Superman: son of Kal-El

[Superlad93]

Putting my hateboner for Taylor aside (much as I can anyway), Taylor talent is that he’s very good at character writing. He’s good at getting people to care about characters they didn’t before, he’s good at writing emotional moments that tug at your heartstrings or make you tear up or laugh, he’s good at “oh s***” moments. He’s the successor to Johns style blockbuster writing I would say. Like Johns he’s not good at handling big ideas or deep concepts, he’s not a Hickman or a Morrison. It was my hope that Fraction would get Jon’s book because Fraction is good at both the character and the high concept storytelling. Taylor will give Jon a solid foundation and make people like him, but don’t hold out hope for him to do anything meaningful with Superman tackling the “real” problems.

However he will probably be able to cement that Jon is a Superman who will engage with those topics, so that hopefully a better writer down the line will get Jon and be able to do something meaningful with it.

I agree with all that, and I've said as much on here before. I just found this to be a waste is all.

[Vordan]

I agree with all that, and I've said as much on here before. I just found this to be a waste is all.

If Jon is getting another book, perhaps it will be under another writer, one who is better handled to deliver on the potential of a Superman dealing with real world issues. Dunno who would be a good fit… unless it’s Yang! Damn now I hope it is, Yang writing a Stormwatch book with Jon on the team would rule.

[Digifiend]

When Rebirth started she was working somewhere else over in Supergirl. I think they tried to line it up with the CW Supergirl series. She was not at the Planet during Bendis' run, since he brought in his own "gossip" columnist.

Yeah, she had Catco like in the show. I guess they went bust so she ended up going back to the Planet.

[Frontier]

When Rebirth started she was working somewhere else over in Supergirl. I think they tried to line it up with the CW Supergirl series. She was not at the Planet during Bendis' run, since he brought in his own "gossip" columnist.

Yeah I remembered the new gossip columnist, couldn’t remember if Cat was still there. I prefer Cat running Catco, Grant as a professional rival to Clark and Lois is a fun concept.

Feel like Ron Troupe would've made more sense.

[oneveryfineday]

I do hope that Jay doesn’t have teleportation powers because Taylor already created a pink/purple-haired teleporting character with a red/blue flying partner. (I hope that Jay has some kind of stealth/perception powers instead since Jon deserves better than Taylor copy-pasting the dynamic from his OC couple)



It does bring me to my next theory though, where I think Taylor is going to combine his Revolutionaries concepts from his Suicide Squad run with the Wildstorm concepts. Taylor teased that Revolutionaries characters will show up in one of his books next month and I’m betting SoKE is the place he’ll do it. I think he’ll focus on Wink and Aerie in particular (shown above), firstly because he seems to favor them as he put them in DCeased and secondly because their backstories seem to line up with what’s happening in Jon’s book.

In issue 3 Jon interestingly calls Faultline a “post-human” instead of a “metahuman”. One reviewer pointed out how jarring this was but the wording might have been on purpose. In Taylor’s SS there’s a group known as the Post-Human Project that illegally experiments on people and turns them into metas.



Aerie and Wink were both kidnapped and experimented on by the PHP but managed to escape the facility together. The project could be how fire guy and Faultline got their powers. It’s possible that Jay was in the same situation but escaped like Wink and Aerie did. (And if Jay was experimented on, I wonder how much of his memories remained intact and how much residual control Bendix might have over him.)

Additionally, the project facility is located on an unknown island in the middle of the ocean, and this is prime opportunity for Taylor to place the facility on Gamorra, or at the very least have it run by Bendix.



Maybe Jay knows Wink and Aerie from his time there? Maybe they’re his “friends” he spoke about? All this would make Jay the connection between the Revolutionaries, the experimental metas, Gamorra, and Bendix. There’s already a lot going on but all the elements would neatly and efficiently come together in one character. And Jon meeting the Revolutionaries would also be interesting because, like the Authority, they’re a team of superheroes who uses extreme methods against corrupt governments and industries. Terrorists, freedom fighters, take your pick.

