Jon Kent: Superboy Appreciation 2020

[Celgress]

More unique than anything Bendis has written *shrugs*

True, but, admittedly Bendis Superman is a low bar.

[Journey]

Can anyone name one definitive personality trait from Teen Jon? Just one?

[Light of Justice]

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[Blue22]

Can anyone name one definitive personality trait from Teen Jon? Just one?

...Awkward around bland psychic girls, I guess? I don't know. Aside from that poorly written exchange before the world's most awkwardly drawn kiss, I don't really see anything in this Jon that I wouldn't see in a young Clark. Or even current Clark. So I'll give props to Future State Jon, at least. He's...definitely not his old man.

[Journey]

It gets even better when you acknowledge how they hardly interacted before Bendis's sloppy Teen Jean Redmption Parody Kiss. Either it's just her bossing him around, begging him to stay, and him just not having any concept of what's going on around him this "romance" is trash.

[Journey]

...Awkward around bland psychic girls, I guess? I don't know. Aside from that poorly written exchange before the world's most awkwardly drawn kiss, I don't really see anything in this Jon that I wouldn't see in a young Clark. Or even current Clark. So I'll give props to Future State Jon, at least. He's...definitely not his old man.

Future State Jon actually sounds like an interesting character and his own person something Bendis has failed to establish for Jon throughout a year and half make it make sense......

[Light of Justice]

For me both boys are best when they were written by their respective creators. A.k.a Morrison Batman and Robin for Damian and Superman : Lois and Clark for Jon. That's the peak Damian character and Jon character for me. Supersons makes them sillier for jokes, but to be honest that book is basically about 2 kids interacts with each other as kids. We can't expect some deep characterization and development because the books is just not for that.

About current Damian and Jon version, I don't completely hate them, I kinda accustomed with my favorite characters personality shift, but what makes LOSH and Glass's TT so infuriating for me is the premises and their team's attitude for them. If Legions books portrays Jon as Extremely Savior Angel, Glass's TT portray Damian as Extremely Dooming Devil. With. No. Logical. Reason. Not to mention both Jon and Damian gradually turned to the said personifications. I love Terminus Agenda protocol, think that mind wiping is kinda effective tactic, but huge no for trying to make his team commits murder with him. And Teen Jon, he's just..ugh. Like seriously, Saturn Girl know about his crush since they've met by reading his mind, normal people will be super embarrassed and flustered, but what? I hope I haven't offended you? What kind of bullshit is that?

Btw, I found a good analysis about Jon's character and the impact of Supersons to Jon's character on this site https://hiranayuki.tumblr.com/post/1...r-sons-yet/amp

But I don't hate Supersons. That book is fun and indeed created for fun. I enjoy reading Damian and Jon on light and happier plot. But I will not use that book as foundation of Damian and Jon's characterization.

[Blue22]

But I don't hate Supersons. That book is fun and indeed created for fun. I enjoy reading Damian and Jon on light and happier plot. But I will not use that book as foundation of Damian and Jon's characterization.

For Damian? No, of course not. He's been around way too long for one lighthearted book to define him. Reading Morrison and Tomasi's Batman and Robin books, as well as Gleason's Robin: Son of Batman, are where you wanna look to if really wanna know who Damian. Super Sons is just a fun side-adventure for him. Nothing more and nothing less. As much as I wish it did get more serious at times (particularly when Talia got involved) I'm fine with it being what it is for Damian. It's no different than his pre-flashpoint stint with the Teen Titans (which is still way better than either of his more recent Titans runs). Or his team ups with Steph and Supergirl. For as serious as Damian is, he's still a kid. Sometimes it's okay to show that.

Jon though...I'd say Super Sons and Tomasi's Superman (which, were pretty much compliments to one another) are actually good foundations for him as a character. Those books are to Jon what Morrison and Tomasi's Batbooks were to Damian. At least that's how I've seen it.

[km_sus]

I'm consistently surprised about how much this board dislikes Jon in Super Sons, but gives a free pass to Bendis' Jon, who is hands down the blandest version of the character put to print. I'm also surprised that people discredit Tomasi, when he's pretty much the only writer I can think of that cares about keeping Jon and Damian relevant, behind Morrison for Damian. I think people have to realise that characters, like real people, have multiple aspects of their personality. Damian can be a more jovial sort with Jon because his time with him is removed from the insanity and bat daddy drama back in Gotham.

