It’s the final issue of Superman: Son of Kal-El this week, and it’s Jon Kent vs. Red Sin! It’s not the end of Jon Kent’s stories–read about Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent for more on that–but we still need to find out if he can survive Red Sin in Tom Taylor, Cian Tormey, and Ruairí Coleman’s Superman: Son of Kal-El #18. Given the cover art, maybe it’s not Jon we should be worried about, but his dad Clark Kent!
As a final issue, Taylor does a good job wrapping some things up while setting up Red Sin as a major enemy of Superman going forward. Superman: Son of Kal-El #18 opens with Ma and Pa Kent’s house being repaired by a few of the Justice League members. It was destroyed a few issues back when Clark was away and Jon was on his own. It’s a heartwarming sort of scene as we get to see heroes helping heroes and the familial bond as strong as ever.
With the home rebuilt, the story shifts to figuring out how Red Sin is and how to stop him. Somehow this character has figured out a way to weaponize Superman’s weakness to red sun energy. With the help of Nightwing we get some new info on Red Sin, and eventually, our heroes are off trying to stop an attack by the character.
Flash has to be doing most of the work, right?
Credit: DC Comics
The rest of the issue involves a tense search and a confrontation with Red Sin. The speed of Superman continues to be well captured, and the confrontation ends up being quick but fruitful. A callback to a critical element gives Jon an edge. It’s kind of a cheat, but there are only so many pages in a comic. Taylor continues to show how empathetic and caring Jon is, even when a character like Red Sin wants him dead. There’s yet another touching moment between Clark and Jon as Jon reflects on something he learned from his dad, further cementing this series as incredibly wholesome.
Art by Tormey and Coleman continues to be good, and I continue to have a hard time pinpointing which pages are by Coleman. Tormey I can spot, but Coleman is doing a great job keeping things looking consistent. While the action is minimal in this issue, it’s still fun to see the Justice League building the Kent house–and Flash taking a ride in the tub carried by Superman–or seeing the nice touches like the direct red laser-line trailing Superman to show his insane speed.
Oddly, this issue doesn’t feel like a finale and even ends on a cliffhanger that’ll lead to Action Comics. While Taylor isn’t done with the character, it would have been nice to end the title on a stronger note or a bigger one. Instead, it feels like a regular issue that only continues the narrative rather than an ending in any way at all.
If you’re looking for wholesome superhero comics, Superman: Son of Kal-El is the best to do it. Not only that, it’s well written and paced, keeping your attention up and delivering a unique superhero experience.
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