Comic Review: Superman: Son of Kal-El #17

DC Comics

Writer: Tom Taylor

Artists: Cian Tormey & Ruairi Coleman

Colorist: Romulo Fajardo Jr.

Letterer: Dave Sharp

It’s a good week for Jon fans. The young Superman had the type of heroic moments that define a character in Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths #6, and now we get some fantastic comforting moments here in Superman: Son of Kal-El #17.

Superman is back, and the theme of this issue is ‘making up for lost time.’ Jon has some complicated feelings about his father and all of the time that he has been away. Between the loneliness, trauma, and new relationship, Jon is unable to fully express his feelings to Clark. Meanwhile, Clark’s feelings are complex too as a parent who unconditionally loves his child.

Tom Taylor doesn’t only nail the dynamic between these two characters, but he also understands how this relationship would work in real life. Any parent should be able to connect to these two, especially Clark, who gets the majority of the thought bubbles in this issue. As a parent, you want your child to feel safe and open with you, and when that doesn’t happen and you know that something is being held back, it hurts. Clark knows that it’s an irrational thought, but it is one that is natural to feel too. Some great moments with Kent help to reconcile those feelings, and it makes for a tender issue.

Tom Taylor handles both characters well, giving Clark and Jon some fantastic dialogue and thoughts. Both characters have unique voices and seem completely in character the entire way. While Clark takes up a significant portion of this issue, Jon still shines in his own book. He encounters a new threat that is more than dangerous. It’s not an action-filled confrontation, but it also acts as a vehicle for reconnecting Clark and Jon while setting the stage for the upcoming finale.

Cian Tormey & Ruairi Coleman continue to draw some great moments, even if the facial expressions sometimes feel a little inconsistent. It’s easy to read everyone’s emotions just by looking at the art, which elevates Taylor’s script. The panel layouts are anything spectacular, but the framing effectively allows for both the action-filled and tender moments to hit the reader just right.

Romulo Fajardo Jr. doesn’t get too many opportunities to make much use of color, but still adds tons of depth to the art. The lone action scene does look superb, with great fire effects that make the scene intense. Letterer Dave Sharp finds himself in a similar situation, where the letters aren’t particularly innovative, but effectively add to the story. The font choices used for the antagonist are pretty neat though, giving the character a nice voice and tone.

Superman: Son of Kal-El #17 is a fulfilling issue that might feature the emotional highs of the series. Taylor and the rest of the creative team are setting this series up for a fond farewell.