REVIEW: ‘Superman: Son of Kal-El,’ Issue #2

Jon Kent is ready to blend into normal life under the new identity of “Finn Connors,” a regular college freshman masking his superhero identity with a blonde wig and sunglasses (instead of just glasses like his famous father). But when trouble unexpectedly calls, Jon finds the management of a secret identity far harder than he anticipated, leading to more questions about how he should conduct his superhero life. Thankfully, his father is there to support him as he goes on this internal exploration. Superman: Son of Kal-El #2 is written by Tom Taylor, with art by John Timms, colors by Gabe Eltaeb, and letters by Dave Sharpe.

Taylor has a special talent for giving Jon introspection as he’s in the middle of fast-paced action and superheroics. It feels like such a natural blend for this new Superman. Jon wants to lead a more normal life, but his sense of responsibility and his need to rush into helping others outweigh everything. Taylor is keen on making Jon relatable to readers and succeeds magnificently here. What would any of us who would want to do good do if we had the powers of Superman? Probably something like Jon does.

And Taylor makes the differences with his father perfectly clear, especially in their conversations shown. Jon dares to ask his father why he doesn’t do more to rid the world of its systemic issues, continuing the questions Taylor explored in the first issue. There are some excellent conversations here on why and how Superman should intervene in humanity’s affairs, rather than letting them sort the more difficult issues out.

But Jon is someone who wants to challenge the status quo far more than his father does, making him more relatable to millennials and Generation Z readers who want to change these systemic issues.  Taylor does a wonderful job presenting this father-son dynamic, with nuance in their disagreements and palpable trust and love. We get to see Lois briefly with her son at the beginning, with Taylor doing a good job of showing her trademark wit. Hopefully, we get to see more of her in upcoming issues.

The art and colors by Timms and Eltaeb continue to stand out. Timms’ art is crisp and dynamic, and he does such a fantastic job portraying movement in action, especially when we see Jon move at super-speed. Eltaebs’ colors and shading are perfect for Timms’ art and do such a great job at immersing you into the page even further. One particular scene showing the depth of space is spectacular. Timms and Eltaeb also do a great job depicting people of color, ensuring that their features, skin tones, and hair textures are specific and varied. It looks like a lived-in world that Superman should save.

Sharpe’s letters are excellent once again. Every speech bubble is well placed, and he uses a great color for Jon’s speech boxes that blend with many backgrounds. It’s the finishing touch on an excellent read.

Superman: Son of Kal-El #2 is a fantastic comic that dives deeper into Jon Kent and what drives him to heroism in a way that is his own. Taylor does a wonderful job at getting readers to relate to this son of Superman, even when he seems so godly above us, literally and figuratively. The art by Timms and Eltaeb is immersive and stunning, with great lettering by Sharpe as well. This issue makes it clear that Jon Kent’s path is distinct from his father’s, even though it’s still inspired by it. I can’t wait to see where his journey goes.

Superman: Son of Kal-El #2 is available now wherever comics are sold.