Peter J. Tomasi is back to writing Superman and Robin in a new extra-sized special this week. The story features Damian and Jon in a story taking place between Superman: Son of Kal El #1 and #2. Even though Jon is a touch older, the same magic Tomasi brought to these characters continues here. It’s a done-in-one story of sure, but it’s also a continuation of their bond together.
This issue feels like it is written for Adventures of the Super Sons fans who want another adventure. This also closes the door on the Temporal Cube which Jon discovered with his father on an adventure. Combine those two things and we have an adventure that takes twists, and turns involving aliens, Nazis, and plenty of bonding between these two characters. This all makes for a good read, although it does feel a bit thin.
That’s because a portion of this book has the two chasing around an alien that looks a bit like a gargoyle. Customary for superhero stories, the heroes and enemy can’t communicate and there’s no way to figure out if it’s friend or foe for the longest time. This leads to raised stakes, some cool mecha suits for both heroes to wear, and plenty of Nazi punching action. There isn’t a whole lot else to the book as the opening takes forever to get going and the heroes don’t even clean up the very messed up Fortress of Solitude.
The Fortress of Solitude is about to get rocked.
Credit: DC Comics
If you enjoy Tomasi’s take on Jon you’ll appreciate the scene with Lois, but it ends up feeling like we’re biding our time before the adventure actually begins. There are plenty of little jabs, remarks, and intimate moments for Jon and Damian to experience which, again, reads like this is for the fans of Tomasi’s previous stories.
Viktor Bogdanovic draws the issue, showing off their epic art skills with some double-page layouts that showcase big battle scenes. The inking can feel a bit heavy, especially in the Jon and Lois scene, but has a dramatic feel to it. When it comes to the mecha suits, Bogdanovic makes them look huge and super cool, pulling off the “wow” effect.
Superman & Robin Special is a must-read for fans of Tomasi’s previous stories with the Super Sons. It captures the energy and youthfulness of both while building off previous stories during their adventures when Jon was still a boy. However, the overall read feels thin, especially once you put it down and recap to yourself what happened. At its higher price point, there just isn’t enough here to recommend this one to casual readers.
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