There’s also the fact that Wink and Aerie are a queer couple, which Taylor was nominated a GLAAD award for creating/writing. If Jon and Jay are going to be a thing, Taylor might want all of them to meet. It’s also quite likely that Taylor will receive another GLAAD nomination again for writing a queer Superman of all things.

So it’s not just Jim Lee trying to stuff his ideas into this Superman book lol

[brandnewfan]

As a gay man, I think it's great if they give Jon a boyfriend.

I think the same with Tim Drake.

My problem is that both the boyfriends look...or at least feel...very similar. Why do the boyfriends have to be feminine while the heroes masculine? In my experience, you can't always tell for sure when someone is gay. With both of the boyfriends you can definitely tell. I just think it's lazy writing/drawing to depict both of them that way. Marvel's Hulkling/Wiccan romance works because they seem more genuine.

I'm not saying there's no place for a feminine looking boyfriend. I'm saying we already have that with Tim Drake's new bf. Why does Jon's have to be so similar?

[Superlad93]

I do hope that Jay doesn’t have teleportation powers because Taylor already created a pink/purple-haired teleporting character with a red/blue flying partner. (I hope that Jay has some kind of stealth/perception powers instead since Jon deserves better than Taylor copy-pasting the dynamic from his OC couple)



It does bring me to my next theory though, where I think Taylor is going to combine his Revolutionaries concepts from his Suicide Squad run with the Wildstorm concepts. Taylor teased that Revolutionaries characters will show up in one of his books next month and I’m betting SoKE is the place he’ll do it. I think he’ll focus on Wink and Aerie in particular (shown above), firstly because he seems to favor them as he put them in DCeased and secondly because their backstories seem to line up with what’s happening in Jon’s book.

In issue 3 Jon interestingly calls Faultline a “post-human” instead of a “metahuman”. One reviewer pointed out how jarring this was but the wording might have been on purpose. In Taylor’s SS there’s a group known as the Post-Human Project that illegally experiments on people and turns them into metas.



Aerie and Wink were both kidnapped and experimented on by the PHP but managed to escape the facility together. The project could be how fire guy and Faultline got their powers. It’s possible that Jay was in the same situation but escaped like Wink and Aerie did. (And if Jay was experimented on, I wonder how much of his memories remained intact and how much residual control Bendix might have over him.)

Additionally, the project facility is located on an unknown island in the middle of the ocean, and this is prime opportunity for Taylor to place the facility on Gamorra, or at the very least have it run by Bendix.



Maybe Jay knows Wink and Aerie from his time there? Maybe they’re his “friends” he spoke about? All this would make Jay the connection between the Revolutionaries, the experimental metas, Gamorra, and Bendix. There’s already a lot going on but all the elements would neatly and efficiently come together in one character. And Jon meeting the Revolutionaries would also be interesting because, like the Authority, they’re a team of superheroes who uses extreme methods against corrupt governments and industries. Terrorists, freedom fighters, take your pick.

There’s also the fact that Wink and Aerie are a queer couple, which Taylor was nominated a GLAAD award for creating/writing. If Jon and Jay are going to be a thing, Taylor might want all of them to meet. It’s also quite likely that Taylor will receive another GLAAD nomination again for writing a queer Superman of all things.

So it’s not just Jim Lee trying to stuff his ideas into this Superman book lol

Only thing I'll add is that "post-human" was actually the term used for metas in the Wildstorm comics days. In particular Stormwatch had a post-human division.

Also, yeah, I could see Taylor threading the needle with Jay, Faultline, and the other Bendix creations with Wink and Aerie.

I'd rather Taylor use the opportunity to give Jon his own supporting cast rather than just looking for a spot for his past creations. I'd honestly say that Jon deserves better than Taylor using him as a platform for his OCs to remain relevant. But conceptually, without thinking of that, it works on its own.

