Jon Kent Appreciation 2019

[Blue22]

Well, that's actually been the intent since his conception under Jurgens. In a newsarama interview for Superman: Lois and Clark Jurgens said "the way I describe him [Jon] is that he looks like Clark but has Lois’ spitfire attitude and inquisitiveness.".

Eh. If that was the intent, they probably should have gotten on the same page as the artists. Cuz, appearance-wise (up until his legion makeover) I've always seen more of Lois in Jon. Especially if Conner's (basically a younger version of Clark) physical features are anything to go by XD

Meanwhile, I've always found his personality to be more similar to Clark's than Lois'...though there are still definitely hints of Lois. It's usually Damian's fault, but Jon's got a bit of an attitude and is a bit more of a rule breaker than I'd imagine a little Clark to be lol

This. No idea is ever original. It's all about working the concept to its fullest potential whatever generation. All members of Jon's family have joined the Legion in some continuity, why deny him the opportunity just because everyone else has done it before him? It worked with Super Sons, I'm hoping the same goes with LoSH.

You do make a fair point. But this just seems a little...too on the nose for me. Like you said, it's all in the execution....but I don't really have a lot of faith in said execution.

Of course there's also my own personal bias since I never liked the Legion and still wish they would have put Jon on the Titans instead (you know...the reason he went off with Jor-El and got aged up in the first place...The ones who explained that he wasn't rejected based on anything he did wrong but for what they were doing wrong...but he still treated it like a slight against him XD)

[Sam]

You do make a fair point. But this just seems a little...too on the nose for me. Like you said, it's all in the execution....but I don't really have a lot of faith in said execution.

Of course there's also my own personal bias since I never liked the Legion and still wish they would have put Jon on the Titans instead (you know...the reason he went off with Jor-El and got aged up in the first place...The ones who explained that he wasn't rejected based on anything he did wrong but for what they were doing wrong...but he still treated it like a slight against him XD)

Well, it's a matter of presentation too. Sure Robins and Superboys have been friends before. But Connor and Tim are very different characters with their own incredibly distinct personalities from Jon and Damian and they've never gotten a book that exclusively focused on their relationship. Bart and Cassie are almost always there too. Plus, Super Sons was very focused on what it means to be a kid, whereas Connor and Tim have always been very much teenagers in their presentation. It's a totally different dynamic.

Everything Bendis has done with Jon has stripped away his uniqueness as a character. He comes off so much blander now and it feels like shipping him off to the Legion is just sending him as a Clark proxy rather than Jon Kent, Jon minus the Jon. The method used of getting him to this age really did't help with that either. So it feels like rather than a natural development the reason Jon is going with the Legion is because the Legion needed a Superboy, not because it actually made sense for his character.

[manwhohaseverything]

I think i agree with sam. Sending jon to legion wouldn't be a bad idea. But, to tell the truth i feel the timing of it is pretty bad. Jon is not what he used to be.It's like they truncated jon uniqueness to make him like clark. Now, these same idiots will try make jon distinct from clark in all the wrong ways, i am afraid.

[Superlad93]

Well, speaking of Jon and the Legion, I thought I'd share this here

This seems to take place in the pages of Legion: Millennium issue 2 (of 2). You can see our immortal female protagonist in the bottom right. So, this is likely before Jon gets his new suit.

But I do seem to notice that Jon's scar is in fact gone. Granted it's blurry or could be an artist error (I notice Jon is wearing his current suit but his boots are blue and red like his upcoming one), but that's what it looks like.

[manwhohaseverything]

That suit is actually looking good. But, still i am still upset bendis made jon in teen and gave new 52 like edgy with line costume and didn't give him a sword or make him a space ninja. I hope they keep Jon's messy hair. I would love it if that costume wasn't so clean. Is it me or does he look younger than the rest?

[Frontier]

Jon's sure changed looks pretty quick over the past few years .

[manwhohaseverything]

Jon's sure changed looks pretty quick over the past few years .

Well, this is the old look. Which is funny considering how new it is. He will be getting a new look, i believe. I still think the costume as the kid was the best one.there is no contest.

