Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 – Truth, Justice, and a Bisexual Tomorrow

Jon Kent kisses Jay Nakamura

On October 11th, 2021 — National Coming Out Day — DC Comics announced Jon Kent, Superman’s son with Lois Lane and Earth’s new Superman, would come out as bisexual. Think pieces, tweets, statements from former actors, clapbacks — reactions came in droves in advance of the November 9th release of Superman: Son of Kal-El#5. A lot of people have a lot of opinions about the decision and how it was announced. I know I do. But as for the comic itself: I love it. I really do.

Superman: Son of Kal-El #5

Hi-Fi (Colorist), Dave Sharpe (Letterer), Tom Taylor (Writer), John Timms (Artist)
DC Comics
November 16, 2021

superman: son pf kal-el #5

Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 slots in as the fifth installment of an ongoing storyline centering Jon taking over the mantle of Superman from his father and facing off against Henry Bendix, the human rights-abusing, super-geneticist president of Gamorra Island.

In a move not uncommon for this series, however, the real meat of the issue isn’t in what’s traditionally associated with superheroics. Jon saves the day for people five separate times within the span of thirteen pages — and then he spends the remaining pages in his love interest Jay Nakamura’s apartment. Unlike his father, Jon can get physically exhausted saving people, and does, prompting Jay to call him over under the guise of needing help and convincing Jon to rest.

It’s an interesting take, and one that makes perfect sense for the character. Superman: Son of Kal-El presents Jon as Earth’s new Superman, a new hero for a new generation. In addition to protesting human rights abuses and attempting to tackle systemic causes instead of their outcomes, Jon faces another issue on the minds of young people: burnout.

The parallel is clear, and John Timms does a great job portraying the frantic, overextended expressions and body language of someone who feels like they need to be everywhere doing everything all the time. Jon’s on the verge of a meltdown when Jay steps in with the values of self-care and letting others help.

Jay Nakamura is an even newer addition to DC comics than Jon, having debuted in August of 2021, only three issues previously. Even so, it’s obvious in hindsight that Jay was going to be Jon’s love interest. The DC press release deliberately parallels the fact that he and Lois Lane are both reporters, and it’s even revealed in issue #3 that Lois’s journalism has made her something of an icon to Jay.

Jay has a lot of characteristics that make him feel like he was specifically designed to be Jon’s love interest, but what really makes him attractive to Jon is expanded on in this issue: he doesn’t need to be taken care of or protected. No, really. Jay has powers that make it physically impossible for anyone, even Jon, to harm him. He steps in as a caretaker for Jon, telling him, “you’ve got everyone else. I’ve got you,” probably referencing the issue title: Who’s Got You?”, which is itself a quote from an exchange between Clark and Lois in the 1978 Superman film.

Jay may have superpowers, but in my opinion, the comic makes it clear that his real strength — and ultimately, what makes Jon kiss him — is his empathy for a Man of Steel. He knows Jon’s overwhelmed, something Jon’s tried his best to knuckle through and hide throughout the issue, and he helps with understanding and patience. Jon can’t ignore the cries he hears from every single person on Earth who needs help, so Jay slips a pair of noise-canceling headphones on him. Hi-Fi’s colors lend a tender, complex tone to the scene that underscores the mood.

Its exercises in mundane humanity really make the issue. Jon flies over Earth, uses x-ray vision to detect gunmen, and lifts a bridge with trucks on it, but what really stands out are moments like Jon softly comforting a young girl in Spanish and Jay apologizing that Jon has to nap on his shitty couch.

Jon Kent and Jay Nakamura discuss Jon's hearing and Jay's couch.

Jon and Jay’s kiss, while highlighted by taking up an entire splash page, feels more like a gentle expression of affection than a declaration. It’s not built up, commented on, or particularly shocking to anyone. Even after they kiss and Jon pulls himself away to go back to saving the day, the small gestures land: Jon gives Jay his cape and promises he’ll be back for it.

The underlying strength of this series is at full play in this issue: this is not Clark Kent/Kal-El, an alien god among men punching bad guys. This is Jonathan Samuel Kent, a child who inherited the impossible task of saving a heavily flawed world and needs the compassion, grace, and cooperation of others to do so. Jon’s “coming out” and the issue that encapsulates it aren’t a heavily underlined, bombastic affair — it’s intuitive and gentle.

In its best moments, Superman: Son of Kal-El #5 reminds me of Chan Chau’s Eisner-nominated fan comic Soft Lead: both envision a Superman who’s always more human than alien and understands that not every problem can or should be addressed with violence. That’s the kind of Superman I want to see. Say what you will about this from a marketing/representation standpoint, and I’ll listen, but this is a comic that’s super in all the right ways.

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Lucia Iannone

Lucia Iannone

Lucia is a comics writer and editor based in Brooklyn. She fell in love with comics when she first read Watchmen at the age of fourteen, but didn't realize it until she read a different comic two years later. You can find her on twitter @cosmicobject, where she occasionally remembers to tweet. luciaiannone.com

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