The “Reign of the Superboys” storyline continues with Superman Unlimited #11, this time focusing on another former Superboy: Jon Kent, the son of Clark Kent. Jon finds himself face to face with a new threat in the form of Master Txyz, a fourth-dimensional demon who claims to be his greatest enemy. Having been destroyed by Jon at some point in the future, Txyz is determined to defeat his “archenemy” by using all of time and space as a weapon.
Throughout Superman Unlimited #11, Dan Slott attempts to address the identity issues – or rather, the lack of identity – that Jon has dealt with over the years. First, he was Superboy, then Superman, and now he’s been stuck in place. Even a previous issue of Superman Unlimited had Jon going into the newspaper business solely because that’s what his parents did. Txyz hits at Jon’s underlying insecurities, saying that he’ll forever be stuck in his father’s shadow…until Jon makes a bold decision to forge a new identity. How long this identity will last remains to be seen, but Slott deserves props for addressing a major issue with the character.
The introduction of Master Txyz also brings time travel into the mix, including a major surprise that is sure to either please Superman fans or cause a continuity headache. Again, it’s totally up to Slott and other creators on whether or not they want to go forward in this direction, but by the end of Superman Unlimited #11, you’ll see why this story is called “Reign of the Superboys.” I still feel that the overall storyline has yet to be defined, and hopefully the connection between all of the Superman titles becomes stronger with future issues.
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Superman Unlimited #11 also sees Lucas Meyer returning to art duties. Meyer makes sure that Master Txyz is a truly terrifying foe, drawing him as a massive bat-like creature with glaring red eyes and bright purple fur. In contrast to Mister Mxyzptlk, who looks human and always has a mischievous smile on his face, you know from the jump that Txyz is a creature of pure evil. His time travel abilities also let Meyer and colorist Guiliano Peratelli go wild with the scenery; Jon is hurled through the ocean, then a volcano, and finally a post-apocalyptic version of Smallville, all the while surrounded by dinosaurs and World War II era fighter planes.
Where Meyer really shines is in the opening of the comic, which lays out Jon’s entire life from start to finish. All the big moments are there: Jon’s birth, his growing up with his parents in Smallville, becoming Superman, and soaring side by side with the rest of the Superman family. Meyer infuses this montage with the mix of epic and heartfelt imagery you’d expect from a Superman comic, while also setting the stage for Jon to face off against Txyz. It’s the perfect way to remind readers of the weird, wild journey Jon has been on since he took up the mantle of Superboy.
Superman Unlimited #11 takes some bold swings, as it gives Jon Kent a new foe and a new lease on life. Now it’s up to other creators to explore the status quo that this issue has established.
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