REVIEW: Superman: Son Of Kal-El #3

Superman: Son Of Kal-El #3 is here and I have really been enjoying this series so far. It’s great to see Jon Kent really take to his stride in his new role and this story-line is creating a great dynamic for the character.

But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The standard cover is by interior artist John Timms and I have to say it is a very intriguing cover. It depicts Superman (Kal-El) visiting Superman (Jon Kent) in prison and I’m assuming that has something to do with his decisions in the previous issue. Either way, the artwork is fantastic and the use of shading is very effective in showcasing where they are and how powerful in stature these two are. I also love the smug look on Jon’s face.

The variant cover is by Inhyuk Lee and it is another gorgeous piece by him. This variant showcases a powerful looking Superman as he hurls his power and strength against some sort of spaceship or satellite. His stance is powerful and I particularly love the colours used to highlight the heat and fire radiating from this vessel. This is truly a magnificent cover.

Superman: Son Of Kal-El #3 expertly adds the crumbs that Phillip Kennedy Johnson left in the previous Superman title. Like I said before I really love how it all links in together. Not only does it allow for more intricate story telling but it also gives you a real chance to truly get to know Jon and the kind of Superman he is going to be.

We also see the introduction of a few new potential villains. For one of them that doesn’t quite seem to be the case as FaultLine’s lack of memory and situation seems to be following the same pattern of the ‘villain’ we encountered in the first issue. Tom Taylor has expertly shifted our attention from this scenario in the previous issues, so when we finally see it come together and come to fruition, the reader instantly knows that this is leading up to something much bigger than we originally thought.

Jon gets a distress call regarding the refugees that he offered a home, the government are planning to deport them back to where they came from after their President claims that they live in a ‘paradise’. Once again Tom Taylor is really weaving real life issues and situations into this series and I adore that. In this issue we see a glimpse at police brutality, but most importantly the refugee situation and its protesters. I love that Jon comes to stand hand in hand with those that believe in the same things he does.

Though Jon has made a huge and potentially dangerous decision with allowing the refugees into the country without any sort of permission, I love that he is really sticking to his guns. Not only that but with the amount of support he has behind him, he has already made such a huge impact on the whole situation.

One good thing about Jon and Clark’s secret being out is that we get to see the dynamic when Jon brings friends home. That’s something we have never had the chance to really explore unless of course it’s a member of the Justice League or the Legion. I thought this segment was really fun and I love how Jay is more nervous about meeting Lois Lane than Superman, that just goes to show how much of an impact she also has on the world and I love that Tom Taylor is picking up on that.

The time has come for Superman as he has to begin his mission to save the refugees of Warworld and this moment was so emotional as Jon and Lois had to say their goodbyes. This moment was particularly poignant for Jon as this is the mission where he believes his father will not return. Whilst this is an action packed issue, Tom Taylor did a great job of adding some raw emotion into this part.

The artwork by John Timms is phenomenal, I particularly love the pages of Jon saving the inhabitants of a building in just four seconds, that goes a long way to really show you how quick and dedicated he is. This artwork combined with the colours by Gabe Eltaeb give this book a really great feel to it, the optimism is palpable and this is the perfect creative team to handle Jon and his rise to Superman. The colours are bright and bold and the character designs are distinct, the well known characters are instantly recognisable and the newly introduced characters have a great design.

Superman: Son Of Kal-El #3 is a fantastic, action packed yet emotional addition to the series. I am fully sold as Jon taking on the role of Superman. Tom Taylor has expertly given him his own identity. I cannot wait to see where it goes from here.

Haven’t picked up Superman: Son Of Kal-El #3 yet? You can get the standard cover by John Timms here (UK), or here (US).

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