 of many in the ensemble,so that's not flooding the market with him.

And YJ and Reign has the JL and pretty much the whole dang DCU in them,why you think just him being there is gonna be a problem is odd.

Jon should be with his parents,I know TV shows and every other thing likes to keep the kids away from their parents,but in the real world we actually like to keep our kids with us until they are old enough to take care of themselves.seeing as though lois and Clark are supposed to be great ppl,they should be totally against him leaving(oh wait a minute they already let him leave with a nutjob once) another time

[Kon93]

I never liked that miles went to a school for the entire week and went home to his actual parents only for the weekend when it was all in the same city.parents want to raise their kids,I know it's a crazy concept nowadays,bit yeah some actually do,and u cant if your not there.

Remembr when Bendis sent Jon into space and gave his dad a way to communicate with him,then trashed it almost immediately,well who is to say that wouldn't happen again,but in the far flung future?

I hate the idea of part time or no time parents,mostlynwith a character like superman who was raised by 2 loving parents who were there for him until they died.

I can see SB being on more than 1 team easily,he is the poster child for DC teen teams.hell put him on the Ravers team also,that way he has 1 on earth,1 in the future,and 1 in the far corners of the universe

[Superlad93]

I never liked that miles went to a school for the entire week and went home to his actual parents only for the weekend when it was all in the same city.

I didn't see the issue there, and I don't see it here. Miles would often go home and spend the night in his room even on weekdays if he was around or just needed to talk with his parents. Jon would have access to a time bubble, thus allowing him to do the very say thing, but, ironically, faster and more efficient.

Funny enough, I just realized that if this were the case Jon would actually be in the same city as his parents (maybe even just a block or two away), but just at different times. Kind of strengthens the Miles comparison while putting it on a Superman sized level.

well who is to say that wouldn't happen again,but in the far flung future?

Not to be flippant or anything, but the answer is the writer, Bendis, says if it will or won't happen again, and that it happened in the first place. But given how linked they seem to be making Superman and the Legion as pre Johns' wishes since he started to write Superman, I'd say the back and forth from the future isn't a tall ask at all.

I mean, Johns even wrote a story where, by using a flight ring, Lois got in contact with the Legion, and she asked them over for dinner on a Friday night.



This could very easily be Jon, home for the weekend, talking to his parents about what he did that week in the future.

he is the poster child for DC teen teams.

I don't agree with this. That spot probably belongs to the concept of Robin. Dick, Tim, Damian, and Jason have histrionically been on almost every team imaginable in the DCU. From the Outsiders to the Justice League, DC makes sure it has a current or former Robin on the team--sometimes multiple teams.

[Sacred Knight]

I'll tell you what though, if they were to do something like Jon going to "school" in the future, I'm calling My Hero Academia rip off.

And I wouldn't at all consider that a bad thing.

[Superlad93]

Not a bad thing

[Kon93]

I didn't see the issue there, and I don't see it here. Miles would often go home and spend the night in his room even on weekdays if he was around or just needed to talk with his parents. Jon would have access to a time bubble, thus allowing him to do the very say thing, but, ironically, faster and more efficient.

Funny enough, I just realized that if this were the case Jon would actually be in the same city as his parents (maybe even just a block or two away), but just at different times. Kind of strengthens the Miles comparison while putting it on a Superman sized level.



Not to be flippant or anything, but the answer is the writer, Bendis, says if it will or won't happen again, and that it happened in the first place. But given how linked they seem to be making Superman and the Legion as pre Johns' wishes since he started to write Superman, I'd say the back and forth from the future isn't a tall ask at all.

I mean, Johns even wrote a story where, by using a flight ring, Lois got in contact with the Legion, and she asked them over for dinner on a Friday night.



This could very easily be Jon, home for the weekend, talking to his parents about what he did that week in the future.



I don't agree with this. That spot probably belongs to the concept of Robin. Dick, Tim, Damian, and Jason have histrionically been on almost every team imaginable in the DCU. From the Outsiders to the Justice League, DC makes sure it has a current or former Robin on the team--sometimes multiple teams.

That gives all the power in Jon's hands,and if anybody was actually raised right by their actual parents,that isnt how it works.

I'm sure to teenagers this situation must seem really "cool",but it's not,it shows how much lois and Clark are NOT good parents or wanting to be parents.

Um the bat family is a dysfunctional mess with issues that a shrink would take years going through.ma and pay Kent were the ultimate parents in the DCU,and they raised the greatest hero ever.

[Robanker]

To be honest, I always figured Clark would spend some time after school and on weekends in the future (likely returning an equal length of time from when he left so as to not age asynchronously) when he was growing up with Smallville, even if DC doesn't explicitly state so. Some kids go down the street to hang out with friends after school. Down the timestream isn't too big a stretch for Superman and the same could be said for his son. If anything, my only problem with Jon spending time with the Legion is that I really miss the supporting cast Tomasi and Gleason built for him in their Superman run.

It all depends on execution. I can totally see some of the Legionnaires telling Jon about their dad's time as Superboy, maybe some embarrassing stories he wouldn't normally share.

[Kon93]

To be honest, I always figured Clark would spend some time after school and on weekends in the future (likely returning an equal length of time from when he left so as to not age asynchronously) when he was growing up with Smallville, even if DC doesn't explicitly state so. Some kids go down the street to hang out with friends after school. Down the timestream isn't too big a stretch for Superman and the same could be said for his son. If anything, my only problem with Jon spending time with the Legion is that I really miss the supporting cast Tomasi and Gleason built for him in their Superman run.

It all depends on execution. I can totally see some of the Legionnaires telling Jon about their dad's time as Superboy, maybe some embarrassing stories he wouldn't normally share.

Hanging out down the street with friends is cool,but u go home every night.jon can hang out with friends in the future,but go home every night.thats a good compromise,so you get him in the future,but he still is with his parents every night