Superman (vol.4) #2 (2016)

July 16, 2016 Chris

Superman (vol.4) #2 (2016)
“Son of Superman, Part Two”
Storytellers – Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Inker – Mick Gray
Colorist – John Kalisz
Letterer – Rob Leigh
Assistant Editor – Andrew Marino
Editor – Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $2.99

Gonna kick it new school today, talk about another post-Rebirth book. Really enjoying most of these releases. Sure, there’s a couple that haven’t tickled my fancy, but I’m happy to report that the Superman titles are not among that lot! The Man of Steel is finally back, and I’m diggin’ every panel of it!

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Fresh off of last issue’s ending, Superman has snatched Jon from his bedroom and flown off with him… terrifying right? Nah, he’s taking him someplace safe to watch and learn how the powers he’s growing into are to be used. There was a distress signal from an icebreaker ship, and Superman told the League to sit this one out… this one’s for the Kents… er, Whites… um, Smiths. Superman saves the day with ease.

Suddenly, a huge squid-like critter raises it’s homely head (and tentacles) out of the near-frozen drink, and latches onto the Icebreaker. Superman hops into battle, and realizes that the beastie is being controlled by some sort of crystal in it’s eye. He holds the eye open, and calls upon Jon to focus some heat-vision into the crystal. It’s takes Jon a little while to concentrate enough to blast the bugger, and along the way actually manages to burn his father’s back!

Here we get the big reveal… Jon sheds his winter coat, and we find that he’s wearing a Superman shirt under it. Awesome.

With the squid outta the way, Superman and Son sit on the ice and have a bit of a heart-to-heart. Superman pretty much lays it all out… one’a these days Jon’s more than likely gonna have to be Superman. Upon hearing this, Jon breaks down and fesses up to having heat-visioned Lois’ cat. Clark nods knowingly, and the boys decide the best course of action would be telling “Ma”. Back home, the Smiths have a formal burial for their cat. This would be a “coming of age” moment for any child in a similar (but not entirely, of course) situation. Having to physically “say goodbye” to a pet… man, that’s gotta be up there among the more difficult things a person’s going to have to do. Just instantly brings a bit more “realness” to this bit.

Later on, we see Jon sitting in a tree… he is soon joined by neighbor-girl from last issue. It’s made clear that she saw what he was able to do, and Jon asks why she didn’t rat him out. She makes a comment about keeping secrets, which leads me to wonder if she’s not hiding something. She scoots a bit closer, and places her hand on his… causing him to clench his (super-powered) fist… destroying the very branch he was sitting on!

Meanwhile, Lois and Clark are digesting the recent events… Lois receives a package from… Lois Lane… hmm… well, before she gets to open it, the neighbors come running in holding an unconscious Jon Smith… and I just realized that his name is Jon Smith…

Clark grabs his boy, and is kinda snippy with their kindly (?) neighbor. Clark does a scan, and finds that Jon’s got a slight concussion. Lois asks why he’s getting hurt at the same time he’s exhibiting Superman-ish powers. Clark realizes his next stop is the Fortress of Solitude.

What Clark doesn’t know is when he/they arrive at the Fortress they’re going to be greeted by a… very 1993 Eradicator. Is this the Reign of the Supermen version??? Gonna have to wait two-whole-weeks to find out.

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Here’s our new Superboy! Really fun issue, as I’ve come to expect from this post-Rebirth era (for all the couple’a months we’ve had it so far). Here we see something of a coming of age for Jon, in more ways than one. We come to learn that with his heritage comes an expectation. Superman literally tells him that one day (soon) he’ll have to wear the real-deal “S”. How’s that for pressure?

Jon also comes clean about what happened to poor Goldie in the previous issue. It was a touching scene, and made Jon feel like a real young boy. The way he confesses, you can tell that his conscience was just eating away at him. His dad’s revelation that he sorta-kinda already knew was a nice touch. He believes enough in his son, that he knew he would eventually come clean. That’s the way he was raised, and it’s the way he’ll raise his son. The fact that Jon actually feared he was going to be “turned over to” the Justice League was a very kiddie reaction as well, perfectly suited however.

The art maintains the same amazing level of quality we’d come to expect from Patrick Gleason. Not a bad panel in the lot. Helluv’an iconic cover too… almost wish they used it for issue #1. This is definitely worthy of being the first cover of a volume!

Enjoyed this, and looking forward to what’s to come. This Eradicator looks amazing… and really evokes that Reign of the Supermen feel. Can’t wait for the next issue!

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