Son of Superman

DC Comics Presents - 100-page Spectacular

by Howard Chaykin, John Tischman, David Tischman

With Superman being assumed dead for fifteen years, Superman's son, Jon Kent, suddenly awakens to his extraordinary powers and his real identity, and goes in search of his mother, Lois Lane, and the secret behind his father's disappearance.

Genres: Comics, Graphic Novels, Superman, Dc Comics, Superheroes, Fiction, Graphic Novels Comics

95 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Howard Victor Chaykin is an American comic book artist and writer. Chaykin's influences include his one-time employer and mentor, Gil Kane, and the mid-20th century illustrators Robert Fawcett and Al Parker.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Elseworlds story where Superman has been gone for the last 15 years and his son Jon is now developing powers. One of the better Elseworlds books with some nice J.H. Williams III artwork.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little story that might have tried to encapsulate a bit more than it was capable of, but it hit all the right character marks with every aspect of this sweeping cast of heroes. I did not like the turn with Pete Ross as that was the one thing that went totally against type (if you're a Silver Age fan you'll know what I mean when you read it), and thought that the relationship between Jon and Karen was just sort of flat and unnecessary and served as more of a distraction from the story overall than anything else, but all in all this was a fun read and a fairly good Superman story.

[Jean-Pierre Vidrine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Howard Chaykin's dystopian story of a not-too-distant future tells of a world where superheroes are registered with the government (FYI, this was originally printed before Marvel's Civil War), Superman is believed dead, and the idea of profit controls everything. Enter: the boy who didn't know he was Superman's son. This 90's era tale is a commentary on a number of fears like: sensationalist journalism, profits over people, and government policies widening the gap between the haves and have-nots. Chaykin's take on these issues may seem heavy-handed; but, looking at the world about a decade after the story's first printing, I can't say that his fears were not legitimate. Another issue comes up in the story that is a superhero mainstay, but Chaykin delivers with his own touch. The idea of a good guy remaining a good guy in a world that is not kind to good guys is nothing new to comics, but Chaykin has us looking around at our world and shaking our head right along with the aged Superman. This is not only one of Chaykin's best, but one of the best Elseworlds Superman tales.

[John Yelverton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Elseworlds book that I have ever read. It's absolutely amazing!

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, and I love the uniforms the Justice League wears. Some of the corporations run everything is a little rough to read this year but otherwise a great Elseworlds story.

[Unai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hoy toca un “Elseword” de un mundo en el que Superman ha muerto en una guerra europea, Luthor es el hombre mas poderoso del mundo y la Liga de la Justicia es un brazo armado del estado. En este mundo extraño Vive Jon Kent, hijo de Loise y Clark, quien desconoce que su padre era algo mas que un periodista. Conocimiento que cambiara cuando debido a una tormenta solar, deje de ser el chico humano que siempre ha creído ser y empiece a desarrollar los poderes kryptonianos impulsados por nuestro sol amarillo.

Este mundo es distópico y si bien los héroes se han convertido en funcionarios y los villanos han sido erradicados, hay un grupo terrorista que trata de sabotear el sistema. Los perseguidos y muy activos terroristas no son otros que Pete Ross y Lana Lang, quienes consiguen burlar una y otra vez a la Liga de la Justicia y a su muy fascistoide líder que resulta ser el Detective Marciano.

La aparición de Jon Kent con los poderes de Superman, el descubrimiento de quien era realmente su padre aparte de un simple periodista y un mundo corrupto y podrido por la mano de Lex Luthor, hace que las cosas empiecen a resquebrajarse y las verdades asumidas en pos de una sociedad mejor, sean cuestionadas.

La historia de Chaykin es potable, se deja leer, tiene un precio razonable, pero tampoco mata, sinceramente. Me ha dejado un poco frío y bastante lejano de otros Elseworld de Superman que son bastante superiores y mas trascendentes. Tiene sus curiosidades como ver a la JLA con esos uniformes corporativos y las motivaciones de los mas poderosas como Wonder Woman y el Detective Marciano, así que lo dejaría en un “no esta mal”, pero tampoco pasa de ahí.

[Chazzbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, self-contained, alternate-universe story of the rise of Jon Kent, the son of Lois and Clark in a world where Superman has been missing for 15 years. Chaykin's trademark obsessions with sex and liberal politics are on display here, but do not interfere with the story to the extent that, say, Frank Miller's obsessions would. An older, but not necessarily wiser, Justice League contributes to the plot, allowing Chaykin to take a few stabs at the general doofiness of Green Lantern and Aquaman; Lex Luthor's altered appearance is explained cleverly, and Jon's teenage angst is reminiscent of some mutants you may have read about elsewhere. At 100 pages, the story has room to develop nicely without wearing out its welcome. Good, diversionary fun.

