The Man of Steel #6

[history79]

Comments

[informationgeek]

Wasn't this guy the villian a few story arcs ago?

[strejdaking]

For anybody not reading the series, the preview shows Jon explaining his eagerness to go Rick and Mortying with Jor-El: https://www.newsarama.com/40670-superboy-s-secret-revealed-in-man-of-steel-6.html

[icon_uk]

Except that's not how that scene happened, the Titans explained their reason for not accepting him and went so far as to stress that is really wasn't an issue with him, it was an issue with them. They were admitting they were basically a dysfunctional mess as they were, barely working as a team, and adding anyone new to the mix would likely be a misstep.

https://www.cbr.com/super-sons-teen-titans-reject-superboy/

[ekrolo2]

I kind of read that as Jon blaming himself for his own perceived issues, despite the team saying it's not him. Everyone, not just kids feel they're at fault when they get rejected by something even when it may or may not be true, or even when the rejecting party is 100% sincere about it not being their fault at all.

[icon_uk]

I agree there would likely be a bit of self recrimination and disappointment because, as you say, Jon seem's a sensitive kid, but I suspect would be a lot less than this implies, since Jon had basically just watched the Titans fall apart when trying to pull together and that was _without_ him as a member

[icon_uk]

Wittering on about how "Travel will be good for him, this primitive planet is a dump" when this primitve planet created sodding Superman, really doesn't work as an argument.

I also have issues with Jon insisiting against BOTH his parents wishes like that, he's 10 for crying out loud.

Lois going is a sort of a sop to that, but still not finding this a plausible story turn.

[strejdaking]

Since when are 10 year olds known to be perfectly obedient? Especially with something this personal to him?

[icon_uk]

There's "staying out past curfew to go on patrol with Damian" disobedient and "Going against my parents express wishes to leave home for an indeterminate period of time in the sole company of someone they have no reason to trust and who was most recently best known for manipulating the hell out of Superman as well as kidnapping Tim Drake and keeping him prisoner for months". disobedient.

Nothing about Jon Kent's past personality suggests he'd view the latter as an okay thing

[strejdaking]

When has Jon learned the extent of what Jor-El did? And assuming Clark told him, he would surely tell him how his action seemed to be result of outside manipulation. And Jon was shown to be somewhat naively trusting of people and I would say Lois and Clark being so vehemently against it would make him somewhat resentful. And him "staying out past curfew to go on patrol with Damian" under normal circumstances, I think definitely point to him being more disobedient over something like this.

[joetuss]

10 year old's have zero authority, and this wouldn't even be a debate in any real life home. A better way to go about this, would be to have Jon slip out in the middle of the night, and leave with Jor.

[strejdaking]

It wasn't a debate, they were just explaining him their decision. Lois didn't agree till it was obvious it's about his mental state.

[zachbeacon]

I'd argue that the Kents* created Superman. All those Elseworlds I used to read tell me that Earth in general doesn't always produce the best results.

*They're still dead in Rebirth (or whatever it's called now) continuity, right? Its a shame Jon can't hang out with his namesake (plus Superboy's other two grandfathers tend to be villains). Also I'd think Martha's position as the best mom in comics would mean she has a shot at being the best grandma in comics too.

[icon_uk]

"I'd argue that the Kents* created Superman"

A fair and valid point.

I'd still say that having learned from the Kents, Clark stands a much better chance, in conjunction with Lois, of raising Jon properly than Jor-El, who never even raised his own son (What with the planet blowing up, and him seemingly being dead etc)

[mastermahan]

Jor-El's experience with being a father begins and ends with "baby rocket". It's not even completely involuntary, either. Part of the retcon is that he's been hiding on Earth for years secretly monitoring Clark. As opposed to, say, contacting the son who thought he was dead.

So if Jor-El wants to spend time with his grandson, Lois and Clark should put their foot down and tell him he can bloody well do it on Earth with parental supervision, like any sensible parents would do with someone they barely know.

[kamino_neko]

Thing is, Jor-El is less than entirely impressed with the man Earth created, so 'the planet that created Superman' is not a very persuasive argument in his eyes. He thinks he's wasting his potential. Never actually explains what more he thinks he could be doing (best interpretation: guiding Earth to a state similar to pre-destruction Krypton; worst interpretation: ruling), but he thinks there's more he can be doing.