Superman: Son of Kal-El #3 and Action Comics #1035 take place almost concurrently, or at least at the end of the issues. As this is Clark’s farewell to Earth, both issues conclude to fully establish the status quo of this new era for the Men of Steel.This issue of Jon’s book, on the other hand, continues to play with the politics that we’ve seen throughout the series, albeit with a little more tact than the previous issue’s bad and heavy-handed school shooting. This issue returns to the refugees Jon rescued and their impending deportation back to the country from which they fled.
Again, it’s a very real issue with a lot of nuance, but I think Taylor handles it better this time.I appreciate a Superman who is willing to stand up to power and be arrested alongside peaceful protesters, but I think I’d appreciate a Superman who stood up to power and got them to back down and not arrest anyone even more.
That said, his speech struck a chord with me because it echoed a point I’ve tried to make to many comic fans who don’t seem to understand that Superman would oppose deportation policies. Superman’s origin storey, especially now, feels timely. He is a climate refugee who has been given the chance to live the American Dream. That’s a powerful idea, and this is a comic that embraces it.
I also liked Jay’s reaction to meeting Lois Lane. She would be the biggest deal in the world to him as a journalist. To be honest, I’m not sure who I’d be more impressed with meeting: her or Clark. If I’m being honest, it’s probably her.The ending cliffhanger is the only thing that moves this book from a buy to a browse for me this month. Ending with the Kents’ potential fridging is overwrought and cliche, and I wish we had something a little more original.
The issue centred on Clark’s side is the other side of the farewell coin. While he says goodbye to Jon in both issues, he says goodbye to Lois in Action.I couldn’t figure out why it hit me so hard at first. But then it hit me.
This was the polar opposite of Adventures of Superman #505. That issue, too, was the culmination of a year’s worth of stories, but it was the long-awaited return of Superman, whereas this is the one that leads to him disappearing for the foreseeable future.But they all have one thing in common: they show how, no matter what, Superman always comes back around to Lois Lane. She’s been the star of this show for as long as he has, and there’s a reason for that.
The parallels exist not only in the themes of the storey, but also in the art itself. In Adventures, Lois responds to a rapping at her window to Clark’s chest by flinging herself out the window and into his arms. Clark asking her to fly with him is a gentler issue, but the end result is the same: love and passion above the streets of Metropolis as articles of clothing fall to the pavement below.
Of course, this is a Superman comic, not a Black Label issue, so what happens next in both is left to the imagination, but one issue has both of them showering and the other has Lois naked in bed wrapped only in a top sheet, so you can do the math.Sampere and Tom Grummett, who drew that Adventures issue, have another thing in common: they both draw my favourite versions of Lois Lane. Grummett’s version has been my favourite for nearly thirty years, but Sampere is climbing the ranks. It’s a shame that we’ll probably see less of his Lois in the future as the storey moves away from Earth. Hopefully, like in Exile, we’ll be able to check in on Earth while Superman is away.
The final thing I’ll say about these books is that letterer Dave Sharpe does an excellent job with sound effects in both issues, and his work elevates both comics significantly.
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