[Brini · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was interesting to see what would happen if Superman disappears and how it would change the world. Fifteen years after Superman's presumed death, changing solar activities awake powers inside Jon Kent, son of Lois Lane and Clark Kent. He learns about his father's secret. It's thrilling to read what such sudden changes can mean for a teenage boy. You also try to find out who really cares for humanity and what motives the terrorists who call themselves Supermen have. Just like the name of Metropolis' former superhero now stands for something else, things are not as they seem. It's takes the wisdom of the older superheroes and the wit of young Jon to put things right which makes it very exciting to follow the development of this story.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a fan of these wacky alternate-reality Elseworlds stories, and this is another good one. Teenager Jon Kent's latent superpowers make themselves known thanks to a solar flare and finds out that his father, Superman is not dead as he's been to believe. A fun story filled with dystopian commentary and done with a thankfully lighter hand and less angst than expected. Co-writer Howard Chaykin didn't draw this one, but his visual style is all over it, which makes it all the more enjoyable.

[Anthony · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE best Superman story ever written.

Charming, heartwarming, Chaykin at his best.

[Doug Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an indie writer, this was an important book to read because it reminded me of all the constraints of the comic medium. There’s word balloons that don’t always line up, so you stumble in the dialogue or you don’t explain things enough. There’s also a page length obstacle. Each story has a number of pages that the comic has to conform to, and in some cases that means scenes have to be rushed or clipped. They don’t always make sense. Im not talking about a scene that intentionally doesn’t make sense because it’s a teaser to what is happening in the background or is a lead-up to “the big reveal,” but scenes that within themselves don’t make sense. There’s this one-pager where Jon’s love interest Karen is mad at him. I had to re-read it for the lightbulb to come on. I can’t help think that if the book had more pages it would’ve let that scene breathe.
And look, I’m not trying to knock the writers or the story. This is a very well-written story that breathes new life into Superman and the Justice League. In it, Jon is a boy who discovers he has super powers. His mother reveals to him he is the son of Superman, a person who disappeared fifteen years ago and has never been seen again. Following Jon in this “order over law” future as Superman is discovered is a great premise. The interpretations of the other Justice Leaguers as well as some of Superman’s cast of characters is the kind of fun that keeps you turning pages. The artwork is really good, too. I was reading things differently this time, or maybe I was reading writer-first. That’s why I couldn’t go all the way to five stars.

[MatiBracchitta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leí este cómic sin ninguna expectativa, y creo que por eso me entretuvo tanto. Sin ser una maravilla o una obra de arte, lo cierto es que logra su cometido y crea un "universo alternativo" que resulta interesante y llamativo.

Básicamente: Superman está desaparecido hace 15 años. Loise Lane tiene un hijo de Clark. Lex domina prácticamente a EEUU, y la Liga de la Justicia trabaja para el gobierno. Todo esto va a ser el desencadenante de una historia sencilla, que no exige al lector y que permite una lectura tan rápida como divertida.

La historia invita a los spin-off dado que deja muchas aristas abiertas tanto pasadas como futuras. Si no me equivoco el Bruce Wayne de este universo (o una versión similar) volverá a aparecer, por ejemplo.

La premisa no es nada nueva, pero está bien desarrollada. El trabajo tampoco se destaca, pero no desentona. Si no fuera por lo entretenido que me resultó (sobre todo llegando al final) le pondría tres estrellas, pero esta vez me voy a dejar guiar más por mi primera impresión.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

DC Comics Presents: Son of Superman #1

Jon Kent's father disappeared fifteen years ago. He grows up normally, but a solar flare activates his latent DNA. The world is no longer without a Superman.

Chaykin and Tischman's take on the revelation of Jon Kent's Superman is well drawn and decently plotted. Clark looks tired in his scenes and the world without a Superman is fairly depressing and corrupt, where law and order has overtaken personal freedom.

[Nate Deprey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as The Nail or Red Son and if it wanted to be the Kryptonian version of The Dark Knight Returns it isn't but it still mostly works.

[Mitty Finholdt · Rating 5 out of 5]

melhor que son of kal-el

[Fred · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprisingly timely with its backstory of a rich business man manipulating the government through creating chaos & a desire for law and order. Also interesting to see Williams when he was at an earlier stage in his career.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Son of Superman and its’ understated dystopian setting. Superman’s been gone for fifteen years, leaving Lois Lane to raise their seemingly mild-mannered son as she works in Hollywood as a screenwriter. A solar flare activates Jon Kent’s latent Kryptonian abilities, leading to his taking up of the Superman mantle and the discovery of a worldwide conspiracy affecting the Justice League, the US government, and beyond.

