Son of Superman

Last updated
Son of Superman
Son of Superman.jpg
Cover to Son of Superman by J.H. Williams III and Mick Gray.
Publication information
Publisher DC Comics
FormatOne-shot
Genre
Publication date1999
No. of issues1
Main character(s)Jon Kent
Superman
Creative team
Written by Howard Chaykin
David Tischman
Artist(s) J.H. Williams III
Mick Gray

Son of Superman is a comic book Elseworlds story, published by DC Comics. Written by Howard Chaykin and David Tischman, with art by J.H. Williams III and Mick Gray. Fifteen years after the disappearance of Superman, Clark Kent and Lois Lane's teenage son, Jon Kent, learns that he is the son of the Man of Steel, and has suddenly inherited his powers. Following his father's footsteps, Jon joins a rebel organization, that fights against the now completely corrupt U.S. government, and their plan for total economic segregation.

Contents

Plot

The story set in an unspecified date, when Elizabeth Dole is President of the United States. When a solar flare erupts, teenager Jon Kent manifests superpowers and learns from his mother, Lois Lane, that his father, Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent, was secretly the superhero Superman, who mysteriously disappeared in a foreign country 15 years ago. Jon attempts to follow his father's footsteps as the new Superman in his makeshift costume. To find out the truth of his father's disappearance, Jon helps a terrorist organization, led by Pete Ross and Lana Lang, and discovers that his father has been held in an underground facility. Jon frees his father from his captivity, and the Kent family joyfully reunite. During Superman's absence, Lex Luthor has taken control of the Justice League as well as many other aspects of life in the United States. The Justice League's liaison to Lex Luthor, the Martian Manhunter, is told to recruit Superman into the League once again. When Superman voices his disapproval of Pete Ross and Lana Lang's terrorist methods, his son tells him not to be so hard on them, and also says he is not proud of who his father is. Pete and Lana find the spacecraft that carried Superman to earth, and use it to decode a Kryptonian message they found at the facility where Superman was being kept. Superman finds everything in the Fortress of Solitude has been stolen, while Batman finds out Wonder Woman is funding the terrorists. Pete Ross threatens to expose Lex Luthor as the man responsible for holding Superman captive, and agrees not to reveal the information in exchange for two hundred million dollars. In addition to the two hundred million dollars, Pete gives Lex one of the advanced armors the terrorists used for their operations.

An army of men wearing the armor, led by a man who appears to be Superman, destroys the Statue of Liberty. The Justice League is ordered to bring in Superman, but Batman, Superman and Jon defeat them with the help of Wonder Woman, who has been convinced by Batman to regret her mercenary actions. They find out Luthor used the stolen Kryptonian technology and Superman's genetics to give himself superpowers, but only succeeded in gaining half of the Man of Steel's abilities. Because of his anger built up from all the years of growing up without his father, Jon confronts Luthor alone. Jon initially fares poorly against Luthor, but eventually gains the upper hand and Luthor is defeated. Wonder Woman convinces Lana to turn herself and Pete over to the authorities. The Martian Manhunter is revealed to have worked with Luthor to keep Superman captive, because with Superman out of the way, the Manhunter was the world's most powerful and beloved hero. For his part in the scheme, Martian Manhunter is forced to return to Mars. The Justice League retires from fighting crime to "spend more time with their families". Bruce Wayne, no longer donning the cape and cowl of Batman, decides to run against President Dole in the next election to restore democracy to the country. Jon Kent finally establishes a relationship with his father, and continues his career as a superhero wearing his father's costume.

Publication

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lex Luthor</span> Fictional supervillain appearing in DC comics publications and related media

Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in Action Comics #23. He has since endured as the archnemesis of the superhero Superman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supergirl</span> Fictional superheroines in DC Comics

Supergirl is the name of several fictional superheroines appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The original, current, and most well known Supergirl is Kara Zor-El, the cousin of superhero Superman. The character made her first appearance in Action Comics #252 and was created by Otto Binder and Al Plastino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lana Lang</span> Fictional DC Comics character

Lana Lang is a fictional supporting character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superboy</span> Fictional character in the DC Comics pantheon

Superboy is the name of several fictional superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. These characters have been featured in several eponymous comic series, in addition to Adventure Comics and other series featuring teenage superhero groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Ross</span> Fictional character in the DC universe

Peter Joseph Ross is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.

<i>The Dark Knight Strikes Again</i> 2001–02 comic book series by Frank Miller

Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again, also known as DK2, is a 2001–2002 DC Comics three-issue limited series comic book written and illustrated by Frank Miller and colored by Lynn Varley, featuring the fictional superhero Batman. The series is a sequel to Miller's 1986 miniseries The Dark Knight Returns. It tells the story of an aged Bruce Wayne who returns from three years in hiding, training his followers and instigating a rebellion against Lex Luthor's dictatorial rule over the United States. The series features an ensemble cast of superheroes including Catgirl, Superman, Wonder Woman, Plastic Man, Green Arrow, The Flash, and the Atom.