I would really love to see Jog again! Plus, he does have the New Gods connection that the Superman line seems to want to push (with Lightray) on some level, so that would be cool. Aerie is also very clearly a solid parallel to Wildstorm's Swift if they want it.

[Vordan]

https://twitter.com/tomtaylormade/st...573351427?s=21

Looks like there’s a good chance those of you who want the Revolutionaries back will be getting that.

[JorgeJ77]

As a gay man, I think it's great if they give Jon a boyfriend.

I think the same with Tim Drake.

My problem is that both the boyfriends look...or at least feel...very similar. Why do the boyfriends have to be feminine while the heroes masculine? In my experience, you can't always tell for sure when someone is gay. With both of the boyfriends you can definitely tell. I just think it's lazy writing/drawing to depict both of them that way. Marvel's Hulkling/Wiccan romance works because they seem more genuine.

I'm not saying there's no place for a feminine looking boyfriend. I'm saying we already have that with Tim Drake's new bf. Why does Jon's have to be so similar?

He doesn't have to be gay. I think he's fine being straight.

[Blue22]

I mean...He didn't say he has to be gay. He just said that he'd like it if he was.

I don't really care either way. But if he is gay (or bi, or whatever), I hope Jay's not seriously the love interest they're going with. The similarities to Clark are still bad enough without him hooking up with a fucking journalist. One who even idolizes Lois. Like, come on. You're not even being subtle now.

[Superlad93]

So The Revolutionaries are very likely Jay's friends he mentioned as predicted in this thread?

And now Jon doesn't want anything to do with the Justice League because of its treatment of his father? Plus he's going to be a fairly controversial figure around the world?

I'm sorry but is Taylor just flat out making his own Justice League made up of OCs and Jon Kent? Like, you got your strong lady, fast guy, fish dude, pointy eared bad ass fighter, and even a bird lady. All that was actually missing was, well, Superman. Now you have one. Plus, as a friend pointed out, Superman & The Revolutionaries works as a great counter point to Superman & The Authority.

You ain't f%&king slick, Taylor!

[TheKryptonMan]

Yeah I read Superman just after Action and it really annoyed me, they don't even try anymore...

Hey, the old days with the "triangle" on the Superman books actually helped a lot :-)

[TheKryptonMan]

He doesn't have to be gay. I think he's fine being straight.

Actually Jon could be gay, straight, or bisexual or asexual . Half his DNA is Kryptonian and back in Byrne's continuity, Kryptonians were not portrayed as being sexual in any way. But I actually don't know which continuity we're following at the moment.

[JorgeJ77]

Actually Jon could be gay, straight, or bisexual or asexual . Half his DNA is Kryptonian and back in Byrne's continuity, Kryptonians were not portrayed as being sexual in any way. But I actually don't know which continuity we're following at the moment.

Sorry, I was cranky

[witchboy]

As a gay man, I think it's great if they give Jon a boyfriend.

I think the same with Tim Drake.

My problem is that both the boyfriends look...or at least feel...very similar. Why do the boyfriends have to be feminine while the heroes masculine? In my experience, you can't always tell for sure when someone is gay. With both of the boyfriends you can definitely tell. I just think it's lazy writing/drawing to depict both of them that way. Marvel's Hulkling/Wiccan romance works because they seem more genuine.

I'm not saying there's no place for a feminine looking boyfriend. I'm saying we already have that with Tim Drake's new bf. Why does Jon's have to be so similar?

I'm also gay, and I love that we're getting a gay male Super after all these years.
I do agree about Jay. Not just that he's easily pigeonholed into the feminine one, but that he's a journalist...too much of a Lois parallel, I'd much rather see something more imaginative.
I was talking earlier today about how people associate masculinity with power, and there's this ingrained societal expectation of what relationships look like so that fictional gay couples can have a stereotypical male/female dynamic.