One of the admirable things about Son of Superman is that the story really moves; a lot of comic stories in 2013 feel like they’re being stretched out to accommodate future collections. Not so here. Son of Superman covers a LOT of ground in its’ 94 pages. The script touches on a lot of the paranoia which was de riguor in the late 1990’s fiction (paranoia about the government and cover-ups, co-opting of the government by big business) but it keeps that stuff firmly in the background as color to the main story of Jon Kent… and I think that’s to the book’s credit. Some of the contrivances the writers use to move the plot forward are a little tired out (the news reporter/talking heads thing had been done to DEATH by 2000) but in general the story works.

The art from Williams and Gray is fantastic and it’s no accident that the duo would go on to do such stellar work with Alan Moore on Promethea around this time. Williams’ design work on the new Superman and militaristic Justice League is fantastic. I can’t help but think what a better designed Superman costume this is than the one he’s currently running around with in the regular comics. Gray’s use of blacks add to the darker nature of some of the writers’ plot in an atmospheric way and there are some scenes, like Superman revisiting the Fortress of Solitude, that are just showpieces for Grey’s talent.

[Daryl · Rating 2 out of 5]

Given the "imaginary story" freedom of an Elseworlds tale, the writer is able to spin a new take on an old character or situation. We've seen plenty of versions of Superman's son before, but Chaykin develops the story a bit differently, in that Superman himself has disappeared (presumed dead) and his son Jon Kent is raised without knowledge of his father's true identity, and doesn't himself develop powers until a solar flare hits earth when he's 15. The "imaginary"/Elseworlds versions of Superman always appeal to me a lot more than the staid character of the regular DC Universe. This was a decent story that probably could have used a bit more backstory or development to make a more coherent tale. Why has Pete Ross, the epitome of a "good guy," become a terrorist using Superman's name while he wantonly kills innocent people to make a point? Ditto for Lana Lang. The only indication that things have changed in this world after Superman's disappearance is that the rich (Bruce Wayne and Lex Luthor, for example) are getting richer, while the poor are getting poorer. The economic disparity presented in this graphic novel from 1999 doesn't feel all that different from the reality of 2014. And I don't see Pete Ross blowing people up for that. And I personally was dismayed at the presentation of J'Onn J'Onzz here as well (and far too easily wrapped up; he's deported to Mars? What?). Nice art, though.

[One Flew · Rating 1 out of 5]

Strong start, weak finish. The opening of the story promised mystery, insight and a fresh look at the Superman mythos, too bad it didn't deliver. The basic premise is that Superman dissappears, everybody else turns into a jerk, Superman reappears and people suddenly remember that they shouldn't be jerks. To me it just felt like very lazy writing, extremely anti-climactic and lacking any real depth of character.

Perhaps I'm being a little bit harsh, I did enjoy some of the design overall concepts. It was just the writing that bugged me, even some of the awful dialogue, like... "That's not the way I hear it scuzzball." Or "But if it make you angry enough to wipe the grin of those smirky superjerks go right ahead." Hell, there is even a scene where Jon Kent (Superman's son) walks in on Clark and Lois about to get it on and they calmly chat about his new costume. Nice idea, poor execution.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's a lot going on in Son of Superman, but Howard Chaykin almost manages to pull together his satire about politics, media, and superheroism together. The trouble is that the story's heart is sentimental; like many great Superman stories, this book is at its best when it's focusing on a father and his son. When Jonathan learns his father was Superman, his life is upended. But the cacophony of the plot is no match for the quieter moments between a man and his child. Trying to be both emotional and glib doesn't work in this book's favor; there's simply too much going on to buy tonal switches. But this is one of the better Elseworld tales out there. For big-old Superman fans.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this Elseworlds tale from the early 90s we are given a glimpse at a world where Lois and Clark had a son, Jon, but Superman wasn't there to help raise him. Howard Chaykin crafts an interesting "what if" that details a possible future in which the JLA has been governamentalized and Lex Luthor is the most powerful person in the world. I enjoyed the different versions of familiar characters however many weren't given enough time to shine. Lois and Clark's individual relationships with their son and former childhood friends were intriguing. The art, done by current superstar J.H. Williams is good but not anywhere his amazing stuff now. Overall, this was a fun story that needed more pages.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these Elseworlds books. This one does a good job capturing what it's like to be a teenager, including the struggles with authority. It also tackles some big topics like corruption, income inequality, and trading freedom for safety, which make it still relevant to read 15 years after it was published.

[Anthony Lawrie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn't crazy about this DC Elseworld addition. It's not particularly clever and to be honest it doesn't really even feel like a Superman/JLA comic. There are better 'what if' scenarios out there but I didn't hate it.

[H. Givens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked the concept, but the execution leaves something to be desired. The writing is confusing (possibly because of page limits) and the art isn't helpful or inherently enjoyable. So it's a good read, but could've been better, and the packaging didn't make the experience super fun.

[Warren]

Elseworld Publication

[Ron Sadowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read 10/18/09

[Little Timmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice alternate universe Superman story. Nice art. Recommended

[Joe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lois Lane and The Justice League are worth the ride.