Superman: son of Kal-El

[OopsIdiditagain]

That could actually pretty fascinating to explore, and it could lead to some intentional or unintentional commentary on unhealthy co-dependency.

It would also be a really interesting way doing a love interest specific to Superman, and an interesting spin on the "world of cardboard"/"Superman always holds back" concept.

Like, Jon could have "flare ups" that would require Jay being there to help him work through it while also keeping people around Jon safe.

There are some potentially really interesting ways to explore the concept of Superman level powers here. And with power level being such an important aspect of Jon that's been really harped on in and out of the comic, I think we'll more than likely dive deeper into it than just this issue.

It's hilarious how your predictions are always on the mark.

Sidenote/incoming spoiler



What is it about Jay that makes the things he says sound so shady? He had some Light Yagami vibes towards the end of this issue.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Low self-esteem, codependency, there are a couple of red flags in this budding relationship... Not that it's a bad thing though!


I'm staying on this rollercoaster ride

[sifighter]

If I can I be honest I didn’t read into it any red flags, it’s just that this is a beginning of a relationship where we don’t know as much about the other person. But Jay hasn’t done anything really creepy, and I thought the “I can’t be hurt” comment was kind of sweet in a way.

[Journey]

The moment was ruined by the art & the fact on several instances Jon looked exactly like Clark, this issue deserved a much better artist.

[Journey]

It's hilarious how your predictions are always on the mark.

Sidenote/incoming spoiler



What is it about Jay that makes the things he says sound so shady? He had some Light Yagami vibes towards the end of this issue.

It's the art It's intentional to make him look sus.

[Quinlan58]

I've been on the "Jay is high-key suspiscious" train since the second issue, but I didn't read anything particularly shady in this one. Yeah, maybe the way Jay presented himself as "the only person Jon doesn't have to worry about" sounds like it might develop into some unhealthy dependency, but it doesn't really come across as that if you're not immediately defaulting to the worst possible interpretation (which I get, because otherwise this was a very unspectacular issue, gotta project something of interest in it).

Liked Jon getting rid of the cape temporarily to look like his FS version. Should get rid of it permanently.

Also, Jay has socks on before the kiss and no socks after the kiss. Thought I'd point it out.

[sifighter]

I've been on the "Jay is high-key suspiscious" train since the second issue, but I didn't read anything particularly shady in this one. Yeah, maybe the way Jay presented himself as "the only person Jon doesn't have to worry about" sounds like it might develop into some unhealthy dependency, but it doesn't really come across as that if you're not immediately defaulting to the worst possible interpretation (which I get, because otherwise this was a very unspectacular issue, gotta project something of interest in it).

Liked Jon getting rid of the cape temporarily to look like his FS version. Should get rid of it permanently.

Also, Jay has socks on before the kiss and no socks after the kiss. Thought I'd point it out.

Maybe Jon’s just that good a kisser

[Superlad93]

I doubt Taylor will go into the toxic dependency territory. I do however think there's a very good shot of him twisting Jay's words from "I'm the one person in the world you don't have to worry about" to "I'm the one person in the world you can't physically hurt" if/when Jay turns. The same way Magneto's helmet leaves him as the one person in the world that Prof X's mind can't mess with. Couple that with the idea of a antagonist being a former lover who knows the ins and outs of you in ways that no other foe does, and that's a very powerful anti-hero.

____________

Really, really, really, really, REALLY hope Taylor does something with the seed he sowed with Jon's half Kryptonian/half human nature making for differences in him biology that aren't all relatively positive.

Bendis was playing with this idea during his run, and it seems be showing back up. What I'm talking about is the fact that under Bendis Jon seemed as dependent on food and sleep as a normal human even while under the yellow sun. Bendis would have Jon complain about hunger often, and eat food with such vigor that it even got Clark to comment on it. That's when I looked back and noticed that in the upcoming annual Jon's eating an apple after he comes in from flying. Didn't think much of it at first, but now with this issue pointing out that Jon does get tired/over taxed like a normal person, I think it's worth taking a closer look.