[Blue22]

I'm consistently surprised about how much this board dislikes Jon in Super Sons, but gives a free pass to Bendis' Jon, who is hands down the blandest version of the character put to print.

Wait what? The majority of the forum is the exact opposite. You'll find more people here asking for Tomasi's Jon to come back than you will anyone asking to keep Bendis' version around.

[km_sus]

I don't know... lurking around threads the past few days I've seen almost as many people decrying Jon and his portrayal in Tomasi's Super Sons than the people who want him back as he was. I'll reevaluate from what you said. Perhaps it's a case of me paying too much attention to a vocal minority.

[Blue22]

Eh. Aside from like one or two people, they aren't that vocal. At least not as vocal as the people who've hated Bendis' time with DC.

Look no further than this thread. Most of the people who want Jon to stay also follow that up with "But make him a kid again"

https://community.cbr.com/showthread...ost-Bendis-era

[km_sus]

A lot of lurkers voted in the poll for him to come back, but many of the users in the replies said they really didn't or had a lot of issues with him (which is fine, totally within in their right to dislike Jon). Ultimately you're right, they are in the minority, but I still saw a sentiment against Jon and his over inclusion in Superman's stories. I also think that there are prominent users who post a lot that also happen to dislike Jon, which is why I had the perception that there was a sizeable contingent on the board that disliked Jon. Which is, again, totally within their right to do so.

Although you have shown me that the silent majority at least really like young Jon and wants him back, so thank you.

[Korath]

Can anyone name one definitive personality trait from Teen Jon? Just one?

What are the personality traits of Kid Jon beyond being a one-dimensional goofy good kid ?

I mean. Teen Jon is almost sheepish, clearly embarassed by all those peoples who look at him and see either his Dad's shadow or even his own "future" version, where he just can't see himself as Superman. He's still somewhat goofy, as seen when as soon as he was unsupervised, he wanted to bring in Damian because, why not? And he got a lot to show, when you think about it : he endured Earth-3 while keeping the moral compass his parents instilled in him, without letting this experience scare him or make him edgier. He even avoid being a show-off, and favors remaining in the background over taking the forefront of the team.

And it's that sort of lack of confidence in himself, and yet is absence of reluctance to do what he can do best if the needs arise make him really a great character in my eyes, and why I'm super hyped for his Future State book(s), because from what we learnt in the solicitations and interviews and everything, I can totally see how teen Jon would become adult Jon and do the choices he'll do. He's a young man who is somewhat crushed by who is Dad is, and I can perfectly understand it, but he powers on nonetheless to do what he feels is right.

And that's what makes him really interesting, and even a great character to me.

[Journey]

What are the personality traits of Kid Jon beyond being a one-dimensional goofy good kid ?

I mean. Teen Jon is almost sheepish, clearly embarassed by all those peoples who look at him and see either his Dad's shadow or even his own "future" version, where he just can't see himself as Superman. He's still somewhat goofy, as seen when as soon as he was unsupervised, he wanted to bring in Damian because, why not? And he got a lot to show, when you think about it : he endured Earth-3 while keeping the moral compass his parents instilled in him, without letting this experience scare him or make him edgier. He even avoid being a show-off, and favors remaining in the background over taking the forefront of the team.

And it's that sort of lack of confidence in himself, and yet is absence of reluctance to do what he can do best if the needs arise make him really a great character in my eyes, and why I'm super hyped for his Future State book(s), because from what we learnt in the solicitations and interviews and everything, I can totally see how teen Jon would become adult Jon and do the choices he'll do. He's a young man who is somewhat crushed by who is Dad is, and I can perfectly understand it, but he powers on nonetheless to do what he feels is right.

And that's what makes him really interesting, and even a great character to me.

No he's an on the rack version of a young Clark who does nothing but look around like an idiot while a bunch of random **** pops off and he just tries to keep up. Crushed by who his dad is my butt, what you label as "enduring Earth 3" is him not even acknowledging what should be a traumatic experience for being tortured for who nows how long in a Volcano by a man who looks exactly like his dad down to every cell simply cause Bendis can't even keep up with his own plot. He has no personality, charisma, substance of any kind and was shoved into some basic romance straight out of a YA novel for shock value. If you like the character that's fine but let's be factual now grass growing is more interesting than teen Jon.