Superman: son of Kal-El

[Superlad93]

I’m intrigued, what are you referring to? Something from his Deathstroke/JL runs?

Honestly, it was just something he randomly brought up in an interview for either JL or the Superman issue for Deathstroke way back when, and I never forgot it. It wasn't so much what he said, but rather the thinking behind it.

Basically he called Superman just a buffed out Tom Hanks. The whites white dude to ever white dude (my words, not his). He wasn't someone that Priest himself related to outside of Priest being a minister, and similar to Clark having to get up everyday and see the good in a not so good world.

Not groundbreaking, but it's the Tom Hanks and "I don't really relate to him" bit that got me. People like to say that you're not supposed to relate to Superman because his mind and code are so beyond our own, and rather we're supposed to aspire to be like him. But this Tom Hanks idea, and the really specific way Priest didn't shy away from the fact that Superman is an able bodied good looking white dude with the world very firmly in his pocket got me thinking.

What is Superman other than the personification of privilege? Very often like in Earth One Clark is depicted as a man so spoiled for choices of where his future can go that it's ridiculous. It's not a question of CAN he get a job but rather one of does he want what he can easily get.

It's around this point where the Clark Kent idea starts to breakdown in the modern world. We're supposed take his choice to become a reporter as him putting the needs of others ahead of his on comfort, but it's often so convoluted and not at all genuine to what you're seeing on the page because like two pages ago we just saw that Clark could probably cure cancer for his day job. So you've got to treat it as what it is: it's HIS choice not because reporting helps people, but rather because he likes to write.

But you're not allowed to show Clark being selfish in that way. Then we get into the increasingly more uncomfortable immigrant metaphor that wasn't even at the forefront of his original take. His OG take was one of assimilation. But the modern immigrant metaphor tries to paint him as this put upon X-Man who does thankless work for those that hate him, and doesn't fit in. But that's not genuine because of the simple fact that I have eyes, and can read. Once again, Superman "not fitting in" is a choice he makes because as previously established he can do literally anything, is a white dude, and looks like a movie star's perfectly molded wax statue that happens to move.

This brings us to Jon. You simply can't run away from the metaphor of privilege and nepotism with him...and that's a GREAT thing. Jon Kent as a second generation ultra powerful dude represents what very real power looks like today. The kind of power that shapes everyone's lives on a whim. If old money had a physical personification it's the powers of a Superman, is it not? There is no immigrant metaphor to hide behind, and now he has no "mild mannered" secret identity to say "represents the little guy". Jon is not the "little guy". He is in fact the BIGGEST GUY in the DCU, and he was made that before he was even born.

As a writer in the 21st century and in the 2020s you are more than obligated NOT TO run from this idea because it is VERY important today.

I had a female friend (who is also a woman of color) of mine drop some serious knowledge on me a while back, and it's stuck with me since. We were talking about how fiction is taking the opportunity of this era to lift up minorities and place them in positions of power to help heal a fundamentally broken system, but what she said floored me. She said something to tune of "why is it all on us?" I had no idea what she meant, but she explained that while it's great lifting up these characters and creating these new ones, it's also kind of "passing the buck and the responsibility of advancement onto people coming from the bottom." She wondered why the already privileged and established heroes of fiction weren't changing how the world works. Or why the equally or more privileged offspring of said heroes weren't doing the same. She said that minorities doing it alone allows for if the thing doesn't work then you've got a scapegoat in the form of them. And that the idea that this is for empowerment is a little condescending. "Yes, I know I'm independent and can make **** happen, but that shouldn't exclude me from help."

To me, Jon, out of literally any character in DC-- if not maybe popular fiction (not even joking)-- represents the idea of an ally with the means to help, and no way of giving him some sort of appropriated sob story. There is an overabundance of story to tell when you don't shy away from this. There is so much character work to be done here because you then make it about Jon learning and listening. Again, Bendis was already doing this with Legion, and he made the great choice to make Jon kind of a loveable dip **** who meant well and had the power and charisma to get **** done if he wanted. If that's not the perfect representation of a well meaning old money kid then I don't know what is.

But no, that's fine, lets make him Clark lite instead, that's totally what we need in today's day and age. Ironically, the current best take on Jon Kent is the horribly underused Superman and Lois Jon. Put that charming idiot in a comic, add powers to him, and you've got it.

[Superboy-Prime]

Am I the only person in this thread who likes Superman: Son of Kal-El?

[manwhohaseverything]

But you're not allowed to show Clark being selfish in that way. Then we get into the increasingly more uncomfortable immigrant metaphor that wasn't even at the forefront of his original take. His OG take was one of assimilation. But the modern immigrant metaphor tries to paint him as this put upon X-Man who does thankless work for those that hate him, and doesn't fit in. But that's not genuine because of the simple fact that I have eyes, and can read. Once again, Superman "not fitting in" is a choice he makes because as previously established he can do literally anything, is a white dude, and looks like a movie star's perfectly molded wax statue that happens to move.

I firmly believe this is misreadinv.Considering he had to literally put on a glasses and play a guy he is not.And i wouldn't call that choice or assimilation..Just an act..I mean,it was literally an act.Real assimilation is a choice.True..Clark's assimilation was "geeh!it sure would be great if i were back home on krypton..but,since i am stuck here..having a second home is great too". something along those lines.

