Superman #2

Written by: Peter J. Tomasi and Patrick Gleason

Art by: Patrick Gleason

Coloured by: John Kalisz

Lettered by: Rob Leigh

I've really been enjoying this series so far, and the main reason this is Jonathan White, Superman's son. The book seems to be focusing more on the father-son dynamic than I had originally expected, and coming from Superman: Lois and Clark, I already had a fondness for the son that has only grown with the switch to the main Superman series. In the previous issue, Jon began to discover even more of his powers, but had yet to learn the proper control when he was spirited away into the night by his father for unknown reasons.

The story follows immediately after Jon and Superman leave, with Superman explaining that he has to help a submarine that was damaged and is stuck in the ice. Upon fixing the submarine and learning of its nuclear propulsion system, they are attacked by what can only be described as a giant tentacle monster with regenerative powers that is being controlled by a crystal at its centre. Realizing that he can't defeat this creature alone (okay, he totally could, but it's a teachable moment), Superman teaches Jon to control his heat vision and defeats the creature. I really enjoy the dynamic between Superman and his son, a father that has experienced exactly what his son has been going through and is prepared to help him understand what he is and what he can become.

There is still a bit of an over emphasis on shadow, but overall the art is fantastic. The characters faces are expressive, Superman appears confident, parts of the design of the monster are surprisingly intricate, and the colours are vibrant and varied. The action is dynamic, and the quiet moments are simple but gorgeous, being framed by starry skies or setting suns to add an extra layer of calm to scene. This issue also sees the debut of Jon's Superboy outfit, essentially a superman jacket and jeans. While I'm not a huge fan of the seam running up the middle, it is believable as something pulled from a regular store, and can easily be tweaked in the future to tighten up the design as the character grows.

Overall, I loved this issue and a large part of that love comes from the family dynamic. At one point, Lois describes their relationship with Jon as being “the best of both worlds”, Clark there to show Jon his powers and teach him to use them responsibly, and Lois there to instill in him the love and respect for the human race that Clark's parents instilled in him. This is a series with a lot of heart, and if they can keep that heart going forward, we may have something very special on our hands.