I like the idea that Jon may be physically the most powerful of the family (if not the Kryptonian race as of the 21st century), but he's able to get tired, hungry, or thirsty in ways that Clark, Kara, or Zod simply don't have to worry about.
__________

I wonder what "super adrenaline" would look like for Jon? You have to assume Kryptonians don't produce adrenaline in the conventional sense under the yellow sun, but rather their bodies just eat more solar energy. So if Jon's more inconvenient human biological functions are still, well, functioning even under a yellow sun then that means he has adrenaline that's amped up by the yellow sun, I imagine.

He'd probably be physically unstoppable for the roughly 1 hour and adrenaline rush could last. Basically "super kaioken". But then he'd have a serious crash and system shutdown very shortly after. Could honestly be a really cool power.

[Vordan]

Liked it. Pretty solid issue of Jon doing Superman feats that save people while also kissing Jay for the first time. Given that moment was posted all over the Internet it took the emotional punch out of the issue, but that can’t really be helped. Man the new colorist just makes the art look so much better, real nice improvement. This is the first time that Jay also didn’t come across as shady, I think we’re supposed to interpret his interactions with Jon as sincere and well intentioned here. They’re going after Bendix next issue so we may start seeing some hints about if Jay has a darker side then.

Jon being stronger than full blood like his dad or artificial hybrid Kryptonians like Conner but having to eat and sleep because he can’t sustain himself just on yellow sunlight is a great way of balancing Jon as powerful and Jon as relatable. His extra power comes with drawbacks.

Oh and it already went back for a reprint

[Betinayen]

I doubt Taylor will go into the toxic dependency territory. I do however think there's a very good shot of him twisting Jay's words from "I'm the one person in the world you don't have to worry about" to "I'm the one person in the world you can't physically hurt" if/when Jay turns. The same way Magneto's helmet leaves him as the one person in the world that Prof X's mind can't mess with. Couple that with the idea of a antagonist being a former lover who knows the ins and outs of you in ways that no other foe does, and that's a very powerful anti-hero.

____________

Really, really, really, really, REALLY hope Taylor does something with the seed he sowed with Jon's half Kryptonian/half human nature making for differences in him biology that aren't all relatively positive.

Bendis was playing with this idea during his run, and it seems be showing back up. What I'm talking about is the fact that under Bendis Jon seemed as dependent on food and sleep as a normal human even while under the yellow sun. Bendis would have Jon complain about hunger often, and eat food with such vigor that it even got Clark to comment on it. That's when I looked back and noticed that in the upcoming annual Jon's eating an apple after he comes in from flying. Didn't think much of it at first, but now with this issue pointing out that Jon does get tired/over taxed like a normal person, I think it's worth taking a closer look.

I like the idea that Jon may be physically the most powerful of the family (if not the Kryptonian race as of the 21st century), but he's able to get tired, hungry, or thirsty in ways that Clark, Kara, or Zod simply don't have to worry about.
__________

I wonder what "super adrenaline" would look like for Jon? You have to assume Kryptonians don't produce adrenaline in the conventional sense under the yellow sun, but rather their bodies just eat more solar energy. So if Jon's more inconvenient human biological functions are still, well, functioning even under a yellow sun then that means he has adrenaline that's amped up by the yellow sun, I imagine.

He'd probably be physically unstoppable for the roughly 1 hour and adrenaline rush could last. Basically "super kaioken". But then he'd have a serious crash and system shutdown very shortly after. Could honestly be a really cool power.

you know i really want his theories to be real, but Taylor is such a poor , mediocre writer i don't see him doing anything as cool as his theories but i hope i'm wrong about taylor , this comic needs a shake up because is very lukewarm ,I need to say again the art is horrible and it bothers me .

[Vordan]

Man you guys really hate Timms . Maybe they can grab Travis Moore or one of DC’s gay artists who has a more realistic style to do an issue? Timms does great actions scenes so I enjoy having him for issues like this one where Jon saves people.