<i>Superman & Batman: Generations</i>

Superman & Batman: Generations is the umbrella title of three Elseworlds comic book limited series published by DC Comics in the United States, written and illustrated by John Byrne. A major concept of the series is the avoidance of so-called comic book time; it places Superman, Batman, and the other members of the DC Universe in a single timeline, showing the characters aging and being replaced by their progeny.

<i>JLA: The Nail series</i>

JLA: The Nail is a three-issue comic book mini-series published by DC Comics in 1998 under its Elseworlds imprint. The story, written and drawn by Alan Davis, is set in a parallel universe where Jonathan and Martha Kent's truck experiences a flat tire caused by a nail, which stops them from discovering a Kryptonian spaceship outside Smallville containing the baby Kal-El, negating Superman. It was later followed by a sequel, JLA: Another Nail, a three-issue mini-series published in 2004 which wrapped up several loose ends from the original mini-series, such as the war between the New Gods and the Green Lantern Corps and Oliver Queen's public betrayal of the Justice League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superboy (Kon-El)</span> DC Comics superhero

Superboy is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. A modern variation on the original Superboy, the character first appeared as Superboy in The Adventures of Superman #500, and was created by writer Karl Kesel and artist Tom Grummett.

<i>Justice</i> (DC Comics) Comic book limited series by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger

Justice is a twelve-issue American comic book limited series published bimonthly by DC Comics from August 2005 through June 2007, written by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger, with art also by Ross and Doug Braithwaite. Its story involves the superhero team known as the Justice League of America confronting the supervillain team the Legion of Doom after every supervillain is motivated by a shared dream that seems to be a vision of the planet's destruction, which they intend to avoid.

The Superman dynasty, an extension of the House of El, is a lineage of DC Comics superheroes. The term is used for the descendants of Kal-El, the original Superman, who continue to uphold his legacy of heroism well into the 853rd century, as depicted in the DC One Million crossover. Repeated references to members of the Superman dynasty, as Superman's "descendants" and at least one reference to them as the "blood of his blood" would seem to indicate that they are, in fact, the biological descendants of Superman in some fashion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alternative versions of Superman</span> Various incarnations of comic book superhero

The character of Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and has been continually published in a variety of DC Comics book titles since its premiere in 1938. There have been several versions of Superman over the years, both as the main hero in the stories as well as several alternative versions.

Superman, given the serial nature of comic publishing and the length of the character's existence, has evolved as a character as his adventures have increased. Initially a crime fighter, the character was seen in early adventures stepping in to stop wife beaters and gangsters, with rather rough edges and a rather looser moral code than audiences may be used to today. Modern writers have softened the character, and instilled a sense of idealism and moral code of conduct.

<i>JLA: Act of God</i> Comic book series published in 2000

JLA: Act of God is a three issue limited series published by DC Comics under the Elseworlds banner in 2000. It is written by Doug Moench and illustrated by Dave Ross.

<i>JLA: Age of Wonder</i>

JLA: Age of Wonder is a 2003 two-issue mini-series of comics from DC's Elseworlds imprint. Taking place from 1876 to 1913, the comics follow Clark Kent and Lex Luthor as they use superpowers to create technical innovations. The comics also follow the creation of the League of Science, a superhero league dedicated to spreading these innovations for the good of mankind. The series was written by Adisakdi Tantimedh, with art by P. Craig Russell and Galen Showman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Superman (Earth-One)</span> Comics character

The Superman of Earth-One is the incarnation of Superman that existed during the Silver Age and Bronze Age publications of DC Comics. He is also known by the following names: Silver Age Superman, Bronze Age Superman, and Pre-Crisis Superman.

<i>Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League – Attack of the Legion of Doom</i> 2015 American film

Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League – Attack of the Legion of Doom is a 2015 American animated superhero comedy film based on the Lego and DC Comics brands, which was released on August 25, 2015, on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital HD. This is the fourth Lego DC Comics film following Lego Batman: The Movie – DC Super Heroes Unite, Lego DC Comics: Batman Be-Leaguered and Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Kent (DC Comics)</span> Comic book superhero

Jon Kent is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Dan Jurgens, the son of Superman/Clark Kent and Lois Lane, he first appeared in Convergence: Superman #2. Jon is the newest character in the DC Universe to assume the superhero persona of Superboy, and later Superman. As Superboy and Robin, Jon and Damian Wayne appeared in several Super Sons comic book series featuring their shared adventures. Jon later takes on the Superman mantle and stars in the comic series Superman: Son of Kal-El.

<i>Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons</i> 2022 American film

Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons is a 2022 American animated direct-to-video superhero film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and based on the comic books of the same name. It is the 49th installment in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies and the first fully-CGI animated film from DC Entertainment. The film was written by Jeremy Adams and directed by Matt Peters, and stars Jack Dylan Grazer and Jack Griffo as Jonathan Kent and Damian Wayne respectively. It premiered on October 7, 2022 at New York Comic Con, and was released to home video on October 18. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

References

See also