[Superlad93]

So, I had a potentially cool idea based on the above pic and a friend's theory: what if Jon and Mon-El have a bit of a rivalry for a bit?

I'm suggesting this because a friend suggested that Mon-El may have never been trapped in the Phantom Zone, but rather is originally from the 32nd century, and is also a decedent of Clark's (and by extension Jon). Based on the picture we got Mon seems almost cocky (while Dream Girl fawns over him) the way he's posing while everyone else is quite casual in one way or another (with the exception of one of Triplicate Girl's selves and possibly the regal Princess Projectra in the back). So, what if Mon, having powers comparable to a Kryptonian was kind of the team's big gun/go-to guy, and Jon joining the team threatens that?

Could be an interesting way to go about the Superboy/Mon-El relationship when other incarnations were almost immediately friends.

[Frontier]

So, I had a potentially cool idea based on the above pic and a friend's theory: what if Jon and Mon-El have a bit of a rivalry for a bit?

I'm suggesting this because a friend suggested that Mon-El may have never been trapped in the Phantom Zone, but rather is originally from the 32nd century, and is also a decedent of Clark's (and by extension Jon). Based on the picture we got Mon seems almost cocky (while Dream Girl fawns over him) the way he's posing while everyone else is quite casual in one way or another (with the exception of one of Triplicate Girl's selves and possibly the regal Princess Projectra in the back). So, what if Mon, having powers comparable to a Kryptonian was kind of the team's big gun/go-to guy, and Jon joining the team threatens that?

Could be an interesting way to go about the Superboy/Mon-El relationship when other incarnations were almost immediately friends.

Unless they overhaul Mon-El's personality I would only really care for a playful kind of rivalry. Mon would probably try and help Jon acclimate more then he would see him as competition.

I think Mon looks less cocky and more trying to stand attention in serious hero mode. He's even in the classic hero pose with his hands on his hips.

I hope they don't make him and Dreamy a thing. I think the positioning of characters is pretty random (and maybe that's just how this version of Dream Girl is with everyone), although he's also right next to Shadow Lass.

[Konja7]

Well, it's a matter of presentation too. Sure Robins and Superboys have been friends before. But Connor and Tim are very different characters with their own incredibly distinct personalities from Jon and Damian and they've never gotten a book that exclusively focused on their relationship. Bart and Cassie are almost always there too. Plus, Super Sons was very focused on what it means to be a kid, whereas Connor and Tim have always been very much teenagers in their presentation. It's a totally different dynamic.

Everything Bendis has done with Jon has stripped away his uniqueness as a character. He comes off so much blander now and it feels like shipping him off to the Legion is just sending him as a Clark proxy rather than Jon Kent, Jon minus the Jon. The method used of getting him to this age really did't help with that either. So it feels like rather than a natural development the reason Jon is going with the Legion is because the Legion needed a Superboy, not because it actually made sense for his character.

I am not exactly understand the "blander" part about teen Jon.

I mean Jon has been pretty relegated in the story of Bendis, so we can't see a lot about his personality. However, his personality doesn't seem so different from kid Jon.


I mean I understand people just like Jon as a kid (I really like him as kid), but he wouldn't be more or less blander just because his age is different.

[Superlad93]

Unless they overhaul Mon-El's personality I would only really care for a playful kind of rivalry. Mon would probably try and help Jon acclimate more then he would see him as competition.

I think Mon looks less cocky and more trying to stand attention in serious hero mode. He's even in the classic hero pose with his hands on his hips.

I hope they don't make him and Dreamy a thing. I think the positioning of characters is pretty random (and maybe that's just how this version of Dream Girl is with everyone), although he's also right next to Shadow Lass.

"Cocky" was probably a poor choice of words. But yeah, there's a sort of stick-up-his-butt feel where he's the only one really standing at attention trying to look like he's about to be on a box of cereal while nearly everyone else is looking relaxed and casual. He's trying too hard. I really think him standing photo-ready with Dream Girl literally draped over him gives him almost this "popular kid" feel. I legitimately can't read it any other way.