One issue I do want to raise is that Jon has yet to fight a super villain. He’s only contained Bendix’s experiments, rescued people, and confronted the man himself. Lex is coming but Taylor couldn’t write Lex well to save his life in DCeased, so I’m not too optimistic there and I’m sure Lex is basically just showing up to let people know he’s leaving Metropolis for a while. How long before Taylor actually makes a real supervillain fight for Jon however, either against one of his dad’s foes or giving him his own? Is Jay meant to be Jon’s first supervillain in addition to first boyfriend?

[Superlad93]

you know i really want his theories to be real, but Taylor is such a poor , mediocre writer i don't see him doing anything as cool as his theories but i hope i'm wrong about taylor , this comic needs a shake up because is very lukewarm ,I need to say again the art is horrible and it bothers me .

I personally like hoping for the best, and while I do think *some* of this will make it into Taylor's run, I'm not holding my breath on all of it.

___________

I'm reminded of how Rogol Zaar (the creature Bendis created that blew up Krypton) would be seen very frequently eating and resting between fights, but he was far stronger than any Kryptonian, and it was said that Jor-El "created" him. At one point Bendis was on twitter and someone pointed out that during his run Jax-Ur said that Jor-El didn't "take responsibility for his CHILDREN" (as in more than one) Zaar was being shown wearing the House of El S. I've long since thought that Zaar was intended to be Jor-El's bastard son and Clark's older half brother, but DC pulled back once he didn't catch on. Then ironically Superman & Lois gave Clark a half brother anyway.

But my point being, Zaar would've been half Kryptonian, but needed to eat and sleep like he had Jon doing in his run. Zaar seemed to be Bendis giving us a glimpse at what a fully grown Jon would be capable of, and what his drawbacks would've been. It was a really neat idea, but Zaar needed to be more compelling.

[Superlad93]

Man you guys really hate Timms . Maybe they can grab Travis Moore or one of DC’s gay artists who has a more realistic style to do an issue? Timms does great actions scenes so I enjoy having him for issues like this one where Jon saves people.

I really think this book should've had a more "grounded" art style to really make it feel tangible. It just really under cuts the gravity of what Taylor's writing is even trying to deal with. I mean, we're talking about literal asylum seekers, protest, police brutality, Superman going to jail in solidarity of a movement, Superman protesting with a real life movement, addressing the climate crisis, a school shooting, military brutality, human trafficking, and battling the leader of a nation.

Tackling those issues visually with Timms' more flat and low detail traditionally cartoony style really sucks out all of the air from it. It's almost like making light of the issues with the more light and breezy tone Timms brings. You wouldn't get horror artist to do a Daffy Duck comic that's just a normal Daffy Duck comic.

It would likely be too much to hope for, but Mikel Janin, Olivier Coipel, or Daniel Sempere would all be better fits. I'd also go for David Marquez if you're looking for something both grounded yet fun and sexy. But Timms style just isn't it.

This book is high profile as hell right now, but-- and with all due respect to Timms-- you wouldn't really know it.

[Journey]

Man you guys really hate Timms . Maybe they can grab Travis Moore or one of DC’s gay artists who has a more realistic style to do an issue? Timms does great actions scenes so I enjoy having him for issues like this one where Jon saves people.

One issue I do want to raise is that Jon has yet to fight a super villain. He’s only contained Bendix’s experiments, rescued people, and confronted the man himself. Lex is coming but Taylor couldn’t write Lex well to save his life in DCeased, so I’m not too optimistic there and I’m sure Lex is basically just showing up to let people know he’s leaving Metropolis for a while. How long before Taylor actually makes a real supervillain fight for Jon however, either against one of his dad’s foes or giving him his own? Is Jay meant to be Jon’s first supervillain in addition to first boyfriend?

I hate the way he draws faces Jon looked a HARD 40 several times! Not to mention he looked just like Clark & not in a their related way just like yo that's Clark Kent kinda way his art just doesn't work for the entire comic as a whole.

That would be so toxic but also imagine date nights Jon gets done saving the day him & Jay have a spat over morals just for Jay to show up with flowers & chocolate to smooth over his wrong doings!! Lowkey that would be iconic if they can make it work. Lmao

[Journey]

Also Capeless Jon remains superior it sets him apart from the rest of the family.