Not my words..Btw..It's siegel's from the story "superman's return to krypton".Mort wiesinger created modern superman.Alan moore presumes mort weisinger's family came from europe during pogroms.Characters like superman have a lot of their authors in them...if you read into it.Cause they choose to put themselves in the character inadvertently or otherwise.

The company can brand superman as whatever..But,the authorial writing and design traces remain.Don't believe me?he is still doing the gladiator shtick and wear a underpants suit that's connected to circus.The experiences are not in third person view.It's superman's experiences we read.Unlike bruce wayne, who literally had to go pretend to be poor in chris nolan films in order to experience that side.

Superman was the champion of depression era..In a world full of bruce waynes,oliver queens,tony starks and Don Diego's.He was a dude with nothing taking the world by storm.The company decided to have him be moderate figure more and more..The middle man.

If anything,the only thing that doesn't work is his damn burden..His nostalgia ridden savior shtick and utopian heavenly visions.Marvel doesn't emphasis on saviors shtick(Admittedly all superheroes have it)..It chooses to emphasize on responsibility that comes with exceptionalism..not just any kinda of exceptionalism.exceptionlism that's earned through acts of altruism,effort..etc..That's why iron man clangs metal and cap jumps on a grenade.

As for his race,hernan is still superman.

[OopsIdiditagain]

Am I the only person in this thread who likes Superman: Son of Kal-El?

No, there's also me.

[sifighter]

Am I the only person in this thread who likes Superman: Son of Kal-El?

No, there's also me.

Third, I generally like Tom Taylor's writing and honestly given how we have so many crossovers, events, and just dark moments it's nice to have a book where the main character is just going on fun adventures.

[ZuLuLu]

Am I the only person in this thread who likes Superman: Son of Kal-El?

No, there's also me.

Third, I generally like Tom Taylor's writing and honestly given how we have so many crossovers, events, and just dark moments it's nice to have a book where the main character is just going on fun adventures.

Fourth here!

I have been overall enjoying it, the main criticism that I've had is that I'll like to see Taylor develop who Jon is outside of Superman.

[Magmaster12]

I like it too but I don't care too much for Jay I find him to be a pretty boring character and I'd rather see Jon with a relatively normal personal life being Superman all the time is going to take a serious toll on his mental health and I seriously think this will end with Jon realizing to be his own person it's okay to give up.

[Journey]

I like it too but I don't care too much for Jay I find him to be a pretty boring character and I'd rather see Jon with a relatively normal personal life being Superman all the time is going to take a serious toll on his mental health and I seriously think this will end with Jon realizing to be his own person it's okay to give up.

If torture for seemingly years by a person who looks just like his dad in a volcanoe didn’t effect him in the slightest like AT ALL (Thanks Bendis) I highly doubt putting on the cape all the time will.

[Rac7d*]

I like it too but I don't care too much for Jay I find him to be a pretty boring character and I'd rather see Jon with a relatively normal personal life being Superman all the time is going to take a serious toll on his mental health and I seriously think this will end with Jon realizing to be his own person it's okay to give up.

Jay need a 4 issue mini that fleshed out his personality and abilities. That’s Shazam companion piece for Titans was such a nice side quest it was more fun the. The main story and allowed us to really meet this academy student.

[Quinlan58]

Jay ocassionally acting in ways that could be construed as shady was the highlight of every issue of SoKE I read, so I never really understood the complaints. There's certainly more going on with him than with the entire rest of the book.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I read the first few issues, got bored and dropped it along with Wonder Girl. I am Batman is in the same boat but I prefer Jace over Jon and Yara. So I'm sticking with it for another arc.

[DABellWrites]

I appreciate that, thank you!

I'd never place myself above these people that do this for a living, but I do think the vast majority of people (fan included) are so dead set on what Jon represents-- be it The Son of Superman, the cute kid of the family, Damian's friend, or "the queer Superman"-- that they forget that there's actually a great character in his own right just sitting there. The context that he was born into-- at even a base level-- leaves him in a position to be such a fun character/Superman.

It's all on the page. I didn't make it up. Any writer working today that's willing to just take a look beyond what he represents could have themselves the legit Superman of the 21st century.

__________

As an aside, it genuinely shocks me that Taylor or those that work at DC's Superman editorial don't even get what Jon really "represents" and how powerfully needed it is right now. The only writer who has ever even hinted at this when it comes to the Superman IP is Christopher Priest. It's something that you take a step further and works so much better for Jon. This would be the only thing that I'd ever be interested in digging into when it comes to what Jon represents. And I think it's something that truly enhances and legitimizes his claim to the Superman in a way that this empty climate crisis take simply doesn't. And again, it's something that's Jon's and Jon's alone.

Let's not forget many writers started off as fans before they started touching these characters. The only people in Marvel and DC who weren't originally fans were the people who created these characters during the golden and the silver age.
Also, yeah. This will be a problem for years to come. At the end of the day, we're all fans. We all have our own view of these characters.

[Hypo]

Superman: Son of Kal-El #8 Preview
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Cian Tormey

[ZuLuLu]

Superman: Son of Kal-El #8 Preview
Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Cian Tormey

The previews look great, love Tormey's art, it does seem like he'll be the artist on the book going forward.

[Vordan]

The previews look great, love Tormey's art, it does seem like he'll be the artist on the book going forward.

He worked with Taylor before so I hope it’s a good partnership. Could still have Tormey and Tim’s alternate art duties but we’ll have to wait and see.