I think there are gonna be a fair amount of personality overhauls big or small since this is a reboot, and it's all fair game.

I really think some sort of legitimate rivalry between Jon and Mon might be interesting. Even if it comes to pass, I can only image that it would be so it can lead to Jon and Mon as friends.

[manwhohaseverything]

I am not exactly understand the "blander" part about teen Jon.

I mean Jon has been pretty relegated in the story of Bendis, so we can't see a lot about his personality. However, his personality doesn't seem so different from kid Jon.


I mean I understand people just like Jon as a kid (I really like him as kid), but he wouldn't be more or less blander just because his age is different.

I diagree. No, adult jon doesn't have the same personality as kid jon. And it is not because of age either. It's because of design, artstyle and writing for him. Jon was able to draw you in as a kid in a couple of issues, before. Bendis hasn't been able to do that with adult jon.so panel time isn't an issue.
Jon was goofy, expressive, quirky and energetic before. He isn't anymore. Therefore comes of as bland. He was a bundle of joy. He had a sunny personality. Now, he doesn't. Kid had a panel presence. Now he doesn't. .
Saying kid jon's personality is the same as adult jon is like saying dick grayson and clark kent have same personality.

This the best expressive sunny scene adult jon has been.
Compared to this

You can how dynamic he is. How emotive as kid he was with dialog and art.he went from placating the dog to scolding robin.
Not to mention the grounding factor and relatability of kid jon. He had to go to school, do chores, get home before bedtime, had homework.. Etc. He would get in to trouble with parents. He Wanted appreciation from peers. He also had bullies at school.now he doesn't have any of those things.

How can anyone relate to adult jon? Where is the grounding factor?

[Konja7]

I diagree. No, adult jon doesn't have the same personality as kid jon. And it is not because of age either. It's because of design, artstyle and writing for him. Jon was able to draw you in as a kid in a couple of issues, before. Bendis hasn't been able to do that with adult jon.so panel time isn't an issue.
Jon was goofy, expressive, quirky and energetic before. He isn't anymore. Therefore comes of as bland. He was a bundle of joy. He had a sunny personality. Now, he doesn't. Kid had a panel presence. Now he doesn't. .
Saying kid jon's personality is the same as adult jon is like saying dick grayson and clark kent have same personality.

This the best expressive sunny scene adult jon has been.
Compared to this

You can how dynamic he is. How emotive as kid he was with dialog and art.he went from placating the dog to scolding robin.
Not to mention the grounding factor and relatability of kid jon. He had to go to school, do chores, get home before bedtime, had homework.. Etc. He would get in to trouble with parents. He Wanted appreciation from peers. He also had bullies at school.now he doesn't have any of those things.

How can anyone relate to adult jon? Where is the grounding factor?

A lot of what you mention is not personality, but story and background.

Almost all those things you mention about kid Jon (that I liked too) were built through many issues. In change, teen Jon is almost totally relegated since he appear in the story.

I don't even trust Bendis much (especially his writing about Jon), but if the character can be retable it will depend on the new stories (that focus on Jon) he writes.


PS: Bendis may sped things up, but situations (and writing) in Jon's life were going to change sooner or later, since comics change writers all the time.

[manwhohaseverything]

A lot of what you mention is not personality, but story and background.

Almost all those things you mention about kid Jon (that I liked too) were built through many issues. In change, teen Jon is almost totally relegated since he appear in the story.

I don't even trust Bendis much (especially his writing about Jon), but if the character can be retable it will depend on the new stories (that focus on Jon) he writes.


PS: Bendis may sped things up, but situations (and writing) in Jon's life were going to change sooner or later, since comics change writers all the time.

How is being quirky and goofy not personality trait?

[Konja7]

How is being quirky and goofy not personality trait?

That why I said "a lot" (not all).

I think teen Jon was still goofy in Supergirl.

The problem with Jon in Superman is that he is pretty relegated in this story. I mean kid Jon would be similar if he has the same role teen Jon has in this story.