REVIEW: Superman: Son Of Kal-El #7

Superman: Son Of Kal-El #7 is here and if the covers are anything to go by it looks like he is about to meet a new potential ally! This series has gone strength to strength and I cannot wait to see how this character grows further.

But before we get into the issue itself, let’s take a look at the covers. The standard cover is by John Timms and I love it. It really shows Jon for who he is as a superhero and shows one of the many things he is passionate about, saving the Earth. Not only that but we also see Aqualad protesting alongside him which suggests a potential team up. I adore love the detail here, especially on the Kraken type monster crushing the ships in the background, the fact that the protesters are in colour whilst the monster and destruction is in black and white really makes them stand out to make their point.

The variant cover is by Inhyuk Lee and I love the detail here. The under the sea landscape looks so realistic and I love the schools of fish swimming in the background, it’s a nice touch. Lee is known for his realistic detail and in some ways his work is unmatched in that area. I love how Jon is holding his nose and puffing out his cheeks, it shows a really fun and cheeky side to him which I love and Aqualad looks confident and very sure of himself. I’m looking forward to seeing more of him.

Superman: Son Of Kal-El #7 sees Jay Nakamura open up a little more to Jon as he asks him to join ‘The Truth’, a truly anonymous group of people hoping to do good by looking for the truth. I love how much Jay looks out for Jon and thinks of the things that he needs to keep him happy, such as the anonymity of everything. I thought it was a great touch and shows how the pair help each other in a more emotional way.

As the issue progresses, we get our a bit more of an introduction to The Rising and we finally get a sense of what kind of relationship Lex Luthor and President Bendix have. Though Lex and Jon got off on the right foot in the Son Of Kal-El Annual, I have a feeling that it’s not going to end well. Bendix and Luthor together just give off bad vibes, especially with the stolen technology they’re using behind peoples backs.

We also get to see a Superman and Aqualad team up, which I quite enjoyed. Jon’s mission to save the Earth clearly coincides with some of the ideas and beliefs that an Atlantean would have, so it makes total sense for them to team up and the pair work well together to neutralise this threat. It also gave us a bit more context towards that stakes that Jon is working towards with this mission and the effects are devastating.

Their plan works perfectly until they are suddenly interrupted by The Gamorra Corps who seem to be under the control of Bendix and Luthor and clearly have rather direct and rather vicious ways. This moment really showed the difference in approach between the two parties and how a lot of things can be misconstrued just because of the way it looks. This monster is in peril, it’s panicking and whilst Superman and Aqualad try to help it, The Gamorra Corps simply just attack it and it doesn’t end well.

Superman: Son Of Kal-El #7 gives us some excellent Superman moments, which I love. Seeing him take the time to deal with people when there are huge things at stake elsewhere. Not only that but the way he sacrificed himself to protect a being that even he doesn’t yet fully understand was incredible. This is what Superman is all about, he is for everyone and the artwork here reflects that perfectly.

The interior artwork by Cian Tormey, Raül Ferndández and Hi-Fi is great in this issue. The colours are vibrant yet real and that adds a real nice touch to this series, especially when it takes on real world themes like this. The detail by Tormey is phenomenal, from the waves in the sea to the intricacies on the ship and “the monster”, everything just looks so real and I love that. There are some really Superman nice moments in terms of artwork in this issue too, my personal favourite was seeing Jon running towards the panel whilst removing his mask and coat to reveal that classic symbol of hope. That moment was beautiful.

Superman: Son Of Kal-El #7 is an action packed introduction to the new threats that Jon has to face. Jon gains alliances, but also several foes who seem to be under the control of President Bendix. The artwork is fantastic, it’s realistic and vibrant and I cannot wait to see where this story goes.

Haven’t picked up Superman: Son Of Kal-El #7 yet? You can get the standard cover by John Timms, you can get that here (UK) or here (US). Or if you prefer the variant cover you can get that here.

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