The Second issue of Son of Kal-el was a bit more disappointing than the previous issue. Being even more hamfisted and cringe-worthy than the last issue. While there are some redeeming aspects to this issue, the bad is definitely out ways the good for me, at least. I am glad that some people like it; I genuinely wish to share the same feelings as some of you; I'm a big Superman fan. I just don't see this going very well at all. I will stick around with it for a couple of more issues to see if it gets better. If not, then I'll probably stop reading.

That's the summary of my feelings; you are welcome to read my whole opinion of the issue below.

Obvious spoilers for Son of Kal-el #2

I'll start with the things I do like about this issue, It's a short list, but I would like to be at least a little optimistic. I liked the scene where Jon saved a boat of people and was called Superman by one of the people he saved. It felt at least slightly earned and in a better issue would have probably been inspiring. Superman in this issue was also conveyed pretty well in this issue. Being portrayed in a villainous way, though not because he is a secret villain, but because him just being his father puts a lot of responsibility on Jon's shoulder's that he did not ask for. It actually could be an excellent parallel to Nightwings anxieties and fears about living up to Batman. That could be a pretty neat idea though I doubt they will fully explore that in any meaningful way.

Now the things I did not like from this issue, I'll start at the beginning of the comic because that's where my frustrations truly begin. I honestly did not expect the comic to start out this mediocre. The most astonishing thing about the first few issues is it starts out with a school shooter pulling out a gun and almost killing students. It was so sudden that it was honestly a little offensive; this situation was not handled with any amount of grace or subtlety. I obviously didn't catch it if it was supposed to be some sort of social commentary because I was too blindsided about how ignorant and disrespectful it was. All of that so that Jon could lose his secret identity; I understand if you don't want Jon to have a secret identity, but honestly, any other situation would have been a better excuse than that. Moving past that, Jon proceeds to fly to space due to his embarrassment about wasting his secret identity. Superman then flies over and consoles his son like I would expect him to. Jon then talks to Clark about Social Injustice and how bad the world is. Not winning any points for optimism, and Superman rightfully points that out. He then proceeds to say what he want's the world to be and ask's Superman why he doesn't do more. This is a pretty basic question that has been tackled by many writers throughout the years, and most of them have had pretty solid answers. Whether that be not controlling the choices of other countries or even showing all the things he does do for humanity. However, Tom Taylor decides to flip it on its head and have Superman say, "I think part of me holds back because I wasn't born here, I can help but I can't lead except by example. Part of me feels it's not my place." This has to be the most none Superman thing I have ever heard. First of all, to address the obvious, why would him not being born here have anything to do with him being a leader. Jon is only half-human, and Superman is actively choosing him for this role. I am aware that Jon was born on earth, but so was Clark essentially. Superman's only memories of Krypton were his mother and father dying and the rest of the Kryptonian knowledge he gained after the fact. He has even led the Justice League to protect the earth for years! If that isn't a shining example of leadership, I have no idea what is. I understand that Superman is considerate and cares about other people more than himself, but this is not that occasion. Superman has led the world by example and as a regular leader for decades, and he has dealt with social woes the best he can, and the fact that Jon goes on to scold him for this poor excuse is stupid. Anyways they move past it, and Superman gives Jon the key to the fortress of Solitude. He then gives him his old suit and tells him he has to leave soon (I genuinely don't know where this is from, so if someone could say to me, that would be sweet). Next, we get Jon watching The Truth; it's a new site covering the news that the mainstream won't. Honestly, the reveal about who writes The Truth is both underwhelming and unsurprising at the same time. From this, he learns about the secret refugee ship sinking and goes to save them. After he does, he brings them to Metropolis and converses with the authorities that it doesn't look good to arrest helpless people in the middle of a crowded area. Then he flies up the building to find the guy behind The Truth. I am not even going to cover how he knew Jon would fly to that specific building. He reveals himself to be Jay Nakamura, the pink-haired guy from Jon's college. I know they are trying to make him seem important, but I honestly cannot take him seriously in the slightest with his hair like that, though honestly, that's just my personal taste. He then tells us about our villain Henry Bendix, which I know is supposed to be someone important, but I have never heard of him. So yeah, all in all, this comic really didn't sit well with me. I am less hopeful for the next issue. more

This issue is the first I have read of Tom Taylor's work, and if I have to be completely honest, I was a little underwhelmed. I've always dreamt of DC finally going into the future with a new age of hero's. Son of Kal-el is my first dip into Future State, and honestly, It was not what I was expecting.

Obvious Spoilers for Superman: Son Of Kal-el #1

I'll start with the things I liked about the book. I think, all in all, it was a pretty solid first step. It started with Jon's birth at the Fortress; It was charming and wholesome, in my opinion. However, I did find it a little off how Wonder Woman told Superman how strong Jon would be. It felt like she was just being used to push exposition rather than be her character. Batman saying it also bothered me, but it at least was said and acted in his character. It's totally believable that he would've tested Jon's DNA, it's weird, but Wonder Woman rightfully points that out, which makes the scene a little less cringeworthy. I also appreciated the banter between Jon and Damien later in the story. It reminded me of the banter they had in SuperSons (Which, if you haven't read it, I would highly suggest doing so). Though that just reminded me of how much I missed Jon as a kid. Though that will be discussed in my criticism.

Now on to the stuff I did not like. I honestly feel that Jon Kent is kind of bland. There are some neat moments of characterization, with one example being the way he dealt with the flaming man in the woods. Other than that, I think Jon is just a watered-down Superman. I also don't like how black and white this issue can seem sometimes. For example, when the military man told Jon that he would take care of him and then proceeded to smack the defenseless man in the face with the butt of his gun. That gave me a lot of "Grrr Government Bad" kind of vibes, which, at least for this story, I think could've been done with more nuance. Even Damian Validates his feelings by saying, "This guy could easily be in Mid-Autopsy with his powers being extracted and weaponized." I think there is one major flaw that this book will have to face, and honestly, it's not even Tom Taylor's fault. It's the fact that Jon should not have been aged up in the first place. Brian Micheal Bendis did this because apparently, there was a story that needed to be told with him. If I have to be completely honest, I saw absolutely no point in changing his age. This handicaps Jon because now we, as the reader, have no idea what his character is. He was simple to characterize as a child, but now he has skipped over potential years of development. I honestly feel bad for Tom; he has the job of pushing Jon's character in the right direction that doesn't make him seem too much like Superman but familiar enough that he is characterized well. Doing all this without the potentially exceptional characterization that could've been done if it weren't for him being aged up. I am hoping for the best.

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