DC Comics reviews 7/4/23 – Steelworks#2, Knight Terrors: First Blood #1

Adventures of Superman Jon Kent #5

Jon Kent is definitely not the typical superhero. Writer Tom Taylor prefers to keep Jon on the observe, analyze, consider, carefully ponder his next move and then potentially, maybe react. This doesn’t make Jon the most exciting hero so Taylor wisely put him in a scenario where Jon can deliberate in a world where quick strike action is the key to victory.

After sizing up the world and especially after talking to this world’s Jay Nakamura, Jon decides this Superman is on the wrong side of the law and agrees to align with Batman’s forces. The only problem is Damian Wayne doesn’t trust Jon and deduced he’s sided with Batman. This is a fun shift on the Super Sons dynamic with Batman paired with Superman’s “son” and vice versa.

While Jon has failed to act, the same is not true for the Injustice world’s Superman, who leads his Justice League to stop Batman’s forces once and for all. Artist Clayton Henry shows how efficiently brutal the Justice League can be without any of their long held moral restraints. Henry’s clean art style makes for especially easy to follow action sequences and conveys the emotion during heated conversations.

Jordie Bellaire’s color work remains exceptional with bold and vibrant choices to further sell the intensity of these face offs while letterer Wes Abbott throws in some fun special effects noises.

This dynamic of Jon Kent on another world has worked so much better than the last time he faced a morally-challenged Superman and this creative team has sold the idea that this multiverse series might be the best use for Jon going forward. Here, he can exist outside of the rest of the Super Family and be unique as a paragon of virtue helping to inspire Batman’s forces and making Injustice Superman question his stances.

Rating: 9 out of 10