Review: Superman #8

Last month, I sort of lost my mind as I reviewed Superman #7.  In that book, Lois decides to leave her son in the hands of the previously homicidal Jor-El after seeing the two break up a crime ring. That made no sense. In that book, Jon Kent returns and tells his parents that Jor-El is insane and needs to be stopped. That shouldn't be a revelation. Everything about this particular story has felt off kilter and wrong. Since Man of Steel when Lois and Jon left, I have been wondering if Brian Michael Bendis would be able to convince me as a reader that these characters made decisions they normally would.

I am sorry to say that Superman #8, out last week, did little to change my opinion that the entire Kent family made decisions they wouldn't have and shouldn't have in regards to Jon and Jor. This issue we get to hear Jon fill in the gaps of the years he has spent away from home and all he has witnessed. Again, given the actions of 'Mr. Oz', none of this should shock Clark or Lois. Jor-El had gone mad, tortured by whoever plucked him from Krypton's death. Having Jon hang out with him unsupervised is the very definition of a poor parenting decision.

The art is split between Ivan Reis and Brandon Peterson. Peterson's work has a more organic feel to it, reminding me in places of Stuart Immonen (high praise indeed). The expressive work is top notch. Reis (and inker Joe Prado) continue to be stellar in their fine lined, precise work here. The book is gorgeous to look at.

Still, I can't quite shake off the idea that this story should never have happened. On to the book.

 The story starts with Jon telling his parents the earliest days with Jor-El.

When pressed why he joined Jor-El on this trip, Jon reveals his own personal crisis he is dealing with. He loves his father. He loves his father being Superman. He wants to follow in his father's footsteps. But those are huge shoes to fill.

Should he want to fill that role? Can he fill that role? What is his place in the universe? These are questions that all adolescents deal with. But when Superman is your father, it has to be an even bigger weight.

To be honest, this is actually one of the reasons I became such a big Supergirl fan at such an early age. I could read comics. I could aspire to be good like Superman. But I knew I couldn't be that perfect. Supergirl, with her trial and tribulations, her failures and learning, her desire to be like Superman ... that all made more sense to me. She didn't know what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her love life was a mess. She wanted to be great but felt dwarfed by the legacy around her. I could relate to that.

Maybe Jon should have spent a summer with Kara instead?

Both realize that they are oddities. Jon is half human, half Kryptonian.

Jor-El was somehow saved from death by an unknown force. He shouldn't be alive.

But then we see just how deep Jor-El's existential dread goes. He is a man of science, of rules and order, of precision. What if the universe is chaos? What if there are no rules? What if everything is arbitrary and you can do whatever you want? What if there are no answers?

That's madness.

And Jon is out there seeking answers! This is the wrong philosophy to feed him. Heck, even he knows it. After this conversation with Grandpa he decides to try and find his way home.

Is anyone shocked that the murdering madman remained a murdering madman?

Scans show this is Jon and he is fine.

But once again, these are parents who lost 6 years of their kid's life. They should be blaming themselves. They should be angry at themselves.

And Jon saying they should be proud because they raised an 11 year old who found his way back is damning with faint praise. What if Jor-El killed him? Twisted him? What if Jon resented them for leaving him in the hands of an abuser? All of those were much more likely outcomes than a well-adjusted Jon coming out of this unscathed.

It makes absolutely no sense that they would allow that to happen.

As for Superman, he is irate that this all happened. He needs to hit something. He needs to work off this steam. He's furious that not only did he lose all those years of time with Jon, he has no one to blame but himself!

I love as he flies off to do find anything to smack, he is telling himself to stop. He can't lash out when angry. It isn't healthy. I kind of liked that self-reflection. How often do I say 'Anj don't send that email ... don't send that email ...'

But beforeSuperman can talk himself down, he happily runs across Mongul. It is Mongul's bad luck to start a scheme at this moment. Because he takes the beatdown that Superman is looking to dole out.

Okay, that is a great splash page.

Don't know if I like Superman having a short fuse that he needs to deal with physically. But I guess facing this Jon situation is something that would upset anyone to this degree.

I love how Lois knew he was heading off to pound something.

And I love that she immediately sniffs a story opportunity when she hears it was Mongul.

That's a nice little character moment, something I love about Bendis. He always includes these.

Back in the Fortress, Jon continues to tell his story.

Even though Jor-El is clearly suffering a mental breakdown, he still points Jon and himself towards missions of good. And Jon felt like he was accomplishing something.

It turns out that the unsettled nature of Earth, the petty differences and squabbles, exist everywhere.

Nice double splash page and interesting sentiment there.

One adventure has Jon and Jor run into Kilowog and Arisia. This is, perhaps, the chestiest rendition of Arisia I have ever seen. It was almost distracting.

Jon, who has been looking for a way home, asks if they could drop him off. But before the Lanterns can delve deeper, Jor shows up. Maybe they are afraid of him? Maybe they respect Superman too much? But instead of asking more questions, the Lanterns fly off. That seemed a little off for them as well. They can sense something is wrong. Arisia asks Jon if he is in trouble.

They're Lanterns! They are supposed to be space cops! They should be mandated reporters or investigators of crimes or abuse against minors. Do the right thing!

Unfortunately, Jor overheard Jon asking to go home. It leads to months of silence between the two.

Seriously, how could Lois and Clark leave Jon alone with this guy.

Just when Jor-El finally apologizes, the ship is sucked into a black hole. I love the color effects here.

Alas, Jon comes out of the black hole only to find himself face to face with the Crime Syndicate.

I wonder if he even knows about these guys.

I'm sorry.

This whole arc is just so hard to tolerate.

I just have a hard time with believing in the initial plot point. Clark and Lois shouldn't have let him go with the lunatic Mr. Oz.

I have just as hard a time believing in the second plot point. Lois would never leave her son alone with Jor-El. 

As a result, all that happens from that is infuriating to me. Especially since it likely spoiled the Jon character, the bright, cheery young Superboy.

Overall grade: C-

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