Jon Kent additionally comes from a Superman demise, however a way more convoluted one. In 2016’s Superman #52, by Pete Tomasi with Mikel Janín and Miguel Sepulveda, Superman dies combating an imposter with energy-based powers, a demise that’s last and unreversed. By the top of that story, we by no means see him once more.
However right here’s the factor, that’s the Superman launched within the New 52 reboot from 2011, an extension of the Flashpoint storyline through which the Flash rearranged the world after an journey by time. In 2011, DC introduced the New 52 because the mainline universe, insisting that each one earlier tales and iterations by no means occurred. However within the 2015 occasion Convergence, the New 52 Superman learns that the Superman from the earlier actuality, the one who has existed for the reason that first DC reboot Disaster on Infinite Earths and remained roughly unchanged by the following reboots Zero Hour and Infinite Disaster (DC reboots sort of loads), nonetheless lives in a pocket dimension. He’s nonetheless married to Lois Lane and, extra importantly for our functions, they’ve a son, Jonathan Samuel Kent.
Earlier than his demise, the New 52 Superman reached out to the earlier Superman, who had since entered the mainline DC continuity and had been dwelling a quiet life together with his household exterior of Metropolis. Donning the black costume he wore on the finish of the Reign of the Superman storyline, the unique Superman joined the New 52 Superman’s battle, and when the latter died, the previous slowly made his means again into the world, and is now simply the common outdated Superman. However as he did, he introduced Jon with him, and has turn into the perfect model of Superman in years.
Ask any author and even some followers, and so they’ll let you know the largest problem going through Superman is that he’s too highly effective, too good. To jot down an fascinating story, it’s important to depower him or corrupt his morals, choices that too usually undermine the very nature of the character.
The Adventures of Superdad
With the introduction of Jon, Superman confronted a very new problem, one not even explored throughout the temporary interval when he had adopted younger Kryptonian Christopher Kent in 2006 (a part of a tie-in to Superman Returns, the film through which the Man of Metal turned a deadbeat dad).
Initially, the addition of a son makes Superman susceptible in a means that he by no means was earlier than. Lois Lane usually doesn’t have powers to defend herself, however she’s additionally a grown lady whose fearlessness is a part of her character. She isn’t outlined by the safety supplied by Superman, even when he rescues her regularly. The identical logic can’t be prolonged to Jon, regardless that the boy does have powers. When Superman makes choices now, he should first take into account the way it will have an effect on somebody who doesn’t have his personal company.
